Location of #1 county in Virginia for Timber Harvesting | Right to Work State | Large Workforce Catchment Areas
Robust Transportation Network | Numerous Tier 4 Sites | Direct access to 2 ports & 3 international airports
VGA's natural resources, active reforestation program, and skilled, experienced workforce make it the logical choice for wood and paper products manufacturing.
Wood Basket of Virginia
While the entire region has vast wood resources, Brunswick County in particular is the #1 county in Virginia for timber harvesting. In VGA and nearby, a large contingent of companies produce a variety of wood products using the great resources we have for commercial purposes. Our products include a range of paper products, veneers, luxury homes, pallets, timber, and mulch, to name a few. Supply chain companies include logging and timber companies, and a woodworking machine manufacturer in an adjacent county.
As a whole, the VGA region employs more than three times the national average of Forestry, Fishing and Hunting occupations combined; Forestry and Agriculture jobs are more prevalent in the western and central rural sub-regions as they support the timber growth industry.
Unique Features of Our Region
Transportation Infrastructure
Our excellent transportation infrastructure facilitates moving & storing large pre-production and finished goods via highways, rail, sea, and air. It also means that commute times are low, even over long distances, and traffic congestion is virtually non-existent. Employers can expect to attract workers from approximately a 60-mile radius.
We're the perfect combination of low unionization, low costs, and ease of access to markets and labor force.
SECTOR WORKFORCE INFORMATION
- The Wood and Paper Products industry in the VGA region employs more than three times the national average of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting occupations.
- K-12 participation in the GO TEC career pathway focuses on the areas of precision machining, welding, and other skilled trades needed for manufacturing.
- Additional existing skilled trades training programs through the Southern Virginia Education Center partnering with Southside Virginia Community College for certificate and degree programs.
- Partnerships with the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) for employer-led training and work-based learning.
ASSETS FOR WOOD & PAPER PRODUCTS
- A timber industry base, as well as an existing cluster of small producers in logging operations, sawmills, and planer mills that have the potential to expand with market development.
- 7 Tier 4 sites and 1 Tier 3 site ranging between 29 and 388 acres.
- 720k Extended Labor Market
- The Mid-Atlantic Advanced Manufacturing Center (MaMAC), a 1,600-acre Certified MegaSite located within a state-designated Enterprise Zone and a federally-designated Opportunity Zone.
- Existing cluster of advanced wood products manufacturers.
EXISTING INDUSTRY
| Company | Product/Service |
| Calhoun Mulch | Hardwood & colored mulch |
| Genesis Products Inc. | Laminated Panels & Wood Components |
| Georgia Pacific | Wood Products |
| International Veneer Co. | Veneers |
| Morgan Lumber Company, Inc. | Southern Yellow Pine Lumber, chips & shavings |
| Ontario Hardwood Company Inc. | Lumber |
| Pallet One | Pallets |
| The Scotts Company | Mulch |
| Tucker Timber Products Inc. | Hardwood lumber, crossties, & mulch |
| Virginia Carolina Forest Products | Hardwood timber & veneer logs |
| Virginia Pallets & Wood LLC | Pallets, pallet components, crates |
| Toll Brothers Inc. | Luxury Home Builders |