kiln dried framing softwood lumber • r/l...kiln dried framing softwood lumber • r/l volume 67,...

Kiln Dried Framing Softwood Lumber • R/L

Volume 67, No. 41 The source for North American softwood lumber and panel prices October 13, 2017

by Earl Heath

Key comment: “Transportation – especially by rail – was a constant challenge this week in virtually all of North America.”

Western SPF In DemandUSA

• Producers of Western-Spruce-Pine-Fir in the United States nudged their prices up again this week and extended order files into November on most R/L offer-ings. Customers had no recourse as their strapped inventories were only slightly more depleted than many mills’ yards. Weather in Washington and Oregon facilitated harvesting but fibre supply still needed to catch up “in a big way”.

• Just as the wildfire situation in Western North America appeared to be abating, 21 recent blazes burning across the state of California have rapidly con-sumed approximately 78,000 hectares, destroyed more than 3,500 structures, and resulted in the deaths of at least 26 people while more than 450 others are missing.

CANADA• Sales activity from the perspective of

Canadian WSPF mills remained “stable” this week. Log supply unfortunately hit another setback as weather conditions in British Columbia “went from bone-dry to sopping-wet” in the span of two weeks. Contractors made hay in that fortnight but now forest roads were inundated and it was tricky to get any hauling done.

• While trucks continued to be an ade-quate way to convey processed WSPF lumber to customers, rail cars were “horrible”. Players couldn’t figure out why as rail service usually doesn’t get this bad until winter hits.

• Producers in BC pushed their order files on R/L dimension items through the week of November 13th, with some even a week further out.

Eastern SPF Same Story• While 2x4 studs challenged producers

with fickle demand and two-week order files, ESPF R/L lumber garnered book-ings into early-November and ceaseless demand. Six-inch was especially strong, losing none of the considerable momen-tum gained in recent weeks.

• Trucking into the US was “a nightmare” as drivers turned away from lumber and took more lucrative opportunities working for FEMA in regions that need-ed relief from hurricanes and flooding. Shipping was “OK” on the Canadian side of the border, by car or truck.

Green Douglas Fir Pause• 2x6 was “the firmest” of green fir products

this week according to traders. Most other dimension items showed signs of softness, while studs were “somewhat aggressively” shopped by both mills and distributers. Some producers held off buying costly Doug-fir logs in an effort to force prices down.

Western Spruce-Pine-Fir

US dollars per thousand board feet, net f.o.b. mill, flat car poly wrapped (FCPW).

2x4 #2&Btr2x62x82x102x12

2x4 Utility2x6 #32x82x102x12

2x4 #4/Econ2x62x82x102x12

438464434436500

348260284276240

240228222222184

------ ------ ------

------------ ------


Eastern Spruce-Pine-Fir2x4 #2&Btr2x6 2x82x102x12Truck delivered to Great Lakes/Columbus, USA.

2x4 #2&Btr2x62x82x102x12Delivered Toronto.


555615535565

430395380

640715630640

480465445

Douglas Fir/ Hem/Fir Hem/Fir Southern Yellow PineFir Larch (Coast) (Inland) (East) (West)

547 445 425 595 430 420 510 355 350 600 415 355 565 455 470 360 360 370

2x4 #2&Btr2x6 2x82x102x122x4 #3/Utility

520595500585615330

470510465485525315

495565505500520360

Green DimensionUtility/

#3

2x4 #2&Btr2x62x82x10

EasternSPF

490 355450 365460 370470 ------

F.o.b. Toronto. (US$) GST excluded

2x4 #2&Btr2x62x82x102x122x4 #3/Utility

DouglasFir

470495470515520310

October 13, 2017

MADISON’S LUMBER REPORTER • 604-319-2266 • [email protected] • w w w.madisonsrepor t.com

