As the US softwood lumber duties continue to bite Canadian companies are taking action to lessen the blow.
International Forest Products (Interfor) is moving a cedar milling operation to the US. It says its Fort Langley cedar products mill is currently paying about C$800,000 a month in US duties for exporting products south of the border. Relocation of the mill had already been planned because of re-development of the site but the taxes ruled out another location in Canada.
A total of 56 workers have been made redundant and the mill will cease operation from November 30. Further layoffs could be made at Interfor’s Albion remanufacturing plant in Maple Ridge, which supplies Fort Langley’s primary lumber.
At the same time Tembec has announced it is reducing its white pine operations in Mattawa, Ontario to one shift and, to counterbalance this, will step up its hardwood production.
The company said it is also laying off 65 people due to low prices and US duties.
