In a joint statement released on Thursday (8-5-21), Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) and Seneca Sawmill announce their plans to combine the two businesses. Seneca currently operates a 175,000-acre tree farm, sawmills and a biomass plant in Oregon, and SPI is a lumber producer that manages more than 2.1 million acres of timberland in California and Washington.
News in lumber
East Fraser Fiber Co. Ltd. Receives $615,000 Grant to Help in Recovery of Low-Quality Fiber
The Forest Enhancement Society of British Columbia (FESBC) is helping to support jobs in Mackenzie, B.C. by awarding nearly $615,000 (CAD) to East Fraser Fiber Co. Ltd. (EFF) to help in the recovery of close to 30,000 cubic meters of low-quality fiber that would otherwise not been used.
Fire Destroys Sawmill Manufacturing Building at Glidden Lumber Co. in Parkman, Maine
A fire last Tuesday (7-20-21) morning destroyed the main sawmill manufacturing building at Glidden Lumber Company in Parkman, Maine. Local officials believe that a faulty piece of machinery was the cause of the blaze.
B.C. Premier Calls for Provincial Forestry Companies to Share Profits and Equipment to Help with Wildfires
British Columbia’s Premier John Horgan, while touring the Southeast Fire Centre in Castlegar on Wednesday (7-21), said that he expected other companies to follow the lead of Canfor Corp. in shutting down operations as trains, roads, and forest activity are disrupted by wildfires.
Wildfire in Western Canadian are Impacting Logging, Lumber Production, Transportation and Now Prices
Wildfires continue to rage through Canada, and the western provinces have been particularly hard hit. On Tuesday afternoon, Canfor reacted to the wildfires by announcing that effective Monday, July 26, 2021, they would cut back output at their mills in British Columbia because of hundreds of blazes that have broken out.
National Lumber and Building Materials Association Participated in White House Supply Chain Summit
At the invitation of The White House and Biden Administration, the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) participated in a discussion on Friday, July 16, 2021 regarding concerns about ongoing lumber pricing volatility and other home building material supply chain issues.
Carbotech Group Acquires Autolog
Carbotech Group, a company that specializes in operational efficiency for the sawmill industry, with an emphasis on log and lumber handling, has announced that it has acquired Autolog, a company that specializes in wood process optimization and automation.
Transport Canada Orders Train Speed Reduction in All Areas with Extreme Fire Danger Risk
Transport Canada has ordered new safety measures for all rail operators nationwide aimed at reducing the risk of wildfires. The order, which went into effect on Sunday, July 11, 2021, will remain in place until October 31, 2021. The order requires railway companies to limit the speed of trains in all areas of the country that are facing extreme fire risk.
Canadian Lumber Production Declines -8.2% from March to April, Rises 45.4% Year-Over-Year
Statistics Canada (StatsCan) is reporting that Canadian lumber production by sawmills decreased -8.2% from March 2021 to 5170.3 thousand cubic meters in April 2021. However, production was 45.4% higher than in April 2020.
Interfor Corporation Completes Purchase of 4 Georgia-Pacific Sawmill Operations
Interfor Corporation announced on Friday (7-9-21) that it had completed the purchase transaction to acquire four sawmill operations from Georgia-Pacific, which was originally announced on May 27, 2021. The mills are located in Bay Springs, Mississippi, Fayette, Alabama, DeQuincy Louisiana, and Philomath Oregon.