News

MDF- Weyerhaeuser and Plum Creek Merges & Proteak begins MDF production

February 2016

Weyerhaeuser shareholders have approved the merger with Seattle based Plum Creek Timber Company. The pending merger was announced back in November 2015 is expected to be completed in early March.

Proteak MDF plant begins production in Tabasco, Mexico. Headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico, Proteak announced that the new plant’s annual capacity will be 280,000 m³.

Canada: Building Permits on the Rise for December 2015

February 2016

Canadian building permits rose 11.3% to $6.9 billion in December. Higher construction intentions for multi-family housing lead the advance in building permits for December. The value of permits issued for multi-family housing rose to $2.3 billion in December, a 39.1% increase following a 33.8% decline in November. Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia lead the reports of higher construction intentions. The value of single-family housing decreased 0.1% from November, remaining at a stable $2.3 billion for the fourth consecutive month.

Overall for 2015 the value of building permits totaled $85.0 billion, unchanged from 2014. Residential building permits were up 4.4% from the previous year to $53.2 billion in 2015. Non-residential sector declined 6.3% from 2014 to $31.8 billion in 2015.

canada buildings

U.S: New Residential Sales in December 2015

February 2016

Sales of new single-family housing in December 2015 increased 10.8% to 544,000 over the revised November rates of 491,000 according to estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is a 9.9% increase from the December 2014 estimate of 495,000.

New Residential Sales in November 2015

January 2016

For November 2015, sales of new single-family houses were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 490,000 according to the U.S Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is a 9.1% increase from November 2014 and 4.3% above the revised October rate of 470,000.

U.S Construction Spending Continues to Increase

January 2016

According to the U.S Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce construction spending during November 2015 was at a seasonally adjusted rate of $1,122.5 billion, a 0.4% decrease from the revised October 2015 estimate of $1,127.0 billion and a 10.5% increase from the November 2014 estimate of $1,016.1 billion.

Private construction spending was at a seasonally adjusted rate of $828.2 billion with residential construction at $427.9 billion and nonresidential construction at $400.3 billion.

During the first 11 months of 2015, construction spending within the U.S amounted to $1,011.9 billion which is 10.7% above the same period in 2014.

U.S Construction increases 13% in 2015

December 2015

According to the U.S Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce spending on construction during October 2015 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,107.4 billion, a 1% above the revised September estimate of $1,096.6 billion. The October 2015 figure is 13% above the October 2014 estimate of $979.6 billion.

During the first 10 months of this year, construction spending has increased 10.7% ($888.1 billion) from 2014 ($802.3 billion) during the same period. Residential construction is at a seasonally adjusted rate of $399.0 billion in October 2015, a 1% increase from the revised September estimate of $395.5 billion.

New Residential Sales in October 2015

December 2015

Sales of new single-family houses in October 2015 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 495,000, according to the U.S Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The adjusted rate for October 2015 is 10.7% above the revised September rate of 447,000 and is 4.9% above the October 2014 estimate of 472,000.0

Single-Family housing starts to rise double-digits

November 2015

The housing market has continued on an upward trend since the 2008 housing crisis. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is projecting single-family housing starts to increase 11% to 719,000 in 2015 over 2014. In 2016, production is expected to rise 27% to 914,000 new housing starts. The NAHB associates these increases to steady employment and economic growth along with attractive mortgage rates.

“This recovery is all about jobs,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “If people can get good jobs that pay decent incomes, the housing market will continue to move forward.”

However there are several factors that are hindering a more vigorous recovery. According to a NAHB survey of its members, 13% of builders reported cost and availability of labor as a significant problem in 2011 and that concern jumped to 61% in 2014. One-fifth of builders shared similar concerns regarding lots in 2001 and the increased dramatically to 61% in 2014. The increase in building material costs also remains a concern at 58% of those surveyed in 2014 compared to 33% in 2011.

The production of multi-family housing unfortunately has not had the same predicted growth as the single-family housing starts. With the production of multi-family units expected to increase 9% to 387,000 units this year but to have a 3% decline to 378,000 units in 2016.

As a whole, the U.S housing market has steadily improved however improvement pace has varied by region. The most successful recoveries are happening in North Dakota, Wyoming, Texas, Montana and Louisana. Other states exhibiting signs of strong employment and housing growth include South Carolina, Utah, Tennessee, Idaho, Oregon and North Carolina. While the improvement for states such as California, Arizona, Nevada, Florida and the industrial Midwest have been more difficult due to excessive price and production spikes during the 2008 crisis.

“We’ve gotten to the point in the recovery where we no longer have problems that came with the housing bust,” said NAHB Senior Economist Robert Denk. “It now is really a matter of housing markets reconnecting to the fundamental drivers, and that is employment.

Source: NAHB

Residential Sales in September 2015

November 2015

According to the US Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development the sale of new single-family houses were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 468,000 for September 2015. This is 11.5% decrease from the revised August 2015 rate of 529,000 but it is a 2% increase from the September 2014 estimate of 459,000.

For more information please visit: US Census Bureau

Synergy Thermal Foil’s New Location

October 2015

moved

Exciting things are happening at Synergy Thermal Foils, and we want to share some important news with you. Loyalty from customers like you has fueled continued growth, making a move to a new, larger facility necessary.Our move was not very far but it has allowed us to increase the the stock of your favorite STF designs and expand our current collection line. Please make note of our new unit number. Our office phone and fax numbers will remain the same. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the office at 954-420-9553 or by emailing info@synergythermofoils.com .

1673 SW 1st Way

Unit 4

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441 

Builder Confidence on the Rise

October 2015

riseBuilder confidence for newly constructed single-family homes increased one point to a level of 62 on the National Association of Home Builders/ Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This has been the highest rating since October 2005. NAHM is projecting about 1.1 million housing starts this year and the newest HMI report is consistent with the forecast. Two of the three HIM components had gains as well in September, the index measuring buyer traffic increased 2 points to 47, and the component gauging current sales conditions rose 1 point to 67.

The HMI is derived from a monthly survey at the National Association of Home Builders and gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations. Scores for each component are used to calculate seasonally adjusted index where numbers over 50 indicated that more builders view conditions as good than poor.

New Residential Sales in August 2015

October 2015

Sales of new single-family houses is once again on the rise for August 2015. With a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 552,000, according to the U.S Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is a 21.6% increase from August 2014 and a 5.7% increase from the revised July rate of 522,000.