Conifex to halt Mackenzie sawmill for four weeks as lumber markets weaken

Conifex Timber will temporarily shut its Mackenzie, British Columbia sawmill for four weeks starting December 15, citing ongoing weakness in North American lumber markets and the growing financial impact of U.S. duties on Canadian softwood. The company said benchmark Western SPF prices have fallen sharply in recent months. A slowdown in new home construction, softer repair-and-renovation activity, elevated borrowing costs and higher countervailing and anti-dumping duties on Canadian shipments to the United States have all contributed to the downturn. These conditions have compressed margins across the sector and pushed many producers into losses. Conifex ...