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House Starts Increase Despite Market Concerns - Mar 21, 2025
Single-family housing starts were up 11.4%, multi-family starts increased 10.7% over the January results. The number of single-family homes under construction in February was down 6.7% from a year ago, at 640,000 homes.; PalletTrader Announces Strategic Alliance with Pallet Control Tower for Transatlantic Pallet Trading Network: Under this collaboration, the two platforms intend to offer a new service which will enable U.S. shippers to obtain and reuse European-standard pallets, initially used to transport goods into the U.S. from Europe and to ship U.S. exports back to Europe.; NWPCA Members Lobby Congress and White House, Association Warns about Increased Labor Enforcement: This is a great time to ensure compliance with work authorization and I-9 paperwork. If you haven’t checked your process in a while, you may want to conduct an internal audit to identify any concerns.; Virginia Tech Offers Crate Design Short Course: This 2.5 day course will take place April 15-17th in Blacksburg, Virginia and will introduce the different crate styles and characteristics commonly used in the United States.; Prayer Gathering to Be Held Around National Pallet Meeting: While the NWPCA doesn’t officially sponsor or promote the meeting, the association has set aside a meeting space on Friday, March 28th from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m.; Former Timber Executive Named as Forest Service Chief: The Trump administration has tapped Tom Schultz who does have years of experience in forestry public policy and land management roles. This selection is not without controversy. more...
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E.U. Proposes Tariffs on U.S. Wood Products and Other Goods - Mar 14, 2025
Pallets and wood boxes are currently not on the list of products that may be hit with a tariff. European officials are calling for further talks and negotiations. The Hardwood Federation, the lobbying group for the U.S. hardwood sector, issued a call for action.; State of the Pallet Industry: Using Tech to Connect with Customers Is Key In a Challenging Sales Environment: Waiting for the phone to ring is not a sales strategy. Companies that thrive in the future will do more than just seek profit at all cost. Have you stopped to assess how you may be stuck? What is one new product or approach that could open up a whole new way of doing business? more...
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Trump Administration Announces Steel and Other Tariffs - Mar 14, 2025
Some details are still unclear, but the tariffs certainly cover steel and nails. The guidelines exempt items processed from U.S.-origin steel or aluminum. President Trump is closing loopholes and extending the tariffs to cover all countries including those previously excluded. This stricter enforcement means that loopholes used to get around tariffs last time will not be available to producers or importers.; Brambles Reports Volume Growth, Sales from New Business Wins: The company’s first half profits rose thanks to sales volume growth, new business wins and improved asset efficiency. Some costs went up for the company (labor, repair, pallet storage and transport) while others went down (lumber and fuel). Driven by enhanced data analytics, the company is improving asset control.; Recycle Bits: Police in the Greenville, South Carolina area recently arrested a man for allegedly selling stolen CHEP pallets. Employees at Modesto pallet company are seeking nearly $629,000 from the owner in unpaid wages. more...
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Publisher’s Soap Box: Trump Administration Issues Executive Orders on Imported Timber and Land Management - Mar 7, 2025
The Department of Commerce will issue a report with recommendations from its investigation. Some possibilities include: tariffs, export controls, incentives to increase domestic production, and policy ideas for strategic investments and permitting reforms. Growing America's forest products sector would be great. It just may take too much time to get the machine moving to make much difference in the short-term.; DOC Announces Antidumping Rate for Latest Review Period: The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) just announced its preliminary decision on softwood lumber from Canada. The DOC conducts a yearly review to assess market changes to duty rates in trade cases.; Auctions: March 27, 9am CST. Virtual/Online. Accepting consignments; March 29, Formerly 7-11 Shelby Lumber. 9am CST. Center, TX. All equipment like new. more...
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Trump Administration Announces Steel Tariffs, Affects Nails, Steel and Possibly More - Feb 28, 2025
This expansion of Trump’s previous 2018 tariffs will likely push the cost of pallet nails up and could affect other products used by the pallet industry. President Trump has said that the word tariff is a beautiful thing.; Brambles Reports Volume Growth, Sales from New Business Wins: The company’s first half profits rose thanks to sales volume growth, new business wins and improved asset efficiency. Some costs went up for the company (labor, repair, pallet storage and transport) while others went down (lumber and fuel).; B&B Lumber Company Experiences Fire at Storage Facility: Despite the loss, the company minimized operational downtime, resuming full production just one day later and was also thankful to report that no injuries occurred as a result of the fire.; Auction: Online. March 13th, 10:00am CST, Thursday. Pinnacle Pallets, Pallet and Crate Mfr. more...
