Industry Overview

Mill Information

As of December 2016, there were 190 primary wood product manufacturing facilities located in Georgia that convert logs to valuable products (22 of which have multiple business types), including 12 pulp mills, eight panel and engineered-wood product mills, 97 saw mills and 73 other mills. The Georgia 2017 Wood-Using Industries Update (available in spring, 2017) is a summary of the numbers and types of mills found in Georgia. In addition, there are approximately 1,060 secondary manufacturers that further convert manufactured wood products into value-added products, such as furniture, moulding, paper products, containers, cabinetry, and other goods. For detailed information on Georgia's primary and secondary mills see the Wood Using Industries Directory.

Industry Support

Georgia has an unparalleled combination of wood resources, processing industries, market access, and transportation. In addition, an extensive network of support services enables Georgia to be a world leader in forest products industries. To learn more about how Georgia leads the nation in forestry, download our Georgia Forest Firsts fact sheet. Partners working together to improve forestry and the forest products industry in Georgia include:

Logging Industry: Georgia has an ample and well-educated supply of logging contractors that ensures a constant flow of raw material from forests to mills. Approximately 1,000 logging contractors operate in Georgia in 2011. Each contractor has an average of two truck drivers and five employees in the woods. As of June 2011, 1,596 timber harvesters and procurement foresters have earned Master Timber Harvester designation indicating their training and track records in proper timber harvesting methods.
Forestry Services Contractors: Approximately 275 contractors offer a variety of reforestation and site preparation services.
Foresters: Foresters in Georgia are licensed by the Georgia State Board of Registration for Foresters.
The Georgia Forestry Association: The Georgia Forestry Association is one of the oldest conservation and advocacy organization on the nation.
The Georgia Forestry Commission: The Georgia Forestry Commission is the state government agency providing leadership, service, and education in the protection and conservation of Georgia's forest resources.
Georgia Tech Institute of Paper Science and Technology: The Institute for Paper Science and Technology (IPST) is an industrial research and development consortium strategically integrated within the vast resources of the Georgia Institute of Technology. IPST provides solutions to strategic, economic, scientific, and technical challenges facing the forest products and paper industries. IPST's three strategic initiatives are the development of renewable, sustainable New Products from Forest Biomass; Bio-refining, to enrich sites' current portfolio of products to higher-value contributions to world markets; and Operational Excellence, to achieve breakthrough technologies to enhance capital effectiveness, improve efficiency and reduce cost. These initiatives are supported by cross-cutting support services in laboratory analysis, the Center for Business and Industry Studies, environment and sustainability and policy.
Herty Advance Materials Development Center: Herty delivers solutions for customers that need to break through the barriers holding them back from developing and commercializing their product innovations. Areas of focus include production and material testing, accelerated product commercialization and enhanced business development. Herty is investing in new capabilities, through the creation of the Georgia Biofuels Commercialization Center, to make Georgia the first place industry will think of for investments in renewable fuels. Herty's pilot plant, testing and scale-up facilities will provide the industry with access to the cost effective feed stock preparation and proven, scalable conversion technology they need to build new profitable factories across rural Georgia and operate them at peak production.
Southeastern Wood Producers Association - SWPA: The mission of the SWPA is to protect the interests and stability of reputable timber harvesting-transport companies by supporting positions on issues that affect the timber harvesting industry. SWPA provides continuing education workshops, communication and publications to its members. SWPA strives to project an accurate image of the contribution that timber harvesting and wood fiber delivery companies provide to their respective state and national economies
U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station: The Southern Research Station is part of the Nation's largest forestry research organization - USDA Forest Service Research and Development - the leading organization for research on natural resource management and sustainability in the United States. The Southern Research Station serves 13 Southern States and beyond. Its staff of 130 scientists is organized into Research Work Units with the mission to create the science and technology needed to sustain and enhance southern forest ecosystems and the benefits they provide.
Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources: Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, is one of the oldest school of forest resources in the South.