Italian imports of glulam timber are reaching unprecedented levels. Between January and July, Italy purchased 422,000 cubic metres of glulam from abroad, the highest volume ever recorded in a comparable period. This is reported in an analysis of Eurostat data, which shows an increase of 12 percent compared to the first seven months of 2024.
The surge, industry operators explain, is driven by public subsidies expiring at the end of the year, which are accelerating orders and construction sites. This trend fits into a broader context already marked by a growing role of the State in the demand for timber buildings: according to the Wood Supply Chain Observatory, in 2024, for the first time, production intended for public works exceeded that for the private sector, marking what has been defined as “a turning point in timber construction”.
Italy’s main supplier remains Austria, which increased deliveries by 8 percent to 349,000 cubic metres. Germany is also growing (26,000 cubic metres, up 66 percent) and Slovakia (11,000 cubic metres, up 410 percent), while Latvia declines to 8,200 cubic metres (down 14 percent).
The scenario outlined by the observatory highlights how companies’ ability to adopt new paradigms in public construction and the boost from investments linked to the NRRP have contributed to the growing demand for timber buildings. The Observatory also reports that public tenders related to the wood sector increased by 9 percent in 2024, while private construction slowed under the weight of regulatory uncertainty following the end of the Superbonus.