2

290315340365390415440465490515540565590615640665

10-15 11-15 12-15 01-16 02-16 03-16 04-16 05-16 06-16 07-16 08-16 09-16 10-16 11-16 12-16 01-17 02-17 03-17 04-17 05-17 06-17 07-17 08-17 09-17 10-17 11-17

C$pe

r100

0sf

OSB Ontario 7/16" vs Can. Softwood Plywood 9.5mm Toronto '15-OCTOBER '17

OBS 7/16" ON Can. Soft. Ply 9.5mm TO

M a d i s o n ’ s L u M b e r

Annual Subscription PricesE-mail/Fax: US$408.45

Published 50 times a year

In Canada, add GST or HST

Discounts available for multiplesubscriptions

ISSN 0715-5468 Printed in Canada © 2017

All material contained within is the property of KetaDesign Productions Inc. Reproduc-tion or retransmission is expressly forbidden.

Publisher KetaDesign ProductionsEditor Kéta KosmanMarket Analyst Earl HeathPrint Production Pauline Petit

www.madisonsreport.com [email protected] 604 319-2266

PO Box 2486 Vancouver, BC V6B 3W7 Canada

r e p o r t e r

News & UpdatesUS Railcar Traffic: September 2017

US railroads originated 1,044,563 carloads in September 2017, down 2.3 per cent, or -24,106 carloads, from September 2016, said the Association of American Railroads October 4. US railroads also originated 1,080,444 containers and trailers in September 2017, up 3.8 per cent, or 39,482 units, from the same month last year. Combined US carload and inter-modal originations in September 2017 were 2,125,007, up 0.7 per cent, or 15,376 carloads and intermodal units from September 2016.

North American Sawmill Capacity Utilization: July 2017As with May, rates of production as percent of practical capacity for North American

sawmills in the US in January to July 2017 rose another percentage point from last month, to 86%. This compared to 86% the previous year and 86% for full year 2016, according to the latest issue of the Western Wood Products Association Lumber Track October 6.

CONT’D PAGE 6

Canada Housing Starts: September 2017Canadian housing starts dipped in September, capping another quarter of strong home building

growth, but a drop in August building permits suggested the long boom is cooling, separate reports from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation showed Tuesday.

Groundbreaking on homes in Canada edged slightly lower in September to 217,118 units from August’s upwardly revised 225,918 as a 10.7 per cent drop in multiple starts, typically condos, outweighed an 8.2 per cent climb in single starts. CONT’D PAGE 7

Building Permits, Canada: August 2017Canadian municipalities issued $7.5 billion worth of building permits in August, down 5.5 per

cent from July, according to Statistics Canada Tuesday. This was the second consecutive monthly decrease. Despite these declines, the year-to-date value of building permits (January to August) is up 8.7 per cent compared with the same period in 2016, reflecting a $3.1 billion increase in multi-family dwellings. CONT’D PAGE 7

British Columbia Forest Products Exports: August 2017BC forest products export values are up +1 per cent for January to August 2017, to $9.37

billion, compared to the same period in 2016 when it was $9.23 billion, said to the Com-petitiveness and Innovation Branch of the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations & Rural Development Wednesday.

Lumber value is down -4 per cent, while volumes are down -14 per cent. Pulp export value is up +13 per cent.

In terms of value by destination country, China is up +16 per cent and Japan up by +8% per cent. The value to the United States is down by -8 per cent. CONT’D PAGE 9

US Construction Job Openings: August 2017The count of unfilled jobs in the US construction sector continued to rise in August, reaching

the highest level since February 2007, According to the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) and NAHB analysis.

