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Canfor Southern Pine says it is investing about $96 million in phased upgrades and a shipping transload facility at its Arkansas operations. The projects are expected to more than double Iron Mountain’s annual net production to about 220 million board feet and add roughly 75 jobs across the facility and logistics.
Canfor Southern Pine announced an investment of approximately $96 million in its Arkansas operations, including upgrades to its Iron Mountain sawmill and log yard in El Dorado and a shipping transload facility. The company says the projects will more than double Iron Mountain’s annual net production to about 220 million board feet and create approximately 75 jobs at the facility and in logistics.
The modernization is proceeding in two phases. The first, an upgrade to the mill’s planer, was completed in the second quarter of 2025. The second phase is focused on modernizing and expanding Iron Mountain’s sawmill and log yard operations; Canfor expects that work to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Canfor also constructed a shipping transload facility at Iron Mountain earlier in 2026. It serves both Iron Mountain and the nearby Urbana Sawmill, allowing lumber to be transferred between trucks and rail cars. The company says the facility is intended to improve shipping efficiency across its Arkansas operations and widen access to customers across North America.
The roughly 75 anticipated jobs are described as positions at the facility and in logistics, rather than a facility-only hiring figure. Canfor has not provided a breakdown of the roles or a hiring schedule in the report. The company also says the combined projects will support greater operating efficiency and regional integration, but those are stated expected outcomes, not reported results from a completed expansion.
More Capacity and Rail Shipping
The investment could increase the amount of lumber Canfor can produce and move from its Arkansas operations. A projected annual net output of about 220 million board feet at Iron Mountain represents a substantial change in the facility’s stated capacity: Canfor says the projects will more than double its previous annual net production. The report does not give the earlier production figure, so the comparison cannot be quantified beyond the company’s description.
The transload facility adds a logistics link between truck and rail service for two mills. That arrangement may give Canfor more options for moving lumber to customers across North America, while integrating shipping for Iron Mountain and Urbana. The anticipated 75 jobs also make the project relevant to workers and the local economy, though the company has not detailed job types, wages, or timing.
For customers and building-material suppliers, the stated production and shipping changes could affect the company’s ability to serve markets. The announcement does not specify customer commitments, product volumes by destination, or when the full projected output will be reached. The practical effects will depend on completion of the work and the operation of the expanded mill and logistics network.
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Two Phases at Iron Mountain
The investment centers on Canfor Southern Pine’s Iron Mountain facility in El Dorado, in Union County, Arkansas. According to the report published by Hardware Retailing on October 28, 2026, the planer upgrade was completed in the second quarter of 2025. The remaining mill work is the second phase, with completion expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The shipping transload facility was built earlier in 2026 and is described as serving both Iron Mountain and the nearby Urbana Sawmill. Together, the mill upgrades and shipping project make up the announced investment of approximately $96 million. Canfor Southern Pine President Lee Goodloe said the company has invested more than $400 million in Union County since 2015. That figure is the company’s stated total and is not separately itemized in the report.
“This investment marks an important step in strengthening our Iron Mountain operation and our broader regional hub in Arkansas.”
— Lee Goodloe, president of Canfor Southern Pine
Costs, Hiring and Output Details
The announcement gives an approximate total investment but does not break down the $96 million among the planer, sawmill, log yard, and transload facility. It also does not specify how the project is financed or whether public incentives contributed to the work. Goodloe thanked the Arkansas Department of Commerce for its support, but no details about that support are provided.
Canfor’s output and employment figures are projections. The report does not identify the facility’s previous annual net production, provide a schedule for reaching about 220 million board feet, or explain how the approximately 75 jobs will be divided between mill operations and logistics. It also does not state whether all positions will be newly hired workers or include other job categories. Those details, along with measured efficiency gains and customer shipping volumes, remain unreported.
Second-Phase Completion in 2026
Canfor’s next stated milestone is completion of the second modernization phase in the fourth quarter of 2026. That work covers the sawmill and log yard at Iron Mountain; the first phase and the transload facility have already been completed, according to the report.
After the remaining work is finished, updates on operating capacity, hiring, and use of the truck-to-rail facility would help show whether the projected production and logistics gains are being achieved. The company has not provided a more specific completion date or a public timeline for reaching the projected annual output.
Key Questions
How much is Canfor Southern Pine investing in Arkansas?
The company announced an investment of approximately $96 million in its Arkansas operations, centered on upgrades and shipping capacity at Iron Mountain in El Dorado.
What work is included in the Iron Mountain project?
The project includes a completed planer upgrade, a second phase to modernize and expand the sawmill and log yard, and a shipping transload facility built earlier in 2026. The transload site serves Iron Mountain and the nearby Urbana Sawmill.
How much production is expected after the upgrades?
Canfor says the projects will more than double Iron Mountain’s annual net production to about 220 million board feet. The report does not give the prior production figure or a date when the operation is expected to reach that output.
How many jobs are expected?
The company projects approximately 75 additional jobs at the facility and in logistics. It has not provided a breakdown by job type or a hiring schedule.
When is the remaining mill work expected to finish?
Canfor expects the second phase, covering the sawmill and log yard, to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026. The first phase was completed in the second quarter of 2025.
Source: hardwareretailing.com
