Page 16 - Georgia Forestry - Summer 2017

VP of Forestry - Interfor
Todd Mullis
Peachtree City, GA
Georgia has more than 179 forest product manufac- turing facilities and
1,200 secondary manufactur- ers who utilize wood harvested from Georgia’s forests. Working forests and strong markets for timberland are interdependent. Strong timber markets mean strong revenue, and strong revenue provides a strong incentive for forest landowners to continue to invest in sustain- able management to keep their land in forestry.
Interfor, a Canadian-based company lumber producer, has grown significantly in the U.S. South in recent years. Today, the company is heavily invested in Georgia, with 950 employees spread across seven forest product mills and their regional headquarters located in Peachtree City. The company produces more than 1 billion board-feet in the U.S. South and is the fourth-largest lumber producer in North America.
According to Todd Mullis, vice president of timberland, the company’s success in coordinating with the forestry community in Georgia is attributed to the company’s philosophy in conducting business.
“Integrity is a big word for us,” Mullis said. “Practically, it comes down to doing what you say you are going to do. If we make a commitment, it is critical that we follow through. We view our relationships with landowners, foresters and loggers as partnerships, so it is very important that we conduct those relationships with integrity.”
And that is a reputation that has been recognized within Georgia’s forestry commu- nity. Unfortunately, as Mullis notes, the big misconception about forest product mills in the public stems from envi- ronmental concerns.
“I think a lot of people believe that we may be harming the environment in some way. That couldn’t be further from the truth,” Mullis said. “We have more forestland in Georgia than we did 50 years ago, and that is the result of strong markets for trees and a strong commit- ment to sustainability within the industry.”
“We have more forestland in Georgia than we did 50 years ago, and that is the result of strong markets for trees and a strong commitment to sustainability within the industry.”
14 | GEORGIA FORESTRY