European sawmillers continue to feel the pressure of poor market conditions, while expectations of a big market boost from the UK Government’s ambitious housebuilding agenda are far from certain, key industry speakers told Timber Development UK’s (TDUK) Global Markets Conference. Construction Productions Association (CPA) economics editor Noble Francis told 200 timber industry representatives that while there were positive early signs of improvements in UK construction, the new Government’s housebuilding target of 1.5 million new homes during the next Parliamentary period was “ludicrous”. …Meanwhile, fellow TDUK conference speaker Olle Berg, EVP market/sales & business development at Setra Group, said Swedish, Finnish and central European sawmillers were really suffering, with the full force of the downturn being felt in Q2, 2024. …US softwood consumption was at healthy levels in 2024 but oversupplied. “The US is looking quite positive; the fundamentals look very good.”