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Updated: August 8, 2022 @ 3:39 am
Resolute Forest Products’ El Dorado sawmill.
Resolute Forest Products’ El Dorado sawmill.
Resolute Forest Products has added more than 160 new jobs in Arkansas over the past two years, and is completing a $28 million capital investment in its El Dorado and Glenwood sawmills.
Resolute acquired the sawmills in 2020, which represented the company’s initial business investment in the state.
“With 19 million acres of forestland, Arkansas is in a unique position to be a leader in the timber industry,” said Gov. Asa Hutchinson. “Because of that, we want to ensure that we attract companies that will be a good corporate fit. Resolute not only values sustainability, but they work to preserve the natural resources where they do business. We salute their decision to reopen and invest in their sawmill in El Dorado and expand and invest in their Glenwood facility.”
“The capital investments in our Arkansas operations support our business strategy to grow in wood products, particularly in light of the growth we’re seeing for building materials like wood” said Remi G. Lalonde, president and chief executive officer of Canada-based Resolute.
“Growing in the sector also fits with our commitment to sustainability, thanks to its socio-economic and environmental benefits, such as long-term carbon capture and the beneficial impacts of building with wood,” said Lalonde. “We appreciate the support of state officials, local community leaders in Glenwood and El Dorado, and many other stakeholders who warmly welcomed us into their communities.”
Soon after acquiring the El Dorado operation, Resolute made plans to invest over $20 million in the facility, which had been idle since August 2019. This injection of capital provided for improvements to restart the facility while increasing production capacity. The mill began start-up operations in December 2020, and when fully operational, will produce up to 180 million board feet of dimensional lumber and specialty products using timber harvested within a 50-mile radius of the facility. The mill currently employs over 150 individuals from the surrounding community
“We are grateful for the employment opportunities this brings to our city!” El Dorado Mayor Veronica Smith-Creer said. “Of course, it will boost our economy, but it also continues to boost morale as well! All those components work together to produce great products both tangible and intangible!”
Resolute’s ongoing capital investment of $8.4 million in its Glenwood operation will allow the facility to expand its production capacity up to 185 million board feet of lumber and decking, and to date has added nearly 25 jobs to the operation. Work on this capital project began in 2021 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.
“Resolute was welcomed to Glenwood with open arms,” Glenwood Mayor B.T. Smith said in a statement. “Our economy just lights up when the mill is producing. The Resolute investment in Glenwood provides new mill jobs and positive impacts on many businesses in the city. Resolute has quickly become a partner in progress.”
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