Uruguayan Timber
Uruguayan Timber
​The timber industry in Uruguay is one that is experiencing rapid growth and large investment with non-native tree species including Pine and Eucalyptus planted 25 years ago following a government initiative. These trees have now matured with most destined for export as pulp.
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​Climate
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Uruguay is situated on the Atlantic coast and features a temperate climate. The average temperature varies from 5°C in winter to 28°C in the summer. The climate is fairly uniform throughout the country due to a result of little topographical variance. The country has an annual rainfall of 109cm per year, and together with the temperature and soil characteristics provide ideal conditions for fast growing plantations, easy of cultivation, harvesting and transport of forest products. These climatic conditions are similar to other countries who have strong forestry activity such as Australia, New Zealand, Chile and South Africa.
​History
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Since 1975 the Uruguayan government has offered incentives to promote the development of it’s forest industry, and in 1987 a change in laws gave way to significant expansion. Since then, the area of forestland has risen 30 times to approximately 950,000 hectares by 2010, in addition to some 750,000 hectares of existing forestry. Between 2014 and 2020 production plantations for sawmill, plywood and engineered wood will have reached harvest time. This will result in an increase of supply in quality, sustainable wood with a volume of supply starting from 4million m3 a year.
Properties
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The timber produced has relatively high strength and stiffness values, due to the lack of significant strength reducing characteristics such as defects and knots. It has a clear lack of marked variability. This is a result of good forestry management and practice.
Tests were carried out by the BRE, and the strength and stiffness class for design was classified as D35, and the design density was classed as C35. The timber has excellent strength to weight ratio making it suitable for lightweight constructions.
The wood was made into a laminated material, and was found that there was no discernable strength benefits gained. The standard deviation of results was almost identical to those for un-laminated wood. The reason lamination is often done is to remove and reduce strength reducing characteristics found in the wood, however the wood was very uniform providing no real benefit.
The material can be used externally without the need for chemical preservatives (E.grandis). E.grandis is capable of carrying high loads with associated high deflection before failure occurs, however it strength upon impact is less.
Species
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There are three main types of wood grown, 83% are of the Eucalyptus species notably E.grandis and E.globulus, around 15% are Pine species, whilst 2% is composed of Salicacaee and other species. The cutting cycle for lumber varies between 20-25 years. The most widely used species in solid sawn wood and derivative products are Pinus Taeda, Pinus Elliottii and Eucalyptus Grandis. Most of the wood for lumber production is found in the central or northern regions of Uruguay.
​Sustainability
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The forestry sector is one of the few productive sectors in the country that has a designated sustainability strategy. As part of a national monitoring plan, advances have been made through studies of the ecological, fiscal, and socioeconomic impacts of current policies. There are socioeconomic benefits of encouraging forestry over farming, as it results in 30% increase in income for the state, and provides 5 times more jobs per hectare than farming. In addition wages and the proportion of woman working are also higher in the forestry industry than farming.
​Current Use
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Most of this high quality wood is used for cellulose pulp production as well as for solid wood products. The industry use of wood includes the following four main sectors: cellulose and paper, finished wood (treated round wood, sawn wood, boards, carpentry for construction/furniture), the chemical industry (resins, oils) and energy production. In 2010, wood pulp accounted for 28.5% of total industry exports, sawn wood was at 3.9%.
Urupanel is owned by a Swiss investment fund, and began operations in 2004 and today is one of the top exporters of plywood in the country. In 2009 a new industrial plant was set up by them to manufacture MDF plywood boards.
Uruguayan forestry product exports in 2010
Source: Uruguay XXI: 'Investment Opportunities in Uruguay'
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