ALBANY, GA (WALB) -
Hurricane Sandy's destruction in the Northeast is creating a big demand for a South Georgia product.
Pine timber poles, grown and milled in Mitchell County, are used to make utility poles and marine pilings.
They're in big demand now to rebuild the destruction in the Northeast
Balfour officials are used to natural disasters creating a big demand for their products. So they are already busy providing the wood that will help get the power back on in the Northeast.
The 45 foot poles being loaded onto trucks at Balfour Poles in Mitchell County are headed to Cahaba Timber in North Alabama.
This weekend they will be treated and within 3 days will be on another truck bound for New Jersey replacing utility poles broken by Hurricane Sandy.
"We're starting to get a lot of calls, and ramp up as much production as we possibly can. And try to get as much product out to our treaters," said Mike Jones, Balfour Pole Vice President.
Utility poles and marine pilings from South Georgia are the industry standard.
"The bulk of it comes from southern yellow pine and it originates in the Southeastern United States. And this area of Georgia is a great area for real high quality southern pine pole," said Jones.
Balfour officials are already calling land owners, to get in the raw trees they need to mill and dry into poles.
The fall is usually a slow time for timber cutting but the need for the wood is obviously dramatic now and Jones is calling for timber.
"We had fallen off just in the last few week, and we're hoping in the next 2 or 3 weeks we are going to be able to ramp it up and run 4 or 5 days a week making product," said Jones.
And that product is needed now.
"I still don't think we know exactly the extent of the damage, but my customers are telling me that they think they can ship 900 or 1000 trucks of material up into the Northeast," said Jones.
And this South Georgia company is gearing up to provide those poles and get the power back on to millions of people in need.
Jones said those poles you saw going out now will all be used to make utility poles, and arrive in New Jersey early next week.
The marine pilings for dock repairs will come later, and the need for those in the rebuilding could be for a couple of years.
Jones said pole suppliers and utility companies had a good supply of poles in stock so they can used immediately. But he says Balfour has already gotten calls for even more poles.
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