VIDA, a global supplier of manufactured wood products from sustainable Swedish forests, has announced that it is investing over 10 million Euros in Valutec continuous kilns that will be installed at 6 of the group’s sawmills.
News in lumber
Softwood Lumber Board and U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Support Net-Zero Carbon Construction
Under the terms of the MOU, effective immediately, the SLB and USDA will expand a public-private partnership that seeks to grow demand for wood products as natural climate solutions. The organizations will jointly explore and coordinate additional market development, research, technological advances, and other activities to expand the use of wood in the built environment.
Sawmill Insurance Coverage Getting More Difficult to Secure
Sawmill operators have always operated in a supply and demand market. Currently, however, they are dealing with another and somewhat unfamiliar supply and demand problem: the lack of insurance companies willing to write policies covering their property, as well as business interruption insurance.
Log Yard Fire at West Fraser Sawmill in Chetwynd, B.C. Destroys Thousands of Logs
News 1130, a Vancouver based AM radio station, is reporting a major fire at the West Fraser Sawmill in Chetwynd, British Columbia (northern) on Thursday. According to Chetwynd Mayor Allen Courtoreille, the wind carried sparks from one pile to another.
West Fraser Announces Output Reductions at Lumber and Panel Mills during Q3
West Fraser announced the reduction of between 5% and 10% of output during Q3.
Rayonier Advance Materials Inc. Completes Sale of its Lumber and Newsprint Assets to GreenFirst Forest Products Inc.
On Monday, August 20, 2021, Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. reported that it has completed its previously announced sale of its lumber and newsprint assets (the “Purchased Assets”) to GreenFirst Forest Products Inc. (“GreenFirst”), a Canadian lumber company, for a total purchase price of approximately US$235 million, subject to final adjustments.
Quick Action by Resolute Forest Employees at the Thunder Bay, Ontario Sawmill Limit Fire Damage
Prompt action by employees at the Resolute sawmill wood yard in Thunder Bay, Ontario helped to prevent a fire, caused by mechanical issues, in a large log mover from spreading into the adjacent log stockpile.
U.S. Court of International Trade Rules Quick Tariff Reviews Overstepped Commerce Dept. Authority
A rule that allowed foreign producers, such as Canadian lumber producers, to quickly apply for lower countervailing duty rates if they weren’t individually investigated by the U.S. Commerce Department in its original duty inquiry has been eliminated in a decision handed down by the U.S. Court of International Trade.
Western Forest Products Completes Sale of Properties, Including Somass Sawmill, to City of Port Alberni
Western Forest Products (WFP) announced Thursday (8-12-21) that it has completed the sale of certain properties, including the Somass Sawmill site to the City of Port Alberni for $5.3 million.
Western Wood Products Association Posts North American Softwood Lumber May Production Stats
The Western Wood Products Association (WWPA) is reporting that in May, North American softwood lumber production increased 11.5% year-over-year (YOY). Canadian production increased 13.3% YOY and in the U.S., production rose 10.4%.