Arauco Announces Layoffs At North Carolina Plant

Arauco Panels USA, an American subsidiary of a Chilean plywood manufacturer, is cutting jobs in Chatham County.

That’s according to a WARN filed with the state of North Carolina this month. A WARN – Workforce Adjustment and Retraining Notification – is a filing that is required when a company closes a plant, cuts 500 jobs or eliminates one-third of its local positions. The move, effective Jan. 6, impacts 48 jobs in Moncure, according to the notice.

According to the WARN, the move is a downsizing – not a closure – of its particleboard facility, impacting jobs in a variety of functions, including human resources, finance, production and sales.

“The layoffs are due to a downturn over the last several months in the market,” reads the notice signed by Sally Polen, manager of human resources for Arauco North America. “Although our sales team has been working hard to combat the market conditions by revising pricing strategies and engaging our existing customers while actively seeking new customers, unfortunately, our efforts have not surpassed the market pressures on our volumes.”

The plant has “struggled” to maintain a normal order volume, the notice continues, adding that other measures the company has taken include reduced hours, reduced overtime and overall cuts in spending. Forecasts, the filing reads, show similar volume weakness in 2017.

From the Triangle Business Journal: bizjournals.com.

RELATED ARTICLES

ARAUCO CLOSING EUGENE MDF

PANEL WORLD NOVEMBER 2020

 

Latest News

Conway CLT Plant Is Back On Track

Mercer International Inc. and its subsidiary Mercer Mass Timber, a manufacturer of timber building materials, completed the acquisition of Structurlam Mass Timber Corp. and its subsidiaries in mid-June. Mercer Mass Timber immediately takes possession and continues the operation of Structurlam’s manufacturing facilities, which will…

Roseburg Closing Taylorsville P’Board Mill, Has Sold Facility For Another Use

Roseburg has announced that it will permanently end operations at its Taylorsville, Miss., particleboard plant on Aug. 21, 2023. While the plant will no longer produce particleboard, a forest products company has signed a letter of intent to purchase the facility for an alternate use. The transaction is expected to close later this…

Timberlab Opens Glulam Facility

Timberlab, a nationwide provider of mass timber systems, is opening its second glued laminated timber fabrication facility in Greenville, SC. Timberlab’s goal is to provide the Eastern U.S. with a more regional platform for a sustainable, low-carbon building material and accelerate the mainstream adoption of mass timber construction to benefit the planet and its people…

Luoma Announces Retirement

Longtime executive and manager in the wood products industry, for years with LP, Brian Luoma announced he is retiring at the end of 2023 from his position as president and CEO of The Westervelt Co. Luoma joined Alabama-based Westervelt as president and CEO in 2017, and has been instrumental in the company’s expansion of its lumber and timberlands divisions…

Find Us On Social

Newsletter

The monthly Panel World Industry Newsletter reaches over 3,000 who represent primary panel production operations.

Subscribe/Renew

Panel World is delivered six times per year to North American and international professionals, who represent primary panel production operations. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.

Advertise

Complete the online form so we can direct you to the appropriate Sales Representative. Contact us today!