New Louisiana Mill Adds 320 MMBF, Stabilizing SYP Supply

Impact on Your Procurement Strategy

The official dedication of the Hunt Forest Products and Tolko sawmill in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, confirms a critical input for procurement managers: this capacity addition is fully online as of late September 2025. This immediate operational status means an annual injection of approximately 320 MMBF of dimensional lumber, primarily Southern Yellow Pine (SYP), into the US supply chain.

For buyers focused on the Southeast, Gulf Coast, and Texas markets, this is a significant stabilizing factor. This 320 MMBF capacity—which requires 1.3 million tons of wood annually—helps absorb regional demand spikes and provides a buffer against supply disruptions, whether from weather events or unexpected mill curtailments elsewhere. The immediate impact is a confirmation of robust regional supply, which should temper upward price pressure on SYP products moving into the traditionally slower buying season of Q4 2025 and Q1 2026.

From a pricing perspective, while 320 MMBF will not dramatically lower national pricing, it increases the supply floor for SYP, keeping it relatively stable to slightly softer compared to Spruce-Pine-Fir (SPF). Procurement teams should view this as an opportunity to strategically increase their SYP allocation. Given the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Canadian softwood lumber duties and tariffs, the increased reliability and domestic sourcing of SYP offer a powerful hedge against potential price volatility in the SPF market. This reliability is particularly valuable for high-volume items like 2x4 and 2x6 construction lumber.

Moving forward, the addition of this mill—alongside the existing Urania facility—reinforces the US South as the most reliable long-term source of dimensional lumber. Buyers should use this confirmed supply certainty to move away from purely spot-market purchases for SYP. We recommend actively pursuing longer-term supply agreements (90-120 days) for large-volume SYP items, emphasizing locked-in pricing and guaranteed lead times rather than waiting for potential, but unlikely, sharp price drops. This strategy prioritizes supply security and operational efficiency over marginal, short-term price gains.

Key Takeaways

• Leverage the confirmed 320 MMBF capacity to secure favorable pricing and reliable supply for SYP contracts covering Q4 2025 and Q1 2026.

• SYP pricing volatility will be mitigated; shift inventory strategy to increase SYP allocation as a hedge against tariff-impacted Canadian SPF.

• The US South continues to grow as the dominant supply region. Monitor future housing start forecasts in the Southeast for sustained demand signals.

• The Bienville mill is running at full capacity now; there is no need to 'buy ahead' to capture this supply increase—it is already priced into the market.

Market Outlook

Pricing Trend: STABLE Confidence Level: MEDIUM Recommended Action: Focus immediate Q4 purchasing on Southern Yellow Pine (SYP). Use the 320 MMBF capacity confirmation to negotiate favorable contract pricing, targeting 2-4% cost savings versus volatile SPF pricing, and secure lead times under 10 days for high-volume SYP studs and dimensional lumber.

How LumberFlow Helps

This capacity shift requires rapid comparison of regional quotes to ensure you capture the best pricing from the newly stabilized SYP market. Use LumberFlow’s [multi-supplier RFQ system](https://lumberflow.com/en/features) to quickly compare SYP pricing and lead times from multiple suppliers in the US South. Our [quote comparison dashboard] allows you to evaluate the best freight rates and delivery reliability for this newly stabilized supply.

Ready to stay ahead of market trends? [Book a consultation](https://lumberflow.com/en/contact) with our team to see how LumberFlow's procurement platform transforms dimensional lumber buying.