COLUMBIA FALLS, MT – Plum Creek announced it will indefinitely close its Evergreen stud sawmill and Evergreen stud remanufacturing plant on June 26. The closings will cost 63 employees their jobs.

According to a Plum Creek press release, a slight improvement in prices for pine boards manufactured at its Columbia Falls sawmill is expected to provide sufficient revenue to continue to operate the mill as long as operating costs also are reduced. To achieve this outcome, the current workforce of 130 will decrease by 23 employees effective June 26.  The decision to continue to operate this mill over time will be based on ongoing reviews of market conditions and the economic performance of the facility.

The Evergreen stud sawmill re-started on May 4, operating one- and one-half shifts after being curtailed since January 2009. The Evergreen remanufacturing facility has been running with one shift. The Columbia Falls pine board sawmill re-started in early March after a two-month shutdown and will continue to operate with one- and one-half shifts.

“The company’s manufacturing business has been hard hit by industry turbulence over the past several months,” said Rick Holley, Plum Creek president and CEO. “We have done everything possible to keep these facilities running, but improving efficiencies was not enough for our Evergreen stud operations given the current markets.”

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