EP 177: NAWLA Opens the Doors, Southern Pine Opportunity & Lumber Market Outlook

This week on The Lumber Word, Ashley Boeckholt, Gregg Matt, and Charles welcome Kyle Little, COO of Sherwood Lumber and Immediate Past Chair of NAWLA, for an in-depth conversation on one of the biggest changes in the lumber industry's premier trade organization. Kyle explains how NAWLA is opening its 2026 Traders Market in Anaheim, CA, November 4-6, to the broader wood products industry, making networking, education, and collaboration more accessible than ever before. The discussion also explores the association's long-term vision and why these changes could reshape industry relationships for years to come. The crew then shifts to today's lumber market—covering lean inventories, Southern Yellow Pine pricing, Western species, Canfor's Fox Creek closure, multifamily housing demand, futures positioning, and the trading opportunities emerging from historically wide species spreads. Whether you're a trader, sawmill, distributor, dealer, builder, or housing professional, this episode delivers practical market intelligence you can use immediately. Episode Timeline 00:00 – Welcome Kyle Little & NAWLA updates 03:00 – Why NAWLA is opening the Traders Market 12:00 – Wood Basics, leadership development & networking 19:15 – Current lumber market conditions 22:45 – Lean inventories and housing demand 25:00 – Southern Yellow Pine outlook 28:00 – Western species, production & wildfire discussion 33:30 – Doug Fir vs. SPF vs. Southern Pine trading opportunities 37:45 – Bullish and bearish market picks 43:00 – Best buying opportunities in today's lumber market 46:45 – Interest rates, housing & what comes next 51:00 – Sherwood Lumber updates and final thoughts Guest Kyle Little, COO, Sherwood Lumber [email protected] NAWLA: North American Wholesale Lumber Association 2026 Traders Market Information If you want to meet with the top companies and individuals in the industry, this is a must-attend! https://nawla.org/events/tradersmarket Matt Bruno: Executive Director, NAWLA [email protected] Advertiser Fastmarkets RISI Tiranth Amarasinghe Product Marketing Manager [email protected] www.fastmarkets.com Show Contacts: Gregg Riley: [email protected] Charles DeLaTorre: [email protected] Matt Beymer: [email protected] Ashley Boeckholt: [email protected]