Starting immediately and for the foreseeable future CLB Media is suspending the print production of three of its five Baum Wood Group titles and moving them to online-only. Specialty Wood Journal, Mill Product News and Logging Management were purchased by CLB Media in March, 2007 from Henri Baum.

Specialty Wood Journal and Mill Product News were published bi-monthly and Logging Management was printed quarterly. “What is notable about the books is that they primarily serve the U.S. market,” says Niel Hiscox, vice-president of media publishing. “While we’re starting to see the foreshadowing of recovery in Canada, the U.S. market is still right on its back. In the case of the primary wood sector until the U.S. housing market comes back there is no indication of recovery in that market.”

The three books will be consolidated into one online brand at Woodbusiness.ca, says Hiscox. “I still hear from time to time that with this market people won’t go to the web for information,” he says. “Personally I don’t believe that. I don’t think that in 2009 there is a market where people aren’t going to the web for business-related information.”

One job was affected in the move : associate publisher John Chiasson was let go. But Hiscox notes that he is looking for a sales person with online expertise.

Also at the Baum Wood Group Hiscox says the quarterly Canadian Kitchen and Bath will be cut back to two issues in the 2010 plan.