USA – Egger Wood Products will invest USD 20 million for an additional thermally fused laminate production line at the company’s sole U.S. location.

The company’s Supervisory Board announced the investments, part of completion for Phase I work at the site, after visiting the U.S. plant for its recent quarterly meeting.

Egger, an Austrian-based manufacturer of wood-based materials, opened its Lexington plant—the 20th globally, but first in North America—in 2020.

Since September of 2020, the 93000 sqm facility has been producing particleboard and thermally fused laminate (TFL) for use in interior design applications. Scheduled for completion by the end of 2022, the third lamination line will represent a 50% increase in TFL production capacity and shorter lead times for customers.

Carsten Ritterbach, plant manager for commercial services, said, “In light of the supply chain disruptions experienced around the world this year, increasing production capacity is one of the best ways we can serve our customers in the United States and Canada.”

Combined, these new investments will create 20 – 30 new jobs. That is in addition to the more than 450 jobs already created—exceeding the original projection of 400 jobs in Phase I. In total, the 15-year, three-phase project is expected to create an estimated 770 jobs, with a total investment of USD 700 million.