The Lumber Word

While Matt’s off living la dolce vita in Rome, Charles, Greg, and Ashley hold down the fort with a special guest—Russ Taylor from Russ Taylor Global. Fresh off the plane from a Global Lumber Conference in Vienna, Russ brings some sharp global insights. We dive into production costs across North America and Europe and ask the big question: Is anyone making money right now? Stick around to hear our...

In our second drop of the week, Ashley sits down with Alison Coughlin from the CME Group to unpack the newly launched Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) Lumber Futures contract. It’s been live for over a month now, and we’re breaking down how it came to be, how it works, and why it could be a game-changer for the fastest-growing segment in U.S. lumber production. Whether you're a trader, mill, or just lum...

The full crew's back before Matt jets off to Spain, and there’s a lot to unpack. What’s up with the Section 232 inquiry into lumber? Are we looking at more tariff talk for Canadian and European imports—and how soon could it hit? Gregg throws some cold water on the hype, while Charles declares SYP officially DOA (for now) and breaks down the lack of market dynamics. We all agree: something is shift...

Matt, Gregg, Charles, and Ashley lay out their trading strategies for the next 30 days. Are we headed lower, or is a bounce coming? Find out who’s buying spot, selling print, and what it all means for lumber buyers and sellers. Smart trades start here—don’t miss it!

Matt, Gregg, and Ashley reconvene after a week off to discuss the current state of the lumber market. Charles was out but will be back next week. They analyze whether the market, which has been selling off since the Montreal event, is showing signs of a recovery or merely experiencing a temporary bounce within a bear market. The hosts note a slight uptick in activity for certain lumber items durin...

Join us for an insightful conversation with Thomas Mende of Binderholz , a leading expert in European lumber manufacturing, the largest importer of dimension from Europe to the US, and operator of two cutting-edge Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) mills in Florida and North Carolina. In this episode, Thomas dives into the future of European lumber shipments to the US, exploring the impact of currency flu...

The crew is back from Montreal, and Episode #118 kicks off with a debrief on what it’s like returning to the grind after the high energy of the convention floor. Matt, Ashley, Charles, and Gregg dive right into the pulse of the lumber market: is it ready to roll over, or are we seeing glimmers of strength under the surface? They break down key indicators from the field—what species look like a buy...

Charles, Ashley, Gregg and Dustin go live onstage in Montreal. The #1 lumber podcast breaks down their thoughts on the convention. What did we feel coming to the event, and what do we feel now that we've been here and are getting ready to leave with our thoughts? Is the market going to go up down, sideways or uncertain? Wow did we get the information here! Come have a listen!

With the full lumber crew—Matt, Charles, Gregg, and Ashley—dive deep into the current state of the lumber market as April kicks off. From SYP oddities to the new CME contract, the team covers what traders, builders, and mills are buzzing about. Matt breaks down volatile DDF prices and the coastal Hem-Fir jump, Charles unpacks the SYP 2x4 #2 vs. #3 price parity mystery, and Gregg gives us the lowdo...

Matt Layman is back, and we start cranking early. From builder earnings to home sale trends, we dig into what’s driving the housing and lumber machine right now. Then we ask the big one: Is the tariff risk already priced in? Or is there more heat to come? We get into the SPF vs. SYP narrative—why it’s gotten way too loud, and what matters. With the new SYP CME contract launching Monday, we take a...

Ashley, Matt, Gregg, Charles, and guest John Comiskey, a mortgage tech veteran and data sleuth, dive deep into the alarming rise of FHA loan delinquencies and their potential ripple effects on the housing and lumber markets. They expose how skyrocketing mortgage defaults—some borrowers making only a handful of payments over years—are straining government-backed mortgage programs and potentially ga...

Matt, Gregg, Ashley, and Charles take a deep dive into the SYP spread against Canadian lumber—what does it signal for the market? With everyone suddenly having plenty of time to debate tariffs, is that a sign of a slowdown? The crew breaks it all down and highlights some other key market trends that traders should be watching. Looking ahead, we tease next week's guest, who just might bring the nex...

Kyle Little, COO of Sherwood Lumber and frequent CNBC personality, joins The Lumber Word—and he does not disappoint! In this jam-packed episode, we break down the past week (and especially the last 48 hours) in the lumber industry, covering:  Southern Pine, U.S. species, Euro, and Canadian lumber—what’s hot, what’s not, and where the market is headed.  Big calls & bold forecasts—Matt, Gregg, A...

