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Big River Sawmill utilizing Prince Albert Sawmill

Mar 12, 2014 | 6:34 AM

Despite the Prince Albert Sawmill being shut down in January of this year, Carrier Forest Products, owner of the mill, is still utilizing the site.

Bill Kordyban, president of Carrier, said they are using the Prince Albert Sawmill as a reloading site for their Big River Sawmill.

“There is lumber coming in from Big River because there’s no rail in Big River and in order to get the finished product onto rail there is a rail line in Prince Albert,” he said.

So the company is brining lumber from Big River to Prince Albert to be loaded.

Kordyban said they are hoping to start production again at the Prince Albert Sawmill sometime this fall.

When it comes to the Big River Sawmill he said they are planning on having a second shift in place by the end of this month.

“We’re a little delayed; we’re having trouble filling a couple of spots, but hopefully at the end of the month we’ll have the second shift going in Big River.”

“Right now what we’re doing is focusing our main efforts on the Big River mill, it’s quite a bit bigger facility, the fiber consumption is a lot greater, it’s a much larger operation at Big River, so that’s where we’re focusing all our efforts right now.”

With the addition of the second shift at Big River the mill should be at full production late this month, employing around 80 people.

“Everything is going according to plan and things are looking good,” he said.

swallace@panow.com

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