Penn-York Celebrates
Penn-York Celebrates Return to In-Person Meetings with Penn-Sylvan as Host Titusville, PA–Penn-Sylvan International recently hosted a Penn-York Lumbermen’s Club meeting here at Cross Creek Resort. Sawmill representatives in attendance overall reported good sales, with stable prices on some species, but challenges regarding transportation, both domestically and in the export market. One attendee noted that while he still sees pushback on Red Oak, White Oak and Walnut “are still extremely hot. Poplar, too, is also still hot and the spread between green Poplar and kiln-dried Poplar is about the biggest I’ve ever seen in my career. It’s 0 to 0 a thousand spread, which is huge.” Another lumber representative commented that, at the time of this Penn-York meeting, White Oak sales were still good. He added that while it remains at an all-time high, he believes it is starting to settle some. Red Oak is predicted to be strong all summer. Log decks are improved throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland according to another sawmill spokesman. “Production is probably as good as it is going to be based off the fact Photos by Gary Miller that nobody can put on a second shift,” he explained. To that point, labor shortages continue to plague these sawmills. One lumberman commented, “The consistent comment I hear from the folks I deal with in Wisconsin, Iowa, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and up into New England, is that they can’t find enough people to work. But, I can’t blame them really. I’ve worked in the lumber business for 20-some odd years now and it’s a hard labor job. You can make more money in some of these positions if you work at McDonald’s, or in my area Amazon is hiring people at per hour. By comparison, in my geographic area, for just an unskilled lumber stacker the pay is to an hour. For the industry to compete, I think it needs to be quite a bit higher than that.” Regarding transportation, one Penn-York attendee simply called it “atrocious.” One elaborated, “Trucking is still very difficult. We were paying .50 to a load a mile over a year ago and now, today you will be lucky if you can get a truck for a load a mile. So trucking costs have actually doubled in the last year.” Please turn to page 28 Burt Craig and Wayne Wilson, Matson Lumber Co., Brookville, PA; Jerry Puckly, Summit Hardwoods Inc., Waterford, PA; and Rob Matson, Matson Lumber Co. Andy Nuffer, DMSi Software/Tally Express/eLIMBS, High Point, NC; Brandon Ferman, Meridien Hardwoods of PA Inc., Pittsfield, PA; Jay Reese, Penn-Sylvan International Inc., Spartansburg, PA; and Nick Skudlarek, Salamanca Lumber Co. Inc., Salamanca, NY Shawn Donovan and Jimmy Irwin, Penn-Sylvan International Inc., Spartansburg, PA; and John Wadding, Allegheny Veneer Co. Inc., Corry, PA John Pysh, Pennsylvania Hardwoods LLC, Titusville, PA; and Ted Korn, Matson Lumber Co., Brookville, PA Christopher Strang, Alan McIlvain Lumber Co., Marcus Hook, PA; Marty James, Penn-Sylvan International Inc., Spartansburg, PA; Steve Jones, Ron Jones Hardwood Sales Inc., Union City, PA; and Greg Ochs, Hickman Lumber Co. Inc., Emlenton, PA Reza Reese, Mitra Reese, Jay Reese, Bill Reese, Patty Wagner, Marc Reese, Mike Reese, and Sonya and Marty James, Penn-Sylvan International Inc., Spartansburg, PA 28 AUGUST 2021 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE AUGUST 2021 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 29
