The Lumber Word

EP 137: Keys to the Lumber Castle

The Lumber Word crew is back with special guest Rob Cross from StoneX, a veteran voice in the lumber industry. Gregg may have handed out the keys to the lumber castle today with the sheer amount of free insight he shared. Charles breaks down what’s happening in the SYP market, while Matt dives into the cost stacks shaping price moves. Ashley takes a hard look at how greed and fear yanked this market from $700 to $520 in just one month. Rob brings the data with some fascinating lumber trading statistics—and if you stick around, you’ll hear how the team is planning their next moves.
Thanks for listening, and don’t forget to tell a friend about The Lumber Word!
 
 
Show Contacts
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com
Guest: Robin Cross: Robin.Cross@StoneX.com

EP 136: Inflation, Rates, and Lumber’s Selloff—A Fireside Chat with Brian Wesbury

In Episode #136 of The Lumber Word Podcast, Matt, Gregg, and Ashley take the lead while Charles tends to the cattle. This week’s guest is none other than Brian Wesbury, Chief Economist at First Trust LP, and one of our most popular returning guests. Despite his busy schedule, which includes numerous media appearances, Brian always makes time to share his perspective on economics and lumber with our listeners.
The episode kicks off with a brief discussion of the lumber market before diving into a wide-ranging conversation on the current economic situation in the U.S.
Together, the team and Brian break down critical topics such as inflation, interest rates, the housing market in Washington D.C., stock performance, and what the future may look like for the broader economic landscape. As Brian shared his insights, the conversation provided a unique lens into how today’s challenges and policies will shape tomorrow’s opportunities.
Listeners who have been following the podcast over the past few months will not be surprised by the recent selloff in lumber. The Lumber Word team has consistently prepared its audience for these market shifts, giving buyers and sellers across North America the foresight they need to navigate the industry with confidence.
As always, The Lumber Word Podcast remains committed to delivering the most relevant and actionable insights into both lumber markets and the broader economic forces that impact them. With Brian Wesbury’s expertise and the team’s grounded industry perspective, Episode #136 is a must-listen for anyone who wants to stay ahead in the lumber and construction supply chain.
 
Show Contacts
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com
Guest: Brian Wesbury: bwesbury@ftadvisors.com
 
First Trust: www.FTPLP.com
 
 
Advertisers:
Fastmarkets Random Lengths
djalbert@fastmarkets.com
www.fastmarkets.com
Layman’s Lumber Guide
www.laymansguide.com
Matt@laymansguide.com

EP 135: Sitting on Hands

Matt, Charles, and Ashley run the desk while Gregg’s in Canada. With light trading, mills sitting still, and buyers hesitant, the market’s stuck in confusion. Housing starts look steady, but tariff noise has everyone frozen. Will SPF pick a direction, or will SYP and U.S. species finally wake up?
 
Show Contacts
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com
 

EP 134: Futures Drop & Builder Playbooks

This week, we’re calling our shot on just how low September Lumber Futures could go—and why a cash market adjustment may be right behind it. If you’re buying, selling, or negotiating in the next 30 days, you’ll want to hear this.
We’re also joined by returning guest Chris Beard from John Burns Research & Consulting, with sharp insights on builders powering through price swings, the rise of build-to-rent, and SYP–SPF species swaps. Packed with market moves, builder intel, and trading tips you can use now.
 
Show Contacts
Guest Chris Beard: chrisbeard@jbrec.com
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com
 

EP 133: Lumber Lows: Inflection Points, Mills Uncertainty, and Timber Tactics in a Shaky Market

Join hosts Matt, Gregg, Ashley, and Charles for Episode #133 of "The Lumber Word" Podcast, your weekly deep dive into the wild world of lumber markets. This episode unpacks the latest cash and futures trends, explores key inflection points amid truckers scrambling for orders, and mills in Canada and the US starting to look for real orders.
We debate why raising prices doesn't always mean buyers bite, how CVD/AD duties are baked into costs, and the curious pull-up of species prices in a vacuum. Plus, insights on SYP's potential sell-off, Canadian production costs hitting $700 US in Chicago, CME basis adjustments, and testing channel bottoms. Is Hem-Fir the new CME basis that traders will look at since it can be delivered? We discuss potential curtailment announcement risks, deep discounts on truck orders from the secondary market, fading demand despite rate drop discussion, undervalued gems like 2x12 coastal and Green DF items, big boxes shifting to SYP premiums, seasonal weakness ahead, buyer/seller strategies, and finally selling those FJs at a premium. Whether you're buying, selling, or just timber-curious, this episode delivers the unvarnished truth on lumber's twists andturns!
Show Contacts:
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com

EP 132: Can You Hedge Your House?

