Some Tafisa customers will be impacted and their orders delayed after a particleboard line at the company's Lac-Mégantic facility was damaged from a June 14 explosion.

Pierre-Luc Bérubé, vice president of sales and marketing, said the line will be stopped for several weeks during the repair process. "We are contacting each client one by one to provide the information regarding their order file," he said.

The explosion, which injured no one and is still under investigation, was isolated to particleboard #2. Particleboard line #1 was not affected. 

A new thermally fused laminate (TFL) Line, #6, that was inaugurated in January 2024, was not impacted by the explosion. Operation on the TFL line resumed last Sunday, June 16. Production of the company's Lacquered Panels (LUMMIA) product is made in a new plant built next to the particleboard plant, and so there was no impact on production. 

At around 5:30 p.m. on June 14, an explosion occurred. Supported by an internal fire and emergency brigade, the city's firefighters intervened quickly. Tafisa has communicated with the competent authorities, including the CNESST and the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP), to inform them of the situation.

An action plan was put in place that includes measures aimed at securing the site, supporting employees, including psychological support, analyzing the causes, assessing the damage, and establishing a sequence to restart operations.