Photo by Liz Wood Gov. Matt Mead uses a chainsaw to cut a ceremonial ribbon Friday at Saratoga Forest Management. Left to right, the Governor was joined by Wyomng State Forester Bill Crapser, Wyoming House District 15 Representative Don Burkhart, Saratoga Forest Management owner Gary Ervin, Rollin Ervin and Operations Manager Clint George.
Gov. Matt Mead took a chainsaw to the ribbon Friday afternoon during the Saratoga Forest Management Sawmill’s ribbon cutting.
The backdrop for the ribbon cutting was a stack of beetle-killed logs.
Before the ribbon cutting ceremony, Mead toured the mill with sawmill owner Gary Ervin, sawmill partner Clint George and Scott Williams, the sawmill’s operation manager.
Also on the tour were Wyoming Senate District 11 Larry Hicks, BLM Assistant Field Manager of Resources Tim Novotvy, Saratoga Mayor John Zeiger and members of Mead’s staff.
The stud mill began producing lumber on Jan. 28, and and employs 80 people.
“Friday was our best production day to date,” Ervin said Monday morning.
Mead was shown every facet of the mill. Along the way, Ervin, George and Williams explained the operation and what was done to improve the mill’s operation after Ervin purchased the mill.
Ervin purchased the mill Feb. 17, 2012 during a foreclosure sale in Rawlins after spending the day before in court fighting a restraining order on the sale.
Ervin has been trying to get the mill operational since 2003 after Louisiana Pacific shut the mill down.
Wyoming State Forester Bill Crapser worked for Louisiana Pacific when it shut down. Crapser explained to the Governor, during the tour, lumber was being hauled in from other regions, which made operating the mill, at that time, cost prohibitive.
Today, with a surplus of beetle kill, it is a different story and logs are coming in daily.
The lumber yard is filled with beetle-killed logs and the sawmill runs through 19 to 20 loads of logs per day, Ervin said. As production increases, the mill will process 25 to 26 loads per day, Ervin said.
“I love seeing the men and women working, I think it is wonderful” Mead said Friday after the tour. “It’s truly one of those win-win situations, to get those beetle-killed trees out is not only good for the economy, it’s good because we spent $45 million last year fighting fires. We’ve got to get on this. It’s good the for the environment, it’s good for and this plant is worth it.
Mead said it was a shame to not have the sawmill be used.
“We’ve got a job to do in the state, to make sure the state and our federal partners keep a supply of trees for them, because they have the market.”
The sawmill is selling the beetle-killed finished lumber directly to contractors. During the tour, Williams explained to Mead contractors like the lumber because it is partially dried and doesn’t warp like green wood does when it goes through the drying kiln.
Ervin said he sells to contractors in South Carolina, Chicago, Texas.
“The beetle kill (wood) makes a nice stud,” Ervin said Monday. “The contractors are really happy with it.”
Other dignitaries attending the ribbon cutting were House District 47 Representative Jerry Paxton, Speaker Pro Tem with the House of Representatives Roxie Berger, House District 15 Representative Don Burkhart.
After the ribbon cutting, Burkhart said “The only true economy growth and progress comes from producing something. You have to make something to make money. Something that came out of the ground at some time.”
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