Raw material availability and regulation were two of the major talking points for wood-based panel producers at this year’s European Panel Federation (EPF) AGM & conference in Berlin this year.

The June 27 conference at the Melia Berlin Hotel saw hard-hitting presentations by EPF managing board member Stefan Zinn (Pfleiderer) and Holger Lösch, executive board member of the Federation of German Industries, on the industry future in the face of transformation and geopolitical challenges.

The EPF Annual Report 2024-2025 was also released, showing the final production figures for the European wood-based panels industry – a 2.7% growth in output during 2024 to 58.1 million m3.

The figure is slightly higher than the provisional statistics shared at the Interzum exhibition in May, when production growth was expected to be up 1.9% to 57.4 million m3. The stats have to be viewed in light of a -6.2% reverse in 2023.

Finals stats show particleboard recorded a 1.5% growth to 31.3 million m3, while MDF grew 1.9% to 11.3 million m3 and OSB reached 7.1 million m3 – a 5% rise on the previous year.

Stefan Zinn, EPF board member, told delegates that the industry was experiencing very challenging times.

“It is even more important to have clear guidance and strong support for the industry,” said Mr Zinn.

Holger Lösch, executive board member of the Federation of German Industries, said European regulations were trying to do the impossible and performing “gymnastics” in their policy approach. This came, he said, from a general distrust towards businesspeople from Europea policymakers and a risk averse approach.

Mr Lösch said policymakers were understanding that the industry had tough challenges, but they were also intent on ambitious climate targets. “There is an internal fight about what measures we need to take to gain business confidence again, while still helping climate targets,” he said.

“We need to get away from this attitude of regulating every detail because it is ruining our innovation.”

New EPF managing director Matti Rantanen reported a growth in building permits towards the end of 2024 (+14%) and the start of 2025 (+5%), following a declining trend in recent years. But he said economic sentiment remains in “negative territory” for the industry.

The furniture sector experienced a minor increase in production in Q1, 2025 year-on-year, after a 20% decline from mid-2022 to the end of 2024.

Mr Rantanen summarised by saying private consumption is the main current growth driver in the EU27, while there is now reduced uncertainty in the construction sector. He said there is a turning point in the EU housing market amid improve affordability, rising real wages and declining interest rates.

Source: EPF