| ATHENS, GEORGIA – June 5, 2025 – Each quarter, Forisk compiles data on mill activity through its ongoing tracking of wood-using facilities as part of Forisk’s North American Mill Capacity Database, a database of over 2,300 wood-using mills in North America. This release provides a summary of mill updates from the Q2 2025 edition of the Forisk Research Quarterly. Forest industry manufacturing developments in 2025 include mill closures mixed with some forward movement of capital projects. New announced projects, however, have stopped as companies seek clarity given economic uncertainty before they commit new capital. Mill Closures Continue This quarter was marked by a series of significant mill closures, continuing the industry’s trend of phasing out older and less efficient facilities. - International Paper officially closed their Campti, LA linerboard facility on April 11, 2025.
- Georgia-Pacific ceased plywood operations in Emporia, VA on May 2 and announced plans to shutter its pulp mill in Cedar Springs, GA in August 2025.
- Wilson, Kaiser & Olsen, Inc. (WKO) will close its plywood mill in Bingen, WA in June 2025.
U.S. South: Investment and Restructuring In the U.S. South, capital improvements and ownership transitions dominated the headlines: - Domtar completed a $51 million modernization of the pulper at the Hawesville, KY pulp will. The new pulper will add flexibility for multiple end products.
- Two buyers purchased three of the Teal-Jones Group mills out of receivership:
- Sumitomo Forestry purchased 57% in the new Plain Dealing, LA sawmill. Teal-Jones will continue to manage operations at the Plain Dealing mill.
- Twain Capital purchased the Antlers, OK and Liberty, MS sawmills for $10 million.
- Big River Lumber in Coushatta, LA is currently offline following a fire in Q1 2025. While down, the mill is upgrading its sorter and grader, with operations expected to resume by July 2025.
- SDI Biocarbon Solutions is preparing to soft commission in June as testing wraps up. This facility plans to use 1.4 million tons of softwood pulpwood per year at capacity to produce low carbon hydrogen that will be used internally and biocarbon.
- Hood Companies remain on track to commission the $200 million rebuild of the Beaumont, MS plywood mill in Q3 2025.
U.S. West: Capacity Expansions and Modernization Several firms in the U.S. West announced substantial upgrades and expansions: - Roseburg Forest Products invested $200 million in two of its mills, adding a new hardwood plywood line and two new lathe lines in Riddle, OR, along with a new dryer at its Coquille, WA plywood plant.
- Freres Engineered Wood upgraded its mass plywood panel facility in Lyons, OR by replacing the press and installing a larger CNC machine. These enhancements have boosted production by over 35%.
- Vaagen Brothers in Colville, OR installed a new high-speed planer allowing them to now process up to 12-inch-wide boards and lengths up to 20 feet.
- Sequoia Forest Products purchased and rebuilt the former Arcata Forest Products sawmill in Arcata, CA. The facility will primarily produce redwood fence posts.
A summary of Q2 2025 mill projects is shown in the table below. | 
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