Executive summary

U.S. hardwood lumber exports rose to $151 million in March 2026, up from February on the back of spring restocking across East and Southeast Asia. Oak — red and white combined — accounted for more than 50% of total export value, confirming its structural primacy in American hardwood trade.

For veneer buyers, the signal is clear: oak flitch demand and pricing remain anchored by Asian furniture and flooring production, while European uptake is quietly accelerating.

Regional performance

Region	Feb 2026 value	Mar 2026 value	Share (Mar)	Change
East Asia	$53.0M	$55.1M	36.4%	+3.9%
North America	$31.2M	$36.1M	23.9%	+15.9%
Southeast Asia	$20.1M	$24.7M	16.3%	+22.6%
Europe	$18.8M	$22.2M	14.7%	+18.0%
Middle East	$6.9M	$4.4M	2.9%	−35.8%
South Asia	$1.4M	$1.7M	1.2%	+24.5%
Oceania	$1.9M	$1.6M	1.1%	−14.8%
Africa	$0.6M	$1.3M	0.8%	+112.6%

East Asia remained the dominant destination bloc at 36.4% of March value ($55.1M). China contributed 32.5% of global shipments. Japan accelerated +26.2% and South Korea posted +41.9%, both reflecting steady furniture-sector replenishment.

Southeast Asia was the fastest-growing major region (+22.6%), with Vietnam (+18.1%) and Indonesia (+63.0%) leading — a direct read on where hardwood veneer and plywood conversion is concentrating.

Europe gained +18.0%, led by Germany (+36.8%), Italy (+41.2%) and Sweden (+137.6%). The UK held broadly stable (+0.3%) while Spain contracted (−40.3%).

The Middle East was the sole major region to contract sharply, shedding 35.8% of its February value. The UAE (−61.3%), Lebanon (−82.4%), Iraq (−61.0%) and Qatar (−58.0%) all recorded steep declines, pulling the region’s share down from 5.0% to 2.9%.

Species and product analysis

Twenty species or product groups were recorded across the two months. Red Oak and White Oak combined accounted for over 50% of total export value in both February and March, underscoring oak’s role as the backbone of U.S. hardwood trade. Walnut and hard maple followed as premium secondary species, with ash maintaining a steady presence in markets serving thermal-modification manufacturing.

What this means for HAISEN WOOD customers

HAISEN WOOD supplies natural and engineered wood veneer — including Red Oak, White Oak, Black Walnut, Hard Maple and reconstituted veneers — slit and matched to order, FSC/PEFC-certified, and graded to project. The March 2026 trade data reinforces why we maintain multi-origin flitch sourcing and buffer stock on core oak lines: it lets our customers ride Asian restocking waves without lead-time shocks.

HAISEN WOOD is a custom veneer and decorative plywood manufacturer based in Shandong, China, exporting to 50+ countries since 1998. This insight is provided for market context and does not constitute a quotation.