In Alabama, infrastructure improvements will allow two Dothan forest products businesses to make capital investments totaling a combined $92 million. The Houston County projects will create at least 70 jobs and provide a boost to the Wiregrass region’s forestry industry.
SmartLam North America, a maker of cross laminated timber (CLT) products, will invest $62 million to build a new glulam manufacturing facility. The plant will produce large beams and columns for the construction industry. The project will create 43 jobs in Dothan.
Meanwhile, Peak Renewables will build a wood pellet production facility that will utilize sawmill residuals to make pellets used in renewable power generation. The $30 million project will generate 26 jobs at the facility in Dothan.
The SmartLam expansion is scheduled to become operational in 2024 and the Peak Renewables wood pellet plant will open this year.
“The forest products industry has long been a central pillar for Alabama’s economy, and its vitality is attracting significant levels of new investment and driving job growth across the state,” said Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “These new investment projects in Dothan will inject additional vigor and innovation into this critical sector.”
The combined projects represent one of the largest industrial investments in the history of Southeast Alabama’s Wiregrass region, according to the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce.
“There are a lot of moving parts to support these developments, and we cannot thank our state, city, county and Chamber team enough for their work and support,” said Chamber Chairman Brad Kimbro. “We have a lot of infrastructure support needed to ready these developments for their operations to meet Peak Renewables and SmartLam’s needs, so we will be on it.”