MASARDIS, Maine — The Maibec lumber mill in Masardis, Aroostook County’s largest sawmill, has been sold to a new owner, Groupe Lebel of Riviere-du-Loup, Quebec.
Levis, Quebec-based Maibec announced Tuesday that it has concluded a transaction to sell the Masardis lumber mill and a St. Pamphile mill to Groupe Lebel.
Both companies are privately-owned and terms of the deal were not disclosed.
According to a press release issued by Maibec, the 315 employees at the Masardis and St. Pamphile mills will maintain their employment with Groupe Lebel.
Maibec officials said they sold the mill to focus on the company’s exterior siding products.
“After this transaction, Maibec will pursue its business development initiatives, supported by the remaining 585 employees working in the 8 Maibec manufacturing facilities,” the officials said in a press release.
Maibec acquired the former J. Paul Levesque sawmill in Masardis in 2015 and had announced earlier this year plans for a multi-million expansion at the facility, which produces dimensional lumber from spruce and fir. Owned by the Tardif family of Quebec City, the Maibec company has long had ties to the North Maine Woods as a supplier of timber for the St. Pamphile mill, located 35 miles west of Allagash. The company’s name is a blend of the words Maine and Quebec.
Groupe Lebel is owned by the Lebel family and based in Riviere-du-Loup, Quebec. With the new sawmills, that firm will employ about 950 people, according to the press release.
Watch The County website for updates.
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- Joel Dahl of Masardis operates a planer at the Maibec sawmill on Wednesday, Feb. 7. (Anthony Brino)
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- Cole Richards, planer mill manager at Maibec, observes the mill’s software system in an office at the Masardis sawmill on Feb. 7. (Anthony Brino)
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- Stacks of lumber wait to be kiln-dried in February at Maibec in Masardis, Aroostook County’s largest sawmill. (Anthony Brino)
