Raw Materials

Is Canadian Ownership of U.S. Mills Having an Impact?

February 26, 2018

When evaluating today’s North American softwood lumber markets, it’s important to keep the relatively recent shift (since 2015) in the controlling ownership of U.S. mills, particularly in the southern yellow pine region.

OSB Prices Rebound Sharply on Tight Supply

February 19, 2018

After a precipitous drop in OSB costs from November 2017 to January 2018, prices have climbed just as quickly in recent weeks.

Scientists Develop Wood with Titanium-Like Strength

February 19, 2018

Scientists have successfully engineered wood which with its bulletproof competence could be the sturdy construction material of the imminent future.

Photos: Does Log & Lumber Inventory Suggest Enough Supply?

February 19, 2018

by Sean Shields and Kirk Grundahl

 

With softwood lumber costs reaching record levels, SBCA’s component manufacturer (CM) members are left wondering where the market may go from here.  There are several factors to consider, but the primary one is the relationship between ongoing demand and available production capacity.

DOC Steel Investigation Suggests Future Supply Constraints

February 19, 2018

While steel consumers will likely continue to take a “wait and see” attitude, the findings the DOC emphasized in their report to the president indicate there may be future trade action to protect domestic producers.  President Trump has until April 11 to act on the DOC’s recommendations.

Senators Propose Immigration Reform Framework

February 12, 2018

A group of U.S. Senators today announced a common-sense proposal aimed at providing legal certainty for undocumented children brought to the United States by their parents and preventing others from falling into the same legal limbo in the future.

Largest Mass Timber Building Planned for New Jersey

February 12, 2018

Canadian studio Michael Green Architecture has unveiled plans for a massive timber office complex on the waterfront of Newark, New Jersey, which is expected to be the largest of its kind in the USA.

Lumber Costs Push Developers Switch to Cold-Formed Steel

February 12, 2018

To save money, Oden Hughes said it plans to build the complex using primarily light-gauge steel instead of lumber, with BlackSwan Steel fabricating about 80 percent of the framing for the four-story apartment buildings at its Houston facility and then trucking it to Austin.

Why the U.S. Should Abandon NAFTA Rather Than Renegotiate

February 5, 2018

The following is an opinion piece that provides analysis and support for the argument President Trump should walk away from renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

SBCA's Raw Material Update for Component Manufacturers

February 5, 2018

2017was a rough journey for component manufacturers when it came to raw material costs.