A multiyear legal battle between Astoria Forest Products and Westerlund Log Handlers over log exports at the Port of Astoria has been settled.
The U.S. District Court in Portland posted a notice online that lawyers for the two sides had reached a settlement, giving the parties 60 days to reinstate the lawsuit before the dismissal becomes final. Lawyers for the companies could not immediately be reached for comment.
Westerlund, owned by David Westerlund and Roger Nance, began exporting logs to Asia from the Port in 2010. State-owned China National Building Materials Corp. bought much of the timber and loaned Westerlund money for equipment. By 2014, the two sides were embroiled in lawsuits, with China National putting liens on Westerlund Log Handlers’ equipment.
Dennis Murphy, the former co-owner of Eugene-based Murphy Timber Co., stepped in, allegedly paying more than $2.5 million to settle the case and release the liens on the equipment. His company, Astoria Forest Products, signed a contract for Westerlund Log Handlers to handle logs procured by Murphy for export.
But the partnership soured and the two companies filed dueling lawsuits against each other.
