Whistles: The Story of Longview Fibre Company

In today’s world focused on the immediate profitability of a business, the story of Longview Fibre Company gives one pause. From the start, the founding families held to three priorities: make money, build long-term shareholder value, and contribute positively to the community.

For eighty years, the founding families of Longview Fibre did exactly that. Beginning with a pulp and paper mill in Washington State, the enterprise expanded to plants for converting paper to bags and boxes in sixteen states and almost six hundred thousand acres of tree farms in three states. To ensure profitability, savvy management constantly adjusted to market conditions, offered improved products to customers, installed more efficient machinery, built a sustainable supply of wood fiber, and found ways to recycle before that term became fashionable.

Longview Fibre impacted the community primarily through its workforce, directly employing almost four thousand persons at its peak. But the company’s commitment went beyond simple payroll. In economic downturns, “Fibre” made every effort to keep its workforce intact, knowing the long-term benefits of loyal employees but also truly caring about the welfare of its people—not only the employees but also the broader community indirectly served by the business in town. Its cultural footprint extended to this greater circle through community service and philanthropy. As evidence of the company’s firm commitment to the community, high-level managers lived in Longview—where supervisor and subordinate alike breathed in the sweet smell of jobs and money emanating from the pulp mill’s smokestacks.