Spray Lake Sawmills (SLS) is celebrating 75 years of operations this year – greeting some 170 people through its annual afternoon sawmill tour on Sept. 13. Ed Kulcsar, vice-president of the Woodlands Division, tours the Eagle through the process – pointing left and right to the computerized heavy machinery from start to finish. Logs travel along the multiple conveyor belts, scanning and processing lumber for sorting, debarking, drying, planing, then put out to sell or to the treating plant. Tour guide Jason Newman explains to his safety helmet-clad crowd that each log is scanned and fed to the computer – which then determines length to cut logs into and the future of each piece of wood. Back in the office, owner/operator Barry Mjolsness smiles big when he reflects on the 48 years of operations on their current site – located in the heart of the town of 29,000 and climbing with its 100 acre site on each side of River Avenue along Griffin Road. Barry is joined in his office by senior vice-president and chief operating officer Arnold Fiselier and Kulcsar. "It's been a great ride ... it's all about the people. We have an incredible group of people – nobody can do it on their own," smiled Barry, whose father, Chester, started the forestry business in 1943 – joined by his brother, Lloyd, a few years later. Barry purchased the sawmill in 1980 and took the helm as president and CEO. Through the years, the sawmill has grown to become one of the town's largest and longest-standing employers through its harvesting of forestry product logged in permitted areas from north of Sundre to south of the Crowsnest Pass. Fiselier explained that 70 per cent of the southern forests of Alberta are protected. The remaining 30 per cent is shared among the likes of the logging, recreation and ranching industries. "Within that 30 per cent, we harvest less than one per cent annually," said Fiselier, adding that replanting is done on a minimum ratio of 2:1. The chosen method of harvesting employed by the sawmill is stump-side processing – whereby the cones and components of the harvested trees are released directly on site to aid in reforestation. "Technology has changed making woodland operations more efficient and safe. Equally important is the ongoing research that shapes our forest management," said Kulcsar, adding that the award-winning sawmill operates using best management practices, follows provincial and federal regulations and participates in national/international certification programs for their operations, which is subject to annual audits. The forestry industry is cyclical by nature – supply and demand markets, regulation and weather working to round out good and bad years. "There are things way beyond our control ... you find a way," explained Barry. With 200-plus employees (not including contractors and seasonal operators) the sawmill is happy to report it is in an upswing at present – where supply is down and demand is up for its products, which amount to around 70 per cent lodgepole pine, 25 per cent white spruce and five per cent other tree species. The sawmill has been a major contributor to countless charities, projects and events in Cochrane throughout the years – from Cochrane participants in the Calgary Stampede to Light Up, all the way to legacy projects like the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre and the Spray Lake Sawmills Legacy Field at Bow Valley High. This year it was chosen as the parade marshall for the 2018 rendition of the Cochrane Labour Day Parade. "It's a pleasure to give back to the community - the future is bright," said Barry.
