Oct 13, 2006. /Lesprom Network/. Longview Fibre Company announced on October 11 that it intends to close its sole sawmill operation, located near Leavenworth, Washington, within the next 60 days. The company is continuing to seek a buyer for the sawmill as part of its previously announced plan to potentially sell certain operating assets, including the Leavenworth sawmill. Richard H. Wollenberg, president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board, said, “Production of lumber is not a core part of our business as we move forward with our previously announced operating plan. We recognize the work of the many employees who have contributed over the years to the operation.” The company built the sawmill in 1991 and it currently employs approximately 100 people. The mill’s yearly production capacity has averaged 65 to 70 million board feet of lumber products. The company said it intends to process the remaining log inventory into marketable lumber as the mill phases into full closure scheduled in December. Longview Fibre Company is a diversified timberlands manager and a specialty paper and container manufacturer. Using sustainable forestry methods, the company manages approximately 589 000 acres of softwood timberlands predominantly located in western Washington and Oregon, primarily for the sale of logs to the U.S. and Japanese markets. Longview Fibre’s manufacturing facilities include one of the largest pulp-paper mills in North America at Longview, Washington; a network of 15 converting plants in 12 states; and the sawmill near Leavenworth, Washington. The company’s products include: logs; corrugated and solid-fiber containers; commodity and specialty kraft paper; paperboard; and dimension and specialty lumber.