Lumber companies in the US reached record profits thanks to high lumber prices and declining sawlog costs
Record high lumber prices in the US, stable income for residual chips, and slightly lower costs for sawlogs moved 2Q/20 gross margins for US sawmills to some of the highest levels seen since WRQ started reporting this sector’s profitability back in 2005. Lumber companies in the US Northwest have seen a dramatic shift in their financial health from late 2018 when most sawmills in the region ran at below cash-costs, to the 2Q/20 when gross margins were at their highest levels in at least 15 years. Over in Europe, Swedish lumber companies saw slight improvements in