Global Wood Fiber Prices Up in the 3Q/07

Seattle, WA, January 19, 2008 --(PR.com)-- WRQ Global Average Wood Fiber Price 3Q-2007:

The average global conifer wood price was up to US$103.26/odmt in the 3Q/07, which was the highest level since 1995. In US dollar terms, conifer wood fiber costs were up in practically all regions tracked by the WRQ except for the US South and US West. The weakening US dollar helped the global price upward, but costs were also up in local currencies in the Nordic countries, Russia, Chile and Australia.

Non-conifer wood fiber costs were higher this quarter in a majority of the WRQ regions, which lead to the highest global average non-conifer wood price ever recorded. In just a year, the average price has increased from US$89.37/odmt to US$99.22/odmt. The biggest rises occurred in Sweden, Russia, Brazil and Japan.

The Global Average Wood Fiber Price is a weighted average of delivered wood fiber prices for the pulp industry in all regions tracked by the publication Wood Resource Quarterly. These regions together account for 85-90% of the world’s wood-based pulp production capacity. The price is based on current quarter average prices, and country/regional wood fiber consumption data. The global average for conifer and non-conifer is calculated in nominal US$ per oven-dried metric ton of wood fiber.

Global sawlog and pulpwood market updates are included in the publication Wood Resource Quarterly, which tracks the evolving global sawlog and pulpwood cost situation, including regular updates of the biomass market, timberland investment trends and forest industry profiles in important world regions.

The 50-page report established in 1988, with readers in over 20 countries, is published by the forest industry-consulting firm Wood Resources International LLC in Seattle, USA. Link: www.woodprices.com

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