In a moment that reaches far beyond the walls of its production floor, Sterling Solutions has announced the manufacture of its 1 millionth TerraLam® Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) access mat—an achievement that ties the future of America’s energy grid directly to the pine forests and workforce of Deep East Texas.
For most of the country, “infrastructure” is an abstract word. For us in East Texas, it’s something we build with our own hands. And today, one of the nation’s largest suppliers of construction access mats is celebrating a milestone that carries our region’s fingerprints all over it.
Sterling Solutions—operating major manufacturing centers in Phoenix, Illinois, and right here in Lufkin—has reached commercial scale at a level few American manufacturers ever achieve. But the company is quick to point out: the millionth mat is just the headline. The real story is the impact these mats have on the nation’s ability to keep electricity flowing to homes, hospitals, farms, small businesses, and massive industrial loads across all 50 states.
“These mats are the enablers of America’s energy future,” said CEO Kaye Ceille. “Every mile of transmission line that goes up, every upgrade that makes the grid stronger—our TerraLam products are often the first thing on the ground. And they’re built by hardworking teams across our domestic supply chain, including right here in Texas.”
East Texas Timber, Texas Talent
Sterling’s Lufkin facility—located off U.S. Highway 69 South—has been growing steadily since opening in 2019. The operation has already benefited the region with millions in capital investment, and projections indicate continued expansion as national demand for transmission line construction skyrockets.
The company’s reliance on sustainably-sourced domestic softwoods ties perfectly into the forestry heritage of the Texas Forest Country. Multi-generational timber families, sawmills, and trucking companies across East Texas are part of Sterling’s supply chain—meaning every mat produced in Lufkin carries economic ripples that reach from our pine stands to our local restaurants, churches, and schools.
Powering America’s Energy Future—from Lufkin
As the United States pushes toward unprecedented grid expansion—an estimated 47,300 gigawatt-miles of new transmission lines needed by 2035—utilities and contractors are searching for reliable partners capable of domestic, large-scale production. Sterling’s TerraLam mats have become the industry’s preferred choice because of their strength, durability, and lower overall project cost.
In remote terrain, wetlands, floodplains, and environmentally sensitive regions, these CLT mats create temporary roadways that protect the land and allow heavy equipment, bucket trucks, cranes, solar farms, and wind crews to reach their job sites safely.
In other words: no TerraLam, no transmission lines.
“We’re proud of our production capacity,” Ceille said, “but we’re even more proud of the jobs we help sustain and the electricity we help deliver to homes and businesses across the country.”
A Texas-Based Operation with National Impact
Sterling’s Lufkin plant is now a strategic hub for the company’s operations in the South and West. With precision-engineered CLT products, environmental compliance consulting, full-service site access planning, and restoration services, the company is positioning itself to support the infrastructure boom that will define the next decade.
And in true East Texas fashion, they’re doing it the right way: sustainably, responsibly, and with respect for the people and land that make it possible.
This milestone isn’t just a victory for Sterling Solutions. It’s a win for Lufkin, Angelina County, and the entire Texas Forest Country.
And it’s another reminder that the world’s biggest challenges—energy reliability, grid expansion, sustainable construction—often run straight through the heart of East Texas, where hard work, timber strength, and community roots make big things possible.
