Softwood Lumber Board Reported Its Most Successful Year in 2017

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The 2017 Annual Report released by the Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) highlights the previous year as the most successful year in its history. The board, in addition to protecting and growing markets, also sold more softwood lumber, thanks to the outstanding support extended by all partners.

Throughout the previous year, SLB-funded programs positioned softwood lumber among unique markets and delivered several accomplishments. As per estimates, the investments have been successful in generating over 3.6 billion board feet of new demand since 2012. The seven-story T3 office building in Minneapolis by itself generated a demand of more than 2 million board feet of softwood lumber. Also, SLB has generated approximately $19.74 of revenue on every $1 invested. The lumber industry supported 35 jobs for every 1 million board feet of lumber processed.

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According to Don Kayne, SLB’s Research and Promotions Programs Committee Chairman, the year 2017 marked a major milestone for the Board’s programs. More than 1,000 projects were converted to wood construction, thereby creating incremental lumber demand of over 1 billion board feet. It must be noted that almost 90% of SLB’s investments was focused on efforts to boost opportunities and demand for softwood lumber construction, by converting projects from other materials including steel, concrete and plastics to wood. However, the impacts caused by unforeseen delay in conclusion of US-Canada softwood lumber deal are not negligble.

SLB 2017 Annual Report states that the softwood lumber industry is currently undergoing aggressive de-positioning by competitors in commercial as well as residential markets. For instance, the report mentions to the massive campaign launched by the National Ready Mix Concrete Association to promote conversion of wood and steel designs to all-concrete designs. Going forward, the industry plans to develop an exhaustive campaign to protect softwood lumber markets.