February 8, 2016 The year is well underway at Freres Lumber Company, with steady production despite a slow market. New single-family home sales were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 544,000 according to the US Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development....
February 1, 2016 January plywood trading has not been easy, though plywood sales volumes at Freres Lumber Company have picked up in the last week of January. The few days of winter storms last week on the East Coast certainly stopped shipping activity in effected areas....
January 28, 2016 The holidays are over and once again Freres Lumber Company has partnered with Cub Scout Pack 50 to recycle Christmas trees for families throughout the Santiam region. This is a partnership we have enjoyed for over 5 years, which provides a valuable service...
January 18, 2016 Winter Activity Stabilizes the Plywood Market Holiday production curtailments by multiple panel producers, including a maintenance curtailment at the Freres Lumber Company plywood facility, temporarily halted the steady decline in December plywood prices. Prices rose slightly as producers quoted shipment times into the week...
January 13, 2016 Freres Lumber Company operates within federally held forests and, as such, is affected by federal rules and regulations regarding timber harvesting. It’s a complicated issue with many facets that affect our business and the communities where we live. Recently the debate has been...
January 7, 2016 Happy New Year from Freres Lumber Company! Overall Market The month of December ended with stronger than expected plywood shipments to job sites in the field in most areas of the country. The Northeast enjoyed unseasonable December weather, which allowed yards to ship wood at...
December 28, 2015 Industry Overview As predicted, November saw a downturn for almost all Freres Lumber Company products due to seasonal factors. From the beginning of November to the start of December ½” 4-plywood, our primary product at the plywood plant, has slipped from $361 to $340...
December 21, 2015 When Norm Persons first clocked in at Freres Lumber Company on March 27, 1969 he brought with him a dedication that would carry him through forty-six years of steady growth within our company. Nearly half a century later, Norm is the go-to man...
November 23, 2015 Current Wood Products Market Market Outlook The western plywood market continues to be difficult for all participants. Customers continue to buy conservatively—only filling their needs—and mills continue to fight the slow grind down of prices that have characterized the marketplace over the past couple...
October 3, 2015 The 2015 forest fire season in Oregon has been a very busy one for the many firefighters who’ve risked their lives to quell the 43,000 fires that ravaged the Pacific Northwest. The Santiam region fell victim to a fire in the Niagara forest...