GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — The timber industry in South Carolina is grappling with significant challenges following the closure of major mills, including the International Paper mill in Georgetown and the WestRock plant in Charleston.
These shutdowns have left local loggers scrambling to find new markets for their products.
The forestry sector is a crucial part of South Carolina’s economy, contributing over $23 billion and being the top job provider in the state, according to the Forestry Commission.
However, the loss of pulpwood markets due to mill closures has raised concerns among industry leaders.
“A lot of people are shocked to hear that, but that’s true. The number one industry by payroll. The problem is we have lost the market for our pulpwood,” said Chip Campsen, chairman of the Senate Fish, Game, and Forestry Committee.
Pulpwood, essential for paper production, has seen its market shrink dramatically.
If you lose your market for pulpwood, you really can’t economically grow any timber in South Carolina," said Campsen.
Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis indicates an 85% drop in product value for forest agricultural products in the state. Efforts to update the Charleston port for wood products have been met with resistance.
“I’ve tried, the Port Authority is not interested in doing that. I wish they were, but they’re not,” Campsen said.
There is potential for the International Paper mill site to be converted into a biomass plant, which could provide a new market for pulpwood.
ABC 15 specifically asked if forestry officials would be onboard with a biomass plant.
“Yes, I mean that would be a very it would be a very important source of a market for pulpwood,” said Campsen.
Despite these possibilities, the lack of necessary infrastructure remains a significant concern.
There’s good reason to be concerned, but we know that there are markets that will buy our wood, but we need to have infrastructure that enables us to capitalize upon those markets," Campsen said. "We need to be able to ship via ship because that’s the cheapest way to carry wood chips or pulpwood is by ship. We know there are markets overseas for that.
The urgency of the situation is underscored by the potential shutdown of logging crews and timber owners who cannot bring their products to market.
Campsen said his biggest concern right now is time.
He said when you have logging crews and timber owners who can’t bring their product to market, they’re going to have to just shut down, and he said they’re not going to come back.
Industry leaders emphasize the need to find new markets for pulpwood quickly to sustain the state’s timber industry.