INDEPENDENCE
Late this month, the Boise
Wood Products veneer mill in Independence will
permanently stop production. Boise Wood Products, an operating
unit of Boise Cascade, has made this decision based on current
economic conditions, including the cost of logs and the excess
of veneer wood from other nearby operations. The mill has been
in operation since 1963 but its closing has not come as a
complete surprise. Bob Smith, the human resources manager for
Boise Cascade, says, “The mill has downsized over the
last few decades. It now only produces wood veneer and only
operates one shift.” Although the mill once employed more
than 150 people, this closure will affect only the remaining 29
employees.
