Lumber Slingers

Happy Halloween from the Lumber Slingers crew! 🎃 We open with costumes (yes, Trent’s a giant hot dog), glass vs. plastic vs. “just use your hands” for coffee, and then roll into the numbers: a fresh quarter-point rate cut, Freddie Mac’s 30-year hovering just above that magic “5-handle,” and a pop in weekly mortgage applications. Madison’s Lumber Price Index held.. We also hit earnings: UFP’s and...

122. Newswire Update: Twinsies, Traders Market, and that Commercial! by Chelsea Zuccato & Natalie Heacock

The crew returns from “fall break” to catch up on… everything. We talk Taylor’s record-smashing release, then pivot to the serious stuff: ongoing tariff turbulence, why uncertainty -not any single policy - keeps us up at night, and a trio of headline moves (Potlatch-Deltic + Rayonier rumors, Hillenbrand going private, and more). We react to Interfor’s Q4 curtailments, talk South pine softness and...

Natalie, Chelsea, and Trent kick off by debating a YouTube livestream for Lumber Slingers after iShowSpeed’s Portland stop sparks chatter about nonstop streaming culture. They pivot to real industry moves: Western Forest Products curtailment and Roseburg will cease hardwood plywood production. Mortgage rates hover after last week’s spike - “wonky” but stabilizing. The crew detours into AI haircut...

Trent breaks down the big news: Specialty Building Products signing an agreement to acquire OrePac Building Products and National Lumber picking up Fisher Lumber - what it means for consolidation, brands, and the West Coast footprint. We shout out Alpinewest Resources’ new VP of Finance, and plug Traders Market in Kansas City (steakhouse waitlist, anyone?). Natalie weighs the quarter-point rate cu...

The Lumber Slingers crew is back, kicking off with back-to-school chaos, kids’ activities, and the rise of full-blown “football mom” energy (cheetah print bleacher chairs included). From there, the conversation shifts to big industry moves, including Home Depot’s acquisition and Whitecap’s latest buys. The team dives into market shifts as Interfor announces a curtailment that rattled futures, and...

Natalie, Chelsea, and Trent dive back into Lumber Slingers with summer tales - Natalie’s new car woes, Chelsea’s paid-off ride, and Trent’s NYC concert spree! They unpack the U.S.-Canada softwood lumber dispute, with Canada’s subsidy and looming tariffs from the Section 232 review. Big moves shake the industry: Masterbrand merges, Springer Midwest is acquired, and more. Markets shift: lumber price...

This week’s episode kicks off with heartfelt tributes to icons of the past -Trent reflects on the cultural impact of Ozzy Osbourne and Hulk Hogan, and we all take a moment to mourn the childhood legends we’ve lost. The mood lifts as we cover everything from squirrel traps and pedometers to a major lumber merger. We also touch on: A mysterious potential merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Sout...

Natalie, Trent & Chelsea are back midsummer with a blast! From concert tales and cheating memes gone wild! Then we pivot to lumber‑industry heavy hitters: major promotions and the inside scoop on mortgage rates, applications dipping, plus lumber pricing jumping week‑over‑week. Tune in for HR gossip, heartfelt parenting art gifts, and that horn-worthy foghorn celebration!

In this episode of Lumber Slingers, Chelsea and Natalie Heacock interview Joanna Foat, an author and researcher who has uncovered the hidden history of the Lumberjills, women who worked in forestry during World War II. Joanna shares her journey of discovering these remarkable women, their contributions to the war effort, and the challenges they faced in a male-dominated industry. The conversation...

Natalie, Chelsea, and Trent drop this week's scoop on Lumber Slingers, buzzing with sunny weekend plans! The NAWLA regional meeting at Amaterra winery rocked, with high end custom builder Mike Riddle discussing the market. Collins Pine unloads Klamath Falls plant, while BlueLinx and LP rev up distribution. Woodgrain and Swanson Group crown new leaders. Markets move: Madison’s Index climbs, but mor...

Natalie, Chelsea, and Trent are back together on Lumber Slingers, kicking off Summer Fridays with industry heat! The USDA’s dropping $200M to hit 4 billion board feet of U.S. timber by 2028, with a nod to mass timber. Hardwood plywood faces anti-dumping petitions. CertainTeed unveils fortified roofing, Red Belt names new CEO, and markets dip. Catch the buzz on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or lumbersli...

