One of Clearwater County's largest private employers is being sold to a new owner.
Konkolville Lumber Co. near Orofino is being acquired by Tri-Pro Forest Products, which is owned by the Merritt family of Priest River, Idaho, according to a news release provided by Konkolville Lumber.
Konkolville employs about 100 workers, according to the most recent information provided by the mill.
"They have every intention of bringing back as many people as they have now,'' said Heather Sawyer, manager of the Idaho Commerce and Labor offices in Orofino and Grangeville.
Konkolville Lumber Co. employees will have to reapply for their jobs and there will be a short period of unemployment that will start when the deal closes, likely March 2, Sawyer said.
Some employees, however, will return to their jobs sooner than others because the plan is to bring back the day shift before a second, later shift, Sawyer said.
The new owners are scheduled to answer additional questions today.
Clearwater County residents are following what happens closely, said Chris Kuykendall, economic development specialist for the county.
The timber industry still makes a significant contribution to the economy, both in terms of employment and sales tax receipts of the manufacturing products it sells, Kuykendall said.
The deal includes Konkolville's sawing, drying and planing operations.
The operations will complement each other, according to the news release.
Like Tri-Pro, Konkolville has been a family- operated company. It was founded in 1948 by Andrew Konkol.
Tri-Pro has a "small town attitude'' and is "community oriented,'' Sawyer said.
The Merritt family's other holdings include plants in Oldtown and Athol, Idaho, plus wholesale lumber trading companies in Portland, Ore., and Boise, according to the news release.
They also have real estate holdings in the Coeur d'Alene area, Sawyer said.
Konkolville Lumber has focused on specialty products such as 1- to 2-inch thick laminated stock made from Douglas fir that's glued together to make arched beams for upper-end buildings like churches.
Konkolville Lumber also makes products from cedar, grand fir, western larch and spruce.
Tri-Pro is a leading producer of cedar products such as decking, siding, boards, patterns and trims.
"Konkolville Lumber presents a natural extension of our high value products and services and is a good fit to Tri-Pro and our customers,'' according to the news release.
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Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 743-9600, ext. 261.
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