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Interfor Corp., Burnaby, B.C., plans to reduce its lumber production by approximately 175 million bd. ft. between May and September of 2024, representing just under 10% of its normal operating stance.
The temporary curtailments will impact all of Interfor’s operating regions, including the U.S. South, through a combination of reduced operating hours, prolonged holiday breaks, reconfigured shifting schedules and extended maintenance shutdowns.
The curtailments are in response to persistently weak market conditions.
“Benchmark lumber prices have continued to weaken since the beginning of the year, from already unsustainably low levels, as available supply has outstripped product demand,” said Ian Fillinger, Interfor’s president and CEO. “This action will help bring Interfor’s production and the needs of our customers back into balance. It will also help to keep inventory levels in check as we move into the summer.”
The move follows Interfor’s Feb. 15 announcement to indefinitely curtail its sawmill operations in Philomath, Or. The Philomath sawmill had an annual production capacity of 220 million bd. ft. and ceased operations and shipments at the end of March.
The company will continue to monitor market conditions across all of its operations and adjust its production plans accordingly.
Interfor is a growth-oriented forest products company with operations in Canada and the United States. The company has annual lumber production capacity of approximately 5.0 billion bd. ft. and offers a diverse line of lumber products to customers around the world.
