Reopening of the Ear Falls sawmill "imminent"

Rick Doman, President and CEO of Eacom Timber Corporation, talked recently with the Dryden Observer about the future of the idled Ear Falls, Ontario sawmill.

Eacom Timber recently acquired the sawmill when the company purchased Domtar's wood products division. Doman said the Ear Falls sawmill is a higher cost to operate, but the management team, led by Jean-François Mérette, will work on how best to address this issue. Doman predicts the mill can be upgraded to make it globally competitive so it can run in a more sustainable manner.

The purchase still in its regulatory approval process, Eacom Timber will not be able to take action until the process is complete in late June or early July. After that, Doman doesn't expect there will be any difficulty with the wood rights in the area. CEP union contracts are still in place and Doman is eager to build a relationship with the CEP and its members to get the mill operating as soon as possible.

Although there are rumours circulating the mill is being purchased just to ship the inventory to other facilities, Doman ensures that these are just rumours.

“We have no plans to not operate the mill, and we have no plans to sell off or move off equipment. We like the operation as it is and are excited to get it going.”

Source:

Restart likely for Ear Falls sawmill (The Dryden Observer)