On this week’s episode of The Lumber Word, we give away a ton of valuable insights—because that’s what the #1 lumber podcast in North America does! We kick things off with a special announcement: Charles is officially in the introduction. Then, Ashley jumps right into the market talk before launching into an epic tariff rant about the chaos of cross-border trade (yes, he touches the third rail). G...

Pull up a chair at the mill’s fishing camp because this episode is packed with classic lumber trader BS, war stories, and some useful market insights. We kick things off with a SYP talk, asking Charles why published prices keep climbing when he insists, they’re flat. Did we spill too much on what we think values should be? Maybe. We also dig into how much tariff speculation is already baked into p...

The Lumber Word welcomes a true legend of Lumber Trading—Mike Logelin—fresh off his retirement after 35 years of wheeling and dealing across the entire lumber and panel catalog. Hailing from the land of lakes and lumber, Mike sits down with Matt, Gregg, Ashley, and Charles to reflect on what made him one of the best in the business. He shares war stories from the trenches, key lessons for traders...

The Lumber Word team welcomes back Chris Beard, Director of Building Products Research at  John Burns Research & Consulting , for another deep dive into the housing market. The episode kicks off with a discussion on tariff talk—or the lack of impact so far—before shifting gears to market trends. Gregg sizes up his trade with Kip, giving him all the time he needs, while Chris shares insights on...

In this episode of The Lumber Word, we bring on Canadian lumber supply expert and seasoned trader Kip Fotheringham to break down the hard numbers on North American lumber production. Turns out, what we thought we knew doesn’t quite match up with reality! Kip walks us through the latest production data across all species and regions, and the insights may surprise you. Then, we dive headfirst into t...

Sig Thoma is back on The Lumber Word to share his decades of expertise in the lumber industry! We dive headfirst into the 2024 housing final numbers and their implications for the year ahead. With a new administration stirring up tariff chatter, we tackle how the industry is reacting and what might be on the horizon for lumber and housing markets. Plus, the SYP domination debate rages on, and we g...

Back by popular demand, Dustin Jalbert, Senior Economist of Wood Products at Fastmarkets, returns to The Lumber Word podcast for an insightful deep dive into the ever-evolving lumber market. In this episode, Dustin, Matt, Gregg, Ashley, and Charles tackle the complexities of the potential tariff situation and share strategies for cutting through the confusion. The team explores housing trends, bui...

 Welcome to The Lumber Word Podcast, your go-to source for all things lumber and construction materials!  This week, Matt, Gregg, Charles, and Ashley are kicking off 2025 with a bang as we dive into the North American lumber market’s wild start.  We'll revisit the last few weeks, play a round of Trump Lumber Tariff Bingo, and celebrate our spot-on SYP call from a month ago.  Plus, we’ll break down...

In this episode of The Lumber Word, we welcome the return of Brian Wesbury, one of the nation’s leading economists, and the Chief Economist at First Trust Advisors. Known for his bold market predictions, Brian shares his insights on today’s economic trends and offers a unique perspective on the future of global finance. We dig into the lumber and housing markets, looking ahead to 2025, and Brian b...

Gregg, Matt, and Ashley delve into the tumultuous lumber market over the past few weeks. They are joined by Casey O'Neil, who provides essential data on the Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) market. Matt shares valuable insights aimed at younger lumber traders, while Gregg offers an in-depth analysis of the housing market and its potential impact on lumber prices. The episode concludes with the hosts dis...

Gregg and Ashley welcome James Gallagher, CEO and co-founder of GREENLITE Technologies, to the podcast. James shares how GREENLITE is revolutionizing the permitting process with technology that simplifies, streamlines, and accelerates approvals. Whether you're in construction, development, or anywhere in between, GREENLITE's platform is a game-changer for improving speed and accuracy in navigating...

In this milestone episode, Matt, Gregg, Charles, and Ashley celebrate 100 episodes of sharing valuable lumber industry insights. They kick things off by expressing gratitude to loyal listeners and their first-ever sponsor, reflecting on the journey so far. The team dives into the state of the North American lumber market as 2024 winds down and 2025 looms on the horizon. They explore whether buyers...