LOS ANGELES
,
April 21, 2022
(Industry Intelligence Inc.)
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U.S. sawmills in January produced 2.964 billion board ft. (bbf) of softwood lumber, down 4.2% from the 3.095 bbf produced in January 2021, and up 0.7% compared with December 2021’s 2.943 bbf, according to the Western Wood Products Assn.’s Lumber Track report for January, dated Apr. 20. Western U.S. sawmills in January contributed 1.138 bbf to the total, down 6.4% from the prior year’s 1.215 bbf, while output from Southern sawmills was down 2.8% year-over-year to 1.693 bbf from 1.741 bbf. Compared with December 2021, Western sawmill production was up 1.7% and Southern output was up 0.1%. Apparent U.S. softwood lumber consumption in January was 3.931 bbf, down 7.7% from 4.257 bbf in January 2021 and down 2.9% compared with December’s 4.050 bbf. U.S. production as a percentage of practical capacity averaged 81% in January, down from 89% in January 2021 and up from 80% in December. U.S. inventories in January were up 1.7% year-over-year to 3.065 bbf from 3.014 bbf. Canadian softwood lumber industry activity Canadian sawmills in January produced 1.813 bbf of softwood lumber, down 9.5% from January 2021’s 2.003 bbf, and up 11.5% from December’s 1.627 bbf. British Columbia mills accounted for 746 million board feet (mmbf) of the January total, down 8.9% compared with January 2021’s 819 mmbf and up 30.3% compared with December’s 573 mmbf. Sawmills east of the Rockies in January produced 1.067 bbf, down 9.9% from 1.184 bbf in January 2021 and up 1.3% compared with December’s 1.054 bbf. Apparent Canadian softwood lumber consumption in January was 596 mmbf, down 14.6% from January 2021’s 699 mmbf, and up 15.0% from December. Canadian production as a percentage of practical capacity in January averaged 73%, down from 85% a year ago and up from 66% in December. Canadian softwood lumber inventories in January were up 9.4% year-over-year to 3.006 bbf from 2.749 bbf. The primary source of this article is Lumber Track for January 2022, sent out by the Western Wood Products Assn., Portland, Oregon, on Apr. 20, 2022
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