Mission
Training
Technical Assistance
Forest Resource and Industry Data
Compliance Assistance
Research
Communication
The Appalachian Hardwood Center -- AHC -- was established in 1987 by the West Virginia Legislature in recognition of the need for technical and research support for the state's growing wood products industry. The Center, first and foremost, provides industry with ready access to a staff of technical support personnel with expertise in areas related to the wood products industry.
The mission of the AHC evolves as the wood products industry in West Virginia continues to prosper and as emerging problems and issues require new solutions. These challenges are addressed in several ways: training; technical assistance; forest resource and industry data; compliance assistance; research; and communication.
The AHC operates an ongoing program of seminars and workshops on a variety of topics. Customized training is available to meet specific needs of individual clients or organizations. Assistance also is provided in identifying and acquiring outside funding for specific training.
The AHC provides technical assistance to companies and organizations in a variety of forms and on a variety of topics. Assistance may involve as little as the distribution of a publication or a literature search; a one- or two-visit short-term project; or, it may evolve into an ongoing relationship addressing specific topics for a company or organization. Technical areas addressed have included process and product evaluation, product development, technical and economic feasibility studies, wood residue utilization, business management, computerization, and general literature searches.
The AHC also provides up-to-date data on the standing forest resource in West Virginia and surrounding states and on the configuration of West Virginia's forest industry, and its specific segments. This is accomplished in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and through manipulation of the forest industry database maintained by the Center.
The AHC gives individual assistance to companies on compliance with OSHA, EPA, and DOT regulations. Center personnel can conduct an audit of a company's regulatory programs and prepare a plan for moving toward compliance. As follow through, the Center can provide assistance in preparing written plans to address specific regulations, conduct employee training, and provide environmental monitoring.
Another strong component of AHC programs involves applied research. The Center focuses on projects that are fully funded from outside sources, have quick turnaround times, address specific current problems, and are immediately or shortly applicable. The Center also works with companies or organizations to locate funding sources for identified applied research projects.
In addition to distributing regular publications, AHC occasionally conducts seminars and
workshops to disseminate results of applied research projects. Publications are sent routinely to more
than 2,600 addresses maintained on the AHC mailing list. Seminars and workshops are available upon
request.
