March 9, 2020 2020 is shaping up much better than 2019, cross your fingers that it continues! Recent improvements in plywood markets have continued. Prices began the year at $323 for our bench-mark product ½” 4-ply CDX and is now $462, a 43% increase in two...
February 10, 2020 Housing formations continue to outpace housing starts. On a macro-economic level, this means that demand for housing continues to exceed the available housing inventories. For those looking for housing this means that housing prices and rents continue to rise and will most likely...
January 13, 2020 The New Year has shown little improvement in the plywood market since December. Plywood sales are still lackluster. It leaves one wondering where the market disappeared to. Have imports and increased OSB capacity really killed off a healthy panel market? Are housing starts...
November 11, 2019 With plywood panels expected to stabilize at current levels and veneer sales showing recent improvement, Freres continues investments in new products. Plywood, Veneer Markets Recent industry data is reflecting what we have all been feeling for the last year. When interest rates spiked mid-2018, the...
October 14, 2019 The South American plywood claim for false labeling continues, with the legal process moving slowly. Meanwhile, the domestic veneer and plywood markets remain stable during the busy fall building season. South American plywood claim Shortly after last month’s newsletter was published, we announced that Freres...
November 12, 2018 Panel markets continued to struggle through October, largely mirroring the declines across all wood products over the last couple of months. To say price declines have been unprecedented and sudden would be an understatement. The best we can say is that it seems...
October 15, 2018 Depressed Markets Across the Wood Products Spectrum Wood products market dropped dramatically over the last couple of weeks, extending price discounts from earlier in the month. Panel markets are looking for a bottom, with few customers willing to commit to a firm number. Random...
August 13, 2018 Housing starts affected by increased material prices Housing sales are up 2.4% over last year. Existing inventory of new homes sits at a very tight 4.3 months of inventory at current sales pace. Both rental prices and homes prices are moving up rapidly....
June 18, 2018 The only constant in life is that nothing ever stays the same. Wood products markets, and veneer and panel markets, in particular, can be extremely unpredictable. Most years the markets bounce around the bottom until we reach June or July, we experience a...
May 14, 2018 Plywood Market Recovers From Recent Slump The plywood sales trend has been lackluster following the run-up in prices the first part of the year. Customers seemed to be holding back purchases for a potential drop in pricing. They bought limited quantities to replenish only...