Drax Idling Operations In Arkansas
Drax has made the decision to cease operations and idle pellet plant facilities in Leola and Russellville, Ark. The plants will cease operations and idle beginning November 1, 2025; operations at other U.S. sites will remain unaffected.
“Our top priority is to operate responsibly and efficiently, and this includes making hard decisions when the data clearly shows that continuing certain operations is no longer viable,” says Matt White, Drax Executive Vice President of Pellet Operations. “While we are ceasing operations and idling our Arkansas plants, we will keep purchasing wood fiber from Arkansas landowners and businesses, keeping Drax involved in the Arkansas economy and maintaining our role in the local forest industry.”
Drax leadership is implementing a comprehensive support plan for the 16 employees affected—including a severance package based on length of service and position, as well as opportunities for reemployment within the company, where possible. Drax is also partnering with local agencies and employers to connect workers with new employment opportunities.
Latest News
Wood Fiber Group Merges With USNR
USNR and Wood Fiber Group have announced their merger. USNR is an industry-leading global supplier of sawmill and plywood mill machinery, aftermarket parts, and technical and engineering services. Wood Fiber Group is the largest supplier of cutting tools and filing room equipment to the wood products…
Industry Patriarch Varn Passes
George W. Varn, Sr., who broke into the family turpentine business following World War II, and then along with a cousin built a chip mill and a sawmill in the late 1960s in Hoboken, Ga., called Varn Wood Products, and who became one of the patriarchs of the southern pine lumber industry, died September 4 in St. Vincent’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla., the same hospital…
GP To Build New Sawmill At Pineland
Georgia-Pacific plans to invest $120 million and build a new sawmill at its existing sawmill site in Pineland, Tex. Construction is expected to begin early next year and completed in late 2022. The new sawmill will replace the existing stud mill that was built in the 1960s. The new mill will have the ability to produce 450MMBF of…
West Fraser Buying New SYP Sawmill
West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. has entered into an agreement to acquire the Angelina Forest Products (AFP) southern yellow pine sawmill in Lufkin, Tex. for $300 million (U.S.). The new sawmill began construction in 2018, commenced operations in late 2019 and is expected to progress toward full production capacity of more than…
Find Us On Social
Newsletter
The monthly Timber Processing Industry Newsletter reaches over 4,000 mill owners and supervisors.
Subscribe/Renew
Timber Processing is delivered 10 times per year to subscribers who represent sawmill ownership, management and supervisory personnel and corporate executives. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.
Advertise
Complete the online form so we can direct you to the appropriate Sales Representative.