Lumber Connection

Jeff Hoggard and Ben Rist with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market.  Weather has contributed to a delay in many projects, which has pushed both the spring buy season as well as allowing logging in some regions of the country. While the market is slow this far into the year compared to recent years, once weather stabilizes, it’s anticipated...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. With Spring and better weather ahead, the market will get steadily busier in the weeks ahead. While buyers currently in the market are finding good deals, both guests agree the current slow market may lead to a build up in latent demand once the spring buy season begin...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. Both guests feel there is value to be had in the market to cover the spring buy, however there is a sense that the market will get very busy soon, which will drive up costs quickly. Spring weather is an unknown variable that will likely have an impact on availability o...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. After five weeks of heavy activity in the market, both guests agree it appears to have entered a “digestion” period. In the short-term, supply will outstrip demand until the spring buy season starts, which means now is a very safe time to get a good deal. Justin has be...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. After a bit of a slow start to 2023, buyers are back in the market and sharing that business is ramping up. Prices are slowly creeping upwards with several factors at play. Justin and Ken expect a large Spring buy and suggest that now is the time to be mindful of your...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. Buyers are cautiously re-entering the market as the year starts, following a four-weeks off, two-weeks on buying pattern. Justin suggests studs will likely move upward in the short term, with web stock moving with it; chord stock costs will be size and grade dependent....

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) discuss the lumber market with guest Larry Dix II, owner of Apex Truss. This special edition is taken from the live recording of the Lumber Connection podcast at BCMC in Columbus, Ohio, on September 14. Larry, Ken and Justin share information and strategies for lumber sourcing, managing inventory and recalibrating co...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. Both guests agreed that as the market heads into December it will continue to soften, which will create more opportunities for buyers to find deals. The one exception will be MSR, which will continue to be heavily constrained. Justin has been with AIFP since 2010 with...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. With some uncertainty heading into the start of 2023, lumber market activity has softened, though it has remained active. Most species, lengths, and grades, barring MSR, have remained relatively stable. However, with most buyers keeping low inventories activity could p...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. Supply continues to remain strong against demand, but lumber curtailments will likely kick in soon which may have a slight impact. Both guests believe the market will remain stable in the near term, with certain grades and sizes experiencing periodic tightening. Transp...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. With a mill strike at an end, there is an expectation there will eventually be more western SPF available in the market. While SPF eases, Southern Pine has heated up recently and MSR continues to be difficult to source. Both guests agree the strength of the housing mar...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. A lumber strike, combined with relatively low cost levels, is causing western lumber buyers to drive heavy market activity to cover their traditional sourcing and procure inventories through the end of the year. Southern pine continues to stay stable, while MSR remains...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. Justin reports SYP visual grades appear to be leveling off again, but MSR continues to be tight due to seasonality, contracted volume, and reductions in SPF MSR production. Ken says in western species there continues to be a disconnect between the level buyers want to...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. They provide their perspectives on their experience at BCMC in Columbus, Ohio. Both guests agree the market is very stable right now, with small disruptions like announced mill curtailments and the threat of a rail strike barely causing a ripple. That said, there are s...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) discuss the lumber market with guest Larry Dix II, owner of Apex Truss. This special edition is taken from the live recording of the Lumber Connection podcast at BCMC in Columbus, Ohio, on September 14. Ken and Justin said there are many factors that indicate the market is more stable than over the past 18 months. Ho...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. The guests agree that while demand continues to be strong, supply is slightly outpacing it leading to a relatively steady market. However, with inventories remaining low and the future of housing and the economy ahead, it’s important to remain engaged in the market. Ju...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. Trading has heated up and the market appears to be on a short run that could last into the fall. Both guests recommend staying active and keeping inventories healthy as demand is expected to stay strong into the fourth quarter. The guests also address recent mill curta...

Justin Binning and Jeff Hoggard with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. Both guests agree the current market has settled into a relative equilibrium, with short-term ups and downs staying within a small window. Inventories on the ground remain low, so it continues to be important to stay active in the market as deals are fleeting. Justin...

Justin Binning and Joe Griffith with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. Buyers continue to purchase lumber as needed, but order files appear to be getting farther out as wildfire and hurricane seasons begin. Both guests indicated it looks like the market will likely follow a more traditional pattern into the fall unless there are natural...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. Buyers appear to be building and/or refilling inventory in the past week, creating a bit more competition for certain sizes and lengths. Out of the West, web stock has experienced the fastest uptick, and overall lumber costs appear to be moving upward. Both guests feel...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. As buyers continue to keep inventories low, both guests say there is plenty of activity in the market and deals take some effort to find. While high-strength products may be open to correction, web stock may have bottomed out. The best news is material is now widely av...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. Buyers continue to keep things close to the vest, keeping low inventories. Lumber costs continue to drop, which may soon lead to curtailments in some mills. Both guests agree that even if a recession does manifest for a period of time, housing will likely remain largel...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. Buyer inventories remain low and housing starts are strong, but production appears to be doing a good job keeping up with supply. Given this environment, both guests agree the market appears ripe for a large surge in buying in the next 30 days. There is also an extende...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. The market remains robust as the construction industry enters its peak months. Transportation issues appear to have shifted from the West to the Midwest and South, and swings up and down have been “sneaky” in their movement, so expect choppiness ahead. Justin has been...

Justin Binning and Ken Timmins with American International Forest Products (AIFP) provide a snapshot of the current lumber market. Springtime purchasing is underway, with component manufacturers being very active in filling inventory for the next 90 days. While demand is growing, persistent transportation challenges are moderating and supply is available at a level that is creating stability in th...