2019 International Forest Industries Magazine December / January IFI Dec Jan 2019 Digital | Page 20

LUMBER PROCESSING NEWS
Westervelt to build new sawmill in Alabama
Westervelt company will construct
a new lumber mill in Thomasville,
Alabama, company announced.
The new facility will produce
Southern yellow pine lumber.
The Thomasville Mill will join
the company’s existing facility in
Moundville, Ala., which has been
operating since 1997.
“This new mill represents
our commitment to the State of
Alabama and to the region,” said
Westervelt President and CEO
Brian Luoma. “South Alabama was
always our preferred location, and
the local community offers the
workforce and resources that will
support our long-term strategy for
this facility. We are grateful for the
support of Governor Ivey, Chairman
Rush and Mayor Day, and we look
forward to being a part of this
community.”
“The Westervelt Company
has long played a prominent role
in Alabama’s booming lumber
industry and has done so while
promoting good environmental
stewardship,” Governor Kay Ivey
said. “I’m very excited to see that
Westervelt is thriving and that
they are building their second
mill in rural Clarke County. This
manufacturing facility is going to
have a major impact on this area
and give dozens of people a chance
to earn a living from a trusted
company.”
“The Westervelt Co.’s deep
roots in Alabama date back for
generations, and I’m pleased to
see this family business continue
to invest and grow in the state,”
said Greg Canfield, secretary
of the Alabama Department of
Commerce. “The company’s new
lumber production facility in Clarke
County represents an important
job-creating project for a rural
area, and it will provide a boost
for the forest products industry
throughout the region.”
“We are very proud to welcome
The Westervelt Company to
the region,” said Clarke County
Commission Chairman Jackie R.
Rush. “I’ve been involved in these
discussions from the beginning,
and throughout the process, The
Westervelt Company’s team has
been a pleasure. We’re all looking
forward to helping them succeed in
our community.”
“The City of Thomasville has
been honoured to be a partner with
the Clarke County Commission,
18 International Forest Industries | DECEMBER 2018 / JANUARY 2019
the State of Alabama and many
others as we worked shoulder to
shoulder to attract The Westervelt
Company to rural southwest
Alabama,” said Thomasville Mayor
Sheldon Day. “This project will
have a tremendous impact on our
community and our rural region.”
“We’re excited to be a part of
this community,” said Joe Patton,
Vice President and General
Manager, Wood Products. “It’s not
only a great fit for us because of
the location and proximity to our
resources and facility, but because
this region and our new neighbours
have so much more to offer.”
The facility will produce
approximately 250 million board
feet of lumber annually and create
125 new jobs. The expansion will
take advantage of the proximity
of the company’s timberland and
other facilities, as well as workforce
and existing customer bases.
“We are extremely happy that
The Westervelt Company has
elected to make a large capital
investment in Clarke County and
the Alabama-Tombigbee Region,”
said Frank Dobson, Director of
Development, Alabama-Tombigbee
Regional Commission. “The
Brian Luoma,
Westervelt
President
and CEO
company has a strong history
with the State of Alabama and
will provide good jobs to our area
while continuing their legacy of
stewardship.”
“The BID Group is extremely
proud to be chosen as the
turnkey supplier for The
Westervelt Company’s new
sawmill facility,” said Travis
McDonald, Turnkey Solutions
Senior Vice President. “We have
a longstanding relationship
with their team, and they are
widely recognized throughout
the industry as innovative and
successful operators. Along with
Westervelt’s engineering group,
we will construct a facility with
a no-compromise approach to
safety, efficiency, logistics and
productivity.”
Construction is expected to
begin mid-2019, with operations
beginning in late 2020.