Thebault Group to build new Euro 100 million LVL plant in Auvergne, France

Wooden Panels

Image: Thebault Group

The Thebault Group announces the creation of a new and 6th wood processing unit in France.Located in Auvergne this new factory is intended to unroll Silver Fir logs, then to assemble the veneers for the manufacture of LVL – Lamibois panels and beams. A specialist in the peeling and production of plywood, the Thebault Group is thus pursuing its industrial development in the manufacture of wood products intended in particular for construction and industry.

The project represents a provisional investment of nearly 100 million Euros. This new site will see the construction of a 25,000 m² factory on 15 hectares of land located in the Sud Auvergne Business Park, in Lempdes-sur-Allagnon.

Eventually, the plant will produce 100,000 m3 of LVL entirely ''Made in France'', with a first phase at 70,000 m3. The start-up of the site is scheduled for 2025 and will allow the creation of 85 direct jobs, mainly from local employment pools.

Driven by a strong growth market, this French production of engineered wood products will expand the offer of bio-sourced materials contributing to the decarbonization of the building sector.

The choice of a new and 4th species with Silver Fir is strategically a strength on the Thebault Group's markets. With Okoumé and Poplar panels, as well as maritime pine and silver fir for softwoods, the Thebault Group is the manufacturer offering the widest range of species, all in French production.

This new production unit is part of the Thebault Group's strategy of expanding its range, in synergy with the species already processed, while securing its wood supply for the coming decades.

These products will bear the PEFC and Bois de France sustainable management labels, and global certifications, all of which are popular in the construction sectors for which LVL beams and panels are intended.

Emblematic project of the France 2030 Investment Plan in its decarbonization component, the new unit of the Thebault Group will participate in the industrial development of the local wood resource. This project benefits from the financial support of the State via its operator ADEME. The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and the Intercommunal Syndicate for Economic Development Allier Allagnon complete the funding.

The Thebault Group is France’s leading manufacturer of plywood panels, accounting for almost 50% of national production, and is one of the top 5 European manufacturers.