ROXIE – &uot;Prevailing market conditions&uot; are to blame for the closing of a Georgia-Pacific lumber mill in Franklin County last week.

&uot;The work has been bad for a while,&uot; said Melodie Ruse, Georgia-Pacific communications manager. &uot;It wasn’t a surprise.&uot;

According to the company’s official release, production at the mill was &uot;suspended indefinitely&uot; beginning last Friday.

&uot;Right now, we don’t know when it will reopen,&uot; Ruse said.

The mill, which employs about 120 people from Roxie and surrounding communities, is one of the largest industries in the county.

Roxie Mayor Betty Norris said she fears the closing will have a domino effect on local &uot;spin-off&uot; industries, especially trucking.

&uot;It’s some really bad news for us,&uot; she said.

A few employees, including office staff, continue to work at the mill loading existing stock and shutting down operations, Ruse said.

All suspended employees are eligible for unemployment benefits, but they have not been told to seek employment elsewhere.

&uot;They have to do what is best for them,&uot; Ruse said.

&uot;Our employees have done a great job here at Roxie,&uot; plant manager Joe Brown said. &uot;This suspension is not a reflection of their efforts.&uot;

The Roxie sawmill was purchased by Georgia-Pacific in 1973 and produces 2-by-4, 2-by-6 and 1-by-4 Southern pine lumber used in housing construction.

Georgia-Pacific operates 32 other lumber facilities in the Southeast.

The Roxie mill is one of 12 Georgia-Pacific mills across the country under suspension at this time, including a plywood facility Louisville.