Hood Industries In Wiggins Closing: What’s Already Being Done

TL;DR: Hood Industries is closing its Wiggins plywood mill by the end of August, affecting about 260 employees, after determining storm damage to the 56-year-old facility wasn't economically feasible to repair. The closure has been reported statewide. What hasn't been reported: within a day of the announcement, state workforce officials were already meeting with Wiggins city leadership to begin coordinating retraining, job placement, and rapid response funding for affected workers.

Hood Industries confirmed this week it’s closing its Wiggins plywood mill, citing damage from Tropical Storm Arthur combined with the age of the 56-year-old facility. Company president Jay Galloway told employees the repair investment wasn’t sustainable. The mill will keep running until existing inventory is processed, with manufacturing expected to stop by the end of August. Hood says it will meet individually with employees about transitioning to other company locations, which include sites in Beaumont, Waynesboro, and Silver Creek.

This isn’t a company retreating from Mississippi. Hood announced a $245 million investment in a new Wayne County sawmill last September, on track to finish this October. The Wiggins closure is specific to storm damage and the age of that particular facility — not a sign the company is pulling back statewide.

What’s already moving: The Board of Aldermen learned about the closure at their July 7 meeting, and Mississippi Department of Employment Security workforce development director Allison Hawkins was already on hand. The state issued formal WARN Act notice, and a virtual coordination meeting with state officials, community college representatives, and workforce agencies took place the same day. The state’s rapid response process — funding built specifically for situations like this — is being activated, with early conversations about retraining programs, job fairs, and connecting workers to openings both locally and regionally. Officials noted the ripple extends beyond Wiggins city limits into surrounding Stone and Forrest County workers who commute to the plant.

What residents can do:

• Affected Hood employees should watch for direct communication from the company about transition meetings and openings at other Hood locations.
• Anyone impacted can contact Mississippi Department of Employment Security’s local office for retraining and job-placement resources tied to this closure specifically — this isn’t the general unemployment line, it’s the rapid response track.
• Local business owners interested in hiring: this is worth raising with the county now, while the coordination window is open, rather than after the fact.

We’ll follow this as retraining programs and job fair dates are confirmed.

Transparency note: This piece draws on statewide reporting on Hood Industries’ closure and audio from the July 7 Wiggins Board of Aldermen meeting.