(Editor: Leona)

Wood products are one of 18 industries showing signs of growth in the new year, according to a new report by the Manufacturing Institute for Supply Management. However, issues with suppliers have caused a slowdown in the import and export of wood and furniture.

According to the report the West Coast dock slowdown continues to be a problem, negatively impacting exports and imports, as well as inventories. According to wood products manufacturers surveyed by ISM, "Chinese New Year, West Coast port dock slowdowns, coupled with railroad embargo are all creating logistical challenges and increased backlog of orders."

Those logistical challenges are part of a supply issue for furniture manufacturers who reported slower supplier deliveries in January, down 5.7 percent from December. Furniture manufacturers reported growth in imports and a decrease in exports for January, according to the report.

In addition to a slowdown at the docks, furniture manufacturers reported an overall decrease in new orders during the month of January. Orders from wood products manufacturers remained the same, the report said. However, representatives of both the furniture and wood products industries reported higher inventories for the month of January.

The survey shows the wood products manufacturers reported a greater backlog of orders in January, while the furniture industry reported a decrease in backlog orders.

The ISM report is a survey of manufacturing supply managers across 18 separate industries, including wood products and furniture manufacturers. The report shows 20 consecutive months of economic growth in the manufacturing industries.