Forest Service | September 2017

e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-1 2 0

Alabama’s

Timber Industry—Timber Product Output and Use, 2013

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for the specified resource area, State, or region. The system is 

available through the FIA Web site: https://srsfia2.fs.fed.us/. The 

Excel® core tables and figures that complement this science update 

are available on the TPO database.

The SRS gratefully acknowledges the tremendous cooperation and 

assistance provided by the Alabama Forestry Commission in 

collecting mill data. Appreciation is also extended to forest industry 

and mill managers for providing timber products information. 

Product and

species group 2011 2013 Change Change

percent

 Softwood 224,198 252,231 28,033 12.5

 Hardwood 45,009 46,180 1,171 2.6

 Total 269,207 298,411 29,204 10.8

 Softwood 34,233 30,949 -3,284 -9.6

 Hardwood 8,374 9,317 943 11.3

 Total 42,607 40,266 -2,341 -5.5

 Softwood 437,131 455,182 18,051 4.1

 Hardwood 161,933 159,704 -2,229 -1.4

 Total 599,064 614,886 15,822 2.6

 Softwood 0 34,481 34,481 100.0

 Hardwood 0 6,608 6,608 100.0

 Total 0 41,089 41,089 100.0

 Softwood 45,741 39,038 -6,703 -14.7

 Hardwood 8,552 3,885 -4,667 -54.6

 Total 54,293 42,923 -11,370 -20.9

 Softwood 741,303 811,882 70,579 9.5

 Hardwood 223,868 225,694 1,826 0.8

 Total 965,171 1,037,576 72,405 7.5

Pulpwood

Composite panels

Other industrial

All industrial

Table 1—Output of industrial products by product 

and species group, Alabam a, 2011 and 2013.

Year

 - - - - thousand cubic feet - - - - 

Saw logs

Veneer logs

Introduction

This science update contains the findings of a 2013 canvass of all 

primary wood-using plants in Alabama, and presents changes in 

product output and residue use since 2011. It complements the 

Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) annual inventory of volume 

and removals from the State’s timberland. The canvass was conducted to determine the amount and source of wood receipts and 

annual timber product drain, by county, in 2013 and to determine 

interstate and cross-regional movement of industrial roundwood. 

Only primary wood-using mills were canvassed. Primary mills are 

those that process roundwood in log or bolt form or as chipped 

roundwood. Examples of industrial roundwood products are saw 

logs, pulpwood, veneer logs, poles, and logs used for composite 

board products. Mills producing products from residues generated 

at primary and secondary processors were not canvassed. Trees 

chipped in the woods were included in the estimate of timber drain 

only if they were delivered to a primary domestic manufacturer. 

A 100-percent canvass of all wood processors in Alabama was 

conducted in 2014 to obtain information for 2013. In addition, 

roundwood from out-of-State mills known to be using logs or bolts 

harvested from Alabama timberland was incorporated into Alabama production estimates. Each mill was canvassed by mail or 

through personal contact at plant locations. Telephone contacts 

followed mailed questionnaire responses when additional information or clarification of a response was necessary. In the event of 

a nonresponse, data collected in previous surveys were updated 

using current data collected for mills of similar size, product type, 

and location. Surveys for all timber products other than pulpwood 

began in 1961, and are currently conducted every 2 years.

Pulpwood production data were taken from an annual canvass of 

all southern pulpmills. Medium density fiberboard, insulating 

board, and hardboard plants were included in this survey.

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Research Work Unit of 

the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture developed the 

Timber Product Output (TPO) Database Retrieval System to help 

customers answer questions about timber harvesting and use in the 

Southern region. This system acts as an interface to a standard set 

of consistently coded TPO data for each State and county in the 

region and Nation. The database is well documented and easy to 

use. The retrieval system allows the user to select the TPO variables of interest and generate a standard set of timber products, removals, and mill residue tables 
e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-1 2 0

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Figure 1—Roundwood production for all products by species 

group and year, Alabama.

Figure 2—Roundwood production by type of product, Alabama, 

2013.

All Products

Industrial timber product output from roundwood increased 72.4 

million cubic feet, or 8 percent, to 1,037.6 million cubic feet.

Output of industrial softwood roundwood products was up 10 percent, to 811.9 million cubic feet, while output of industrial hardwood roundwood products increased <1 percent to 225.7 million 

cubic feet (fig. 1).

At the same time, the number of primary roundwood-using plants 

in Alabama declined from 115 in 2011 to 112 in 2013 (fig. 3). The 

number of sawmills decreased by 6, while the number of 

pulpmills, veneer, composite panel, and other miscellaneous mills 

remained stable.

Across all products, 85 percent of roundwood harvested was retained for processing at Alabama mills. Exports of roundwood to 

other States amounted to 154.9 million cubic feet, while imports 

of roundwood amounted to 219.1 million cubic feet making the 

State a net importer of roundwood. 

Pulpwood

Total pulpwood production increased 3 percent to 614.9 million 

cubic feet but accounted for 59 percent of the State's total roundwood TPO compared to 63 percent of total TPO in 2011. Softwood output was up to 455.2 million cubic feet; however hardwood output decreased to 159.7 million cubic feet (fig. 4). These 

were an increase from 2011 numbers of 4 percent and a decrease 

of 1 percent, respectively.

Eleven pulpmill facilities were operating and receiving roundwood in Alabama in 2013, one less than 2011. Total pulpwood 

receipts for these mills increased to 654.8 million cubic feet, accounting for 59 percent of total receipts for all mills.

