In its first week of operation, WFP revealed its new $12.5 million continuous lumber-drying machine on Monday, Feb. 26. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

significant investment

‘We need to catch up:’ Western Forest Products increases focus on value-added products

Feb 26, 2024 | 4:17 PM

LADYSMITH — A newly unveiled lumber drying machine at Western Forest Products’ Saltair Sawmill represents an important transition for Vancouver Island’s largest private sector employer.

WFP president and CEO Steven Hofer declared he’s “very optimistic for the future” in declaring the first continuously running dry kiln machine on the entire B.C. coast is now operational.

He said having the ability to dry Hemlock and Douglas Fir around the clock to be converted into specialty building products is a crucial step to make.

“Essentially, there’s very few markets now in the world that still use rough green lumber and we need to catch up,” Hofer told NanaimoNewsNOW at a Monday, Feb. 26 news conference.

WFP president & CEO Steven Hofer was all smiles at a Monday, Feb. 26 news conference. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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With customers throughout Canada, the United States and Japan, Hofer said producing laminated glued beams for commercial and residential construction projects represents a significant portion of their customer base.

More regional continuous kiln machines are planned for the foreseeable future by the company, he said.

“We just recently announced two more continuous dry kilns: one at the Duke Point sawmill in Nanaimo and one at the value-added facility in Chemainus. It’s about accelerating our transition to be able to produce more value-added, kiln-dried finished products.”

He expected the kiln enhancement at their Duke Point operation will be done early next year, while the Chemainus project should be complete by the end of 2025.

Both projects represent a roughly $35 million investment, on top of the $12.5 million expenditure for continuous lumber-drying capacity at Saltair Sawmill.

Each of the continuously operated kiln machines for the mid-Island region have the capacity to process 70 million board feet annually.

Hofer said WFP doesn’t export any raw logs, saying every tree they harvest is either processed internally, or sold/traded with the condition whole logs not be exported.

“We harvest about 3.1 million cubic meters a year and all of that fibre is utilized here in British Columbia.”

Ladysmith Mayor Aaron Stone said as their largest taxpayer, WFP has continually proven to be a valued corporate partner.

“It doesn’t take very much imagination to understand that 180 well-paid union employees are those that support our small businesses downtown, our restaurants, all of those things that keep our community vibrant,” Stone said.

Previous investments in WFP’s Saltair Sawmill resulted in more than $40 million in modernizations to the single-line operation since 2013.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony christened the new round-the-clock kiln machine at WFP’s Saltair sawmill. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes