Arauco holds groundbreaking for new particleboard plant in Grayling, Michigan

29 April 2017

Arauco conducted groundbreaking ceremonies for its new, state-of-the-art, $400 million particleboard plant located in Grayling, Michigan. The facility is scheduled to be operational by late 2018, as the company says in the press release received by Lesprom Network.

The groundbreaking marked the official start of the construction phase for what will become the most modern particleboard plant in North America and the largest of its kind globally. Once completed, the plant will feature North America's largest single continuous particleboard press (170 ft.) and will be one of the most productive in the world. The plant’s main structure will measure 820,000 ft2 with an annual capacity of 452 million ft2 (800,000 m3).

The Grayling plant's raw fiber needs are going to be 100% supplied by residual wood sourced from nearby sawmills, logging operations and low-grade wood fiber traditionally left on the forest floor.

Arauco expects constructing the Grayling plant will create approximately 700 construction jobs, and running the plant will create approximately 200 direct jobs. It is also estimated that a manufacturing plant of this scale will create typically1-2 support jobs locally for every direct job. The majority of recruitment for plant employment will begin in late 2017.

Arauco is a global producer of wood products supplying pulp, lumber, plywood, composite panels, and molding for architecture, design, construction, packaging and remodeling applications.

 

Source: lesprom.com