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Canadian sawmill output improved 5.4% in first 11 months of 2013

US sawmills produced 27.660 billion board feet (bbf) of softwood lumber in the first 11 months of 2013 – up 5.7% from 26.161 bbf a year earlier, according to the Western Wood Products Association’s Lumber Track report, released on…

US sawmills produced 27.660 billion board feet (bbf) of softwood lumber in the first 11 months of 2013 – up 5.7% from 26.161 bbf a year earlier, according to the Western Wood Products Association’s Lumber Track report, released on Feb. 10.

Western US sawmills accounted for 12.534 bbf of the monthly total, a gain of 7.5% from 11.659 bbf a year earlier, while Southern US sawmills contributed 13.787 bbf, which was 4.2% higher than the 13.235 bbf produced in the 11-month period of 2012.

In November alone, production was 2.253 bbf – down 1.7% year-over year from 2.292 bbf, and 19.1% lower than output in Oct. 2013 of 2.785 bbf.

Sawmills in the western US contributed 1.066 bbf to the November 2013 total, up 1.6% from output a year earlier (1.049 bbf), but down 15.6% from October (1.263 bbf). Mills in the South produced 1.078 bbf in November – a decline of 4.8% from the prior year (1.132 bbf) and 22.3% lower than output in October 2013 of 1.387 bbf.

In the 11-month period, softwood lumber consumption climbed 8.2% year-over-year to 36.492 bbf from 33.738 bbf. In November alone, consumption was 3.081 bbf – a gain of 2.2% year-over-year from 3.013 bbf, but down 13.2% from the month before (3.547 bbf).

Canadian softwood lumber production/consumption

Canadian sawmills produced 22.726 bbf of softwood lumber in the 11 months – an increase of 5.4% year-over-year from 21.569 bbf.

Sawmills in British Columbia produced 11.821 bbf of the total – up 3.1% from 11.469 bbf a year earlier, while sawmills east of the Rockies accounted for 10.904 bbf, up 8.0% from the prior year (10.101 bbf).

In November 2013, Canadian production was 2.021 bbf, a gain of 0.2% compared with the same month of 2012 (2.017 bbf), but 9.3% below output in October (2.228 bbf).

Sawmills in British Columbia accounted for 1.014 bbf of November’s production, a drop of 1.5% from a volume of 1.029 a year earlier, and down 10.1% from the previous month’s output of 1.127 bbf. Sawmills east of the Rockies contributed 1.007 bbf to the November total – up 1.9% from 988 million board ft. (mmbf) a year earlier but 8.5% below October’s volume of 1.100 bbf.

Canadian softwood lumber consumption was 6.911 bbf in the first 11 months of 2013, a drop of 8.2% from 7.531 bbf a year earlier. The volume for November alone was 522 mmbf – down 23.6% year-over-year from 684 mmbf, and 18.1% below consumption in Oct. 2013 of 638 mmbf.

US and Canada utilization/inventories

US production as a percentage of practical capacity averaged 82% in the 11 months to November 2013 compared with 78% a year earlier. In Canada, the figure was 81%, up from 80% in the 11-month period of 2012.

US inventories increased 3.0% to 3.010 bbf in November from 2.922 bbf in Nov. 2012. In Canada, inventories advanced 5.2% to 2.636 bbf from 2.504 bbf.