West Coast Trends 2025 – Marketplace Conditions Vary Across West Coast Region
Throughout the West Coast, sources that were contacted at press time differed as to how their sales were doing. One source noted that not only are his sales currently down but that they are down overall from six months ago. While another source noted that his sales have remained steady over the course of the last six months.
A lumberman in California noted that his marketplace is slower than he would like. “We are doing fairly well, able to keep our heads above water, but we are still slower than I would like for us to be.”
He noted that despite not doing as well as he would like this time of year that their sales are still better than they were six months ago. “We changed our business model and that has helped tremendously,” he said. “We added more positions inside so that me and my son can focus on sawing the logs and the people on the inside can focus on the marketing and sales aspect of the business.”
“ It seems that my customers are getting more orders, causing their business to pick up. And, when their business picks up, so does ours . . . ”
He offers Claro Walnut and English Walnut in a variety of thicknesses and in grades ranging from standard to premium.
He sells to gun stock and furniture manufacturers. When asked if his customers have offered any comments as to how their sales were doing, he said, “The large gun stock manufacturers that I sell to are slowing down. A lot of the people that buy from them aren’t out hunting, so they aren’t in need of new guns right now. The smaller, custom, gun stock manufacturers that I sell to are still doing really well though. A lot of them have orders almost two years out.”
He mentioned that since he no longer exports his products, due to more imitation wood products being sold throughout Europe, he hasn’t felt the impacts of the tariffs.
In Oregon, a lumber supplier said that his company’s sales are slower than they have been.
“We are slower than we were six months ago, and I think that it comes down to the turbulent times that we are in right now.” He noted that he believes that he is seeing signs that the tides will turn but that all sectors of the marketplace are not as strong as they once were.
He handles over 60 species of domestic and imported hardwood lumber in thicknesses of 4/4 through 16/4 and in all upper grades. He mentioned that he has yet to see any impacts of the tariffs on his imported species.
He sells to cabinet, furniture and fixture manufacturers and resellers. “Our cabinet and reseller customers are slower than they have been,” he said. “The rest of my customers seem to continue to be steady.”
He remarked that his company is seeing a lot fewer issues with labor and that they have had a larger pool of applicants than in the past.
Another source in California said that his sales have continued to be steady over the past six months. “It seems as though more jobs are starting to come due, so my customers are placing more orders,” he added. “Last month we had quite a few quotes come in and this month we are filling a lot of orders.”
His company offers Hickory, White Oak and Walnut in 4/4 thickness and grades FAS and Nos. 1 and 2 Common. He mentioned that White Oak continues to be his best seller when asked if there was one specie that was selling better for him than another.
He sells to flooring manufacturers and wholesale distributors.
“It seems that my customers are getting more orders, causing their business to pick up. And, when their business picks up, so does ours,” he said.
He noted, “We don’t import or export any product, we only sell domestically so the tariffs haven’t impacted our business yet. I think that the tariffs have helped the domestic market because it seems to be getting busier, which is a good sign.”
