West Fraser Announces Major Production Adjustments

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster):  West Fraser declared production adjustments in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The company has decided to further reduce its SPF production by 30 to 40 million board feet of production per week with effect from April 6th. West Fraser had earlier announced reduction in SYF production as well. Meantime, the power generation assets at Canadian sawmill sites will continue to operate as usual.

West Fraser has decided to adjust plywood production at its three manufacturing sites on an ongoing basis, effective April 6th. It expects to continue with curtailments of at least 5,000 msf of plywood output. Also, the company has decided to reduce operating hours in order to cut MDF and LVL production.

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Starting April 20th, the company will take approximately four weeks of downtime at its Cariboo Pulp and Paper joint venture pulp mill. This will reduce NBSK production by 30,000 tonnes, out of which West Fraser’s share would be 15,000 tonnes. The downtime is mainly on account of shortage of fiber due to widespread sawmill curtailments in the region. The Cariboo cogeneration facility will continue to operate during this period, West Fraser press release noted.