West Virginia Forest Products Cooperative

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What We Do at the West Virginia Forest Products Cooperative

The West Virginia Forest Products Cooperative, Inc. is a non-profit that exists to help build woodworking businesses in Southern West Virginia. Appalachian hardwoods are among the most beautiful and valuable timber species in the world, and when sustainably managed, represent a renewable resource. Sales for value-added forest products (e.g. cabinets, furniture, flooring) have been steadily growing and will continue to grow well into the future, so the time has never been better for West Virginia to become a center for manufacturing these products.

What sets the Co-Op apart from individuals starting and running furniture businesses on their own is that we provide three main benefits to members:

Technical Training and Workspace: You can join the co-op having never picked up a piece of sandpaper and come out being a master craftsman. We provide continuous training in the use of state-of-the-art CNC equipment as well as traditional woodworking tools and skills. Upon meeting certain requirements, members can earn Woodwork Career Alliance certification which is an industry approved and recognized credential based on standardized assessments and evaluation.

Entrepreneurship and Business Skills Training: We have the natural resource and we can build a skilled workforce, but the fact remains that there are not yet booming furniture manufacturing companies in Southern West Virginia eager to employ thousands of workers. That’s where small business comes in. We strongly believe that the revitalization of West Virginia’s economy is going to come mostly from a shift toward an entrepreneurship mindset and through many small businesses across our many small communities creating jobs rather than relying on huge companies to come in and provide employment opportunities. This requires a mindset shift from looking for a job to creating jobs. Luckily, this is a very teachable set of skills. We will be partnering with the Hive to provide entrepreneurship training to make sure that businesses get off on the right foot and are supported throughout their development.

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