Below is the Sonora Union Democrat article about the re-opening of the SPI mill. Apparently the mill will be producing larger logs.
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The Union Democrat
June 29, 2010

SPI mill to reopen, create 130 jobs

Written by Craig Cassidy, The Union Democrat

Sierra Pacific Industries’ Standard mill, closed since 2009, is slated to reopen as a newer high-tech operation next year.

Company and Tuolumne County officials this morning announced that SPI plans retool the mill at the company’s Standard compound, 14560 Tuolumne Road. That will allow it to mill smaller logs — down to 10 inches in diameter.

The current mill is tooled for larger logs, which are regionally in short supply, according to company officials.

The shortage of large logs, and a depressed lumber market, forced the mill closure last year.

"Lumber markets have improved modestly, and by increasing the rangeof acceptable log sizes we will be able to bring family-wage jobs backto the area,” said SPI Area Manager Ryan Land.

The retooled mill is expected to open in May 2011, and will return 130 family-wage jobs to the region, according to officials with theTuolumne County Economic Development Authority, which brokered the dealwith county staff.

TCEDA estimates that for each mill job, six other jobs will becreated in the county, from trucking to logging, according to LarryCope, executive director.

“Today is a great day in Tuolumne County. Major progress has beenmade in creating jobs, investment and bringing back a way of life” Copesaid.

Work on the new mill is expected to begin next month, according to a statement issued by TCEDA and SPI this morning.

The reopened mill will not affect operations at SPI’s Chinese CampMill, which produces cedar fence boards and employs about 80 people.

The Sonora Mill, shuttered in July 2009, was one of two that SPI closed that year — the other being the Camino Mill.

Anderson-based SPI is a privately held company, owned by the Emmerson family.

It owns 1.9 million acres of timberland in California and Washington. It’s California’s largest private land owner.