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Irving Adds To Sawmill Lineup
To Richie LeBlanc
Could Build A Sawmill
Richie LeBlanc and Hunt Forest Products have stepped up for community and industry. Story begins on PAGE 14. (Jessica Johnson photo)
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Other Hatton-Brown publications: Timber Harvesting • Southern Loggin’ Times Wood Bioenergy • Panel World • Power Equipment Trade
THEISSUES
Jessica Johnson Senior Editor
THE PINEY WOODS IS HOME
My favorite time of the year is here—the annual announcement of the Timber Processing Person of the Year. I’ve always said that the Person of the Year articles are such special stories for me to write, not just because the recipients become industry friends, but because I get to really know who they are—beyond the nuts and bolts, deep into the why. Like peeking behind the curtain. These titans become “my people.”
And no one is more “my people” than this year’s honoree, Richie LeBlanc, President of Hunt Forest Products—affectionately known around my house as “Mr. Richie,” the LaTech baseball player, who was good friends with Sammy Pullin’s grandpop, and who we bumped into at the airport that one time. LeBlanc isn’t just a special person to our wood products industry, or to my family, but to the community where he raised his two children, and where I am raising mine. Yep, we live about two miles apart in the heart of the Louisiana Piney Woods.
Around our little town of Ruston, La., home to Louisiana Tech University, “Mr. Richie” is a bit of a legend. A two-time Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year, he led the Diamond Dogs to back-to-back NCAA Regional teams in 1986 and ‘87. Once called “the small but fierce mound kingpin” LeBlanc is a member of the Tech Athletics Hall of Fame (class of 2021), alongside other Bulldog notables Terry Bradshaw and Kim Mulkey.
He may not come across as the dude who wants to throw the baseball as hard as he possibly can and if necessary directly at you anymore, but he hasn’t lost that will to win or the competitive drive. It’s what makes him a great lumberman. Hunt Forest Products was always highly acclaimed in the wood products industry, but not necessarily for its sawmills…until Richie LeBlanc.
Under his strategic leadership, with support from owners Trott and Jimmy Hunt, he’s taken Hunt Forest Products to new heights, preparing the company for the next generation of the Hunt family to take over and see it continue to flourish. That’s what LeBlanc does, he takes something and elevates it, like pitching 10 innings and beating SEC baseball powerhouse LSU 5-4, a game that is one of the most storied in LaTech history and one people still talk to him about to this day.
Though drafted by the Royals, LeBlanc never wore the Kansas City uniform; instead he’s doing something so much better: Giving kids the chance to wear uniforms. One of the impactful moves LeBlanc makes as President of Hunt FP is to support the local community, giving back to our Ruston Parks & Rec (my twins have never lost a basketball game on the Hunt court!) and the two parishes and towns Hunt’s sawmills operate in.
Like me, LeBlanc was an outsider to Ruston, but he found a home, created a family and built a legacy. “Dynamite in a tiny package” a sportswriter once said, and I couldn’t agree more. T P
The LeBlanc family, from left, Richie, his wife Holly, daughter Mary Lloyd , his son Ben, and daughter-in-law Cameron
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GROUP OF MILLS UP FOR SALE
Allegheny Wood Products (AWP), headquartered in Petersburg, W. Va., and once one of the largest producers of Eastern U.S. hardwoods, is selling its remaining sawmills and kilns through its court-appointed Receiver Chris Deweese, according to a statement from Deweese.
The remaining assets include:
—Kingwood, W. Va. sawmill—annual capacity 24MMBF
—Cowen, W. Va. sawmill—annual capacity 24MMBF
—Jacksonburg, W. Va. sawmill—annual capacity 12.5MMBF
—Beckley, W. Va. sawmill and kilns—annual capacity 28MMBF lumber and 14MMBF of kiln capacity
—Princeton, W. Va. sawmill and kilns—annual capacity 26MMBF lumber and 19MMBF kilns
—Marble, Pa. drying operation—nine dry kilns with annual capacity of 12MMBF, described as “currently non operable.”
With 13 facilities located in the heart of the Appalachian Hardwood Region, at its height, AWP employed more than 800 and had sawmill capacity of 160MMBF and dry kiln capacity of 86MMBF. AWP exported to more than 20 countries in addition to its domestic production sales.
AWP was placed under Court Appointed Receivership on March 6, 2024, and since then the receiver has been selling the assets of the company.
In addition to these assets, vehicles, excess equipment, oil and gas mineral rights, excess property and land, and stumpage are also available for sale.
Interested parties may email:
cdeweese@suttlecpas.com. Chris Deweese works with accounting and consulting firm, Suttle & Stalnaker.
USDA BEGINS LOAN PROGRAM
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack unveiled a program to support American wood processing facilities. USDA Rural Development is partnering with USDA Forest Service to provide funding through the new Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program (TPEP).
The program will support the processing and utilization of wood products from National Forest System lands to improve forest health and reduce the risk posed by wildfires, insects, and disease and the detrimental impacts they have on communities and critical infrastructure.
Through TPEP, USDA Rural Development and the Forest Service will make $220 million available in loan guarantees for borrowers to establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve wood processing facilities, sawmills and paper mills that use trees harvested from federal or Tribal lands. The program entails up to 20 million acres of national forests managed by USDA Forest Service and complements the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy.
USDA Rural Development has begun accepting TPEP applications, with a maximum loan amount of $25 million.
USDA encourages applicants to use the TPEP Dashboard to find areas the Forest Service has identified as high or very high priority areas to address the risk of wildfires and insect infestations or disease.
