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Sawmilling & Wood Planing in Germany - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Robert Maier Robert Maier Frankfurt, Germany Last Updated: December 2024 WZ C16.10DE

Revenue

€7.6bn

2024

€7.6bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€XXX.Xm

Employees

17,620

Businesses

220

Wages

€XXX.Xm

Sawmilling & Wood Planing in Germany industry analysis

The operators of domestic sawmills and planing mills can look back on an ambivalent development in their industry over the past five years. Up until 2020, demand for their products was driven by very dynamic growth in the domestic construction industry. Despite rising raw material costs, industry players were also able to further expand their cut in 2021. An upturn in the export business also contributed to this, although primarily only the major industry players benefited from this. From 2022, the turnaround in interest rates in the European Economic Area caused the industry's production output to fall for the first time, although price effects initially masked the impact on industry sales. Since 2023, the shrinking construction volume in Germany has had an increasingly negative impact on sales prices and the earnings situation of industry players. Outside of the construction sector, the tense economic situation also dampened demand from customers such as the packaging industry. Overall, the industry's turnover therefore only grew by an average of 0.5% per year in the period between 2019 and 2024.For 2024, IBISWorld expects a decline in turnover of 8.6% to 7.6 billion euros. There are signs of a further decline in construction activity in Germany in the current year. Demand from manufacturers of wooden crates and pallets is also likely to develop negatively in 2024. Together with stagnating producer prices for products in the sawmill and planing industry, this is likely to lead to a significant decline in industry turnover in the current year.IBISWorld anticipates weak growth in industry sales over the next five years. The reason for this development is the cloudy situation in the construction industry for the foreseeable future. The still comparatively high interest rate level in the eurozone is likely to have a negative impact on the volume of new construction business in the construction industry over the next two years, despite the European Central Bank's reduction in the deposit rate in 2024. Export performance is likely to remain at a stable level. Under these circumstances, the industry's turnover is expected to increase by an average of 0.7% per year between 2024 and 2029, reaching a value of 7.8 billion euros in 2029.

Trends and Insights

  • The weak development of the construction industry is likely to lead to a decline in demand for sawmill and planing mill products. Negative framework conditions such as high interest rates are currently having a dampening effect on the construction industry.
  • The largest share of the industry's total turnover is attributable to the sawing and sale of softwood lumber. Planed products saw particularly strong growth up to 2022. Processed products have higher margins than simple sawn timber.
  • Southern Germany is the centre of the German sawmill industry. The two densely wooded federal states in the region therefore account for the largest number of companies in the industry.
  • Imports of sawn timber from abroad are a substitute for domestically produced sawn timber. The majority of imports are imported from other European countries.

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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.5 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €7.6bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Until 2021, the industry benefited from high demand from the construction sector

  • The momentum in the German construction industry had a fundamentally positive impact on the German sawmill industry in 2021, as it increased domestic demand for construction products based on sawn timber and waste wood.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Sawmilling & Wood Planing in Germany
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The industry is facing changing framework conditions

  • IBISWorld expects sector development over the next five years to be characterised by low momentum. This is likely to be due to weak development in the construction industry during this period.

Biggest companies in the Sawmilling & Wood Planing in Germany

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (€m)
2024
Binderholz GmbH
608.0
Ilim Nordic Timber GmbH & Co. KG
575.6
Pollmeier Massivholz GmbH & Co. KG
252.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Sawmilling & Wood Planing in Germany
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Softwood lumber, Planed and profiled goods and Hardwood lumber. Softwood lumber is the largest segment of the Sawmilling & Wood Planing in Germany.

Trends and Insights

German sawmills and planing mills are focussing on softwood

  • The largest share of the industry's total turnover is accounted for by the cutting and sale of sawn softwood, i.e. products such as beams, planks, boards and battens made from softwood.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The sawing, planing and timber impregnation industry comprises all companies that obtain raw timber from the forestry sector and produce sawn timber and related by-products such as wood wool, wood chips and sawdust through mechanical processing, drying and impregnation. The industry does not include upstream activities such as wood milling and distinct raw wood processing operations such as the production of wood-based panels.

What's included in this industry?

Softwood lumberPlaned and profiled goodsHardwood lumberBy-products

Companies

Binderholz GmbHIlim Nordic Timber GmbH & Co. KGPollmeier Massivholz GmbH & Co. KG

Purchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

FIXED METERROHHOLZCALAMITYCLT

Industry Code

WZ 2008

WZ 16.10 - Sawmilling & Wood Planing in Germany

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

The weak development of the construction industry is likely to lead to a decline in demand for sawmill and planing mill products. Negative framework conditions such as high i...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The largest share of the industry's total turnover is attributable to the sawing and sale of softwood lumber. Planed products saw particularly strong growth up to 2022. Proce...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Southern Germany is the centre of the German sawmill industry. The two densely wooded federal states in the region therefore account for the largest number of companies in th...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Imports of sawn timber from abroad are a substitute for domestically produced sawn timber. The majority of imports are imported from other European countries.

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Rettenmeier's product portfolio is primarily aimed at the do-it-yourself sector. The company is the leading domestic manufacturer for supplying DIY stores.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Binderholz GmbH's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Ilim Nordic Timber GmbH & Co. KG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Pollmeier Massivholz GmbH & Co. KG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Binderholz GmbH, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Ilim Nordic Timber GmbH & Co. KG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Pollmeier Massivholz GmbH & Co. KG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The faltering construction sector poses a risk for the industry. The German construction industry is the most important customer for sawn and planed timber products and there...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The cost of materials is the largest cost block in the industry. Rising prices for raw timber have recently driven up material costs.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Sawmilling & Wood Planing industry in Germany in 2024?

The market size of the Sawmilling & Wood Planing industry in Germany is €7.6bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Sawmilling & Wood Planing in Germany industry in 2024?

There are 220 businesses in the Sawmilling & Wood Planing industry in Germany, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Sawmilling & Wood Planing industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Sawmilling & Wood Planing industry in Germany has been growing at a CAGR of 0.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Sawmilling & Wood Planing industry in Germany over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Sawmilling & Wood Planing industry in Germany is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Sawmilling & Wood Planing market in Germany?

The biggest companies operating in the Sawmilling & Wood Planing market in Germany are Binderholz GmbH, Ilim Nordic Timber GmbH & Co. KG and Pollmeier Massivholz GmbH & Co. KG

What does the Sawmilling & Wood Planing in Germany include?

Softwood lumber and Planed and profiled goods are part of the Sawmilling & Wood Planing industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Sawmilling & Wood Planing in Germany?

The company holding the most market share in Germany is Binderholz GmbH.

How competitive is the Sawmilling & Wood Planing industry in Germany?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Sawmilling & Wood Planing industry in Germany.

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Competitors

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Germany include:

  • German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
  • European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
  • United Nations Comtrade

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.