West vs. East Coast Mills

[NWwoodsman]

West coast mills seem to have had a big down turn a year ago, but are starting to recover some. Prices for timber are going up, not that they're where they were 2-3 years ago. How's the East coast doing? My only point of reference for the east is what I see on Swamp logger and hear on the forum.  It looks like the market is a yo-yo out there. The prices aren't great but at least the mills are open and taking wood. They're even reopening our local plywood mill, that was closed 4-5 years ago. This is the Olympic Pennisula in Washington State.

Jason

[Bobus2003]

The mills here in Western SD are All open and Taking wood. Depending on the month how much they want but the've been takin constantly from USFS Sales, They Stopped Buying Private Wood for about 8 Months last year, but have since started again but at an incredible low price. It is Almost Payin to log.. By the time I pay Stumpage, Truck and my expenses I surely don't have much left.. But with talk of a Cogyn being opened in the next few years maybe it'll help out

[Ed_K]

 Mills here in centeral new england are all taking wood but price is still close to bottom. One big mill just changed from buying pine to wanting hardwood. think we flooded them w/pine for the last 6 weeks.A lot of wood is moving north,i hear thier buying for the china mkt.
 Saw Log Bullitin had a comment that china needs 150 million kitchen tables for all the people moving to the cities. Hope that moves the prices up  .

[Frickman]

Prices for hardwood sawlogs aren't back to where I would like to see them but mills are buying everything the can find. They're trying to keep quiet about it and keep the price low, but the word is getting out and prices are starting to creep up.

We have no softwood in our area and very limited pulp markets, and those markets are several hours away, so I don't follow the pulp prices day to day. Most of our pulp grade hardwood is going into firewood. Firewood is doing very well this year.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Here in central NY  my son is a forester for the State Department of Environmental conservation.
He told me about a week ago that a local procurement forester told him that most hardwoods with the exception of Black Cherry and possibly Ash are nearly back to normal whatever that means.
I am a retired consulting forester and don't have my finger on the pulse anymore.
Pete

[stonebroke]

The mills here in Western SD are All open and Taking wood. Depending on the month how much they want but the've been takin constantly from USFS Sales, They Stopped Buying Private Wood for about 8 Months last year, but have since started again but at an incredible low price. It is Almost Payin to log.. By the time I pay Stumpage, Truck and my expenses I surely don't have much left.. But with talk of a Cogyn being opened in the next few years maybe it'll help out

Do you consider yourself a east coast or west coast mill? Enquiring minds want to know.

Stonebroke

[ARKANSAWYER]

  Well I am more of a Gulf Coast mill and things are poor here.  Tonnage is down and grade prices are low and ties are dropping. (hardwoods)  Pulp wood is moving but price is down  for both hard and soft wood.  Pine sawlogs are being sold for pulp wood at times at they shut it off from time to time. (I bet they pull the logs out of the chipper stream)
  The grade prices have been creeping up about $20 to $30 mbdft a month but it is a slow climb.  FAS white oak for Feb is $680 mbdft,  2C is $320 mbdft.  Not making money yet.

[Ron Wenrich]

Veneer is still moving out of our yard.  They have been taking a bunch of tulip poplar.  Some goes to a veneer plant in NY, some goes for export.  White oak, birch, red oak and ash are also moving.  Prices are somewhat lower than last year, and the grade is a pinch harder.

We've been moving lumber all along.  Our pallet prices have dropped $100/Mbf, but we're still moving it.  White oak lumber has bounced back.  We're getting about double what Arky just posted.  We had some 8/4 that was fetching $1800 for uppers.  Red oak is creeping up.  Soft maple and hickory are harder to get rid of.  Ties are holding steady, and there is a demand for the longer lengths. 

The tie buyer was saying that a lot of mills are low on logs.  This is due to bad logging conditions and the lack of interest by loggers.  The big mill in the area is buying some logs.  They had been slowed down, but seem to have picked up.  Most mills are working, just not real hard.

[Bobus2003]

The mills here in Western SD are All open and Taking wood. Depending on the month how much they want but the've been takin constantly from USFS Sales, They Stopped Buying Private Wood for about 8 Months last year, but have since started again but at an incredible low price. It is Almost Payin to log.. By the time I pay Stumpage, Truck and my expenses I surely don't have much left.. But with talk of a Cogyn being opened in the next few years maybe it'll help out

Do you consider yourself a east coast or west coast mill? Enquiring minds want to know.

Stonebroke

I don't really know where We'd fit here.. More West Coast then East Coast.. Really just a Small Spot away from the Big Logging Areas

[SwampDonkey]

Here's some prices around here. Some pulp mills are paying as much as JDI pays for studwood. They are always the lowest price because they don't need wood off private.


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