USDA encourages applicants to consider projects that will advance the following
key priorities:
—Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities
—Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to USDA Rural Development programs and benefits from Rural Development-funded projects
—Assisting rural communities recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure
TPEP is administered through the OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative program. Applicants are encouraged to visit the site for additional information, such as forms and sample documents, and to contact their local program specialist.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, visit www.rd.usda.gov or contact the nearest USDA Rural Development state office.
IRVING ACQUIRES ESTABLISHED MILL
Irving Forest Products, which owns and operates wood processing facilities in Maine and New York, is purchasing the Masardis Sawmill in Masardis, Maine.
Previously owned by Groupe Lebel, the Masardis operation has a long history of producing random length spruce and fir lumber. It currently employs 80 and has the capacity to produce 115MMBF annually.
The sawmill is located within close proximity to Irving’s 1.3 million acres of timberlands in Maine.
“We are excited to grow our lumber production capacity in the state of Maine,” says Jerome Pelletier, VP of Irving Forest Products. “The Masardis mill is well-located to access high-quality timber. It is also serviced by the Maine
Northern Railway and benefits from having a team of highly skilled and dedicated employees who have worked together for decades to ensure the success of their operation.”
With the addition of the Masardis operation, J.D. Irving, Ltd. now operates 10 sawmills as part of its solid wood operations, with a total annual capacity of 1.3 billion BF.
Group Lebel had purchased the Masardis sawmill, which it named Daaquam Lumber, and another mill in Quebec from Maibec in 2018. Maibec had acquired the Masardis sawmill from J. Paul Levesque in 2015.
WEYCO ANNOUNCES EWP INVESTMENT
Weyerhaeuser announced its plan to invest $500 million to build a new TimberStrand engineered wood product facility near Monticello and Warren, Ark. The facility will have an annual production capacity of 10 million cubic feet, which is comparable to the company’s existing TimberStrand facility in Kenora, Ontario, Can. Construction is expected to begin in 2025, with the goal of starting operations in 2027.
The new facility will support an underserved and growing market for TimberStrand in the U.S. South, according to the company. Leveraging its proprietary TimberStrand technology, the company is combining institutional expertise from Kenora with extensive research and development to manufacture TimberStrand with southern yellow pine as the primary feedstock.
Given the company’s sizeable timber holdings in Arkansas, the Monticello facility is strategically located to source most of its fiber log requirements from Weyerhaeuser timberlands in the re-
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gion. Additionally, the plant will include a biomass-fueled cogeneration system, which will fully supply the plant’s electrical needs and significantly reduce its environmental footprint.
Key attributes of the new facility:
—Doubles Weyerhaeuser’s North American TimberStrand capacity and enhances the company’s EWP offerings in the U.S. South.
—Delivers seamless integration with
existing Weyerhaeuser timberlands and wood products distribution network, as well as with readily available freight and rail transportation in the region.
—Expected to generate more than $100 million of annual Adjusted EBITDA at full operating capacity, with additional upside from portfolio integration benefits.
—Serves the company’s strong and expanding customer base in the region, along with increasing demand for TimberStrand
in housing and industrial applications.
—Enhances the company’s product offering to the mass timber market as it continues to grow and mature.
—Expected to add nearly 200 jobs in Monticello and the surrounding area once fully operational.
—Expands the company’s total investment and impact in Arkansas, adding a third manufacturing facility to go along with a lumber mill in Dierks and a plywood and veneer plant in Emerson, as well as 1.2 million acres of timberlands, a seedling nursery and several offices — currently employing more than 700 across the state.
TimberStrand is made by taking logs, debarking them, and cutting them into small strands which are then oriented and pressed together using a steam injection process, bonding them with adhesives to create solid sheets of wood with consistent strength and stability; this process allows for the use of smaller, faster-growing trees that might not be suitable for traditional lumber production on their own.
MORE TIME ALLOWED TO PREP FOR EUDR
EU deforestation obligations will be postponed one year so that companies can comply with the law that will attempt to ensure that products sold in the EU are not sourced from deforested land. The action is in response to concerns raised by EU member states, non-EU countries, traders and operators that they would not have been able to fully comply with the rules if applied at the end of 2024.
Large operators and traders would have to respect the obligations stemming from this regulation as of December 30, 2025, whereas micro- and small enterprises would have until June 30, 2026.
Parliament also adopted other amendments proposed by the political groups, including the creation of a new category of countries posing “no risk” on deforestation in addition to the existing three categories of “low,” “standard” and “high” risk. Countries classified as “no risk,” defined as countries with stable or increasing forest area development, would face significantly less stringent requirements as there is a negligible or non-existent risk of deforestation. The Commission will have to finalize a country benchmarking system by June 30, 2025.
The UN Food and Agriculture Orga-
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nization (FAO) estimates that 420 million hectares of forest—an area larger than the EU—were lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2020. EU consumption represents around 10% of global deforestation. Palm oil and soya account for more than two-thirds of this.
The deforestation regulation, adopted by Parliament in April 2023, aims to fight climate change and biodiversity loss by preventing the deforestation re-
lated to EU consumption of products from cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm-oil, soya, wood, rubber, charcoal and printed paper.
Some U.S. forest products interests expressed concern that the regulation would be over-reaching into sustainable timberland policies and practices already in place with these companies and the private landowners they do business with.
NEW OSB PROJECT GAINS PERMITTING
Peak Renewables U.S. Inc. has received required permitting for the construction and operation of a greenfield 650MMSF oriented strandboard plant in Enterprise (Coffee County), Ala.
Last February, the Enterprise City Council approved ordinances to convert a 300 acre property into an industrial property. Shortly thereafter, ACES Consulting Group, on behalf of Peak, submitted the permitting application to Alabama Dept. of Environmental Management (ADEM). ADEM subsequently granted permits for the various development and production processes during the latter quarter of 2024.
