Ag News
Lumber company West Fraser Timber to close Augusta mill
Posted on Nov 19, 2025 at 14:25 PM
The hits just keep on coming for Georgia’s forestry industry. Still reeling from damage caused by Hurricane Helen, another timber company has announced it was closing a Georgia mill, bringing the total mill closures to four since August.
On Nov. 6, Canadian company West Fraser Timber announced that it will permanently close both its Augusta, Georgia, and 100 Mile House, British Columbia, lumber mills by the end of 2025 following an orderly wind-down. The decision is the result of timber supply challenges and soft lumber markets, the company said in a press release.
From the release:
The closure of the Augusta lumber mill is a result of challenging lumber demand and the loss of economically viable residual outlets, which combined has compromised the mill's long-term viability. The closure will affect approximately 130 employees at the site and reduce West Fraser's capacity by 140 million board feet.
The company indicated it expects to mitigate the impact on affected employees by providing work opportunities at other company operations, where available.
West Fraser also announced it was making permanent its indefinite mill closures at locations in Florida and Arkansas.
The West Fraser mill closings come after three other major mill closings in Georgia. International Paper closed its mills in Savannah and nearby Riceboro at the end of September. Georgia Pacific closed its plant in Early County Aug. 1.
On top of the reduced mill capacity, Georgia timber producers are still recovering from massive losses wrought by Hurricane Helene over the eastern half of the state. The Georgia Forestry Commission estimated that 8.9 million acres of the state’s forestland was in the hurricane’s path, and the storm wiped out $1.28 billion worth of timber.
In response to the massive and growing challenges to the state’s forest products industry, Gov. Brian Kemp created a special task force, led by the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC), to address the challenges. GFC is working with state agencies, academic institutions, and industry partners to develop a strategic path forward.
In addition to the GFC, the Forestry Task Force will include the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Georgia Forestry Association, Georgia Department of Economic Development, UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry, Georgia Tech, the Technical College System of Georgia, and the Rural Center (Department of Agriculture). The Task Force will also seek input and feedback directly from the forestry community – landowners, industry, state, and federal partners, and beyond.
- Categories:
- Tags: