Lumber Has Led to a Reduction in Cutting by Sawmilling Businesses

Southern and western softwood lumber producers believe the pace of business activity slowed again on domestic and foreign softwood lumber markets in February. In addition to halted building activity due to weather conditions, demand is being kept down by the majority of recipient industries’ meanwhile adequate stock levels. The period of frost in the last few weeks and the ensuing slack demand for lumber has led to a reduction in cutting by sawmilling businesses in Germany’s south and west as well, however. Quite a number of companies have reduced their output by individual shifts or have shut down by the day. Besides this, cutting has been restricted by technical problems, too. Pine sawmills, for example, had problems cutting frozen logs. Where possible, various businesses are planning to stick to a reduced, order-related rate of cutting until further notice. Irrespective of the latest cuts in output, stocks of lumber – carcassing as well as side-cuts – are now higher again than they were at the start of the year without having given rise to any significant negative effects on the lumber markets. Source: euwid-wood-products.com