Mondragón Opens in Álava the Largest Sawmill in Southern Europe to Lead the European Forest Industry
yesterday at 12:58
,Spain
The Thebault Group, in partnership with the Cenzato Group, has inaugurated the very first LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) manufacturing unit in France at Lempdes-sur-Allagnon (Haute-Loire). Located in the heart of Auvergne, this factory is also presented as the first of its kind in Western Europe, marking a major industrial milestone for the timber industry and construction sector.
With this new unit, Thebault, a recognized specialist in veneer peeling, is accelerating its diversification into engineered wood products, particularly for the building sector, while reaffirming a strong industrial presence in France. The group recalls its historical positioning in plywood, produced through the peeling of logs followed by the assembly, gluing, and pressing of veneers.
Accounting for nearly 50% of national plywood production and ranking among the top five European manufacturers, Thebault relies on proven industrial expertise. The LVL project thus fits into a technological continuity: mastery of plywood processes and manufacturing similarities with LVL have facilitated the transition to industrial scale.
The partnership with the Cenzato Group, a local player in primary wood processing, has been a decisive lever, both territorially and industrially, in realizing this large-scale investment.
The Lempdes-sur-Allagnon site represents a total investment of nearly €100M. Presented as emblematic of the France 2030 Plan in its decarbonization component, the project benefits from state support amounting to €25M. The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region also contributes through a €3M grant, supplemented by €300,000 from SYDEC.
Built on a 25,000 m² surface area, on a 15-hectare plot alongside the A75 motorway, the industrial unit aims for a production capacity of 100,000 m³ of "Made in France" LVL in the long term, with an initial operational phase set at 70,000 m³. The construction, completed in 18 months, relied on a zoned sequencing approach, allowing the installation of the first machines before the full completion of the building. Production is scheduled to start by the end of 2025.
The project emphasizes predominantly local sourcing from the Auvergne Massif, within a 200 km radius of the site. The industrial building has also earned the “Bois de France” Gold-level certification, a first at this level of recognition for an industrial site. The TEBOLVL® product also bears the “Bois de France” label.
The peeling of silver fir is also expected to generate synergies with the group’s plywood activity, particularly through the expansion of the product range.
In terms of employment, the unit’s production launch is set to create 85 full-time equivalent direct jobs, mostly recruited from the local area. Recruitment relies on the Simulation-Based Recruitment Method (MRS) and a six-month training program, validated by a professional certification, delivered notably at GRETA and on sites of the two groups.
By banking on an unprecedented industrial capacity in France, substantial public support, and a supply chain claimed to be local, Thebault and Cenzato aim to position LVL as a strategic material for timber construction and decarbonization, while contributing to the strengthening of the Auvergne industrial fabric.
