Woodhandler or Feeder - 2nd Shift - No Weekends

Application Deadline: 17 October 2025

Department: Production - Union

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Rice Lake, WI

Compensation: $24.01 - $26.19 / hour

Description

Woodhandler: This employee helps the Excelsior Machine Operators produce excelsior by neatly piling 19 inch blocks of Aspen Wood from conveyor belts onto carts and moving the carts to the excelsior room. This job is very physical and involves loading nearly 300 very heavy carts of wood or moving 300 very heavy carts of wood from one room to another each shift.

Excelsior Machine Operator ("Feeder") - the employee feeds 19-inch blocks of Aspen wood into a machine that grinds it into excelsior using a metal pick and is responsible for keeping the machine pockets filled with blocks and the blocks cutting at all times as well as removing the dirt and debris from the machine pockets and from the aisles in a timely and safe manner.

Bale Plant Utility - this person covers for wood handlers and feeders when people are absent, and may also cover knife setup, loader, forklift, sediment log and wattle operator, baler operator, and running or working on pad machine.

Key Responsibilities

Feeder

• Keeps the machine pockets filled with blocks and the blocks cutting at all times.
• Removes the dirt and debris from the machine pockets and from the aisles in a timely and safe manner.
• Recognizes overheated machines and mechanical problems.
• Keeps the general flow of excelsior moving smoothly.
• Uses wood picks safely.
• Cooperates with the other machine operators and with the wood handlers.
• Looks for non-conforming excelsior when called upon.
• Helps others keep areas clean during down times.
• Changes knife blocks as needed and in a timely manner.
  
  

Woodhandler

• Works in conjunction with other Woodhandlers, Sawyer and Utility person as a team.
• Learns the communication signals between the other Woodhandler and the Sawyer.
• Piles the wood on the carts neatly and safely.
• Removes the dirt and debris from the aisles in a timely manner.
• Splits large diameter (12 inches and up) blocks to facilitate the feeding of the blocks.
• Cools down machines using oil, water and an air hose as needed.
• Recognizes mechanical problems.
• Helps keep the general flow of product moving smoothly.
• Uses all tools safely.
• Works as a team with the excelsior machine operators.
• Looks for and rejects non-conforming raw materials.
  
  

Utility

• Works as a woodhandler or feeder as needed
• Covers other locations in the plant such as knife settup, loader operator, baler operator, and sediment logs.
  
  

Physical Demands and Work Environment

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: While performing any of these jobs, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, clench, grip, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. This job requires repetitive hand, arm, and wrist movements. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 40 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 70 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Steel/composite toe boots/shoes, safety glasses, bump cap, and hearing protection are required. The working conditions are noisy and dusty; associates are regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts.

CANDIDATE MUST SUCCESSFULLY PASS PRE-EMPLOYMENT PHYSICAL, JOB FUNCTIONALITY TEST, and DRUG & ALCOHOL TEST.

Benefits

• 401(k) 6% Match
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• On-the-job training
• Opportunities for advancement
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance
• Attendance bonus
• Supplemental Accident Coverage
• Supplemental Hospital Coverage
• Supplemental Critical Illness Coverage
• No Weekends
• Weekly Pay
• Regular Overtime
• Shift Differential