U.S. softwood lumber production up 4.7%

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U.S. sawmills produced 26.578 billion board ft. (bbf) (62,7 million cubic meters) of softwood lumber in the first 10 months of 2014, an increase of 4.7% from 25.388 bbf (59,9 million m3) a year earlier, according to the latest Lumber Track report by the Western Wood Products Assn. (WWPA) of Portland, Oregon.

Western U.S. sawmills contributed 11.965 bbf (28,2 million m3) to the 10-month total, up 4.5% from the 11.453 bbf (27 million m3) produced a year earlier, while output from southern sawmills was 13.378 bbf (31,5 million m3) – a gain of 4.9% from 12.755 bbf (30 million m3 a year earlier.

Production in October alone was 2.826 bbf (6,6 million m3), a gain of 1.5% from 2.784 bbf (6,48 million m3) in the previous year, and 7.0% higher than September’s output of 2.642 bbf (6,2 million m3).

The U.S. consumed 35.728 bbf (84,3 million m3) of softwood lumber in the 10-month period, a 7.1% gain over consumption a year earlier of 33.364 bbf (78,7 mil. m3).

U.S. production as a percentage of practical capacity averaged 84% in the first 10 months, compared with 80% in the same period a year earlier, while in Canada, the average remained level with the previous year at 79%.

U.S. inventories slipped 0.2% in October to 2.949 bbf (6,95 mil. m3) from 2.955 bbf (6,97 mil. m3) a year earlier.

-Source: http://www.ihb.de/wood/news/US_softwood_lumber_production_39870.html