National Hardwood Magazine - June 2020

Your support changes

Your support changes hearts and minds about wood, for good. Harvesting the Future through Education DONATE TODAY @ NorthAmericanForestFoundation.org JOIN THE CONVERSATION TRADE TALK Continued PITTSBURGH, PA– The Hardwood Manufacturers Association’s board of directors has elected Troy Brown of Kretz Lumber Co. Inc., Antigo, WI, as its president. Other HMA officers for 2020 are Vice President Tommy Petzoldt of East Perry Lumber Co., Frohna, MO and Executive Vice President Linda Jovanovich of HMA. Troy Brown Elected to the executive committee were Hal Mitchell of Atlanta Hardwood Corp., Mableton, GA; Norm Steffy of Cummings Lumber Co., Troy, PA; Brian Schilling, Pike Lumber Co. Inc., Akron, IN; Wayne Law of New River Hardwoods, Beckley, WV; and Tom Gerow of Wagner Millwork LLC, Owego, NY. Bob Miller of Frank Miller Lumber Inc., Union City, IN, will serve on the executive committee as the immediate past president. The membership elected the following HMA directors: Scott Ferland, Maine Woods Co. LLC, Portage Lake, ME; Geoff Henderson, Anderson-Tully Co., Vicksburg, MS; Jon Johnson, Timber Products Co., Munising, MI; Robert Kaebnick, Hartzell Hardwoods Inc., Piqua, OH; and Craig Miller, Battle Lumber Co. Inc., Wadley, GA. Newly appointed members to the HMA NextGen Leaders Council are Parker Dukas, Abenaki Timber Corp., Kingston, NH; Chad Ervin, Jones Lumber Co. Inc., Hattiesburg, MS; and Chris Rider, Atlanta Hardwood Corp., Mableton, GA. Immediate past president Bob Miller will serve as the council coordinator. The Hardwood Manufacturers Association is a national trade organization for U.S. Hardwood lumber producers and processors. It provides member companies peer-networking opportunities, valuable information exchange and strategic management tools while also promoting the beauty, environmental preference and lasting value of American Hardwood flooring, furniture, cabinetry and millwork. For more information, visit www.HMAmembers.org. n QUEBEC Continued from page 10 54 JUNE 2020 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE All provinces and territories have included forest products as essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Forest products manufacturers and supply chain businesses are allowed to continue operating. Despite the designation, some Canadian producers scaled back in response to uncertain markets for wood products. In Ontario the list includes suppliers of pulp and paper, lumber, wood fuel and other forest products. In Quebec the list includes, under priority manufacturing activities, the pulp and paper sector, as well as “input necessary for priority sectors,” cover-

ing forest product companies in the supply chain. Under the maintenance and operation of strategic infrastructures, the province included the production, supply, transmission, transportation and distribution of bioenergy. They all must respect and abide by the social distancing rules put in place for workers. With the funding programs put in place by provincial and federal governments, it was reported that over 1 million people had applied for Employment Insurance benefits as of mid-April. The unemployment rate number was expected to rise even more as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and as more people get laid off due to cut-backs or closures across the country. It was expected that it could be weeks or months before physical distancing and selfisolation were relaxed to enable the economy to slowly get back on its feet. The province of Quebec was reported as having the highest COVID-19 caseload in Canada. The pandemic has led to an unprecedented economic collapse, forcing the closure of businesses and sharp declines in consumer spending as people have been urged to stay home to stop the spread of the virus. Economic activity dropped a record 9% in March, according to preliminary data released by Statistics Canada. According to published reports, some six million people had filed claims by mid-April for the ,000-a-month emergency benefit for help during the first four-week eligibility period. To give a boost to struggling workers, the Prime Minister expanded the criteria of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to include seasonal workers, those who are still working but earning less than ,000 a month and those whose employment insurance has run out. He said he would also be working with the provinces to raise the salaries of essential workers who earn less than ,500 a month, which includes many working in care homes. In an effort to counter the economic blow of COVID-19, the Bank of Canada kept its key interest rate target on hold at 0.25 percent, saying that it is effectively as low as it can go. The central bank’s economic outlook said the speed of the anticipated rebound rests on the shoulders of containment efforts to bring the pandemic under control. If conditions improve quickly, the economic shock is likely to be “abrupt and deep, but relatively short-lived” and followed by a strong rebound for most, but not all, sectors of the economy. A more severe scenario would likely see a “significant number” of businesses closing for good and longer spells of unemployment as workers look for new jobs. A longer downturn would also mean households, businesses and governments could have higher debt by the time the recovery takes hold. No matter the scenario, all the possibilities suggest “the near-term downturn will be the sharpest on record,” the report reads. “The outlook is highly conditional on how long the con- Please turn the page “Quality Hardwood Lumber and Flooring” Quality Hardwood Lumber 24 Million ft. Annually of Bandsawn Lumber One Million ft. of Kiln Capacity Planing Mill Facilities Straight Line Capability Width Sorting On Site Container Loading Serving you from our facilities in Georgia and Tennessee. Quality Solid Hardwood and Engineered Flooring Buena Vista, GA – 75,000 sf Solid Hardwood Flooring Facility Producing 3/4, 2-1/4, 3-1/4, 4 and 5″ Humidity Controlled Warehouses Newport, TN – 85,000 sf Engineered Hardwood Flooring Facility Producing 5/8, 2-1/4, 3-1/4, 4, 5, 6 and 7″ in Red Oak, White Oak and Hickory Humidity Controlled Warehouses Owner/Partner - Roland Weaver (229) 649-9328 V.P. of Sales – Kevin Cloer (423) 623-7382 Flooring Sales/Lumber Purchasing – Bobby Cloer (423) 623-7382 Oakcrest Lumber, Inc. Ph: (229) 649-9328 FAX: (229) 649-9585 Email: oakcrest@windstream.net Website: www.oakcrestlumber.com JOSEY (JOCO) 2018 Christmas REV .qxp_Layout 1 11/19/18 2:42 PM Page 1 JoCo Lumber, Inc. is a division of Josey Lumber Company, Inc. Tripp, Logan, and Joey Josey Our company offers: • 10,000,000 BF of annual production from our 6’ band headrig and 6’ band resaw. • Red and White Oak, Soft Maple, Ash, Poplar and Cypress in 4/4 through 8/4 thickness. • rough, surfaced, air-dried and kiln-dried lumber in random widths and lengths. • export prepping, container loading of logs and lumber, anti-stain dipping and end coating lumber. • 500,000 BF of dry kiln capacity. • 65,000 SF of enclosed warehouse for storage and loading of kiln-dried lumber. For Quality Appalachian Lumber Contact: JOsey Lumber COmpany, InC. JoCo Lumber, InC. 476 Lees meadow rd. • p.O. Drawer 447 scotland neck, nC 27874 TeL: (252) 826-5614 • FaX: (252) 826-3461 COnTaCT: emaIL: joseylbr3@gmail.com saLes: Logan Josey JUNE 2020 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 55