Due to its ongoing support for the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the UK has announced a new package of additional sanctions on Belarus. The announcement made on 8th June 2023, states that any imports of wood, gold, cement, and rubber from the country is prohibited¹. This is in addition to the £60m package of sanctions the UK already has against Belarus. So what does this mean for the timber industry?

With a new package being imposed on top of the current sanctions still in place, importing wood – especially birch plywood – remains a challenge for the UK. This means merchants and manufacturers face supply issues and are looking to import wood from elsewhere. However, this can lead to a risk of illegally importing wood into the UK. Timber Development UK has warned that despite the ban on importing wood products from Russia and Belarus, some of it is still being arriving in the country because they are falsely marketed as being sourced from other countries such as China².

However, merchants and suppliers in the UK and Ireland don’t have to look far for wood products. MEDITE SMARTPLY offers the perfect alternative, thanks to their extensive range of versatile, environmentally conscious products.

Why should you choose MEDITE SMARTPLY?
Merchants and suppliers can get great peace of mind in choosing MEDITE SMARTPLY products. Their MDF and OSB ranges are not only locally sourced but are also fully FSC certified. It’s important to remember that the FSC International Board of Directors has agreed to suspend all trading certificates in Russia and Belarus until the invasion ends³.

SMARTPLY OSB and MEDITE MDF are made from sustainable wood products from their very own Coillte forests in Ireland. Their MEDITE manufacturing site is based in Clonmel, while their SMARTPLY factory is based in Waterford. This means that they can offer a dependable, local supply, which helps to reduce the carbon footprint for timber merchants and suppliers.

Their OSB is made from newly grown pine and spruce. Their MDF timber content consists of 40% wood logs and 60% wood chips, a by-product from Irish sawmills. Each range boasts some of the most environmentally efficient building materials on the market, with a product-specific Type 3 Environmental Product Declaration to support this.

MDF and OSB applications
Those looking for alternatives to using birch plywood or similar wood types in furniture or interior fit-out applications, will find solutions in the versatile MEDITE MDF range. For example, those working on kitchen or bathroom projects will find MEDITE MR and MEDITE OPTIMA suitable products thanks to its moisture resistance properties. For environmentally sensitive interior applications, such as nurseries and museums where formaldehyde emissions need to be kept to the minimum, there is MEDITE CLEAR, an MDF panel manufactured with no added formaldehyde.

Their robust range of OSB products also offer great alternatives to other wood and wood-based products in construction projects. They produce two grades of SMARTPLY: OSB/3 and OSB/4. SMARTPLY MAX is an OSB/3 panel that is suitable for use in, walls, floors and roofing systems. Where increased strength and moisture resistance is needed, there is SMARTPLY ULTIMA – a high strength OSB/4 panel.

For great peace of mind choose MEDITE SMARTPLY.

Learn more here: https://mdfosb.com/en/the-alternative-to-plywood

If you want to discuss alternative options, contact the head office on +44 (0) 1322 424900 and ask to speak to Rebecca Goldsmith, Product Manager or Jack Scanlan, Product Marketing Executive.

Sources
1. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-uk-sanctions-legislation-allows-the-government-to-target-belarus-exports-internet-propaganda-and-crack-down-on-circumvention#:~:text=The%20UK%20is%20banning%20the,%C2%A360%20million%20from%20Belarus. 2. https://www.lesprom.com/en/news/Timber_Development_UK_warns_of_Illegal_imports_of_conflict_timber_from_Russia_and_Belarus_108126/ 3. https://by.fsc.org/by-en/newsfeed/no-fsc-material-from-russia-and-belarus-until-the-invasion-ends