The planned life of a sawmill is still only 20 years. Over 20 years is an anomaly. You either abandon it or tear it down and start over. It has been that or even shorter since sawmills started. What is really killing the mills is automation. 40 years ago, before “environmental people” appeared, it took somewhere between 100 to 150 truckloads of wood a day to keep a mill in steady operation. Now it takes over 250 loads a day to keep a mill in operation. SPI in Burlington WA receives upwards of 300 loads a day every day. If you want to stay in the forest industry, get a log truck. You can work steadier than anyone else. Of course you will be driving over 400 miles a day and you will still probably go broke. In the woods, two people do the work of 10 to 12 people of 40 years ago. Again, automation. The only people making money these days are the land holders.