MADISON'S PRESS RELEASES : ARCHIVE

Rebuilding in Japan -- A Look Back at Kobe and Projections

March 28, 2011

Vancouver, BC Canada -- Japan’s 9.0 magnitude Tohoku Pacific Offshore Earthquake and subsequent tsunami of March 11 caused massive destruction to homes and buildings. In the wake of this disaster, there has been much speculation about the impact of Japanese reconstruction on the prices of building materials. Last week, west coast plywood producers were inundated with inquiries on plywood by Japanese buyers for temporary shelters and emergency needs.

Under normal circumstances, Japan produces about 2.5 million cubic metres of softwood products per year, with consumption up to five million cubic metres in terms of volume.

Japan’s plywood producers on its north east coast, including Akita, Marutama, and Hayashi, are now hampered by power shortages, lack of adhesives, and transportation problems. Up to 10 timber factories located at Ishinomaki, Ofunato and the Miyako city area have been devastated by Japan's recent earthquake and tsunami. The reported damage included six plywood mills, one particle board mill and one pulp and paper mill.

Madison's Lumber Reporter has referenced its data sets for historic lumber and panel prices following the January 1995 earthquake in the Kobe region of Japan to interpolate what might happen with demand and prices as this year progresses. READ MORE

US Files Softwood Lumber Claim Against Canada in International Court

January 17, 2011

Vancouver, BC Canada -- The Office of the United States Trade Representative filed today a claim against Canada for timber harvest practices in British Columbia in the wake of the mountain pine beetle infestation. Under the terms of the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement, Canada now has 30 days to respond to the LCIA, formerly the London Court of International Arbitration. READ MORE

Flooding in Australia to Restrict New Zealand's Log Supply

January 7, 2011

Vancouver, BC Canada -- Current flooding in Australia will restrict global supply of radiata pine logs and lumber for the next half decade as Australia rebuilds, according to Madison's Lumber Reporter. North American lumber mill and wholesaler sources are already bracing for a surge of demand from Asian countries, which have recently become accustomed to importing significant quantities of timber from New Zealand, as that country reroutes wood to Australia, says the weekly lumber industry trade journal. READ MORE

Canadian Forest Industry Ships Finished Lumber To Asia; US Mills Slump On Soft Domestic Demand

September 30, 2010

Vancouver, BC Canada -- Canadian lumber producers, particularly in British Columbia, are shipping increasingly larger amounts of finished lumber to Asian countries. Northwest coast US mills are now shipping equal volumes of logs to Asia as Canadian west coast mills are shipping lumber. Southern US lumber producers can only wait for a recovery of US housing starts, says Madison's Lumber Reporter, a weekly price guide and market report on the North American lumber and panel industry. READ MORE

Contact Madison's

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 2486
Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 3W7
Canada
Phone: 604-984-6838
e-mail: madrep (at) direct.ca

 

---