US and especially Canadian softwood lumber production and sawmill capacity utilization rates reversed direction in June from sharp drops earlier in 2020 due to the lockdown caused by the COVID19 pandemic.
Compared to one-year-ago, for January – June 2020 softwood lumber production in the US improved by +2%, says the latest issue of the Western Wood Products Association’s monthly Lumber Track. In the first six months of this year, US lumber production volume was 17,950 mfbm compared to the same time in 2019 when it was 17,594 mfbm. Comparing the month of June to May 2020, US softwood lumber production shot up by +10%, at 3,090 mfbm for June 2020.
Last month’s update here: https://madisonsreport.com/2020/08/14/north-america-softwood-lumber-production-sawmill-capacity-utilization-wwpa-may-2020/
In Canada, meanwhile, softwood lumber production was still not recovering in June, once again drastically down for the first six months of 2020, to 11,139 mfbm, compared to January – June 2019 when it was 12,849 mfbm. This is a large drop of -13%. Comparing the month of June to May 2020, Canada softwood lumber production improved significantly, up by +12%, at 2,027 mfbm for June 2020 compared to 1,816 mfbm the previous month.
Taken individually, British Columbia sawmill production volumes for year-to-date 2020 once again tanked, as last month, shrinking by a shocking -22% to 4,154 mfbm compared to January – June 2019 when it was 5,324 mfbm.
North America Softwood Lumber Production, Sawmill Capacity Utilization, WWPA: June 2020
US sawmill production as per cent of practical capacity for January to June 2020 remained flat, at 84%, as it was in the first six months of 2019, said the Western Wood Products Association’s monthly Lumber Track.
Canadian sawmill production as per cent of practical capacity continued its sharp drops in the first six months of 2020, still low at 74% compared to one-year-ago when it was 82%.