New State-of-the-Art Lumber Plant Set to Begin Construction in Warren County

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Atlanta, Georgia-based pulp and paper company Georgia-Pacific has announced construction of new state-of-the-art lumber facility in Warren County, Georgia amidst projections that lumber prices are likley to hit new highs in 2018. The company plans to invest approximately $135 million towards construction of the new plant, adjacent to its existing lumber mill on U.S. Highway 278.

The construction work of the 340,000 square foot facility is expected to commence in summer 2018. As per estimates, the project will generate around 450 direct fulltime construction jobs, around 40 fulltime indirect jobs and nearly 42 induced jobs in the Warren County community during the construction phase. The economic impact during the construction period is projected at around $28 million. Georgia-Pacific expects the new plant to become operational in spring 2019.

According to Fritz Mason, vice president and general manager, Georgia Pacific, the facility will be equipped with the latest technology in lumber manufacturing. The new state-of-the-art facility will make the Warrenton site competitive for many years to come. Once fully operational, the company plans to hire additional 30 to 40 employees, thus bringing the total count of Warrenton County employees to around 150. The construction of the new facility will not impact the operations of the existing lumber plant at the site, Mason added.

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Meantime, Governor Nathan Deal welcomed the company’s decision to choose Warrenton and Warren County for the multi-million dollar investment project. The new softwood lumber production facility will further allow them to tap into the wealth of resources in the County. The County looks forward to continue its relationship with the industry leader, he said.

The proposed facility is expected to triple the output from the site. It will be capable of receiving up to nearly 185 truckloads of pine logs per day, with a projected production capacity of nearly 350 million board feet of lumber every year.