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How Lumber Looks

Lumber demand slowed some toward the end of Angust as home building dropped slightly and hurricane floods disrupted eastern buying. Orders booked by western Oregon and Washington mills dropped 18/o below production the last of August and first of September and, although lumber prices hadn't yet declined, one Oregon wholesaler said buyer resistance might force lower prices as retail dealers cleared their yards for the usual annual inventory.

Emergency needs for lumber developed on the heels of the eastern and New England floods and were filled from nearby stocks, but eastern lumber stocks will need tremendous replenishment when the heavily populated region starts to rebuild-an important item in the lumber market this fall and winter.

Lumber shipments of 511 mills reporting to the National Lumber Trade Barometer in the week ended September 3 were 51/o below production; new orders were 17.6% below and unfilled orders were 44/o of stocks. Compared to thc week ended August 27, production was 1.0/o above, shipments 0.2/o below, new orders 4.1/o below. For the year to date, shipments were 1.9/o above production, new orders 1.8/o above.

National Lumber Manufacturers Assn. reported national production of lumber totaled an estimated 3,041,000,C00, board feet in July, a decrease of. l5/o from June but lZ/c over July 1954. Shipments of softwood in July topped production by 5%, while orders were ll/o above; hardwood shipments during the month were ll/o above production and orders 20/o above. Gross mill stocks on July 31 of both woods were 8,493,000,000 bf, 2/o below l:une and 7/o below July 1954. In 1955's first seven months, lumber production was 5/o above 1954 and both shipments and orders have exceeded production,9/o over 1954.

Assn. reported for 170 mills ended September 3: producon Page 59)