Forest2Market Monthly News



February Poll

Which segment of the forest products industry will be most impacted by ongoing and changing COVID restrictions around the world?

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Pulp & Paper
Lumber and Solid Wood
Logs/Pulpwood
Results From January's Poll

Finished softwood lumber prices reached new highs in 2020. Will prices remain high in 2021?


18 Predictions for the Global Forest, Pulp & Paper, and Chemicals Industries in 2021

By Pete Stewart
It would be an understatement to say that 2020 has been a long, strange year. While my annual predictions for the forest industry this year didn’t entirely miss the mark, I couldn’t possibly have anticipated the ever-unfolding developments associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Red Hot Lumber Sector off to Record Start in 2021

By John Greene
We’re just a few weeks into a new year (and only a few days into a new administration in Washington) but in the North American softwood lumber market, 2021 is beginning to feel a lot like 2020. Southern yellow pine (SYP) lumber prices set new records last fall before finishing the year with a tremendous rally thanks to strong demand driven by late-season mild weather, and prices have moved even higher in the new year.

COVID-19 Poised to Structurally Alter Tissue & Towel Sector

By Bruce Janda
The COVID-19 pandemic has touched all parts of the global forest supply chain and has brought new visibility into the pulp & paper industry (P&P) in particular. In North America and Europe, the P&P sector has been front-page news since the widespread run on toilet paper that took place from March through June.

How Has COVID-19 Impacted Wood Consumption in the PNW?

By Mike Powell
Strong demand for tissue and towel products early in the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a remarkable run on lumber, has kept the forest products industry at the forefront of many conversations. However, the run was followed by a relentless fire season that burned vast areas of timberland in the Pacific Northwest (PNW).

Timberland Ownership in the US South

By Joe Clark
In the US South, most timberland is held privately by two primary ownership groups: Non-corporate and Corporate (oftentimes referred to as Industrial) landowners. Non-industrial private forest (NIPF) landowners make up approximately 55% of all ownership types, and corporate landowners make up approximately 32%. All remaining timberland is owned by federal or state government agencies.

Is Fiber-Based Food Packaging a New Golden Opportunity for Specialty Papers?

By Pirita Huotari
With several major food corporations like McDonalds making the commitment to transition to 100% fiber-based packaging by 2025, a whole range of new opportunities has opened up for the P&P industry; several additional companies are expected to make conversions as well.

US Housing Starts Hit 14-Year High in December

By John Greene
Despite tremendous headwinds in 2020, US housing starts rose for the fourth month in a row in December to their best pace since late 2006. How has the new housing sector managed to defy the odds during a year that was anything but “normal”?

US Forest Industry, Manufacturing Performance Steady Despite Volatile 2020

By Joe Clark
Total industrial production (IP) increased 0.4 percent in November (-5.05 percent YoY). After having fallen 16.5 percent February to April, the index has returned to about 5 percent below February’s pre-pandemic reading.

Forest Industry Sustainability Projects Making Headlines in January

ByForest2Market
The push for a more sustainable planet continues to drive innovations in nearly every business sector across the globe, and the forest industry is helping to lead the way. We wanted to share a few of the most exciting developments in this monthly roundup of forest industry sustainability projects that are making headlines as we start a new year.