Western U.S. sawmills produced 13.203 billion board ft. (bbf) of softwood lumber in the first 11 months of 2019, a drop of 1.4% from the same period in 2018 when output was 13.390 bbf, according to the latest figures from the Western Wood Products Assn. (WWPA) of Portland, Oregon.
Coastal mills contributed 8.194 bbf to the 11-month total, down 2.2% from 8.378 bbf a year earlier, while inland mills accounted for 4.429 bbf – down 2.6% from 4.547 bbf in the first 11 months of 2018. California redwood production surged 24.8% to 581 million board ft. (mmbf) from 465 mmbf.
In November 2019 alone, Western U.S. sawmills produced 1.096 bbf of softwood lumber, down 0.6% year-over-year and down 16.4% from October’s 1.311 bbf.
For the month of November, coastal mills accounted for 680 mmbf, a decline of 2.3% from 696 mmbf in November 2018, and down 15.8% from the 807 mmbf produced in October 2019. Inland mills produced 370 mmbf in November 2019 – up 3.0% from 359 mmbf the prior year, and down 17.1% compared with output in October 2019 of 446 mmbf.
Output in November 2019 from California redwood mills was 46 mmbf, down 2.8% year-over-year and down 19.2% compared with 57 mmbf in October 2019.
Western U.S softwood lumber inventories in November 2019 at 1.228 bbf were down 3.1% compared with 1.267 bbf in November 2018.
Western lumber mills for the 11 months through November 2019 produced at 81% of practical capacity, the same percentage as the prior year period. November 2019 production as a percentage of practical capacity was 83%, up slightly from 82% in October and up from 77% in November 2018.