Pulp markets?

DAPNET Forums Archive › Forums › Sustainable Living and Land use › Sustainable Forestry › Pulp markets?

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • October 2, 2015 at 7:38 pm #86201
    Brad Johnson
    Participant

    I have been shipping softwood pulp all the way over to Jay, ME. That mill is no longer taking 8′ pulp, and I need another option. Anyone know of any pulp or chip wood markets closer to VT? I am already in contact with Limlaw, but are there others? Thanks.
    -Brad

    October 3, 2015 at 8:11 am #86204
    Rick Alger
    Participant

    I have the same problem. Pulp markets are bleak. A couple more Maine mills went down recently. The biomass plant in Berlin NH takes some round wood through truckers with a contract, but the last I knew they paid $27 a ton delivered. There is also a chipping place in Shelburne NH owned by Richard Carrier, but things are tight there and they don’t pay much more than Berlin.

    I’ve been turning down work. I’ts impossible to do a clean “worst first” harvest with no acceptable low- grade markets.

    If you come across a solution, please let me know.

    October 3, 2015 at 11:10 am #86205
    Carl Russell
    Moderator

    Brad, Durgin and Crowell in New London, NH 603-763-2860
    They buy long-wood to chip in their power plant…. Don’t know the money, but it ain’t high.

    Also VT Wood Pellet in Clarendon…. Also not much money, but it is a market for softwood long wood. (802) 747-1093

    Carl

    October 11, 2015 at 2:02 pm #86253
    Brad Johnson
    Participant

    Thanks gentlemen!
    -Brad

    October 20, 2015 at 6:57 am #86289
    Jim Ostergard
    Participant

    Its pretty bleak over here on the coast also. We went from 6 truckloads a week to zero in September. Jay was shifting the softwood/hardwood pulp mix around and now we have to ship two hardwood pulp loads for every one of softwood. As Rick says really hard to do a job if you can’t get rid of the pulp. We are investigating setting up a small pellet plant to insure a market for our own wood.

    October 20, 2015 at 8:57 am #86291
    Rick Alger
    Participant

    Hi Jim,

    A pellet plant sounds like a good concept. Here in Berlin, NH there was a German investor looking into starting a plant and shipping to Europe around ten years ago. Nothing came of it, in part I believe because of a perceived long-term shortage of low grade in the “wood basket.” Looks like the shortage problem has gone away. But the economics of harvesting remain. The Berlin biomass plant is now down to $24 a ton delivered for roundwood. I think it may be time to look at European models of forest products utilization. The Scandinavian horse loggers shown harvesting biomass on Youtube must be getting some kind of subsidy.

    October 20, 2015 at 12:51 pm #86292
    JaredWoodcock
    Participant

    Instead of harvesting the pulp, would it be prudent to either girdle, or drop the tree and just cut it up into slash? That is if it isnt worth pulling for firewood?

    Thanks

    October 20, 2015 at 1:59 pm #86293
    Brad Johnson
    Participant

    I cut and ship pulp only as a means to get rid of the larger softwood tops that I do not want to leave in the wood, and my annual total is less than 5 truckloads. But, the next job I am about to start will have a considerable amount of pulp close to the landing, so I need to figure out a reasonable market for that material…
    -Brad

    October 20, 2015 at 4:15 pm #86294
    Rick Alger
    Participant

    If the landowner is okay with it, it is certainly prudent to girdle or drop and lop up the low grade stuff. It may be challenging to get paid for the work, but if you have a forward looking client, go for it.
    The problem is are greatest if you have a high proportion of low grade like Brad mentioned.

    October 23, 2015 at 10:02 am #86305
    mitchmaine
    Participant

    Sappi in skowhegon is doing ok, but they aren’t letting any new guys in. verso in jay is down to one load of pulp a month and none for oct. and november. They paid pretty good money for spruce and fir, but its all softwood now. rumford is taking one load of softwood to every four of hardwood pulp, but no pine. The chip crews are on quotas. And log prices are down $50 on pine but still buying. So it’s the stumpage that takes the hit.
    Back in the 60’s, they still had boxwood and bolt mills around sawing box shook, and trapstock and shoe last, pallats and pulpwood too. The sky was the limit and you could cut anything you wanted. Never seen it this bad.
    I’m worried about leaving topwood behind. Especially with the animals. It doesn’t rot down like the limbwood or hardwood tops, and I’m worried about having to wade thru that crap next go around. Gonna be a long hard winter.good luck out there……….mitch

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.