BRITISH COLUMBIA - Interfor Corp., one of Canada's leading lumber producers and among the largest lumber companies in the world, will curtail production at three of its sawmills in British Columbia.

 

The temporary reduction is the result of weak lumber prices and high log costs, said Interfor. Production will be reduced by around 20 million board feet over the month of May.

 

British Columbia - Canada's largest lumber-producing province - exported just over 514 million board feet of lumber to the U.S. in October 2018, down from 645 million board feet from the same time 2017. Many Canadian lumber leaders have taken a hit - including West Fraser, Canfor, and Conifex - and restricted lumber production, with West Fraser and Canfor curtailing production more than once.

 

Interfor operates five sawmills in British Columbia, five mills in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, and seven sawmills in the U.S. Southeast. Total manufacturing output reaches more than 3 billion board feet of lumber each year. Interfor employs 3,400 workers.

 

Interfor has three sawmills in the B.C. Interior, with total annual capacity of approximately 750 million board feet.