Cliff Tuttle, manager of the Warrenton Hampton Lumber Mill, attended the CEDR Awards to accept this plaque presented by Kevin Leahy.

Accepting the award: Cliff Tuttle, mill manager

The Warrenton Business Association nominated Hampton Lumber Mills for a 2016 CEDR award. Hampton Affiliates operates several mills, including the mill in Warrenton. In 2010, Hampton acquired the sawmill in Warrenton from Weyerhaeuser and after investing millions of dollars in upgrades, re-opened for operations in 2012.

The Warrenton Hampton Mill currently has an annual production capacity of 200 million board feet and uses both Douglas fir and hemlock. All the trees the mill uses are from local forests and every log that enters the mill is 100 percent used with no waste.

Hampton Mill in Warrenton currently employs 149 local workers — 139 are hourly employees earning an average of $23 per hour, a good family wage.

Most of the jobs created by Hampton since they have re-opened have been filled by locals. Local workers have worked out very good for the company and have prompted Hampton to expand their apprenticeship program. The apprenticeship program allows the mill to train the local employees the skills needed to be successful in this industry. Hampton Mill has recently partnered with the local high school to expand their trainings and lessons to high school students, and is in talks with Clatsop Community College for new workforce training partnerships.