Sector Assessments

An Analysis of Pollution Prevention Opportunities and Impediments in the Wood Products Manufacturing Sector in Georgia

Profile of Wood Products Manufacturing Sector in Georgia

Wood products manufacturers that are likely to use processes that release high-priority chemicals to the environment are classified within SIC codes 24 and 25 and are listed in Table 1.

TABLE 1 - WOOD PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS

Wood products manufacturers all make different products using similar processes. Industrial processes will be discussed later in this report. Even though processes are similar, the manufacturers are a very size diverse group ranging from 1 to 900 employees located in 90 counties throughout the state. There are several geographic clusters of manufacturers.

Georgia wood products manufacturers employ approximately 20,000 workers in 619 facilities. More than half, 355 of these companies employ less than 10 workers. Companies employing more than 10 but less than 100 workers number 207. There are only 57 companies with more than 100 employees. The only exception is in the plywood, particleboard, and prefabricated construction industries; these companies tend to be larger often employing more than 100 workers.

Metropolitan Atlanta is home to 166 manufacturers employing 3,600 people. The majority build cabinets or millwork representing about 60% of the companies. Another 15% build displays and showrooms for the retail and convention industry. The majority of businesses near Atlanta are small firms with less than 25 employees. Only five companies have more than 100 employees. The large companies employ 1,600 and primarily manufacture millwork and furniture. The largest wood products manufacturer in metro Atlanta employs approximately 800 workers.

Southeast Georgia wood products manufacturers within the target SIC codes number 75, employing approximately 4,000 people. As in the Atlanta area, most of the companies are small, but there are a number of larger manufacturers. Fourteen large manufacturers with at least 100 employees have a total workforce of 3,100. Seven of the large companies manufacture mobile homes. Others produce furniture, cabinets, and plywood. Companies with fewer than 100 employees in this region are involved mostly in the manufacture of cabinets (50%). Other products are millwork, veneer, paneling, modular construction, and roof trusses.

Southwest Georgia wood products manufacturers employ approximately 4,300 workers in 81 manufacturing facilities. There are 18 companies with more than 100 employees, employing a total of 3,100 workers. Mobile homes and preconstructed buildings are the primary business of eight large manufacturers. Manufacture of plywood and particleboard is the main concern of five of the largest companies. There are 63 wood products manufacturers with fewer than 100 employees in southwest Georgia. Smaller manufacturers are involved primarily with the manufacture of cabinets, millwork, and furniture.

Wood Products Industrial Processes

The wood products industry in Georgia consists of manufacturers that shape, form, finish, or construct with wood. Examples are prefabricated house builders, furniture manufacturers, cabinet makers, and plywood manufacturers. Table 2 lists the common processes that are responsible for generation of the majority of toxic chemical waste. The percentages in the row beside each process represent a general estimate of the number of companies that use these processes by SIC code based on survey results and only represent approximate usage by these industries. The majority of those surveyed use more than one process. Printing and paint stripping were the least common processes used, reported by about 3%. The most common processes reported are listed below.

• Assembly by 80%
• Use of glues and adhesives by 77%
• Spray application by 47%
• Staining by 45%
• Laminating by 42%
• Painting or coating by 42%

TABLE 2 - PROCESSES USED BY WOOD PRODUCTS MANUFACTURERS