Enviva: Growing with Mississippi for the World

Enviva, the world’s largest producer of sustainable bioenergy, understands that being a successful business means being an integral part of the communities where they live and work. Enviva provides jobs, investment, and a positive economic impact in the communities they call home.

Mississippi is perfectly centered in the middle of the world’s largest wood basket – the U.S. Southeast. Over the last 25 years, forests in the U.S. Southeast have become one of the most vigorous areas of forest regrowth in the world, steadily growing as much as 40%, due to forest economics and sustainable forestry management practices. Taking into account the immense value the state of Mississippi has brought to the forestry and wood products industry, Enviva made the strategic decision to continue its growth in the Magnolia State.

“As Enviva grows and evolves, we will continue to work closely with our local communities and scientific experts, private forest landowners, conservation organizations, and a broad set of stakeholders to ensure our operations and wood sourcing have a positive impact on the local environment and surrounding communities. We are proud of the partnerships and relationships we built in the state and are excited about our future in Mississippi,” said Rick Frederick, Community Relations Manager for the Gulf Coast Region at Enviva.

As manufacturing jobs in some industries have shifted overseas, Enviva brings high-paying, renewable energy, “green collar” jobs into rural markets that may not have seen positive economic development in decades. The forest products industry today is one of the largest economic engines in the rural U.S. South and is currently the primary source of economic development and job creation for the region.

In fact, in Mississippi alone, Enviva will have invested $600 million, support over 850 jobs, and pay an average compensation that is approximately 40% higher in the counties where they operate. Enviva currently owns and operates two wood pellet production plants and one port terminal in Mississippi.

Enviva has and will continue to work to empower communities, not just with good jobs at their facilities, but also with long-term and broader opportunities, partnering with local high schools and community colleges to provide higher education training for students to learn new skills. And when there are needs in the community that go unmet, Enviva seeks to be an important part of mitigating the near-term problem and contributing to the long-term solution.