Weyerhaeuser Closing Two Washington Plants

Federal Way, WA, Jan. 27, 2009--Forest products supplier Weyerhaeuser Co. will immediately close two mills in southwestern Washington due to weak market conditions, the company announced Monday.

Shutting down permanently are a sawmill and the Pacific Veneer mill, both in Aberdeen. Weyerhaeuser said 196 hourly workers and 25 salaried employees will lose their jobs.

In a statement, Tom Gideon, vice president of forest products, said Weyerhaeuser officials "fully understand the major effect of these changes for our employees, contractors and the community, and we will work constructively in the weeks and months ahead to prepare for the transition.

"Unfortunately, the current extraordinarily weak market conditions require that we take decisive action," Gideon said.

The contracting U.S housing market has hurt forest products companies, drying up demand for construction lumber and other wood products.