Increase of wood pellet exports from the US

North American pellet exports were 22 percent higher in 2014 than in the previous year, according to the North American Wood Fiber Review. While US shipments have been on a steady rise for three years, Canadian export volumes trended downward during 2014. US exports to Europe increased for the twelfth consecutive quarter, reaching a new high of just over 1.1 million tons in the 4Q/14. Minor volumes of pellets to Asia, shipped by containers from the US West Coast, fell as manufacturers concentrated on seasonal local demand. By far the largest consumer of US pellets that past year has been the United Kingdom, which in the 4Q/14 was the destination of 73 percent of US export volumes. However, the UK market has not always been in such a dominant position. With over 20 new export-oriented pellet plants being built or having credible plans to operate in the next two years in the Southern States, further significant growth in North American pellet exports can be expected. Track the latest market developments in the Nawfr (www.woodprices.com)