Interfor To Shut Down Two Washington Operations Citing Market Conditions
Citing tough market conditions and a challenging fiber supply, Interfor announced Tuesday that it will curtail operations at its Beaver sawmill and at its planer in Forks. The Beaver operation will wrap at the end of the day Friday. Interfor’s planer in Forks, which works hand-in-hand with the sawmill, will run for an additional seven to 10 business days to process remaining inventories before shutting down as well.
The shutdown affects 52 employees at the Beaver sawmill and another 38 workers in Forks. The shutdown is temporary, the company said, without providing a date for resuming operations. The shutdown will remain in effect indefinitely until market conditions change, company officials said.
“Our Olympic Peninsula operations have been caught between difficult market conditions and a challenging fiber supply that is further aggravated by the impacts from log exports,” said Steve Kroll, Interfor’s general manager for Washington operations. “The mill at Beaver has been particularly hard hit and has been running on a 40-hour-per-week schedule, which is difficult to maintain,” Kroll said.
Karen Brandt, director of public affairs for Interfor Corp. in Vancouver, B.C., said the company will continue to monitor market conditions and restart its West End operations “when it’s feasible.” Interfor’s West End operations were curtailed for about a month last year for the same market-driven reasons, Brandt said.
The company will continue to operate the Interfor Pacific mill west of Port Angeles, which employs about 120. “Port Angeles will continue to run as is right now,” Brandt said.
From the Peninsula Daily News: peninsuladailynews.com.
RELATED ARTICLES
Interfor Purchases Four Sawmills From GP
Interfor Is Purchasing WestRock Summerville Sawmill
Interfor Lays Off Gilchrist Staff
Latest News
Georgia-Pacific Begins Construction On $135 Million Georgia Mill
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1548381510056-0’); }); American wood products firm Georgia-Pacific held an event last Monday to mark the commencement of construction on its new, $135 million softwood lumber plant in Warrenton, GA. Replacing an aging plant…
New Strength And Safety Tests Pit Timber Against Concrete And Steel
Thanks to innovative construction materials like cross-laminated timber (CLT) and laminated veneer lumber (LVL), wooden buildings are no longer mere houses made of sticks. Attracted by the aesthetic and environmental benefits of timber, structural engineers…
Alabama’s Westervelt Co. Announces New SYP Sawmill
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1548381510056-0’); }); The Westervelt Co. announced the construction of a new lumber mill in Thomasville that will create 125 jobs. The Tuscaloosa-based company said in a news release that the Thomasville facility will…
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.