>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Boise Cascade announced today it has curtailed curtail one shift at its Kettle Falls, Wash., lumber facility.

The curtailment, which went into effect Wednesday, impacts approximately 23 employees, Boise said. The layoffs will be in effect for an indefinite period of time.

Tom Insko, region manager for Boise Cascade’s Inland Region, stated that the downturn in the lumber market is projected to persist into the foreseeable future.

“This market downturn is worse than any of us initially anticipated and we fear it will last much longer than we originally expected,” Insko said.

He said the housing crisis is the primary cause for the softness in wood product prices. The broader economic downturn is contributing to the expectation that markets will remain poor for a long period of time.

Troy Little, production manager for Kettle Falls operations, echoed Insko’s statements.

“The Kettle Falls lumber facility is an important part of our Inland operations, but we must respond to current market dynamics to ensure future success,” he said.

Little said the impact of the curtailment on employees and their families is unfortunate.

 “We had hoped to get past this downturn without significant curtailments, but the distressed state of the pine lumber business dictates otherwise,” he said.

Boise Cascade recently announced an indefinite shift curtailment at its La Grande lumber facility. Thirty workers also were laid off at the particleboard plant near Island City.

Poor product markets coupled with high log costs due to limited supply were reasons given for the cutbacks.

The company has also been taking intermittent downtime at its stud mill in Elgin, and expects this to continue until markets improve. 

Boise, headquartered in Boise, Idaho, manufactures engineered wood products, plywood, lumber and particleboard and distributes a broad line of building materials, including wood products manufactured by the company. 

In addition to the Kettle Falls facility, Boise’s Inland Region includes the La Grande sawmill, the particleboard plant and the stud mill and plywood plant in Elgin.