A Quebec City company that harvests and manages forests on both sides of the border bought its second property in Maine, the Ste-Aurelie Timberlands in Somerset County, for $30 million.
Solifor on Wednesday announced the deal for the nearly 62,000 acres, or 96 square miles, of forest, which is half the size of the island of Montreal. The former Maine owner’s name was not disclosed.
Solifor last May paid $25 million for 69,000 acres of forest slightly north of the recently purchased land, which abuts the Canadian border, Solifor spokesman Patrick McQuilken said. There are no immediate plans to acquire more forest land in Maine, he said.
“We harvest and replant trees in the land,” McQuilken said. “It is primarily softwood lumber that we supply to Quebec processors and that is used for building in Quebec. We want to save shipping costs but do send some back to Maine.”
The main customers are Quebec companies, including Maibec and Groupe Lebel.
The land near the St. Aurelie border crossing into Canada is about 75 miles north of the Jackman border crossing in northwestern Maine. The land is mixed forest of coniferous and hardwood trees.
The forest’s main product is wood, but it also is known for maple syrup shipped to Canada and the United States, according to Peter Triandafillou, vice president of Huber Resources Corp. of Old Town, which manages the two forests for Solifor.
Three of Huber’s 17 employees in Old Town are devoted to the Solifor forests, and it contracts with about 15 Maine loggers seasonally.
“There won’t be any big changes in managing the forest or the staff,” Triandafillou said.