Forest2Market Monthly News



August Poll

New capital is actively flowing into the North American forest industry. What is the primary challenge your region faces in attracting new investment?
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Raw material costs
Demand for residuals
Finished product prices (lumber, pulp, pellets, etc.)
Results From July's Poll

In the current market, what is most affecting log price in your region?
Southern Yellow Pine Lumber Prices Retreat and Settle in July

By John Greene
While still high compared to recent years, southern yellow pine (SYP) lumber prices have dropped from their record high of $576/MBF posted in early June. Forest2Market’s composite southern yellow pine lumber price for the week ending July 20 (Week 29) was $513/MBF, an 11 percent decrease from the record high but a 0.6 percent increase from the previous week’s price of $510/MBF. Year-over-year, week 29’s price represents a 36 percent increase from the same week in 2017.

Madison's Lumber Reporter Launches on Forest2Market's SilvaStat360

By Suz-Anne Kinney
Madison's Lumber Reporter and Forest2Market have officially launched the redesigned, digital version of Madison’s Weekly Lumber Reporter. Madison’s North American lumber price reporting service is now exclusively available via SilvaStat360, Forest2Market's online business intelligence platform.

North America Lumber and Panel Prices Settle Back to Normal Territory

By Keta Kosman
Recent price-related mayhem in the lumber market is beginning to abate. Manufacturers and secondary-suppliers’ price sheets and quotes are becoming much more closely aligned, as has been traditionally the case. Some wholesalers and reloads have even started making plans to rebuild inventory.

Chip & Pulpwood Price Trends in the US South & PNW

By John Greene
Over the past six years, chip and pulpwood prices in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) have demonstrated significant levels of volatility when compared to the relatively flat performance in the US South. Most notably, prices for these products have surged in the last year amid increased demand for virtually all timber products in the resource-constrained PNW.

More Uncertainty for NH Biomass on the Horizon

By Eric Kingsley
In New Hampshire, nearly half of the volume of wood harvest goes to biomass markets. With the recent veto of legislation to support some of the wood energy plants that utilize this biomass, the future of that market is in question.
With the loss of pulp markets in Maine and New Hampshire in recent years, biomass has become an increasingly important market for low-grade wood in the Granite State.

Strong Demand for Pine Logs in Brazil Outpacing Supply

By Marcelo Schmid
Sustained demand for pine resources in Brazil is a market dynamic worth watching closely. During recent market studies conducted by Forest2Market do Brasil in the southern region of the country, it became increasingly clear that strong demand exceeds the current production of pine logs, which may lead to a supply imbalance in the next few years.

Thriving with Versatility: Forest2Market do Brasil

By Suz-Anne Kinney
Marcelo Schmid, Forest2Market do Brasil LATAM Director, talks about the past, the present and the future of Brazil's forest products industry and Forest2Market do Brasil in the July 2018 issue of B. Forest, an electronic journal for the forestry sector in Brazil.

Investment Opportunities in Uruguay’s Forestry Industry

By Marcelo Schmid
On June 13, the Brazilian city of Curitiba hosted an event titled "Timber Industry Development Opportunities in Uruguay," which was sponsored by the Federation of Industries of the State of Paraná (Fiep) and the Brazilian Association of the Mechanically Processed Wood Industry (Abimci). Representatives of both the Uruguayan government and members of the country’s timber sector were present, and the primary topics of discussion were the potential for attracting new foreign investment and the expansion of Uruguay’s forestry sector.

US Housing Starts Drop to Nine-Month Low in June

By John Greene
On the heels of reaching an 11-year high just a month ago, US housing starts fell to a nine-month low in June and permits declined for a third straight month. The percent drop was the largest since November 2016, suggesting that new housing activity may have hit a temporary peak.

US Forest Industry Performance: June 2018

By Joe Clark
US forest industry performance in May and June was recently reported by both the US government and the Institute for Supply Management.
After an April gain of 0.9 percent, total industrial production (IP) edged down 0.1 percent in May (but +3.5 percent YoY).

2018 Wildfire Season Update for the Western US

By John Greene
With the passing of July 4th holiday, the western US and Canada are officially in prime wildfire season. Per a July 1 release from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), the peak of the fire season in the Southwest occurred during late June, and a normal transition of fire season activity to the west and north is expected through August as warmer and drier-than-average conditions develop across the western states.