Jun 11, 2010. /Lesprom Network/. Elmsdale Lumber is receiving $3 million in the form of a repayable loan from the Nova Scotia government. The company will use the loan to modernize its manufacturing and production operations to remain competitive, as ForestTalk reported. Nova Scotia is providing the $3 million repayable loan to through the Industrial Expansion Fund. "The province is making the right decisions for Nova Scotia families by investing in jobs and the economy," said Nova Scotia's Economic and Rural Development Minister Percy Paris. "This assistance will help Elmsdale Lumber compete in a market in which productivity improvements are necessary for sustainable operations and ongoing employment. With greater efficiencies, the company may attain new contracts leading to new opportunities." Over the past five years, production at the mill has increased by almost 50% and it has had to expand capacity to meet demand. It must expand and modernize its manufacturing and production operations to remain competitive. The new equipment will allow the mill to fill more orders by sorting and stacking lumber to 99 different specifications. "Now that the economy is turning around and things are starting to percolate again, the timing is right for us to make this investment," said Robin Wilber, President and owner of Elmsdale Lumber. "The new equipment will allow us to modernize our current operations and build new technology into our processes going forward, which will ensure our stability for many years to come." The mill, one of the largest in the province, is an integral part of the lumber industry in Nova Scotia. It supports sustainable forestry practices and produces 25 million board feet of lumber annually, about 90% of which is for use in local markets.