In April 2014, an F-4 tornado struck the City of Louisville in Winston County, Mississippi. Ten lives were tragically lost, dozens in the community were injured, and countless families were affected as a result.

Just 30 days prior, New Wood Resources had purchased the local plywood mill to establish a new business called Winston Plywood & Veneer. The plywood mill was in the direct path of the tornado. It was completely destroyed.

Immediately following the disaster New Wood Resources, the new plywood mill owner, was on the ground assisting the communitywide relief to assist the City of Louisville.

The sense of community brought about in the aftermath of this tragedy was not lost on Winston Plywood & Veneer. Just shy of one-year after the devastating storm, the plywood mill broke ground on a new state-of-the-art mill in January 2015 and construction completed in 2016.

Today, the mill is the newest, most technologically-advanced plywood mill in North America, featuring state-of-the-art machine control centers and integrated computer controls throughout the facility. The new facility also includes an integrated log processing, peeling, and drying operation. SSR’s unique design services included high pressure steam, compressed air, material conveying high pressure duct, and dust collection design.

The first such plywood mill constructed in the United States in a number of years, the facility boasts 287,000 SF. The company sells structural and industrial plywood and veneer, using logs from sources all within 60 miles of the facility. The company’s products are used for industrial applications, furniture and residential construction.

In Winston County alone, it is anticipated that Winston Plywood & Veneer will create more than 600 jobs (including jobs that support the facility), $28 million in annual wages, and nearly $9 million annually in other local purchases. Across the broader 33-county region, the mill will generate a projected $66 million in annual wages, more than $105 million annually in other local purchases, and over 1,400 total jobs.

It has been SSR’s honor to assist Winston Plywood & Veneer in overcoming adversity by rebuilding and creating new job opportunities that contribute to the revitalization of the Louisville community.