A week after sharing its plans for recently-purchased properties in Philomath, mass timber manufacturer Timberlab officially announced that it plans to build a new cross-laminated timber (CLT) facility in Millersburg.
Located near Conser Road Northeast and the Portland and Western Railroad on land that has been zoned for industrial use since the 1970s, company officials believe the site will be logistically ideal with access to rail and the nearby I-5 corridor.
Incoming mass timber company has plans for Philomath
The Philomath sawmill and planing mill formerly owned by Interfor that closed earlier this year will survive to see another day following its acquisition by Portland-based Timberlab. The company’s president, Chris Evans, said the Philomath operation will support a new nearby cross-laminated timber (CLT) facility. Timberlab anticipates making an announcement early next week on the…
“I am thrilled to support Timberlab’s innovative CLT facility in Millersburg,” State Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis said through a press release. “This project represents a significant investment in our local economy and brings 100 well-paying manufacturing jobs to our community. More importantly, it bolsters Oregon’s forestry industry, particularly in our rural and smaller communities, by creating a sustainable demand for locally sourced timber.”
In addition to transportation access, Timberlab said it plans to “tap into the local talent pool, collaborate with the research activities at nearby Oregon State University and the University of Oregon and work with the region’s forestry growers, harvesters, mills, transportation networks and community members.”
The facility is set to produce 100,000 cubic meters of CLT products each year and the company boasts that the new plant will be a “marvel of modern manufacturing” with cutting-edge automation and an efficient design.
Officials project that at peak operation, 100 new living wage manufacturing jobs will be created. The company did not define the timing of reaching peak operation.
“This isn’t just a boon for the economy; it’s a potential game-changer for sustainable building practices nationwide,” Timberlab said through the news release.