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U.S. housing good for B.C. lumber
British Columbia's softwood lumber industry is finally on the comeback trail, fuelled by a recovery in U.S. housing starts and steady demand from China, say industry analysts.
October 1, 2012 By John Tenpenny
“The outlook for the softwood sector in general is quite positive over the next few years as we go through a growth cycle,” David Elstone, a senior analyst with ERA Forest Products Research told The Globe and Mail.
He is predicting U.S. housing starts of 835,000 in 2013 and 950,000 in 2014, up from an industry forecast of 746,000 this year. “We’re rising out of a trough in U.S. housing starts,” said Mr. Elstone, who noted that Vancouver-based lumber producers such as Canfor Corp., West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. and Conifex Timber Inc. will be among the beneficiaries of the market’s rebound.
With softwood lumber prices strengthening in 2012, producers are expected to report healthy third-quarter financial results.
The Random Lengths framing lumber composite price, which is closely watched by the forestry industry, averaged $264 (U.S.) for 1,000 board feet earlier this year, but surged 27 per cent since then to surpass $336 in September.
Paul Quinn, a forest products analyst with RBC Dominion Securities Inc., said lumber prices have climbed high enough to translate into attractive returns for B.C. producers.
“It’s definitely getting better, and the U.S. market has been a bright spot,” said Mr. Quinn, who predicts that U.S. housing starts could reach 900,000 next year.
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