Figure 3—Primary wood-using mills, Alabama, 2013.

Pulpwood and saw logs were the principal roundwood products in 

2013. Combined output of these two products totaled 913 million 

cubic feet and accounted for 88 percent of the State's total industrial roundwood output (fig. 2).

Total receipts at Alabama mills, which included roundwood harvested and retained in the State and roundwood imported from other States, was up 12 percent from 972.7 million cubic feet to 

1,101.7 million cubic feet
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e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-1 2 0

Eighty-five percent of roundwood cut for pulpwood was retained 

for processing at Alabama pulpmills. Roundwood pulpwood 

accounted for 74 percent of total known exports and 71 percent of 

total imports. 

Saw Logs

Veneer logs

Output of veneer logs in 2013 totaled 40.3 million cubic feet, a 5.5 

percent decrease since 2011, and accounted for 4 percent of the 

State's total roundwood TPO volume. Output of softwood veneer 

logs decreased 10 percent to 30.9 million cubic feet, while that of 

hardwood veneer logs increased 11 percent to 9.3 million cubic feet 

(fig. 6).

In 2013, Alabama had 11 veneer mills, 1 fewer than 2011. Receipts 

of veneer logs increased 5 percent to 35.1 million cubic feet. 

Softwood veneer log receipts decreased 2 percent to 23.9 million 

cubic feet, while those of hardwoods were up 21 percent to 11.2 

million cubic feet. 

In 2013, Alabama had 67 sawmills, 6 fewer mills than in 2011. 

Total saw-log receipts were up 40.6 million cubic feet to 311.1 

million cubic feet. Softwood saw-log receipts increased 17 percent 

to 266.3 million cubic feet, while those of hardwoods were up 44 

percent to 44.8 million cubic feet. 

Other Industrial Products

Roundwood harvested for other industrial uses such as poles, posts, 

mulch, residential firewood, industrial fuel, logs for log homes, 

composite panels, and all other industrial products totaled 84 million cubic feet. Softwood made up 88 percent of the other industrial 

products volume.

The number of plants producing other industrial products totaled 22 

in 2013. Combined receipts of other industrial products from softwood and hardwood totaled 100.7 million cubic feet. Industrial fuel 

accounted for 43.3 million cubic feet, or 43 percent, of receipt volume for this category.

Alabama retained 91 percent of its saw-log production for within 

State manufacture, with saw-log imports exceeding exports by 

12.7 million cubic feet in 2013. 

Figure 4—Roundwood pulpwood production by species group 

and year, Alabama, 2013.

Figure 5 —Roundwood saw-log production by species 

group and year, Alabama, 2013.

Figure 6—Roundwood veneer-log production by species 

group and year, Alabama, 2013.

Saw logs accounted for 29 percent of the State's total roundwood 

products. Output of softwood saw logs increased 13 percent to 252.2 

million cubic feet, while that of hardwood saw logs was up 2 percent 

to 46.2 million cubic feet (fig. 5).
e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-1 2 0

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Plant Byproducts

In 2013, processing of primary products in Alabama mills generated 

170.1 million cubic feet of wood and bark residues. Coarse residues 

from all primary products amounted to 62.3 million cubic feet, 

while bark volume totaled 82.4 million cubic feet. Collectively, 

sawdust and shavings made up 15 percent of total residues, or 25.4 

million cubic feet (fig. 7).

The processing of saw logs generated 77.4 million cubic feet of mill 

residues, accounting for 46 percent of the total residues produced 

(fig. 8).

Nearly 170 million cubic feet, or 100 percent, of the wood and bark 

residues were used for a product. While <1 percent of the residues 

were not used for a product, 65 percent of the residues were used for 

industrial fuel, of which 80 percent was used on site and 20 percent 

at other plants. Thirty-two percent were used for fiber products (fig. 

9). Eighty-three percent or 51.7 million cubic feet, of the coarse 

residues were used for fiber products. Ninety-seven percent of the 

bark was used for industrial fuel, while 80 percent of the sawdust 

and shavings were used for industrial fuel.

How to Cite This Publication

Wall, David J.; Bentley, James; Cooper, Jason A.; 

Gray, James A. W. 2017. Alabama’s timber 

industry—timber product output and use, 2013. 

e-Science Update SRS–120. Asheville, NC: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, 

Southern Research Station. 4 p.

Contact Information

David J Wall, Forester

Forest Inventory and Analysis

Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service

4700 Old Kingston Pike

Knoxville, Tennessee 37919

Phone: 601-384-5876x160/ Fax: 865-862-0248

Email: djwall@fs.fed.us

Southern FIA: https://srsfia2.fs.fed.us

National FIA: https://fia.fs.fed.us

James W. Bentley, Forester

Forest Inventory and Analysis

Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service

4700 Old Kingston Pike

Knoxville, Tennessee 37919

Phone: 865-862-2056 / Fax: 865-862-0248

Email: jamesbentley@fs.fed.us

Southern FIA: https://srsfia2.fs.fed.us

National FIA: https://fia.fs.fed.us

The published report is available online at https://treesearch.fs.fed.us

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Figure 7—Primary mill residue by residue type, Alabama 2013.

Figure 8—Primary mill residue produced by roundwood type, 

Alabama, 2013.

Figure 9—Disposal of residue by product, Alabama, 2013.