Boise Cascade is reinforcing its executive ranks as the U.S. housing market cools and demand for building materials softens.
The Idaho-based engineered wood manufacturer and national distributor has announced that Rob Johnson is the company’s next senior vice president of manufacturing for its wood products division. He replaces Chris Seymour, who has left the company.
Since joining Boise Cascade in 2014, Johnson has held roles in operations, engineering, and most recently managed sales and marketing for engineered wood products. He will now oversee more than 18 manufacturing sites and report to wood products executive vice president Troy Little.
“Rob’s experience in manufacturing operations, strong leadership, and commitment to our company’s values make him the right person to lead our manufacturing team,” Little said.
The announcement follows Boise Cascade’s first quarter financial performance, which showed a year-over-year decline due to weaker housing starts, weather disruptions, and factory downtime—particularly at its veneer and plywood mill.
“We delivered solid results during the quarter when considering an environment influenced by constrained demand, difficult weather, and planned downtime,” CEO Nate Jorgensen said on the May earnings call based on a transcript from SeekingAlpha.com.
For the quarter ending March 31, Boise Cascade reported sales of $1.53 billion, a decrease of 7% from sales of $1.64 billion in the first quarter of 2024. Net income was $40.3 million compared with net income of $104.1 million in Q1 of the prior year.
The downturn has affected both core manufacturing and distribution. Boise Cascade’s Wood Products segment saw price drops in plywood, particleboard, and related goods, while its distribution arm—which operates more than 35 U.S. centers—also experienced tight margins despite stable volume, the company said.
Analysts in the broader softwood and housing market express caution. A recent Forest Credit East report noted: “Following a three‑year decline, North American housing and softwood markets are showing signs of recovery in early 2025,” but conceded that “softwood markets remain weak” and that the segment has yet to fully rebound
Boise Cascade has pointed to its disciplined operations, liquidity, and investment strategy as crucial buffers, emphasizing its capacity to weather the slowdown.
“We remained both steady and agile,” Jorgensen reiterated, “continuing to deliver superior value to our customer and vendor partners.”
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