Baltic Birch and other Russian imports

[Malcolm Schweizer]

*** This thread is not to discuss politics.

With bans on Russian imports, I’m wondering about things we buy as woodworkers and I suddenly literally gasped when I realized much of the Baltic Birch plywood is made in Russia. I used to buy it by the lift, and once my new shop is set up I had planned to make it a big part of my product line. In fact, I was going to justify the cost of a CNC by making plywood furniture as a quick seller to fill gaps between fine furniture making.

Of course, if birch ply is banned, also birch hardwood will be going up in price, and I’m assuming Russia has evergreen Timbers like cedar and pine as well- although I’m no expert.

What other woodworking related products come out of Russia? I’m still feeling the impact of the Chinese steel tariff.

[Malcolm McLeod]

A lot of Baltic Birch comes from Finland.

Maybe some from Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania? They ARE the 'Baltic republics', but never I've never seen their plywood exports enumerated.

[Mel Fulks]

Latvia , Estonia, and Lithuania. They used to be called “submerged countries” ….could be too wet to grow stuff !!

[Malcolm McLeod]

What other woodworking related products come out of Russia?

I got curious, so spent at least 6-7 minutes with giggle:
First thing to pop up is Russia’s export ban and/or tariff on green logs. Not certain if it’s one or both…? Regardless, it seems they want to keep the unprocessed logs at home. Supplies to Chinese processors were projected to take the big hit on this.

Next up was a significant surge in woodworking equipment imports. So presumably they want the value-add of processing and jobs to stay at home too. (Maybe contribution to why Felder, SCM, etc leadtimes are absurd.). Not a word about tool exports.

Last was softwood exports to Asia/M.East/N.Africa :: lumber = ~3% of their total exports. So, maybe limited impact to NA markets — since Canada is huge on this.

[Scott Winners]

There is plenty of birch growing up here and across Canada. I am not sure how many degrees of latitude are covered in the northern hemisphere, but it is all of the 'tiaga' between the far northern tundra and the temperate forests further south, 360 degrees around globe, oceans excepted. Turning Canadian birch trees into Baltic Birch plywood might take some doing.

[Malcolm McLeod]

I’m guessing Canadian plywood mills could handle it. Ours too.:cool:

[Doug Garson]

We could call it Canuck Ply.:D

[Brian Elfert]

We mostly seem to have Paper Birch here in Minnesota. No idea if it makes good plywood. I know it rots fairly quickly when it hits the ground.

I have no idea how it makes sense to import Baltic Birch plywood if we could produce a similar product right here in North America.

[Kevin Jenness]

Two alternatives

https://www.columbiaforestproducts.com/app/uploads/2014/01/CFP044_Europly_Plus_Product_Sheetweb.pdf

https://www.atlanticplywood.com/brand/garnica/

[Aaron Rosenthal]

Two alternatives

https://www.columbiaforestproducts.com/app/uploads/2014/01/CFP044_Europly_Plus_Product_Sheetweb.pdf

https://www.atlanticplywood.com/brand/garnica/
Kevin, it’s not just supply, but getting the yards to into the mode of ordering alternatives.
I need a pair of sleds for my table saw: I’m having to use melamine faced board because of the more advantageous cost - for as long as it lasts.

[Kevin Jenness]

Kevin, it’s not just supply, but getting the yards to into the mode of ordering alternatives.
I need a pair of sleds for my table saw: I’m having to use melamine faced board because of the more advantageous cost - for as long as it lasts.


Sure, you have to deal with availability. In my area Atlantic Plywood distributes Columbia and Garnica, but I'd have to check to see if the products I linked to are currently in stock. When a normally available commodity drops off the market substitutes will be harder to find.