The operation calls for SYP logs to be delivered to the site by truck, followed by three rotary drum debarkers and three stranders, two parallel single-pass rotary drum dryers (along with a Biomass Energy System using two biomass-fired combustion furances), two blenders for mixing liquid phenol formaldehyde resin and wax emulsion, four-layer mat forming station, multi-opening press, and finishing line.
Exhaust from both dryers would be routed to a wet ESP and to an RTO. Emissions from the press would be directed through an RCO.
Some early work is being done at the site.
Peak Renewables operates an industrial wood pellet facility and cross-laminated timber and glulam facility in Dothan, Ala.
ENVIVA EMERGES FROM BANKRUPTCY
The world’s largest producer of industrial wood pellets, Enviva, announced a successful emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and will now operate as a private company with a new Board of Managers comprising representatives from key shareholders.
Enviva’s Plan of Reorganization was confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, with support from the company’s key stakeholders and business partners. As part of its financial restructuring, Enviva has equitized more than $1 billion of indebtedness and American Industrial Partners Capital Fund VIII (AIP) has become the largest shareholder of the company.
STEPS UP LEBLANC
By Jessica Johnson
The 2025 and 37th annual Timber Processing Person Of The Year is Richie
LeBlanc, President, Hunt Forest Products.
RUSTON,
La.
During the course of his Person Of The Year interview, TP’s 2025 honoree Richie LeBlanc kept repeating the same concept over and over—in the nine years since joining Hunt Forest Products in his adopted hometown of Ruston, La. he never thought he’d be here. “Here” being a metaphor for many things.
Born and raised “down south” the Lafayette, La. native first arrived in Ruston for what would prove to be an illustrious collegiate baseball career. His story unfolded like many do; he met the
return home to Ruston. But the true “here” he never thought he would be was at Hunt FP. It just so happened his friend Trott Hunt was looking for someone to run his family’s business out of the Ruston corporate headquarters around the same time as the LeBlancs move home. At the time of LeBlanc’s joining, Hunt owned and operated their Pollock plywood plant, and a smaller hardwood sawmill in Olla, as well as a sizable timberland portfolio. “The company was not near the size we are now,” LeBlanc says. “And we didn’t really know what was next, but I am so thankful to be where we are.”
“Tolko helped facilitate all of it, and it has been great. Plus, we’ve got a great staff here; some good folks in the mills. Things are rocking and rolling because of them, not me,” LeBlanc says.
Though LeBlanc may have the reins, he’s always keenly aware that he does work for someone else with the ultimate goal to be setting up the company for success for the next generation of the Hunt family. To an extent, LeBlanc feels his work is handling preparation to pass it off, but also empowered to do what is needed, making sure everything is sustainable. “But,” he reiterates, “there is a purpose. Trott and Jimmy feel strongly
Richie LeBlanc sees a lot of parallels between being on an athletic team and being on a manufacturing team.
work at Hunt aren’t also one family. All it takes is a quick walk around the corporate office to see the deep roots in northern Louisiana, with photos dating to the late 1800s, but also the strong commitment to the communities Hunt FP facilities operate in. “Our tagline is deeply rooted, growing together. That’s what we believe. This family goes way back in this industry and there’s a legacy sitting in this chair that can be heavy at times,” LeBlanc says. “We’ve got to create something that’s sustainable and carry it to the next generation.” By almost every weight and measure, LeBlanc and his team are doing exactly what they set out to do.
BEGINNINGS
LeBlanc first came across Hunt while serving on a Long Range Planning committee nearly 35 years ago at the church they both attend, Trinity Methodist. They worked together on the project for months, helping to shape their church’s future. A crystal ball from back then might have suggested LeBlanc would be the perfect person to do the same for Trott’s family company. As the story goes, several years later Trott was after LeBlanc for several months, trying to gauge his interest. But LeBlanc admits, he had no interest in talking about leaving Weyerhaeuser, where he was happy, albeit living in Seattle, away from his wife and two kids. “He took offense to that,” LeBlanc laughs now.
October 31, 2015, on the same day the LeBlanc family received some devastating news about their son Ben’s health, Trott called once again about the job in Ruston. “I had just gotten off the phone with my wife Holly, and things just kind of worked out to where it made the decision a lot easier.” LeBlanc was headed home. “It was nine years ago, but it seems like yesterday.”
Not coming from a sawmilling family, LeBlanc admits that his way into the President chair of a mill company is not what he expected growing up. Laughing he says, “Obviously you can’t do the things I was doing all of your life. But, did I ever believe I would be sitting in a president and CEO chair? I don’t think I aspired to it, but I don’t know that I ever believed that I would be sitting in that chair, either.”
There are parallels, he says, between an athletic team and the Hunt FP team. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and he says he’s learned along the way that you can’t do it all: “You’ve got to have people to help
LeBlanc, at left, with Trott and Jimmy Hunt, middle, and an ever-supportive Hunt Forest Products board have brought the company to new heights.
Like a pitcher walking into the game from the bullpen, LeBlanc thrives on real-game action.
you. When we hire people, we look for the right fit more so than someone who has been in the industry. If we get somebody with the right fit, we can make it happen. I think we’ve done that very effectively here.”
PARTNERSHIPS
Part of recognizing that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses comes into play in regards to the partnerships LeBlanc and Hunt FP have made along the way with Tolko and Comact. LeBlanc remembers being at the Timber Processing & Energy Expo in Portland a few years ago with Trott and meeting Brian Fehr. A Hunt FP-owned sawmill was nothing but a vague idea at that point. Well-known for a turnkey approach to sawmills, Fehr piqued the pair’s curiosity, and they invited him to Ruston.
