Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, birch plywood production has been severely disrupted. Russia was the largest manufacturer of birch plywood and also the largest source of birch round-logs for plywood production elsewhere in the world.

Currently it is illegal to import Russian plywood and timber into the EU and UK. This includes plywood produced in other countries using Russian logs.

There remains residual pre-conflict and pre-embargo Russian birch plywood stocks in the UK, but these limited stocks will soon run dry.

What are Russian Birch Plywood Alternatives?

European Birch Plywood

Birch plywood produced in CHINA but impprted birch core veneers from European countries: Latvia, Finland, Poland, Estonia.

However, the volumes being produced cannot meet historical demand, so other alternatives must be considered.

Species Substitution

Birch plywood is a remarkably versatile product with excellent structural properties and very good strength to weight ratio. There is no single substitute that would offer all the same properties, but alternatives can be considered particularly where structural requirements are less demanding.