Hood Industries To Modernize Waynesboro Operation 

Hood Industries, Inc. is pleased to announce a major brownfield expansion to the existing facility in Waynesboro, Miss. This strategic $245 million upgrade will enhance the facility’s capabilities and was made possible through strong support from the state of Mississippi. The first day of operation is scheduled for early October 2026, after which demolition of the existing facility will commence.

Built in multiple phases on the existing site, the project will be executed in close collaboration between the Hood team, Comact and Piche to ensure the existing facility remains operational throughout the construction process.

“We have partnered with both Comact and Piche on a successful modernization project at our facility in Bogalusa, Louisiana,” says Jay Galloway, President of Hood Industries. “As we began to explore our options for upgrading the Waynesboro facility it became obvious to continue the partnership with these two companies. Their technical expertise, collaborative approach, and proven ability to deliver cutting-edge and reliable solutions made them a natural fit as we continue to invest in the future of our operations.”

The Waynesboro facility will feature a fully integrated sawmill provided by Comact along with two new continuous dual path kilns. On the existing continuous dry kiln a new gas burner will be installed to increase drying capacity and energy efficiency. The planer mill will be upgraded with lumber handling equipment from Piche to include a planer infeed system, trimmer and sorter line with a lumber stacker. Comact will provide a Miller planer and GradExpert system in the planer mill. AI-powered Smart Vision from Comact will be integrated throughout the process to continuously monitor operations and optimize throughput.

“This investment is about more than a new mill—it’s about building a sustainable future for our company, our employees, and the Waynesboro community,” Galloway adds.

Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is providing assistance through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive (MFLEX) program. MDA also is providing assistance for road and infrastructure improvements. Wayne County and AccelerateMS are also assisting with the expansion. The project is powered by Dixie Electric and Cooperative Energy.