Canadian Lumber Producers Angry Over Rail Bottlenecks
Canada’s lumber producers ought to be enjoying the fruits of a U.S. housing recovery. Trouble is, they can’t take full advantage of it. The forestry companies say that a shortage of rail cars is causing them to lose sales and market share, just as American demand for their products returns after a long, severe slump.
The problems the companies say they face include irate customers threatening to impose penalties for late delivery; empty ships sitting uselessly in port for lack of lumber to move; and idled shipments that have to be stored under tents.
Western Canadian producers have added their voice to the chorus of industry complaints in Ontario and Quebec over major rail shipment delays.
The robust pickup in the U.S. housing market has resulted in new orders for lumber, strand board, plywood, pulp and other products, and Canadian producers require more rail cars to get those products south. But they claim the two major Canadian service providers – Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. – are not doing enough to help them out of a jam.
“Slowly but surely, the lumber and panel and pulp markets are coming back and it’s getting more difficult to supply as quickly and as consistently as possible, especially with just-in-time delivery becoming commonplace,” says Doug Routledge, acting president of the B.C. Council of Forest Industries.
From The Globe and Mail: theglobeandmail.com.
Latest News
Pyramid Mountain Closing Sawmill
Reports in late March indicate that Pyramid Mountain Lumber plans to close its Seeley Lake, Mont. sawmill. Pyramid announced its board of directors and shareholders unanimously voted “with the heaviest of hearts” to shut the mill and wind down operations as a result of a financial crisis that is worse than challenges the mill weathered in 2000, 2007 and 2015.
Ransford Automates Post-Pointing Line
Charles Ransford & Son is a producer of British timber products operating on a 38 acre site at Bishops Castle in Shropshire, with fencing and landscaping products represent the lion’s share of its production. The 55 employees work on a single shift, dealing predominantly with redwood.
Robbins Lumber Lists Hancock Sawmill Site For Sale
Robbins Lumber has listed its 100-acre sawmill complex in Hancock, Maine for sale with a price of $2.5 million. This site was acquired from Pleasant River Lumber in 2023 by Robbins. Included in the property sale are kilns, a planer mill, truck scale and a 42,000 sq. ft. sawmill with an attached machine shop. The property also includes a fully leased apartment building.
Roseburg Names Orozco To Direct Strategic Business
Roseburg has annouced that Nadine Orozco has been promoted to Director of Strategic Business Development. She has served as manager of strategic business development since 2022, and has been deeply involved in key company projects, including the recent sale of Roseburg’s Simsboro, La., particleboard plant to Kronospan and the company’s historic $700 million investment in Oregon manufacturing.
Find Us On Social
Newsletter
The monthly Timber Processing Industry Newsletter reaches over 4,000 mill owners and supervisors.
Subscribe/Renew
Timber Processing is delivered 10 times per year to subscribers who represent sawmill ownership, management and supervisory personnel and corporate executives. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.
Advertise
Complete the online form so we can direct you to the appropriate Sales Representative.