Roseburg Forest Products to close panel plant in Mississippi

Apr 14, 2009. /Lesprom Network/. Roseburg Forest Products plans to close its wood panel cut-to-size operation in Eupora, Mississippi, on May 8. The facility employs approximately 25 people, as The Webster Progress-Times informed Lesprom Network. Darrell Keeling, vice president of composites manufacturing for Roseburg, explained that the need for the closure stemmed from changes in the customer base for the plant. "Our 2 major customers have decided to take their cut-to-size needs in-house, and we simply cannot replace that volume of business." Mayor Tommy Lott said he also understood that high transportation costs were among contributing factors leading to the company's decision. The Eupora mill was among six that Georgia-Pacific sold in 2006 to Roseburg, which also has mills in Louisville, Oxford and Taylorsville. Employees will receive a severance and two will remain through the end of July, according to the mayor. Roseburg officials have asked the Mississippi state dislocated workers' unit for assistance with retraining and employment. The agency will be on-site later this month to help employees with finding future employment. Roseburg Forest Products, based in Roseburg, Ore., is a family-owned manufacturer of lumber, composites, softwood plywood, engineered wood products and specialty panels. It has land and facilities in the northwest and southeast United States.