Columbia Forest Products to re-open Rutherglen hardwood veneer plant
19 January 2016Citing improving markets for rotary hardwood veneer in North America, Gary Gillespie, vice president of Columbia Forest Products’ Northern Operations, has announced that Columbia is in the intermediate stages of preparing for a re-opening of the company’s plant in Rutherglen, Ontario.
The facility was shut down back in 2010.
Officials say the facility was a victim of economic downturn and the dramatic increase of imports of birch-faced panels from China into the US and Canada.
"We have been anxiously awaiting the moment when we could announce that it was time to fire up the boilers and bring folks back to work at the Rutherglen facility," stated Mr Gillespie.
The addition of the Rutherglen production output will bolster Columbia's position as the leading supplier of rotary-peeled birch, maple and red oak hardwood veneer to the hardwood plywood stock panel business in North America.
Columbia is investing approximately US$1.5m with the facility in preparation of a late Q1, 2016 restart.
This investment in Ontario comes on the heels of a US$15m investment in their hardwood plywood plant in Hearst, Ontario earlier this year.
Established in 1957, Columbia Forest Products is America's largest manufacturer of decorative hardwood plywood and hardwood veneer. An employee-owned company, it operates facilities throughout North America.
