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Interfor set company production, shipments records in Q3

Interfor set a new company production record in the third quarter this year thanks to output from newly acquired U.S. sawmills, which offset decreased production in B.C.

In Interfor’s Q3 report, the company recorded net earnings of $65.6 million, compared to $419.2 million in Q2’21 and $121.6 million in Q3’20. Adjusted net earnings in Q3’21 were $46.7 million compared to $433.5 million in Q2’21 and $140.0 million in Q3’20.

Adjusted EBITDA was $93.9 million on sales of $664.3 million in Q3’21 versus $611.3 million on sales of $1.1 billion in Q2’21.

Total lumber production in Q3’21 was 731 million board feet, representing an increase of 15 million board feet quarter-over-quarter and setting an Interfor production record. The U.S. South and U.S. Northwest regions accounted for 411 million board feet and 156 million board feet, respectively, compared to 387 million board feet and 137 million board feet in Q2’21. Sawmills acquired on July 9, 2021 contributed to the increased output in both regions. Production in the B.C. region decreased to 164 million board feet from 192 million board feet in Q2’21 due to log supply related downtime at the B.C. Interior sawmills as a result of wildfires.

Total lumber shipments were 753 million board feet, or 39 million board feet higher than Q2’21 and 135 million board feet higher than Q3’20.

Interfor’s average selling price was $744 per mfbm, down $675 per mfbm versus Q2’21. The SYP Composite, Western SPF Composite and KD H-F Stud 2×4 9’ lumber price benchmarks decreased quarter-over-quarter by US$560, US$840 and US$1,051 per mfbm to US$468, US$479 and US$558 per mfbm, respectively.

Capital spending was $44.0 million, including $26.6 million on high-return discretionary projects. The majority of this discretionary spending was focused on the ongoing multi-year rebuild of the Eatonton, GA sawmill, which will begin ramp-up in Q1’22.

Read the company’s full Q3 report here.