Millar Western sells Boyle sawmill to Northland Forest Products

By Bill Esler

January 3, 2016 | 2:41 pm CST

boyle sawmill, Millar Western, Northland

EDMONTON, Alberta - Millar Western Forest Products says it sold its Boyle sawmill operations to Northland Forest Products, effective December 22, 2015, for $30 million plus working capital.

The Boyle sawmill was already scheduled for a shut down next month and severance notices were issued to its employees in November 2015. The sale, however, does not mean the workers will keep their jobs, because no timber supply was scheduled for the plant.

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"As no logging will be conducted for Boyle this harvest season, the phased shutdown of the operation will be proceeding as previously announced. Millar staff will process existing log and lumber inventories in the December – February timeframe previously advised, and Millar Western will provide severance packages to employees as the sawmill, planer mill and site activities are wound down," said Janet Millar, director of communications for Millar Western.

Northland President Howard Ewashko called the Boyle operation "a good strategic fit for Northland Forest Products. We are very pleased to have this opportunity to grow our business and enhance our fiber security."

"Since purchasing and reopening this facility in 1994, Millar Western has appreciated the strong support of our employees, families, contractors and neighbors in Boyle. We are pleased the operation will be transferred to a well-run, family-owned organization," said Millar Western President and CEO Craig Armstrong.

Privately held Millar Western is headquartered in Edmonton and operates a high-yield pulp mill in Whitecourt and dimension lumber mills in Whitecourt and Fox Creek, Alberta. Northland Forest Products operates a dimension lumber mill near Fort McMurray, Alberta.

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