Market Conditions
Market Conditions Discussed At Southwestern Club Gathering BY TERRY MILLER New Orleans, La.– New Orleans, La.– Approximately 40 members and guests recently attended the annual Southwestern Hardwood Manufacturers Club Christmas Banquet here at the Windsor Court. Additionally, the Club’s members enjoyed a cocktail party hosted by Keith D. Peterson & Co., Inc., of Shreveport, La. Matthew Netterville, Fred Netterville Lumber Co., was announced as the incoming president of the club for 2011-12. He represents the third generation of Nettervilles to serve as president of the group. The outgoing president is Bill Price, of All Star Forest Products. Kirby Field, of Ralph Taylor Lumber, is the incoming vice president of the club for 2011-12. Attendees at the banquet for the most part voiced that 2011 would be challenging and stated that the market had improved for them in 2010. Log decks appear to be adequate going into the new year. A sawmill source in Mississippi said that movement of Firsts and Seconds was strong early in the year, and that the first six months of the year were “pretty good. Flooring business was also pretty good earlier in the year due to the remodeling market.” The source noted that his mills are operating 40 hours per week, but added, “the housing market has to improve in order for the Hardwood industry to improve.” Another Mississippi sawmill source said log prices have remained stable, and his mill recently “took a large order for the China market into 2011.” However, in some areas of that state, one source said landowners are not turning any timber loose because they are waiting on the pulp prices to improve. Also in Mississippi, a mill representative at the Club’s Christmas Banquet said his crews are running 80 hours weekly and their additional mill in Louisiana is running over 40 hours a week. A mill source from Texas said his firm is operating 36 hours now and at 80 percent production. The mill, which handles green lumber, is heavy to railroad ties and Union Pacific is projected to purchase 3 million ties in 2011. The source added that his operation is “sitting on a good log deck.” An Alabama mill source who attended the Southwestern Club meeting concurred that the first half of 2010 was “good. We’ve been running 40 hours weekly in the mill and our flooring plant is running 36 hours weekly. Flooring prices on Selects are down now about 30 percent.” For a mill in Tennessee, however, 2010 wasn’t as kind. The Club member said his firm did not operate for half the year. “No logs were available,” he said. “His lumber yard did not have a stick of lumber on it earlier in the year. Now he has both logs and lumber.” That mill manufactures and buys lumber for their flooring plants. The source said he has placed quotas on his green mills from which he purchases Oak. For a concentration yard in Alabama, the firm’s representative said orders “are hard to come by.” The operation has nine graders and running 36 hours. A separate Alabama mill spokesman said his firm is operating 50 hours weekly and the logs they are receiving are bigger and better. He said their flooring mill is running 30 to 35 hours and has had good export market for the last 60 days. For more information about the Southwestern Hardwood Manufacturers Club, call 601-765-8892. • Greg and Cynthia Kitchens, Kitchens Bros. Manufacturing Co. Inc., Utica, Miss.; Dee and Carol Peterson and Ginny and Robert Peterson, Keith D. Peterson & Co. Inc., Shreveport, La. Joe Kelly, PJ Lumber Co., Prichard, Ala.; Butch Ousley, Buchanan Hardwoods Inc., Aliceville, Ala.; Charlie Netterville, Fred Netterville Lumber Co., Woodville, Miss.; and Greg Kitchens, Kitchens Bros. Manufacturing Co. Inc., Utica, Miss. 38 Hardwoods Have Workability
Seth Netterville, Fred Netterville Lumber Co., Woodville, Miss.; Ricky Smith and Ken Campbell, Kelwood Products Inc., Enterprise, Miss.; and Dee Peterson, Keith D. Peterson & Co. Inc., Shreveport, La. Joe Vaughn, Rutland Lumber Co. Inc., Collins, Miss.; Jon Kelly, PJ Lumber Co., Mobile, Ala.; and Matthew Netterville, Fred Netterville Lumber Co., Woodville, Miss. Jimmy Hunt and Colby Stewart, Main Street Forest Products, Spartanburg, S.C.; and Larry Cope, Construction Safety Products, Shreveport, La. Brent Knight and Jack Kelly, Hardwoods Unlimited, Bay Minette, Ala.; Parker Sternbergh, guest, New Orleans, La.; and Toto Robinson, Robinson Lumber Co. Inc., New Orleans, La. John Clark, Kitchens Bros. Manufacturing Co. Inc., Hazlehurst, Miss.; Katy and Larry Wright, Hassell & Hughes Lumber Co., Collinwood, Tenn.; and Bubba Lammons, All Star Forest Products, Fairhope, Ala. Seth Netterville, Charlie and Jan Netterville and Lindsey and Matthew Netterville, Fred Netterville Lumber Co., Woodville, Miss. Dickson Buchanan, Buchanan Lumber Mobile, Mobile, Ala.; Terry Miller, National Hardwood Magazine, Memphis, Tenn.; Bill Price, All Star Forest Products, Jackson, Miss.; and Dick Buchanan, Buchanan Lumber Mobile Toto Robinson, Robinson Lumber Co. Inc., New Orleans, La.; Joe Kelly, PJ Lumber Co., Prichard, Ala.; and Hugh Overmyer, Linden Lumber Co. LLC, Linden, Ala. JANUARY/2011 39
