Inland West Business
Inland West Business Trends By Terry Miller President Northeast Business Trends By Sue Putnam Editorial Director Lumber sources in the Inland West states are reporting a steady market, although some describe issues that range from log supply to transportation. A supplier in Utah said the market was stable, even after slowing up some recently. “It’s strong. It has softened up just recently, but still overall strong,” he reported. He handles Douglas Fir in No. 2 Common and up. Transportation is a problem, he said. “Rail and trucking, both are tight,” he said. “I would agree the rates are going up.” He said supply is decent, although he noted orders are decreasing slightly. “Yeah, their order files are lightening a bit, but it’s level,” he commented. His customers are retail lumberyards. A lumber salesperson in Montana noted the market was robust. “It is still strong. A lot of items are just as strong as they were six months DO YOUR CURRENT FORKLIFT COSTS HAVE YOU SEEING RED? WE CAN TURN THAT RED TO BLACK! BEST VALUE IN MATERIAL HANDLING PRODUCTS Continued on page 49 UNMATCHED SALES & AFTERMARKET SUPPORT 2005 Fletcher Creek Dr. • Memphis, TN 38133 866-401-HELI • 901-255-0735 • Ask for Bruce Pelynio www.HeliAmericas.com CALL TODAY! The lumber market in the Northeast region is strong, despite some hits from the inclement weather in the early months of spring. A sawmill salesman in Maine said in his area, activity is good. “The market’s quite strong right now,” he noted. He sells Eastern White Pine in all NELMA grades and appearance grades. Transportation, he explained, has been difficult. “I’ve seen major problems with trucks, both availability and prices increasing,” he stated. “You can’t find a truck and you can’t afford it if you can find it.” Although he’s heard some mills are having difficulty getting their hands on logs, he said he’s not. “We’re doing OK on logs, even though the wet weather will lengthen our mud season,” he explained. “We’re prepared for it; I’ve heard of a couple of mills that aren’t, they are probably going to run out of logs, but we aren’t.” He markets mostly to wholesale distributors and in Maine, to CUSTOM FINANCIAL ACQUISITION PROGRAMS independent retail yards. A distributor in Maryland also reported robust market activity. “We service a lot of the Northeast. Overall, I’d say the market’s strong, sales are certainly up and we’re moving a lot of volume,” he stated. He sells mostly SPF out of eastern Canada and the Northeast, and also handles a lot of imports. Trucking is also a problem in his area, he said. “It’s very difficult, it’s very tight. There just are not enough trucks,” he noted. Log supply, he said, is also a little tight due to the wet weather. His customers are mostly retail lumberyards and he added they also focus on grain barns and agricultural buildings, “a little bit of a hodgepodge.” A lumber supplier in New Jersey said in his area, business has been good. “It’s been pretty active, we’ve been busy,” he commented. He sells green and dry Douglas Fir, dry Hemlock, OSB plywood and Douglas Fir plywood, and reported all are selling steadily. “They’re all moving appropriately,” he stated. Since his company has its own fleet of trucks, he said he’s not experiencing trouble with transportation, adding he also has “some solid contract truckers” with whom he works. He said supply isn’t a problem for him. His customers are primarily retail lumberyards. ■ Page 24 Softwood Forest Products Buyer ■ May/June 2018
AWC NEWS - Continued from page 2 Communities need building codes to enhance resiliency and safeguard citizens from disasters, such as fires, weather-related events and structural collapse. Code officials play a key role in keeping the public safe – from ensuring all buildings meet required building safety codes, to helping avoid potential problems at building sites that can cost significant time and money. These building safety professionals are responsible for protecting public health, safety and welfare through effective code enforcement. On behalf of the North American wood products industry, and in support of ensuring proper and safe construction, AWC’s building codes, standards and engineering staff work closely with code officials to develop sound public policies, along with codes and regulations that allow for the appropriate and responsible manufacture and use of wood products. Available AWC publications include a range of code-referenced design standards, comprehensive technical guidelines and tools for wood design and construction, as well as free educational courses regarding their applications. AWC’s self-directed study program launched in 2014 with just nine courses and has grown to 100 online courses available today on the use and application of AWC standards, building codes, green building materials and design considerations. Another area where AWC is moving the needle on building safety is its work to enhance construction site safety, particularly with regard to fire. The increasing frequency and consequence of construction fires is garnering attention across the country, which has led to important updates to U.S. building codes and standards and the development of resources specifically designed to promote construction fire safety best practices. AWC has teamed up with several leading fire prevention and code organizations on important initiatives to improve public and firefighter safety; reduce the occurrence of fires in buildings under construction, alteration, or demolition; and educate industry professionals on fire safety facts and best practices. Most recently, AWC joined the Construction Fire Safety Coalition, a cooperative effort of industry-based stakeholders and Fireforceone. At the end of the day, building safety is everyone’s responsibility – but it is the dedicated code officials who guide us and help ensure creation of safe and sustainable structures. In honor of Building Safety Month 2018, AWC would like to thank all code officials who work day in and day out to keep the public safe. Visit www.iccsafe.org to learn more about Building Safety Month and follow the hashtag #ICCB- SM18 to join the conversation on social media. ■ wood buildings up to 270-feet tall. Decisions on all of these proposals will be made in the fall of 2018, and every favorable decision will mean that more wood can and will be used in building construction in North America. This is a feat that was hardly imaginable a few short years ago before the SLB arrived on the scene to unite industry companies across regions to create new opportunities for our products. While the AWC presses for more code changes, the SLB’s other programs Think Wood, Wood, Naturally and WoodWorks are busy delivering returns on current investments. Collectively these programs were responsible for converting over 1,050 buildings from steel or concrete to wood within the last year alone. For five consecutive years, the SLB has delivered year-on-year growth in return on investment. I firmly believe that the Continued on page 26 SLB NEWS - Continued from page 2 work with the International Code Council (ICC) Tall Wood Building Ad Hoc Committee, the AWC, with support and funding from the SLB, currently has us on track to have mass timber buildings up to 18 stories be a part of the ICC International Building Code by 2021. The Ad Hoc Committee submitted over a dozen proposed changes in early 2018 that would collectively allow for the construction of multi-family and commercial Quick Response - Deep Knowledge Relationships Built On Trust www.uslumber.com Softwood Forest Products Buyer ■ May/June 2018 Page 25
