Business Trends

Sources on the West Coast reported that business in their region is steady but acknowledged that there is some market insecurity and that present factors could drive the market up or down over the remainder of the year. In reference to the current state of his market, a representative from a lumber distributor in Oregon […]

As we ended summer, Hardwood production continued to edge down. The summer vacation period was a factor in this reduction, as is the changing trend in finished products purchased by consumers, and the use of composite wood and non-wood products for furniture, cabinets, flooring, and mouldings and millwork. Contacts noted that Ash prices had increased […]

As the summer period saw heavy rainfall in many areas, sawmill production was reduced due to poorer logging conditions in certain areas. According to published statistics the June 2024 period production rate was at its lowest since May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sawmill contacts comment Ash sales for No. 1 Common and Better grades […]

Sources that were contacted across the Lake States all agreed that their sales were steady despite each noting a different area in which their markets could improve. There was also a general consensus that the labor market is progressing in the right direction. In Wisconsin a lumberman noted that while his market overall is pretty […]