The hours worked in the sawmilling and planing of wood industry in Belgium have shown fluctuations between 2013 and 2023, reaching 1.6718 million hours in 2023. The industry saw significant declines in certain years, such as 2018 where the year-on-year decrease was 12.92%, and 2021 with a decrease of 13.49%. However, there were also periods of growth, particularly in 2019 with a 25.87% increase. Over the past five years, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was minimal at 0.0066%.
Looking ahead from 2024, the forecast predicts a consistent decline in hours worked. A sharp decrease from 1.5743 million hours in 2024 to 1.1939 million hours in 2028 equates to a negative CAGR of 5.38%. Anticipated trends to watch include technological advancements reducing manual labor and a potential shift towards sustainable and automated production methods.
- A notable decline is forecasted, with a 24.16% reduction expected over the next five years.
- Future trends may involve increased automation and sustainability initiatives, impacting labor demand.
