30 Oct October Market Update: The plywood market transitions into the winter season

Posted at 16:02h in blog

October 30, 2017 — The past month Freres Lumber has been watching pricing changes in the plywood market, as the transition to fall has customers gearing up for a slower holiday/winter pace. This is not untypical of October/November markets. Buying sentiment goes south, while demand/shipments...

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17 Oct October Market Report: The Future of the Wood Products Market

Posted at 07:49h in blog

October 16, 2017 — What is the value of a floor? What is the value of a completed structure? If Freres Lumber could provide every primary structural wood element within a building, what would those elements be worth?...

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09 Oct Freres Lumber Explores Mass Plywood Panel Equipment Used in German Mills

Posted at 17:00h in blog

October 9, 2017 — At the end of August, Jason Pilgrim, our new CNC Specialist and I traveled to Germany to inspect equipment Freres Lumber purchased from Minda and Weinnman. We were lucky enough to travel with our wives, Trisha Freres and Sheri Pilgrim....

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02 Oct September Market Update: Plywood market strong going into fall

Posted at 06:43h in blog

October 2, 2017 — The plywood market continues to surprise and exceed the expectations of almost everyone these days, including us here at Freres Lumber Company. Even with a more measured sales pace of the past couple weeks, mills continue to sell wood each day....

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25 Sep September Market Report: Oregon forest fires affect wood products markets

Posted at 16:17h in blog

September 25, 2017 — The fire at the Freres Lumber Company dryer facility sparked wood products price increases the beginning of July, but a series of catastrophes has led to continued price improvements. Forest fires began in Canada, which shut down producers and limited access...

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18 Sep Tragic Fire Season Reinforces Need to Review Wilderness Area Firefighting Policies

Posted at 18:25h in blog

September 18, 2017 — It only took one tree to ignite the Whitewater Fire near Mt. Jefferson. On July 23rd lightning-struck a tree that fell to the ground and a month later over 13,000 acres have burned inside and out of the Federally designated Wilderness...

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28 Aug August Market Update: Slower Sales and Low Inventories in Plywood Market

Posted at 17:17h in blog

August 28, 2017 — Freres Lumber Company sees changes in sales and inventory levels in the plywood market for August. The plywood commodity market has been a mixed bag for most of August, but certainly a slower sales pace than in June and July. This...

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13 Aug August Market Report: Disturbances in Log Production Predict a Challenging Fall Market

Posted at 19:28h in blog

August 14, 2017 — July was a tumultuous month for wood products even without our own struggles with the fire at the Freres Lumber Company's Plant 4....

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31 Jul July Market Update: Multiple Factors Prop up Plywood Sales

Posted at 17:56h in blog

July 31, 2017 — Strong Plywood Market. It has been a remarkable plywood run so far this summer, with strong sales and stronger prices. The plywood market was strong through June and then our own custom dryer facility burned at the end of the month...

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24 Jul July Market Report: Freres Lumber Carries on After Fire

Posted at 17:04h in blog

July 24, 2017 — Plant 4 Rebuilding Project Begins. July began in the worst possible of ways for us at Freres Lumber Company. The fire at Plant 4 forced immediate and unfortunate changes in how our business is conducted. It has also added considerably to...

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