The number of open construction sector jobs increased to 247,000 in August. This represents a 34 per cent increase since August 2016. CONT’D PAGE 10

October 13, 2017

w w w.madisonsreport.com • [email protected] • 604-319-2266 • MADISON’S LUMBER REPORTER

3

Nov-17 419.20 411.80 419.20 +8.00 4,204 418.00 328.10 Jan-18 407.50 399.70 407.50 +5.40 1,790 408.00 335.00 Mar-18 397.00 393.00 397.00 +3.90 222 400.00 343.00 May-18 385.30 383.00 385.10 -0.80 22 386.90 364.00

High Low Close Change Open Interest Contract High Contract LowThursday, October 12, 2017

Lumber Futures • Chicago Mercantile Exchange

USD - CAD RATES

1 USD1 CAD

10/11 10/12 (close) (close) 1.2513 CAD 1.2470 CAD 0.7991 USD 0.8019 USD

Studs in Gear

• Traders reported that most WSPF stud items lost some ground this week in terms of price and/or demand. Producers in British Co-lumbia discounted a few widths and lengths, but for the most part avoided aggressive corrections as supply remained limited.

• Rail services in Western Canada were “infuriating”, showing no consistency and frequently late arr ival times. Trucking was “much better” than rail, but that wasn’t saying much.

Machine Stress Rated

• Purveyors of machine stress-rat-ed lumber saw sales activity drop off this week, especially in 2x4. Still, overall supply was “tight” to put it mildly, with six-inch being the most scarce. Producers finally had logs coming out of the bush again in recent weeks but catching up with sustained demand will take some time.

• MSR shippers were among the only folks this week who weren’t beset by transportation woes. Mills got shorted up to a day’s-worth of rail cars but all told shipments were “mostly on-time”.

445 370

StudsESPF KD 2x6-8’ESPF KD 2x6-9’ESPF KD 2x4-8’ (Delivered Toronto, $Cdn)

ESPF KD 2x4-9’ (Delivered Toronto, $Cdn)



Douglas Fir Green 2x4-8’Douglas Fir Green 2x4-9’Douglas Fir Green 2x6-8’Douglas Fir Green 2x6-9’

Douglas Fir KD 2x4-8’Douglas Fir KD 2x4-9’Douglas Fir KD 2x6-8’Douglas Fir KD 2x6-9’Hem/Fir Inland 2x4-8’ KDHem/Fir Inland 2x4-9’ KDHem/Fir Coast 2x4-8’ KDHem/Fir Coast 2x4-9’ KDFir/Larch KD 2x4-8’SYP East 2x4-8’

WSPF KD 2x4 PETWSPF KD 2x4- 8’WSPF KD 2x4-9’WSPF KD 2x4-7’WSPF KD 2x4-6’WSPF KD 2x6 PETWSPF KD 2x6-9’WSPF KD 2x3-8’ESPF KD 2x4-8’ESPF KD 2x4-9’

366375420345345410450430455455

530565535520610660400420400492

410435415485430440405400

MSR • KD

600615680

535550615

600655700

535590635

630

1650 f2100 f2400 f

1950 f

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----

MSR Western SPF 2x4 Chic. 2x4 Van. 2x6 Chic. 2x6 Van. 2x8 Chic.

8-20 ft. F.o.b. to Chicago or Vancouver

1650 f2100 f

MSR Eastern SPF 2x4 2x6

8-20 ft. F.o.b. delivered Great Lakes Zone

MSR Spruce-Pine-Fir (East) • Specified Lengths

525 530 535 540 525 525 530 535

10’ 12’ 14’ 16’

8-20 ft. F.o.b. delivered Great Lakes Zone

2x4 1650 f2x4 2100 f

570590

650850

190205220235250265280295310325340355370385400415430

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

US$

per M

fbm

WSPFKD2x4PETStuds.2017

2016

October 13, 2017


4

Kiln Dried Specified Lengths • S4S

Southern Yellow Pine (West)

5 430 385 430 435 450 405 420 390 420 435 420 425 415 430 340 330 350 380 355 365 365 345 360 365 380 360 360 360

Southern Yellow Pine (East)

430 435 435 460 455 430 435 395 435 435 440 430 430 415 345 360 370 360 350 340 345 360 435 435 445 405 370 415

8’ 10’ 12’ 14’ 16’ 18’ 20’

8’ 10’ 12’ 14’ 16’ 18’ 20’

Copyrighted MaterialAll information contained within this publication is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the

designated recipient. Subscribers are not authorized to disseminate, distribute or copy this material or any part of it without the express written consent of Madison’s Lumber Reporter.

