Sonora – American Wood Fibers Incorporated announced in mid-July that it has invested in Tuolumne County, with the purchase of a wood shaving company.

American Wood Fibers, and the Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority announced the purchase in a joint statement July 8, saying it could bring more timber industry jobs to the region, and will continue the operation of the existing facility.

Tuolumne EDA Economic Director Larry Cope said American Wood Fibers (AWF) has purchased the former California Wood Shavings, previously owned and operated by Bob Brewster.

AWF is the nation’s largest supplier of wood flour and animal bedding, with 10 strategically placed plants and distribution centers near the majority of the country’s major timber processors from coast to coast. AWF produces consumer packaged goods including premium wood pellet fuel, equine and small pet bedding and industrial grade wood flour which is used in products such as composite decking, absorbents, adhesives, fire logs and soil extenders.

AWF showed interest in purchasing California Wood Shavings about eight months ago, Cope said, and will continue to operate the wood shavings mill on the La Grange Road site.

Cope said: “Over the next 12 months, we expect to see further investment and new jobs created.” He said “this type of wood-based operation perfectly complements our county’s history, the timber industry, and augments other mills in this area.”

Located at the former Joe Martin Trucking site at Highway 108 and County Road J-59, California Wood Shavings provided wood shaving bedding materials used by local equestrians and for those who compete at world-class horse shows.

Sierra Resource Management, owned by Mike and Vicki Albrecht, provided many of the logs for California Wood Shavings which were salvaged from the Stanislaus National Forest’s 3,000 acres that burned in the 1973 Granite Fire.

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