One of Cobleskill’s largest employers has a new owner.
Irving Forest Products, one of the largest lumber producers in North America, purchased Mill Services on MacArthur Avenue on Monday.
Formerly owned by Eastern Forest Products, Mill Services produces finger-jointed white pine boards, and that work will continue with Irving.
Irving, however, is a much larger operation.
Based in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, Irving owns 3 million acres of forest land, half in Maine, half in New Brunswick, according to Jerome Pelletier, vice president of Irving’s Sawmill Division.
The company also manages 3 million more acres of forest land.
Irving has 19,000 employees, and “now we have 19,065,” Mr. Pelletier said, referring to the added employees at the Cobleskill plant.
Those employees will continue in Cobleskill, and there are no immediate plans for expansion.
“Adding may be a goal, but we’re still in the evaluation mode,” Mr. Pelletier said, adding that management held a meet-and-greet with Cobleskill employees on Tuesday.
Irving purchased the plant because it’s halfway between the company’s sawmills and customer base.
One of those longtime customers is Home Depot.
“Geographically, it’s ideal,” said Susan Coulombe, general manager of Irving’s Hardwood and Pine Division.
Also, said Leonard Lilley, who’s been at Cobleskill for four and a half years and is the general manager, “Our core values align.”
Those core values include employee safety, customer service and quality products, he said.
“And we want to continue to improve and make sure we treat our customers with respect,” said Ms. Coulombe.
“We’re excited to be here,” she added. It’s a good growth opportunity for us.”
Irving has a tissue plant in Fort Edward and a facial tissue plant in Macon, Georgia, along with sawmills and paper mills.
And the company is diverse. Irving has home-improvement retail stores in Canada, a transportation division, produces French fries and also has a ship-building division, producing icebreakers and combat ships for the Canadian Navy.
Irving was formed in 1882. The founder started in St. John with a general store, gas station and sawmill, and the company eventually expanded to be one of the largest landowners in North America.