Mixed cars

2x4 #2&Btr2x62x82x10

2x4 #2&Btr2x62x82x10

Kiln Dried Fir Cool-Off

• First things first: 2x6 remained “hot as heck” according to traders of Kiln-Dried Douglas-fir lumber, with mills giving no ground and riding current two-to-three week order files. Mean-while, Doug-fir log prices were so high that many producers switched to running hem/fir mixes in an effort to wait out the raw log market and push levels down.

• Order files on many dry fir items were getting closer, with players starting to see 2x4-9’s and -10’s available for next week. The odd load of 2x4 R/L also popped up for next week.

• Shipment times for rail car loads of hem/fir lumber were “stretching out” with each passing week, while truck freight-rates changed “almost hourly” as drivers understandably took higher pay from FEMA to head to Texas, Florida, and ports destined for Puerto Rico.

8’ 10’ 12’ 14’ 16’ 18’ 20’ Western Spruce-Pine-Fir

2x4 #2&Btr2x62x82x10

384390408468

362454348324

434460412442

474446430438

428488408400

368395385392

372440365398

8’ 10’ 12’ 14’ 16’Eastern Spruce-Pine-Fir

2x4 #2&Btr2x6

465600

465600

525610

580580

580630

Select & Common Boards

1x41x61x81x101x12

1x21x31x41x6

ESPF • Kiln Dried WSPF • Kiln Dried Engelmann Spruce

1x41x61x81x101x12

R/L 8’ #2&Btr #2&Btr #3 #4

10-15% Utility&Btr. Net delivered to Great Lakes. US dollars

500545595

500 400450460

520480590590765

675630680650695

485470450475520

365350340340355

Ponderosa Pine Eastern White Pine

1x41x61x81x101x12

Industrial #2&Btr #3 #4 Premium Standard KDHT

1x41x61x81x101x12

660590645650700

495470450460490

365360335335350

830840720720790

475625620640610

410410410420425

October 13, 2017


5

OSB & Plywood

Reload and Delivered Fir • B.C. Coast to U.S. Atlantic NE • Green & KD

3/8 7/1615/32 1/219/3223/32 (T&G)

Except as noted, all prices below are in Canadian dollars per 1,000 sq. ft.

Canadian Oriented Strand Board

Prices are truckload per 1,000 sq. ft.; net delivered by distributor to dealer. For OSB T&G, add $5. GST excluded.

------

BC Ontario

3/8 1/2 5/8 3/4 1” Select

3/8 1/2 5/8 3/4 1” Select

Fir Plywood •Sheathing

Prices are truckload/carload per 1,000 sq. ft.; net delivered by distributor to dealer. GST excluded.

Vancouver

Canadian Softwood Plywood • Sheathing

Prices are truckload/carload per 1,000 sq. ft.; net delivered by distributor to dealer. GST excluded.

------

Vancouver Toronto

3/8 1/2 5/8 3/4

Fir CCX Plywood

Prices are truckload/carload per 1,000 sq. ft.; net delivered by distributor to dealer. CSA stamped. GST excluded.

Toronto

Reload and Delivered Fir• Both sales and construction activity died

down noticeably this week according to Eastern stocking wholesalers. Prices came off at all levels and vendors still held costly wood that they reluctantly sold in dribs and drabs at below-replacement.

• New buys were rare as anything pur-chased this week would likely arrive around American Thanksgiving. Mean-while, customers were so tired of trying to find 2x10 18’ and 20’ straight lengths that they threw up their hands and switched to SYP for now.

