Columbia Pulp brings back twenty employees

STARBUCK—Columbia Pulp, LLC Vice President Mike Schock informed The Times that the straw-fiber pulp mill in Starbuck has brought back twenty employees since the company let go 93 workers in March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 crisis. “We are bringing back people in maintenance, operations and at the office,” Said Schock.

 Eight employees with the mill were kept on at that time, and Shock reports they have 28 people currently working at the mill, with plans to bring more back each week.

Columbia Pulp suspended operations on Tuesday, March 31, stating in an April 1 press release, “This action was taken to protect employees and their families and to ensure the safety of the community at large.”

Pulp production has yet to resume. Schock states that they are currently making process changes and expect to start up production again in mid to late July.