By PHILOMATH NEWS
MILLERSBURG — Six months after announcing Millersburg as the site of a new cross-laminated timber manufacturing facility, Timberlab and its partners along with a list of dignitaries that included Gov. Tina Kotek gathered last week for a groundbreaking ceremony.
Timberlab, a subsidiary of Swinerton Inc., has teamed up with Swinerton Builders, Lindgren Development, LEVER Architecture and other project partners to design and build a 190,000-square-foot facility. Company officials said the operation will be one of the largest cross-laminated timber production sites in the country.
“Today’s groundbreaking marks an exciting step forward in the growth of Oregon’s mass timber industry — a revolutionary technology key to our shared goal of building a sustainable, low-carbon future,” Kotek said during the event, which was held at the site on Conser Road Northeast. “Companies like Timberlab have capitalized on the opportunity to reduce their impact on the natural environment here in Oregon. The introduction of a new facility in Millersburg will expand the supply chain for mass timber, bolstering our regional economy and helping make sure that mass timber is accessible for more construction projects.”
The company said the manufacturing facility will be built with glue-laminated timber produced at Timberlab’s other Oregon facilities using locally harvested timber. A federal grant supports the design of the full-mass timber building and the company has sourced top-tier equipment for advanced timber and wood processing. In addition, Kallesoe is providing a complete cross-laminated timber processing line, including an automated feeding system, high-speed cross-cut saws and a finger-jointing system.
“This facility groundbreaking is happening at a pivotal moment,” Timberlab president Chris Evans said. “Over the last 18 months, Oregon mills have been closing and jobs have been lost.”
Among those was the Interfor sawmill in Philomath. Timberlab purchased those properties last summer, however, with Evans announcing that the site would serve as a support operation for the new cross-laminated timber plant.
“Part of our program was to put in similar sorting and planing capacity that was in Philomath so when the opportunity came up, it paired really well with what we had planned for the CLT project, so it’s going to be a huge, integral support of that program,” Evans said in August.
In addition to Philomath, Timberlab also acquired glue-laminated timber facilities in Swisshome and Drain.
“Right now, we’ve seen 11 years of growth in mass timber representing 11 million board feet of product across the nation,” Evans said. “In 15 years, it’s expected to be 3.5 billion board feet. This type of growth doesn’t happen on its own; it happens with vision and investment.”
Slated for completion by the end of 2026, the facility, designed by LEVER Architecture and constructed by Swinerton Builders, will produce 7 million to 9 million square feet of CLT annually, the company said.
The company anticipated that 100 direct living wage jobs will be created at full capacity, along with several indirect jobs.
“To the future employees of this facility — you will be a part of something truly special,” Boshart Davis said. “Not just this company, not just this community, your work will contribute to a more sustainable future, and you’ll be developing increasingly valuable skills that will lay the foundation for a stronger, more resilient Oregon.”
Timberlab and Swinerton are currently collaborating with academic research programs at Oregon State University, the University of Oregon and the Tall Wood Design Institute with the goal of utilizing the leverage of local resources to drive advancements and establish Timberlab, Swinerton and the state of Oregon as leaders in mass timber construction.
“Oregon’s timber industry has long been a cornerstone to our state’s identity,” Merkley said in a prepared statement. “While the landscape has changed, this facility represents a new chapter. One where sustainability and economic strength work together. By building with mass timber, we’re not only supporting local economies but fighting climate chaos and promoting renewable resources.”