Statement to Our Employees and Community

January 31, 2022

After more than 70 years of employing generations of families in Eugene, J.H. Baxter and Company has made a business decision to mothball its 33-acre facility, effective January 31, 2022.

The company began wholesaling lumber in 1896 on the docks of San Francisco Bay.  After the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, Baxter expanded its operations and acquired sailing ships and later steam ships to distribute raw wood to West Coast sawmills.  Baxter expanded again with a wood preserving facility in 1915.  Baxter continued its expansion into that industry until the late 1970’s when operating costs began to rise.  Since then, we’ve also faced market volatility, and diminished margins. It simply doesn’t make financial sense to continue our current operation at the Eugene facility.

We will keep a skeleton crew at the Eugene facility to manage groundwater and stormwater systems to comply with environmental requirements, as well as oversee the site’s other assets. Some employees will also help customers pick up their products. 

We’re proud that over the years, Baxter maintained high quality control standards that met or exceeded those of the American Wood Protection Association. In addition, independent inspection agencies provided a third-party overview of quality control samples, equipment and product treating standards.

We thank our employees for their dedication and wish them well as they, like us, move onto their next chapter.