Woodworking industry

The most significant sub-sectors of the forest-based industries in Europe are the woodworking and furniture industries, which in 2011 had a total turnover of over Euros 200 billion and 2 million employees, in 314,000 mostly small- and medium-sized companies. The woodworking sector consists of sawmilling (15%), wood construction products (37%) and furniture manufacture (48%). Some 102.9 million m³ of sawn wood were produced in the EU in 2015, close to two thirds of which came from the five largest-producing EU Member States: Germany (20.9%), Sweden (17.7%), Finland (10.3%), Austria (8.6%) and France (7.3%).

Wood is our most important renewable raw material for construction and furniture. First of all, wood and wood products sequester carbon and reduce CO2​ in the atmosphere, helping to mitigate climate change. Secondly, wood products are made in an established, low energy production system, with minimal emissions. Bi-products from sawmills such as chips and sawdust are transformed into wood-based panels. Also, wood products can be reused and recycled. At the end of their useful life they can be used for bio-energy.