Fraser Timber Ltd. honors employees at picnic
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
ASHLAND — A picnic was recently held to honor Fraser Timber Ltd. employees for their continued efforts to ensure a safe workplace.
Photos courtesy of Mike Cote
30-Year Award
— Fraser Timber Limited honored Wallace Chasse, at center, for 30 years of safe service during a recent company picnic.
Pictured from left are: Paul McKinley, FTL manager; Chasse; and Roger Gagnon, safety manager.
25-Year Award —
Fraser Timber Limited employees honored recently for 25 years of safe service.
Included from left: Mike Cote, Keith Michaud, Duane Plourde and Pat Charette.
Not present was Warren Oakes.
“Fraser Timber honored those who have worked safely over the years. The event was held at the Ashland Fire Department building,” said Mike Cote, human resource manager at Fraser Timber Limited.
Employees were presented with awards in the form of company jackets, company watches and cash.
“Prior to the meal, a ladder golf tournament was held. Teams were comprised of two employees and the winners were David Cote and Tom Martin,” Cote said.
20-Year Award
— Fraser Timber Limited employees honored recently for 20 years of safe service.
Included from left: Oreen Saucier, Arkon Horne and Scott Boyles.
Not present were: Steve Bowring and George Burby.
15-Year Award —
Fraser Timber Limited employees honored recently for 15 years of safe service.
Included from left, in front: Dave Cook, Chet Horne and Mike Michaud.
In back: Roger Gagnon, John Casey, Andre Bouley and Mike Buck.
Not present were: Betty Haley, Phil Nadeau, Wes Page, Herb Lewin, Jeff Perkins, John McGowan, Wallace Boyles and Steve Gildert.
Honorees who have worked the following time frames without a recordable incident included:
• 30-Year Award — Wallace Chasse;
• 25-Year Award — Mike Cote, Keith Michaud, Duane Plourde, Pat Charette and Warren Oakes;
• 20-Year Award — Oreen Saucier, Arkon Horne, Scott Boyles, Steve Bowring and George Burby;
• 15-Year Award — Roger Gagnon, John Casey, Andre Bouley, Mike Buck, Dave Cook, Chet Horne, Mike Michaud, Betty Haley, Phil Nadeau, Wes Page, Herb Lewin, Jeff Perkins, John McGowan, Wallace Boyles and Steve Gildert;
• 10-Year Award — Jason Baker, Tom Martin, Peter Oakes, Jean Marc Theriault, Tony Lilley, Rick Voisine, Dan Cote, Kerry Michonski, Tracy Ellis, Rene Beaulier, Dale Eastman, Gary Tilley, Randy Rowe, Kevin Jandreau and Vince Violette; and
• 5-Year Award — Eric Clark, Dave Cote, Larry Doody, Larry Carney, Nate Giggey, Clyde Eastman, Scott Clark, Kevin Theriault, Steve Cyr, Ed Marquis, Lee Lovewell, Joel Dahl, Brian Soucier and Mike Buck Jr.
Contrary to rumors that both the Ashland and Masardis mills are offline, Cote said Masardis is in full operation.
10-Year Award
— Fraser Timber Limited employees honored recently for 10 years of safe service.
Included from left, in front: Rick Voisine, Dan Cote and Kerry Michonski.
In back: Jason Baker, Tom Martin, Peter Oakes Jean Marc Theriault and Tony Lilley.
Not present were: Tracy Ellis, Rene Beaulier, Dale Eastman, Gary Tilley, Randy Rowe, Kevin Jandreau and Vince Violette.
5-Year Award —
Fraser Timber Limited employees honored recently for 5 years of safe service.
Included from left, in front: Dave Cote, Larry Doody, Larry Carney and Nate Giggey.
In back is Eric Clark.
Not present were: Clyde Eastman, Scott Clark, Kevin Theriault, Steve Cyr, Ed Marquis, Lee Lovewell, Joel Dahl, Brian Soucier and Mike Buck Jr.
“We are currently operating the Masardis facility, with two shifts. The planer mill and sawmill operations are working four days a week on 10-hour shifts,” noted Cote.
“In Masardis, we produce and finish random length lumber for housing construction purposes. The Ashland site is still shut down,” he said. “We currently employ 145 employees on a full-time basis,” said Cote.
He said at the Fraser Timber mills’ employees work diligently to maintain a safe working environment.
“We now have worked over 574 consecutive days without a lost-time injury and 74 days since our last recordable injury,” said Cote.
Despite continued difficulties in the housing market, Cote said company officials are optimistic about the lumber business. One of the major economic impacts to the Fraser Timber mills is that there is still too much subsidized B.C. lumber supply in the U.S. market which is keeping lumber prices lower than they should be (supply and demand economics). The other major economic impact in northern Maine remains to be the exportation of round wood into Canada that would otherwise be sawed in northern Maine, which would support many jobs and the overall economy of in this area.
“The future of the lumber industry in northern Maine remains challenging, but we are optimistic that as the economy improves, so will the housing starts in the U.S. With some cost-cutting measures that we have undertaken and an improvement in the lumber prices in the market, things have improved,” Cote said.
