Rick Breuner, Owner and Operator of FICL, comes by his knowledge of the forest industry based on personal experience – prior to beginning his consulting business in 1999, he worked for 35 years in the forest industry. His first position was as a chemist in the technical department at the Crown Zellerbach mill in Camas, Washington. A few of the other roles that Rick held from 1964 until Crown Zellerbach sold in the mid-80s included: Finishing Room Superintendent, Manager of Commercial R&D, Fiber Supply Manager, and Mill Manager.
In 1986, Rick joined Smurfit Newsprint as Manager of Fiber Supply with paper mills in Oregon City and Newberg, Oregon – and particle board facilities in Philomath and Sweet Home, Oregon.
Rick remembers well that in the mid-70s there were fifty wood consuming pulp and paper mills in the Northwest. Now, there are thirteen. Rick and FICL have done well in keeping the information flowing and ensuring that the historical perspective doesn’t get lost.
Rick’s involvement in FRA goes way back. FICL has been an FRA member for twenty years., But Rick has been involved with the Western Region leadership for longer than that. His first FRA (APA at the time) meeting was in Missoula, Montana in 1975.
One of the large Western Region projects he was instrumental in assisting with was the Chip Quality Manual that has been widely distributed and utilized in the West. Along with the manual, a gauge was produced and distributed widely (see photo below). There is discussion of revising this manual soon, and Rick will be called on again for his expertise.
He also participated in national governance for many of those years. Long-term members like Rick bring much value to FRA.
Chip Quality Gauge
Gregory & Rick Breuner
Rick Breuner
Fiber Industry Consultants, Inc.
700 SW Schaeffer Road
West Linn, OR 97068
Cell: 503.638.2664
Email: [email protected]
