US sawmills produced 28.638 billion board ft. (bbf) of softwood lumber in the first ten months of 2017, another 4.3 per cent increase over last month, from 27.446 bbf from January to October the previous year, according to the Western Wood Products Association’s latest Lumber Track report Wednesday.
CANADA AND US LUMBER PRODUCTION, SAWMILL CAPACITY: OCTOBER 2017
For their part, sawmills in Canada produced 23.866 bbf of softwood lumber in January to October this year, a 0.2 per cent increase from 23.819 bbf for the same time in 2016.
Apparent US softwood lumber consumption in the first ten months of 2017 was 40.308 bbf, remaining essentially at compared to last year.
Canada and US Sawmill Capacity Utilization Rates
Elsewhere, rates of production as percent of practical capacity for sawmills in the US in January to October 2017 rose slightly from last month, at 87%. This compared to 86% the previous year and 86% for full year 2016, said Lumber Track.
Capacity utilization at Canadian sawmills for the first eight months of this year meanwhile continued their small decreases, at 89%. When it was 91% one year ago.