Development of the forest industries in the new federal states - An interim balance for the period 1990-2000
2001
Delorme, A.
In 1989, the sawmill, wood-processing, veneer, plywood and pulp/paper industries in the German Democratic Republic roughly consumed 7.6 million cubic meters of roundwood. In the decade up to 2000, these industries suffered an extensive collapse, followed by a complete renewal with the sophisticated state-of-the-art technologies. Their roundwood utilization in 2000 had most attained the same level as in 1989. In the meantime, the East German sawmill and wood-processing industries have far exceeded the production of 1989 and thus, their roundwood utilization, whereas the veneer and plywood industries, and especially the pulp industry, lag far behind their production results for 1989. To be sure, in 1994 paper productionhad again reached its former state. However, this was achieved by a higher increase in employing recycled paper, while the use of local timber was greatly restricted, due to the complete collapse of lignin production and the drastic reduction of pulp production. - Even though roundwood consumption in the most important forest industries in East Germany have, on the whole, almost attained the level of 1989, roundwood fellings in the new federal states are still 1/3 below the rate of 1989, with a peak value of 7 million cubic meters (in 1999). A lack of markets, and particularly the problems connected with restitution for private owners, is only partially responsible for the current state. - Since the East German foreign trade with round wood has essentially altered in respect to its make up, but not in produced volumes, as compared to the situation prior to 1990, it is apparently plausible that the development of the new wood-processing capacities in East Germany, with their steadly increasing wood consumption, has lead to extensive change in the inland roundwood trade, which is not statistically documented. Whereas in the first few years following reunification, many West German timber purchasers acquired additional timber in the new federal states, in the meantime, these wood flows have been reversed. The new, large plants established in the East, rely increasingly on timber supplied from the old federal states.
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