The Norsk Ved organization urges producers to evaluate logs soberly when the mercury in the thermometer decreases before the weekend.
COLD WOOD: Several suppliers are seeing increased demand now, before severe cold hits several locations across the country. Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTBPublished: Published:
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It is expected to be very cold in the Eastland area over the next few days.
So it may be tempting to sit in front of the fireplace and hear the crackling of birch bark, but what about wood supplies?
– Norway never runs out of firewood, says Øyvind Stranna Larsen, specialist of the organization Norsk Ved, Forum of Firewood Producers.
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Three types of customers
Stranna Larsen doesn’t like that the media constantly reports that people are “hoarding” firewood.
– It’s called “preparing for winter.” We have been receiving firewood for the winter since we used the land approx. 9,500 years ago, he says.
According to Stranna Larsen, firewood customers consist of three main groups: Those who purchase enough firewood well in advance of winter. Those who wait and see what winter will be like and who only buy when it’s cold. The third group is those who don’t have much storage space and buy occasionally.
– The last two groups enter the market especially when the cold weather arrives, he says.
– Always someone with shares
In 2010 there was a sharp increase in demand for firewood. At the time, several manufacturers were running out of business. Stranna Larsen says some producers also ran out of firewood this fall, but there’s no reason to worry.
– When we enter severe winters, more wood producers than usual will be empty, but there will always be someone with wood in stock, he says.
– Some firewood producers also practice the so-called artificial drying of firewood and can therefore produce dry firewood continuously throughout the winter. The decentralized location of manufacturers, with many manufacturers across the country, also helps us never run out. It’s good to have firewood on the market.
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Sveinung Skjesol of Norsk Vedsentral, which supplies firewood in the Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Mjøsbyene area, says demand was higher than usual for the Christmas and New Year weekend. Norwegian Wood Central has been selling firewood since 2010.
Skjesol believes this has something to do with the winter weather being felt now.
However, Norsk Vedsentral has Norwegian birch wood in stock and, according to Skjesol, delivery times are relatively short at the moment.
It requires a sober price development
Everyone is affected by the violent world order we live in and the wood market is certainly no exception.
After Russia invaded Ukraine, the export of birch timber from our eastern neighbors to Europe stopped. Norway exports birch timber and domestic prices therefore follow world market prices. Over the last two years we have almost doubled the price of birch timber in Norway.
Birch can be burned in the fireplace, but it is also used in several industrial products, including paper production.
– When the supply of birch lumber decreases in Europe, the price of lumber naturally increases. And wood producers have to cover the increased costs, so the price of wood also increases, says Stranna Larsen.
– Furthermore, woodworking machines are powered by diesel tractors or electric motors. Both the price of diesel and electricity have increased, which also means increased costs for wood producers, he says, and continues:
– Timber producers also offer timber delivery. This is much more problematic now in the middle of winter with heavy loads of lumber when there is a lot of snow and slippery roads.
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So delivery costs now may be slightly higher than if you ordered firewood in time in the fall, before the snow arrives, says Stranna Larsen.
– We recommend our members of Norsk Ved to have a sober price development based on increasing costs and increasing wages for the rest of society. The feedback I get from our members is that this is being followed.
– We tell members that it is necessary to have a sober price development in relation to the cost framework. Now it’s difficult to get on the road, so this can also lead to increased operating costs.
– How many Norwegian producers are not your members?
– We have around 3,000 members. Unfortunately, Statistics Sweden does not have data on the number of producers, but it is estimated that it is about double.
It marks an increase in input
Supplier Vedøra has to keep prices low despite high production costs, says managing director Kasper Haram.
Vedøra is not a member of Norsk ved.
Like Norsk Vedsentral, Vedøra notes the increased supply now in the winter cold.
– We have the great autumn period, from the end of August to the beginning of September, when Norwegians fill their attachments. And then they replenish their supplies when the cold weather arrives. So the load usually increases a few days before severe cold arrives, Haram says.
According to him, customers are more price sensitive this year than in the past.
– People are more careful with their money now. We have done everything we can to lower prices, says Haram.
– For us, cheap firewood is almost a human right.
Responds to high prices
Before winter, Norsk Ved conducted a survey among its members. Manufacturers estimate a price increase of 10 to 12 percent this year.
Stranna Larsen says to follow the prices on Finn.no. She sometimes sees small bags at high prices when it’s really cold.
– In 2022, demand was unusually high. Then there was someone who charged NOK 349 for a 40 liter bag. It will be NOK 7 per kilowatt hour. So you take advantage of people in a difficult situation.
2024-01-04 14:32:56
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