Idaho Forest Group Indefinitely Suspending Operations at St. Regis Sawmill

After nearly four years of operating in St. Regis, Montana, Idaho Forest Group (“IFG”) has made the difficult decision to indefinitely suspend operations at the St. Regis sawmill.

After a temporary suspension of operations in early 2020 to make improvements to the mill, IFG has been unable to consistently meet manufacturing goals. The favorable market conditions over the past year had enabled the mill to operate, but with the recent decline in the market, that is no longer the case and the mill cannot continue to operate without incurring financial losses. As such, the decision has been made to close the facility this coming November.

The St. Regis location directly employs 99 people and numerous logging and hauling contractors, some of whom may continue delivering logs to other IFG facilities.

“We did not arrive at this decision easily or lightly and we recognize the very real and human consequences for our employees and the community,” said Mike Henley, regional manager in St. Regis. “We sincerely thank each of our employees for their dedication and their stewardship of the forests in western Montana, and we commit to helping them through this transition.”

The company’s leadership has notified the Montana Department of Labor and will continue to work to ensure employees have access to resources that can support and assist them in this difficult time, which will include assistance in resume writing, interview coaching, and conducting outreach to prospective employers.

Source: Idaho Forest Group, LLC