Western Forest Products Inc. is temporarily reducing its lumber production over the next month by approximately 19 million board feet due to weak market conditions.

VERNON, B.C., Canada — Tolko Industries announced April 17 that its Soda Creek and Armstrong Lumber operations will both be moving from two shifts to single shifts. The temporary shift change at Armstrong Lumber went into effect April 17, and Tolko will be working with impacted employees at Soda Creek on the exact date of their permanent move to a single shift. Armstrong lumber employees were notified on April 10 and Soda Creek employees were informed earlier April 17.

Binderholz Enfield LLC held a grand opening ceremony on April 6 to commemorate the official opening of its lumber production facility near Enfield in Halifax County, North Carolina.

In 2022, U.S. lumber production by West Fraser topped Canadian production, and 2023 appears to show similar numbers according to West Fraser 2022 Annual Report."We expect total lumber shipments in 2023 to be similar to 2022 levels as the transportation challenges that we faced last year are not expected to be as severe in 2023," said Ray Ferris, president and CEO.