Sources that were contacted throughout the Lake States region were a mixed bag as one source said that his market was doing well, while the others said that they are having a harder time selling their products.
In Wisconsin a lumber representative said that overall, his marketplace is doing well at the time of this writing. “We are doing better than we were six months ago and I think that this is due to the fact that we are currently seeing a lumber shortage,” he noted, adding that this shortage has allowed prices to rise.
His company offers Red and White Oak, Hard and Soft Maple, Cherry, Hickory, Aspen and Basswood in grades No. 2 and Better and primarily in 4/4 thickness, while occasionally cutting 5/4 thickness. “Red and White Oak continue to be some of our best sellers,” he said. “The Maples have started to sell well too.”
An Indiana lumberman said his market has been tough over the past six months. “We are doing worse than we were six months ago. It seems that we just aren’t able to move any of our products.” He mentioned that this is due to the high interest rates and the fact his customers are buying on a need to basis, causing his product to sit around in the warehouse longer than he would like.
His company offers a wide variety of species including, Red and White Oak, Poplar, Hard and Soft Maple, Hickory, Basswood, Ash, Cherry, Beech, Walnut, Sassafras and Sycamore in thicknesses of 4/4-16/4 and in grades Select and Better, Nos. 1 and 2 Common and Rustic. “We move a lot of Sassafras, we aren’t able to keep it stocked for very long. Poplar is also selling well in 4/4, but it seems that the thicker stock is sitting around a bit longer,” he added.
He sells to end use manufacturers. When asked if he’s heard any comments from any of his customers, he said, “The people that I talk to in the industry have also said that they are having a tough time in their marketplaces.”
A sawmill representative in Illinois said that while his sales are fairly steady, they are doing worse than they were six months ago. “We have experienced pricing drops on a number of the items that we offer,” he added.
His company offers Red and White Oak, Hard and Soft Maple, Hickory, Walnut, Cherry and Ash in thickness of 4/4-8/4 and in grades No. 2 and Better. When asked which species is his best-selling, he noted that White Oak and Walnut continue to sell well for him.
“Most of our customers are concentration yards that are drying and reselling our green lumber,” he said. “They have had a tough time when it comes to moving their product, they might be able to move it, but they don’t have great margins.”
All three sources noted that they continue to have problems with their labor force and that it has been difficult to find qualified employees that are willing to show up every day and become proficient in the job.
