As with May, rates of production as percent of practical capacity for North American sawmills in the US in January to July 2017 rose another percentage point from last month, to 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 Lumber Track October 6.

North American Sawmill Capacity Utilization and Lumber Production: July 2017

Capacity utilization of sawmills in Canada for January to July dropped sharply to 89%, from 93% in May. In July last year and for full year 2016 it was 91%, said Lumber Track.

Softwood lumber production by US sawmills for January to July reached 19,708 million board feet, improving on the previous month’s increase in production to a gain of 2.9 per cent, from 19,159 million board feet in the same period the previous year.

Canadian sawmills produced 16,724 million board feet of softwood lumber last year, continuing it’s slow-down in gain to 1.3 per cent, from 1.8 per cent in June. Canadian production for the first 7 months of 2016 was 16,508 million board feet in January to July 2016.