EGGER, one of the world's leading wood-based solutions suppliers, announced it has completed its first raw particleboard production, marking the start of operations at its new manufacturing facility in Lexington, N.C. The project involves an investment of approximately $700 million and will create an estimated 770 direct jobs.
Employees watched as the first panel underwent the final stages of production, transforming raw wood chips into a finished board as the raw materials moved through the press and finishing line.
Production of particleboard, as well as thermally fused laminate (TFL), will be a major focus for the Lexington plant. Particleboard is usable for a large number of applications and well suited for laminate bonding due to its triple-layer structure with a sturdy core layer and a surface layer composed of finer particles.
"With this major milestone, the exciting and challenging journey of this greenfield project will soon come to an end," said Bernhard Vorreiter, technical and production project manager for EGGER. "It is an emotional moment, and our project team is proud to have had the privilege and opportunity to build EGGER's first U.S. plant."
The start of production comes as the company prepares to launch its first EGGER Decorative Collection on Oct. 1, with a full range of decorative surface options, including TFL, lacquered boards, laminates and edge banding.