Business News

WEYERHAEUSER ANNOUNCES MILL CLOSURE NEAR TAYLOR

Wednesday 08. July 2009 - Weyerhaeuser announced today that it will permanently close its iLevel lumber mill near Taylor, Louisiana, effective immediately.

The announcement will affect approximately 39 employees at the site. The Tree Improvement Center and the Timberlands office will remain open and continue to operate in Bienville Parish near the Taylor community.

Demand for wood products continues to decline due to a slowdown in the housing market. Because of these challenging market conditions, the Taylor facility will close permanently, as we continue to balance supply with customer demand. Weyerhaeuser will support affected employees through the closure and will provide transition benefits.

“This was a very difficult decision impacting employees who have performed well,” said Tom Gideon, executive vice president, Forest Products. “Unfortunately, the current extraordinarily weak market conditions require that we take decisive action. We fully understand the major impact of this closure on our employees, contractors, and the Taylor community, and we will work constructively in the weeks and months ahead on the transition.”

Weyerhaeuser Company continues to employ approximately 924 employees in Louisiana at manufacturing facilities in Arcadia, Dodson, Holden, Natchitoches and Zwolle; Tree Improvement Centers at Isabel and Taylor; Timberlands offices at Bogalusa, Dodson, Livingston, Natchitoches and Taylor; and WREDCO land development offices in Mandeville and Ruston. Weyerhaeuser owns and sustainably manages more than one million acres of timber in the state.