A 2015 article from Jacksonville.com mentioned that the timber industry in northeast Florida was doing really well back then.
However, recent news in a Warn letter raises doubts about this. A timber company is closing one of its plants in Florida and letting go of workers.
About West Fraser Timber: This company, started by brothers in 1955, makes lumber, engineered wood, pulp, newsprint, and other lumber byproducts. It’s a big company with 60 facilities in the United States, Canada, the UK, and Europe, known as “America’s largest lumber producer” by The Wall Street Journal.
Closing in Florida: As of a January 9, 2024 press release, the company is shutting down its Maxville, Florida facility, affecting about 80 employees. The company blamed high fiber costs and a tough market for the facility’s closure.
Employees at the Maxville plant will get pay and benefits for sixty days as they face permanent termination, according to a WARN letter dated January 9, 2024.
Most affected are hourly workers like forklift operators and millwrights, as well as salaried employees including supervisors and managers.
Similar Layoffs Before: In the fall of 2023, the Foley Paper Mill in north Florida closed, leading to almost 2,000 job losses, as reported by The Tallahassee Democrat. The closure also caused loggers to start laying off workers, as mentioned in an October 2023 article.
