Quick Read
- Northern America’s wooden particle board market consumption surged 86% in volume and 109% in value in 2024.
- The market is projected to reach 25,000 cubic meters and $8.9 million by 2035.
- Canada dominates Northern American wooden particle board consumption (77%) and is the sole producer.
- Norway’s natural gas output hit a 12-month high in December 2025, averaging 367.6 million cubic meters per day.
- Norway is Europe’s largest gas supplier, accounting for 30% of EU gas consumption and 51.8% of EU pipeline imports in Q3 2025.
Recent reports, both released on January 21, 2026, paint a vivid picture of diverse economic activity across different continents, with significant developments in Northern America’s wooden particle board market and Norway’s natural gas sector. These insights, meticulously measured in cubic meters, underscore critical shifts: Northern America’s wooden particle board market is rebounding dramatically after a four-year decline, with consumption surging by 86% in volume and 109% in value in 2024, while Norway’s natural gas production hit a 12-month high in December 2025, solidifying its position as Europe’s primary gas supplier. These contrasting yet equally vital trends highlight how volumetric data provides crucial intelligence for understanding market health, resource allocation, and international trade dynamics in distinct global economies.
Northern America’s Wooden Particle Board Market Rebounds
The wooden particle board market in Northern America, encompassing Canada and the United States, is experiencing a significant resurgence, according to a comprehensive analysis by IndexBox. After four consecutive years of decline, 2024 witnessed a remarkable turnaround, with consumption volume skyrocketing by 86% to 22,000 cubic meters and market value soaring by an impressive 109% to $6.8 million. This dramatic rebound signals renewed demand within the construction and furniture manufacturing sectors across the region.
The IndexBox report projects continued, albeit modest, growth for the market over the next decade. By 2035, the market volume is anticipated to reach 25,000 cubic meters, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of +1.2% from 2024. In value terms, the market is forecast to grow to $8.9 million by 2035, reflecting an anticipated CAGR of +2.5% in nominal wholesale prices. This outlook suggests a stable, upward consumption trend driven by sustained demand.
Canada continues to be the dominant force within the Northern American wooden particle board industry, both in terms of consumption and production. In 2024, Canada accounted for approximately 77% of the total consumption volume, reaching 17,000 cubic meters, significantly outpacing the United States, which consumed 5,000 cubic meters. Furthermore, Canada remains the sole producer of wooden particle board in the region, with its production volume increasing by 50% to 24,000 cubic meters in 2020, reaching record highs.
Trade dynamics within the region also reveal interesting patterns. In 2024, Northern America imported approximately 46,000 cubic meters of wooden particle board, a 21% increase from the previous year. Canada was the leading importer, responsible for 62% of total imports (29,000 cubic meters), followed by the United States at 37% (17,000 cubic meters). Notably, import prices have seen a sharp decline since 2014, with the average import price in Northern America standing at $303 per cubic meter in 2024. The United States consistently pays significantly higher import prices per cubic meter ($455) compared to Canada ($211).
On the export front, Northern America saw a decline in wooden particle board exports in 2024, falling by 8.4% to 24,000 cubic meters. Both the United States and Canada were key exporters, each shipping 12,000 cubic meters. Export prices have remained relatively stable over the years, with the average export price in Northern America at $477 per cubic meter in 2024, with the U.S. commanding a slightly higher price ($528 per cubic meter) than Canada ($424 per cubic meter).
Norway’s Gas Production Surges to 12-Month High
Across the Atlantic, Norway’s natural gas production reached a significant milestone in December 2025, hitting its highest monthly output in a year. Preliminary figures released by the Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD), and reported by Rigzone, indicate that natural gas output averaged an impressive 367.6 million cubic meters (12.98 billion cubic feet) per day. This marks the third consecutive month of sequential increase and exceeded the NOD’s forecast by 2.9%, rising 1.5% from November and 1.6% year-on-year.
The surge in production underscores Norway’s critical and growing role in European energy security, especially following the reduction of Russian gas supplies. In December 2025, Norway sold 11.4 billion cubic meters of gas, an increase of 600 million cubic meters from November. According to Eurostat, in the third quarter of 2025, the Nordic nation was responsible for supplying 51.8% of the pipeline gas imported into the European Union. The NOD emphasized this importance, stating in its ‘The Shelf 2025’ report that ‘Norwegian gas accounts for about 30 percent of EU gas consumption, and Norway is Europe’s largest supplier after cutting off Russian gas.’
A significant portion of Norway’s gas production, approximately one-third, originates from the Equinor ASA-operated Troll field in the North Sea. The NOD anticipates that the Troll field will maintain this crucial position ‘over the next few years,’ even as most new developments are smaller discoveries tied back to existing infrastructure. This stability in major fields, combined with smaller, efficient tie-back projects, is crucial for sustaining Norway’s export capacity.
Beyond natural gas, Norway’s oil production also demonstrated robust performance in December 2025, averaging two million barrels per day (MMbpd). This figure represents a 4.6% increase from November 2025 and a substantial 9.7% rise from December 2024, surpassing the NOD’s projection by 5.1%. Total liquids production, including oil, natural gas liquids (NGL), and condensate, reached 2.2 MMbpd, up 4.9% month-over-month and 8.1% year-on-year. For the entirety of 2025, total petroleum production was approximately 240.5 million standard cubic meters of oil equivalents (MSm3 o.e.), with gas for sale accounting for about 121.8 MSm3 o.e. The NOD forecasts that production will remain at a stable, high level over the next few years before gradually declining towards the end of the 2020s.
The Broader Economic Significance of Volumetric Data
The detailed reporting of market volumes and production outputs in cubic meters, whether for wooden particle boards or natural gas, provides invaluable insights into the health and direction of global economies. These metrics serve as fundamental indicators for policymakers, investors, and industry stakeholders, allowing for precise tracking of supply and demand, trade flows, and resource utilization. The ability to quantify economic activity in tangible units like cubic meters facilitates more accurate forecasting, strategic planning, and risk management across diverse sectors, from raw materials to energy supplies.
The simultaneous release of these reports, highlighting dramatic shifts in distinct industries and regions, underscores the interconnectedness of global markets and the critical role of granular, volumetric data in understanding these complex dynamics. While the industries are disparate, the reliance on cubic meters as a universal measure of production and consumption demonstrates a shared approach to economic assessment, offering transparent benchmarks for evaluating performance and informing future investment and policy decisions.