Roseburg breaks ground on new sawmill

Roseburg management and local dignitaries celebrate the ground breaking of a new sawmill in Weldon, N.C.

WELDON, N.C. -- Oregon-based Roseburg Forest Products broke ground May 24 at the new Roanoke Valley Lumber sawmill site in Weldon, N.C. 

The company plans to expand its operations in the Southeastern U.S. with the new 375,000-square-foot, high-capacity dimensional lumber mill, during an event with N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper.

Since that initial announcement, extensive preparation work has occurred at the 200-acre Roanoke Valley Lumber site, the former home to a Roanoke Valley Energy facility, to prepare for construction. Roseburg has contracted with BID Group to design, build and equip the sawmill complex. The mill is expected to create more than 135 jobs in the first two years.

“Roseburg has been the largest private timberland owner in the Roanoke Valley area since 2017, with nearly 200,000 acres of timberland in North Carolina and Virginia,” said Adam Reed, Roanoke Valley Lumber plant manager. “This new sawmill advances Roseburg’s strategy of vertical integration – owning the trees and the facilities to process them – from the West Coast to the Southeast. It reflects our long-term commitment to the Roanoke area, which has welcomed us to the community with open arms.”

“[The] groundbreaking is a significant milestone not only for Roseburg Forest Products but also for Weldon,” said Weldon Mayor Hugh Credle. “We are laying the foundation for the growth of Roseburg Forest Products and the Town of Weldon, and a tremendous partnership for years to come.”

Roseburg currently has 13 manufacturing facilities in North America, including the country’s second largest short lumber stud mill in Dillard, Ore. The company carefully selected the site for this new mill, with criteria including market demand, business climate, and workforce availability at the top of the list. 

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