The Westervelt Co. on Tuesday announced the construction of a new lumber mill in Thomasville that will create 125 jobs. The Tuscaloosa-based company said in a news release that the Thomasville facility will produce around 250 million board feet of Southern yellow pine lumber annually when operations begin in 2020. Construction is expected to begin in mid-2019.
This will be the 134-year-old company’s second lumber mill in the state; the Westervelt Co. has operated a lumber mill in Moundville since 1997. “The Westervelt Co.’s deep roots in Alabama date back for generations, and I’m pleased to see this family business continue to invest and grow in the state,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “The company’s new lumber production facility in Clarke County represents an important job-creating project for a rural area, and it will provide a boost for the forest products industry throughout the region.”
The proximity of the Westervelt Co.’s timberland, the available workforce and the existing base of customers were cited as factors in deciding to build the facility in Thomasville. “This new mill represents our commitment to the state of Alabama and the region,” said Brian Luoma, president and CEO of the Westervelt Co.
Thomasville Mayor Sheldon Day said the city had worked “shoulder to shoulder” with the Clarke County Commission, the state of Alabama and many others to bring the lumber mill to rural southwest Alabama. “This project will have a tremendous impact on our community and rural region,” Day said.
Gov. Kay Ivey said the Westervelt Co. has played a prominent role in the state’s lumber industry for a long time while promoting good environmental stewardship.
From TuscaloosaNews.com: https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/news/20181127/new-westervelt-lumber-mill-will-create-jobs-in-thomasville