Lumin plywood brand to build third plywood plant in Uruguay

Lumin, a leading timberland and forest products company, will build its third industrial plant in Uruguay, which is expected to create more than 300 jobs and significantly increase the country’s sustainable plywood production. 

The announcement was made on February 9 in Melo at an event attended by the President of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou, the Mayor of Cerro Largo Department, José Yurramendi, and Lumin ´s CEO, Álvaro Molinari.

Following approval by Lumin’s Board of Directors, which includes representatives of the BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group (TIG) and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI), construction of the new plant will begin in the first quarter of 2023, with operations expected to commence the first quarter of 2026.

The expansion is part of Lumin's strategy to capitalize on the growing global demand for sustainable timber products for the construction and furniture sectors. 

All of Lumin’s 120,000 hectares of commercial forests are independently certified as meeting the global standards for responsible forest management of the Forest Stewardship Council.

This new investment complements investments of US$48m made over the last two years into the company’s existing facilities, which includes the construction of a thin peel line and a new warehouse facility.

“Lumin currently employs 780 people and produces 304,000 cubic meters of plywood per year at its two existing plants in Tacuarembó,” said Álvaro Molinari, Lumin’s CEO.

Based on current figures, he added, the new mill would make Uruguay the second largest producer of plywood in Latin America.

The new plant aims to capitalize on tree farms that Lumin has been sustainably managing for more than 15 years in the departments of Cerro Largo and Treinta y Tres.