Strong prices and growing demand for wood products have helped a number of North American timber companies post quarterly results ahead of last year.
Idaho-based Boise Cascade Corporation reported second quarter net income of US$50.4m on sales of US$3.4bn, compared with a net loss of US$3.9m and US$1.9bn last time.
The results were buoyed by a strong performance from its building solutions division, which saw plywood prices up 60% and sales of engineered products up 37%.
Plum Creek Timber Company, of Seattle, saw timber markets in most regions continue to strengthen, with customers benefiting from strong demand for lumber and plywood.
Meanwhile, strong housing starts, repairs and industrial demand for wood products increased sawmill production rates. Second quarter earnings were US$57m, on sales of US$341m, up from US$318m last time.
Meanwhile Canadian company Riverside Forest Products saw profits boosted to C$26.4m in the third quarter of fiscal 2004 by the C$97.4m acquisition of Lignum Ltd, a lumber manufacturing, sales and wholesale distribution company.
Near-record production and higher product prices helped West Fraser Timber, of Vancouver, record a C$67m profit in the second quarter, reversing a year-earlier loss.
