There are signs of life in Lane County's wood products industry. An article in the Eugene Register-Guard discusses how lumber exports to Asia have boosted sales at some local mills, including Starfire Lumber Co. of Cottage Grove. However, sales of raw logs to China have pushed log prices up for other mills that process these products, and analysts say that prices in U.S. markets may not rise quickly enough to compensate for the higher cost of these inputs. The article notes that some companies in Lane County are seeing a slowdown in the second half of 2011, but the industry has seen an increase since hitting bottom in 2009. The Employment Department's regional economist in Lane County, Brian Rooney, said employment hit a low of 3,200 in September 2009 and was up slightly to 3,400 in June 2011.
In the Portland area, The Oregonian reports that advertising firm Wieden + Kennedy is set to host their Portland Incubator Experiment's first class of entrepreneurs. The Portland Incubator Experiment (PIE) is an entrepreneurship lab that offers mentorship, start-up funds, access to brand partners, and office space in return for a 6 percent equity stake in the entrepreneur's company. The program is aimed at technology start-ups that serve consumer brands, and will team with representatives from Coke, Target, Nike, Google, and other local companies to mentor participants. Get more details in the full article.
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