Twin Rivers Paper Company on Monday announced it has finalized the sale of its Plaster Rock Lumber Corporation, its softwood lumber mill in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, to eastern Canadian lumber manufacturer and North American forest products leader Groupe Lebel.
News in lumber
FEA’s Paul Jannke Expects a Decline in Lumber Consumption in 2023, but Anticipates Prices to Largely Hold
According to reporting by Lancaster Farming, in a webinar presented by Farm Credit East, Paul Jannke, a Principal at FEA, said, “In 2023 we’re looking at a 7% decline lumber consumption in North America, which equates to about 4 billion board feet.”
US Department of Commerce Announces Fifth Administrative Review of Antidumping and Countervailing Duties on Certain Softwood Lumber Products From Canada
On Tuesday, the US Department of Commerce published a notice in the Federal Register stating that it has initiated the Fifth Administrative Review (AR5) of the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders for certain softwood lumber products from Canada.
Alaska Legislature Looks to Move Lumber Evaluation Into Local Sawmill Operators’ Hands
A bill has been introduced into the Alaska State Senate that would allow local lumber to be used more readily in building projects in the state, reporting from KBBI shows. According to a press release from the Alaska Senate Majority, the state is struggling to meet an ongoing housing shortage.
Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau Releases New Grading Rule Book
The Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau has published a new grading rule book, titled WCLB Standard Grading Rules for West Coast & Imported Softwood lumber, No. 18, 2022, according to reporting by The Construction Specifier. The new book replaced WCLB Standard No. 17, the bureau’s previous version of the grading rules.
Resolute Forest Products to Temporarily Suspend Operations at Its Saint-Thomas-Didyme, Quebec, Facility
As reported in Le Nouvelles Hebdo, Resolute Forest Products Inc. announced Monday that it has temporarily suspended operations at its Saint-Thomas-Didyme, Quebec, facility until June 11th due to a lack of fiber.
Tolko to Resume Production at Two BC Sawmills, Armstrong and Soda Creek, on March 6th
Tolko Industries plans to resume production at its curtailed Armstrong and Soda Creek sawmill facilities—both in British Columbia—on March 6th, according to local reporting by Castanet (3-2-23).
Conifex Timber to Temporarily Curtail Production at Its Mackenzie, BC, Sawmill Due to Rail Service Challenges
Conifex Timber announced on Friday that it will be temporarily curtailing production at its Mackenzie, British Columbia, sawmill for a period of up to two weeks. The company cited unsustainable inventory levels due to rail transportation challenges.
Fire Temporarily Closes Evergreen Forest Products’ New Meadows, Idaho, Sawmill
A fire last Monday in the main sawmill building at Evergreen Forest Products—also known as Tamarack Forest Products—south of New Meadows, Idaho, has forced the mill to temporarily close, according to the Lewiston Tribune.
Canfor Resumes Production at its Houston, BC, Sawmill, but Temporary Shutdown Still Scheduled for April
Canfor’s Houston, BC, sawmill facility resumed full production on February 6th, the Houston Today reported on Wednesday. The restart follows the completion of repairs to a computer room that controls the operations of the trimmer saws, which was damaged by a fire on January 22nd.