Newmerella’s MecTec sawmill has been forced to stop production, leaving nine employees without a job.
The sawmill has operated for around 80 years, but is now no longer receiving enough logs to keep the business running.
According to MecTec owner, John Mekken, the sawmill is normally allocated 10,000 cubic metres of timber from VicForests every financial year, but have received much less this year.
“Last year we got a bit over 8,000. In the year just begun now, we have received about 700 cubic metres and we need double that to keep going,” Mr Mekken said.
“We’ll get nothing this month.
“Over the last two years we normally build up a bank of wood as well, so when it’s wet or winter we can live off that for a month or two, but over the last two years we’ve dried all of it up, so we don’t have any extra; this year it’s become a pinch point.”

IMAGE: Owner of MecTec sawmill, John Mekken, has been forced to stop production due to a lack of logs. The sawmill is usually allocated 10,000 square metres of timber each financial year, but has only received around 700.