Roseburg Forest Products will close its Missoula plant this Friday. It’s the last particleboard operation in Roseburg’s portfolio and nearly 160 people will lose their jobs.
In a March 20 press release, Roseburg said the closure is the final step in the company’s plan to exit the competitive particleboard manufacturing business.
Spokesperson Rebecca Taylor says, “The manufacturing platform is much older, much less modern and much less efficient. As a result, it was very difficult for us to compete with these newer plants.”
Roseburg says it will now focus on manufacturing other products including MDF, engineered wood, plywood and lumber.
Wednesday’s development comes after another major closure in Montana’s wood products manufacturing sector. The owners of Pyramid Mountain Lumber in Seeley Lake announced just last week they too are closing, leaving approximately 100 people without jobs. They said the facility was crippled by labor shortages, a lack of affordable housing, inflation and lumber prices.
Rebecca Taylor said Roseburg’s decision is unrelated to Pyramid’s plan to close. She says cost of living did limit their hiring options but equipment costs were the main factor.
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Missoula County’s last traditional lumber mill is shutting down after 75 years in business. Pyramid Mountain Lumber’s owners said they can no longer weather the current economy.
