A shortage in Central Europe offers a rare opening for Swedish sawmills

Sweden’s forest industry enters the new year after a difficult period marked by weak demand, soaring log prices and deteriorating currency conditions. The year 2025 proved particularly tough for sawmills, and the fourth quarter was perhaps the most difficult of all. Weak demand meant producers were unable to compensate for extremely high log costs, while revenues from energy assortments also declined. Several of the country’s major sawmill operators ended the year with the lowest margins seen in a long time. Södra and Holmen both reported negative results even before depreciation in the fourth quarter. SCA, which ...