Uruguayan plywood producer Lumin is set to commence production at its new plywood plant in Melo Mill, Cerro Largo, with the facility prepared to deliver its first batch of plywood this month.
The company, which already operates two plants in Tacuarembó, has completed the main production building at its Melo site, including the installation of mechanical and electrical equipment. The site is located 12km south of the city along Route 8.
The $136m investment is expected to add a production capacity of 164,000m³ per year, enabling Lumin to increase its total annual plywood output to nearly 500,000m³.
This expansion would make Uruguay the second largest plywood producer in Latin America.
Work at the site began in April 2024, with machinery arriving from Finland in October 2024. Mechanical assembly of the equipment started in April 2025.
Construction has progressed to the final stages, with a new access roundabout completed.
Further works, including lighting installation, are scheduled to finish in November, while the company’s corporate building is anticipated to be completed in December.
Lumin is currently focusing on landscaping and preparing the site for full operations.
In 2025, Lumin reported producing 226,102m³ of plywood and shipping over 450 containers monthly to more than 20 countries, with key export markets including the US, Mexico, and Europe.
The company states that all its products use eucalyptus and pine veneers from sustainably managed plantations.
Lumin is owned by a consortium of institutional investors, including BTG Pactual’s Timberland Investment Group and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation.
The company has been operating in Uruguay for more than two decades.
