The European sawn timber markets are experiencing unprecedented mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity spanning 2024-2025 while industry leaders race to secure scale and strategic positioning. The consolidation wave spans from Stora Enso’s €137 million acquisition of Finland’s Junnikkala, to Austrian HS Timber Group’s aggressive Baltic expansion through dual Latvian acquisitions. …Distressed asset opportunities have also emerged. …This flurry of deals, concentrated within an 18-month period, represents the industry’s response to margin pressures, supply chain uncertainties, and the need for operational scale in increasingly challenging market conditions. …The current consolidation wave, builds upon a decade-long trend of M&A activity that has steadily reshaped European timber markets. …For traders, the vertical integration trend suggests tighter control over upstream supply chains, potentially reducing spot market availability of both logs and finished products. …The timing proves strategic given that North American mill closures have continued to reshape supply dynamics in global markets.