Fehr made the trip, and after looking at the site that would be LaSalle Lumber Co., everyone was convinced a Comact turnkey megamill could work in Louisiana…then it rained for 18 months straight. Progress pictures line the walls of the mill’s training room, and in every photo you can see puddles and puddles of water. “So, it was a nightmare,” LeBlanc laughs off. But he, supported by Trott and Jimmy, all believed it could, and would, work.
LeBlanc believes it was the right time to build, and then the opportunity to partner with Canadian sawmilling company Tolko, provided an opportunity to fill a few gaps Hunt FP had in-house when it came to lumber production. “We certainly leaned on them in those first few years,” he reiterates.
Today, the Hunt-Tolko sawmill partnership accounts for two
A member of the Louisiana Tech University athletic hall of fame, LeBlanc is a legendary pitcher for the “Diamond Dogs.”
SYP dimensional lumber mills in Louisiana with a combined annual capacity of 650MMBF.
But, why did a guy with little sawmilling experience want to build a greenfield megamill? LeBlanc says he had never been part of a greenfield startup and though the first wasn’t seamless, Hunt FP and Tolko did join forces again, taking lessons learned at LaSalle Lumber to build Bienville Lumber. While he chalks up some of it to ignorance, LeBlanc says there were more than a few nights where he asked
himself what had he gotten himself into: “I learned a lot, and I am grateful to so many of our partners at Tolko for being there with us. Without them, I don’t know where we would be.”
COMMUNITY
The partnership with Tolko has expanded the Hunt FP family in Louisiana, beyond Ruston, where the Hunt name is everywhere in the small town. Community impact is part of Hunt FP’s six pillars, and LeBlanc directs a lot
“I love, I mean, I love being with industry people and learning from them. It is fun to be a part of those groups and just listen and learn. Sometimes it’s nice to hear that they’re having the same troubles we are. Our industry, as big as it is, it’s also small.”
of support to the Parishes and towns in which Hunt operates. Obviously Ruston public schools, Louisiana Tech University and Grambling State University are at the top of the list, alongside LaSalle Parish and Bienville Parish.
LeBlanc also supports Habitat for Humanity, both with financial resources but also wood products for its home builds. Similarly, the church that the Hunt families and the LeBlancs attend holds an annual event to help build wheelchair ramps in the surrounding areas. “We try to give them whatever materials they need,” he explains. “It’s not just something we put on paper, it’s something we have to live by.”
In addition to giving back to his local community, LeBlanc is active within the wood products industry. He currently serves on the Board of the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau as its Chairman. He’s also active in the APA—The Engineered Wood Assn. and the Southern Forest Products Assn. A true people person, LeBlanc says he loves being involved in the industry.
“I love, I mean, I love being with industry people and learning from them. It is fun to be a part of those groups and just listen and learn. Sometimes it’s nice to hear that they’re having the same troubles we are. Our industry, as big as it is, it’s also small.
“It is kind of like when Weyerhaeuser and Willamette came together: You didn’t want to admit that there were good people on the other side of the fence. But then all of a sudden you get exposure to them. Then it’s like, wait a second. They’re just like us. It’s comforting to know that everyone has some of the same challenges and that we’re not sitting out there on an island by ourselves.” T P
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Selco Finds Added Value Through Scanning
Selco, a remanufacturing facility and division of Terminal Forest Products, stands as a testament to innovation in engineered wood processing. Located in Everson, Wash., Selco has been a part of Terminal Forest Products since 1991. Selco specializes in remanufactured western red cedar clear and finished final products like paneling and decking. In 2023, Selco installed MiCROTEC’s
Goldeneye lineal quality scanner that combines lasers, cameras, x-ray technology, and proprietary MiCROTEC Ai to deliver precision in identifying wood features and defects. “We needed the Goldeneye system for accuracy because we’re trying to be as efficient as possible to keep up in the industry,” says Scott Sherman, Production Manager at Selco.
Originally, Selco implemented Goldeneye to optimize production of highvalue, clear fingerjointed products. By sorting shop-grade lumber, the system removed knots and defects to produce clear blocks, a lucrative product in the industry. Selco soon realized the potential for broader applications.
A significant challenge in the industry is finding utility for wide, knotty boards. Recognizing the opportunity for aesthetic sub-type defects and recovery, Selco collaborated with the MiCROTEC team to utilize Goldeneye’s technology in a new way. The shift allowed Selco to process higher concentrations of knotty products into fingerjointed boards. The innovation expanded Selco’s product offerings while reducing waste.
“We started using Goldeneye and decided to work with MiCROTEC’s techs to fine-tune other products that weren’t in the original plans,” Sherman recalls.
Through Goldeneye’s offline simulator, the MiCROTEC and Selco teams developed the new application with minimal downtime. The simulator allowed the Selco team to capture a pack of boards, and rerun them under new parameters, simulating the outcome virtually before putting it into action on the line.
For mills considering their first optimizer, Sherman offers, “If you’ve never had an optimizer before, don’t be scared of it. It’s easy to use, and there’s always going to be someone there to answer your questions.”
USNR, Key Knife Work Together
In order to offer customers the best products and service from one source, USNR and Key Knife have joined together to pair “the best chipping knives in the industry with the highest quality equipment and most committed service teams,” according to the companies. Key Knife’s proven products and established excellence give USNR customers easy access to better finished products and higher value. And, thanks to USNR’s extensive network of warehouses and broad customer base, more mills can now easily access these chipper heads and more.
This includes some of the most successful products from Key Knife, including disposable knives and tooling, and the Key Knife chipper heads in conical and drum configurations. These chipper heads are now standard on new equipment and are offered as an upgrade package on existing equipment.
