For over 50 years NC State has been a formal center of research, teaching and extraordinarily strong extension in all areas related to the manufacturing and development of wood products.  Forest products has always been a dominant industry in North Carolina, and we have played an important role in its growth for decades. Today, wood products, especially wood products for sustainable housing, ranks as the single largest manufacturing sector of our state’s economy and we continue to serve these companies and the communities who host them in a number of different ways. These activities are often conducted in conjunction with other areas within the college including paper science and engineering, forest biomaterials and bioenergy, forest biotechnology and forestry as well as with other colleges at NC State.

Major in Wood Products (WP)

• Undergraduate
• Graduate

We train capable leaders for the wood products industry by offering comprehensive undergraduate and advanced degree programs that cover all aspects of this field, including wood products processing, industrial technology, engineering, biotechnology, housing, business management, marketing, wood chemistry, fiber science and more. Every program includes a hands-on research, laboratory, extension or field component. As a result, we produce well-rounded industry professionals who possess all necessary practical skills and understand the many scientific, environmental, engineering, manufacturing, social, and business issues affecting the wood products sector today.

Through on-going research centers and faculty initiatives, we also uncover new knowledge and devise techniques to improve the science and technology behind the breeding of forest stock and the subsequent manufacturing of wood products — including how these products are processed, assembled, distributed and used. We focus on research projects that will produce significant, practical value for the wood products industry and we often work hand-in-hand with industry partners to test our new ideas in real-world settings. We are particularly focused on using these skills to produce sustainable, energy-efficient wood-based housing that can actually store carbon and reduce green house gases. One example of this focus is the American Home at NC State, an innovative center for hands-on technology demonstration and applied research for sustainable housing.

We encourage environmentally sustainable practices in the wood products arena by working with a number of other organizations and other areas within NC State to:

• Develop improve forest resources to increase its usefulness and effectively use the entire tree;
• Uncover new ways to process and manufacture wood products to maximizes the quality of the wood products, allow for recycling opportunities, and minimize the impact on the environment; and
• Create new products in order to make the most of our wood resources while creating new markets for wood product companies.

We disseminate our knowledge through a long-standing and nationally respected wood products extension program that provides educational opportunities for business owners, managers and staff of wood product companies. By sharing the improvements we uncover, we help these groups use raw materials more efficiently, take advantage of new technologies and, ultimately, compete more effectively in their markets.

About Us

• Mission Statement
• What We Do
  • Paper Science & Engineering
  • Wood Products
  • Forest Biomaterials & Bioenergy
• Kelley Message
• History
• By The Numbers
• Contact Us
• Virtual Tour

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