Asia-Pacific Cross-Laminated Timber Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024-2029)

Asia-Pacific Cross-Laminated Timber Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024-2029)

The Asia-Pacific Cross-Laminated Timber Market size is estimated at 63.60 Thousand cubic meters in 2024, and is expected to reach 79.49 Thousand cubic meters by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.56% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

The Asia-Pacific cross-laminated timber market was negatively impacted by COVID-19. The implementation of stringent lockdown measures led to a halt of industrial operations. However, the sector has been recovering well since restrictions were lifted. The growth in industrial activities registered a positive trend for the cross-laminated timber market in the Asia-Pacific region.

Key Highlights

• Over the short term, growing commercial sectors in the region are the major factor driving the growth of the market studied.
• However, moisture absorption-related risks of the material are the key factors anticipated to restrain the growth of the target industry over the forecast period.
• Nevertheless, the carbon-negative future based on cross-laminated timber is likely to create lucrative growth opportunities for the global market soon.
• China emerged as the largest growing market for cross-laminated timber in the region owing to considerable consumption of the material across the country for various applications.

Asia-Pacific Cross-Laminated Timber Market Trends

Non-Residential Application Segment to Dominate the Market

• In commercial buildings such as hotels, offices, and restaurants, cross-laminated timber is used in various parts, including beams, support structures, furniture, floors., walls, ceilings, and other such areas, giving the rooms an aesthetic appearance.
• Cross-laminated timber (CLT) has emerged as an innovative alternative material to steel/concrete in building construction, given its relatively low carbon footprint, not to mention its high strength-to-weight ratio, simple installation, and aesthetic features.
• Cross-laminated timber has recently been used in various institutions in the Asia-Pacific. For instance, in Australia, the University of Newcastle’s new building was set to be made using cross-laminated timber in September this year. The project cost around AUD 58 million (~ USD 37.25 million) and would be the first mass timber building constructed on the NSW Central Coast.
• This year, Singapore made an investment in the construction of Asia’s most prominent mass timber building: the Gaia building for the Nanyang Business School at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). This project has been led by Toyo Ito & Associates, and is the second building on the NTU campus to use mass timber, following NTU’s ‘The Wave’ sports hall.
• The Mactan International Airport in the Philippines is Asia's first airport with a roof structure composed entirely of glulam. Glulam (Glued Laminated Wood) is a structural material produced from the union of individual wood segments. This wood has high durability and humidity resistance, making it easy to make big pieces and unique shapes when binding with industrial adhesives commonly known as melamine or polyurethane resin.
• Therefore, with such a rise in the construction of commercial buildings, the demand for walls, roofs, floors, and ceilings has also increased substantially, thus creating a significant market for cross-laminated timber in the Asia-Pacific countries.

China to Dominate the Market

• China operates as the world's largest importer of timber. As China’s economy continues to develop rapidly, the timber sector is also in a state of transformation and modernization. Furthermore, as per the Chinese Timber and Wood Products Association, China is the world's biggest consumer of timber and timber products, with an annual consumption of 570 million m3 of timber, including 310 million m3 of imported timber (RWE).
• In 2022, China launched several initiatives to revive stalled property developments and help developers recover from a funding shortage. Still, at year-end, a new survey showed that only 21% of the country’s stalled projects had completely resumed construction.
• The Chinese government is focusing on boosting investments across the construction sector in the country to boost overall economic growth. For instance, recent moves to increase financing for infrastructure construction include a USD 120 billion increase in the lending ratio of policy banks. The government is also considering allowing local governments to spend up to about USD 220 billion of the special bond quota through which local governments fund infrastructure construction.
• The value-added of the construction industry is expected to grow by 6% in 2023, reaching CNY 8.75 trillion (USD 1.2 Trillion). The growth of commercial property construction is expected to increase, with infrastructure projects starting, while residential property construction is projected to show little growth in 2023.
• In August 2023, ​the construction of 3 schools and one hospital project entered a new phase. Beijing is aiding the new area by building three schools and one hospital.
• These policies are expected to drive the nation’s construction industry over the forecast period. This will likely spur the demand for the market studied in the construction industry. The government is also looking forward to boosting activities in the construction sector, more specifically in the infrastructure sector, after the recovery from COVID-19 to bounce back from the country’s economic impact.​
• Thus, the aforementioned factors are expected to impact the market’s demand studied in the country during the forecast period.

Asia-Pacific Cross-Laminated Timber Industry Overview

The Asia Pacific cross-laminated timber (CLT) market is consolidated in nature, with few key players leading the studied market. The major players (not in any particular order) include Stora Enso, Timberlink Australia & New Zealand, KLH Massivholz GmbH, HASSLACHER Holding GmbH, and Holmen.

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• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
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