Looking to import firewood

[County4x4]

They surely weren't selling melamine worktops for firewood were they???

[renewablejohn]

They surely weren't selling melamine worktops for firewood were they???

 

All sawn up into little blocks approx 2 inches square just ready for burning.Two full dumpy bags full..

[scbk]

Lithuanian brich for sale on ebay:

 

Firewood Logs White Birch 100 Bags (From Lithuania) on eBay (end time 27-Nov-10 23:20:11 GMT)

[Big J]

Holy thread revival Batman!

Could I check where the market is sitting at the moment for wholesale imported firewood? 

 

I'm in a slightly frustrating position at the moment where the contract work that I do for a large local sawmill is looking very insecure in the near future. I've been working there, more or less (but not quite) full time for 18 months on a self employed basis, running one particular machine line.

 

There is a downturn in the demand for construction timber (80% of our production is exported, half of which is to the UK) and not being employed or part of the union, I'm unfortunately the first to have my hours cut. Despite being almost twice as fast as anyone else who has operated my particular machine in the 18 years it's been installed. 

 

Anyway, our part of Sweden is 70% forest, with a minority of that being birch. I want to formulate a plan to propose to my sawmill about entering firewood production and export. They already have all the infrastructure and procedures in place for export to the UK (about 400 cubic metres a day to the UK alone), several massive kilns and literally hectares of under-cover drying space.

 

The climate is extremely good for firewood drying here. We have minimal rain, and sub 15% is easy outside without kilning. The kilning process would only be so as to kill insects and other pests (56c, 30 minutes is the Swedish board of agriculture standard).

 

We have a local manufacturer of crates/pallets too, so all that would be required would be the machinery to actually process the timber.

 

Where is the market at the moment in terms of dockside wholesale prices for stacked birch firewood crates? I am conscious that the price of logs has increased a lot since I left the UK, in part due to the increasingly stringent legislation regarding moisture content. 

 

The Swedish birch market is a bit different to that of the Baltic states and Finland. There isn't quite as much of it, because the primary use is mainly wood pulp and domestic firewood supply. But there is so, so much forest here that even a small percentage being birch is a hell of a lot of birch.

 

Any thoughts or guidance from anyone who has imported firewood to the UK would be greatly appreciated. 

[topchippyles]

5 hours ago, Big J said:

Holy thread revival Batman!

Could I check where the market is sitting at the moment for wholesale imported firewood? 

 

I'm in a slightly frustrating position at the moment where the contract work that I do for a large local sawmill is looking very insecure in the near future. I've been working there, more or less (but not quite) full time for 18 months on a self employed basis, running one particular machine line.

 

There is a downturn in the demand for construction timber (80% of our production is exported, half of which is to the UK) and not being employed or part of the union, I'm unfortunately the first to have my hours cut. Despite being almost twice as fast as anyone else who has operated my particular machine in the 18 years it's been installed. 

 

Anyway, our part of Sweden is 70% forest, with a minority of that being birch. I want to formulate a plan to propose to my sawmill about entering firewood production and export. They already have all the infrastructure and procedures in place for export to the UK (about 400 cubic metres a day to the UK alone), several massive kilns and literally hectares of under-cover drying space.

 

The climate is extremely good for firewood drying here. We have minimal rain, and sub 15% is easy outside without kilning. The kilning process would only be so as to kill insects and other pests (56c, 30 minutes is the Swedish board of agriculture standard).

 

We have a local manufacturer of crates/pallets too, so all that would be required would be the machinery to actually process the timber.

 

Where is the market at the moment in terms of dockside wholesale prices for stacked birch firewood crates? I am conscious that the price of logs has increased a lot since I left the UK, in part due to the increasingly stringent legislation regarding moisture content. 

 

The Swedish birch market is a bit different to that of the Baltic states and Finland. There isn't quite as much of it, because the primary use is mainly wood pulp and domestic firewood supply. But there is so, so much forest here that even a small percentage being birch is a hell of a lot of birch.

 

Any thoughts or guidance from anyone who has imported firewood to the UK would be greatly appreciated. 

Is there an option to sell it locally over there Big j or is the market sown up so to speak.

[Conor Wright]

There may well be a margin in importing some over to Ireland. I've seen a cube stacked crate of birch in a local garden centre for 349euro. 

There seems to be a lot of companies already bringing timber over from eastern Europe though. 

Does your mill export to Ireland at all?

[GarethM]

You can never ever compete on price especially with Swedish wages compared to other Baltic states.

 

Let's for the sake of argument say the list price is £150 a M3 for kiln dried that's been on a boat for a week and will be air dry at best.

 

That's £75 a M3 or less at the dock.

[Stere]

How about Nambian logs.....

 

Buy Firewood, Braaiwood & Charcoal - Namibian Hardwood UK LTD

NAMIBIANHARDWOOD.CO.UK

---

Nothing Burns Like Our Wood! Nr.1 Direct Importer Of Premium Dry African Hardwood Logs & BBQ Charcoal. Ready To Burn &...

 

Seems marketing is half of it........

 

 

 

Edited October 4 by Stere

[GarethM]

Yes, but Swedish premier firewood is billy bookcases, probably similarly priced.