Buse Mill restarts sawmill in Everett, Washington, bringing new opportunities to lumber import supply chain

Buse Mill announced the restart of its Everett, Washington sawmill, with an expected monthly production of 2.5 million to 3 million board feet. Elk Creek Forest Products will be responsible for sales, providing more FOHC and structural timber supplies to Chinese timber importers.

Buse Mill restarts sawmill in Everett, Washington

On March 11, 2025, Buse Mill Company announced that it would restart its sawmill in Everett, Washington. The restart marks a fresh start for the company since it changed its name from Buse Timber & Sales in 2024.Elk Creek Forest Productshas been appointed as the exclusive sales agent for Buse Mill Company for the sale of its timber products.

“We are pleased to be working with Buse to support their restart of production,” said Brett Slaughter, President of Elk Creek Forest Products.

Buse Mill has been known for producing high-quality lumber products since its founding in 1946. The mill plans to resume production in early April or earlier, with main products including FOHC lumber, transmission crossarms, industrial clear lumber and structural lumber, and is expected to produce 2.5 million to 3 million board feet per month.

Elk Creek Forest Products will handle all sales and distribution efforts, enabling Buse Mill to rebuild and expand customer relationships while meeting the growing demand for lumber.

LumberFlow Expert Interpretation

The restart of Buse Mill is of great significance to Chinese timber importers. As an important sawmill on the west coast of the United States, Buse's resumption of production will directly increase the supply of timber exported to China, especially products such as FOHC timber and structural timber. It is expected that in the coming months, Chinese importers will have the opportunity to obtain more stable supply and may alleviate the recent price fluctuations caused by tight supply chains.

In addition, as the exclusive sales agent, Elk Creek Forest Products may optimize the logistics arrangements for exports to China and shorten the delivery cycle. Chinese importers should pay close attention to the release of Buse's production capacity and adjust their procurement strategies in a timely manner to seize market opportunities.

Share to:

Scan the QR code on WeChat to share this article

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.