Equipment And Service Providers Prepare For 2025 With Hope For Market Improvements

In the forest products industry, equipment and service providers encountered several issues in 2024, such as struggles with labor, competition with imitation wood products, transportation and fuel prices. One respondent detailed, “The high fuel prices are still challenging with high transportation costs from vendors and freight companies.” Many businesses intend to combat these issues with new product line releases, technological improvements in machinery, AI and hopes for lower fuel and transportation costs. A respondent from one company noted, “There are areas of the country where labor is reliable but for most, technology is replacing day laborers as fast as vendors can get equipment installed.”