A local welder is just one of two hundred contractors onsite for Georgia-Pacific’s $7 million capital improvement project at Diboll Lumber. The investment will modernize the mill and help increase overall production.
Diboll, Texas — Georgia-Pacific’s Diboll Lumber Mill in Texas has undergone a $7-million upgrade that will modernize the mill and help increase its overall production.
The mill has been a mainstay for the last 100-plus years in Diboll and the surrounding towns. Diboll Lumber not only produces quality building materials for its customers but also provides good solid jobs that date back to the late 1800s.
“We have been in business for a long time in Diboll and this investment, which comes on the heels of the construction of a new multi-million-dollar crane, shows GP’s commitment to grow and thrive in this community,” said Danny Wright, Diboll Lumber Plant Manager.
The capital project focused on the mill’s boiler reliability and maintenance and the rebuild of two drying kilns. “Our kilns were built in the early 80s. From replacing kiln panels and roof vents to the installation of a new heating coil system and the manual baffle lift system, the kilns will be more reliable and as a result, will lead to fewer downtime events and minimize continuous repairs,” said Wright.
While the kilns’ purpose is to dry the lumber and remove moisture from the wood, the boiler also plays a critical role in lumber production. It is referred to as the heart of the mill since its responsibility is heating water to make steam, which powers various systems within the mill. “We’ve rebuilt our boiler by replacing tubing, adding a new air heat exchanger and scrubber stack, soot blower, ID fan, condensation tank, pumping system, and water softening system. Our boiler was installed in 1973 and we are very fortunate to have been able to get about 50 good years out of it. With these updates, we will have a more reliable machine with fewer maintenance issues.”
Two hundred contractors plus employees completed the multi-million-dollar improvement project in a little over two weeks. “Due to high demand for our products within the marketplace, we worked hard to get the updates completed as effectively and efficiently as possible,” said Wright.
The Diboll Lumber capital improvement project is just one of many investments Georgia-Pacific is making at its lumber mills throughout the country. This year the company’s Pineland Lumber Mill in Pineland, Texas, will undergo $120 million in additions and improvements in an overall modernization effort that will also increase the mill’s overall production.
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