Kick off Memorial Day with Lumber Slingers! Natalie and Trent bring the sunshine and industry buzz, unpacking Weyerhaeuser’s $120M sale of its Princeton, BC mill to Gorman Group, a 75-year-old player with 900 employees. They geek out over Harvey Industries’ game-changing AI bandsaw, boasting smart sensors and voice-activated lights. Plus, get the latest on mortgage rates and Madison’s Lumber Price...

In this episode, the hosts discuss the challenges of parenting during busy months like May, the importance of empowering women in the lumber industry through events like the Oregon Women in Lumber summit, and the recent changes in retail dynamics, particularly regarding Weber's distribution strategy. They also touch on market updates, including lumber prices and mortgage applications, providing in...

In weeks episode, Lumber Slingers + Trent share personal highlights from their week, including experiences with music, travel, and fitness challenges. They discuss the Oregon Forest to Homes Act, exploring its implications for the lumber industry and the certification process for lumber graders. The conversation shifts to industry news, focusing on recent mill closures and market trends, as well a...

Trent and Natalie discuss fresh expansions that signal real growth in the building‑materials space. The duo then zoom out to the big picture. They unpack the latest consumer‑spending data, compare media headlines with hard‑number economic indicators, and spotlight the outsized role consumer confidence plays in keeping the engine humming. Finally, they dive into lumber: why prices swing, where we a...

In this episode of Lumber Slingers, Chelsea is joined by friend-of-the-show Trent while Natalie sips margaritas in Mexico. From exclusive Wood Is Good t-shirt giveaways (email us!) to tales of bootleg cologne and outlet mall scores, this episode kicks off with laughs and life lessons. They dive into housing market trends, Wes Fraser’s Q1 earnings, mill curtailments, and shifting production strateg...

In our final Lumber Slingers episode from the International Mass Timber Conference, we sit down with Dean Lewis, Skanska’s Director of Mass Timber & Prefabrication, to unpack the buzz around mass timber. Dean shares how to decide if mass timber’s right for your project, from cost to carbon wins, and breaks down East vs. West Coast trends. We dive into Skanska’s game-changing projects: Portland Air...

Joined by Trent Johnson of The Lumber Newswire today we discuss, yet again, the complexities of tariffs and their implications on the industry, drawing from Natalie's recent political experiences. The conversation wraps with insights into current market trends and economic outlooks, particularly in real estate and consumer behavior.

In this episode of Lumber Slingers, Chelsea and Natalie are live from the International Mass Timber Conference, joined by Judith Sheine—Professor of Architecture at the University of Oregon, Director of Design for the TallWood Design Institute, and an accomplished architect and researcher with decades of experience in timber innovation and interdisciplinary design. From defining mass timber to unp...

Chelsea and Natalie discuss the todays announcement regarding tariffs, particularly focusing on lumber tariffs and the implications of the Liberation Day address. They explore the impact of these tariffs on commerce, trust between countries, and the overall market reactions. The discussion also delves into the reciprocal tariffs and their effects on international relations, particularly with Canad...

In this episode, we discuss the the International Mass Timber Conference, and significant market news including the merger of James Hardie and AZEK. We also delve into changes in CLT production in Sweden and Kodiak's new expansion, providing insights into the timber industry and market trends.

In this special live episode, we hit record right from the heart of the action at the International Mass Timber Conference - broadcasting straight from the Freres booth. Tune in as we dive into real-time reactions from the floor and explore what’s next in the world of mass timber. Whether you missed the event or just want to relive the energy, this episode brings the conference to you.

We are slightly unhinged while we discuss the hottest stories this week, and breaking news today with Trent Johnson of Red Book Lumber Data, and the Lumber Newswire by 526 Media. If you are not a current subscriber to the Lumber Newswire, subscribe for free today! www.lumberbluebook.com All thoughts and opinions are our own and do not represent those of our employers, or anyone mentioned in this p...

We discuss the hottest stories this week, and breaking news today with Trent Johnson of Red Book Lumber Data, and the Lumber Newswire by 526 Media. If you are not a current subscriber to the Lumber Newswire, subscribe for free today! www.lumberbluebook.com All thoughts and opinions are our own and do not represent those of our employers, or anyone mentioned in this podcast. Questions of Comments?...