Oregon Public Broadcasting

Wood products manufacturer Boise Cascade says it will invest $11 million for capital improvements in its Medford plant.  As David Nogueras reports, the money will be used to replace one of Boise's seven industrial dryers used in plywood production.

Boise Cascade's Medford plant is still feeling the effects of the housing downturn.  Demand for wood products just isn't what it used to be. 

But John Sahlberg with Boise Cascade says because the plant isn't running at full capacity, it also makes it a good time to make improvements.

Sahlberg says once in place, the new dryer will increase the plant's capacity and productivity, but he says, in the short term, Boise probably won't need that extra firepower.

John Sahlberg: "But we are optimistic that there's a big future in the housing market and when it does correct itself and does come back to even just more normal levels we'll be in a position to take advantage of the correction and gain market share."

The new dryer was designed in Finland and will be built in China. Sahlberg says it will be bigger and more efficient than the old dryer.

Boise hopes to have the project completed by the end of the summer.