News about the Hardwood lumber markets in the Southeast is good. In Tennessee, a source stated, “Overall, things have been trending upwards.” He added: “Demand for certain species has been very strong or fairly strong. We think that’s more supply-driven than anything. White Oak has been in very high demand. Some other species have picked up. Ash, Red Oak and Walnut have picked up. So has Poplar.” The market is “slightly better” than it was six months earlier, he observed. Customers are end users and distribution yards. “Their demand has been high, as well,” he remarked. Transportation is problematic, he noted. “Trucks have been a little harder to find, a little bit of a challenge from time to time,” he stated. “Container shortages and having multiple cutoff dates and equipment issues have been challenging as well.”
A Mississippi lumberman said the market there is “good. It’s really good.” In fact, he observed, the market is better than it was six months ago. Species he sells include Red and White Oak, Poplar, Ash and mixed wood. White Oak, he said, is the best seller. “Red Oak is after that, then Poplar.” He sells his products to end users, concentration yards and manufacturers. “They’re saying the market for their products is good,” he stated. “We’ve got our own trucks,” he noted, so transportation isn’t a problem.
The Hardwood lumber market in Alabama is “very good,” said a source there. “It’s about 10 or 20 times better than it was six months ago,” he noted. “We handle most all species,” he remarked, “predominantly Poplar and White and Red Oak. Right now, they’re all selling well. Of course, White Oak is the best pricing and then Red Oak. Pricing has come up to the point that you can make a little money on the Red Oak lumber. Poplar is moving very well; it’s very strong. Prices are up some, but it’s more of a commodity item. It’s a volume item.” This lumber provider sells to end users, distribution and concentration yards. “Their business seems to be going well,” he stated. “It’s probably a result of the strong, strong housing market. Staircase manufacturers, moulding and these types of businesses are as strong as garlic.” Transportation isn’t a problem for this firm. “Labor would be the biggest issue that we have,” he observed.