Governor Josh Stein Secures $40 Million Lumber Treatment Facility in Scotland County

RALEIGH, NC — North Carolina Governor Josh Stein and the North Carolina Department of Commerce announced that timber producer Great Southern Wood-NC, Inc. will invest $40 million to construct a state-of-the-art lumber pressure-treating and distribution facility in Scotland County, creating 75 high-wage advanced manufacturing jobs in the Sandhills region.

Revitalizing Rural Forestry with Industrial Rail Infrastructure

The industrial manufacturing complex in Laurinburg will process southern yellow pine harvested by regional North Carolina timber growers, utilizing computerized pressure-treating cylinders and automated rail car loading platforms. The project is supported by a $200,000 performance grant from the One North Carolina Fund and a $1.2 million North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Rail Industrial Access grant to construct dedicated rail spurs connecting directly to the CSX freight network.

Governor Stein affirmed that North Carolina's rural communities have the workforce, natural resources, and logistical infrastructure to lead in advanced manufacturing and agricultural processing.

Scotland County Commissioners and Timber Associations Support

Scotland County Board of Commissioners praised the industrial recruitment, citing starting salaries 30% above the county average.

North Carolina Forestry Association celebrated the processing mill for expanding domestic markets for regional timber landowners.

Facility Groundbreaking Schedule

Civil site grading and freight rail siding construction in Laurinburg will break ground in October 2026.