Top Plywood Manufacturers in the World – Which Plywood Companies Lead the Global Plywood Market in 2020?

COVID-19 and the Global Plywood Market

The global plywood market has faced challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic just as many other sectors have, through setbacks such as decreased demand, supply chain disruptions, and city- or country-wide shutdowns. However, experts predict that plywood companies will see healthy growth in the near future despite the impact of the coronavirus.

A report by the ITTO on the European plywood market found that the impact of COVID-19 has not been as severe as industry experts had feared at the start of the pandemic. While trading levels fell drastically in the first half of the year and will take time to fully recover, companies adapted to social distancing requirements and other measures and most industry players have continued to operate. Turnover fell by an estimated 15%-35% in the first six months of 2020, but many in the industry had anticipated much worse.

The French, UK, and Belgian markets were dramatically impacted, but countries such as the Netherlands and Germany fared much better due to factors such as less severe lockdowns and better business practices, allowing many consumers to continue almost as normal. Predictably, the Chinese supply of plywood fell substantially due to the combination of Chinese New Year and the start of the pandemic. While lower consumer demand made this less of an issue than it otherwise would be, companies still faced supply shortages. Smaller businesses in the industry fared better, however, due to lower supply needs and an increase in consumer demand as individuals took up home improvement projects during lockdowns and businesses boarded up windows.

The market began recovering in mid-May as projects picked up again, but will face new challenges as countries around the world face a second wave of the pandemic. 2020 will see low activity and sales, but experts predict that the industry will recover over the next few years.

Plywood Industry Overview

According to Global Industry Analysts, the global plywood market is valued at almost $50 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $84.5 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 7.9%. Continued development in countries such as India and China is helping drive growth for plywood manufacturers, with China alone expected to account for over $20 billion of the global market by 2027. The US is also one of the plywood industry’s largest markets, valued at over $13 billion this year and expected to grow by 5.6%. While APAC holds the highest share of the market, the Middle East and Africa is also a key region due to spending by private and public companies on commercial developments.

There are many different types of plywood, including softwood and hardwood plywood, tropical plywood, decorative plywood, flexible plywood, and marine plywood. It is used in applications such as furniture manufacturing, interior decoration, and engineering and construction, for both residential and commercial projects.

List of Top Plywood Brands in the World 2020

The global plywood market is a fragmented one, with numerous plywood companies of all sizes competing for their share of the industry. The top plywood brands are scattered around the world, from India and Malaysia to the US and Canada. Players compete on the basis of product innovation and price, making it a competitive market to operate in with no one company controlling a substantial share of it.

*Data via D&B

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Georgia-Pacific Corporation

• Founded: 1927
• Headquarters: Atlanta, US
• Employees: 30,000
• Revenue: $14.1 billion (estimate via D&B)

Georgia-Pacific is the corporation behind leading consumer brands such as Brawny, Quilted Northern, and Dixie. However, it is also a top plywood manufacturer and producer of other construction materials. With over 300 locations around the world, Georgia-Pacific produces plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), gypsum products, and lumber for residential and commercial construction. It’s one of the largest wood products manufacturers in North America and operates 38 plants in the US and Canada.

UPM-Kymmene Oyj

• Founded: 1996
• Headquarters: Helsinki, Finland
• Employees: 18,700
• Revenue: $12.1 billion

UPM operates in the paper and forest products industry to produce renewable and sustainable products and solutions. It does business worldwide through six units: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Communication Papers, and UPM Plywood. UPM uses wood fibers, molecules, residues, and side streams to produce renewable and sustainable products in its production facilities located in 12 countries around the world. The company sells its plywood and veneer products under the WISA brand, which employs 2,400 workers in 8 factories across Europe.

Weyerhaeuser Company

• Founded: 1900
• Headquarters: Seattle, US
• Revenue: $6.55 billion

In operation for 120 years, Weyerhaeuser is a US forest products company with a focus on sustainability and the environment. The organization manages millions of acres of forest for multiple uses, including recreation, conservation, economic development, and renewable energy. Weyerhaeuser produces a range of wood products that include lumber, OSB, plywood, and fiberboard. Its plywood products come in multiple types, grades, and sizes, as well as high-performance, lightweight, and aesthetic properties.

Boise Cascade

• Founded: 1957
• Headquarters: Boise, US
• Employees: 6,200
• Revenue: $4.6 billion

Boise Cascade is a North American building materials company, manufacturing and distributing engineered wood products, panels, and lumber for the residential and commercial construction industry. The company has 38 branches across the US and 15 mills in North America, earning $1.28 billion in wood products sales in 2019 and making it one of the largest Plywood manufacturers in the US. Boise Cascade also distributes construction products such as metal, cement, decking, and other materials.

CenturyPly

• Founded: 1986
• Headquarters: Kolkata, India
• Revenue: $312.16 million

CenturyPly is one of India’s top plywood manufacturers, offering multi-use plywood and decorative veneers to residential and commercial customers. With a plywood manufacturing capacity of 239000 CBM, the company produces flexible and fire-retardant plywood products for a number of construction applications.

Greenply Industries Ltd.

• Founded: 1984
• Headquarters: Gurgaon, India
• Revenue: $173.36 million

One of India’s leading interior infrastructure companies, Greenply manufacturers a range of plywood and blockboard products for multiple applications, including commercial and marine uses. The company has 56 branches across India and a network of over 10,000 dealers, distributors, and retailers. It operates 4 production units in multiple cities. Along with its plywood and blockboard offerings, Greenply also produces fiberboard, veneers, wooden flooring, and doors.

Jaya Tiasa

• Founded: 1987
• Headquarters: Sibu, Malaysia
• Revenue: $153.69 million

Jaya Tiasa is a plywood manufacturer and producer of palm oil products. The company owns over 83,000 hectares of land in Malaysia and has an annual production capacity of 420,000 m³. The company operates 10 plantations and 4 mills, and its primary timber products include plywood, logs, and veneer. Jaya Tiasa exports its products to several countries around the world, with Korea being its largest market. Other key markets include Japan, India, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Sveza

• Founded: 1997
• Headquarters: St. Petersburg, Russia
• Employees: 7,550
• Revenue: $146.7 million (via D&B)

With 7 mills across Russia and a presence in 80 countries around the world, Sveza is one of the top plywood companies in the world. The company specializes in the production of birch plywood and veneer used in applications such as buildings, highway trailers, trains, tankers, furniture, and interiors. Its products include INT plywood, WBP plywood, laminated plywood, chipboard, and laminated chipboard.

Uniply Industries

• Founded: 1996
• Headquarters: Chennai, India
• Employees: 600
• Revenue: $68.69 million

India-based Uniply is a top plywood company that has expanded into related infrastructure sectors to provide services and materials for land acquisition, construction, design, and furniture. The company partnered with Vector Projects, a company offering interior solutions for commercial and residential spaces, in 2017 to begin expanding its scope of operations. Uniply manufactures products such as plywood, laminates, veneers, adhesives, wooden flooring, panel products, and furniture and furnishing products. Its services now include architecture and design, civil development, interior fitouts, furniture and furnishing, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing solutions.

Eksons Corp.

• Founded: 1990
• Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Revenue: $10.21 million

Eksons is a Malaysian plywood manufacturer exporting products to the US, the Middle East, North Africa, Taiwan, and Korea. The company specializes in tropical thin plywood, particularly 2.5 mm and 2.7 mm thicknesses, that it sells under the Panda brand name. It operates two factories in the country, amounting to an installed capacity of 285,000 m³ per year.

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