National Hardwood Magazine - June 2023

SOUTHEAST Continued from

SOUTHEAST Continued from page 9 He mentioned that his company has received more calls on transportation than they have in the past eight months. A sawmill representative in Kentucky said that his sales have been extremely strong. “My sales are doing much better than they were six months ago,” he added. His company handles Basswood, Cherry, Hickory, Red and White Oak, Hard and Soft Maple and Poplar in grades No. 1 Common and Better. He said his dominant species are Red and White Oak and Poplar and that he will cut these in 4/4 and 5/4, while he will only cut the other species in 4/4. He said that his company sells to every kind of customer. “My export sales, in general, are more to distributors, with the occasional end user. On the domestic front we primarily sell to end users.” “Fortunately, we have enough of our own trucks to make our just in time deliveries. I will contract truckers for items that ship on a heavy volume. I will contract that work out and as of now that pressure has, for the most part, been diminished as compared to a year ago,” he noted. He also mentioned that he has noticed that there is a significant parts shortage. “I mean it’s even just standard parts like a bearing that we would typically run down to an industrial store to pick up and if they don’t have it we are out 80-90 days. So, we have started to stock up on certain parts based on when we think they may go out. The part might not need to be replaced for a year, but we will have it when it does need to be replaced.” n WEST COAST Continued from page 9 their businesses slow down a lot. He observed that one furniture manufacturer, a big company, went out of business. On a brighter note, “Transportation is very good right now,” he remarked. Meanwhile, a California lumber provider stated, “The market is still order-to-order. That’s not a bad thing. Customers expect me to have the inventory here. Customers don’t want to wait. I’m not piling up orders, but I continue to get orders. Orders are not made far out into the future. It’s part of the process. You don’t take it personally.” He stated that his business activity is “still the same as several months ago. I’m optimistic. Business is still steady.” He sells Walnut, Hickory and White Oak in FAS, No. 1 Common and No. 2 Common all in 4/4. Walnut is his best seller. He sells his lumber to both distribution yards and end users. “Their business is spotty, which is order-to-order,” he observed. “Transportation is not an issue for us,” he said. “Containers are arriving pretty steadily. We get them in seven to 10 days,” he added. n ONTARIO Continued from page 10 stock of Hard Maple is not experiencing the same level of urgency to ship it, but more to help with cash flow and storage requirements. Prices for both kiln-dried and green are declining. Depending on areas contacted, Soft Maple is selling better than Hard Maple. Some have an oversupply of green Soft Maple, and prices are lower. International sales of kiln-dried Red Oak have cooled compared to several months ago, while domestic markets are steady. Inventories of most grades and thicknesses are not very high, but prices are firm. There is solid interest in green production as most sawmills are processing whitewoods to avoid staining. Contacts noted inventories are fairly low for most all grades and thicknesses of kiln-dried White Oak. Secondary manufacturers and wholesalers are working to raise their inventories, while suppliers are shipping the full green production. It was noted pallet, lumber and cant production was steady, with supplies outpacing buyers’ needs. With the federal budget having been tabled March 28th, the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) was pleased at the renewed support for Canada’s forest sector, its workers and communities, by outlining the leadership role forestry and forest products can play in growing Canada’s green economy. The Finance Minister pledged 8.4 million over three years toward Indigenous leadership in the sector, forestry research and development, low-carbon building construction, and support to bring more sustainably sourced Canadian forest products to the world. FPAC said the Finance Minister was sending a clear message to Canadian forestry workers – that they were among the best in the world at what they did and were essential players in the lower carbon economy of tomorrow. FPAC stated the budget also delivered on the promise of forest biomass from Canada’s sustainably managed forests. In the face of worsening and more catastrophic fire patterns, the budget recognized that they needed to do more to build new markets for stranded wood fiber and wood waste, realize the climate benefits of biomass here at home, and help maximize carbon sinks in our forests. PREMIUM NORTHERN HARDWOOD LUMBER Ryan Peterson – Sales Manager (715) 533-6193 rpeterson@northernhardwoods.com Matt Grube (920) 740-9140 mgrube@northernhardwoods.com Atlantic Mine, MI Newberry, MI Please turn to page 56 www.northernhardwoods.com 52 JUNE 2023 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE www.RealAmericanHardwood.org www.RealAmericanHardwood.org JUNE 2023 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 53