2017 International Forest Industries Magazines IFI Aug Sept 2017 v2 | Page 21
LUMBER PROCESSING NEWS
Roseburg Forest Products to build new
engineered wood plant in South Carolina
Oregon-based Roseburg Forest Products will
expand its operations in the southeastern
United States with construction of a new
engineered wood products plant in Chester,
S.C. Roseburg publicly announced the project
July 11 at a joint news conference with officials
representing the state of South Carolina and
Chester County.
“This is an exciting strategic growth
opportunity in a business that has done well
for us,” Roseburg President and CEO Grady
Mulbery said. “With the continued increase
in housing starts in the southeastern U.S., we
see ongoing demand growth for engineered
wood products in the region and elsewhere.
We are grateful to state and local officials in
Chester for their hard work and collaborative
efforts to facilitate this project.”
Groundbreaking on the planned state-of-
the-art manufacturing facility is expected in
early 2018, with anticipated operation start-
up in mid-2019. Once completed, the plant
will create 148 full-time jobs.
“This new plant will be the most
technologically advanced manufacturing
facility of its kind in the world with the highest
capacity continuous LVL press in the world,”
said Steve Killgore, Roseburg’s Senior Vice
President of Solid Wood Business. “Expanding
our manufacturing capacity in this way allows
us to meet growing customer demand for a
versatile product that combines the best of
modern processing technology and structural
capability.”
The new plant will make Roseburg the
largest U.S. manufacturer of engineered wood
products serving independent distributors
without captive distribution. Roseburg first
established its engineered wood products
business in 2001 and currently manufactures
RFPI® Joists, RigidLam® LVL and RigidRim®
rimboard at its plant in Riddle, Ore.
“Engineered wood products are a key
strategic focus for Roseburg, and we have
been looking for an opportunity to expand
our footprint into the southeastern area of
the country for a while now,” Killgore said.
“Our products have an established customer
base across the country, and this new build
will add production closer to those customers,
in a region with a welcoming business
environment and favorable raw materials
costs.”
A significant percentage of Roseburg’s
engineered wood customers are located in
the southeastern portion of the country. The
greenfield project will provide current and
new customers access to a stable supply of
high-quality LVL product.
Roseburg did extensive research prior
to choosing a location for the new plant, with
criteria including market demand, raw materials
availability and cost, and business climate front
and center.
“We have enjoyed close collaboration with
state and local officials in Chester County to
design a project that can deliver positive results
for everyone involved,” Killgore said. “Roseburg
is grateful to the state and county for their
hard work, and we look forward to a business
relationship that contributes to the local and
regional economy for many years to come.”
Steve Killgore, Roseburg’s
Senior Vice President of Solid
Wood Business
Roseburg plans to close on the property
within the next 30 days. The project is
contingent upon resolving terms and conditions
with local and state officials, finalizing
agreements and receiving approval of permits.
International Forest Industries | AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 19