BANGOR, Maine (AP) — A Montana company is using a grant from the state-funded Maine Technology Institute to create a composite wood products plant in Maine.
SmartLam LLC said Friday that the $22 million manufacturing plant would create 100 jobs. MTI is providing $3 million to help launch the mill. SmartLam hopes to settle on a site in a couple of months.
It's the second announcement this week of a Maine plant that'll produce cross-laminated timber. The composite wood is strong enough to replace steel and concrete in construction.
North Carolina-based LignaTerra Global LLC announced plans at Husson University on Tuesday to build a $30 million, 300,000-square-foot factory that would create 100 jobs in Millinocket.
Republican Gov. Paul LePage tweeted that the announcements are "great news for our forest products industry."