Roseburg Forest Products to Invest $700M in Oregon Manufacturing Expansion

Roseburg Forest Products is set to make history with a $700 million investment in Southern Oregon's manufacturing sector over the next four years. The company, which was founded almost 90 years ago, plans to create two new cutting-edge manufacturing plants and improve existing facilities in rural Douglas and Coos counties. This move marks the largest ever investment in manufacturing in rural Oregon and one of the most substantial private capital investments in the state's history. Roseburg President and CEO Grady Mulbery lauded the company's commitment to advanced manufacturing and its use of new technology to remain competitive in the global market. Around 100 people gathered at the Douglas County Fairgrounds for the announcement. Among those in attendance included Allyn Ford, Roseburg Forest Products owner and board chairman, as well as representatives from various state and county agencies who have been involved on the project. The $700 million investment will be used to build two state-of-the-art plants at the Dillard Complex, south of Roseburg, Oregon. The first plant, Dillard MDF ($450 million investment), will manufacture standard medium density fiberboard (MDF) and thin high-density fiberboard (HDF), using wood residuals from local mills and other regional suppliers. The second plant, Dillard Components ($50 million investment), will transform specialty MDF panels made at the company's Medford MDF facility into Armorite™ Trim, an innovative exterior trim product for residential and shed use. The two new plants, slated to commence operations in 2025, will employ around 120 people upon completion. In addition to the plants, Roseburg plans to invest $200 million in upgrades at existing Oregon plants over the next four years, including significant upgrades at their plywood plant in Riddle, Oregon, and a new dryer at their plywood plant in Coquille, Oregon. This historic investment follows a strategic assessment of Roseburg's operations across the state and a feasibility study announced in June 2022. The company's focus on advanced manufacturing and innovative technology solidifies its position as an integral part of Oregon's future manufacturing landscape. Here's a short video from Roseburg Forest Products with more on the announcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLo4Ehojdps About Roseburg Forest Products "Founded in 1936, Roseburg Forest Products is a privately-owned company and one of North America’s leading producers of particleboard, medium density fiberboard and thermally fused laminates. Roseburg also manufactures softwood and hardwood plywood, lumber, LVL and I-joists. The company owns and sustainably manages more than 600,000 acres of timberland in Oregon, North Carolina and Virginia, as well as an export wood chip terminal facility in Coos Bay, Ore. Roseburg products are shipped throughout North America and the Pacific Rim." Photos via Roseburg Forest Products