Idaho Forest Group to Close St. Regis Lumber Mill This Fall

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Coeur d’Alene-based Idaho Forest Group (IFG) announced its decision to close the St.Regis mill. The lumber mill equipment will be mothballed by mid-November this year. The decision, which has already been conveyed to the workers, is likely to affect nearly 99 people at the mill. In addition, an equal number of indirect employees, including loggers, truckers and other contract workers would also be affected.

IFG had purchased the mill assets from TriCon Timber LLC, nearly four years back. Although, it had made some major investments in January last year, the mill had never been cost-competitive. The serious issued faced by the mill were more or less covered due to booming lumber market. However, with lumber prices back to normal levels, the mill operations have become economically unfeasible.

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Tom Schultz, IFG vice president for resources and government affairs announced that the workers are being informed about the opportunity to relocate across the border to fill nearly 40 available company vacancies in Idaho. In addition, it will also organize a job fair for the benefit of affected employees. Also, they will be provided the service of job counselling advisors in migrating to a new job, Schultz added.