Atikokan’s dormant particleboard plant reopened June 10. The plant is now owned by Fibratech Manufacturing Inc. of Vancouver.
Fibratech owner Dan Warren says all of the 140 former Proboard employees returned to work at the plant.
The plant was closed last August due to poor market conditions and high operating costs. Fibratech struck a five-year agreement with the unionized workforce.
“We’ve had a good relationship with the union through the purchase of the plant and had a relatively trouble-free negotiation,” says Warren, a former 15-year employee with Proboard. “We’re implementing a whole new process in which the employees will be involved in most of our decision-making, budgeting, safety, health, environment, production, costings and hiring.”
Fibratech is investing $11 million in capital upgrades over the next 12 months.
