Forest Service | December 2017

e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-1 3 6

Louisiana’s

Timber Industry—Timber Product Output and Use, 2015

1

Introduction

This science update contains the findings of a 2015 canvass of all 

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

product output and residue use since 2013. 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 2015 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 Louisiana was 

conducted in 2016 to obtain information for 2015. In addition, 

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

harvested from Louisiana timberland was incorporated into 

Louisiana 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 

used to update the current survey. Surveys for all timber products 

other than pulpwood began in 1948, 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 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 for the specified resource area, State, or region. The 

Excel® core tables and figures that complement this science update 

are available on the TPO database. The system is available through 

the FIA Web site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/srsfia/.

Appreciation is extended by the SRS to forest industry and mill 

managers for providing timber products information. 

Product and

species group 2013 2015 Change Change

percent

 Softwood 119,474 125,894 6,420 5.4

 Hardwood 18,410 17,226 -1,184 -6.4

 Total 137,884 143,120 5,236 3.8

 Softwood 116,776 99,771 -17,005 -14.6

 Hardwood 329 0 -329 -100.0

 Total 117,105 99,771 -17,334 -14.8

 Softwood 308,528 273,006 -35,522 -11.5

 Hardwood 48,003 45,334 -2,669 -5.6

 Total 356,531 318,340 -38,191 -10.7

 Softwood 8,206 34,768 26,562 323.7

 Hardwood 2,673 5,247 2,574 96.0

 Total 10,879 40,015 29,136 268.0

 Softwood 45,024 53,102 8,078 17.9

 Hardwood 117 117 0 -

 Total 45,141 53,219 8,078 17.9

 Softwood 598,009 586,541 -11,468 -1.9

 Hardwood 69,532 67,924 -1,608 -2.3

 Total 667,541 654,465 -13,076 -2.0

Table 1—Output of industrial products by product and 

species group, Louisiana, 2013 and 2015

Year

 - - - - thousand cubic feet - - - - 

Saw logs

Veneer logs

Pulpwood

Bioenergy

Other industrial

All industrial
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2

All Products

Industrial timber product output from roundwood decreased 13.1 

million cubic feet, or 2 percent, to 654.5 million cubic feet.

Output of industrial softwood roundwood products was down 2 

percent, to 586.5 million cubic feet, while output of industrial 

hardwood roundwood products decreased 2 percent to 67.9 million 

cubic feet (fig. 1).

Pulpwood and saw logs were the principal roundwood products in 

2015. Combined output of these two products totaled 461.5 million 

cubic feet and accounted for 71 percent of the State’s total industrial 

roundwood output (fig. 2).

Total receipts at Louisiana mills, which included roundwood 

harvested and retained in the State and roundwood imported from 

other States, were up 7 percent from 714.3 million cubic feet to 

762.6 million cubic feet.

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

Louisiana increased from 43 in 2013 to 45 in 2015 (fig. 3, see next 

page). The number of pulpmills, composite panel mills and 

miscellaneous mills remained stable. Saw mills declined by three, 

veneer mills declined by one, and post, poles and piling mills gained 

one mill, and bioenergy facilities increased by 5. 

Across all products, 87 percent of roundwood harvested was 

retained for processing at Louisiana mills. Exports of roundwood 

to other States amounted to 84.1 million cubic feet, while imports 

of roundwood amounted to 192.2 million cubic feet making the 

State a net importer of roundwood. 

Figure 1— Roundwood production for all products by species group and year, Louisiana.

Figure 2—Roundwood production by type of product, Louisiana,2015.

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

1937 1953 1963 1973 1996 1999 2002 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

Production (million cubic feet)

Year

Softwood Hardwood

Saw

logs

22%

Veneer

logs

15%

Pulpwood

49%

Other 

industrial 

7%

Bioenergy

6%

Posts, 

poles & 

pilings

1%

Total 654 million cubic feet
3

e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-1 3 6

Figure 3– Primary wood-using mills, Louisiana, 2015. 
e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-1 3 6

4

Seven pulpmill facilities were operating and receiving roundwood in 

Louisiana in 2015, the same as in 2013. Total pulpwood receipts for 

these mills decreased to 397.1 million cubic feet, accounting for 52 

percent of total receipts for all mills.

Eighty-four percent of roundwood cut for pulpwood was retained for 

processing at Louisiana pulpmills. Roundwood pulpwood accounted 

for 61 percent of total known exports and 68 percent of total imports. 

Saw Logs

Saw logs accounted for 22 percent of the State’s total roundwood 

products. Output of softwood saw logs increased 5 percent to 125.9 

million cubic feet, while that of hardwood saw logs decreased 6 

percent to 17.2 million cubic feet (fig. 5).

In 2015, Louisiana had 20 sawmills, down three from 2013. Total 

saw-log receipts were up 12.5 million cubic feet to 149.7 million 

cubic feet. Softwood saw-log receipts increased 10 percent to 135.4 

million cubic feet, while those of hardwoods had no change at 14.3 

million cubic feet. 

