Staff Writer
Throughout the Northeast region sources say that their sales are doing well at the time of this writing, and they are hopeful for busy spring and summer months.
In Massachusetts a lumber spokeswoman said that her company has been incredibly busy. “We have seen our inbound volume increase dramatically and we’ve been as busy as ever,” she noted, adding that their market is right on an even keel with where they were in 2022.
Her company handles Eastern White Pine and Western Red Cedar in all grades and thicknesses of 4/4-8/4. Eastern White Pine is the best seller for them overall.
She said that her company sells to industrial manufacturers and independent lumber yards. “Everyone that I have talked to has said that they are busy and that they have a good order file. They aren’t as backed up as they have been in the past, which they are happy about as it helps keep their customers happy,” she remarked.
Her company hasn’t had issues with transportation as she noted that they work with great carrier partners.
A New York lumberman said that his sales are doing “pretty darn well” and that he is optimistic as he has noticed more activity over recent weeks. “We are doing about the same as we were six months ago. We had a typical winter and while the activity wasn’t there, our sales were solid and profitable,” he said.
His company handles White Pine in all NELMA grades in 4/4 thickness. “Our production is down slightly as it is being dictated by the work force and not just the log supply,” he remarked.
His company sells primarily to wholesalers, manufacturers and some retail lumber yards, as well as other Pine mills. “I talked to a guy who is in wholesale and he said that he’s having to move a lot of low grade lumber as he isn’t able to get a hold of any high grades. Then the prices of low grade are so low that he said he feels like he is just giving away the lumber,” he noted.
When it comes to transportation he didn’t have any major problems to report, but did say that he is having issues with labor. “I had five guys not show up this morning and I’m assuming it’s because it was cold out. I’m happy when they show up,” he said. He went on to say that he knows the labor issues aren’t just happening at sawmills but that he has heard from people in trucking and manufacturing that are also having problems finding reliable employees.
A sawmill representative in New Hampshire that also has retail yards, said that his sales have been a mixed bag as of late, noting that the trades are few and far between causing business to be off. “I would say that our sales aren’t as good as they were six months ago but our customers thoughts are that they have business and they just have to get some jobs out the door so that they can replenish their supply and look forward to a busy spring,” he noted.
His company handles Douglas Fir, Spruce, Ponderosa Pine, Southern Yellow Pine, Hemlock Fir and White Fir in grades ranging from Economy to No. 1 Common in 2×3 through 2×12. He remarked that Eastern Spruce is probably one of his best sellers.
He sells to manufacturers, contractors and retail lumber yards. “My customers are frustrated. They think that their business should be better and they think it will get better but it just isn’t yet. I think that the market will be better in the second quarter, May and June,” he added.
“We’ve struggled with labor, but right now transportation seems to be our biggest issue as we are paying exuberant amounts per mile to get a truck and that ultimately takes away from the profit of the loads that we are selling,” he said.
