Tolko Announces Shift Reductions at Its Heffley Creek Plywood and Veneer Mill in Kamloops, BC

Kamloops, BC, radio station NL 610 AM reported Thursday (3-23-23) that Tolko Industries has announced it is temporarily cutting some graveyard and weekend shifts at its Heffley Creek Mill located in Kamloops due to a drop in demand for some of its wood products. The Heffley Creek Mills employ 250 people that produce plywood and plywood veneers.

Tolko’s Director of People and Service, Brett VanderHoek, told NL News that the graveyard lathe shift and weekend drying shifts will be impacted beginning the first week of April. VanderHoek said:

“Employees have been informed this week and we are working to redeploy those impacted. The site will continue to produce veneers to meet the internal demand for plywood production.”

We would prefer to be fully operational and are working to redeploy employees within the terms of the collective agreement. This temporary shift reduce is due to high fiber costs and weak North American plywood markets.

Unfortunately, I can’t speculate on when plywood markets will improve or estimate how many employees will be impacted on those shifts.”


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