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.
Latest News
U.S. Lumber Coalition Applauds Objectives In NAFTA Talks
The U.S. Lumber Coalition recently commented on the Trump Administration’s objectives for the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), including the recommendation to preserve the ability of the United States to rigorously…
NAHB: Homebuilder Concerns About Lumber Shortage Rising
Homebuilders are quickly feeling the impact of the looming rise in Canadian lumber tariffs, as more homebuilders are concerned about the availability of building materials. According to the May 2017 survey for the NAHB/Wells Fargo…
Roseburg Forest Products To Build New Engineered Wood Plant In South Carolina
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1548381510056-0’); }); Oregon-based Roseburg Forest Products will expand its operations in the southeastern United States with construction of a new engineered wood products plant in Chester, S.C. Roseburg publicly announced the project July…
After 5 Years, Still No Klausner Lumber Mill In South Carolina
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1548381510056-0’); }); German-based Klausner Holding USA announced five years ago it planned to build a lumber mill in Orangeburg County. Company officials at the time anticipated breaking ground in 2014. The summer of…
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.