First new sawmill in nearly a century to bring more than 100 jobs to Mississippi community

Published 6:40 am Tuesday, December 15, 2020

An Idaho company plans to create more than 100 new jobs and build the first sawmill since the 1920s for one south Mississippi city.

On Monday, Idaho Forest Group officially announced its plans to build a new sawmill in Lumberton which they say will produce a variety of wood products and create up to 135 jobs.

“These will be outstanding job opportunities out of Idaho Forest Group,” said Todd Jackson, Executive Vice President of the Area Development Partnership. “This is a highly automated, advanced manufacturing facility. Average wage at the facility will be $44,000 a year. That will go up to $55,000, including benefits. To put that in perspective, the average household income is Lumberton, Miss. is $43,000 a year. So, this one job, one employee, will have an average wage that is higher than an entire household income in that community.”

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