Tolko products. (file photo/Vernon Matters Staff)

By Pete McIntyre

low demand

Tolko mills stay shut down for another month

Jan 23, 2023 | 3:21 PM

Tolko Industries is not ready to re-open its Armstrong and Soda Creek (Williams Lake) lumber divisions.

The Vernon-based company has announced the downtime at those operations will continue through the month of February.

The downtime was originally scheduled to last for the month of January, but has been extended.

“We do not make these decisions lightly,” Troy Connolly, vice president of solid wood said. “We have an extremely committed workforce at these operations whose families and communities rely on Tolko. We will continue to support our employees during this challenging time.”

The temporary curtailments will reduce production by approximately 35 million board feet of stud lumber.

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“High log costs and weak lumber markets continue to impact our operating footprint in the province,” Connolly explained. “While we strive to ensure consistency and stability for all of our operations, the upward cost pressures in the province combined with the notable decline in lumber demand make the decision necessary.”

In the meantime, operations will resume this week at Tolko’s White Valley (Lumby) and Armstrong plywood divisions.

“These locations were forced to take downtime due to a Dec. 28 substation fire, which caused an ongoing power outage at Armstrong Plywood and Armstrong Lumber,” a news release stated. “Temporary repairs to the substation are complete, and teams are working through the process of restarting.”