Characteristics of hardwood manufacturers in the northern and central Appalachian states

The northern and central Appalachian states have seen a revival of federal, state, and local interest in forest-based economic development. The combination of a favorable hardwood growth-to-removal ratio and expanding national and international markets for temperate hardwood products has afforded states in the region the opportunity to benefit from location and expansion of hardwood manufacturing industries. However, to date, little information on hardwood manufacturers exists, particularly for nonmetropolitan (i.e., rural) areas. This paper represents an initial step in providing this information. A comprehensive survey and analysis provide major characteristics of the region’s hardwood manufacturing industry, which plays an important role in the economy of each state. The hardwood manufacturing establishments surveyed purchased an average of 58 percent of their wood raw materials in state, and sold an average of 42 percent of their output out of state. Almost 41 percent of the businesses surveyed were primarily out-of-state exporters (selling more than 50% of output out of state). Larger, nonlocally owned businesses were more likely to be exporters. With respect to location factors, hardwood manufacturers identified community and personal considerations, market access, and access to wood raw material as the most important factors in determining a favorable location.

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