Economic development
The goal of the Forestry Commission’s Business Development Program is to enhance the contribution of South Carolina’s forest resources and forest product-related businesses to the state’s economy. We accomplish this goal by:
- producing current forest resource information;
- describing the health of the existing forest industry;
- promoting South Carolina forest products to global markets; and
- assisting as needed in the expansion of forest product manufacturing.
The Economic Development Group has three staff positions that work as a team, including a forest resource analyst, a forest products marketing specialist, and an economic development specialist. Customized assistance is available in market analysis, resource analysis, and industry expansion.
SC’s forest industry
South Carolina’s forest industry contributes $23.2 billion to the state’s economy and it is ranked #1 in jobs, #2 in labor income and #3 in direct economic output. To support the industry, the Resource Development Division maintains a directory of all primary and secondary forest product mills in the state. These mill data are available in either a spreadsheet format or as an interactive map on Google Earth. Approximately 89 primary and 800 secondary forest product mills in South Carolina are included in the directories.
Forest products mill directory and maps
We maintains directories of all primary and secondary forest product mills in South Carolina. The Forest Products Mill Directory and Maps show detailed lists and locations for all wood and paper-related manufacturing operations in the state.
*Primary mills, such as sawmills, plywood plants or paper mills convert logs into commodity forest products such as lumber, panels and paper. Secondary plants produce value-added forest products like furniture, trusses and prefabricated structures.
SC’s forest resource
There is more standing timber volume in the state of South Carolina than ever recorded in our Forest Inventory & Analysis Program. SC’s forestland base is stable at 12.9 million acres and it is evenly split between softwood and hardwood forests. Forestland ownership is predominantly private with only 13% of the forest under public management. South Carolina’s forest are maturing with the dominant age class for southern yellow pine being in the 31-40 age class. At current utilization rates, the state’s timberlands are growing 38% more wood than is harvested annually.
For an overview of South Carolina’s forest resource download “South Carolina Forests” (pictured above right). For more detailed information, go to the Forest Inventory & Analysis section on this web site.
Timber Supply Analysis
We invite you to use the Timber Supply Analysis Tool for a customized woodbasket analysis.Contact SCFC Resource Development Director Tim Adams or SCFC Resource Analyst Scott Danskin for assistance.
The economic importance of forestry in South Carolina
Trees create value for landowners, specifically, and for society, in general, through timber products like lumber, non-timber products like pine straw, and ecosystem services such as pure drinking water, wildlife habitat, and an improved quality of life. The Forestry Commission’s most recent evaluation of the contribution that forestry makes to South Carolina’s economy is published in the report “The Wave of Wood.” The total contribution of forestry to the state’s economy was $23.2 billion in 2020. Six aggregate sectors were analyzed separately in order to quantify their individual contribution: Pulp and paper, solid wood products, forest-based recreation, wood furniture, timber and logging.
Recent announcements
| Date | Company | County | Description | Investment | Jobs |
| March 2023 | Carter Lumber | Florence | Plans include renovating a 120,000-square-foot facility in Florence County to manufacture roof and floor trusses along with hanging interior door units. This location will also serve as a millwork warehouse for stock mouldings, and the products from the Florence County facility will be delivered to residential, commercial and multi-family job sites. | $26 million | 80 |
| March 2023 | Summit Paper Tube, Inc. | Williamsburg | Manufacturer of spiral wound paper tubes used for paper, nonwoven fabric, shipping and cable reels. | $1.68 million | 19 |
| December 2022 | Essential Cabinetry Group | Greenville | Expansion of its manufacturing facility in Simpsonville to increase production to 150,000 cabinets annually | $4.75 million | 156 |
