Alabama Gov.Kay Ivey announced Tuesday that Jasper Lumber Co. and Canada’s Tolko Industries Ltd. have formed a partnership that will expand lumber production in Walker County with a $45 million project that will create at least 60 jobs.

The investment will triple capacity at Jasper Lumber’s existing sawmill and create additional activity for its other subsidiary companies, which will operate under the parent company Jasper Forest Products LLC, a Jasper-Tolko Partnership.

Plans call for the construction of new facilities, the installation of new machinery, and increased shifting at the mill.

“The venture between Jasper Lumber and Tolko Industries will deliver a significant economic impact in Walker County through new investment and jobs,” Ivey said. “It will also provide a major boost to a key industry sector in the area, setting the stage for growth that can be sustained for years to come. This is great news for Jasper and for Alabama.”

Tolko, a family-owned privately held wood products company based in British Columbia, Canada, will hold a 50% stake in Jasper Forest Products through its U.S. subsidiary. Tolko produces a wide variety of wood-based products including lumber, oriented strand board (OSB), plywood, and pellets.

Jasper Lumber, a major industrial employer in Walker County, is also family-owned and has manufactured quality southern pine lumber for over 30 years.

Construction work at the Jasper sawmill will begin in early 2021. The Walker County Development Authority, the Jasper Industrial Development Board, and the City of Jasper have been working on this project for about a year securing various funding grants to help expand key utility infrastructure to the project.