Louisiana Pacific in Sagola MI

[AARR]

L-P has been down for several months. In a video by Jason Asselin shows them receiving a block of about 25 center beams for loading. In the past they predominantly loaded boxcars so this might be a change for them.

[Standard Railfan]

LP Sagola completed a large plant retooling to produce siding and trim products. The switch to siding changed the customer destinations the plant ships to. Some lumber distribution centers prefer one type of car over the other. In addition some siding products are manufactured in lengths that are not conducive to box car loading.

LP Sagola began producing siding in April.

https://investor.lpcorp.com/news-relea ... tion-lpr-0

[AARR]

Thank you for posting this STDRF.

Is this siding still made from wood? Or is it plastic or some other material?

LP Sagola began producing siding in April.

https://investor.lpcorp.com/news-relea ... tion-lpr-0

[GP30M4216]

I believe this is the product now made at Sagola: https://youtu.be/9JSLknIEzg4

The State of Michigan provided some incentives to support the expansion and retooling of this facility. Read more here: https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/p ... son-county

[AARR]

Thank you GP30M. Inbound logs and resins were significant products received prior so it looks like those will continue. A lot of logs are shuttled from WI.

I believe this is the product now made at Sagola: https://youtu.be/9JSLknIEzg4

[Standard Railfan]

Thank you for posting this STDRF.

Is this siding still made from wood? Or is it plastic or some other material?

LP Sagola began producing siding in April.

https://investor.lpcorp.com/news-relea ... tion-lpr-0

The LP SmartSystem siding is wood based. The product is OSB with “embellishment.” The basic product is the same but more steps and inputs are required to make siding.

[AARR]

First carload of Smart Siding going south then coming back north. Going south at 1:23 and back north at 4:52. Video by Jason Asselin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2Qb7b70auE

[AARR]

There has not been much SmartSide Siding being shipped by rail it seems. Here are two more carloads on the video by Jason Asselin. Many more boxcars of the former product were shipped from this plant. Hope shipments pick up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPJ2mU6jtUM

[AARR]

10 loads going south today. Video by Jason Asselin. Alter Metal and Louisiana-Pacific seem to be doing the most business by rail lately on the E&LS. No pulp wood logs going south in a while.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJWghXL7mSk