By 1950, manufacturing plants began to change the economy. The development of Millwood Lake in 1965 was of major importance to the county's industrial growth. Access to water was a necessity for industry, and Ashdown's rivers and lake provided plenty. Nekoosa Paper Mill was built in Ashdown in 1968 because of its access to the Red River. The plant was sold to Georgia-Pacific in 1991 and to Domtar Industries in 2001. Presently, the timber industry is paramount in Ashdown; Domtar Industries is a major employer there. Another key company, generating millions of dollars for the county, is Ash Grove Cement Company in Foreman. It was built in 1956, but it is presently under new construction because it has proven to be a very profitable plant.