Sources that were contacted throughout the Lake States region came to a general consensus that their sales are doing well. A source in Wisconsin noted that his sales are improving due to his company’s ability to raise prices, while a source in Illinois said that he has noticed a new sense of optimism throughout the industry and accredits this to an uptick in his sales.
In Michigan, a lumberman said, “Overall our sales are doing pretty good. While there hasn’t been a lot of ups and downs over the past year, getting through the holidays was tough.” He added that despite some seasonal difficulties, his sales were better than they were last year.
His company offers Hard and Soft Maple, Red and White Oak, Hickory, Walnut, Cherry and Poplar in grades No. 3 Common and Better and in thicknesses of 4/4 through 8/4. “We have continued to have a lot of demand for White Oak and we have passed a lot of it through our kilns,” he said when asked if there was one specie that was selling better for his company than others. “Hickory and Walnut are also some of our other top sellers.”
He sells to distributors and end use manufacturers, such as cabinetry, flooring, millwork and furniture. “Through general conversations that I’ve had with my customers, it seems like the higher-end products that they are selling are doing better than their commodity products,” he added.
He noted that the biggest unknown for his company this time of year is weather. “The temperature has been erratic over the past couple of weeks and that has posed challenges for logging,” he said.
A lumber representative in Wisconsin said that overall his sales have continued to be decent. “We are doing better than we were six months ago and that is all due to the prices going up on the products we offer,” he remarked.
His company offers Red and White Oak, Hard and Soft Maple, Cherry, Hickory, Aspen and Basswood in grades No. 3 Common and Better and in thicknesses of 4/4 and some 5/4. When asked which of the species that his company offers is selling the best, he said, “Right now White and Red Oak are both selling really well for us.”
He sells to distribution yards, end use manufacturers and to exporters. “I haven’t heard any comments directly from any of my customers but when we continue to get more orders on the domestic side, it’s a good sign,” he stated.
He mentioned that he is hoping for Aspen and Basswood sales to start to tick upwards as they have not been doing very well for his company.
When asked if he was having any issues with maintaining his labor force, he said, “We are okay as far as having enough employees but I will hire any qualified person that walks through my doors looking for a job.”
In Illinois a lumber spokesperson said that his sales have continued to remain steady. “We are cautious about any new tariffs and how they can potentially impact us but we are optimistic for what this year will bring,” he said.
When asked if his sales were better or worse than they were six months ago, he noted that they are doing better as the fall and winter seasons have always been better for his company.
His company offers Ash, Red and White Oak, Walnut, Hard and Soft Maple and Hickory in grades No. 3A and Better and in thicknesses of 4/4 through 10/4. “Over the past year Walnut and White Oak have been our mainstays,” he added, noting that there is some concern as to how White Oak will continue to sell in the export market should there be new tariffs.
He sells to concentration yards and end use manufacturers. “My customers have been uncertain how to stock their inventories over the past year, but as we continue into the new year, they are optimistic about how they have decided to stock their inventories,” he said.
“Transportation has continued to be a bright spot for us,” he said. “It might still be expensive but it is one thing that we know that we don’t have to fight over to get.”