Louisiana retained 87 percent of its saw-log production for within 

State manufacture, with saw-log exports exceeding imports by 2.9 

million cubic feet in 2015.

Figure 4—Roundwood pulpwood production by species group and year, 

Louisiana,2015.

Figure 5—Roundwood saw-log production by species group and year, 

Louisiana, 2015.

Pulpwood

Total pulpwood production decreased 11 percent to 318.3 million 

cubic feet and accounted for 49 percent of the State’s total roundwood TPO, 4 percent less than 2013. Softwood output was down 

to 273 million cubic feet; hardwood output decreased to 45.3 million cubic feet (fig. 4). 

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1937 1953 1963 1973 1996 1999 2002 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

Production (million cubic feet)

Year

Softwood Hardwood

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1937 1953 1963 1973 1996 1999 2002 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

Production (million cubic feet)

Year

Softwood Hardwood
5

e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-1 3 6

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 

53.2 million cubic feet. Softwood made up 99 percent of the other 

industrial products volume.

The number of plants producing other industrial products totaled 6 

in 2015. Combined receipts of other industrial products from softwood and hardwood totaled 57.8 million cubic feet. 

The number of veneer mills operating in Louisiana declined one, 

to four in 2015. Receipts of veneer logs experienced no change at 

91.3 million cubic feet. 

Bioenergy

Output of bioenergy in 2015 totaled 40 million cubic feet, a 268 

percent increase since 2013, and accounted for 6 percent of the 

State’s total roundwood TPO volume (fig. 7). Softwood bioenergy 

increased 324 percent to 34.8 million cubic feet, while hardwood 

bioenergy increased 96 percent to 5.2 million cubic feet. 

Eight bioenergy facilities were operating and receiving roundwood 

in Louisiana in 2015, up from three in 2013. Total bioenergy receipts for these mills was 66.6 million cubic feet, accounting for 9 

percent of total receipts for all mills.

Veneer Logs

Output of veneer logs in 2015 totaled 99.8 million cubic feet, a 15 

percent decrease since 2013, and accounted for 15 percent of the 

State’s total roundwood TPO volume (fig. 6). Softwood made up 

100 percent of the veneer log product volume.

Figure 6—Roundwood veneer-log production by species group and 

year, Louisiana, 2015.

Figure 7—Roundwood bioenergy log production by species group and 

year, Louisiana, 2015

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

1937 1953 1963 1973 1996 1999 2002 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

Production (million cubic feet)

Year

Softwood Hardwood

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

2013 2015

Production (million cubic feet)

Year

Softwood Hardwood
e-S c i e n c e U p d a t e S RS-1 3 6

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How to Cite This Publication

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

A.; Gray, James A.; Blazier, Michael; Tanger, 

Shawn M. 2017. Louisiana’s timber industry—

timber product output and use, 2015. e-Science 

Update–SRS—136. Asheville, NC: U.S. 

Department of Agriculture Forest Service, 

Southern Research Station. 6 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: 865-862-2008 / Fax: 865-862-0248

Email: djwall@fs.fed.us

Southern FIA: https://www.fs.usda.gov/srsfia/

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://www.fs.usda.gov/srsfia/

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

Plant Byproducts

In 2015, processing of primary products in Louisiana mills generated 172.4 million cubic feet of wood and bark residues. Coarse 

residues from all primary products amounted to 75.9 million cubic 

feet, while bark volume totaled 36.4 million cubic feet. Collectively, sawdust and shavings made up 35 percent of total residues, or 

60.2 million cubic feet (fig. 8).

The processing of saw logs generated 98.1 million cubic feet of 

mill residues, accounting for 59 percent of the total residues produced (fig. 9).

Nearly 100 percent, or 172.4 million cubic feet, of the wood and 

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

residues were not used for a product. Fifty-eight percent of the 

residues were used for industrial fuel, 78 percent of residues used 

for industrial fuel were used onsite and 22 percent were used 

offsite. Forty percent were used for fiber products, 2 percent were 

used for mulch/soil additive and < 1 percent were used for animal 

bedding and small dimension sawn products (fig. 10). Eighty-six 

percent, or 64.9 million cubic feet, of the coarse residues were 

used for fiber products. 

Figure 8—Primary mill residue by residue type, Louisiana, 

2015.

Figure 9—Primary mill residue produced by roundwood type, Louisiana, 

2015.

Figure 10—Disposal of residue by product, Louisiana, 2015.

Sawdust

28%

Shavings

7%

Bark

21%

Coarse

44%

Total 172 million cubic feet

Saw

logs

59%

Veneer

logs

36% Pulpwood

2% Other 

industrial

3%

Total 172 million cubic feet

Industrial 

fuel

58%

Not used

<1%

Fiber/compo

site

products

40%

Animal

bedding

<1%

Mulch/soil

additive

2% Sawn 

products

<1%

Total 172 million cubic feet