LEWISTON - The Potlatch company in northern Idaho has temporarily laid off 102 employees from lumber and cedar operations in Lewiston because of a lulls in new housing construction.

Potlatch spokesman Matt Van Vleet says the employees were laid off because the company has received fewer orders for its wood products. These employees are scheduled to come back to work on Oct. 20.

While 102 employees have been laid off from cedar and lumber operations, the company says that it is producing strong sales with tissue products and paperboard. Potlatch has about 1,700 employees in Lewiston.

Two other mills in the region have also reduced staffs to survive economic downturns this year.

Three Rivers Timber in Kamiah cut 35 jobs and Bennett Lumber Products in nearby Washington state cut 45 percent of its crew in February.