Northeast Business
Northeast Business Trends We source our wood primarly from New Hampshire and Vermont, and the majority come within a 50-mile radius, By Cadance Hanson Staff Writer While two out of three lumber sources in the Northeastern states agreed that business was “soft” in the first quarter of 2024 thanks to wintry weather, all three lumbermen were optimistic when looking toward the future. As of press time, a Massachusetts source, who sells Douglas Fir, Eastern White and Idaho White Pine and Hem-Fir, among other Softwood species, compared the “sideways” lumber market to car sales. “If you had a car that you wanted to sell,” he analogized, “is it going to sell on a real snowy day? Or is putting it out there on the front lawn when it is nice and shiny out probably better? Right now, we are not on shiny days yet. We must get through winter.” He added that the market could improve before the season. “People might anticipate something,” he said. “And they don’t want to miss getting a good deal. I’ve got a feeling, the way things have been the last few years with production being sort of limited, people are going to try to come through the WE ARE PINE PASSIONATE. Dual Weinig Powermat 2500 Moulders Customizable Moisture Detection Nelma grades and patterns Specialized Dry Kilns Enhance by Durgin and Crowell is our line of pre-coated, cured Eastern White Pine paneling product. At Durgin and Crowell, we promise to be dedicated to offering our customers the personal service that is essential to delivering the highest quality, fully sustainable Eastern White Pine, on time, and to the specs desired. We provide hands-on solutions because we are Pine Passionate. Continued on page 55 WWW.DURGINANDCROWELL.COM Inland West Business Trends By Terry Miller President The mindsets of lumbermen in the Inland West region were conflicting as they looked to the future when interviewed for this publication. While one Utah source noted that he’s seen enough orders coming down the pike to give him confidence in 2024, a Colorado source remained unsure about the U.S. economy. “Interest rates, student loans, credit card debt…” said the Colorado distributor, “I’m just a little conflicted.” Noting that many of his peers shared a sense of “unbridled optimism” about the market, he said that affordability remains to be an issue for many Americans. “The prices are on an escalator here,” he said. “We’ve turned into mini-California.” Noting that multi-and-single-family houses are being built in an ample manner, the distributor noted that “inventory is overpriced.” He specializes in Hemlock, Hem-Fir and Spruce-Pine-Fir (SPF) in 2” thickness for framing lumber. He added that the mountain homes usually require “front range” lumber and then the quality of wood goes down from production builders to multi-family housing. When asked if the winter storms in mid-January resulted in discouraging sales projections, he said that the “short stint” of bad weather did not affect his region. “I was pleasantly surprised by January,” he said. “The weather was really no excuse. Folks don’t run for the exits around here during winter. They just get it done.” A Utah source said he expects the industry to return to familiar ways this year. “The outlook is an average year in 2024,” he said. “Depending on some scenarios. The momentum through the end of December didn’t carry through to January, which leveled off. But weather was an issue in mid-January. “The latter half of this year could be pretty good once the balance of supply and demand aligns,” he continued. “Inventory levels seem to be fairly ample. A lot of things are coming when the weather improves.” Specializing in Douglas Fir No. 2 and up, the source also works with some structural grades in Western, Eastern and European Spruce, Pine and Fir. For dimensional products, his company offers thicknesses of 2x4 to 2x12. His primary clients are national stocking distributors and small independent yards. “There is a lot of activity brewing,” he said. “We are doing a lot of job quotes.” He added that there is “promise at the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter.” “Interest rates are dropping and Continued on page 55 Page 22 Softwood Forest Products Buyer • March/April 2024
