Biewer Lumber, headquartered in St. Clair, Mich., announced yesterday its plan to develop a state-of-the-art sawmill in Winona.
The mill, which is the company's second mill built in Mississippi, will be a $130 million investment and will bring more than 150 new jobs to Montgomery County.
“The growth of companies like Biewer Lumber in Mississippi sends a strong message that our state has a supportive business environment and a skilled workforce,” Gov. Tate Reeves said. “Biewer Lumber’s construction and expansion of the sawmill in Newton and now the construction of a new sawmill in Winona and the creation of these jobs is a testament to that fact.”
Biewer Lumber is a family owned company headquartered in St. Clair, Mich. The company operates five sawmills: Two in Michigan, two in Wisconsin and one in Newton.
The facility in Newton was built in 2016, and the company expanded in 2019, increasing its mill production by 100 million board feet per year and creating 45 jobs. The sawmill now has 175 employees, operates two saw lines and produces 350 million board feet per year.
“My family’s passion for the lumber industry has prompted this expansion in the South,” said Tim Biewer, president and CEO of the company. “There is no better place to grow the business than the fiber-rich state of Mississippi.”
The sawmill in Winona will have the ability to produce 350 million board feet of lumber per year.
MDA is providing an Industry Incentive grant to assist with road infrastructure and rail and site prep. MDA also is providing a CAP loan to Montgomery County to assist with public infrastructure. The company also qualifies for the Advantage Jobs Rebate program, which provides a cash rebate to eligible businesses that create new jobs exceeding the average annual wage of the state or the county in which the company locates.
Montgomery County is providing a fee-in-lieu of property taxes.
“Montgomery County is proud to welcome Biewer Lumber to our community, and we look forward to watching the company grow and thrive in the years to come,” said Ron Wood, president of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors. “A development of this magnitude will not only generate a great deal of new revenue and 150 new jobs for Montgomery County, but it will highlight the county as a premier location for future developments, especially with its central location, three major transportation corridors, and leadership committed to making Montgomery County an ideal locale to do business.”
Sue Stidham, director of the Montgomery County Economic Development Council, said the new sawmill will benefit the entire area.
“We are proud and grateful to welcome a new company and citizen to our community, Biewer Lumber,” she said. “The jobs they bring will fill a need in Montgomery County as well as the surrounding counties. We thank the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, the mayor and city of Winona and the Economic Development District and Council for making this a joint effort with the state of Mississippi.”
“Just a few short years after opening its first sawmill in Mississippi, Biewer Lumber already is constructing another facility, one that will provide good jobs to the citizens of Montgomery County,” MDA Interim Director John Rounsaville said. “This new sawmill illustrates Biewer Lumber’s commitment to creating jobs in Mississippi and building stronger communities here. We appreciate the efforts of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, the Economic Development Partnership of Montgomery County, Entergy and Atmos Gas in making this possible.”
