24 Jun 2026
,South Korea
The price of timber has seen a 35% surge, driven by the scarcity of raw material following a long period of abundance. Among the factors that had fueled availability in the previous months is the Vaia storm, the extreme weather event that in 2018 felled millions of trees in the mountains of the Northeast, releasing extraordinary quantities of timber onto the market. This contraction in supply is compounded by rising handling costs, which further impact the final product price.
The situation affects a sector of far from marginal importance to the regional economy. In Veneto, the wood supply chain counts over 8,800 companies and employs about 20,800 workers, distributed across heterogeneous sectors ranging from furniture to sawmills, from windows and doors to construction and up to upholstery. A productive reality that is articulated and rooted in the territory, today exposed to growing tensions, exacerbated by international geopolitical instability: among the risk factors indicated by operators is also the conflict in Iran, with its repercussions on global supply chains.
The fragility of the sector is further weakened by a structural phenomenon that unfolds slowly but with profound effects: the progressive disappearance of Venetian sawmills. Activities historically linked to the mountain territory, sawmills struggle to attract new generations and suffer from the typical difficulties of generational transition. The result is a reduction in local production capacity which, in turn, compresses the availability of local timber and further fuels price pressure. The reduced autonomy in supply translates into a loss of competitiveness for the entire regional supply chain.
To address these challenges, Confartigianato Imprese Veneto has put forward a concrete proposal: the Veneto Wood Pact, an initiative designed to build a regional short supply chain and reduce dependence on external supplies. The project includes the signing of supply chain contracts, incentives to improve forest accessibility, and direct support measures for sawmills. It also provides for the introduction of bonuses in public tenders for supplies using certified Veneto wood, with the aim of directing institutional demand towards local production.
The initiative aims to strengthen the competitiveness of businesses, ensure production continuity, and consolidate the economic sustainability of a strategic sector. Also in this direction is the Veneto Region's adhesion to the Italia Foresta Legno Cluster, the national network that promotes the valorization of the forest heritage and works for an integrated and structured development of the entire supply chain.
