7/16" OSB Southwest and 15/32" 4-Ply SYP Outlook

Home Channel News, Jan 10, 2000

At this writing the market is in the beginning of the Louisiana Pacific-announced holiday scheduled shutdowns. I expect those curtailments will leave the industry understocked at the mill level at the beginning of January and we will find delays in contract shipments and much less OSB available than dealers are anticipating.

Buying group shows in January will also scarf up several hundred trucks of spec wood. Dealers want to buy and want to buy OSB hard, believing in the speculative value of this product. Those who wait until January buying shows could easily find themselves buying at the top. Plywood, Fir and SYP should stage a sympathetic rally early in January. Inexpensive prices could make it a juicy run up. CURRENT PRICES: 7/16" OSB Southwest - $225; 15/32" 4-PLY SYP-West - $275.

               12/22/99
SYP WESTSIDE   WEEK 51  YEAR AGO
15/32" 4-ply     $275     $310
23/32" UL T&G    $475     $545
(FOB Mill)
FIR WESTERN US
1/2" 4-ply       $305     $310
(FOB Mill)
7/16" OSB
Southwest        $225     $167
North central    $220     $167
(FOB Mill)