Neiman to acquire Interfor's Gilchrist sawmill, restart production
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HULETT, Wyo. and VANCOUVER, B.C. - Neiman Enterprises Inc. announced it has entered into an agreement to purchase Interfor Corp.'s specialty sawmill located in Gilchrist, Oregon.

Terms of the acquisition, announced last week, were not provided. The transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Interfor curtailed operations at the Gilchrist specialty sawmill in June, citing COVID-19 and related economic factors. Prior to the curtailment, the mill produced approximately 80 million board feet of ponderosa pine lumber per year and employed approximately 150 people.

“This transaction represents a significant step for the Neiman group of companies,” said Jim Neiman, president and CEO of Neiman Enterprises Inc. “We anticipate restarting the mill in short order. Interfor’s continued support of their employees throughout this transition should be commended and we look forward to partnering with the employees and community to ensure the long-term success of this historic operation.”

Neiman said the Gilchrist location will complement the company's existing sawmills and allow it to further expand its customer base for high-quality ponderosa pine lumber products. Based in Hulett, Wyoming, Neiman Enterprises Inc. has facilities in the Black Hills; Devil’s Tower Forest Products in Hulett, Wyoming, Rushmore Forest Products in Hill City, South Dakota, and Spearfish Forest Products in Spearfish, South Dakota. Neiman Enterprises also operates a premium stud sawmill in Montrose, Colorado.

Interfor (TSX: IFP) continuees to own and operate three U.S. Northwest stud mills located in Molalla, Oregon, Longview, Washington and Port Angeles, Washington. Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Interfor has operations in Canada and the United States, with an annual production capacity of approximately 3.0 billion board feet.

“After a careful review of the potential future options for the mill, we believe the sale to Neiman offers the best long-term outcome for our employees and the surrounding communities,” said Andrew Horahan, Interfor’s vice president of Western Operations. “I want to thank all of the employees at the Gilchrist operation for their understanding and patience over the last few months.”

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Karen Koenig | Editor

Karen M. Koenig has more than 30 years of experience in the woodworking industry, including visits to wood products manufacturing facilities throughout North America, Europe and Asia. As editor of special publications under the Woodworking Network brand, including the Red Book Best Practices resource guide and website, Karen’s responsibilities include writing, editing and coordinating of editorial content. She is also a contributor to FDMC and other Woodworking Network online and print media owned by CCI Media. She can be reached at [email protected]