The latest issue of the Western Wood Products Association’s monthly Lumber Track, for January-July 2019, shows a -0.1% decrease in US softwood lumber production volume from the same time last year, to 20,687 mmfbm.
January – July softwood lumber production in Canada increased drops through most of this year, down by another -10%, to 14,720 mmfbm, compared to the first seven months of 2018 when it was 16,371 mmfbm.
In British Columbia, significant sawmill curtailments brought another huge drop in production volumes, for Jan – July plumeting another -19%, to 6,104 mmfbm, from 7,523 mmfbm in the first four seven of 2018.
North America Softwood Lumber Production, Sawmill Capacity Utilization, WWPA: July 2019
US sawmill production as per cent of practical capacity for the first seven months of 2019 is similar to the same time in 2018; at 80%, from 81% in 2018, said the Western Wood Products Association’s monthly Lumber Track.
Canadian sawmill production as per cent of practical capacity fell off a cliff in January – July 2019, to 80% from 89% the previous year.