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Future uncertain at Houston mills
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By Lisa Grills - Houston Today - November 21, 2007
Pleasant Valley Remanufacturing (PVR) was shutdown last week on the heels of a two-week curtailment by Canfor Houston at the beginning of November.
Company officials are remaining tight-lipped about the work stoppage but speculation around town suggests the shutdown was caused by a trim block shortage. PVR receives its trim blocks from Canfor Houston.
PVR employs approximately 60 people all of whom were out of work until production resumed on the Nov. 15.
PVR may be back up and running but more shutdowns could be in the future for the company as Canfor has announced more curtailments over the Christmas holiday.
With losses of $42.1 million in the third quarter, Canfor said they had no choice but to take a two-week break.
The Canadian dollar has steadily strengthened and lumber prices have declined. As a result, Canfor will look at further curtailments in the fourth quarter.
At the present time, West Fraser has not announced curtailments at their Houston Forest Products division.
HFP general manager, Brian Balkwill said they are looking at it on a daily basis, and have announced no shutdowns as of yet.
Communications manager for West Fraser Mills, Bill Tice, said future curtailments were unknown.
"That is something we cant answer, we monitor the markets," he said "You never know, it is hard to say."
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