Rosboro Plans $120 Million Investment in Its Springfield, OR, Campus

Rosboro, North America’s largest producer of glue-laminated timber, plans to spend about $120 million to build two new mills and expand its timber-drying operations at its Springfield, Oregon, campus, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported (10-4-24).

Rosboro Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Development Brian Wells said, “We’ve run out the current footprint that we have, and our ability to support the market that we’ve built, and we need to do something to invest in the future.”

Wells said the dry-kiln expansion is almost complete, and both of the new mills should be operational by the end of 2026. He said altogether, this could create up to 100 new union jobs.

“These timber dollars really did have a heavy, heavy hand in building Oregon up to what it is. And my belief is that we should hold on to that legacy as a community and as a state and lean into it,” Wells added.

In February, Rosboro laid off 25 workers when it closed down its stud mill in Springfield. Wells said due to market conditions and government regulations, that facility was making a product that wasn’t profitable. “We’re in a situation now, and have been for about two years, where it costs more to acquire the log that you would turn into stud lumber than you can sell the finished stud lumber for.”

Wells said the company will now retool the mill, so the company can manufacture a different product there in the future, called laminating stock. Wells estimates this will create up to 40 new jobs and will be ready by early 2026.