Softwood lumber production by US sawmills in the first four months of 2018 was 11.6 billion board ft. (bbf), a year-over-year increase of +5.5% from 10.980 bbf in the same period last year, reported the Western Wood Products Association in its latest Lumber Track report via IHB Monday.

Western US sawmills contributed 4.899 bbf to the four-month total, up +10% from 4.4 bbf a year earlier, while production at southern US sawmills gained +2.1% to reach 6.1 bbf, up from 6 bbf last year.

Softwood Lumber Production, USA and Canada

Softwood lumber production by US sawmills in the first four months of 2018 was 11.6 billion board ft. (bbf), a year-over-year increase of +5.5% from 10.980 bbf in the same period last year, reported the Western Wood Products Association in its latest Lumber Track report via IHB Monday.
In April, US sawmills produced 3 bbf, up +12% from 2.695 bbf in April 2017, and +2.4% higher than output in March 2018 of 2.9 bbf.

Of April’s total, Western sawmills accounted for 1.2 bbf – up +14.5% from last year’s 1.1 bbf, but down -1.6% from 1.3 bbf in March 2018.
Sawmills in the South contributed 1.6 bbf, an increase of +9.9% from 1.5 bbf in April 2017, and up +5.7% from the previous month’s production of 1.5 bbf, WWPA reported.

Apparent US softwood lumber consumption dropped -2.1% in the four-month period to 15.7 bbf, down from 16 bbf in the previous year. In April, consumption was 4.2 bbf – up +2.4% from 4.1 bbf last year, and +3.5% higher than consumption in March 2018 of 4 bbf.