OSB and Plywood• Business was “brisk” to hear Eastern

Canadian panel traders tell it, but ply-wood slid another six per cent in price. Producers ran into their order files, with most thicknesses available for next week. OSB prices held amid continued strength and scarce supply. Shipments were getting behind, with secondary suppliers still waiting for sheets bought on September 26th to roll.

• Frustrated wholesalers and distributers in Western Canada waited for plywood to “find a bottom” as buyers held off and prices continued to dive. That low point will be a rude awakening as secondaries already hold over-priced wood that is hard to shed currently. WSPF OSB was “less robust” than out East, but for now sales activity was strong and prices stuck.

CANADA VALUE OF BUILDING PERMITS: AUGUST 2017 SOURCE: Statistics Canada

R/L, 8-20 ft, S4S, 75/25. Cargo prices are to dealers, f.o.b. truck. Reload prices are to dealers, trucking extra.* Delivered prices are by truck to customers in the US northeast

Douglas Fir Douglas Fir Douglas Fir* Green Kiln Dried Delivered

2x4 #2&Btr2x6 #2&Btr2x82x102x12

430470440570570

560630580690690

610690620680680

545545565585685780

606637653772870

60080010001200

52469987310481397

52469987310481397

5146858571028

October 13, 2017


6

North American Lumber Production: July 2017

North American Sawmill Capacity Utilization and Lumber Production: July 2017

SOURCE: Madison’s Lumber Reporter www.madisonsreport.com

Five Key 2x4 Lumber Prices: Aggregate US$/mfbm

Benchmark Panel Prices: Aggregate C$/msfVOLUMES

Canada Lumber Production: softwood, million m3VALUES

Canada Sawmill Manufacturing Sales: million C$

US Total Sawmill Products Imports: million US$

US Total Sawmill Products Exports: million US$

Canada Sawmill Exports to USA: million C$

Year to Date Previous Change Full Year Change % (this month) YTD (month ago) % Trend (year ago) 2016 (year ago) Trend 456 +5.3% s 378 +27.1% s 584 -4.1% t 380 +47.4% s 22.41 +1.6% s 66.9 -65.9% t 4,188 +1.9% s 11,284 -63.5% t 1,858 +20.3% s 6,128 -63.5% t 414 +4.6% s 1,021 -57.6% t

3,420 +31% s 4,237 +5.4% t

480 560 22.78 4,271 2,235 433

4,467

Madison’s Weekly Lumber and Forestry Data Tablewww.madisonsreport.com

CONT’D FROM PAGE 2

Capacity utilization of sawmills in Canada for January to July dropped sharply to 89%, from 93% in May. In July last year and for full year 2016 it was 91%, said the latest issue of the Western Wood Products Association Lumber Track.

Softwood lumber production by US sawmills for January to July reached 19,708 million board feet, improving on the previous month’s increase in production to a gain of 2.9 per cent, from 19,159 million board feet in the same period the previous year.

Canadian sawmills produced 16,724 million board feet of softwood lumber last year, continuing it’s slow-down in gain to 1.3 per cent, from 1.8 per cent in June. Canadian production for the first 7 months of 2016 was 16,508 million board feet in January to July 2016.

CANADA AND US LUMBER PRODUCTION

SOURCE: Western Wood Products Association

http://www.madisonsreport.com/lumber-prices/


October 13, 2017


7

Madison’s Weekly Softwood Lumber NewsHousing Starts, CanadaCONT’D FROM PG 2

The 5.5 per cent decrease in total building permits surpassed forecasts for a decline of 1.0 per cent and suggested that the building boom will slow in the months ahead. July figures were revised to show a decrease of 2.8 per cent from the previously reported 3.5 per cent fall.

Residential permits fell 2.8 per cent as a 6.0 per cent drop in multifamily building permits offset a 0.4 per cent increase in plans to build single-family homes.

