Top 10 sawmill groups in North America: mill closures and tariffs reshape the industry

The North American sawmilling sector has changed noticeably over the past two years as a series of closures, curtailments and restructuring decisions altered the competitive landscape. Periods of weak lumber prices in 2024 and 2025, together with rising operating costs and tightening timber supply in several producing regions, pushed companies to rethink their mill networks. At the same time, the long-running softwood lumber dispute between the United States and Canada continued to weigh on the industry. Duties imposed by Washington on Canadian lumber shipments — now above 14 percent in some cases and still under review — have complicated trade ...