2025 Hardwood Lumber
BENCHMARKING STUDY AND COMPETITIVE ASSESSMENT
Project Lead: Roy Anderson roya@beckgroupconsulting.com #503-684-3406
In partnership with The National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA), the Beck Group plans to lead an independent, data-driven benchmarking of hardwood sawmills and concentration yards across North America.
The study will compare the participants performance based data from calendar year 2025. Each company will complete and submit a spreadsheet workbook developed by BECK. The data will be organized into categories to allow for comparison and calculation of value for each metric.
Beck’s benchmarking studies allow participating companies to anonymously compare their operation to similar operations on a variety of metrics including costs, staffing levels, yields, sales realizations, and more. Participants will receive a written report summarizing the results and our staff's interpretation of the results with emphasis on the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunity areas for mills.
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Read more about the program plan below.
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Sign up to speak to our team about participation using this form --->
What is a competitive assessment study? A competitive assessment study compares sawmills against each other on a variety of key financial and operational metrics including costs, staffing, yields, productivity rates, product mix, and more. Since no two companies track information in the same way, BECK has developed a framework so that metrics like costs, staffing, etc. can allow for comparisons among participating mills that are as “apples to apples” as possible.
What year of data will be collected for the study? This competitive assessment will be based on calendar year 2025.
How would my team collect and submit data for the study? BECK will develop a spreadsheet with questions to answer, and will be available to help as needed.
What are the key metrics the data will be organized into? The categories include financial and cost information, staffing and productivity, lumber production and sales realization, lumber recovery and log resource information, saw kerf and technology, and other miscellaneous factors.
Who else will be in the study? We are hoping to have as many as 70 sawmills and concentration yards participating in the study.
What is the cost to be in the study? Cost is to be determined depending on external funding. NHLA membership standing and/or desire for a customized review could affect the cost.
What will I learn from participating? BECK will provide written reports specific to all participating mills, to include discussion and summarizing quantitative data.
What is the timeline for participation? Sign up at no obligation now! Recruitment efforts will continue thru 2026 Quarter 1 . Data collection of the calendar year 2025 data for participants will commence in 2026 Quarter 2 . Data Analysis performed by BECK in 2026 Quarter 3. Study Results will be published prior to the 2026 NHLA national convention.