Construction crews working seven days a week through summer to complete rebuild of Eacom's Timmins, Ontario, sawmill, says official, expects C$25M rebuild to be completed in late Q3

Wendy Lisney

LOS ANGELES , July 9, 2013 (IndustryIntel) – Construction work on Eacom Timber Corp.'s sawmill in Timmins, Ontario sawmill will continue through the summer and should be completed sometime late in the third quarter, according the company's president and COO of sales and operations, Rick Collins.

The C$25 million rebuild of the mill, destroyed by fire 18 months ago, includes the installation of a new saw line, said Collins, and involves a full construction crew working seven days a week, Northern Onatrio Business reported on July 8.

The rebuilding project started in December 2012 last year after Eacom contracted USNR Kockums Cancar Inc. for the project. Much of the work is being funded from insurance proceeds related to the fire.

Collins said the buildings and infrastructure at the mill had been the oldest in the company. The new large-diameter mill will increase output by about 20% as wll as improving efficiency and competitiveness and reducing costs, he added.

Since the fire, other Eacom sawmills have made up for the loss of capacity. The company made improvements at its mills at Nairn and Elk Lake, which ran extra shifts whenever possible, reported Northern Ontario Business.

The Timmins mill is the only survivor of three that once operated in the city. Grant Forest Products’ OSB plant has been dismantled, while Tembec’s sawmill has been shuttered for around six years. A smaller sawmill, Little John Enterprises, is still running.

The primary source of this article is Northern Ontario Businesses, Timmins, Ontario, on July 8, 2013.

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