Change Your Life with a Career in the Lumber Industry

Get a life-changing new career in lumber, forestry or woodworking! Many high-quality openings are available now with full time hours and great benefits, and some even enable working remotely. These listings include entry-level positions that will train you for the job you want, as well as opportunities for established professionals.

Planer Manager, Wentworth, New Hampshire

“The Planer Manager will monitor graders grading, clean, grind and joint knives. Must be able to set planer up for blanking and multiple other patterns, monitor moisture levels, and keep track of inventory. Must have the ability to build loads from inventory and complete necessary paperwork and have knowledge of shavings bagging systems and shaving qualities. The planer manager will need to be a certified NELMA grader.”

Learn more and apply at the Nelma Jobs Board.

Lumber Trader, Remote

“Responsibilities: Effectively generate sales from their own sourcing, marketing, or existing book of business. Negotiate prices/establish buying programs. Establish new & maintain current customer relationships. Collaborate with sales team to identify new product lines and opportunities. Develop and market purchasing opportunities with existing and new customers. Work on your own schedule, no minimum hours per week, no relocation needed, no cap on earnings. Heavy commission ranging up to 50% – 60%.

Learn more and apply at WoodJobs.com.

Operations Forester, Millinocket, Maine

“Katahdin Forest Management, a division of Acadian Timber, and a leader in Forestry Management, has an immediate opening for an Operations Forester based in Millinocket, Maine. Responsibilities include planning, oversight, and recordkeeping of forest management activities, including harvesting, road construction, road maintenance, herbicide application, planting, inventory plots, and general property maintenance; Ensuring KFM continues in compliance with all laws and regulations: i.e., the Conservation Easement on KFM property, and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative; Maintaining good relationships with Internal and External Customers; Continuing sustainable management of KFM’s 300,000 acres of timberland located in Northern Maine.”

Learn more and apply at ForestryUSA.com.

Senior Design Engineer, Seneca Falls, New York

“Senior Design Engineer needs to have the ability to take a conceptual drawing and or sketch and create Engineering drawings, send drawings out to the CNC routers,  help production through the fabrication process and have a quality product with exceptional quality. The Senior Design Engineer reports to the Engineering Manager. Starting base salary: $70-90K.”

Learn more and apply at WoodJobs.com.

Carpenter, Bar Harbor, Maine

“Acadia Building Company is looking to expand our team of professional carpenters. Seeking individuals that are well versed in high-end carpentry with strong attention to detail and appreciation for accurate work. The majority of our jobs are in coastal Hancock County. We have plenty of year-round work. Qualifications: Carpentry: 5 years (Preferred). Pay: $15.00 – $40.00 per hour.”

Learn more and apply at Indeed.com.

Quality Engineer: Oronoco, Minnesota

“This company is currently seeking a Quality Engineer to join our growing company. The ideal candidate will embrace the opportunity to contribute to the Quality Department and bring a positive attitude and strong organizational skills to a dedicated, fast-paced team. Starting base salary: $65-75K.”

Learn more and apply at WoodJobs.com.

Woodworker, Auburn, Maine

Are you a woodworking enthusiast? Would you like to develop your woodworking skills and turn your hobby into your occupation? If so, we would like to talk to you about a woodworker position in our Auburn, Maine shop. If you have a passion for working with wood, we will work with you to develop and hone your woodworking skills to produce world-class furniture. Thos. Moser’s success is built on family, craftsmanship and its strong values. The right person will also have a strong desire to learn and grow in the trade with the ability to build open and honest relationships through shared respect and communication. The ideal candidate for this position will have the tremendous opportunity to showcase the range and depth of his/her skill set.”

Learn more and apply at Indeed.com.

Estimator, Remote

“Prepare lucrative estimates based off of numerical/architectural data and all required materials for final proposal. Construct take-off and gauged scope of work after analyzing architectural documents. Interprets blueprints, shop drawings or other documents to identify costs, needed materials, and potential labor scope. Remote ok, job based in Winnipeg, MB. Starting Salary: $60 – 90k (Canadian)”

Learn more and apply at WoodJobs.com.

Forest Inventory Supervisor, Wisconsin

“Wanted: Full time Forest Inventory Supervisor to independently supervise 6-8 permanent professional crew members and seasonal employees as required in the collection of statewide forest inventory, forest health monitoring, and habitat classification data. This position demands a high degree of responsibility and leadership. The successful candidate will be solely responsible for the fulfillment of Lumberjack’s contract with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.”

Learn more and apply at Lumberjackrcd.org

Millwright, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine

“Work in a company that is family owned. Where the owners are onsite and passionate about their industry. Pleasant River Lumber is a fast paced aggressive company that always has a eye on the future of lumber manufacturing. Please visit our website for a look at our company that owns and operates 5 mills located around the state. $17 – $20 an hour – Full-time with benefits.”

Learn more and apply at Indeed.com.

Everybody’s Going to be DIY Remodeling in 2021

Image by TWP Inc. via Flickr CC 2.0

In 2020, the wood products industry was one of the few industries to escape COVID-19 with profits not just intact, but rising, thanks in part to home remodeling projects. Consumers spending more time at home focused mostly on outdoor projects this year, including decks, pergolas and porches, along with additions to add square footage to their residences. Houzz, the online home remodeling platform, reported a 58% annual increase in project leads for home professionals in June.

The year ahead is looking promising for the industry, too, as consumers start to plan indoor remodeling projects for spaces like kitchens and bathrooms. With more people working, cooking and eating at home, these spaces are more important than ever to family life. Plus, home prices continue to gain despite the economic downturn, boosting homeowners’ equity, which many are using to fund their projects. In a recent survey by remodeling platform Porch.com, more than three-quarters of respondents reported planning a remodeling project in 2021.

Many people are planning a DIY approach. Members of the National Kitchen & Bath Association are anticipating an increase in activity in 2021, which could further drive demand for lumber, plywood, OSB and engineered wood products. Lumber prices are heading back toward equilibrium after rising precipitously in 2020 due to a COVID-19-induced drop in supply just as demand was rising.

While prices are usually between $420 and $600 per 1000 board feet, this September they rose to $948, a peak that was always going to be unsustainable. As of October, they were back to about $580. Third quarter sales for mill owners, however, will likely set records, setting them up for a very strong finish to the year, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The supply chain is beginning to rebalance, which is good news for consumers. Lumber producers will catch up to demand over the winter, when projects usually slow down, making prices on the shelves at places like Home Depot more like what they were a year ago. Barring any major catastrophe, like extended shutdowns, remodeling projects large and small should take off again in early 2021. Check out the market forecasts for the year ahead and in the longer term, which are also looking good.

This Week in Wood: Lumber Demand will Remain Strong in 2019, Experts Predict

Layman's Lumber Guide

Though things may get off to a slightly slow start in January, lumber industry experts say demand will likely pick up in the Spring of 2019. ProSales reports that consultant Matt Layman, the creator of Layman’s Lumber Guide, is feeling optimistic about the upcoming season even as economists ponder a possible recession in the overall economy.

“According to Layman, the lumber market will trade indecisively in the penultimate week of 2018, leading to impatient buyers and curtailed production. This will create higher lumber prices during January 2019 and lower builder lumber demand. However this weak projected month will not be enough to prevent a stronger start to the spring months next year.”

Layman also predicts that lumber demand will be very strong in Q2 and Q3 “compared to a noisy and volatile first quarter.”

Sawmills have been running at high capacity as buyers consume more and more wood, leading to higher lumber prices. Q3 of 2018 experienced a slight slowdown after an unexpectedly robust Q2.

Meanwhile, contractors are ending 2018 on a high note and feeling cautiously optimistic about the calendar year to come. Spending growth has been strong and well-balanced among residential, private nonresidential and public projects. Employment i the industry rose 4.9% between October 2017 and October 2018, and more than three quarters of the 2,552 firms surveyed by the Associated General Contractors of America expect to add workers over the coming year.

The biggest challenge, it appears, is finding workers, particularly hourly craft workers. Ken Simonson, chief economist for Associated General Contractors, says the unemployment rate for jobseekers with recent construction experience dropped to 3.6% in October, the lowest October rate in a series dating to 2000.

This Week in Wood: U.S. Consumption of Softwood to Rise Sharply through 2030

nelma lumber shipments

Demand for softwood lumber in the United States will grow at a record-breaking annual rate of 2.3 percent through the year 2030, according to a new study by ForestEdge and Wood Resources International. While lumber consumed by the residential housing sector will continue to account for nearly 70% of the end-use market, non-residential construction will grow at the fastest rate, boosting its usage of total softwood lumber from roughly 11% in 2016 to nearly 14% by 2030.

“The study constructs a US softwood lumber supply curve for 2016 using actual supply statistics and estimated delivered softwood lumber costs for the key supplying regions. The study then evaluates how supply could change under alternative Demand Scenarios, based on regional projections of log costs, softwood lumber production, and likely US exports, to identify the most likely suppliers to the US market in 2025 and 2030.”

