West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. will permanently close its lumber mills in Augusta, Georgia and 100 Mile House, British Columbia by the end of 2025 following an orderly wind-down, according to the company.
The 100 Mile House mill is unable to access sufficient volumes of economically viable timber. The closure will affect 165 employees and reduce production capacity by 160 million board feet, as West Fraser confirms.
The Augusta, Georgia mill closure results from limited lumber demand and the loss of economically viable residual outlets. The site will lose 130 jobs and reduce capacity by 140 million board feet. West Fraser will seek to offer employment at other facilities for affected workers where positions are available, according to the company.
The company also confirms that the indefinite curtailments of its Huttig, Arkansas and Lake Butler, Florida lumber mills, first announced in 2024, are now permanent. Both mills will be dismantled and their sites sold. West Fraser adds that start-up operations have begun at its replacement Henderson, Texas mill, while the adjacent mill has ceased operations.
The company states that these closures and adjustments aim to align operations with market conditions and resource availability. It will record restructuring and impairment charges in the fourth quarter of 2025 related to these actions.