Menominee Becomes Part Of Burton Team
Burton Mill Solutions announce its acquisition of Menominee Saw & Supply, based in Menominee, Mich. Menominee specializes in supporting wood producers in the Northern Great Lakes region and across the Midwest by supplying and reconditioning a variety of industrial cutting tools, including machine knives, small and large diameter circle saws, and wide and narrow band saws.
This acquisition significantly expands Burton’s geographic footprint and enhances its technical capabilities, enabling it to provide better service to primary
Selco remanufactures western red cedar with MiCROTEC scanner.
wood producers.
Chuck Wert, Senior Vice President of Burton, comments, “We are excited to work more closely with the Menominee team. This partnership will allow us to elevate our service offerings and better address the needs of our customers in the Midwest.”
John Brock, General Manager of Menominee, adds, “Burton has been an important partner for many years, but by joining forces, we’ll be able to significantly expand our network and capabilities. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together.”
Menominee’s Great Lakes location will complement Burton’s existing network of saw and knife reconditioning service centers in Maine, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana.
The Burton family includes industry leading brands like Simonds International, BGR Saws, The Knife Source, Wright Machine, Armstrong, and US Blades. Burton is further extended by sister companies USNR and Mid-South Engineering.
Carbotech Blends Autolog Into Carbotech
Carbotech Group announced the unification of Carbotech and Autolog, acquired in 2021, under a single operational entity, Carbotech. The company states that this initiative strengthens the company’s identity, consolidates its market position and optimizes its operations; and by simplifying its structure and pooling its strengths, Carbotech aims to maximize synergies between its teams and offer its customers a smoother, more consistent experience.
This development is accompanied by a restructuring of the management team, including the appointment of Luc Houde as CEO, having previously held the position of executive vice president. Patrick Leblanc, who held the position of vice president of optimization and automation,
CEO Houde
Exec VP Leblanc
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succeeds Houde as Executive Vice President and will take on the responsibility for the group’s overall operational strategy.
“We are convinced that this unification reflects our dynamism and our commitment to anticipating and responding to emerging market needs,” Houde comments.
CMPC Plans Upgrade Of Mulchén Sawmill
USNR’s longstanding expertise in sawing radiata pine continues to reap success. The latest addition to the order book is a deal with CMPC Maderas in Mulchén, which is located in the center of Chile. CMPC is one of the world’s largest forest industry companies with operations in pulp products and sawn wood products.
In order to achieve higher precision and yield, the saw line in Mulchén will be upgraded with a rotary log turner 750E and a log infeed LogPos S4.
Parallel to the saw line, a Catech XT high-speed edger line will be installed. The edger is equipped with
USNR’s latest transverse BioLuma 6000L sensors. The edger line also includes an additional double arbor splitting module for maximum flexibility.
Installation and commissioning will take place during the fourth quarter of 2025.
Comact Reflects On Pivotal Year
As 2024 came to a close, Comact celebrated its 100th anniversary with a short film that highlights a century of innovation, evolution and leadership in the wood processing industry.
The year was a pivotal one for Comact. In addition to commemorating its centennial, the company introduced a refreshed brand image and welcomed a new management team. These milestones mark its continued growth while staying true to the values that have defined Comact for 100 years: performance, innovation, and commitment.
“At Comact, our roots run deep. While we’ve grown and evolved over the past century, our core mission remains unchanged—empowering the wood pro-
cessing industry with the tools, technologies, and support needed to succeed,” says Simon Potvin, Comact President and CEO.
The 100th anniversary film reflects this journey and Comact’s vision for the future: pushing boundaries, delivering results, and driving progress for generations to come. To watch the film visit comact.com.
Floyd/BE&E Plan Expansion In Kentucky
Floyd Holdings announced a collaboration with the Commonwealth of Kentucky and BE&E’s Greenville Manufacturing Operation, whereas BE&E will partner with the state to invest in the expansion of the current operation. When completed the facility will occupy more than 84,000 sq. ft. of production space located on more than 25 acres. The Greenville Manufacturing facility will be the first occupant in Muhlenburg County’s new Industrial Park.
The expansion will create nearly 250 jobs over the next five years. Job stability
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in the region has taken a hit in recent years. According to Floyd Holdings CEO Dane Floyd, “Our companies have experienced incredible growth, and we had to decide where to grow next. Starting almost from day one in Greenville, the outreach and support of local leadership from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and Governor Andy Beshear’s office made my decision easy.”
This expansion signals more growth phase for BE&E. “Our success in managing the woody biomass segment of material handling has positioned BE&E as an experienced leader in the receiving, conveyance, storage and deployment of some of the most complicated feedstock materials. Our success translates into plastic recycling, shingle recycling, shredded tire reclamation, waste processing, and mineral transporting,” Floyd says.
The expansion will establish better workflow, invest in newer purposeful equipment, and skilled craftsmen. The expansion increases BE&E’s capacity to tackle existing projects and larger scope.
CPM Purchases Jacobs Global
CPM, a leading provider of process equipment, engineered technologies and aftermarket parts and services, announced the acquisition of Jacobs Global, a supplier of aftermarket parts for hammermills and pellet mills.
This transaction will enhance CPM’s product offerings, expand its market reach and add capacity to better serve CPM’s global customer base.
“Bringing Jacobs Global into the CPM family is a significant milestone for us,” says David Webster, CEO of CPM. “Their strong team members and their expertise in manufacturing high-quality aftermarket parts together with their commitment to customer service perfectly complements our business model.”
Founded in 1934, Jacobs Global has established itself as a trusted name in the milling industry, providing customized solutions to more than 4,000 mills in more than 80 countries. The acquisition will see Jacobs Global’s extensive range of products, including hammermill ham-
mers and screens, pellet mill dies, and roller shells, integrated into CPM’s existing offerings, providing customers with a comprehensive portfolio of solutions for their animal feed, oilseed and biomass processing operations.
