Klausner plans US mill construction

Aug 10, 2012. /Lesprom Network/. Plans by Klausner to build a mammoth 1.6 million cubic meters sawmill in Florida are being considered by planners, as TTJ reported. An application submitted to Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection for an environmental permit for the super mill near Live Oak in Suwannee County says the project would create 350 full-time jobs and at least 220 indirect jobs in the supply chain. The application is by Klausner Holding USA Inc but the company’s headquarters in Germany has refused to make any comments on the plans, originally submitted at the start of 2012. If the plans are realised, the construction project marks an interesting move by the softwood milling giant. The group invested heavily in new milling facilities in Germany to service the US housing market – before the housing crash there. Since then it has closed one mill and sold two others to Ilim, leaving it with two mills in Germany. The construction of a US mill indicates it may be looking to serve the US market locally in the future, though Klausner told TTJ it is not making any comments and any future statements would be published on its website. Some details of Klausner’s plans are contained in the PSD (Prevention of Significant Deterioration) construction permit application lodged in Florida and seen by TTJ. “With the opportunity to create a significant economic stimulus for the project area, Klausner desires to initiate construction as soon as possible and will initiate construction as soon as authorised to do so with the issuance of a final PSD permit,” the application says. The mill is to be built on an 111-acre greenfield site and will have 28 drying kilns, producing multi-dimensional kiln-dried lumber and by-products.