Nonresidential building permits fell 10.0 per cent in August as construction intentions for industrial, commercial and institutional buildings all declined.

A separate report from Statistics Canada showed the value of Canadian building per-mits fell more than expected in August, the second straight monthly decrease, on low-er construction intentions for multifamily homes as well as industrial facilities.

Canada Building PermitsCONT’D FROM PG 2

Total construction intentions for multi-family dwellings in Canada declined in August, down 6 per cent from July, ac-cording to Statistics Canada Tuesday. How-ever, the sector has been on an upward trend since 2009.

This upward trend has gradually closed the gap between the value of multi-fami-ly dwellings and single-family dwellings. June 2017 was the first month where the value of multi-family dwelling permits for Canada surpassed the value of single-family dwelling permits. Overall, the multi-family component was $294.3 million higher than the single-family component in June, and $8.1 million higher in July.

Madison’s Weekly Softwood Lumber Key Prices Tablewww.madisonsreport.com

Broken down provincially, in British Co-lumbia, the value of permits for multi-family dwellings has outpaced single-family dwell-ings every year since 2012. So far this year, the multi-family component has exceeded the value of the single-family component by more than $1.6 billion.

In Quebec, the value for multi-family per-mits has led the residential sector every year since 2013. Thus far, in 2017, Quebec mu-nicipalities have issued $3.8 billion worth of multi-family permits, almost $1 billion more than the single-family component.

In contrast, the value of single-family per-mits in Ontario has led the residential com-ponent every year, and for year-to-date 2017, the single-family component has surpassed the multi-family component by $2.1 billion.

Weyerhaeuser Announces…Weyerhaeuser Company Tuesday an-

nounced the redemption of its 21 per cent ownership interest in the Twin Creeks Tim-

ber for US$107.5 million in cash. The Com-pany also announced an agreement to sell 100,000 acres of Southern Timberlands to Twin Creeks for US$202.5 million. The sale includes 80,000 acres of timberlands in Mis-sissippi and 20,000 acres in Georgia and is expected to close by year end.

Twin Creeks was formed as a joint venture between Plum Creek Timber Company and several institutional investors. Following its merger with Plum Creek, in February 2016, Weyerhaeuser assumed Plum Creek’s in-vestment in the joint venture and became the manager of the Twin Creeks timberlands.

Effective December 31, 2017, Weyerhae-user will also terminate the agreements un-der which it has managed the Twin Creeks timberlands. Following termination of these agreements, Weyerhaeuser will have no fur-ther responsibilities or obligations related to Twin Creeks. The company does not expect to recognize a material gain or loss on the re-demption of its ownership interest.

Prices are in U.S. dollars per 1,000 fbm (net FOB mill) This Last Month Year Week Week Change % Trend Ago Change % Trend Ago Change % Trend

s s s s s s - s s - s s s s s t s s t t s t s s t s s t s s - s s t t s

WSPF KD R/L 2x4WSPF KD R/L 2x6SYP KD R/L East Side 2x4SYP KD R/L East Side 2x6ESPF KD R/L 2x4WSPF KD PET 2x4 StudWSPF KD PET 2x6 StudDouglas Fir Green R/L 2x4Douglas Fir Green R/L 2x10ESPF KD 2x4 8ft StudOSB Ontario 7/16” (CDN$/msf)CSPlywood Toronto 3/8” (CDN$/msf)

SOURCE: PR Newswire

438464445430555366410470515455606514

430 +8460 +4445 0430 0540 +15370 -4415 -5475 -5525 -10470 -15606 0545 -31

414 +24438 +26400 +45375 +55525 +30360 +6420 -10468 +2530 -15445 +10523 +83645 -131

326 +112286 +178430 +15380 +50415 +140280 +86220 +190340 +130325 +190365 +90360 +246400 +114