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State of the Pallet Industry: Next Generation Pallet Plants – Part II - Feb 21, 2025
With pallet recyclers looking to produce more A’s and top quality pallets, there is a renewed focus on getting the most out of recycled boards. This means even more competition in the market for new pallet producers as recyclers try to pump out combo pallets.; UFP Announces 2024 Results, Sales Decreases: UFP Industries, which owns PalletOne, recently reported a 4% net sales decline for 2024 due partially to lower sales prices connected with slumping lumber prices. The past year hasn’t been easy given the depressed housing and forest products sector.; U.S. Lumber Coalition Touts Success of Trade Cases to White House: The Coalition sent a letter to President Trump urging the strong enforcement of the trade laws and suggested that the cases could end if the Canadian government eliminates subsidizing the Canadian lumber industry.; Biomass Power System Provider to Hold Open House: Air Burners is holding a BioCharger® demonstration event in Stuart, Florida from March 4-7. This event will unveil groundbreaking technology for processing wood and vegetative waste.; Auction: Online only, Premium Cut Lumber. Notched #1 Grade Pallet Stringers. 12 truckloads anticipated. March 3rd, 2025. 9am EST. Mio, Michigan. more...
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Higher Softwood Lumber Duty Rates Loom, Will Momentum Gain for a New SLA? - Feb 14, 2025
Analysis from the Department of Commerce of anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports is likely to lead to significant combined duty increases based on feedback from both Canadian and U.S. lumber experts.; Arizona Congressman Introduces Bill to Abolish OSHA: The bill isn’t likely to move ahead or even get out of committee. It currently has no co-sponsors but it does raise the question, “Would industry be better off without OSHA?”; Pallet Company Owner Passes Away: Dennis F. Price was a previous owner/operator of General Pallet. NEWS IN BRIEF: Canfor Southern Pine has opened in Axis, Alabama. The Federal Reserve Chair told a Senate Committee that the central bank does “not need to be in a hurry” to cut interest rates. West Fraser Timber Co. recently reported fourth quarter 2024 results with a loss of US$62 million. J.P. Morgan Research has concluded that the U.S. housing market is likely to “remain largely frozen through 2025.” The NWPCA has received a historic $1,000,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. more...
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State of the Pallet Industry – Next Generation Pallet Plants for Recyclers - Feb 14, 2025
Looking at warehouse automation, it is clear that automation of supply chains and warehouses is driving the need for higher quality pallets. At the same time, supply chain technology and deployment in Europe is years ahead of the United States. As a result, pallet providers are seeing reducing demand for B-grade pallets compared to high quality A’s and Premiums.; Higher Softwood Lumber Duty Rates Loom: Duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports are going up this year. Later this month, the Department of Commerce is expected to release its analysis of the preliminary anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports. This is likely to lead to significant combined duty increases based on feedback from both Canadian and U.S. lumber experts.; Google Invests in Biochar Offsets: Biochar is simply wood waste biomass that has been pyrolyzed (heated without oxygen) until it becomes a charcoal-like substance. Biochar involves using kilns to burn the waste and a way to crush and bag/transport the resulting product for farmers.; Recycle Bits: Promat 2025 will be held in Chicago on March 17-20. Enviva recently informed employees that it will close its biomass plant in Amory, Mississippi. more...
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State of the Pallet Industry: Next Generation Pallet Plants – Part I - Feb 7, 2025
It is clear that automation of supply chains and warehouses is driving the need for higher quality pallets. Supply chain technology and deployment in Europe is years ahead of the United States. As a result, pallet providers are seeing reducing demand for B-grade pallets compared to high quality A’s and Premiums, and users are looking at combo pallets to replace new.; Google Invests in Biochar Offsets: Biochar is simply wood waste biomass that has been pyrolyzed (heated without oxygen) until it becomes a charcoal-like substance. Supporters of biochar point out that it improves soil health and sequesters carbon.; NEWS IN BRIEF: The Department of Labor recently announced higher civil penalties for OSHA infractions. Promat 2025, will be held in Chicago on March 17-20. Enviva recently informed employees that it will close its biomass plant in Amory, Mississippi. Southeastern Timber Products is expanding its operations in Ackerman, Mississippi.; GLOBAL WEBCAST AUCTION: COMPLETE CONTENTS OF A SAWMILL & PLANER MILL WITH LATE MODEL MOBILE EQUIPMENT AND 87 ACRE REAL ESTATE. Tuesday, February 25th, 2025 @ 9am PT INSPECTION: By Appointment Only. PREVIEW LOCATION: 330 S Bay Road, Toledo, OR 97391 more...
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WSJ Attacks Proposed Border Tariffs, U.S. Lumber Sector Responds - Jan 31, 2025
The US Lumber Coalition countered the narrative. The newspaper also talked about the inflationary cost of rising lumber or new home construction. But the Coalition countered. Regardless of where you stand on the softwood lumber dispute, the WSJ did call for one thing that certainly makes sense...open up more federal land for logging.; Brambles Ranks No. 4 in List of Most Sustainable Companies: The company performed strongly across all assessable categories, achieving 100% in the areas of sustainable revenue and sustainable investment while also improving its greenhouse gas and waste productivity scores.; Inbound Container Volumes Increase 14.2% in December: The December growth marks fifteen straight months of increases in inbound volume with the majority showing double-digit percent gains. more...
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