Wood products firms and other U.S. businesses that moved production to China and Mexico are rethinking that strategy.

A study by Boston Consulting Group shows foreign wood products production could be among seven major manufacturing businesses poised for an expansion in the U.S., as they revisit the value of foreign product strategies.

Driving the move are rising salaries in China, the challenges of logistics, expense of shipping, unreliability of trading partners, difficulties in integtrating to subcontractors

Woodworking Network has been chronicling the shift. Among the companies refiring factory floors:

• Kith Furniture is producing bedroom sets in a factory adjacent to Door Component llc in Haleyville, AL

• Lincolnton Furniture, industry veteran Bruche Cochrane's venture in North Carolina

• Crawford Furniture in Jamestown, New York is starting up manufacturing.

• Ashley Furniture and Stanley Furniture

Even better is export of domestically manufactured wood industry products. Americus, GA-based Georgia Chopsticks, which has capitalized on the plentiful local lumber supply of sweet gum and spruce in surrounding forests, is now shipping millions of disposable chopstick to lumber-starved Asian markets. And MasterBrand Cabinets parent Fortune Brands Home & Security says it is eyeing export markets as the big growth opportunity. 

The U.S. Wood manufacturing gets little respect in the U.S., but it's our most natural opportunity for further revival of U.S. factory exports -given the domestic resources of raw materials and experienced talent.

Lumber sources are durable; but an assured supply of woodshop design, programming, production and finishing talent is a more tenuous matter. We've go to put support behind wood industry education with active involvement with educational initiatives like WoodLINKs and the Woodwork Career Alliance. And government agencies need coordinated policies that advance