Canadian firm to cut Georgia wood panel output, lay off 45

CORDELE, Ga. (AP) – A Canadian company says it will lay off 45 workers at a south Georgia wood panel mill as it cuts production.

Toronto-based Norbord says it will stop making oriented strand board on one of its two lines at its Cordele plant.

The company announced Monday that the cutback will take place in mid-November. Norbord said it’s cutting back because demand is poor, especially in the southeast.

The line that’s being closed had already been running on a reduced schedule. It will be closed indefinitely, while a second line continues to run a full schedule. The cutback represents 6% of Norbord’s North American capacity.

Norbord says it will write down the value of the Cordele mill by $10 million before taxes as part of its third-quarter earnings.