West Fraser Declares COVID-19 Response Plan

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. announced COVID-19 response plan aimed at protecting its employees and responding to changing market conditions. The company has announced a series of actions and has implemented major changes to its work schedule.

Effective March 23, 2020, the lumber production at western Canada sawmills will be reduced by nearly 18%. Also, production at the company’s U.S. South sawmills will see reduction of around 24%. The actions will include reduced operating hours, elimination of overtime and shifts and curtailment of operations. The temporary reductions are likely to extend until first week of April this year.

Also, plywood production at Quesnel plywood facility will remain suspended from March 23 until at least April 6. The weekly plywood production by the company will be reduced by 5,000 square feet.

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West Fraser announced that the previously announced maintenance shutdown at the Cariboo Pulp and Paper Mill has been deferred. Also, the company intends to cut the planned capital spending for the current year by $75 million.

The situation is closely monitored and further potential steps will be evaluated as situation unfolds, said news release issued by the company.