CLANCY, Mont. — Contractors who count on Marks Lumber for custom-cut wood have until Tuesday, Oct. 20, to place their last special-cut orders. The family-owned sawmill south of Helena announced on Oct. 5 that it will retire and close in 2027.
The mill will stop sawing on Nov. 6. After that, it will sell from existing inventory for the rest of 2026 and into 2027. The company said in its announcement that "our final closing date will be determined by the depletion of our inventory." In other words, when the stock is gone, the doors close.
The wind-down, date by date
Date | What changes |
|---|---|
Oct. 5, 2026 | Closure announced |
Oct. 20, 2026 | Last day to place special-cut orders |
Nov. 6, 2026 | Sawing operations end |
Rest of 2026 | Sales continue from existing inventory |
2027 | Remaining stock sold down; mill closes when it runs out |
The announcement does not give a reason for the closure. It describes the decision as one made after long thought and with real difficulty. It thanks the mill's employees and customers and says the family wants an orderly finish. It does not say what will happen to the workers, the property or the equipment.
A small mill that kept investing
Marks Lumber sits at 30 Lump Gulch Road in Clancy, just south of Helena. Owner Steve Marks has run the operation for decades. In October 2025, MTN News reported the mill had been running for 36 years with a crew of 18.
The closure comes just a few years after a major bet on the future. In early 2022, Marks shut the mill down for about two months to replace its edger and trimmer. KTVH reported the project cost more than $1 million. Marks told the station he expected the new equipment to make the mill about 60% more efficient. He said that investing late in his career was about keeping his crew employed and the business competitive.
The mill also built a reputation beyond its own yard. In October 2021, Gov. Greg Gianforte gave Marks Lumber the state's first Forest Products Award. The governor's office credited the company with helping treat more than 30,000 acres around Helena to cut wildfire risk. That included work on the Brooklyn Bridge project with the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.
Another Montana mill gone
Marks Lumber is one more loss for a shrinking Montana timber industry. In 2024, Roseburg Forest Products closed its Missoula plant and Pyramid Mountain Lumber closed in Seeley Lake.
Those closures hit small mills like Marks, too. In the 2025 MTN News report, Marks said the sawdust and chips Roseburg used to buy were now going to Weyerhaeuser in Columbia Falls, with freight eating the profit. To stay afloat, the mill shifted toward finished boards and niche products that bigger mills don't bother with. Asked what kept the mill going, Marks gave a short answer: "Just not giving up."
That niche work is exactly what contractors will miss. Small mills fill the gaps big suppliers skip: odd dimensions, specialty flooring and custom cuts with quick turnaround. When one closes, builders often face longer lead times and higher freight costs to get the same material from farther away.
What contractors should do now
- Place special-cut orders by Tuesday, Oct. 20. After that, the mill will only sell what's already cut.
- Confirm open orders. If you have work in the queue, call to make sure it will be sawn before Nov. 6.
- Buy stock for upcoming jobs. Inventory will shrink through 2026 and 2027, and the mill closes when it runs out.
- Line up a backup supplier. Projects that start in 2027 or later will need a new source for custom and specialty lumber.
Marks Lumber can be reached at 406-933-5794 or info@markslumber.com. The full announcement is on the company's website at markslumber.us.