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White River Forest Products plans major upgrades to facility

Apr 20, 2018 @ 08:05

 

White River Forest Products (WRFP) is pleased to announce that it has received $1.9M in funding from the provincial government through the Ontario’s Jobs and Prosperity Fund.

“We’re happy to be one of the first company to receive monies from this fund,” said Frank Dottori, President and CEO of WRFP. “The upgrades we’re making total over $9.5 million, and the province’s contribution towards creating 15 new jobs and modernizing the facility is an encouraging recognition of the importance of green industries like forestry.”

The project includes new product development, which requires additional debarking and drying capacity, and sawline modifications including residual handling.

“It’s important to better utilize all of our natural resources,” Dottori said. “Instead of leaving behind 30 percent of the species, with new product development we can enable better forest management.”

WRFP currently employs 161 employees from the region, and is hiring at all levels of the company, for labourer, trades, and management positions.

“This will create more than the 15 new jobs on site,” said Dottori. “Of course, there will be spinoff jobs created in forest harvesting, and transportation, among others.”

Current mill capacity is 130 million feet per year, and the investments are to achieve 170 million.  feet. “Increased production while the lumber prices are where they are is critical to allow us to be able to continue to modernize our mill and improve efficiencies,” said Dottori. “New product development is also always exciting.”

 

About White River Forest Products

White River Forest Products (WRFP) is a community-based lumber mill that is owned by private investors, Pic Mobert First Nations and the White River Economic Development Corporation. Known for their high quality lumber, WRFP is located in Northwestern Ontario in White River, Ontario. WRFP reopened the mill formerly shuttered by Domtar in 2013, and now employs over 160 people. The goal of CEO Frank Dottori, who is also the founder and retired CEO of Canadian forestry giant Tembec, is to make WRFP one of the most efficient mills in North America. A multi-million dollar re-investment program is ongoing and the company is hiring.

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