Interfor Corporation, a wood products company, plans to invest up to $8 million to revive the idled Georgia Pacific sawmill near DeQuincy, Louisiana. The project is expected to create 170 jobs, as reported by Area Development.
One of North America’s largest lumber producers, Interfor recently acquired the Georgia Pacific facility, which was idled in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Interfor plans to restart operations in the first half of 2022. The revived plant, which has an annual lumber production capacity of 200 million board feet, will also support significant logging and logistics activity in the region.
“We greatly appreciate all the support in getting this mill back up and running,” said Bruce Luxmoore, Interfor’s Senior Vice President of Southern Operations. “The warm reception, collaborative approach and valuable incentives package have reaffirmed our decision to invest in Louisiana.
The company is expected to use the state’s Quality Jobs program and Industrial Tax Exemption Program for the new jobs created. To secure Interfor’s project in DeQuincy, the State of Louisiana is providing a competitive incentive package that includes the services of LED FastStart, the state’s workforce development program.
“On behalf of the State of Louisiana, I encourage and welcome Interfor’s investment near DeQuincy,” said Governor John Bel Edwards. “Louisiana’s lumber industry is one of our most profitable agricultural exports, and the market for lumber is red hot right now. Interfor brings industry leadership and know-how to this project, and I am excited to say this new investment will create hundreds of new direct and indirect jobs to Louisiana.”
According to Louisiana Economic Development (LED), many of the jobs at the plant are expected to be filled by employees of the sawmill’s legacy owner who will assist in preparations to restart the facility.
“The restart of the lumber mill at DeQuincy by Interfor is a huge economic win for southwest Louisiana,” said George Swift, President and CEO of the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance. “Interfor purchased the shuttered lumber mill from Georgia Pacific, and is investing millions of dollars in preparation of restarting the mill. This investment would create an estimated 45 construction jobs. When the mill is fully operational, Interfor plans to employ 170 permanent workers in quality jobs. We welcome Interfor to southwest Louisiana and thank them for reopening the lumber mill in DeQuincy.”
