Site search
sponsored by
News
Sports
ENLARGE
The Weyerhaeuser pole yard can be seen in the foreground, with the closed Bayliner Corp. boat manufacturing plant in the background.
In the foreground the Weyerhouser log yard and the background the Bayliner facility can be seen at the Wilbur Industrial Park.
When Weyerhaeuser Co. announced last week that it plans to close its Wilbur utility pole plant, it dealt another blow to the Wilbur-Winchester Industrial Park.
Last January, Bayliner Corp. closed its boat manufacturing plant on Weyerhaeuser Drive after 19 years and laid off 175 workers.
Three months later, another park tenant, Alcan Cable laid off 32 of its workers. The number represented a quarter of the company's local workforce.
When Weyerhaeuser shuts down its pole plant after depleting its inventory over the next month or so, 16 workers will lose their jobs.
Despite the job losses and the downturn in business that led to the layoffs, Douglas County economic development officials believe the 270-acre industrial park that parallels Interstate 5 on Highway 99 will bounce back.
The large size of its parcels, easy access to the freeway and to rail lines, along with the capacity for large-scale electricity and natural gas supplies make it valuable, Douglas County Commissioner Doug Robertson said.
“It's still a very attractive site,” Robertson said.
The industrial park was created in the mid-1980s when Douglas County bought up land owned by Weyerhaeuser. At the time, the county had limited space for industrial expansion, said Lynn Herbert, president of Herbert Lumber Co. in Riddle and a member of the county Industrial Development Board. Most available sites were from 1 to 4 acres, too small to be of much value.
“They needed 20 acres, not 2 acres,” Herbert said.
The goal was to attract industrial users that weren't part of the timber industry. By doing so, leaders hoped to diversify the county's economic output and reduce its dependence on timber jobs.
The Wilbur-Winchester Industrial Park was the first of six industrial parks developed around the county. The others are located in Sutherlin, Green, Myrtle Creek, between Tri City and Riddle, and one on Bolon Island outside Reedsport.
Last month, the partners behind Orenco Systems Inc. of Sutherlin bought the former Bayliner plant for $2.5 million. The purchase included buildings and nearly 21 acres of land.
Orenco, which designs wastewater treatment equipment, plans to lease a portion of the space. The partners are also considering other manufacturing possibilities.
Weyerhaeuser plans to try and sell its 30-acre site. Officials with the Umpqua Economic Development Partnership have made initial contact to offer their services as well, said Helga Conrad, the partnership's director.
Douglas County still owns about 50 acres of the industrial park behind Weyerhaeuser's plant and Alcan. For good access, it would require a road to go through the property, leaving about 42 acres of buildable land, Conrad said.
“We've had some different companies come in and look the property over,” said Robb Paul, the county's public works director and also a member of the Industrial Development Board.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@nrtoday.com.
Last January, Bayliner Corp. closed its boat manufacturing plant on Weyerhaeuser Drive after 19 years and laid off 175 workers.
Three months later, another park tenant, Alcan Cable laid off 32 of its workers. The number represented a quarter of the company's local workforce.
When Weyerhaeuser shuts down its pole plant after depleting its inventory over the next month or so, 16 workers will lose their jobs.
Despite the job losses and the downturn in business that led to the layoffs, Douglas County economic development officials believe the 270-acre industrial park that parallels Interstate 5 on Highway 99 will bounce back.
The large size of its parcels, easy access to the freeway and to rail lines, along with the capacity for large-scale electricity and natural gas supplies make it valuable, Douglas County Commissioner Doug Robertson said.
“It's still a very attractive site,” Robertson said.
The industrial park was created in the mid-1980s when Douglas County bought up land owned by Weyerhaeuser. At the time, the county had limited space for industrial expansion, said Lynn Herbert, president of Herbert Lumber Co. in Riddle and a member of the county Industrial Development Board. Most available sites were from 1 to 4 acres, too small to be of much value.
“They needed 20 acres, not 2 acres,” Herbert said.
The goal was to attract industrial users that weren't part of the timber industry. By doing so, leaders hoped to diversify the county's economic output and reduce its dependence on timber jobs.
The Wilbur-Winchester Industrial Park was the first of six industrial parks developed around the county. The others are located in Sutherlin, Green, Myrtle Creek, between Tri City and Riddle, and one on Bolon Island outside Reedsport.
Last month, the partners behind Orenco Systems Inc. of Sutherlin bought the former Bayliner plant for $2.5 million. The purchase included buildings and nearly 21 acres of land.
Orenco, which designs wastewater treatment equipment, plans to lease a portion of the space. The partners are also considering other manufacturing possibilities.
Weyerhaeuser plans to try and sell its 30-acre site. Officials with the Umpqua Economic Development Partnership have made initial contact to offer their services as well, said Helga Conrad, the partnership's director.
Douglas County still owns about 50 acres of the industrial park behind Weyerhaeuser's plant and Alcan. For good access, it would require a road to go through the property, leaving about 42 acres of buildable land, Conrad said.
“We've had some different companies come in and look the property over,” said Robb Paul, the county's public works director and also a member of the Industrial Development Board.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@nrtoday.com.
