US sawmills produced 25.509 billion board ft. (bbf) of softwood lumber in the first nine months of 2017, another 3.2 per cent increase over last month, from 24.730 bbf in the previous year, according to the Western Wood Products Association’s latest Lumber Track report Monday.
For their part, sawmills in Canada produced 21.374 bbf of softwood lumber in January to September this year, a drop of -1.4 per cent from 21.413 bbf for the same time in 2016. Apparent US softwood lumber consumption in the first nine months of 2017 was 35.937 bbf, almost exactly flat compared to last year.
Canada and US Sawmill Capacity Utilization Rates
Elsewhere, rates of production as percent of practical capacity for North American sawmills in the US in January to August 2017 stayed flat from last month, at 86%. This compared to 86% the previous year and 86% for full year 2016, according to the latest issue of the Western Wood Products Association’s latest Lumber Track Wednesday.
Capacity utilization at Canadian sawmills for the first eight months of this year mean- while dropped to 88% from 90% one year ago.
