VIDEO: Area Lumber Mills Affected by Harvey

MACON, Miss. (WCBI)- The true impacts of Tropical Storm Harvey are still coming to light, along the Gulf Coast.

Now, some north Mississippi industries are bracing for the effects that lie ahead.

We may not be seeing the severe weather threat that Texas is, but our area is still being affected in other ways. Specifically, lumber mills.

“All those mills in that area that serve Houston are going to have somewhere else to go for their lumber and usually that ends up going into the supply chain in different areas,” says Barge Forest Products Company Sales Manager Ray Penick.

Lumber is one of Mississippi’s biggest industries, making up about 20% of the state’s economy.

As homes are being destroyed, mills in the Southeast are preparing for the coming rush of orders.

“In the short term, we’re going to have some negative implications, longer term, yea, there will be a lot of lumber produce going into Texas,” says Penick.

He says the mill learned its lesson from past natural disasters.

“Katrina, you know, I think we all thought Katrina would have a lot more demand impact in the short term, but it was closer to a year before we saw any lumber usage in any kind of volume in Louisiana,” says Penick

Currently, Penick’s customers on the Louisiana coast are shut down.

“As demand increases, I think price will increase and you know I think it will be good for our southern pan industry in Mississippi,” says Penick.

While they worry about the safety of their customers first, Penick says they will prepare to help when the time comes.

Penick says even though some of his customers are shut down right now, they should be up and running by the end of the week.