Malheur Lumber announces permanent closure of its John Day sawmill

Malheur Lumber Company, the last remaining commercial sawmill in John Day, has announced that it will close its doors after 41 years of operation. The company cited multiple reasons for the closure, including workforce issues, housing shortages, market conditions, rising manufacturing costs, and regulatory challenges. In its closing letter, Malheur Lumber Company detailed the primary factors behind the decision. A significant challenge has been the "lack of a willful/drug-free workforce," which has made it difficult to maintain consistent production levels. Additionally, the scarcity of housing has hampered efforts to recruit employees from outside the area, further exacerbating ...