| December 2022 | Boise Cascade | Colleton | A new lumber distribution facility whose location will give the company direct access to the Palmetto Railways Salkehatchie Subdivision rail line, connecting Boise Cascade to the national freight rail network. | $9 million | 30 |
| August 2022 | Impact Housing Group | Oconee | A modular home assembly plant will be established in Westminster to produce affordable housing in an off-site, controlled environment. | $30 million | 215 |
| August 2022 | Georgia-Pacific | Clarendon | Addition of a third strander to increase OSB production capacity. | $40 million | — |
| August 2022 | Greif | Greenville | Facility expansion to recycle paperboard in the production of spiral tubes and cores. | $13 million | — |
| June 2022 | Canfor Southern Pine | Hampton | Advanced technology and equipment upgrades to sawmill | $25 million | — |
| May 2022 | BID Group | Dorchester | Addition of CNC milling capabilities and warehouse expansion | $10.6 million | 25 |
| March 2022 | Koch & Company | Barnwell | A door and cabinet manufacturer. Wood pellets made from wood waste | $5.1 million | 101 |
| February 2022 | Georgia-Pacific | Clarendon | Addition of 3rd strander to increase OSB production by 150 million square feet | $20 million | 0 |
| December 2021 | Innovative Construction Group | Florence | Offsite construction company for single and multi-family wood framed homes | $35.6 million | 179 |
| October 2021 | West Fraser | Allendale | Bought shuttered GP OSB mill with plans to upgrade equipment and restart by mid-2022 | $350 million | 135 |
| September 2021 | SC Oak to Barrel | Bamberg | Oak barrel manufacturing for whiskey & wine industries | $6.8 million | 122 |
| September 2021 | Impresa Building Systems | Greenwood | Modular home builder | $9 million | 180 |
| August 2021 | Top Edge Components | Anderson | Floor and roof truss manufacturing | $2.9 million | 25 |
| August 2021 | Interfor Corp. | Dorchester | Expansion of existing pine sawmill | $30 million | n/a |
| August 2021 | BID Group | Dorchester | Addition of sawmill part manufacturing capacity | $2.5 million | n/a |
Recommended online tools
Publications
- South Carolina Forests (2021)
- South Carolina Forests (2016)
- Value of SC’s Timber Delivered to Mills in 2021
Presentations
- The Economic Impact of South Carolina’s Forestry Industry, 2022, by Dr. Joey VonNessen (pdf)
- The Forests and Forest Industry of South Carolina – Presented to the SC Land Trust Network July 15, 2021
Other services and resources we provide
- Wood Product business location or expansion assistance.
- International Trade information and assistance.
- Forest Inventory Analysis Reports, statewide and customized.
- Timber Products Output Reports.
- Sources of supply.
Publications
Forest Resource
- SC Timber Product Output and Use, 2017 (pdf)
- Forests of South Carolina, 2019 (pdf)
- Forests of South Carolina, 2018 (pdf)
- Forests of South Carolina, 2017 (pdf)
- Forests of South Carolina, 2016 (pdf)
- South Carolina Harvest and Utilization Study, 2011 (pdf -opens in another window)
- South Carolina Harvest and Utilization Study, 2006 (pdf opens in a new window)
- Assessing the Potential For Biomass Energy Development in South Carolina, 2009 ( pdf opens in a new window)
Value of SC Timber Delivered to Mills
- Value of SC Timber Delivered to Mills, 2017 (pdf)
- Value of SC Timber Delivered to Mills, 2015 (pdf)
- Value of SC Timber Delivered to Mills, 2011 (pdf)
- Value of SC Timber Delivered to Mills, 2019 (pdf)
- Value of SC Timber Delivered to Mills, 2020 (pdf)
Economic Impact
- The Economic Impact of South Carolina’s Forestry Industry, 2020 (pdf, published in 2022)
- The Wave of Wood: Forestry’s Economic Contribution to South Carolina’s Economy in 2018
- Economic Impact Analysis of SC’s Forestry Sector, 2017 (pdf)
- Economic Impact Analysis of SC’s Forestry Sector, 2015 (pdf)
Exports information / country market profiles
- SC Forest Products Industry Trade Report, 2022 (pdf)
- SC Forest Products Industry Exports Report, 2019 (pdf)
- SC Forest Products Industry Exports Report, 2018 (pdf)
- SC Forest Products Industry Exports Report, 2016 (pdf)
- SC Forest Products Industry Exports Report, 2015 (pdf)
- U.S. Southern Region Forest Products Industry Exports Report, 2017 (pdf)
- Economic Impact Of SC’s Forest Products Export Cluster (pdf)
- Forest Products Market Profile: India (pdf)
- Forest Products Market Profile: Mexico (pdf)
- Forest Products Market Profile: Costa Rica (pdf)
For more information on forest and wood product development, please contact SCFC Resource Development Director Tim Adams at tadams@scfc.gov or (803) 896-8802.