Author: kkosman

  • Housing Starts, Japan

    According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan’s housing starts in March were 69,411 units, down 2.9 per cent from the same month in the previous year, said the Japan Lumber Journal Thursday. This marked a year- on-year reduction for the first time in 19 months. Seasonally adjusted annual rate was 896,000…

  • US Housing Starts

    Housing starts in the US jumped in April and building permits hit their highest level in nearly six years, offering hope that the troubled housing market could be stabilizing. The Commerce Department said Friday groundbreaking increased 13.2 per cent to a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 1.07 million units, the highest level since November 2013.…

  • Containerboard Inventories

    The American Forest & Paper Association and the Fibre Box Association Wednesday released April 2014 US box shipment and box plant/containerboard mill inventory data. In April, total inventories in US containerboard mills and box converting plants fell by 92,000 tons compared to the 53,900-ton 10-year average decline seen during the month of April between 2004…

  • Mass Timber Building

    Following the success of Australia’s tallest fully timber residential tower, the Forté apartment complex in Melbourne’s Docklands by Lend Lease last year, comes that nation’s tallest timber commercial building. To be located on Sussex Street in Sydney’s central business district, the seven storey building is designed by Fitzpatrick + Partners and delivered by Lend Lease.…

  • Current Construction Labour Shortage: US

    US markets grappling with labour shortages for construction projects include Denver, CO, most Texas markets, Minneapolis and Oklahoma, which like Denver, are losing many workers to the oil and gas fields, according to the Wall Street Journal May 1. Builders in South Florida and Charlotte, NC, are having difficulty staffing their construction jobs, too. Construction…