Blaze Destroys Part Of Arkansas Sawmill
An early New Year’s Day fire destroyed a major component of a sawmill in Bearden that is the Ouachita County community’s largest employer. But the Anthony Timberlands Inc. pine sawmill and its 215 employees will be working by next week, the company’s president, Steven M. Anthony, said.
The fire was discovered about 12:30 a.m., about 30 minutes after a private security firm had made its hourly round of the sawmill property, he said. By the time an employee discovered the fire, it was fully involved, Anthony said. The fire was contained by 2 a.m. and “pretty much out” by 4 a.m., he said.
Fire departments from Camden, Fordyce, Harmony Grove and East Camden assisted Bearden volunteer firefighters in extinguishing the blaze. Authorities hadn’t established how the fire began.
“We’re not even sure where it started,” Anthony said. The fire destroyed the part of the sawmill called the band mill, the main department for breaking down large logs, according to a news release. Its operation employs a dozen people and accounts for about 15 percent of total mill production.
A newer processing facility for small logs, called the sharp chain mill, was undamaged, the news release said.
From Arkansas Online: arkansasonline.com.
Latest News
Weyerhaeuser Enhances Coastal Holdings
Weyerhaeuser Co. entered into two agreements with Forest Investment Associates to divest 69,600 acres in upstate South Carolina for $170 million, and to purchase 60,700 acres of high-quality timberlands in coastal North Carolina, South Carolina and Mississippi for $163 million…
Boise Cascade Curtails Chapman Sawmill
Boise Cascade announced an indefinite curtailment of its lumber production in Chapman, Ala. The curtailment will affect 80 positions. The plywood operations at the Chapman location are not part of the curtailment. Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notification was provided to impacted employees and specifies that operations will cease on January 28, 2024…
WWPA’s Mathews Leaves A Legacy
James R. Mathews, known by most as Jim, was a WWPA Lumber Inspector and Master Lumberman, but is most remembered by his colleagues and those in the industry as a great friend and mentor. He died at the age of 74. Mathews spent 42 years working in the lumber industry. He began his career with Weyerhaeuser Co., Klamath Falls, Oregon in 1970. He worked in most of the planer mill positions until moving into the lumber grading department as a student grader in 1972…
WWPA Opens 2024 Master Lumberman Nominations
WWPA is now seeking nominations for its 2024 Master Lumberman honors, to be presented at the WWPA Annual Meeting, April 15, 2024. Master Lumberman is the industry’s highest career achievement recognition for lumber manufacturing and quality control employees working in Western sawmills…
Find Us On Social
Newsletter
The monthly Timber Processing Industry Newsletter reaches over 4,000 mill owners and supervisors.
Subscribe/Renew
Timber Processing is delivered 10 times per year to subscribers who represent sawmill ownership, management and supervisory personnel and corporate executives. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.
Advertise
Complete the online form so we can direct you to the appropriate Sales Representative.