U.S. hardwood Aug. lumber exports were down from the record levels set in June, due in part to Asian buyers holding out for lower prices on red oak, in particular.
U.S. hardwood export volumes and values spiked up to 18% and 33% respectively in first five months of 2014. However, prices slowed in June with red oak availability and price softening a contributing factor.
Novel stories about wood techniques - an oak covered VW, a boat builder steam bending ash in a microwave - draw viewers, but serious news about HON closing a business furniture plant topped this week's wood industry reports.
Frigid spring weather let mills push back Hard Maple cuts to take advantage of robust Red Oak markets. When the wave of Hard Maple production hits later than usual, markets will absorb it—particularly cabinet and flooring.
With hard maple demands increasing from cabinet and wood component plants,sawmills are delaying those cuts in favor of red oak due to the cold weather across the northern U.S. and Canada. And soft maple shipments tick up.
The really fascinating, and important, thing to understand about cork production is that from a ecological standpoint, we should all want more cork to be harvested and used, not less.
Red Oak prices have jumped during the last few weeks, particularly in the Appalachian region. Rising exports, sustained high residential flooring industry demand, and improving shipments to moulding and stair producers all contributed, with exports providing the biggest pull by far.