Louisiana-Pacific Announces Mill Exchange To Increase Siding Capacity
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (LP) recently announced that it has reached an agreement with Norbord Inc. to exchange OSB mills in Quebec, Canada. LP will swap ownership of its Chambord, Quebec, mill for Norbord’s Val-d’Or, Quebec, mill. The asset exchange is expected to be complete in early November 2016.
This transaction, along with the recent acquisition of a former OSB site in Cook, Minnesota, is part of LP’s strategy to increase siding capacity, an area of the business that has delivered consistent sales growth over the past decade.
“The Canadian mill exchange, coupled with the recent Minnesota acquisition, provides us flexibility and increases our ability to optimize our capacity for sustained business growth,” LP Chief Executive Officer Curt Stevens said.
“We have seen tremendous growth in our siding business and anticipate this growth to continue as we look to meet increasing demand,” he said. “The aim of these transactions is to provide additional siding capacity by the end of 2018.”
LP’s immediate priority will be to conduct a detailed evaluation of the Cook site and Val-d’Or mill. The assessment will determine the operational feasibility, including access to timely and adequate wood supply, the work required to convert the sites into fully operational siding mills, as well as conversion costs and annual operating expenses.
From LP Corp.: https://investors.lpcorp.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=73030&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2217033