Martco, LLC, the parent company of RoyOMartin, a third-generation, family-owned timber sourcing and manufacturing company, announced a $9.5 million investment in technologically advanced manufacturing equipment at its Natchitoches Parish lumber plant.
The RoyOMartin plywood production business in Chopin is one of the parish’s main employers, and the expansion will allow the company to keep 684 present positions until 2035.
“RoyOMartin has been driving economic activity and providing good jobs for Louisiana workers in north and central Louisiana for nearly 100 years, and I thank them for their continued commitment to our state,” Governor John Bel Edwards stated.
“The timber industry has long contributed mightily to Louisiana’s economic growth, with an average impact of $7 billion a year. Investments like this one help to sustain our rural communities and ensure that Louisiana lumber mills will remain an important part of global supply chains for years to come.”
The Chopin plant, located along Interstate 49 between Alexandria and Natchitoches, began production in 1996 and has since undergone many expansions, making it one of the largest single-site plywood production plants in North America. The equipment updates will include cutting-edge vision and robotics, as well as other technical advancements, all with the goal of producing plywood, timbers, and boards faster and more efficiently.
“RoyOMartin-Plywood manufacturing facility continues to modernize its operations to be competitive in the future,” RoyOMartin Chairman, CEO and CFO Roy O. Martin III said in a released statement.
“The plywood mill has been in continuous operation since 1996 and has survived the Great Recession, COVID pandemic and other harsh obstacles without downtime. The team leaders and team members at this facility deserve the job sustainability and security that this project and previous modernization projects provide.”
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