CM Biomass Appoints Plagborg As CEO
CM Biomass, one of the world’s largest suppliers of wood pellets and biomass with operations across North American and Europe, has appointed Simon Plagborg as its new CEO, effective January 6. Plagborg replaces interim CEO, Ask Michael Munck, who’s been in the role since December. With Plagborg’s appointment Munck will resume his position as Group CFO.
“We were looking for a profile that had the right commercial and leadership qualifications, but also thrives in a growing international family-owned business. Simon Plagborg fits the bill, and we are, of course, delighted to welcome him to the CM Biomass team,” says Christian Junker, Chairman of the
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Board of Directors, CM Biomass. Plagborg joins CM Biomass with more than 15 years of experience in executive management and a background in sales and commercial roles from various companies—most recently he was member of the executive team and CCO at Skamol Group, global supplier of insulation systems for a wide range of applications within building and industry.
SonicAire Achieves ATEX Zone 22
SonicAire, Inc., a leader in 2HP dust control fan systems, has secured full ATEX Zone 22 certifications for its EX200 and EX205, 2HP dust control fans. These certifications usher in a new era of enhanced safety and efficiency for manufacturers worldwide, according to the company.
SonicAire designed these fans explicitly as proactive protection against fugitive combustible dust in hard-to-reach areas. Manufacturers who use these fans experience a marked advantage in time and cost by allowing them to operate continuously without having to stop production to clean.
An ATmospheric EXplosibles certification, more commonly known as ATEX certification, is a designation given to products that are ensured to work safely in explosive environments without causing accidents. Zone 22 certification ensures that these fans will operate safely in areas where an explosive dust atmosphere is unlikely to occur, but should dust be present, the fans will not be an ignition source.
Dieffenbacher Names Head Of Recycling
Dieffenbacher named Michael Rupp as Head of the Recycling business unit. He is responsible for the company’s waste wood recycling and waste-to-product solutions and further developing and expanding fuel processing for solid fuel solutions—the fluidized bed process—in close cooperation with the Energy business unit.
Before joining Dieffenbacher, Rupp worked for Andritz Group for more than 30 years, initially in project management in the Pulp & Paper division and later as Sales Manager and Sales Director in the company’s Panelboard Group. From 2019, Rupp was Vice President of the Andritz Panelboard Group. From 2014 until his departure, he was also Managing Director of the Andritz subsidiary, Modul Systeme.
Vermeer Southeast Earns Pinnacle
Vermeer Southeast was again awarded the Vermeer Pinnacle designation in recognition of providing a superior experience for customers. Winners were announced on December 12 at the Dealer Year End banquet in Pella, Iowa.
The Pinnacle Award is earned for performance in sales and marketing, providing excellent aftermarket support, as well as for training employees. The Pinnacle Awards are presented annually by Vermeer Corp.
Vermeer Southeast brings industrial equipment solutions to Alabama, Florida and Georgia.
ATLARGE
Ardis Almond Led Family Business
Ardis Almond, who was President of Almond Brothers Lumber Co. in Coushatta, La. from 1983 to 2020, and recognized as a leader in the southern pine industry, died November 21. He was 75.
Born in Shreveport, La, Almond attended Texas A&M University where he honorably served in the Corps of Cadets. He earned a degree as a mechanical engineer and later used that education to design and build much of what is still being used at the Almond Brothers sawmill today.
He always liked to say, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” After graduation and before starting his career in the sawmill business, he served in the United States Army as an officer. From the date of service until his passing, he proudly honored servicemen and veterans and profoundly understood the sacrifice and dedication that it took to serve our nation.
In between studying engineering, and supporting the Aggies, Almond met the love of his life, Pat. Throughout their years together they shared a deep passion
for travel, exploring the world and sharing a curiosity and love for life.
In addition to his leadership positions in the company, he was greatly respected and admired across the entire lumber industry, having served as the president of the Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. in 2004. His steadfast dedication and invaluable contributions also to Southern Forest Products Assn. and the greater industry have left a lasting legacy.
Ardis worked alongside his brother, William Almond, to help Almond Brothers Lumber become among the largest producers of export-grade southern pine in the U.S. In some parts of the world, dealers and agents called it “Almond wood.”
An article in Timber Processing magazine toward the end of Almond’s career stated, “Ardis has built a culture at the sawmill of tinkering, building, and figuring out how to make something work just perfectly right for the mill’s highly focused finished product.
“Ardis says that with every major project, it takes a handful of years beefing up the machinery, tweaking it before it will do what the family wants. ‘A lot of trial and error has happened
space. Ardis explains, ‘You don’t see many mills laid out like this. But we’re jammed up. Creek on one side, hill on the other. Pond on one end, and a road on the other. We had to fold the mill until it worked.’”
Throughout his life, Almond only ever missed two home Texas A&M football games: one when his granddaughter was getting married, and another one when his granddaughter won a poetry contest. On Friday nights, you could find him on the sidelines of the local high school football games firing the cannon after touchdowns.
One of the major loves of his life was
Ardis Almond
ATLARGE
the construction of a home-built airplane that he and his family, along with his father-in-law, built outside his home in Coushatta. After building the airplane and being the first to fly it, he spent the next several decades flying. Taking friends and family flying in his plane was truly one of his greatest passions.
A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, Almond is survived by his wife, Patricia Almond, his sister Renee Almond
Hill, his children Vince (Tayja) Almond and Jennifer (Bryan) Fowler, and numerous grandchildren.
In addition to all of his accomplishments and the love he had for his family and friends, maybe the easiest thing for people to see in Almond was his love for and relationship with Jesus Christ. He was benevolent with his blessings and his faith. He willingly shared his faith with family, friends, employees, and strangers.
