FLORIEN, LA -- Plywood and engineered wood products manufacturer Boise Cascade will invest approximately $43 million to upgrade and expand capacity at its plywood mill in Florien, LA.

The company will replace two dryers and increase its capacity for manufacturing veneer products for its Alexandria engineered wood products mills, by adding log yard storage space and new press equipment. The Florien mill supplies veneer for Boise Cascade’s Alexandria, LA, engineered wood products mill.

Boise Cascade plans to begin expansion this summer with the dryers installed by the end of 2016 and all upgrades completed in 2017. The company will use Lousiana's Industrial Tax Exemption incentive to help finance the venture, which is expected to generate 103 construction jobs during the project's peak building period.

“Boise is vital to the economic development of the Village of Florien and Sabine Parish as a whole,” said Florien Mayor Eddie Jones Jr. “Not only does Boise provide direct jobs at the mill itself, but many indirect jobs in the timber industry that are vital to the western part of the state."

The growing demand for building materials only enhances Boise Cascade's need to increase capacity at its plywood mill. The company noted in its 2015 first quarter report that its increase in sales to $809.9 million, a 6%  rise over the previous year, was due in part to strong plywood pricing.

Boise Cascade, based in Boise, ID, is one of the largest manufacturers plywood, engineered wood products, lumber, and particleboard and it has 33 distribution locations throughout North America.