Canfor Corporation will permanently shut down its Estill and Darlington sawmills in South Carolina this August, citing weak market conditions and continued financial losses.
Roughly 290 employees will be affected by the closures, which will cut Canfor’s U.S. lumber production capacity by 350 million board feet annually.
“These operations are no longer viable,” said Lee Goodloe, president of Canfor Southern Pine. “This outcome is in no way a reflection of the dedication and hard work of our teams. We are committed to supporting our employees through this transition, including providing severance payments and exploring opportunities for redeployment within our other operations where possible.”
The decision adds to growing concerns across the forestry sector as producers adjust to challenging market dynamics, particularly in the U.S. South where Canfor has significant operations.
Canfor, headquartered in Vancouver, operates over 50 facilities in Canada, the U.S., and Europe. The company holds a majority stake in both Vida AB, Sweden’s largest private sawmill company, and Canfor Pulp Products Inc.
The closures are scheduled for August 2025.