A celebration of Almond’s life was held December 1 at First Methodist Church in Coushatta.
Homan Rebrands Tri-State Lumber
Mississippi’s Homan Industries family of companies announced that its TriState Lumber business and other divisions are rebranding as Homan Forest Products.
Founded in 1967, Tri-State Lumber expanded over the year domestically and internationally. “While our name is changing, our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction remains stronger than ever,” the company states.
The rebrand brings together four divisions—Tri-State Lumber, Homan Logistics, Homan Forest Products, Homan Wood Products—under one unified name: Homan Forest Products.
Despite the new name, Homan Forest Products is still owned and operated by the same family that founded the company in 1967. “Our values, integrity and commitment to quality products and services remain unchanged. We are excited for this new chapter and grateful for your continued support.”
Georgia-Pacific Names Sr. VP Of Operations
Georgia-Pacific announced that Jeff Koeppel, senior vice president of operations, will retire in the first quarter of 2025, a role he has held since 2016, and Hudson Pope, currently senior vice president for manufacturing at Georgia-Pacific, will assume the senior vice president of operations position with responsibility for all manufacturing segments.
Pope brings nearly 30 years of experience in the pulp and paper industry— beginning his career with Georgia-Pacific as a co-op process engineer for the company’s Crossett, Ark. facility. He has grown his career with Georgia-Pacific and several other organizations, assuming consecutive leadership roles in manufacturing, logistics, and operations. In December 2018, Pope was promoted to Georgia-Pacific’s senior vice president, building products operations. In 2023, his role changed to assume responsibility for the company’s packaging and cellulose operations.
Pope holds a B.S. in chemical engineering, with a minor in pulp and paper technology from Auburn University.
ATLARGE
GP Wants To Redevelop Headquarters Site
Georgia-Pacific announced in September initial plans for one of the country’s largest mixed-use redevelopments and the intent to transform its iconic 51-story world headquarter in downtown Atlanta and the surrounding city block into a thriving center for innovation and community engagement. The downtown location would be reimagined into a dynamic mix of residential living, modern office spaces, retail, restaurants and a landscaped central plaza for gathering. This project reaffirms Georgia-Pacific’s commitment to the future of Downtown Atlanta and promises to set a new standard for adaptive reuse.
The proposed development, scheduled for completion in fall 2027, includes the following:
l More than 400 apartment units on the tower’s uppermost floors, among the highest in the Southeast
l +/- 125,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space
l +/- 600,000 square feet of Class A office space anchored by Georgia-Pacific and Koch
l +/- 35,000 square feet dedicated to a large central plaza
l More than 2,100 parking spaces plus adjacent MARTA and Atlanta Streetcar transportation access
l Future multi-phase development plans and opportunities for a hotel and ad-
ditional retail and residences
Georgia-Pacific President and CEO Christian Fischer comments, “The office landscape has changed, and we recognize that the adaptive reuse of our site and office tower can create greater long-term value. We are also acutely aware of the need for more residential, shopping, dining, and entertainment options in our downtown neighborhood, which is why Georgia-Pacific is excited to provide a space that will offer unmatched opportunity in Downtown Atlanta.”
Georgia-Pacific has assembled a team of industry-leading experts to bring this project to life, including an in-house, mixed-use development team responsible for leading both the redevelopment efforts and the go-to-market strategy and capitalization of the project. External partners include Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio, architect of record; Healy Weatherholtz, retail broker; Kimley-Horn, civil engineering; Studio Saint, interior design; Brasfield & Gorrie, preconstruction; and Transwestern, consulting and property management.
The Georgia-Pacific Center has been an architectural landmark since its completion in 1982. Notable for its iconic stairlike design made of pink granite, it occupies the historic site of DeGive’s Grand Opera House, later the Loew’s Grand Theatre, where “Gone with the Wind” premiered in 1939. With its distinctive design and historical significance, this project will pay homage to Atlanta’s rich cultural
past while shaping its dynamic future. Those interested in partnering around the commercial space or learning more about the project can contact the team at: development@gapac.com.
Movement Grows For Steel-Timber
Reaching the lumber industry’s vast market share potential will require growth of a variety of lumber-based and hybrid building systems, but steel-timber hybrid construction represents one of the greatest areas of opportunity, according to a statement from the Softwood Lumber Board (SLB).
According to an analysis for the SLB by Forest Economic Advisors, steel and mass timber warehouses represent a potential annual volume of 2.4 billion BF, while steel and mass timber multifamily projects represent 3.6 billion BF of annual opportunity.
SLB has been working with the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat and constructsteel to unlock this opportunity, beginning by launching the Steel-Timber Hybrid Buildings Conference in 2022. The partnership continued this year with the launch of “Steel-Timber Hybrid Buildings: Case Studies,” a CTBUH research report funded by the SLB and constructsteel.
The organizations celebrated the launch in September at the CTBUH2024 International Conference. “This publication is a key step forward in understanding the full potential of steeltimber hybrid structures in highrise buildings and clarifying the benefits of steeltimber hybrid construction for the tall building industry,” says Terrence Busuttil, director of constructsteel.
To advance the partnership and collaboration with the steel industry, Cees de Jager, president and CEO of SLB, spoke at the constructsteel conference in Charlotte, NC about the opportunities for both industries to grow the use of steel-wood hybrid construction in the U.S.
Attended by top executives from leading steel manufacturers, the event provided an opportunity to further strengthen the relationship between the two industries. As markets increasingly demand cost-effective, pragmatic solutions that reduce a building’s impact on the environment, steel and wood offer the best of both worlds: combining the sustainability of wood and the strength of steel, according to a statement from SLB.
