North American sawmills produced considerably more lumber this year

Sawmills in the U.S. produced 16.617 billion board ft. (bbf) of softwood lumber in the first half of 2016, an increase of 4.4% from 15.910 bbf in the same period last year.

Of the six-month total, western U.S. sawmills accounted for 7.049 bbf, a gain of 1.5% from 6.940 bbf a year earlier, while southern mills produced 8.807 bbf – up 6.9% from 8.241 bbf.

According to data from the Western Wood Products Assn. of Portland, Oregon, in the month of June alone, output was 2.932 bbf, up 7.6% from 2.724 bbf in the previous month, and up 5.4% from 2.782 bbf in June 2015.

Western U.S. sawmills contributed 1.224 bbf to U.S. production in June, up 4.4% from 1.173 bbf in May 2016, and up 6.9% from 1.145 bbf in June 2015.

Sawmills in the South accounted for 1.573 bbf in June, up 10.2% from 1.427 bbf in the previous month, and up 4.2% from 1.510 bbf a year earlier.

Apparent U.S. softwood lumber consumption in the first half of 2016 was 24.950 bbf, an increase of 14.5% from 21,785 bbf in the first half of 2015. Consumption in June was 4.246 bbf – up 0.2% from 4.238 in May, and up 7.5% from 3.951 bbf in June 2015.

Canadian softwood lumber production/consumption

Canadian sawmills produced 14.308 bbf of softwood lumber in the first six months, an increase of 8.4% from 13.195 bbf a year earlier, reported WWPA.

Sawmills in British Columbia contributed 6.895 bbf to the six-month total, up 4.7% year-over-year from 6.587 bbf, while sawmills east of the Rockies produced 7.413 bbf – up 12.2% from 6.608 bbf in the first half of 2015.

In June, Canada’s softwood production was 2.434 bbf – up 2.3% from 2.378 bbf in May, and up 5.1% from 2.317 bbf in June 2015.

Sawmills in British Columbia accounted for 1.163 bbf of June’s total, up 1.5% from 1.145 bbf in the month before, and up 0.4% from 1.159 bbf in June 2015. Sawmills east of the Rockies produced 1.271 bbf in June, up 3.1% from 1,233 bbf in May 2016, and up 9.8% year-over-year from 1.158 bbf.

Apparent Canadian softwood lumber consumption was 4.476 bbf in the six-month period, up 0.4% from 4.460 bbf a year earlier. Consumption in June was 910 million board ft. (mmbf) – up 23.8% from 735 mmbf in May 2016, and 1.2% higher than the 900 mmbf produced in June 2015.