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Bringing Louisiana Pacific’s largest finishing facility to North Branch was a group effort, and there was indeed a group that celebrated in a groundbreaking Tuesday this week.  The plant is LP’s fourth finishing process location, where building materials are colored using a palette of 22 shades and special finishes are applied to siding etc. The materials then are ready to install, don’t need painting and, according to the LP spokespersons are basically carbon neutral and store more carbon than the processing emits.  There will be 125 jobs created at a living wage.

People spoke of this acreage being the perfect site, with freeway exposure, flat sand soils and situated in the center of a growing area.

Jason Ringblom, LP CEO,  and a graduate of the University of Minnesota, told the crowd at the groundbreaking ceremony that the North Branch location will be “key to our strategy” of serving growth in the central part of the U.S.

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development representative Kevin McKinnon said area state lawmakers should be commended for their support of economic development programs and seeing to it there was state support for North Branch ie: a $1 million grant to design an interchange at the freeway for access at 400th.

To rt: Administrator Matthew Hill was a speaker.

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