The Timber Packaging and Pallet Confederation (TIMCON) has reported increasing pressure on the price of pallet and packaging wood, as a result of changing market dynamics.
The latest market indexes show an upward trend, with some TIMCON members also reporting challenges in the procurement of certain pallet wood sizes.
The independent AFRY Index showed a 0.6 per cent increase in the price of UK homegrown pallet timber between March and April 2025. In Europe, the German HPE Index recorded a rise of more than 7.1 per cent for pallet timber and 7 per cent for packaging timber between January and April.
Price Pressure Across Europe
The European Federation of Wooden Pallet and Packaging Manufacturers (FEFPEB) has also reported the uplift, citing industry sources who believe prices have risen “without a rise in underlying demand.” It added that general uncertainty in the global economy may have driven stockpiling in some sectors.
TIMCON Secretary General Stuart Hex said: “The indexes are showing a clear uplift in patterns that back up the significant pressure some members are reporting. These include rising costs, uncertain patterns of demand, and other market volatility. We are continuing to monitor this situation and communicate the latest developments to our membership.”
About TIMCON
- TIMCON is the acknowledged representative body of the UK and Republic of Ireland wooden pallet and packaging industry, encompassing manufacturers, the four major pallet pooling companies and most sawmills who supply the industry from UK and Ireland and suppliers to the industry such as kiln and composite block manufacturers.
- TIMCON members manufacture 70 per cent of the UK’s 43 million new pallets every year; they use around one million cubic metres of wood, representing between 25 and 30% of the UK’s sawmilling production.
- TIMCON members also repair more than 50 million pallets a year for reuse.
- The wooden packaging and pallet industry is a significant employer, which is crucial to the UK sawmill industry and forestry sector as a market for timber produced from small logs and falling boards from larger logs.
Related Articles
TIMCON meeting hears implications of incoming packaging rules
TIMCON: Boost in Pallet Reuse Drives Sustainability
TIMCON President says government reuse incentive is a must after latest missed climate targets
Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
