Published: Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Darrington mill laying off 90 workers
The Darrington job losses are part of a larger pullback for Hampton.
DARRINGTON -- In this economically battered town, the news that 90 employees at the Hampton sawmill are about to lose their jobs hits hard.
Citing a downturn in the lumber market, officials at the Portland, Ore.-based Hampton Affiliates announced this week that they plan to cut production and lay off 43 percent of the sawmill and planer mill employees at the Darrington operation.
"This is devastating," Mayor Joyce Jones said. "It's not a happy day in Darrington. Talk about needing a stimulus. We sure do."
The company plans to curtail operations at its plants in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. Companywide, about 275 people are expected to lose their jobs.
In Darrington, the mill's 220 employees gathered Monday afternoon at the town's community center to hear the news.
Plant manager Dave Roane told his crew that the tough economy and slow lumber market means that sawmill operations will be reduced the first week in May from two 40-hour shifts to one 50-hour-a-week shift. The cuts will affect about half of the Darrington sawmill's crew.
"This is hard for everybody and a difficult process because they are great people," Roane said.
Most of those being displaced live in Darrington, Arlington, Concrete and Marblemout, and most have worked for the company for three years or less, he said.
Company administration officials plan to begin meeting with employees individually to talk about unemployment benefits, retraining and help from community and company assistance programs. Until then, employees are being asked not to talk about the layoff, Roane said.
Work at the mill has been sporadic since January. The mill was shut down for two weeks in February and two weeks in March, he said.
Ups and downs are part of the industry, but the cyclical nature of the business doesn't guarantee that Hampton will be able to hire anyone back or even keep all the people it retains, Roane said.
There is hope for a return to current work levels, however, and the company and the town are hanging on.
"Our best forecast is that we could see some economic recovery by the spring of 2010," Roane said. "It could take longer, but Hampton in general and the Darrington plant in particular are in a good position to make a comeback. Our employees have a done a great job and we will bring them back as we can."
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427, gfiege@heraldnet.com.
Meeting
Hampton sawmill officials plan to talk with the Darrington Town Council and town residents at the council's regular meeting, 7 p.m. today at Town Hall, 1005 Cascade St.
Citing a downturn in the lumber market, officials at the Portland, Ore.-based Hampton Affiliates announced this week that they plan to cut production and lay off 43 percent of the sawmill and planer mill employees at the Darrington operation.
"This is devastating," Mayor Joyce Jones said. "It's not a happy day in Darrington. Talk about needing a stimulus. We sure do."
The company plans to curtail operations at its plants in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. Companywide, about 275 people are expected to lose their jobs.
In Darrington, the mill's 220 employees gathered Monday afternoon at the town's community center to hear the news.
Plant manager Dave Roane told his crew that the tough economy and slow lumber market means that sawmill operations will be reduced the first week in May from two 40-hour shifts to one 50-hour-a-week shift. The cuts will affect about half of the Darrington sawmill's crew.
"This is hard for everybody and a difficult process because they are great people," Roane said.
Most of those being displaced live in Darrington, Arlington, Concrete and Marblemout, and most have worked for the company for three years or less, he said.
Company administration officials plan to begin meeting with employees individually to talk about unemployment benefits, retraining and help from community and company assistance programs. Until then, employees are being asked not to talk about the layoff, Roane said.
Work at the mill has been sporadic since January. The mill was shut down for two weeks in February and two weeks in March, he said.
Ups and downs are part of the industry, but the cyclical nature of the business doesn't guarantee that Hampton will be able to hire anyone back or even keep all the people it retains, Roane said.
There is hope for a return to current work levels, however, and the company and the town are hanging on.
"Our best forecast is that we could see some economic recovery by the spring of 2010," Roane said. "It could take longer, but Hampton in general and the Darrington plant in particular are in a good position to make a comeback. Our employees have a done a great job and we will bring them back as we can."
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427, gfiege@heraldnet.com.
Meeting
Hampton sawmill officials plan to talk with the Darrington Town Council and town residents at the council's regular meeting, 7 p.m. today at Town Hall, 1005 Cascade St.
Comments
(