Across the Southeast region sources agreed that lumber prices have been better, while varying on their responses as to how much business they had, at the time of this writing.
In Mississippi a lumber saleswoman said their markets are slow right now and that they are worse than they were six months ago, which she attributes to the economy and interest rates.
Her company offers Red and White Oak, Sycamore, Ash, Hickory, Pecan and Cypress in grades Nos. 1 and 2 Common and in one- and two-inch thicknesses. She noted that Cypress is currently their best seller.
In Tennessee a lumberman said that he has continued to stay busy while prices continue to become depressed. “We are probably doing about the same as we were six months ago. I haven’t seen a lot of change in what we are doing,” he added.
He sells Red and White Oak, Poplar, Hickory and Mixed Hardwoods. “We offer Nos. 2 and 3 Common, No. 1 and Better and FAS and Better in thicknesses of 4/4 through 8/4,” he said, adding that White Oak is by far his best seller.
“We sell to moulding, flooring, furniture and cabinet manufacturers, as well as cross tie and pallet manufacturers. They haven’t offered any comments as to how their sales are doing right now, but I suspect that while they aren’t excited about anything in particular, they have enough business to keep things rolling,” he noted.
When asked how the next six months will go, he said, “I don’t know what is going to happen, but I know I am having to take everything one day at a time.”
A lumber manufacturer in Louisiana said that his sales have been slow. “Over the past few years we have started to run pine through our mill, and we are currently having to run more of it due to the slow response to Red Oak,” he said. “We don’t have the order to run for a full month and we haven’t since December. It’s been tough for Red Oak.”
He said that he thinks that his company is doing worse than it was six months ago but believes that it is primarily due to the time of the year.
He sells Red and White Oak, miscellaneous Hardwood species and pine in grades FAS and Better and Nos. 1 and 2 Common in thicknesses of 4/4 and 5/4. “Aside from the pine that we cut to supplement our Hardwood production, White Oak is our absolute best seller,” he added.
He sells to flooring and moulding companies, wholesalers and railroad tie buyers. He noted that all of his customers have mentioned that they are slow but he thinks that just like for his business it is due to the time of the year.
He mentioned that even with adding pine to their product line that the company would be struggling if it weren’t for the ties that they are able to cut from the center of the logs.
