Roseburg Forest Products to Build New Sawmill In North Carolina

Roseburg Forest Products, based in Springfield, intends to construct a new high-capacity lumber mill in Weldon, North Carolina.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced the project on July 1 at a press conference attended by officials from the company and local governments.

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 state-of-the-art sawmill is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2022, with startup scheduled for later that year.
• Roanoke Valley Lumber will be one of the highest-capacity sawmills on the East Coast, capable of producing as many as 400 million board feet of dimensional lumber per year.

“Low-interest rates, a surge in home remodeling, and growing demand for single-family housing are pushing the industry to increase domestic lumber production capacity as quickly as possible,” Grady Mulbery, President and CEO of Roseburg, stated.

“This new mill is an exciting strategic growth opportunity that integrates well with our other North American operations and client base. We are grateful to the state of North Carolina, and the county and town partners who helped make this project possible.”

Roseburg is the Roanoke Valley’s largest private timberland owner.

The company bought 158,000 acres of timberland in North Carolina and Virginia in 2017.

According to the company’s projections, the mill will employ 137 people in its first two years.

“Our business model of growing trees, converting them into high-quality wood products that improve people’s lives, then replanting to start the process over again is testament to our long-term commitment to our industry and the communities where we operate,” Jake Elston, Senior Vice President of Operations, stated.

“We are excited to build and operate a world-class facility while growing our relationships and serving key clients on the Eastern Seaboard with expanded product offerings.”

Roseburg operates 14 manufacturing plants in North America, including the country’s second-largest short lumber stud mill in Dillard, Oregon.

“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,” according to the company.

“The selected site’s proximity to the company’s Roanoke Rapids timber management office was a factor, as well.”