When does Tet 2027 disrupt plywood shipments from Vietnam?
Tet falls on 6 February 2027, and the plywood chain in Vietnam stops around 1 February when the holiday begins. Getting back to full speed takes another 30 to 40 days, so the disruption runs roughly from 1 February to early or mid-March. An order that misses loading before the break usually waits until March.
When should Q1 formwork orders be confirmed?
November is the month to confirm them. Specs settled then leave time to press, load and ship before the holiday starts, and the order also fixes the price before freight and panel costs climb further. Booking container space together with the order is the simplest way to hold the freight rate.
What does a 40ft container from Hai Phong cost right now?
Vinawood is planning on about $8,000 to the US West Coast, $10,170 to the US East Coast, $3,630 to North Europe and $4,150 to the Med for a 40ft from Hai Phong. Drewry's World Container Index reached a 15-week high of $4,585 per 40ft on 22 October, and carriers have filed further increases for November. Forwarders had not published November quotes when the brief went out.
How do cancelled Asia to Europe sailings affect European buyers?
Carriers cancelled eight Asia to Europe sailings for the week after the brief, up from two the week before. When a voyage drops off the schedule, the cargo booked last is what gets bumped to a later ship. European importers who book space when the order is confirmed and allow a week or two of slack in site dates have the best chance of a clean run before Tet.
How do exchange rates change the landed cost of Vietnamese plywood?
Vietnamese plywood is quoted in US dollars, so the buyer's own currency sets the landed cost. At the ECB rate of $1.1193 per euro on 23 October, $10,000 of goods cost a euro buyer about €8,930, against roughly €8,600 seven weeks earlier. The Canadian dollar went the other way, to C$1.3993 per US dollar, which saves a Canadian importer about C$280 on the same order. A forward contract taken out with the order is the usual way to fix the rate for Q1 payments.
Are plywood prices rising in the US and Europe?
Yes, in both markets. The US producer price index for plywood from the Bureau of Labor Statistics rose 1.8% in September, its fourth monthly rise in a row, and sits about 5% above May. In Europe, the Finnish birch mill Koskisen said its plywood prices crept up in the third quarter, so a Q1 import price fixed in November protects margins if the climb carries on into spring.