This week we’re joined by John H. Dolan, independent market maker for the CME S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index futures. John breaks down how the index works, who uses it, and the game-changing potential it holds for anyone exposed to home price risk. Whether you own one home or thousands, are building spec homes, or just want to lock in a regional housing price—this is a must-listen. We were blown away by the possibilities!
Visit John’s site at www.homepricefutures.com and follow him on X at @HomePriceHedges to dig deeper.
After John signs off, Gregg, Matt, Charles, and Ashley get back to lumber—revisiting last week's takes and updating where we see the market heading. From SYP to SPF to Euro, we drop some actionable insights for buyers and sellers alike.
Jump in and keep riding with the fastest-growing podcast in the lumber industry!
 
Contacts
Guest: John Dolan
johndolan@homepricefutures.com
Ashley Boeckholt
Ashley@Sitkainc.com
Matt Beymer
Mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Gregg Riley
Gregg@Sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre
cdelatorre@ifpwood.com

EP 131: Midsummer Check-in

Russ Taylor of Russ Taylor Global is back, and he’s bringing the global heat! We kick off with the current AD/CVD drama and whether Southern Yellow Pine producers are making money—Russ has the receipts. Matt lays out the price cuts in the cash market, while Gregg points out a wild nearly $100/MBF gap between CME futures and deliverable Hem-Fir. Charles and Russ dive deep into mill residuals and how they're skewing Southern costs, and Ashley keeps the crew on track with a wide-angle view of the market. It’s a fast-moving, info-packed episode with insights you won’t get anywhere else.Oh—and happy birthday to Matt’s wife!
📩 Contact
Russ Taylor (Russ Taylor Global): russtaylor@russtaylorglobal.com
 
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
 
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
 
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
 
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com

EP 130: The Return of Matt—and the Forecast You Didn’t Know You Needed

Matt is back in the saddle for Episode #130 with a recap of the Inland Lumber producers' outing—including what he saw, heard, and how it might impact your trading mindset. Charles gives us a fresh update on the SYP market, and Gregg drops his latest forecast as we roundtable the market outlook for the next 45 to 90 days. Want to know how we’re managing our inventory through all this? We lay it all out. As always, thanks for listening—and don’t forget to tell a friend (or your mill rep).
 
Show Contacts
Matt Beymer MattBeymer@HamptonLumber.com
Charles DeLaTorre CDelatorre@ifpwood.com
Gregg Riley Gregg@Sitkainc.comAshley Boeckholt Ashley@Sitkainc.com

EP 129: The Price Is (Already) Right?

Bart Charles returns, and we’re not mad about it. This week, we unpack the buzz around Hem-Fir now being deliverable on the CME lumber contract—try to stay with us, it’s worth it. Gregg walks through what’s happening in the cash markets and how deep the inventory buying goes. Then we all weigh in on how much of the upcoming CVD/AD action is already priced in. As usual, we gave away more trading insight than we should’ve… but if you’re listening, we figure you earned it.
Contact the show members at:
Charles@AtlanticForest.ComGregg@Sitkainc.comAshley@Sitkainc.com

EP 128: Is SPF Just Coasting on Reputation?

Matt and Charles join Ashley to break down what’s going on in the commodity lumber market as we wrap up June. The crew dives into SPF and questions whether it’s still holding a premium simply because traders think it should. With new home sales softening and housing data turning shaky, is there anything fundamental propping it up?
We talk about the pain of owning 2x6—why it feels rough right now, what could flip the script, and why mills are still cutting it anyway. Plus, Matt and Charles get into the details of Hampton’snew SYP mill coming to South Carolina. What does the wave of new Southern Pine capacity mean for the market?
If you’re in the lumber game, this episode will make you sharper—and you might just laugh a little along the way.
 
Reach the Show's Personalities Below:
MattBeymer@Hamptonlumber.comCdelatorre@IFPWood.comGregg@Sitkainc.comAshley@Sitkainc.com