Plywood manufacturing coming to former Androscoggin Mill

Godfrey Forest Products has started the process of building an oriented strand board manufacturing facility at the Androscoggin Mill property in Jay.

Gov. Janet Mills announced the news at the former paper mill on Friday, appearing with Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Heather Johnson, Jay Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere, and developer John Godfrey.

Oriented strand board, known as OSB, is a common type of composite plywood made from wood chips.

John Godfrey, of Godfrey Forest Products , is a Bangor native, who has started other successful OSB manufacturing facilities in North America, including the LP Building Solutions’ LP Houlton plant in New Limerick, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

Construction is expected to take 18 to 24 months, and the finished facility is expected to create 125 jobs, in addition to construction jobs. Mills said other developers are exploring potential projects on the mill site.

The Androscoggin Mill most recently produced paper under the ownership of Pixelle Specialty Solutions. The company shut down the mill in March 2023 citing financial challenges , including the explosion of a pulp digester in April 2020. The company laid off 230 workers.

In announcing plans for the new OSB facility, Mills credited Maine’s designation in October 2023 as a federal “Tech Hub” for advancement of innovative forest bioproducts.