North America Sawmill Capacity Utilization Rates: WWPA June 2022
US sawmill production as a per cent of practical capacity for January-June 2022 was down to 84%, compared to the first six months of last year when it was 87%, said the Western Wood Products Association’s monthly Lumber Track.
Canada’s sawmill capacity utilization rate continued to struggle, as it had been for the past couple of years, for January-June dropping even further, to a very low 74% compared to the same time last year when it was also low at 84%.
A moderating of supply and demand kept prices flat for the week ending September 16, 2022, when the price of benchmark softwood lumber item Western Spruce-Pine-Fir 2×4 #2&Btr KD (RL) was again US$520 mfbm, said weekly forest products industry price guide newsletter Madison’s Lumber Reporter. This is down by -$34, or -6% from the previous week when it was $554, and is down by -$83, or -14%, from one month ago when it was $603.
Compared to the same week last year, when it was US$510 mfbm, the price of Western Spruce-Pine-Fir 2×4 #2&Btr KD (RL) for the week ending September 16, 2022 was up by +$10, or +2%. Compared to two years ago when it was $960, that week’s price is down by -$440, or -46%.