ATLARGE
California Pellet Mills Edge Ahead
The Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for Golden State Natural Resources’ (GSNR) proposed forest resiliency demonstration project, which includes the construction and operation of two industrial wood pellet plants, became publicly available on October 22 and the review period ended January 20.
GSNR is a nonprofit public benefit corporation, established by rural counties in California to address the urgent issue of catastrophic fires from overgrown and under-managed forests.
The project would include the development of two wood pellet processing facilities, one in the foothills of the Central Sierra Nevada Mountain range, in Tuolumne County, and one in the Modoc Plateau of Northern California,
in Lassen County. The finished pellets would be transported by rail to the Port of Stockton for international shipping.
Roseburg Names Dillard Plant Manager
Roseburg announced new plant managers at three facilities, including its Dillard Lumber mill in Roseburg, Ore.
Kendrick McBride returns as plant manager to Dillard Lumber, where he began his career with Roseburg as a technical manager in 2017. More recently, McBride served as Production Manager at Roseburg’s Roanoke Valley Lumber in Weldon, NC, where he led the plant’s technical startup, oversaw team growth and has set the mill on track to expand operations in 2025.
McBride replaces Kelly White, Roseburg’s Lumber Segment Director, who is retiring after a 35-year career at the company. He led the Dillard Lumber facility for eight years and most recently served as Lumber Segment Leader with oversight over Dillard and Roanoke Valley Lumber.
Also, Casey Redwine assumes formal leadership at Medford MDF after working his way up through the mill since 2015 and, most recently, serving nine months as operations manager. The mill produces specialty MDF panels .
Brent Siegel now manages Riddle Plywood, having assumed this role when he joined Roseburg in September. Siegel brings nearly 30 years of plywood manufacturing and leadership experience, most recently as plant manager at Georgia-Pacific’s Emporia, Va. plywood mill.
“We’re pleased to promote Kendrick and Casey, two valued and long-time team members, and to welcome Brent to the Roseburg family,’’ comments Alexandre Ouellette, Director of Manufacturing—MDF and Dillard Lumber. “All three are capable leaders whose experience and focus will ensure our plants continue to manufacture quality, sustainable products safely and efficiently.”
Matt Holt, Senior Director of Manufacturing, says of Siegel: “We’re excited by the fresh perspective and deep technical experience Brent brings to our plywood manufacturing operation in Riddle. His focus on people and problem solving will ensure the strongest outcomes for our customers and highest quality plywood products.”
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HYBRID SAWLINE
Comact announced the launch of a hybrid sawline, designed to address the evolving challenges of the sawmilling industry. Combining circular saws, band saws, and advanced smart technologies, the cutting-edge system sets a new benchmark for speed, flexibility, and operational efficiency in handling a wide range of log diameters.
Comact’s hybrid sawline is a transformative solution, particularly for Southern U.S. mills, where a broad range of log diameters and highly flexible operations are critical to maximizing results. The sawline’s ability to seamlessly integrate multiple cutting modes—including double profiling, quadruple circular cutting, and sideboards splitting—enables mills to produce diverse lumber products on a single line, optimizing recovery and reducing costs.
“We strongly believe that this new
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sawline design will be a game changer,” says Simon Potvin, Comact President and CEO. “These mills face unique challenges in processing a wide range of log diameters, which would typically require two separate sawlines to achieve optimal productivity. The new hybrid sawline provides the flexibility to handle all log sizes on a single line while maximizing efficiency and results.”
The hybrid sawline is further strengthened by Comact’s Smart Vision system, powered by artificial intelligence. Complementary features like the Primary Breakdown Closed Loop Smart Tool enhance precision and value recovery, offering sawmills greater efficiency and automated quality control. Visit comact.com
HORIZONTAL CHIPPER
Brunette Machinery’s newest chipper, the 4840 horizontal drum chipper, is designed with a horizontal feed, and either a bottom or rear discharge. The 4840 chipper has the same features as Brunette’s other chippers and is available in two models: the 4840HT Sawmill and the 4840H4V Veneer.
The 4840HT significantly reduces
overs from trim blocks and reject boards. The 4840H4V features an anvil that is raised closer to the rotor so that the knives hit at an angle for thinner material. This model processes veneer waste rejects, round-up, cores, and spinouts all in one machine. Available with 3, 4, or 6 knives. Brunette chippers are renowned for producing quality pulp chips from short material that is difficult to control, including the production of “micro-chips” at up to 50 units per hour. Designed with a wide throat, Brunette chippers can accommodate large pieces including logs, lily pads, cores and spinouts. Visit brunettemc.com
New products and technologies published here are submitted by the manufacturer and supplier companies or representatives thereof, and all statements and claims are attributable to the submitting parties.
26-30—Ligna: World Fair For The Forestry And Wood Industries, Hannover Exhibition Center, Hannover, Germany. Call +49 511 89-0; fax +49 511 89-32626; visit ligna.de.
21-24—2025 Assn. of Consulting Foresters National Conference, Eden Resort, Lancaster, Pa. Call 703-548-0990; visit acf-foresters.org.
JULY
19-22— Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Summer Conference, The Omni Homestead Resort, Hot Springs, Va. Call 336-885-8315; visit appalachianhardwood.org.
20-24—SLMA 2025 Annual Conference, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Fla. Call 504-443-4464; visit slma.org.
22-25— AWFS Fair, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev. Call 224-563-3761; visit awfsfair.org.
25-26—Missouri Forest Products Assn. summer meeting, Chateau on the Lake, Branson, Mo. Call 573-634-3252; visit moforest.org.
27-29— Walnut Council annual meeting, Rockford, Ill. Call 765-583-3501; visit walnutcouncil.org.
AUGUST
6-8— SFPA Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Expo, Music City Center, Nashville, Tenn. Call 504-443-4464; visit sfpaexpo.com.
