WesternLumber Demand Hits New High

A record year for lumber consumption in the U.S. helped increase lumber production at western mills for the third straight year. Western lumber production rose O.lVo in 1998 to 16.79 billion bd. ft., according to preliminary statistics by Western Wood Products Association.

This year, WWPA forecasts lumber demand nationwide to slip l7o from its record heights to 52.1 billion bd. ft., still the second highest year on record.

Most of the decline in lumber use is expected in residential construction. Housing starts are forecast to fall SVo to L535 million this year. Single-family housing starts, which use on average 13,500 bd. ft. of lumber each, are anticipated to decline by 5Vo.

Lumber production in the West should decrease O.8Vo in 1999. Mills on the Oregon and Washington coasts will post slightly higher volumes, but further declines are expected east of the Cascades.

Mills in the Pacific Northwest fueled much of the gain in 1998, with production up 1.97o.

Lumber production east of the Cascades and in the other Western states was down slightlyWith single-family housing starts the highest in 20 years, lumber consumption in the country topped 52.6 billion bd. ft., up 3.3Vo from the previous record year of 1997. Prior to 1997, the all-time lumber consumption year was 1987, when 50.6 billion bd. ft. was used.

The increase in consumption also brought record lumber imports. Some 18.7 billion bd. ft. of lumber was imported to the U.S. last year, mostly from Canada. Imports comprised almost 36Vo of the lumber used in 1998.

U.S. lumber exports were off 29.6Vo in 1998, pulled down by Asian economic problems. Exports to Japan, traditionally the largest foreign customer for American lumber. were down 53Vo.

For 1999, exports are expected to fall O.SVo to 1.269 billion bd. ft.

Final totals for 1998 will be available this summer, after WWPA completes its survey of sawmills operating in the 12 western states.

Lanoga Buys Home Lumber As New Division

The largest dealer in the Denver market and one of the largest singlemarket dealers in the country, Home Lumber. Littleton. Co.. has been acquired by Lanoga Corp.

Home Lumber operates two facilities in Littleton, a newly established distribution yard near Longmont, a millwork distribution facility in Colorado Springs, and a truss and wall fabrication plant in Fort Morgan.

Lanoga, which operates 182 stores in its united Building centers, days of trainin and haven't seen

Spenard Builders Supply and Lumbermen's Building Centers divisions, has established Home Lumber as its fourth division. Mike Guetz, Home Lumber's majority shareholder and president since 1982, continues in his present position under Lanoga's ownership.

A month earlier, Lanoga acquired another market-dominant independent, McGuire Lumber, Yakima, Wa., which also kept its name.

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