GLENDALE, Ore. — The Swanson Group is moving forward after losing one of their mills to a fire earlier this month in Springfield and will now absorb up to 100 of their employees to other mills, including this location in Glendale.
Production will soon be ramping up at the Swanson Group’s Glendale plywood mill. 250 employees are out of work a couple hours up interstate five after a fire burned that mill to the ground. For some of those employees, there are options.
“As we roll out the details and they work their way through their personal situations, we’ll see how many can actually make the move,” said Swanson Group President and C.E.O. Steve Swanson.
100 Possible employees coming to work at a mill located just on the outskirts of a city of only 850.
Swanson said some just can’t make the move while others are considering staying for the week and commuting home on weekends. Either way, he doesn’t see Glendale’s population shooting up.
“We might see 50 at the most show up in Glendale and I don’t suspect all 50 will be residents of this community,” said Swanson.
Even if only a couple dozen take the offer, Glendale Mayor Jim Standard sees a positive impact on the local economy.
“Help support the stores, gas station, hardware store down here, you’ve got a deli across the street. They’re going to spend money,” said Mayor Standard.
That boost could be happening sooner rather than later.
“For those that can make the commitment and want to make a move, there’s jobs that will be starting as early as August the 4th,” said Swanson.
The future of their Springfield location will be determined in the coming weeks and months, but should they decide to rebuild, they say they’re at least two years away from reopening.
