Europe’s shift away from Chinese plywood exposed new sourcing risks

The European Union’s anti-dumping action against Chinese plywood did more than raise import costs. It forced a rapid restructuring of the continent’s plywood supply chain, exposing how dependent many buyers had become on a single origin and how unprepared parts of the market remain for a more fragmented sourcing environment. The measures pushed large volumes away from direct Chinese supply and redirected procurement toward countries such as Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia and several Latin American producers. But the shift created a new set of risks that many importers underestimated. One of the most immediate issues was ...