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Abundant softwood lumber from the U.S. South will help meet a lot of that demand, especially as Canadian lumber producers’ share of the U.S. market continues to decrease between 2017 and 2025. Harvest levels in some of Canada’s major lumber-producing regions like British Columbia will fall substantially over the next decade. Meanwhile, overseas suppliers of lumber to the United States – like Brazil, Chile and Nordic nations – will grab more of the market share up until 2025, after which they’re expected to see a decline.

So far, things are looking good in the U.S. Northeast, as Q2 shipments of lumber from NELMA mills continue to outpace previous records for the same time period.

The entire study can be purchased at WoodPrices.com.

Eastern White Pine Experts: A Look At New Hampshire Sawmill Durgin & Crowell

durgin and crowell 2

Durgin and Crowell Lumber Company, Inc. really knows their Eastern White Pine. The sawmill has been in business in Springfield, New Hampshire since 1976, and the two brothers who grew up watching their father oversee the business with passion and precision now run the mill themselves, helping to grow it into one of New England’s largest manufacturers of kiln-dried Eastern White Pine lumber. While many other mills have come and gone in that time, Durgin and Crowell credits its success to “the combination of old-fashioned hard work and an awareness of the future.”

durgin and crowell 4

Peter O. Crowell and Arthur Durgin founded the company with just six employees, designing it for maximum efficiency to produce the greatest amount of lumber with a small crew. They got their company off the ground in just a few short months, overcoming numerous challenges and continuously growing their output. Over the years, the company modernized its equipment and methods, staying on top of trends and technological advancements.

With the passing of their father in 2009, brothers Ben and Peter Crowell continued the company’s legacy, and a few of Durgin and Crowell’s very first employees are still on their crew today. The mil produces up to 30 million board feet of Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)-certified Eastern White Pine lumber each year.

durgin adn crowell 3

“Our pine comes from local sources here in New England, mostly from private landowners who own relatively small woodlots,” they explain. “The fiber isn’t shipped here from overseas, and the loggers who bring us our wood are required to comply with state and federal environmental and employment laws. From the mill to the logger to the landowner, it’s in everyone’s interest to ensure our region has a sustainable and renewable fiber supply. The SFI sourcing program gives us a platform and a vehicle to promote sustainable forestry while realizing a market benefit. That market benefit should help us remain in business for years to come.”

“We pride ourselves not only on the quality of our products, but also the quality of our people; from log purchasing, to manufacturing, to sales. Hard work and attention to detail help deliver products and service that keep customers and end-users coming back.”

Eastern White Pine Experts: A Look At New Hampshire Sawmill Durgin & Crowell

durgin and crowell 2

Durgin and Crowell Lumber Company, Inc. really knows their Eastern White Pine. The sawmill has been in business in Springfield, New Hampshire since 1976, and the two brothers who grew up watching their father oversee the business with passion and precision now run the mill themselves, helping to grow it into one of New England’s largest manufacturers of kiln-dried Eastern White Pine lumber. While many other mills have come and gone in that time, Durgin and Crowell credits its success to “the combination of old-fashioned hard work and an awareness of the future.”

durgin and crowell 4

Peter O. Crowell and Arthur Durgin founded the company with just six employees, designing it for maximum efficiency to produce the greatest amount of lumber with a small crew. They got their company off the ground in just a few short months, overcoming numerous challenges and continuously growing their output. Over the years, the company modernized its equipment and methods, staying on top of trends and technological advancements.

With the passing of their father in 2009, brothers Ben and Peter Crowell continued the company’s legacy, and a few of Durgin and Crowell’s very first employees are still on their crew today. The mil produces up to 30 million board feet of Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)-certified Eastern White Pine lumber each year.

durgin adn crowell 3

“Our pine comes from local sources here in New England, mostly from private landowners who own relatively small woodlots,” they explain. “The fiber isn’t shipped here from overseas, and the loggers who bring us our wood are required to comply with state and federal environmental and employment laws. From the mill to the logger to the landowner, it’s in everyone’s interest to ensure our region has a sustainable and renewable fiber supply. The SFI sourcing program gives us a platform and a vehicle to promote sustainable forestry while realizing a market benefit. That market benefit should help us remain in business for years to come.”

“We pride ourselves not only on the quality of our products, but also the quality of our people; from log purchasing, to manufacturing, to sales. Hard work and attention to detail help deliver products and service that keep customers and end-users coming back.”