Omak plywood plant reopens

Seven months after a devastating fire swept through a plywood plant in Omak, Wash., the plant is reopening – and adding another shift.

About 240 people will head to work Monday at Colville Indian Plywood and Veneer Plant. Plant managers used the fire as an opportunity to upgrade equipment and expand the workforce by 30 people.

Spontaneous combustion in the hog fuel storage area sparked the June 29 blaze. By the time the fire raced through the mill, damage was estimated at $10 million. Except for a skeleton maintenance crew, the plant shut down.

“Our No. 1 priority was getting people back to work,” said Michelle Campobasso, a spokeswoman for the Colville Tribal Enterprise Corp.

A significant number of the plant’s employees are American Indian. The plant is also one of Okanogan County’s largest employers, with a $6 million annual payroll.

The tribe held four food drives to help families that were out of work. The neighboring Kalispel Tribe also donated $40,000 for unemployed workers.

In mid-January, the plywood plant began calling people back to work. About 85 percent of the original workforce has been recalled.

Colville Tribal Enterprise Corp. manages 14 business ventures for the tribe, including the plywood plant, which it acquired about six years ago. The plant is located within the Colville Indian Reservation’s boundaries, which contain large amounts of timberland.

Under previous owners, the plywood plant had been through two bankruptcies.