KUCHING: Major plywood manufacturers in Sarawak appear to have reached a plateau in the price hikes of their products in September 2025, according to Japan Lumber Report (JLR).
The trade journal said producers are increasingly firm in their stance on the prices of standard plywood, all-natural varieties.
“The original prices remain flat compared to the previous month: painted formwork plywood (12mm thick, 3×6 size) is priced at US$600-610 per cubic metre (cu m) (C&F), standard formwork plywood at US$500-510 and structural plywood US$510-520.
“In contrast, standard plywood showing an upward trend, with 2.4mm thick (3×6 size) at around US$970; 3.7 mm at approximately US$800,and 5.2 mm at about US$850 (all per cu m and C&F),” said JLR, its bimonthly report is reproduced by International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) in its tropical timber market report.
Major Sarawak plywood manufacturers export their products to Japan.
JLR said shipments of imported South Sea (tropical) plywood to Japan have generally been sluggish due to weak demand in the country, and that price increases have not taken place.
For painted formwork plywood (12mm thick, 3×6 size), domestic price in Japan is 1,800-1,850 yen per sheet (delivered to wholesalers) while it is about 1,550yen per sheet for both standard formwork per sheet, and structural plywood.
Standard plywood is price approximately 780 yen per sheet for 2.5mm thickness, 930 yen for 4mm per sheet and 1,100 yen for 5.5 mm (all delivered to wholesalers).
JLR said for domestic softwood plywood, there has been some improvement in distribution activity since September but real demand remains sluggish due to stagnation in new housing starts.
“Major plywood manufacturers continued to strengthen their intention to raise prices in September for domestically produced structural softwood plywood (12mm thick, 3×6 size) “However, amid weak demand, some plywood manufacturers have taken a cautious stance, resulting in a lack of alignment across the industry,” it added.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Nankai Plywood Co Ltd has acquired France’s second largest plywood manufacturing firm, the Joubert Group.
With the full acquisition, Joubert and its four subsidiaries will become consolidated subsidiaries of Nankai Plywood while one equity-method affiliate will be added to Nankai’s equity-method affiliates, said JLR.
Two subsidiaries of the Joubert Group are engaged in plywood manufacturing and sales, another subsidiary is engaged in veneer production, and the fourth in afforestation business.
