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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Musser Lumber Company Upgrades Operations at Rural Retreat, Virginia, Plant

08/13/2020
Musser Lumber Company, Inc. will invest $2.4 million to expand current operations in Rural Retreat, Virginia. The project is expected to create 12 new jobs in Wythe County.

The family-owned company is adding new production and drying capacity for sawdust and wood shavings which it will source exclusively from Virginia sawmills. Over the next three years, this will lead to more than $8.5 million in additional forest product purchases.

“Musser Lumber Company, Inc. has been in business for over 50 years and our family has had ties to the town of Rural Retreat and Wythe County for many decades,” said Ed Musser, Vice President of Musser Lumber Company. “We started the company here and continue to grow because of our dedicated workforce, convenient location, and doing business the right way. Musser Lumber Company, Inc. is grateful for the support of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Wythe County, and the Joint Industrial Development Authority.”

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with Wythe County and the Joint Industrial Development Authority of Wythe County, Wytheville, and Rural Retreat to secure the Project for the Commonwealth. Governor Northam approved a $75,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund to assist Wythe County with the project. Funding and services to support the company’s employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

“Thanks to companies like Musser Lumber, forestry is the Commonwealth’s third largest private industry, contributing nearly $20 billion to our economy each year,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring. “I am pleased that the Commonwealth could partner with Wythe County through the AFID program to support this family-owned business in growing the market for Virginia hardwoods which supports proper management and restoration of our forests.”

“Musser Lumber’s continued growth and success in Wythe County is a testament to the strength of Virginia’s forestry industry,” said Governor Ralph Northam. “I am grateful to the Musser family for their commitment to Southwest Virginia and for investing in our rural communities.”

“This project is an important win for Wythe County as we focus on the Commonwealth’s economic rebound from this global pandemic,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “Forestry continues to be a pillar in communities across Virginia because industry leaders recognize the benefits of our abundant natural resources, extensive transportation network, and unparalleled workforce. Musser Lumber is a valued contributor to the supply chain for Virginia forest products, and we thank the company for its investment.”

Established in 1968 and founded by Mike Musser and his two sons, Musser Lumber Company specializes in drying, surfacing, and planing of hardwood lumber for flooring and paneling. The company, which sources from more than a dozen sawmills, plays an important role in the supply chain for Virginia forest products by packing and shipping Virginia hardwood lumber to customers across the country and around the world.

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