The veneer and wood panel market in Italy

Veneer and wood panel production is a sub-segment of the wood products manufacturing market and the woodworking market more generally. Veneer and wood panel manufacturing includes the production of:

veneer sheets, whether polished, dyed, coated, impregnated, reinforced or in the form of patterns

plywood, wood veneer and panels

chipboard

medium-density fiberboard

densified wood production

production of laminated wood.

As for wood panel production, there are several market opportunities:

construction

furniture

packaging

others, including DIY

The global market is growing at a relatively slow rate. Asia-Pacific accounts for the largest market share, at 54.34 percent in 2019. Emerging economies such as China, India and Japan are estimated to contribute to the growth in demand, especially from the packaging and construction sectors. Europe accounts for more than 24.12 percent of the total market share, which is dominated mainly by Germany.

In Italy, this is recorded under ATECO code 16.21.00, which identifies the manufacture of veneer sheets and wood-based panels. The Italian market has been shrinking for several years. In fact, from 2013 to 2018, it declined by 18 percent.

The Italian market is mostly inhabited by small and medium-sized companies; about 70 percent of companies, in fact, have fewer than 10 employees, while less than 1 percent have more than 250 employees. Most of these companies are located in the Northwest, with 27 percent of the total, but their regional distribution is fairly homogeneous.

In recent years, there has been an increase in demand for products made from recycled wood and increased pressure from governments to use more environmentally sustainable materials and processes. In fact, many industry players have modified their production processes and expanded their offerings to meet this new market trend.