by Web Editor | Aug 3, 2016 | News
Kronospan Plans $362 Million Expansion In Alabama
Kronospan announced plans for a $362 million expansion of its operations in Oxford, Ala. The expansion will consist of four projects: two laminate flooring and decorative paper impregnation lines; a particleboard and thermally infused laminate line; an expansion of the KronoChem resin plant; and development of a furniture cluster. Kronospan plans to hire an additional 160 persons for its workforce. Startup for the expansion projects will roll out from late 2016 through 2018.
“We sincerely appreciate the State of Alabama, acting through the Dept. of Commerce, the city of Oxford and Calhoun County, for supporting our expansion project and making it a reality,” comments Tim Pack, CFO of Kronospan. Once the expansion project is completed, Kronospan will have invested $650 million and will employ more than 270 at its Oxford operations. Kronospan will utilize the services of the local Alabama Career Center to recruit for the expansion. Hiring will be undertaken in phases and include a job fair in the near future.
Kronospan is a leading manufacturer of wood-based panel products and related value-added products. The company is privately owned, with more than 40 manufacturing and distribution sites throughout the world.
In 2008, Kronospan started up operations at Oxford where it currently manufactures MDF, HDF and resins. Notwithstanding very difficult market conditions in the housing industry, Kronospan has maintained its level of employment at the Oxford facility since startup.
In December 2015, Kronospan made another significant investment in the United States when it acquired Clarion Industries in Shippenville, Pa. Clarion Industries produces MDF, HDF and laminate flooring. The Pennsylvania operations employ 320.
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by Web Editor | Jan 8, 2016 | News
KronotexUSA and its parent firm Swiss Krono Group will invest $230 million to build a high-density fiberboard mill and expand the company’s laminate flooring production in Barnwell, South Carolina, a move which will create 105 new jobs over the next few years.
Construction is scheduled to begin by mid-2016, with HDF operations to begin by summer 2018. Once completed, the company said the expansion will allow it to produce 300,000 cubic-meters of HDF per year, to be used for manufacturing laminate flooring and for sale to furniture, cabinet, fixture, door and other wood-based manufacturers. Kronotex’s annual laminate flooring capacity is expected to increase an additional 8 million square-meters.
Kronotex opened its laminate flooring facility in 2005 and was featured on WoodworkingNetwork.com in 2008. A $45 million expansion in 2011 about doubled the size of the plant, and in 2015 Kronotex underwent another expansion, adding equipment to do its own paper and overlay treating.
“We’ve been very happy with the quality of the workforce talent here in South Carolina. And we’re delighted to be able to employ more Americans here in Barnwell and grow our exceptional relationship with the local people, businesses and government,” said Norm Voss, former CEO and member of the Board of Directors of Kronotex USA Holdings Inc.
The addition of new jobs will increase the company’s workforce in South Carolina to 275 people. Additional funding for the project was provided by the Coordinating Council for Economic Development, which approved job development credits, plus a $1 million Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to Barnwell County to assist with the costs of real property improvements related to the project.
From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/kronotex-announces-230-million-laminate-flooring-panel-mill-expansion
by Web Editor | Jul 27, 2015 | News
Uniboard is proud to announce an investment of over $7 million at its 91-employee Mont-Laurier MDF plant. Uniboard says the investment will increase the productivity of the plant through what it says is the use of a revolutionary new wood fiber mat-preheating technology.
This process innovation is a first for North America and will allow Uniboard to better service our customer base in Canada and the United States. The Mont-Laurier MDF/HDF plant produces Excel+, Excel, and NU Green/PMDI-NAF and HDF panel products. Uniboard’s overall network of particleboard, MDF and thermally fused laminate facilities are at locations in Sayabec, Val-d’Or, Laval and Mont-Laurier, Quebec.
Overall Uniboard has an installed capacity of over 640 million square feet of raw particleboard, high-density and medium-density fiberboard, of which over 50% is converted into value-added thermally fused laminate and laminate flooring products. Uniboard’s mills in Val-d’Or, Sayabec, Mont-Laurier and Laval employ over 800 people. Its products are sold to retailers, distributors and finished goods manufacturers, which cater to the kitchen cabinet, furniture, office, home renovation and construction industries, as well as to the floor covering industry.
Since its original start-up as Panfibre in 1987, Mont-Laurier’s capacity has been expanded in multiple steps. In 2012, Uniboard was acquired by the owners of Kaycan Ltd., a leading manufacturer of building products in North America, with its head office located in Montreal, Quebec. Kaycan Ltd. and its group of companies offers a full range of products for both the exterior and interior of the home, including vinyl, aluminum and engineered wood siding products, PVC windows & patio doors, particleboard, MDF, thermally fused laminate and laminate flooring.
From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/wood/panel-supply/uniboard-invests-7-million-innovative-mdf-production?ss=news,news,woodworking_industry_news,news,almanac_market_data,news
