Devastating fire at Alberta's Zavisha sawmill could affect China's timber import supply chain

A sudden fire at the Zavisha sawmill in Alberta destroyed the entire factory. Experts suggest that alternative sources of supply from Siberia, Russia may be considered in the short term.

Devastating fire at Zavisha sawmill in Alberta

On Saturday, April 19, aZavishaDevastating fire at sawmill.

Despite the rapid response of multiple fire departments, the fire could not be completely extinguished. Crews were able to contain the fire to the sawmill building, preventing the loss of logs and lumber stock.

"We would like to express our deepest gratitude for the support given by the community during this tragic event. Countless volunteers have lent a hand on the scene..."

“As a fourth-generation family business with 82 years of operation, we have experienced various challenges before, but this is unprecedented. We will rebuild...”

——Official statement from Zavisha Sawmill

LumberFlow Expert Interpretation

Analysis of the impact on Chinese importers:

  • Capacity gap:The plant mainly produces SPF (Spruce-Pine-Fir) dimensional lumber. It is expected to directly affect part of Canada's SPF production.
  • Price Transmission:Referring to a similar accident case in British Columbia in 2023, the landed price in China may increase within three months after the fire.
  • Alternative solutions:It is recommended to focus on alternative SPF supplies in Russia's Siberia region (Krasnoyarsk) in the short term.

Share to:

文章二维码

Scan the QR code on WeChat to share this article

More Articles

Close-up Photo of Monitor

Potential impact of the expected adjustment of the US housing market on the global wood supply chain and strategic opportunities for Chinese importers

Fannie Mae's latest economic outlook reveals that U.S. single-family home sales are expected to reach 4.92 million in 2025, and mortgage rates are expected to drop to 6.1%. GDP growth is forecast to be 0.7%. What does this report reveal about global lumber demand and prices? How should Chinese importers adjust their strategies? LumberFlow provides you with an in-depth analysis.

A business professional analyzing stock charts on a laptop and smartphone at the office.

In-depth analysis: US new home sales surged by 10.9%, chain reaction on China's wood supply chain and price index outlook

The annualized sales rate of new single-family homes in the United States in April 2025 reached 743,000 units, a surge of 10.9% from the previous month, indicating strong demand for domestic wood. LumberFlow experts pointed out that this move may lead to a tightening of the supply of US wood exports to China (potential reduction of 5-10% is expected), and the pressure of FOB price increases will be transmitted within 2-3 months. It is recommended that Chinese importers optimize their procurement portfolio, consider increasing supply from Canada, Europe and other places, and adopt strategic inventory management and forward contracts to lock in prices, while paying close attention to market intelligence to respond to changes.

Close-up of stock market chart showing trends and data on a digital screen.

Canadian lumber price index plunges: in-depth analysis of April market dynamics and strategic implications for Chinese importers

The latest data from Statistics Canada shows that both the industrial product and raw material price indexes fell in April. Among them, the price of lumber and other wood products fell by 4.4% month-on-month, and the price of cork plummeted by 11.1%, the largest monthly drop since June 2022. Potential tariff risks have caused buyers to postpone purchases, creating downward pressure on prices.

The story of North American forest products giants (Part 1): Weyerhaeuser, West Fraser, and Café-Rodriguez’s century-old foundation and the Chinese market

North America has one of the most extensive and high-quality forest resources in the world. On this land, a number of world-class forest product companies were born. They have gradually developed from the initial logging camps into multinational giants with businesses all over the world. Their growth history is not only a magnificent business epic, but also a struggle history of constant game with natural resources, market changes, and technological innovation. As the opening of a series of articles, this article will focus on three industry leaders with a long history and far-reaching influence: Weyerhaeuser, West Fraser, and Canfor.

Subscribe to our newsletter

en_USEnglish
zh_CN简体中文 en_USEnglish
Scroll to Top