Renald Plourde: A 38-year career in sawmills

For Renald Plourde, a millwright at the Clair Sawmill, every workday is a chance to learn something new and drive solutions through innovative thinking. And with an impressive 38-year career as a skilled tradesperson working in sawmills, it’s something he knows well.

Renald started his career in September 1987 at the Baker Brook sawmill, staying on through various ownership changes until it was acquired by J.D. Irving, Limited. Originally a plumber, Renald was inspired to become a millwright after working alongside millwrights on the mill sprinkler system.

The switch allowed Renald to truly find his passion in a role that perfectly suited his skillset. A natural problem solver, Renald takes great pride in his work. He recalls in particular a project involving an issue with one of the mill’s debarkers. His modification to the hydraulics system solved the issue completely.

“You learn everyday on how to improve things,” he said. “There’s always challenges and you need to be innovative.”

More recently, Renald applied his innovative thinking to develop a pneumatic system for the shim line at the Clair Sawmill. His solution greatly reduced downtime, allowing for more production.

As a millwright, Renald says he found a job that he loves, one that always has a fresh challenge to tackle.

“The job is never boring,” he said. “It’s a job where you learn different things every day.”

For anyone wanting to follow in his footsteps and pursue a career as a millwright, Renald says to “Go for it. Dive into it.”