Hampton Lumber Breaks Ground on New Fairfax Sawmill, Promises Dozens of Jobs
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster joined local leaders Nov. 5 in Fairfax for the ceremonial groundbreaking of Hampton Lumber’s new sawmill at 150 Walker Road, a project officials say will strengthen Allendale County’s forestry economy. The facility — the company’s first new East Coast mill — is slated to produce Southern Yellow Pine framing lumber, create about 125–140 jobs, and begin operations in early 2027.
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State and local officials marked a milestone for Allendale County on Nov. 5 when they gathered in Fairfax to break ground on Hampton Lumber’s new sawmill at 150 Walker Road. The facility, described by project backers as the company’s first new East Coast investment, is designed to produce Southern Yellow Pine framing lumber and is expected to bring roughly 125–140 jobs to the area once fully operational in early 2027.
The ceremony, attended by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and local leaders, underscored the mill’s role as a targeted economic development initiative in a county that has long relied on timber and agriculture. Company and government officials framed the project as a significant boost to the local forestry sector, with direct employment stretched across mill operations, maintenance and logistics, and indirect jobs likely to appear in trucking, equipment supply and local services.
For Allendale County, the arrival of a large-scale processing facility represents more than new payroll entries. Sawmills anchor local supply chains by creating a stable buyer for timber from family forests and regional landowners, improving the value capture from standing timber and keeping more of the processing value inside the county instead of shipping raw logs elsewhere. The expected production of Southern Yellow Pine framing lumber aligns the mill with demand from residential and light commercial construction markets across the Southeast, where that species is commonly used for structural framing.
Market implications extend beyond local hiring. A new mill increases regional processing capacity, which can compress log transport distances and lower costs for forest owners, while also exposing local output to national lumber price cycles tied to construction activity. The project’s timing — with operation targeted for early 2027 — positions the facility to respond to medium-term housing and infrastructure trends that drive demand for framing lumber.
Policy dimensions were visible at the groundbreaking. The governor’s presence signals state-level interest in supporting rural industrial projects that create manufacturing jobs and broaden tax bases. For local officials, the mill offers a pathway to diversify revenue streams and stabilize employment in a county where large-scale private investments have been sporadic. The announcement also raises near-term priorities for local economic planning: workforce recruitment and training, transportation and logistics upgrades, and coordination with the forestry sector on sustainable timber supplies.
Environmental and workforce considerations will shape the mill’s long-term footprint. Modern sawmills combine mechanization with environmental permitting and wood-waste management practices; community stakeholders will be monitoring those aspects as construction proceeds. Likewise, the projected 125–140 jobs will require sourcing skilled and semi-skilled labor, creating opportunities for local workforce development partners.
As construction moves forward over the next year and a half, Allendale County officials and residents will be watching how the Hampton Lumber mill translates into tangible gains in employment, tax revenue and local supply-chain activity — and how it fits into broader trends in regional manufacturing and forestry markets.