A meeting was held in Missoula with more than 30 business leaders and government officials to address the recent closures of two sawmills in western Montana. Both Pyramid Mountain Lumber in Seeley Lake and Roseburg Forest Products in Missoula had announced their impending shutdowns. However, after the meeting, there was optimism that one of the mills might remain open.
Grant Kier, who leads the Missoula Economic Partnership, organized the meeting and stated that potential buyers interested in purchasing Pyramid Mountain Lumber were in attendance. He expressed hope that the mill could be saved, especially with the support of the community in Seeley Lake.
Missoula County Commissioner Josh Slotnick shared that the federal government suggested providing financing of $40 to $60 million to help buyers modernize the sawmill. These upgrades could potentially allow the mill to operate with fewer workers, which would be beneficial in the current labor market.
The meeting was not open to the press, including MTPR, in order to protect the privacy of the parties involved in potentially acquiring the mill. Grant Kier mentioned that discussions also included ways to assist workers from Roseburg Forest Products in transitioning to new careers following the closure of the sawmill.