IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘U.S. – Particle Board – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

Last year, the American particleboard imports grew by +13.2% y-o-y to 6.1M cubic meters or $2.1B in value terms due to an intensive housing building. Canada remains the prime particle board supplier to the U.S., boosting its exports by +44% y-o-y to $1.9B. The volume of supplies from Brazil to the U.S. has risen even more sharply by +69%. Average prices for imported particle board also indicates tangible growth.

Particle Board Imports into the U.S.

In 2020, imports of particle boards into the U.S. expanded significantly to 6.1M cubic meters, picking up by +13.2% compared with the year before. In value terms, particleboard imports skyrocketed to $2.1B (IndexBox estimates) in 2020. Suburban construction in the U.S. is growing at a record rate, which continues to generate high demand for building materials.

In 2020, Canada (5.7M cubic meters) was the main particle board supplier to the U.S., with a 93% share of total imports. It was followed by Brazil (140K cubic meters), with a 2.3% share of total imports.

In value terms, Canada ($1.9B) constituted the largest supplier of particle board to the U.S., comprising 94% of total imports. The second position in the ranking was occupied by Brazil ($23M), with a 1.1% share of total imports.

In 2020, Canadian particleboard supplies to the U.S. in value terms soared by +44.0% y-o-y or by +13% y-o-y in physical terms. Brazil has strengthened its presence in the American market, increasing the volume of supplies to the U.S. by +69% in 2020.

The average particle board import price stood at $338 per cubic meter in 2020, growing by 26% against the previous year. Prices varied noticeably by the country of origin; the country with the highest price was Canada ($340 per cubic meter), while the price for Brazil totaled $162 per cubic meter.

Alternative Markets for Canadian and Brazilian Particle Board Exports

The U.S. remains the prime trade partner to Canada. The U.S. accounts for 95% of Canadian particle board exports. The rest of the total export goes to Japan, South Korea, Viet Nam, China and other countries. 

Brazil supplies to the U.S. approx. 19% of its exports. China is the largest importer of particle board from Brazil, with a 30%-share of total Brazilian exports. Peru (13%) ranks third among the prime importers of particle board from Brazil.

Source: IndexBox Platform