The Softwood Forest Products Buyer - March/April 2024

TRANSPORTATION SURVEY —Continued from page 39
Curtis Struyk
TMX Shipping Co., Inc.
Morehead City, NC
Even though the pressures and bottlenecks that
the transportation industry was experiencing in 2022
have subsided, our export numbers have decreased.
Our lumber and log shipments overall are down 20
percent year over year.
We slowly saw the industry normalize over the
last 12 months and it is back to pre-pandemic levels.
Curtis Struyk I do not foresee any substantial increases in our
export shipments over the next 12 months. Ongoing
changes in global trade dynamics, regulations and geopolitical situations can
influence supply chain strategies. Business may need to stay agile and adapt to
evolving trade environments.
Transportation rates are back to the levels we saw in 2019 and I do not see anything
in the near future that is going to change that other than some global event
such as natural disasters, geopolitical issues or pandemics.
We are not currently seeing any real shortages in ocean containers at the major
ports but we are seeing spotty shortages at some of our inland locations because of
the decrease in imports replenishing those container pools.
We saw a little uptick in shipments in the fourth quarter over the third quarter
since the log season got off to a
decent start. All indications are we
should have a good log season that
will carry into late spring 2024.
The U.S. Federal Reserve plays
a crucial role in managing inflation
and interest rates. Changes in these
factors can influence borrowing
costs, spending and investment.
Consumer spending is a significant
driver of the U.S. economy. Factors
such as consumer confidence,
household income and access to
credit can impact spending patterns.
The interconnectedness of global
economy means that international
events, trade relations and geopolitical
tensions can have repercussions
for the U.S. economy and U.S.
exports. China still accounts for
50 percent of our lumber and log
exports. When half of our business
is reliant on China and given the
current tensions between the two
countries, it makes us very concerned
about our future. •
RETAIL REVIEW — Continued from page 37
company in Texas, where it has five locations, with a sixth location in west Fort
Worth to be opened next month.
Wendy Stine, president of Stine, explained that all Cassity Jones Bossier City
employees have accepted jobs with Stine.
There will be no interruption of service and customers may continue to interact
with the same employees with whom they have built relationships.
Initial plans for the lumber yard include expanding product selection for the
builder customer.
In addition to Bossier City, Stine Louisiana locations include Sulphur, Lake
Charles, Iowa, DeRidder, Natchitoches, Pineville, Eunice, Jennings, Crowley,
Broussard and Walker.
Stine began in Sulphur in 1946 and now has 12 locations throughout Louisiana
and Mississippi. Stine was awarded the 2020 Company of the Year, greater than
100 employees, by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.
To learn more about Stine, visit www.stinehome.com.
Westcap Invests In Timber-Tech Truss
Westcap Mgt. Ltd. of Saskatchewan, Canada has made an investment in Timber-Tech
Truss Limited Partnership, which is the third buyout fund focused on
succession and growth opportunities in Western Canada.
Timber-Tech is a provider of
engineered truss systems and engineered
wood products, servicing
customers throughout Western
Canada.
Founded in 1980, in Lethbridge,
Alberta, the company has four
decades of experience and has
grown to operate three manufacturing
facilities, which are located in
Lethbridge, Calgary and Medicine
Hat.
With 52,000 square feet of
combined manufacturing space and
an employee base of 100, Timber-Tech
can produce over 44,000
board feet per day. The company's
ability to meet product demand on
time through all cycles has earned
Timber-Tech a long-standing
reputation of credibility and reliability
with the top builders across
Western Canada.
Timber-Tech has a wide range
of customers across a large geographical
region with a focus on
servicing large, tract home builders
in the Calgary region that require
standard roof and floor trusses as
well as engineered wood products.
The company's products from the
Medicine Hat and Lethbridge facilities
are sold through a vast dealer
network ranging from Southeastern
British Columbia to Southwestern
Saskatchewan.
Between 2020 and 2023,
Timber-Tech increased board foot
production by 26 percent despite
industry supply chain challenges
and volatile commodity pricing by
focusing on strategic growth in the
Calgary region including the acquisition
of a new facility in Calgary
in 2018.
This will continue the trend of
interprovincial and international
migration into the region and drive
demand for new housing and commercial
buildings.
Species:
Douglas Fir / Larch
Douglas Fir
Hem-Fir
White Fir
Spruce-Pine-Fir (SPF)
SPF South
Western Woods (WW)
Widths:
2 x 3
2 x 4
2 x 6
2 x 8
2 x 10
2 x 12
For more information, go to www.timbertech.com. •
Connecting North American
Forest Products Globally
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www.millerwoodtradepub.com
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The Best of Nature & Engineering
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Lengths:
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Scott Hill
ScottHi@brightwood.com
541-390-7668
Christy Hollenback
ChristyH@brightwood.com
541-279-6525
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