Weyerhaeuser Company logo.  (PRNewsFoto/Weyerhaeuser Company)
Weyerhaeuser Company logo. (PRNewsFoto/Weyerhaeuser Company)

Weyerhaeuser is investing $96.2 million to modernize and decarbonize its Winn Parish lumber mill in Louisiana. The upgraded technology is designed to increase overall safety, productivity, and product reliability. The company said the investment will allow Weyerhaesuer to retain 157 direct jobs and maintain an associate annual payroll of more than $13 million.

The project includes the installation of three Continuous Dry Kilns (CDKs), a new, low-carbon process drying system. The modernized technology is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and maintenance costs while increasing drying capacity. The Winn Parish facility will also add a new trimmer, sorter, and stacker to improve mill efficiencies and help reach production targets.

“This investment is a testament to each employee here at Dodson,” Anthony Bivings, Dodson mill manager for Weyerhaesuer, said in a prepared statement. “It reflects their personal commitment to the highest level of performance, both operational and safety. We’ve been working very hard on this project, and we’re excited for the sustained benefits it will bring to our people, our operations, and the Dodson and Winn Parish communities.”

Weyerhaesuer has eight locations in Louisiana, including timberland operational bases in Hammond, Ruston, and Winnfield; lumber mills in Dodson and Holden; and a plywood and veneer mill in Zwolle.

The company plans to install the first two CDKs by the end of 2024. The additional new equipment is expected to be installed by the end of the second quarter of 2025.