Today, the once great American Chestnut Tree is functionally extinct. But that hopefully will not be the case for long! 

Dr. Andy Newhouse from the American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project joins the show to discuss the work being done to bring these trees back to our forests.

We trace the history of the American Chestnut, its demise, and the work being done to bring a genetically modified version of the three back to prominence.

Dr. Newhouse and his team could use your support. Please a take moment to visit the links below to leave comments supporting the project. Your "comments" will help compel regulators to continue their support of the great work being done. Even one sentence worth of support is impactful!

 https://www.esf.edu/chestnut/regulatory.htm 

https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/APHIS-2020-0030-8291

Wesley Robinson (Robinson Lumber Company) returns to the show to prognosticate on the upcoming year.  Clay and Wes discuss why after several months of poor markets there may be some light at the end of tunnel.  Are buyers finally coming back into the market?

Topics include:

  - Outlook for global lumber markets.
 - Are domestic markets going to get better?
 - Will the relaxation of the "Zero Covid" policy in China help demand for lumber.
 - How supplies of green lumber and logs will impact lumber pricing in 2023.
-  Is there some light at the end of the tunnel?
- The "Four Stages Of A Bad Lumber Market"

Recap of the NHLA Convention in Cleveland Ohio

All doom? All gloom? Maybe a mix of both?

The great echo chamber of the hardwood lumber industry

Do stocklists add fuel to the fire in a down market?

How do end users see the current market?

The two types of conversations that were being held at the show.

How can companies add value to their existing customers in a soft market?

Are lumber shortages the next shoe to drop?

Tom Inman, President of the Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Association, joins Clay in Episode 9. Tom gives great insight on the recently completed IWF Show. Great information for folks who did not attend this.

A brief history of the AHMI.

What makes Appalachian lumber products do desirable.

The benefits of the $1.5M grant the AHMI received for labor training.

Why the chaos of lumber mills can lead to low engagement from workers.

Tom gives his take on the IWF show in Atlanta which he recently returned from.

What new trends were on display at the show?

How robots could be the future of the hardwood lumber industry (and sooner than we all think).

General mood of attendees as it relates to the current business climate.

Was “ripped to width” lumber the Belle of the Ball at the IWF?

A brief discussion on China and export markets.

History of the Northern Hardwoods and the JM Longyear company

The opening of Northern Hardwoods new re-load facility in Niles, Michigan.

Why bringing the products closer to end users is the future of the lumber business.

How companies can effectively merchandise their products in 2022.

How companies are converting the merchandising of their products on social media into big dollars.

“He who can distribute wins”

Why JUST sending a stock list is a pretty bad idea these days.

What Ryan is hearing from secondary manufacturers on the status of the market place.

What recent pricing trends in Maple tells us about the future price of the specie.

Is Ryan cautious, optimistic, or pessimistic on the markets over the next ninety days?

Dallin Brooks, Executive Director of the National Hardwood Lumber Association

Renee Hornsby, Director of Marketing and Communication of the National Hardwood Lumber Association

Background on Dallin: who is the freshly minted Executive Director the NHLA?

What is the NHLA? A brief history…

What has Dallin learned in his short time on the job while speaking with NHLA members? What is on their minds? What challenges and opportunities does the membership see looking ahead?

What are the most important initiatives that the NHLA is involved in presently?

NHLA and advocacy in Washington, DC.

How can the industry overcome the chronic labor shortages?

How we do work to bring so many different stake holders in the hardwood lumber industry together for a common benefit?

What does Clay want to be and not want to be talking about in fifty years?

Wesley Robinson joins us for episode six. Wes represents the fifth generation Robinson Lumber Company based in New Orleans, LA. This conversation covers a wide array of great topics and offers a real time view into several key markets around the world for hardwood lumber products. The markets are changing quite rapidly around the world. Episode six hopes to offer some clarity on the reality on the ground, whatever continent that may be.

The rich and diverse history of Robinson Lumber Company (http://www.roblumco.com/).

Clay offers an update on his recent trip to Vietnam including a story on ending up without his passport in the Ho Chi Minh City Airport. Don’t worry it was a big misunderstanding.

Wesley’s talents as a woodworker.

What Asia markets are telling us back home about where pricing is and where it is heading.

Insights from conversations with domestic lumber buyers and their reading of what is happening in the markets. Especially insightful thoughts for those on the sales side of the supply chain.

Are we seeing a new normal in supply, activity, and inventory levels?

Why are buyers now content with letting inventory levels dwindle?

The outlook and current buying habits of large flooring manufacturers.

Wesley and Clay riff on what the second half of 2022 will look like in the industry.

Why “caution” may be slowing turning to “pessimism”.

Judd Johnson is editor of the Hardwood Market Report, which for over 100 years has been to the go to weekly publication for hardwood market pricing and information. Judd shares the rich history of the Hardwood Market Report and a look ahead at this thoughts of where the hardwood markets are going.

This is an especially timely episode based on the uncertainty in today’s market.

Other topics include:

What current factors are weighing on hardwood lumber pricing.

Judd’s thoughts on what pieces of the economy will be the most predictive of future hardwood lumber pricing.

Why softwood lumber prices falling could be good news for home starts and home completions.

How The Hardwood Market Report formulates and collects the information they use for pricing.

What value secondary manufacturers could gain from using the Hardwood Market Report for their forecasting.

For more information on The Hardwood Market Report please visit www.HMR.com