On 20 September 2023, the Conference on Waste Wood (Altholztag) of the German Waste Wood Association took place in Frankfurt am Main. Following the motto “This is where the industry meets!”, around 200 participants came together to exchange ideas, learn new things and expand their network.
We were also represented at the conference. Dean Scanlan, International Business Development & Director Sales UK, was on board this time as a speaker on behalf of the Brüning Group. He gave a presentation that focused on the UK waste wood market. This was dedicated to a look at supply and demand in the market, the actual state in 2022 and the forecast for 2023. He also highlighted market developments related to the difficult economic situation in the UK, which has led to a decline in construction activity and consequently lower supply in the sector, as well as the potential impact on demand as it will be lower in the panel board industry due to reduced demand in the construction sector.
Also discussed was the upcoming winter and the potential demand from the energy sector, depending on how cold this winter will be and at what level power prices will trade at. According to Dean Scanlan’s market assessment for 2023, the UK market has the potential for a shortage of supply if the winter is particularly cold.
He concluded with a brief explanation of how he believes the market will develop in future years, as we see increasing demand from the panel board and energy sectors, as well as new entrants from industry looking to decarbonise their processes (e.g. the lime and cement industries).
Overall, the conference once again offered us a lot of interesting information as well as numerous positive and constructive encounters. Just like Dean Scanlan, many participants and speakers provided valuable insights into topics that move the waste wood industry. In addition, the event underlined the necessity of a sustainable and future-oriented orientation of the industry. Of course, we also want to prepare ourselves accordingly with the Brüning Group for the upcoming challenges and opportunities in the field of waste wood.