

Inland West Business Trends – September/October 2022
Softwood sales in the Inland West region show some strength, but the outlook is questionable. A manufacturer of Softwood lumber in Idaho stated, “We’re seeing
Softwood sales in the Inland West region show some strength, but the outlook is questionable. A manufacturer of Softwood lumber in Idaho stated, “We’re seeing
In the Midwest region, strength remains in the Softwood lumber business, but there is some slowing down. A sawmill spokesman from Texas stated, “Our market
In the Northeast, the market for Softwood lumber is still strong. In Maine, a sawmill representative stated, “Sales are still strong for White Pine boards.
A change from recent trends, Softwood lumber in the Inland West region is selling slowly. In Wyoming, a sawmill representative noted, “Most items are weakening.
The health of the Softwood lumber markets in the Midwest region is mixed. Interviews with lumbermen there yielded varied depictions of the markets, from “gangbusters”
Lumber prices are falling. The slow but steady rise of interest rates is sidelining more would be homebuyers, inflation, lack of labor in all sectors,
Southeastern Softwood lumber providers reported their markets as good. A sawmill representative in Georgia said his market is exactly that – good. “We’re new to
According to a Quebec manufacturer, “The market peaked in March and we had a ‘dead cat bounce’ in April and it has continued in a
Softwood market trends in the Northeast are in a state of flux, according to some industry sources located there. An executive in sales for a
Sales of Softwood lumber in the Inland West region have slowed down, but, according to one source, “Wood’s still moving.” Asked how things are going
In the Midwest region, one lumberman expressed pure positivity about the market while others said great sales activity may not be happening at this time,
At the time of this writing, Cedar prices remained high, and framing lumber prices were on a two-week skid, creating attractive openings for some buyers.
The Southeast Softwood market is trending toward lower prices, according to industry sources located there. At the time of this writing, a sales manager for
In the SPF business, “Customers want to wait as long as possible before placing orders,” reported a Quebec wholesaler. “They want to postpone buying as
In the Inland West, the markets for several companies contacted were strong, but in one market, customers were on-hold, waiting to see how prices would
Despite logistics and labor challenges, Canadian lumbermen cite positive trends in their markets. “Prices have increased over the last couple months and the demand for
The market for Softwood lumber in the Southeast is strong, based on interviews with lumbermen. A spokesman for a Louisiana lumber company said, “Our sales
In the Northeast, in contrast to the colder climate there, the markets for lumber companies contacted recently were hot. A Massachusetts lumber provider said her
At the time of this writing lumber framing prices took a dip and quickly rebounded, Cedar products continued to gain strength driven by growing transportation
Based on interviews with three lumber providers, it is evident that lumber in the Midwest isn’t selling like gangbusters, but sales are happening. In South
While still below the 52-week average, eastern SPF prices are increasing. According to the most current prices from the Canadian Forest Service, the 4-week average