Wood Manufacturing Assistance Team
Thriving wood products manufacturing facilities, including sawmills, post and pole manufacturers, wood pellet producers, biomass processing operations, and others, are crucial to forest management in the United States. These domestic manufacturing facilities provide essential, local markets that support active forest management, reduce wildfire risks, and generate family-supporting jobs that strengthen rural communities.
To remain competitive and continue playing this vital role, wood manufacturing facilities must continuously improve operations, invest in equipment, and enhance safety and efficiency. To assist with these efforts, the USDA Forest Service–Wood Innovations has partnered with the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities to support direct, expert technical assistance to wood products manufacturers, provided by industry expert consults, through the Wood Manufacturing Assistance Team (WMAT).
How the Program Works
Through the WMAT, industry experts work directly with facilities to address challenges, develop solutions, and support implementation. Technical assistance is at no cost to the participating facility and no grant applicant process is required.
Facilities will be selected based on:
- Type and urgency of the need
- Fit with the scope of available services
- Timeline and capacity for implementation
- Available program resources
Priority will be given to:
- Primary processing facilities which utilize feedstock sourced from active forest management including timber sales, hazardous fuels reduction projects, and other ecosystem restoration efforts
- Projects for which the WMAT has the expertise and capacity to support
- Facilities with a high likelihood of implementing improvements and sustaining outcomes
Example Services
The WMAT can support a wide range of services, including:
- Operational efficiency audits
- Identification of equipment or process improvements
- Development of long-term strategic investment plans
- Maintenance and safety program reviews
- Capital investment feasibility studies
- Identification of new markets or expansion opportunities
Wood Energy Technical Assistance
If you are interested in technical assistance specific to wood energy systems, the US Forest Service offers free technical assistance through the Wood Energy Technical Assistance Team. More information can be found here.
Ready to Get Started?
If you are interested in participating or learning more, please complete the Interest Form below. Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis. A member of the team will follow up to gather additional information, clarify your needs, and determine whether your facility qualifies for support.
Confidentiality: Materials submitted to the Forest Service, such as grant applications and progress reports, are subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Upon request, the Forest Service may be obligated to disclose such records. However, documents or portions of documents will be protected if they satisfy the requirements of one or more FOIA exemptions.
- FOIA Exemption 4 protects commercial and financial information that constitutes a trade secret, or whose release would cause competitive harm to the organization that provided the information.
- FOIA Exemption 6 protects information whose release “would reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”
In the event that the Forest Service receives a FOIA request seeking information provided by your organization, Executive Order 12600 requires the Forest Service to consult with you regarding the potential release of this information. When assembling your application, you may wish to highlight any information that constitutes a trade secret, whose release would cause you competitive harm, or whose release would impact personal privacy. For more information about the FOIA and its exemptions, please consult the Department of Justice Guide to the Freedom of Information Act.
