Canfor back to five day week

Canfor Houston is going back to a five-day work week.

As of Monday, the sawmill was able to return to a full week after market conditions made marginal improvements, said general manager Kevin Horsnell. Other conditions also factored into the move, he said.

“A significant improvement in the mill’s safety performance, an improvement in quality and prudent cost control are the key drivers in our mill returning to five days a week,” Horsnell said.

The mill made the move to a four-day week, starting on April 21 after lumber market conditions continued to decline.

Despite the cutback, all Canfor employees being paid on an hourly basis continued to get paid for five days of work each week, through a Human Resources and Social Development Canada workshare program.

Horsnell said the company will continue to monitor the market conditions and may move back to the abbreviated schedule if necessary.

“If markets significantly deteriorate we could potentially return to a reduced work week,” he said.

The last couple of years have been tough on Houston Canfor as the lumber giant struggles to make ends meet in a slumping forestry market.

Last June, the company announced they would be making a series of curtailments at a number of their sawmills and in November, the Houston mill shut down for two weeks after a company-wide third quarter loss of more than $52 million was announced.

This April, in a presentation to District of Houston council, Hornsell said the operation would be selling off pieces of land they own in the area to bring in some extra revenue.

“It’s important people understand how dire the situation is especially when the mill represents a significant portion of the District’s tax revenue,” he said.