Roseburg Forest Products provided an update on two new plants a year after announcing a $700 million investment in its manufacturing operations in southern Oregon. The company said construction at the two plants in Dillard, Ore., “is well underway.”
Dillard Components will be the first of the new plants to come online, with startup expected in late summer 2024. The plant will convert specialty medium density fiberboard panels manufactured at Roseburg’s MDF plant in Medford, Ore., into Armorite Trim. The product is a finished exterior trim product for residential and shed use.
Dillard MDF will use wood residuals from Roseburg’s local mills and other regional suppliers to manufacture standard MDF panels as well as thin high density fiberboard, often used in cabinetry, doors, and other applications.
“As equipment orders arrive and construction progresses, it’s exciting to see our plans for these investments take shape and become reality,” senior vice president of manufacturing Tony Ramm said. “Roseburg was first established in this area in 1936, so investing in these projects at home is especially meaningful to the company. We look forward to seeing how they contribute to the future of the company and our team members, and the economic health of southern Oregon.”
At full capacity, the MDF panel plant will produce 175 million square feet per year and the Armorite facility will produce 70 million square feet per year. The two plants will also produce a combined 90 million feet per year of interior molding.
In addition to the new plants, the $700 million investment includes improvements at existing Roseburg plants in Oregon, such as significant upgrades at its plywood plant in Riddle, Ore. The Riddle facility will receive two new lathe lines and a new hardwood plywood line. Additionally, Roseburg will add a new dryer at its plywood plant in Coquille, Ore.
