JACKSON CENTER, Pennsylvania - A Mercer County manufacturer of custom-cut veneer products has explained why it plans to close its Jackson Center facility by August 18, 2025, resulting in 81 job losses. A news release from International Timber and Veneer attributes the decision primarily to what it says is the unpredictable global economic climate, including a tense international trade environment and China's import ban on American logs.

ITV, established in 1997 as part of the IVC Group, has processed logs into veneers for its own trading companies and others worldwide. However, according to an ITV statement, the current trade landscape has made raw material procurement highly uncertain.

While acknowledging common challenges like skilled labor shortages, rising labor costs, and increased equipment prices, ITV emphasized that "increasingly unpredictable customs policies" and the import ban on American logs into China were the decisive factors. These conditions have led the company to conclude there is "no longer a viable long-term outlook for the continued operation" of the plant.

A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice, detailing the closure, has been posted on the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry website.