Weyerhaeuser to close New Brunswick plant

Forest products giant Weyerhaeuser has announced it will permanently close its Miramichi, New Brunswick, oriented strand board plant permanently, effective June 6.

The facility has not operated since January 2007.

“We worked hard to sell the facility for more than one year,” said Craig Neeser, president of Weyerhaeuser’s Canadian operations. “A lack of buyer interest, the continuing poor state of the U.S. housing market and the high cost of maintaining this idled site led to the company’s decision to permanently close the facility.”

Weyerhaeuser will continue to “entertain serious offers” for the facility until June 6, 2008.

“Many parties worked in good faith for a different outcome, including local and provincial governments and Weyerhaeuser company representatives,” Neeser said. “It is unfortunate that these considerable efforts did not attract a viable new owner.”

Weyerhaeuser, one of the world’s largest forest products companies, is based in Federal Way, Wash.