National Hardwood Magazine - August 2018

NHM ANNUAL SURVEY

NHM ANNUAL SURVEY Continued Guillaume Genest Primewood Drummondville, QC So if I describe the first six months of this year, we had it really good from January to June, but we feel in the last month especially that there is a lot of uncertainty in the market because of the global political climate. Species like Cherry and Walnut are a concern right now. 2018 has been a record year for us in terms of sales. In the last year our strongest sellers have been No. 1 Common and No. 2 Common Walnut, and Cherry in all grades. Recently we have been selling more Hard Maple, White Oak and White Ash. Pricing has been a concern on Cherry, Walnut and Red Oak. Trucks have been a big, big issue that has continued since January. In the past year we have installed one VisionTally, six new kilns and two Walnut steamers to improve our operation. We also invested in our grading chain to make it more efficient and less labor intensive on our employees. u Steve Bukowski Danzer Lumber North America Inc. Bradford, PA Overall, the Hardwood market this year is moving upwards, but supply is constrained. The lumber selling best for us is 4/4 Cherry in No. 2 Common and Better. Pricing is an area of concern, and trucking has been an issue; so has booking containers. u LAKE STATES Continued from page 10 such as Ash, Cherry, Walnut and White Oak, due to log exports. “They are paying big premiums for 44 AUGUST 2018 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE

logs,” he said, of overseas buyers. “But our kilns are full and we’re turning them. There are just a few species we don’t have enough of for our customers.” He said trucking is the biggest concern for him right now. “I’ve got a load in the South that needs to come North, and it’s been a month. I can’t believe my customer hasn’t cancelled the order,” he stated. “It’s been a problem since the electronic logging device (ELD) law flipped. Freight rates have gone up, too; our customers say freight has gone up significantly, and they’re increasing prices, they don’t even hesitate. Fuel is up a little bit, but that isn’t the largest reason.” He added the truckers are crunched as far as time to complete their runs. “The crazy thing about that regulation is the truck driver could be 15 minutes from home and still, he has to shut down. Export containers come to us out of the Port of Chicago, and with the mileage and traffic, everything has to happen absolutely perfectly to get the load back the same day,” he explained. “It has to be loaded promptly, weighed promptly and if it’s overweight, that’s time taking product off the truck. Everything must happen in a timely manner, or they can’t make the round trip.” His customers are end use manufacturers, distribution yards and exporters. n tribution yards and end use manufacturers. “We sell to anybody who buys truckloads of lumber and pays their bills fast,” he said. A saleswoman at a Pennsylvania sawmill said the market was steady, although problems with trucking are hitting her area. “The lumber’s moving, if you can get trucks under it. Trucking is the main issue,” she said. Sixty percent of her sales are Red and White Oak. “White Oak’s doing better than Red Oak, in uppers, No. 1 Common, No. 2 Common and No. 3 Common,” she said. She said in her area, the biggest Please turn the page NORTHEAST Continued from page 10 trucking, he said he’s not had many issues, although it’s taken some extra work to get lumber loaded onto trucks. “We hear about trouble with trucking, and we have encountered some trouble, but generally we’re getting all the trucks we need, because we’re working extra hard on it,” he commented. His customers are wholesalers, dis- AUGUST 2018 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 45