National Hardwood Magazine - May 2021

U.S.A. TRENDS
Supplier news about
sales, labor, prices, trends,
expansions and inventories
LAKE STATES
NORTHEAST
SOUTHEAST
WEST COAST
Sales of Hardwood lumber in the Lake States are
strong, even “crazy”-strong, according to one source.
A Michigan lumber provider said his market is “extremely
busy. Since the turn of the year, it’s probably
crazier than I’ve ever seen it.
“The market was good six months ago,” he stated.
“It’s better than it was then.”
Products he sells are Hard and Soft Maple, Red and
White Oak, Hickory, Walnut and Cherry. “They’re all
pretty hot,” he pointed out. “Hard Maple’s probably the
craziest. All the other ones are good.”
Half of his customers are end users and the other
half are distribution yards. “They all say they’re busy,
The Hardwood lumber markets in the Northeast are
strong, but, as has been the case for some time, product
is hard to find.
For example, a lumber provider in Pennsylvania said,
“There’s not enough lumber of any kind in the system in
our area. It’s just a shortage situation.” Nevertheless, he
assessed the market is far better than several months
ago. He stated that demand is high.
This lumberman handles Cherry, Hard and Soft
Maple, Ash, Red and White Oak and Yellow Poplar. “I
would say that if we had more of any specie, it would
very quickly sell out,” he noted. “There’s nothing that
people aren’t asking us for, and there’s nothing we’re
Sales of Hardwood lumber in the Southeast are strong,
with prices at a high level – but one lumber provider is
feeling some pushback from his customers against those
prices.
A Mississippi lumberman stated, “The market has
been crazy, as other people have certainly said. Prices
have been going up, but recently, I’m seeing a trend that
folks are kind of pushing back on prices a little bit. The
market may be readjusting a little bit since it took off like
it did. We’re starting to see some changes along those
lines. I think people, pretty much across the board, are
starting to push back on higher prices, from what we see.
“Our sales are better than several months ago,” he
The Hardwood markets on the West Coast are encouraging
– but not without problems.
In California, a source said the market is “pretty strong.
We can’t get enough wood; shipping is a problem; and
prices are going up, but the demand is still there.” The
market dynamics are similar to several months ago, he
remarked.
He sells about 80 different species of lumber. Poplar,
White Oak and Walnut are his best sellers. Thicknesses
range from 4/4 to 16/4 and grades are mostly uppers,
Select and Better and No. 1 FAS.
His customers are mostly end users: cabinet shops,
furniture makers and trim manufacturers. “Residential
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8 MAY 2021 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE MAY 2021 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 9