+1.9%+0.9%

0.0%0.0%

+2.8%-1.1%-1.2%-1.1%-1.9%-3.2%0.0%

-5.7%

+5.8%+5.9%

+11.3%+14.7%+5.7%+1.7%-2.4%+0.4%-2.8%+2.2%

+15.9%-20.3%

+34%+62%+3%

+13%+34%+31%+86%+38%+58%+25%+68%+29%

Housing Starts in Canada



October 13, 2017


8JOB CENTRE

ANNOUNCEMENTS

October 13, 2017


9

SOURCE: BC Competitiveness and Innovation Branch

BRITISH COLUMBIA FOREST PRODUCTS EXPORTS: AUGUST 2017


BC forest products export values are up +1 per cent for January to August 2017, to $9.37 billion, compared to the same period in 2016 when it was $9.23 billion, said to the Competitiveness and Innovation Branch of the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations & Rural Development Wednesday.

BC Lumber Exports

Lumber value is down -4 per cent, while volumes are down -14 per cent. Pulp export value is up +13 per cent.

In terms of value by destination country, China is up +16 per cent and Japan up by +8% per cent. The value to the United States is down by -8 per cent.

SOURCE: BC Stats

October 13, 2017


10

The construction sector hiring rate, as measured on a twelve-month moving average basis, was effectively unchanged at 5.3 per cent in August, while the monthly rate increased to 5.6 per cent. The twelve-month moving average for layoffs was steady at 2.7 per cent, remaining in a range set in 2014. The quits rate remained at 2 per cent. Overall, the uptick in hiring along with rise in job openings is consistent with a construction market that is supply-side constrained.

The labor market for construction workers remains tight as it continues to expand, said NAHB. Home builders and remodellers added 80,600 jobs over the last 12 months, and industry employment has increased by more than 710,000 since the low point after the Great Recession. As single-family housing starts continue to increase, and rebuilding efforts in Texas and Florida proceed, more workers will be needed in the residential construction sector.

CONSTRUCTION SECTOR HIRING RATE

US Construction Job Openings: August 2017


According to the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) and NAHB analysis released Wednesday, the number of open construction sector jobs in the US increased to 247,000 in August, representing a 34 per cent increase since August 2016.

The open position rate (job openings as a percent of total employment) for August expanded to 3.5 per cent. On a smoothed twelve-month moving average basis, the open position rate for the construction sector increased to 2.7 per cent.

SOURCE: NAHB Eye on Housing

The overall trend for open construction jobs has been increas-ing since the end of the Great Recession. This is consistent with survey data indicating that access to labor remains a top business challenge for builders. However, after a spate

of data at he start of the year indicate a leveling off of the count of unfilled construction jobs, open positions are again on the rise.

October 13, 2017


11Madison’s Weekly Softwood Lumber Key Prices Charts

www.madisonsreport.com

All prices are net FOB mill in U.S. dollars per 1000 board feet unless otherwise noted. * denotes Canadian dollars per 100 square feet. Green = not dried PET = precision end trim SPF = Spruce-Pine-Fir KD = kiln dried R/L = random lengths Std&Btr = standard & better (a grade)

350

370

390

410

430

450

Last Month This Month

WSPF KD R/L 2x4

370

390

410

430

450

470


WSPF KD R/L 2x6

360

380

400

420

440

460


SYP KD R/L East 2x4

340

360

380

400

420

440


SYP KD R/L East 2x6

290

310

330

350

370

390


WSPFKDPET2x4Stud

330

350

370

390

410

430


WSPFKDPET2x6Stud

380

400

420

440

460

480


ESPF KD 2x4 8ft Stud

470

490

510

530

550

570


ESPF KD R/L 2x4

500

520

540

560

580

600

620

640

660

680


CSPlywoodToronto3/8"*

480

500

520

540

560

580

600


OSB Ontario 7/16" *

380

400

420

440

460

480


Douglas Fir Green 2x4

440

460

480

500

520

540


Douglas Fir Green 2x10



October 13, 2017


12

Western Red Cedar

Fencing#2&BtrS1S2E

* for US market

1x41x61x81x101x12

1/2 x 61/2 x 83/4 x 81/2 x 6 FJ

Boards • R/L • S1S2E Channel Sidings Clear Bevel Sidings**3/4 GRN

No Hole7/8 KD

BoardsSTK

10-15% Q&BtrStd&Btr VG Clear A Rustic

6’ & longer; odd & even STK; 10-15% Q&Btr; mixed cars.

