US Softwood Lumber Production Continues Improvement, Canada Lumber Production Plummets: April 2020
Compared to one-year-ago, for the first four months of 2020 softwood lumber production in the US continued improving, increasing on the rise in March, says the latest issue of the Western Wood Products Association’s monthly Lumber Track. For January to April 2020 US lumber production volume increased by another +2.3% to 12,080 mfbm compared to the first four months of 2019 when it was 11,810 mfbm. Comparing the month of April to March 2020, US softwood lumber production down -4.2% at 2,895 mfbm for April 2020.
In Canada softwood lumber production plummetted yet further, down by a stunning -15.1% in the first four months of 2020, to 7,295 mfbm, compared to one-year-ago when it was 8,588 mfbm.
British Columbia sawmill production volumes dropped spectacularly, down another -25%, to 2,689 mfbm compared to January – April 2019 when it was 3,587 mfbm.
North America Softwood Lumber Production, Sawmill Capacity Utilization, WWPA: April 2020
US sawmill production as per cent of practical capacity for January to April 2020 rose by +2%, to 85%, compared to 83% in the first four months of 2019, said the Western Wood Products Association’s monthly Lumber Track.
Canadian sawmill production as per cent of practical capacity tanked hard in Jan – Apr 2020, at 72% compared to the first four months of 2019 when it was 81%.