CIRCLEVILLE, OHIO – A massive super load dryer is set to be transported from Portsmouth to Sofidel’s Circleville plant over three days, beginning Thursday, February 27. The dryer, which will become the third at the Circleville facility, measures 230 feet 9 inches long, stands 20 feet 1 inch tall, is 18 feet 6 inches wide, and weighs a staggering 610,470 pounds.
Planned Route & Schedule
The transport will cause temporary traffic disruptions along the following routes:
Thursday, February 27 – 9:00 AM Departure
- River Ave
- Harmon St
- 8th St.
- Campbell St.
- Gallia St.
- Hutchins St.
- 12th St.
- Robinson Ave
- Argonne Rd
- Kinneys Ln.
- US 23
- US 35
- SR 104
- Overnight parking at Ross County Fairgrounds
Friday, February 28 – 9:00 AM Departure
- SR 104
- SR 762
- Overnight parking at US 23 and SR 762
Saturday, March 1st – 9:00 AM Departure
- Ashville Pike
- SR 752
- SR 674
- US 22
- Pickaway St.
- Ohio St.
- South Court St.
- Sperry Dr.
- US 23
- Pittsburgh Rd
- Duroc St.
- Final delivery to Sofidel Circleville Plant
Sofidel’s Major Expansion in Pickaway County
The Circleville plant, originally built in 2018, is undergoing a $185 million expansion, positioning it as Sofidel’s most important global production site. The facility, already home to two Valmet Advantage NTT paper mill machines, will increase total production capacity by 50% to over 200,000 metric tons per year.
Luigi Lazzareschi, Sofidel CEO, emphasized the plant’s impact on the local economy:
“We believe we are not just constructing new buildings and installing new machinery, but building the future for our people and the company. Our promise is to reach 900 employees within ten years, and we are ahead of schedule.”
Currently, 500 employees work at the Circleville site, with the expansion expected to add 100 more jobs. Sofidel, which expanded into the U.S. market in 2012, now operates six production sites across six states, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue.
The expansion includes a new building to house a Valmet DCT 200 paper mill machine, scheduled to be operational by Q3 2025 with a production capacity of 70,000 metric tons per year.
Drivers are advised to avoid affected roads during transport times and follow traffic guidance for safety.
