189 



for secondary production Custom kiln-drying of other companies' wood is also an important 

 service provided by such a facility to the secondary sector 



• Southeast Alaska Value-added Timber Manufacturinp Study , prepared for the Southeast 

 Conference by C L Cheshire, Jon Galea, and Dubai, Beck and Associates (June 1991), 

 examined opportunities in low-grade and small-diameter logs and determined that finger- 

 jointed moulding and edge-glued boards— both value-added products— could be produced 

 profitably in Southeast 



The Forest Service has recognized the potential for a secondary manufacturing industry in 

 Southeast Alaska. 



In Charting a Course for Sustainable Development in Southeast Alaska .'" the authors stated, after 

 visiting Southeast Alaska wood manufacturers: 



Past efforts to develop the timber-using industry and the timber-based economy have 

 partially relied on strategies that encouraged a few, large firms The current situation 

 offers an opportunity for some transition to a large number of smaller firms Markets 

 appear to be more economically accessible to these firms than in the past (Page 13.) 



Thirty-five of the 42 manufacturing facilities in SE Alaska are on Prince of Wales Island. 

 There is considerable interest in new markets Another opportunity is installing a regional 

 dry kiln and concentration yard on Prince of Wales Island " (Page 16 ) 



In Economics of the Southeast Alaska Timber Industry .''^ Forest Service Alaska Regional 

 Economist Kathleen Morse said 



Old growth timber still commands a premium price because it is becoming increasingly 

 scarce in wood products markets A key to the successfijl fijture of the wood products 

 industry in Alaska lies in recognition of this fact and developing the ability to use this 

 wood to its maximum advantage in local manufacture. (Page 4.) 



Value-added wood products could be a key element of the Southeast Alaska timber 

 industry in the fijture. . This would mean a reorientation fi'om the production-oriented 

 manufacture of industrial commodities to more market-oriented production of specific 

 products (Page 6 ) 



When you've got a high-cost producing region, like we've got here; you've [sic] simply 

 must target higher value end-use products Fortunately, we have a good supply of very 

 valuable trees, that when logged, should have every penny squeezed out of them To do 

 otherwise, would be a true waste of resources (Page 6 ) 



^'Madison, WI Forest Products Lab. Pacific Northwest Research Station and Forest Service Region 10, undated 



(approximately January/February 1996) 



*^ A mid- 1994 presentation to the "Ketchikan 2004" conference held at the University of Alaska Southeast- 



Kclchikan 



