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A timber truck fully loaded with logs drives over a very simple wooden bridge in a forest.
© Thünen-Institut
A timber truck fully loaded with logs drives over a very simple wooden bridge in a forest.
Institute of

WF Forestry

Clusterstatistics of Forestry and Timber

Based on official statistics on turnover, the number of enterprises and employment we investigate the economy of forestry and wood industry. The main objective of our research is the quantification of the added value in forest and wood industry including their structural development.

The Federal Statistical Office is currently making extensive changes to the provision of official data. These have not yet been completed, which means that we currently do not have all the data we need to create the cluster statistics. Therefore, we are currently only publishing data up to 2020.

Turnover and gross value added show a long-term positive trend since 2004. Total turnover in the cluster forestry and wood industry increases from 153.9 billion Euro in 2004 to 183.4 billion Euro in 2018. In the same time period gross value added increases from almost 50 to 58.6 billion Euro. During this period, both indicators show short-term reductions, especially in 2009: in this year the turnover of the cluster is only 161.5 billion Euro and gross value added declines to 51.1 billion Euro. In 2019, drought-induced forest damages are reflected in a strong turnover decrease in forestry, which causes a slight but distinct turnover reduction for the whole cluster. Compared to 2018, gross value added also slightly decreases to 57.2 billion Euro.

Employment and number of enterprises in the cluster show a long-term decreasing trend. In 2000 more than 1.4 million persons are either self-employed or with one of the 133.000 enterprises in the cluster. The global economic crisis especially impacts employment from 2009 to 2011: it decreases to just slightly more than a million jobs. The number of enterprises is less influenced and even increases slightly during this period. Until 2020 the number of enterprises decreases to 111.500. However, due to data disclosure rules of the Federal Statistical Office, data for support services to forestry is not available which explains the major part of the decrease. Total employment decreases to just above 1.03 million jobs.

In 2020 the turnover of goods and services of the entire Cluster of Forest and Timber reached 180.6 Billion Euros. The gross value added generated by all industrial sectors accounts more than 58.1 Billion Euros. 1.032 Million employees were counted in 111,511 enterprises belonging to the cluster of forest and timber.

Share of industry sector in the forest and timber cluster

As with turnover and added value the most jobs (28.5%) are offered in printing and publishing sectors. Wood trade represents the smallest share of 1.7%.

In relation to all industry sectors of the cluster the highest share (about 35%) are companies in the construction industry. Pulp and paper industry is represented by a small number of enterprises (1.7%).

With a share of 34.2% the printing and publishing sectors are most important branches contributing to the added value of the whole cluster. Forestry represents the industry sector with the lowest gross value added.

Out of all industry sectors constituting the forestry and wood industry the contribution of the printing and publishing sectors is the highest. Forestry contributes to the industry sector turnover only by 1.5 percent.

Publications

  • Becher G, Weimar H (2020) Branchen des Clusters entwickeln sich meist positiv. Holz Zentralbl 146(6):132-133
    PDF Dokument (nicht barrierefrei)
  • Becher G (2014) Clusterstatistik Forst und Holz : Tabellen für das Bundesgebiet und die Länder 2000 bis 2012 . Hamburg: Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, 105 p, Thünen Working Paper 32, DOI:10.3220/WP_32_2014
    PDF Dokument (nicht barrierefrei)
  • Becher G (2015) Clusterstatistik Forst und Holz : Tabellen für das Bundesgebiet und die Länder 2000 bis 2013. Hamburg: Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, 109 p, Thünen Working Paper 48, DOI:10.3220/WP1443683579000
    PDF Dokument (nicht barrierefrei)
  • Becher G, Weimar H (2016) Cluster Forst und Holz: leicht rückläufige Entwicklung : aktuelle Berechnung für das Jahr 2013 und den Zeitraum 2000 bis 2013 der Clusterstatistik verdeutlicht die Trends der Branche. Holz Zentralbl 142(1):14-16
    PDF Dokument (nicht barrierefrei)
  • Becher G (2016) Clusterstatistik Forst und Holz : Tabellen für das Bundesgebiet und die Länder 2000 bis 2014. Braunschweig: Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, 85 p, Thünen Working Paper 67, DOI:10.3220/WP1479976770000
    PDF Dokument (nicht barrierefrei)

Contact person - staff member

Dr. Susanne Iost


Institute of Forestry

Leuschnerstraße 91
21031 Hamburg-Bergedorf
Telephone
+49 40 739 62 340
Email
susanne.iost@thuenen.de

Scientist


Dr. Holger Weimar


Institute of Forestry

Leuschnerstraße 91
21031 Hamburg-Bergedorf
Telephone
+49 40 739 62 314
Telephone
+49 40 739 62 314
Email
holger.weimar@thuenen.de

Head of Working Area Forest Products Markets


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