Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
Weyerhaeuser Company has announced the closure of its Bauman sawmill, west of Sweet Home, on March 30, affecting approximately 70 employees.
The mill’s planer, which employs approximately 50 persons, will continue to operate.
Employees who are being laid off will have access to a range of information and services, including area employment services, counseling and information about opportunities within Weyerhaeuser.
For those who do not find other jobs within Weyerhaeuser, the company will provide closure benefits consistent with company policy and the applicable union agreements. The mill is represented by the International Association of Machinist and Aerospace workers (IAM).
“Our first priority is safety and supporting the people who will be affected by this closure,” said Rob Taylor, Weyerhaeuser’s lumber technologies vice president.
“Our associates work diligently to make certain our mill is safe and competitive. They have earned our appreciation and will be treated with respect and dignity throughout this process.”
Taylor said the announcement is a reflection of today’s challenging business environment.
“The decision to close the mill reflects the company’s business plan to ensure each of its manufacturing operations remains competitive and is in the best position to serve its customer base,” Taylor said.
“Because this mill processes only large Douglas fir logs that are becoming increasingly difficult to purchase and because the timber market is being eroded by more cost-effective alternative-engineered lumber products, we made the decision to close the mill after careful consideration of all the options.”
Those logs are getting more difficult to buy, said company spokesman Mike Moscovitz. The large Douglas fir timbers used to make beams and stringers at that mill are facing competition from products such as laminated beams, which use smaller logs.
In the case of the engineered beams, made from pieces of logs, the end product is structurally stronger than a solid fir timber.
The facility, built in the late 1940s, produces timbers and dimensional lumber for residential and commercial construction.
Weyerhaeuser closed its Lebanon Log Yard and Lebanon Lumber facilities in Lebanon in August, affecting approximately 60 employees.
The decision to close the sawmill is not related to Weyerhaeuser’s plans to construct a new mill, which will employ approximately 125 persons, at the same site, Moscovitz said.
The new mill will produce 2x4s and 2x6s instead of beams, Moscovitz said.
Weyerhaeuser plans to begin operations in the new mill during the first quarter of 2008.
Weyerhaeuser currently operates lumber mills in eight states and four provinces in Canada.
Weyerhaeuser Company, one of the world’s largest integrated forest products companies, was incorporated in 1900. In 2005, sales were $22.6 billion.
It has offices or operations in 18 countries, with customers worldwide.
Weyerhaeuser is principally engaged in the growing and harvesting of timber; the manufacture, distribution and sale of forest products; and real estate construction, development and related activities.
Additional information about Weyerhaeuser’s businesses, products and practices is available at http://www.weyerhaeuser.com.