Lumber producers in many key regions around the world experienced slight improvements in profitability in early 2020, mainly driven by higher lumber prices, report the WRQ
The US South and British Columbia have historically been the lowest-cost lumber-producing regions of North America. However, in 2018, sawlog prices in the Interior BC rose to record highs at the same time as lumber prices in the US declined, resulting in numerous sawmills in the province being forced to either shut down or reduce operating rates. The important US market saw improvements in lumber prices in 2019 and early 2020, while sawlog prices fell. This made it profitable again for BC many sawmills to produce lumber. Profits for sawmills in the US South reached record highs in 2018