Idaho Forest Group Announces Plans to “Indefinitely” Suspend Operations at their St. Regis, Montana Sawmill

Idaho Forest Group (IFG), a private company based in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, announced on Monday, August 30, 2021 that it intends to indefinitely suspend operations at its St. Regis, Montana operation by late November. The St. Regis mill employs 99 people and has contracts with loggers and haulers, some of whom may continue delivering logs to other IFG mills in Northern Idaho.

According to a company press release, “Despite favorable market conditions last year, the facility has consistently failed to meet production goals.” Mike Henley, regional manager in St. Regis said that with lumber prices falling the decision has been made to shut down operations in November. 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.”

IFG operates six sawmills and a finger-joint plant at locations in Idaho and Montana, employing more than 1,100 team members and producing in excess of 1.2 billion board feet of lumber each year. IFG’s Idaho sites are in Grangeville, Lewiston, Athol, Laclede, Chilco, and Moyie Springs.