Boise Cascade to Close White City Lumber Facility

Boise, Idaho, USA, 16 January 2008 -– Boise Wood Products, an operating unit of Boise Cascade, L.L.C., announced today that it will permanently close its lumber manufacturing facility located in White City, Oregon. The sawmill and planer departments will be phased out over the next two months, with permanent closure scheduled to occur by the end of the first quarter 2008. The closure will affect 32 employees of the mill.

“The lack of affordable pine logs due to long-term reductions in federal timber sale programs, in combination with reduced demand for lumber in both the new construction and remodel markets, are the primary reasons we are closing the White City Lumber mill,” said Bruce Cartmel, Western Oregon regional manager. “We regret the impact this closure will have on our employees and their families here in the Rogue Valley,” he said.

“We have excellent people, and good equipment, but we simply could not overcome the timber supply factors,” added Cartmel.

The sawmill, located near the intersection of Antelope Road and Agate Road, has been in continuous operation since 1950. Boise purchased the mill in 1976 from Olson Lawyer Lumber.

Boise indicated that it would evaluate use of the property and the disposition of equipment, but no timeline has been established for a final decision.

Bob Smith, Boise’s region human resources manager in Medford, said that Boise will offer employment at other local Boise mills to 27 employees affected by the closure in White City. “Employees whom we cannot place will be offered severance benefits,” Smith said. “Though the mill employs 59 people, 32 will be affected by loss of employment.”

Smith stated that the mill is currently operating one shift. In March 2007 the mill eliminated a second shift, and a third shift was discontinued in 2000.

About Boise Cascade

Boise, headquartered in Boise, Idaho, manufactures engineered wood products, plywood, lumber, and particleboard and distributes a broad line of building materials, including wood products manufactured by the company. Boise also manufactures a wide range of specialty and premium products, including imaging papers for the office and home and papers for pressure sensitive applications. It also manufactures printing and converting papers, containerboard and corrugated boxes, newsprint, and market pulp. Visit Boise’s website at www.bc.com.