Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences’ Department of Ecosystem Science and Management and the Pennsylvania Forest Products Association have scheduled this year’s Forest Products Equipment and Technology Exposition for June 7 and June 8.
The biennial trade exposition is for forest landowners, sawmill operators, loggers and others in the timber industry. It allows forest-products company owners and employees to learn about new technology.
More than 80 commercial exhibitors and vendors serving the forest-products industry and emerging biomass markets are scheduled to attend.
“The expo will have high-quality indoor and outdoor exhibitors with a focus on forest products harvesting and processing, value-added services, land clearing, and biomass markets,” show manager Jesse Darlington said. “Visitors can see the latest technology in action at our in-the-woods demonstrations and can test-drive selected equipment at a ride-and-drive area.”
Pennsylvania has more than 500,000 forest landowners and 2,100 forest-products companies and is the largest hardwood-producing state.
The forest-products industry contributes approximately $19 billion annually to the state’s economy, generates nearly $12 billion in annual sales and employs more than 80,000.
The industry accounts for one of every nine manufacturing jobs.
The expo will be held at Penn State’s Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs.