Domestically produced sawn softwood products have experienced an unexpected surge in demand in defiance of expectations.
Sales of domestically produced sawn softwood products saw a strong increase in May 2017, in defiance of expectations. Sales in May totalled 291,916 m3, up 5.6 per cent on the same time last year, and up a massive 38.4 per cent on the previous month.
After the slump in April, sales were expected to maintain a contractionary position for some months, possibly until the commencement of the summer building period.
The unexpected growth could reflect, at least to some extent, factors like the number of days worked in April being reduced by Easter, Anzac Day and school holidays across the nation, plus any inventory effects. Regardless, the sales data is strong.
It is the main structural grades (Treated/Seasoned H2F and Structural <120mm) that have provided the biggest boost to sales, while three other grades of sawn softwood have contributed significantly to the increase, with Outdoor Domestic, Fencing and Export grades all experiencing a leap in sales.
These statistics demonstrate the strength in softwood sales is in house frames, trusses and related items, with decent sales growth also being recorded for must-have add-ons including fencing and decks.
To keep the industry up-to-date this kind of data, Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) publishes the monthly e-newsletter Statistics Count, which highlights economics issues identified and emerging during the month, and summarises key data sets.
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