COLUMBIA FALLS, MT – Plum Creek Timber Co. Inc. announced that it restarted its sawmill in Columbia Falls on March 16, bringing approximately 140 workers back to the mill to work one and one-half shifts. This is in response to a recent improvement in one segment of the wood products industry.
While the overall market remains weak, an uptick in customer demand for pine boards allows the company to resume production at the mill.
“We are watching for signs of improvement in the wood products markets and see a modest gain in the demand for pine boards in the repair and remodel market,” said Tom Ray, vice president, Montana operations. “The recent positive trend in pine board demand will let us bring some people in Columbia Falls back to work. However, the broader housing market remains weak.”
Plum Creek’s Ksanka sawmill in Fortine, as announced in January, is scheduled to close permanently. The mill sawed the final logs on March 12. The planer will continue to run until March 24. The sawmill in Evergreen, which has been temporarily curtailed since January, is not scheduled to re-open before late April 2009.
While the overall market remains weak, an uptick in customer demand for pine boards allows the company to resume production at the mill.
“We are watching for signs of improvement in the wood products markets and see a modest gain in the demand for pine boards in the repair and remodel market,” said Tom Ray, vice president, Montana operations. “The recent positive trend in pine board demand will let us bring some people in Columbia Falls back to work. However, the broader housing market remains weak.”
Plum Creek’s Ksanka sawmill in Fortine, as announced in January, is scheduled to close permanently. The mill sawed the final logs on March 12. The planer will continue to run until March 24. The sawmill in Evergreen, which has been temporarily curtailed since January, is not scheduled to re-open before late April 2009.
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