Tolko Curtailments Hit Quesnel and Williams Lake

By 250 News

Tolko has announced  some temporary  curtailments  at  all four of its Cariboo lumber operations.

A minimum two-week curtailment will begin March 3, affecting more than 1,100 direct and contractor employees at three mills in Williams Lake  and one in Quesnel. Nearly 40 million board feet, or one billion board feet on an annual basis, will be removed from the marketplace.

“These decisions are never easy and they are even more difficult when our employees, mills and contractors have performed so well,” says Rob Fraser, General Manager, Cariboo and Alberta Lumber. “Unfortunately, the current economic conditions do not support the continued operation of our mills at their current levels.”

A return to operation for all four mills will depend on market improvements.

2008 has  seen Tolko take  plenty of action.

January 10th,  Tolko announces temporary sawmill curtailment of it’s Manitoba division  between January 28 and February 8.  110 employees impacted

February  11th  Tolko  announces indefinite closure of High Prairie OSB mill  119 employees

February  18th  Tolko extends the downtime at  two panel operations in  Armstrong and White Valley ( near Vernon)  300 workers impacted

February  22nd, Tolko announces  curtailment  at  four Cariboo lumber operations,  1100 direct and indirect workers  impacted

In all cases, the curtailments or  closures  are being blamed on  poor market conditions.

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