------

Mixed cars. 3/4” pullouts. For R/L packaging and paper wrap, add $30-$35. **Prices are per 1,000 ft surface measure.

by Earl Heath

3’ & longer; R/L loads.

Except as noted, all prices on this page are in U.S. dollars per 1,000 fbm.

4x4 4x64x84x104x126x66x86x106x128x812x12

11/16 x 611/16 x 8

Green Dimension • R/L Rough Timbers Deck Grade • S4SS4S Appearance

GradeArchitect

Knotty*CustomKnotty*

------

RoughAppearance

* S4SEE GRN, Trademark of WRCLA Mixed cars; net f.o.b. mill.

HIghLine

KD Panels T&GClear A&Btr STK

PremiumKD

2x4 Std&Btr2x62x82x102x12

1x4 - 6’ Dog-eared1x6 - 6’ Dog-eared1x6 - 8’2x4 - 8’ S4S no hole4x4 - 8’ S4S no hole

#2 Rail 2x4 - 8’ #2 Post 4x4 - 8’#2 Post 4x4 - 7’

1x41x61x81x101x12 (3/4”)

2x42x64x4Radius Edge 5/4 x 6

#2 Post GradeS4S

Cedar Dimension Keep Up• Buyers of cedar dimension lumber con-

tinued to solidify their 4Q purchases and position themselves for the beginning of 2018. Target markets were “on point”, with Texas bouncing back strong and the Northwestern states showing “solid take-away” while weather conditions allowed it.

• Log supply was “horrible” and remained the main bottleneck on cedar sales vol-umes. September, October and Novem-ber are usually the strongest months for throughput at BC cedar dimension mills; this year was the opposite: Oc-tober is shaping up to be the stingiest month of the year production-wise.

Cedar Roofing Exasperating• Producers of cedar roofing in BC watched

in vain as more stagnant weeks came and went in what is supposed to be an active part of the year for them in terms of sales and inquiry. They kept prices flat to try and recoup high log costs, which in turn ensured incoming business never got above a trickle.

------ ------ ------ ------

7/8 KD Clears

13501620170518752175

14751745187519402275

13401375147519752170

1385-1485147514401745

1850-32252005194019401940

1850-20902000-2055

1335170518401905

1120120515401310

14701840

2075

42454705

20501795

12051440147515751945

12551740175018152500

16652195260030603160

117015051505

156016301665

2685290537601540

2530275036651375

20251650

1515

6851100150512451780

130513751070

***Prices are per 100 sq.ft.

Treated #1 - 18” PerfectionsTreated 1/2 x 24 3/4 x 24

Moss Treated CCAClass BFire Retardant Class C

Moss Treated CCAClass BFire Retardant Class C

KD Shakes*** KD Shingles***Untreated Untreated #1-18” 16” 24”

Perfections Five-X Royals ------ ------

#1#2

* 80/20 Regular #1 ** 100% Edge Grain Premium Stock

HS&RS 1/2 x 24 BureauHS&RS 1/2 x 24 to CaliforniaHS&RS 3/4 x 24 Bureau*

#1 - 24” Tapersawn 20% Flat Grain#1 - 24” Tapersawn 100% Vertical GrainRebutt/Rejoint 18”

220220240

220230130

235110

202 265

230260270

270280270

250330350

kiln dried framing softwood lumber • r/l...kiln dried framing softwood lumber • r/l volume 67,...

Documents