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NorSask aiming to complete mill rebuild by October

Aug 15, 2017 | 5:00 PM

Things are almost back to business as usual at NorSask Forest Products after a fire claimed the log infeed system at the mill in mid-January this year.

Al Balisky, president and CEO of MLTC Industrial Investment – the parent company which runs NorSask – said the company has brought on more workers to bring the rebuild process to completion by October, and construction is well underway.

“There will be accelerated action on-site from mid-August to late September in preparation for early October start up,” he said. “Foundation work is nearing completion, [and] much of the new sawmill equipment has been delivered on-site.”

Balisky said the list of replacement equipment to be installed includes new log entry bins, wave feeders, log conveyors, waste conveyors, two de-barkers, a new slasher deck and log storage bins.

“Final placement of the equipment will be ongoing for the next seven weeks,” he said.

Balisky said due to the new technology being installed, once the mill is back up to full capacity again, there will be fewer staff positions to be filled.

“The rebuild will allow NorSask to achieve some design efficiencies, resulting in less operational positions at the sawmill,” he said. “So, a few less people required at start up than prior to the fire.”

As reported earlier this year, about half of the 130-person workforce had to be laid off following the fire, and due to damaged equipment, the mill had to operate at a reduced capacity for the last seven months. In March, operations were running at 25 per cent, and Balisky said as of now, the mill is running at 40 per cent capacity.

 

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca  

On Twitter @ReporterKath