Completed Investments and Closings

In Canada, Domtar completed a project at the Clermont, QC pulp mill to increase electrical generation and decrease water usage with projected annual savings of nearly $600,000. Gorman Group’s Canoe Forest Products in Canoe, BC installed a new $10 million kiln. San Group closed three lumber and two engineered wood processing plants in BC while they complete bankruptcy proceedings. An April fire destroyed Zavisha Sawmills in Hines Creek, AB, but company officials pledge to rebuild sawmill operations on the 82-year-old mill site.

In the U.S., Domtar completed a $51 million modernization of the pulper at the Hawesville, KY pulp mill. The new pulper will add flexibility for multiple end products. Roseburg Forest Products added a new hardwood plywood line and two new lathe lines in Riddle, OR and installed a new dryer at the plywood plant in Coquille, OR. The total combined investment was $200 million. Freres Engineered Wood’s mass plywood plant in Lyons, OR completed a press replacement and installed a larger CNC machine. The upgrades increased production over 35% due to shorter press times. Vaagen Brothers in Colville, OR installed a new high-speed planer allowing them to now process up to 12-inch-wide boards and lengths to 20 feet. Sequoia Forest Products purchased and rebuilt the former Arcata Forest Products sawmill in Arcata, CA to primarily produce redwood fence posts.

In the U.S. South, two buyers purchased three of the Teal-Jones Group mills out of receivership proceedings. Sumitomo Forestry purchased 57% in the new Plain Dealing, LA sawmill, and Twain Capital purchased the Antlers, OK and Liberty, MS sawmills for $10 million. Teal-Jones Group will continue to manage operations at the Plain Dealing mill. International Paper officially closed their Campti, LA linerboard facility on April 11, 2025. Georgia-Pacific in Emporia, VA ceased plywood operations on May 2, 2025. Big River Lumber in Coushatta, LA experienced a fire in Q1 2025 and is not currently running. The owners are taking the opportunity to upgrade the sorter and grader while the mill is down. They expect to be back up in July 2025.

The table below includes many recently completed updates for forest product manufacturers:

New Announcements and Project Updates

Several projects have recently been announced or updated, including Georgia-Pacific’s decision to close the Cedar Springs, GA pulp mill in August 2025. SDI Biocarbon Solutions is preparing to soft commission in June as testing wraps up. This facility plans to use 1.4 million tons of softwood pulpwood per year at capacity to produce low-carbon hydrogen that will be used internally and biocarbon. Hood Companies are still on track to commission the $200 million rebuild of the Beaumont, MS plywood mill in Q3 2025.

The Wilson, Kaiser & Olsen, Inc. (WKO) plywood mill in Bingen, WA will close in June of this year. Roseburg Forest Products’ new MDF mill in Dillard, OR has been delayed. Ahlstrom agreed to buy the Pixelle Specialty Solutions paper mill in Stevens Point, WI for $600 million with closing anticipated in June. West Fraser in Solway, MN applied for economic assistance from the state to support a $137 million upgrade to the OSB facility.