The Springfield-based Roseburg Forest Products plans to build a new high-capacity lumber mill in Weldon, North Carolina.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced the project on July 1 at a press conference attended by company and local government officials.
According to Roseburg:
- The new 375,000-square-foot facility will be called Roanoke Valley Lumber and will be located on approximately 200 acres of land in Halifax County.
- Construction on the cutting-edge sawmill is set to begin in the first quarter of 2022, with a planned start-up date later that year.
- Roanoke Valley Lumber will be one of the East Coast’s largest sawmills, capable of producing up to 400 million board feet of dimensional lumber per year.
“Low-interest rates, a surge in home remodeling, and rising demand for single-family housing are putting pressure on the industry to increase domestic lumber production capacity as soon as possible,” said Grady Mulbery, President and CEO of Roseburg.
“This new mill represents an exciting strategic growth opportunity that complements our other North American operations and client base.” We are grateful to the state of North Carolina, as well as the county and municipal partners who made this project possible.”
Roseburg is the largest private timberland owner in the Roanoke Valley.
In 2017, the company purchased 158,000 acres of timberland in North Carolina and Virginia.
The mill will employ 137 people in its first two years, according to the company’s projections.
“Our business model of growing trees, converting them into high-quality wood products that improve people’s lives, and then replanting to start the process all over again demonstrates our long-term commitment to our industry and the communities where we operate,” said Jake Elston, Senior Vice President of Operations.
“We are excited to build and operate a world-class facility while expanding our relationships and providing expanded product offerings to key clients on the Eastern Seaboard.”
Roseburg has 14 manufacturing plants in North America, including the second-largest short lumber stud mill in the country in Dillard, Oregon.
According to the company, “The company carefully selected the site for this new mill, with criteria including market demand, business climate, and workforce readiness at the top of the list.”
“The selected site’s proximity to the company’s Roanoke Rapids timber management office was a factor, as well.”
