Several North American wood products companies have recently announced mill expansions, production increases and acquisitions, providing a contrast to the curtailments and capacity reductions that have dominated industry news over the past two years.

The largest project is being undertaken by Irving Forest Products at its sawmill near Ashland, Maine. The company received approval for approximately US$42 million in financing support for an expansion that will add a second saw line and approximately 68,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The Ashland mill, which opened in 2014, currently covers about 68,500 square feet. Following the expansion, the facility will nearly double in size. The new saw line is designed to process larger and longer logs, and the project is expected to double production while creating around 80 jobs.

In British Columbia, Interfor has restarted a second shift at its Grand Forks sawmill. The operation had been curtailed in 2025 as part of broader production reductions announced by the company amid weak lumber markets. The return of a second shift follows the restart of one production line in late 2025, when 68 employees returned to work.

The planer mill is also expected to return to two-shift operation by the end of June. While the company continues to face fibre supply constraints, the additional shift increases utilization at a facility that spent much of the past year operating below capacity. West Fraser is also investing in additional lumber production capacity in the southern United States. The company plans to spend more than US$70 million expanding its sawmill in McDavid, Florida. Although detailed production figures have not been disclosed, the project adds to a series of investments by major lumber producers in the US South, where access to timber resources and relatively competitive fibre costs continue to support long-term investment decisions. Acquisition activity has also picked up.

Earlier this year, Mirax Group acquired the assets of the former Errington Cedar Sawmill on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

The facility, known for producing cedar products for domestic and export markets, had faced closure in recent years. Mirax plans to operate the site as part of its Vancoast Sawmill division and is reviewing opportunities to invest in upgraded milling equipment and additional value-added processing. Another expansion project is moving forward in Ontario, where Bernie McGlynn Lumber plans to more than double production space at its sawmill in Mildmay.

The company is investing CAD 5.3 million (approximately EUR 3.4 million) in a project that includes a new 30,000-square-foot production building, a thermal-treating kiln system and a double-bladed bandsaw. According to the Ontario government, the investment is expected to increase output by 47%, create five new jobs and support 13 existing positions.

The project will also allow the company to expand its product range beyond dimensional lumber into products such as siding, decking and fencing. Log purchases are expected to increase by around 50% once the expansion is completed. Ontario will contribute CAD 1.6 million through its Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program. Investment is not limited to conventional lumber manufacturing.

In Montana, SmartLam North America continues to expand its position in the cross-laminated timber (CLT) market from its production facility in Columbia Falls. The company was among the first CLT producers in North America and has benefited from growing acceptance of mass timber construction since changes to US building codes allowed timber buildings of up to 18 stories.

The facility supplies engineered wood panels used in residential, commercial and institutional projects across North America.