Record Lumber Demand Leading To Sawmill Expansions

With the unexpected and sharp increase in demand for wood construction materials this past year, lumber producers are hustling to expand capacity, and the U.S. South is receiving the bulk of the growth.

Large and small lumber producers across North America have recently announced plans for increasing capacity at current facilities and building new ones. Over the last 12 months, softwood sawmill capacity has grown by 1.4 billion board feet (BBF), according to Shawn Baker of Forisk Consulting. He expects another 1.6 BBF to come online in the second half of 2021.

Lumber demand continues to outstrip supply and home construction is expected to continue strong for the foreseeable future.

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