Mark Brinkmeyer

In the 1920s, the City of Lumberton was known for its booming timber industry – hence the name. …An upcoming project will help Lumberton regain that status, as Idaho Forest Group – a privately-owned company based out of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho – is set to open a $120 million sawmill operation along Old Highway 11 east of town that will bring up to 135 new jobs to the area. The project was unveiled at a news conference Dec. 14 at the Ben Barrett Community Center on East Main Avenue in Lumberton. “It’s the raw materials that attracted us to this area,” said Marc Brinkmeyer, owner and CEO of Idaho Forest Group. The Lamar County Board of Supervisors recently approved the transfer of 174 acres of county land to Idaho Forest Group, which plans to open the sawmill by the middle of 2020.