Highly Automated Wood Manufacturing Facility.

The highly automated facility produces panel products used in a variety of manufacturing items and includes a fully integrated 3D model along with laminated wood joist glulams shipped from Europe. Construction of the new facility allows EGGER greater flexibility to provide its North American customer base with an American-made product through more local supply chains with shorter lead times. The facility has brought an estimated 770 new jobs to the region.

Carsten Ritterbach, plant manager, Commercial Services, describes this facility as the “most modern plant in the world” for the type of product it manufactures. The Gray team placed a strong emphasis on providing flexible, innovative plant design and implementing safe practices.

“Gray and EGGER partnered with full collaboration on all aspects of the project including schedule, cost, and design,” said John Slone, director, operations, distribution, & commercial with Gray. We worked with EGGER and not for them. Both companies joined to essentially become one team, which developed a high level of trust among everyone.”

Production automation was facilitated by the latest Industry 4.0 technologies and state-of-the-art production equipment and technology—including 85,000 s.f. of AS/RS—while Gray collaboratively developed a project-wide safety program with OSHA advisors for the 1,150 workers on site.

As a result, Engineering News-Record recognized the EGGER plant as the Southeast region’s Best Project in the manufacturing category and awarded it for Excellence in Safety.