National Hardwood Magazine - September 2019

SOUTHWESTERN/WEST SIDE

SOUTHWESTERN/WEST SIDE MEMBERS By Terry Miller Kevin Nolan and Barbara Low, Rives & Reynolds Lumber Co. Inc., Louisville, MS; and Kathy and Bill Price, All Star Forest Products Inc., Jackson, MS John Hubbard Jr., Kathryn Hubbard, Leslie and John Hubbard Sr., Buchanan Hardwoods Inc., Aliceville, AL; and Sandy and David Roberts, Stella-Jones Corp., Alexandria, LA Kirby and Leighann Field, Ralph Taylor Lumber Co. Inc., Utica, MS; and Susan and Tim Thornburgh, Linden Lumber LLC, Linden, AL Sandestin, FL- A joint meeting of the Southwestern Hardwood Manufacturers Club and the West Side Hardwood Club was recently held here at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. Approximately 55 companies from Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana were represented at the meeting plus the roundtable discussions attracted 45 attendees. The overall consensus was that log inventories are still low at the mills. Some indicated they had adequate log decks. One spokesman said that they normally have 1.2 million board feet this time of year and at the time of this meeting they had about 600,000 feet of logs on the yard. Many said they are operating hand-to-mouth and many continue to curtail hours due to the fact they have logs coming in very slowly. However, the industrial market is still very strong. The mat, board road and the pallet business -- all those industrial markets that buy large volumes of lumber continue to show strength. Representatives said the crosstie market is extremely strong with nothing less than the first of 2021 at the earliest before they will catch up on their procurement of crossties. In other news at the meeting, switch ties were reported as over supplied. A purchasing agent that buys large volumes said that they are only buying from producers that have made them for them. The agent is not taking on any new suppliers of switch ties and is trying to get those to convert to crossties since many do both in regard to the mill. Grade lumber is moving in Red Oak but at less than favorable prices. White Oak is performing much stronger than Red Oak. Representatives in attendance from flooring mills said it is still a deeply discounted market for finished flooring when it comes to strip flooring. He added that the mills are working very hard to push down the standing timber/Gatewood prices, particularly in regard to Red Oak. Of the mills that were represented at the meeting, their production is primarily Red and White Oak and/or river bottom species. They noted that the river bottoms have been too wet and it doesn’t look like they will have the opportunity to log the whole year in 2019. To follow are some specific observations from a few in attendance at the roundtable discussion: A sawmill representative from Arkansas said he had good log inventory last fall that he thought would carry him through the spring. However at mid-summer, the rivers were still up. At the time of this SWHMC meeting, he was out of logs and didn’t know when he will get logs. Another Arkansas sawmiller said he has been running Please turn to page 59 36 SEPTEMBER 2019 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE

FOR FLORIDA MEETING Joey Childs and Stacey Runnels, Rutland Lumber Co. Inc., Collins, MS; Richard and Kim Buckman, Superior Mat Co. Inc., Collins, MS; Missy and Tim Lott, Rutland Lumber Co. Inc.; and Karen and Chad Smith, USNR, Hot Springs, AR Mike Sumrow, Debbie Sumrow, Becky Anderson and Seth Sumrow, Buckman Laboratories Inc., Memphis, TN Jason and Dedra Bunch, Deepwell Forest Products, Waynesboro, MS; and Keith Price, Corley Manufacturing Co., Chattanooga, TN Donna Reid, Lindsey Tingle, Hannah Reid and Tim Reid, Buckman Laboratories International Inc., Moundville, AL; and Eddie Carson, Conner Industries Inc., Dallas, TX Bob and Joy Barnes, and Katie and Britt Barnes, Barnes & Barnes Tie LLC, Simsboro, LA David Engelkes, Cash Norris, and Erin and Paul Norris, Maxwell Hardwood Flooring Inc., Monticello, AR Mike and Laura McQueen, and Natalie Conway and Chris Mc- Queen, Anthony Timberlands Inc., Mount Holly, AR SEPTEMBER 2019 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 37