Business View Magazine | Volume 8, Issue 7

75 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, ISSUE 7 GROUPE SAVOI E INC . feedstock for its operations, a factor Watters says makes it challenging for the mill to invest further in modernizing or expanding the plant. “Supply is a major concern for us because on any given year our plant is only running for a limited number of days,” he says. “Once we have enough supply and our plant is running at full capacity all year, then we’d have a strong case to invest more resources in technology and expansions.” The limited supply is not just a local issue but an industry issue that affects hardwood production. Since most hardwoods grow on private land, educating private landowners on the importance Like the majority of lumber operations, the COVID-19 pandemic put some breaks on operations, especially as most harvesting operations slowed down due to labor shortages and social distancing protocols. However, the market has rebounded significantly. As Watters notes, “Hardwood demand is not market-driven like softwood is, so there’s always demand,” he explains. “The pandemic slowed things down over the last year, but right now there’s major demand and the prices are up a little bit, but not to the levels seen with softwood.” Although the market is looking up, the mill still has challenges finding enough