A last-ditch plea to discuss options to retain Tasman's Eves Valley sawmill was snubbed by its owners Carter Holt Harvey, Nelson's mayor says.
It has been confirmed that the sawmill near Nelson would close, resulting in the loss of more than 140 jobs.
Tasman mayor Tim King and his Nelson counterpart Nick Smith had appealed to the company to delay the closure for a year so the 'wall of wood' left behind from winter storms could be salvaged.
But the union E tū said the company had confirmed it would close its operations from next month after staff were called to a meeting on Thursday.
In a social media post, Smith said he was disappointed that Carter Holt Harvey did not have the courtesy to speak, or meet with him and King after they sent the company a letter on Monday.
"I expect better from our corporate citizens. [Carter Hold Harvey] has profited for over 40 years from its Nelson sawmilling business and should not be abandoning us in our hour of need."
Smith said he had been talking with government officials and Ministers about providing support for affected workers including helping them find alternative employment.
Meanwhile, Tasman's mayor said he was both "gutted" and "frustrated" that a path forward could not be found.
King told The Panel he was unsure why an option to lease the mill to another operator had not been explored, and suspected Carter Holt Harvey wanted to mothball the site.
"Part of the shock is that they've invested a lot of money, in the last five years, probably over $25 million, brand new kilns, drying sheds," he said.
"There's been a lot of investment, a huge amount of effort from the management staff locally and the people who work at Eves Valley to continue to improve its efficiency, which they've done a great job of.
"That's the other really gutting thing, with all of that effort and that investment, it still wasn't enough to enable it to stay open."
The region was also facing significant knock-on effects due to the closure, King said.
Carter Holt Harvey has not responded to RNZ's multiple requests for comment.
RNZ understands the company wanted to consolidate its operations out of its Kawerau plant in Bay of Plenty.
'Like going to your own funeral'
Union delegate Maria Hemara said she and her colleagues were "broken" after learning they had lost their jobs.
"I feel like I've lost my whole family. We work together for 40 hours a week, we've built friendships, and it's all being taken away. It's like going to your own funeral," she said.
"I'll be looking for jobs - I've tried supermarkets, and other mills around here. If not, I'll have to go temping [or] something.
"I think it will be a burden for the whole community. They will share our grief. The loss of jobs and productivity in the region isn't good for anyone."
Hemara has worked at the mill for six years and told Checkpoint workers had been preparing for the worst.
She said she and her colleagues would put their "best foot forward" to secure work.
"I think it could be quite difficult for some and for some it won't. A lot of them have good skills that they can fall back on.
"For myself, I'm confident I'll get a job. You just have to be positive and put yourself out there.
"I think my colleagues will do exactly the same thing."
E tū national secretary Rachel Mackintosh said workers had been caught in the crossfire of an unnecessary corporate move.
"This is a closure on top of a restructure. The people working there have been a bit punch-drunk by all the changes," she said.
"A couple of months ago they laid some people off, now they're closing the whole plant.
"It's been an ongoing wound."
The closure would be staggered from the start of next month until the end of November.
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