|
Report from
North America
Hardwood plywood imports drop 35%
After surging in March, US imports of hardwood plywood
plunged 35% in April to their lowest level of the year. At
226,202 cubic metres, April imports were 6% lower than
in April 2024.
Imports from Indonesia, the top trading partner so far this
year, fell sharply, down 58% from March’s 10-year high.
Imports also fell markedly from Ecuador (down 30%),
Malaysia (down 27%) and China (down 23%).
Despite the pullback, total US imports of hardwood
plywood are ahead of 2024 volume by 13% through April.
Imports of sawn tropical hardwood cool; Canadian
imports rebound
US imports of sawn tropical hardwood fell 7% in April
retreating after a March surge. At 14,479 cubic meters,
import volume was down 9% from last April’s level.
Imports from Brazil, the top trading partner last year,
disappointed again, falling 32% for the month and now
down 58% year to date versus last year. Imports from
Congo (Brazzaville) and Malaysia also fell more than 20%
in April. Imports from this year’s top supplier, Indonesia,
continued their ascent, rising 26% in April. Imports of
Sapelli plunged 32% in April and are down 12% for the
year so far. Total imports of sawn tropical hardwood into
the US are down 7% from last year through April.
Conversely, Canadian imports of sawn tropical hardwood
rebounded sharply from a weak March, improving by 63%
in April. April imports were up 8% from the previous
April as imports from Brazil, Bolivia, Congo (Zaire) and
Congo (Brazzaville) all soared.
Veneer imports leap
US imports of tropical hardwood veneer climbed 52% in
April as imports from key trading partners surged. Imports
from Italy led the way, rising by 138% from the previous
month while imports from Ghana jumped 63% and
imports from Cote d’Ivoire rose 67%. At more than
US$3.1 million, the April total surpassed April 2024’s
figure by 37%. Due to the impressive April gain, total
imports of tropical hardwood veneer are now up 10% over
last year after being virtually even a month ago.
Moulding imports dip
US imports of hardwood moulding fell 9% in April after
reaching a two-year high in March. A 23% decline in
imports from Canada, by far the top US trading partner,
triggered the loss. Imports from other chief supplying
nations—Malaysia, China and Brazil—not only remained
strong but rose sharply. Despite the downturn, moulding
imports for April were still 27% higher than April of last
year while year-to-date imports are up 28% versus 2024
through the first four months of the year.
Hardwood flooring and assembled flooring panels
retreat
US imports of assembled flooring panels fell from the all-
time high set in March, retreating by 11% in April. Still,
the US$31.8 million in April imports remained 27%
higher than that of the previous April. Imports from top
trader Canada fell 27% while imports from Indonesia and
Viet Nam also moved downward. Imports from both
Brazil and China more than doubled. With the exception
of Brazil, imports for the year so far are up sharply from
all major trading partners and are 34% ahead of last year
through April.
US imports of hardwood flooring also fell 11% in April. A
more than four-fold increase in imports from Brazil helped
allay downturns in imports from China (down 59%),
Malaysia (down 28%), and Indonesia (down 12%). To
date, total imports of hardwood flooring are off by 4%
from last year.
US wooden furniture imports from Canada hit 3-year
low
US imports of wooden furniture fell 1% in April on
declining imports from Canada, Mexico and China.
Despite the dip, the US$1.7 billion in imports for the
month was 8% higher than in April 2024.
Imports from Canada fell to their lowest level since
February 2021 on a monthly decline of 21%. Imports from
both Canada and Mexico are down 9% year to date while
imports from China are off by 16%.
These losses have been mitigated somewhat by increased
imports from Viet Nam and Indonesia, which both saw
April gains in the 5% range. Total imports of wooden
furniture are up 4% over last year through April.
Residential furniture orders continue their slow rise
New residential furniture orders rose for a third straight
month in March, according to the May issue of Furniture
Insights new orders were up 1% in March compared to
February and were also up 1% compared to March 2024.
However, year to date through the first quarter of 2025,
new orders are down 2% compared to 2024.
Shipments were up 1% in March 2025 compared to March
2024. Shipments were up 6% compared to February,
which was likely a function of the prior short month (when
down 8% versus January). Through March, shipments
remain flat compared to 2024.
See: https://www.smith-leonard.com/2025/05/30/may-2025-
furniture-insights-2/
USDA invests US$200M to expand timber production
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a
US$200 million investment to implement its National
Active Forest Management Strategy, an initiative aimed to
increase timber harvest, improve forest health and
productivity, reduce wildfire risk and support rural
prosperity in forest communities.
According to the USDA, the strategy supports President
Trump’s Executive Order: Immediate Expansion of
Timber Production, by streamlining burdensome
regulations, leveraging emergency authorities, and
expediting project approvals, ensuring faster access to
critical timber resources. Increasing the use of long-term
contracts to carry out these projects, the strategy envisions
a more stable supply of wood products, healthier forests,
and stronger rural economies.
This work to increase domestic timber harvests
implements the USDA’s memorandum to the Forest
Service to take immediate action in support. In response,
the Forest Service has committed to increasing timber
harvest on national forests by 25%, with an overall goal of
4 billion board feet harvested annually by fiscal year 2028.
While little in the way of specifics was released,
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said that the agency
will use tools like Good Neighbor Authority to support
efforts to work across jurisdictions and property lines to
improve forest health and grow economies in communities
nationwide.
See:
https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-
industry-news/usda-invests-200m-expand-timber-production
US Congress considers enacting tax credit for
purchasing American hardwood products
US Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi introduced
legislation June 5 to allow consumers to claim a tax credit
for purchasing solid American hardwood products for their
homes. The Solid American Hardwood Tax Credit Act
would allow individual taxpayers to include American-
manufactured solid hardwood products as qualified home
energy efficiency improvements under the Energy
Efficient Home Improvement Credit.
The credit would apply to any flooring, paneling,
millwork, cabinetry doors, cabinetry facing, window, or
skylight, comprised of deciduous trees grown and
processed in the United States.
“This bill is designed to support the domestic hardwood
industry and the jobs it provides while making American-
made hardwood products more affordable for families,”
Hyde-Smith said.
Despite the significance of the forestry sector to
Mississippi’s economy, the state’s hardwood industry has
been affected by a severe national decline. The domestic
hardwood-grade lumber market has fallen from 6.5 billion
board feet to less than 2 billion board feet in the past 26
years.
The bill falls in line with a March executive order issued
by President Trump, which called for the immediate
expansion of American timber production and tasked the
secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to craft legislative
proposals to improve timber production and forest
management.
Hyde-Smith’s legislation is the Senate companion bill to a
House bill (HR.3322) introduced in May. The National
Hardwood Lumber Association supports the legislation.
See:
https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-
industry-news/senate-companion-legislation-provides-tax-
credits-hardwood-purchases
|
