The Hardwood lumber market in the Lake States region is good or improving, depending on the lumber provider with whom you talk. “Very good” is how a source termed the market in Michigan. “We had a really, really big October,” he remarked, “So it’s good.” In fact, the market was better than six months earlier. The month of October was their best month in 10 years. The establishment carries Hard and Soft Maple (which are selling well), Red and White Oak, Walnut, Hickory, Cherry, Basswood, and Poplar in 4/4 to 8/4 and some 10/4 and 12/4. He sells to end users and distributors, with both groups of customers being “pretty busy.” He noted, “Transportation is a little tough but it’s not crazy. It’s a little tough getting logs in.”
A Wisconsin lumber provider stated that the market is “improving slowly but surely, but there’s a supply issue right now. That’s the only problem.” The market is better than it was six months before, he remarked. He handles Hard and Soft Maple, Silverleaf Soft Maple, Red and White Oak, White Ash, Black Ash, Yellow Birch, White Birch, Aspen and Basswood. The hot species are Red and White Oak, Soft and Hard Maple and Basswood. The Wisconsin source sells to both end users and distributors. “We had a meeting this morning, and all indications are the customer base is in good shape,” he noted. The only problem he mentioned was supply.
The market is good, in the opinion of a lumber provider in Illinois. “Prices are decent, and demand is really good,” he remarked. The market is “definitely better” than it was six months ago, he said. He sells Ash, Cottonwood, Red and White Oak and Poplar. “Pretty much everything is selling well right now for us,” he noted. Thicknesses are 4/4 through 8/4. He sells primarily to distributors, and he observed, “It seems like they are doing well.”
He stated, “Transportation isn’t bad right now. Six months ago, it was a problem. It’s definitely a lot better right now.”
“Overall,” he stated, “we were blessed through all this year. We had a steady market for Cottonwood.”
