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