Western U.S. sawmills produce 3.485 bbf of lumber in first three months of 2014, up 2.1% year-over-year: WWPA

Wendy Lisney

LOS ANGELES , May 6, 2014 (Industry Intelligence Inc.) – Western U.S. sawmills produced 3.485 billion board ft. (bbf) of softwood lumber in the first three months of 2014, an increase of 2.1% over the same period in 2013 when output was 3.414 bbf, according to data released on May 2 by the Western Wood Products Assn. (WWPA) of Portland, Oregon.

Of that three-month total, coastal mills accounted for 2.101 bbf – up 0.3% from a year earlier (2.096 bbf). Inland mills increased production by 6.3% year-over-year, to 1.254 bbf from 1.180 bbf, but California redwood production dipped 6.0% to 130 million board ft. (mmbf) from 138 mmbf.

For the month of March, western U.S. sawmills produced 1.207 bbf, a year-over-year gain of 4.5% from 1.155 bbf, and 11.9% higher than output in February of 1.079 bbf.

Coastal mills contributed 735 mmbf to the month's production, up 3.3% from 711 mmbf a year earlier, and 12.7% higher than February’s volume of 652 mmbf. Inland mills accounted for 427 mmbf, which was 7.5% higher than production in the same month last year of 398 mmbf, and 10.8% more than output in February of 386 mmbf.

California’s redwood production fell 2.0% year-over-year in March to 45 mmbf from 46 mmbf, but was up 9.8% from output in February of 41 mmbf.

Softwood lumber inventories increased to 1.427 bbf in March, a gain of 9.1% over the 1.309 bbf reported in March last year.

The primary source of this article is the Western Wood Products Assn., Portland, Oregon, on May 2, 2014.

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