EXPERIENCE QUALITY
EXPERIENCE QUALITY DEPENDABILITY 975 Conrad Hill Mine Rd. ~ Lexington, NC 27292 Phone 336-746-5419 ~ Fax 336-746-6177 www.kepleyfrank.us Facilities: 3 Sawmills Processing 50 Million' • 750,000' Dry Kiln Capacity • 600,000' Fan Shed Capacity 2 382 Newman Planer Mills • 50 Bay Bin Sorter Products Available: 4/4-8/4 Appalachian Lumber • 6/4-8/4 Ship Dry Capacity Crossties (100,000 BF per week) • Timbers up to 18' 1,000,000+ Average KD Inventory • 12,000,000+ Average AD Inventory Species: White Oak • Red Oak • Poplar • Ash • Hickory Elm • Beech • Gum • Hackberry • Pecan Jimmy Kepley, owner, and Bart Jenkins, lumber sales The firm manufactures 4/4 through 8/4 thicknesses. Sales: Bart Jenkins bjenkins@kepleyfrank.us Jimmy Kepley jkepley@kepleyfrank.us WEST COAST Continued seen a shift,” he observed. “It used to be that Alder was way up there in sales but not so much anymore.” Customers include cabinet manufacturers, display and fixture providers and retailers. “They’re booked out about as far as they can go,” he said. “Transportation is tough,” he noted. “It takes a lot longer to receive containers from the East and Midwest. Within our region, we have our own trucks. That investment has certainly paid off.” n ONTARIO Continued from page 8 demand, and with both countries experiencing a strong housing market there is a need for more of this species. Secondary manufacturers and wholesalers are in need of more Birch. As a result, prices are on the rise. Contacts note that premium color stock is doing better than unselected or off-color material. Sawmills are processing as much Hard Maple as possible, and it is being absorbed on the markets, but supplies are not sufficient to meet demand. Prices continue to rise for most grades and thicknesses, due to it being buoyed by strong U.S. and Canadian housing and renovation markets. This has boosted sales of Hardwood finished goods. Prices are rising for kiln-dried stocks due to high demand and limited availability. The same is said for Soft Maple: sawmills are processing this species quickly to prevent stain and to meet demand, but supplies are not satisfying market needs. Competition is pushing prices higher. Demand is readily absorbing Red Oak production. Kiln-dried inventories haven’t significantly increased, but some thicknesses are more readily available, and there are price variations. On the other hand, competition for White Oak logs is intense and prices have increased substantially. Log decks are thin say sawmillers, with green lumber production being low. Due to strong demand, prices are at record highs. Kiln-dried markets for this species are also strong, with low inventories. The Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry and MPP for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke on behalf of Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, and joined by Mike Harris, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry and MPP for Kitchener-Conestoga, announced details of a partnership with the Wood Manufacturing Council (WMC) to help people in Ottawa, Kitchener-Waterloo and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) prepare for good jobs in the wood manufacturing sector. With an investment of 5,000, the WMC leads an innovative skills training project with local employers to help 72 workers and job seekers gain the skills and work experience needed by wood manufacturing partners in these regions. “This partnership with our government provides opportunities for people and businesses in Ontario,” said Minister Yakabuski. “Ontario’s forestry sector continues to thrive with support from Ontario’s Forest Sector Strategy, and employers need to hire and train skilled employees to keep up with demand for their products.” Funded through SkillsAdvance Ontario, the program will train six trainee cohorts, with two cohorts each taking place in Ottawa, Kitchener-Waterloo, and the GTA. The in-person training includes an introduction to hand tools, power tools, and woodworking machinery as well as safety rules and safety training. WMC will also develop a curriculum for the mass timber industry, using the existing Wood Employee Readiness Curriculum (WERC). The first training started in Ottawa this past June. Ontario’s 2021 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy, includes measures to help workers and families recover from COVID-19 by investing an additional 4.3 million during 2020–21 and 2021–22 for employment and training supports, and proposing the new Ontario Jobs Training Tax Credit, a one-time credit that would provide up to ,000 for workers who enroll in an eligible course or training program in 2021. n QUEBEC Continued from page 8 of lumber to satisfy growing demand. There is also competition from tie and pallet manufacturers for this species, thus prices are inching higher. Red Oak demand from China has slowed, but other markets are taking up the extra production. Domestic markets for Poplar are good, as are exports to the U.S. There is strong demand from end users as they reported an increase of Poplar finished goods, including mouldings, furniture and millwork. Those who supply Poplar say their inventory is low and are anxious to get more. There is also competition from the wood pallet and container manufacturers as there is a shortage of denser woods, and furniture manufacturers are also seeking products for their frames. It was noted that Poplar exports had been down compared to recent years, although demand has started to climb from Vietnam. Demand for green lumber supplies are priced higher for all grades and thicknesses, while kiln-dried prices are firm. Demand for Walnut is strong in the U.S., especially from the flooring sector. Production has increased to supply demand of this species. Over the summer, Walnut was being set aside to cut species prone to stain, resulting in a less abundant supply of Walnut. The Conference Board of Canada recently published a report entitled The Pandemic’s Lingering Effects will Haunt Canada’s Long-Term Prospects – Canada’s Out- Please turn the page Family Owned And Operated Since 1976. A.W. Stiles Contractors providing a full line of Modern Day Lumber Drying Equipment. New Installations and Complete Rebuilds on Existing Equipment. Hardwood Package Kilns, Predryers, Walnut Steamers. Also manufacturing softwood kilns, including Dual Path Continuous Kilns. Our kilns are all manufactured in McMinnville, Tennessee. Complete Kiln and Predryer Rebuilds •Roof Replacements •Heating Coils and Complete Steam Systems •Doors and Carriers •Structural Repairs • seals, etc. •Protective Coatings •Complete line of replacement parts Providing replacement control installations and upgrades for existing kilns and pre-dryers. Screen shot above. User Friendly, Reliable, Compatible with Existing Equipment. Contact: Lee Stiles Cell: (931) 409-0144 286 Bass Lane, McMinnville, TN 37110 Email: lee@awscontractorsinc.com Website: www.awscontractorsinc.com 50 AUGUST 2021 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE AUGUST 2021 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 51
