Hood Industries told employees this week it will close its plywood manufacturing operation in Wiggins and wind down operations by the end of August, the company said. The move will affect more than 250 workers, Hood Industries said.
Hood Industries President Jay Galloway said the company determined “the damage caused by the recent storms, combined with the age of our 56-year-old facility, would require an investment that is not economically feasible.” “As difficult as this decision is, repairing and restoring the mill is not a sustainable option,” Galloway said.
The Wiggins facility has been in operation since 1970 and was acquired by Hood Industries in 1984, the company said. Hood Industries said company management will meet with affected employees in the coming days to discuss other employment opportunities at its other sites.
Hood Industries operates three other sites in Mississippi, in Beaumont, Waynesboro and Silver Creek, the company said. In September 2025, Hood Industries announced plans to invest $245 million to build an advanced sawmill in Wayne County in multiple phases on a site adjacent to its existing sawmill, with the new mill slated for completion by October 2026, the company said.
The announcement appeared first on Magnolia Tribune, according to the company statement.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
