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The former CalPlant medium density fiberboard (MDF) facility in Willows, California, is once again heading to auction, with a timed online sale scheduled for May 6–7.
The offering includes the complete industrial site — spanning 276 acres — along with a fully integrated, state-of-the-art MDF production operation valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars. For manufacturers and investors in the panel sector, the auction represents a rare opportunity to acquire a turnkey facility built around alternative fiber technology and next-generation production systems.
At the core of the plant is a full MDF line supplied by Siempelkamp, featuring advanced panel production capabilities. The system is supported by Büttner natural gas-fired drying technology and a ContiRoll Generation 9 continuous press. Downstream finishing operations include sanding and cut-to-size systems from Steinemann, along with automated strapping and handling equipment.
Originally developed to produce Eureka MDF, the facility was notable for manufacturing a no-added-formaldehyde board using rice straw as a primary fiber source, positioning it as a pioneering project in sustainable panel production. The plant produced its first boards in 2020, coinciding with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted its ramp-up and commercial operations.
Production remained intermittent, and the company ultimately filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in late 2021 while seeking new investment to stabilize operations. When a buyer failed to relaunch the facility following a 2024 asset sale, the site remained idle.
Now, auction firms Rabin Worldwide and Onyx Asset Advisors have been re-engaged to liquidate the full operation, including all equipment and real estate.
For the wood products and composite panel industry, the renewed auction underscores both the technical promise and financial challenges associated with scaling alternative-fiber MDF production. At the same time, it presents a significant acquisition opportunity for manufacturers looking to expand capacity with an advanced, sustainability-focused platform already in place.
See here for more details.
