Higher oil prices could reshape the economics of Swedish sawmills

The recent rise in oil prices following tensions in the Middle East has renewed concerns about energy costs across European industry. For Sweden's forest sector, the immediate consequence is straightforward: harvesting, transportation and manufacturing become more expensive. Yet the impact on Swedish sawmills may prove more nuanced than a simple increase in costs. Unlike many industrial sectors that consume energy without producing it, sawmills occupy a unique position. Every cubic metre of softwood logs processed generates not only lumber but also substantial volumes of bark, sawdust, wood chips and planer shavings. These by-products have become increasingly valuable ...