Tolko invests down south

Photo: Contributed

Vernon-based Tolko Industries is partnering with Louisiana-based Hunt Forest Products to build a state-of-the-art sawmill near Urania, La.

“This is our first venture into the United States,” said Brad Thorlakson, Tolko president and CEO,” and we are thrilled to be in Louisiana with Hunt Forest Products, a family-owned company like ours, and one that has played a vital, reliable role in Louisiana’s forestry industry for more than a century.”

Construction of the approximately USD $115 million project is expected to begin in April and be completed by December 2018. 

It will employ about 110 people and will produce southern yellow pine lumber from timber harvested in the surrounding area. 

The LaSalle Lumber Company, the joint-venture company building and operating the new mill, is named after LaSalle Parish, the county in Louisiana where the mill will be built.

The scope of the project includes a 200 Million-board-foot facility that will consume approximately 850,000 tons of timber annually, three continuous dry kilns and a planer facility. 

Wood chips, sawdust, planer shavings and hog fuel will be contracted to Drax Biomass, which operates a 450,000-ton wood pellet facility adjacent to the sawmill.

Tolko manufacturers of a wide range of forest products for customers around the world. The family-owned company has been in operation for more than 60 years.