TACOMA, Wash. - The downturn in the housing industry is prompting the Simpson Timber Co. to lay off 111 workers at its Tacoma and Shelton sawmills.

The Tacoma sawmill will lose 46 of its 144 employees, and the Shelton mill will lose 65 of 294 employees, effective April 28.

Ray Tennison, president of Simpson Investment Co., said Friday that the wood products industry is facing hard times because of the nation's troubled housing sector.

The mills make dimension lumber, such as two-by-fours, used heavily in residential construction. But housing starts are down significantly since 2005.

Simpson says the layoffs are for an indeterminate period.

The layoffs do not affect workers at the Simpson Tacoma Kraft Co. in Tacoma, the Simpson Timber Co. Mill 5 operations west of Shelton, or operations in Longview.