Mercer published an industry analysis citing the WEHAM modeling by the Thünen Institute that estimates Germany’s average annual roundwood availability at 80.6 million cubic meters from 2023 to 2062. The analysis said the mix of available timber is expected to shift toward hardwoods while softwood potential declines, with spruce inventory projected to fall 15% and pine 20%. Mercer said reduced spruce availability following bark beetle damage is tightening softwood supply and could increase procurement costs for sawmills that rely on softwood inputs. The company also pointed to a geographic shift in German softwood supply toward Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, raising logistics requirements for mills located in Thuringia, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt. Mercer noted that the EU Deforestation Regulation could add administrative hurdles that discourage harvesting in small private forests, which it said account for 52% of Germany’s softwood potential.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Mercer International Inc. published the original content used to generate this news brief on March 12, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.