In 2016, sawmills in the UK consumed a total of 6.7 million green tonnes of softwood, a 6% increase from 2015 (Table 2.7). A further 0.1 million green tonnes of hardwood were consumed by UK sawmills in 2016. Most of the logs, 6.5 million green tonnes softwood and 0.1 million green tonnes hardwood, were UK grown.

A total of 3.7 million cubic metres of sawnwood was produced in the UK in 2016, a 5% increase from 2015.

For softwood, there was a significant drop in roundwood consumption and sawnwood production between 2007 and 2008, following the start of the financial crisis. Sawnwood imports also decreased at this time (see table 3.4). Since then the levels of softwood consumption and sawn softwood production in the UK have recovered and, since 2011, exceed the previous peak in 2007 (although imports remain at a lower level).

In addition to producing sawnwood, sawmills also generate other products. Further information on other products produced by larger mills are provided in Tables 2.18 and 2.18a.

Table 2.7 Consumption and production by UK sawmills, 2007-2016

^{Source: Sawmill Survey}