{"id":78267,"date":"2019-10-14T13:07:52","date_gmt":"2019-10-14T13:07:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tin.happy-projects.ro\/largest-north-american-hardwood-producer-to-close-one-of-its-sawmills-due-to-trade-war-with-china\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T08:51:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T08:51:52","slug":"largest-north-american-hardwood-producer-to-close-one-of-its-sawmills-due-to-trade-war-with-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.timberindustrynews.com\/ro\/largest-north-american-hardwood-producer-to-close-one-of-its-sawmills-due-to-trade-war-with-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Largest North American hardwood producer to close one of its sawmills due to trade war with China"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The largest North American hardwood supplier will close one of its Washington sawmills because of the U.S.-China trade war, the company said. All of the mill's 70 employees will be laid off.<\/p>\n

Northwest Hardwoods, which operates the mill on Farm to Market Road, west of Burlington will close Nov. 20, according to a statement from a company spokesman.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis difficult decision was made after exploring all other options and as prospects dimmed for a quick resolution to the U.S. and China trade dispute,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

Northwest Hardwoods is the largest Northern American hardwood supplier and has 28 locations, according to the company\u2019s statement. The company also plans to close its mill in Maury River, Virginia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

As we reported recently,\u00a0Many US hardwood lumber firms have seen reduced demand, and have had to make cutbacks and eliminate jobs. Gutchess Lumber, Baillie Lumber, and Northland Corp. all\u00a0told the Wall Street Journal\u00a0that demand has decreased from the same time last year.<\/p>\n

Baillie and Northland have been forced to lay off workers. Gutchess reduced overtime and suspended 401(k) contributions.<\/p>\n

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China helped hardwood exporters during the 2008 financial crisis, writes WSJ, as Chinese customers kept buying oak and ash in large quantities. It remains the top export market, particularly for higher-grade wood like oak and cherry. Now, as the Chinese economy slows, US firms are feeling it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWere we relying too much on East Asia and China? Of course we were<\/em>,\u201d Northland chief executive Orn Gudmundsson\u00a0said. \u201cBut there were no viable alternatives.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

The tariffs are polarizing. Northwest Hardwoods chief Nathan Jeppson and other executives believe they've been disastrous for the U.S. economy. Others acknowledge they're hurting right now, but believe they're necessary long-term. 67 percent of recently-polled Wisconsin manufacturing executives said\u00a0they support the tariffs even though tariffs are hurting their businesses, WSJ reported.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The percentage of American hardwood exports to China dropped from a peak 54.19% in 2017 to 49.5% in 2018, according to the Department of Agriculture.<\/p>\n