Wood Products Value Chain
Virginia’s wood products industry spans the entire value chain, from a thriving forestry sector to primary wood processing, engineered wood products, finished wood products manufacturing, paper and packaging manufacturing, and a growing wood byproducts industry. In this thriving ecosystem, companies have access to the suppliers, partners, and customers they need to prosper.
Sawmills
Virginia’s 150+ sawmills, which employ more than 4,100 people, produce primarily hardwood (72% in 2016). In 2019, Virginia had a total production of over a half million MCF of timber production resulting in nearly 7 billion board feet. ArborTech in Blackstone is the largest producer of southern yellow pine board footage. Virginia is the northernmost state with access to yellow pine.
Engineered wood products (mass timber)
Virginia is home to 99 companies, employing over 5,700 people, that manufacture a wide range of traditional and innovative wood products — veneer, plywood, engineered wood products, and similar products.
Finished wood products (furniture, cabinets, etc.)
Virginia is home to 450+ companies that produce finished wood products like furniture and cabinets, and employ almost 10,000 people. Historically, Virginia was part of an industry cluster that constituted a third of furniture manufacturing in the U.S. Finished wood products remain a thriving industry subsector in Virginia, as furniture companies have moved toward higher-end manufacturing.
Paper and packaging
Virginia’s 120+ paper and packaging companies, which employ almost 8,000 people, include major Fortune 500 companies like WestRock and International Paper. Several regions across Virginia have paper packaging clusters such as the Roanoke Region, Greater Richmond, and the Shenandoah Valley due to their strategic proximity to major interstates and customers.