Forest Products Industry in Halifax County

Halifax County, North Carolina is recognized for its “wood basket” location and high quality forest resources. The forest products industry is one of Halifax County’s oldest and most basic industries and continues to be an important economic sector for the future. Major forest products industries in Halifax County include: WestRock; Meherrin River Forest Products; and Josey Lumber. Roseburg Forest Products is constructing a $230 million manufacturing facility in Weldon, NC. Binderholz is constructing a lumber products manufacturing facility near Enfield, NC.

Overall, North Carolina ranks fourth in the nation in total forest acreage with sixty percent of all land being timberland, representing 18.7 million acres. Hardwood forests account for 53 percent of the acreage; pine forests, 33 percent; and oak-pine forests, 14 percent. Nineteen percent (19%) of all manufacturing jobs in North Carolina are in the wood products industry. A tremendous supply chain in place to support forest products manufacturing, which includes logging, trucking, consulting foresters and other businesses directly involved in the production of wood and wood products.

The Halifax Development Commission commissioned a study of forest resources in the Halifax County Area. This study highlighted Halifax County’s prime “wood basket” location and documented …”sufficient forest resources within a 100 mile radius of the site to support multiple wood using industries and ample resources within a 50 mile road radius most aptly described as the best economic haul radius. Any operation seeking to initiate deliveries of feedstock for biomass to electricity, biomass to advanced biofuels, biomass to wood pellets, or conventional operations involving cross-ties, pallet or sawmill operations should have no issues with sourcing such facilities. Since numerous raw forest products are generated from a timber harvest there may also be a complimentary role for one facility to supply the needs of another existing local facility. For example a solid wood facility purchasing treelength wood may generate wood chips and boiler fuel for resale. The logging force in the area is healthy. The local logging businesses are elastic and can expand to meet new markets as available. Landowner commitment to growing forest products is solid and with current and new market availability should continue to commit to forestry as a preferred long term investment…”

Halifax County has a variety of sites to support forest product manufacturing, including sites with rail and Interstate access.