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Pacific Lumber opens first major
California sawmill in a decade
November 17, 2004
Associated Press
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Scotia, California - Pacific Lumber Co. unveiled its new
state-of-the-art sawmill in Humboldt County on Wednesday, the first
major sawmill built in California in a decade.
The $25 million facility, which can process logs two to three times
faster than standard mills, will reduce waste, boost productivity and
improve worker safety, company officials said. State and community
leaders were invited to tour the facility during a dedication ceremony
in Scotia, about 30 miles south of Eureka.
When operating at full capacity, the new facility will process 260
million board feet of finished lumber each year, making it one of the
country's most productive sawmills.
"It's the foundation for the company's growth, and it represents
the future," said Robert Manne, the company's president and CEO.
For years, Pacific Lumber has been criticized by environmentalists for
cutting down old-growth trees that are home to threatened species such
as the spotted owl and the northern marbled murrelet.
The new facility is designed to process smaller, second-growth trees,
Manne said. "We are no longer an old-growth company," he
said.
The high-tech mill uses computer software to maximize the value of
each log based on market prices and customer preferences. Logs are
mapped with lasers and computers, then automatically milled, graded
and sorted. The wood waste is used to generate electricity at a
32-megawatt power plant on the sawmill site.
About 130 employees currently work at the new mill, a number
that will increase to about 260 next year. The company owns
and operates three mills, including the new Scotia facility. In
February, the company opened a $5 million planing facility, where its
wood products are finished.
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