Insee Première · January 2025 · n° 2035

In 2021, a third of employees in the wood sector worked in the paper and cardboard industries

With 185,900 employees in 2021, the wood sector employed 1.2% of the workforce in the commercial sector in France. From 2010 onwards, employment was decreasing, but the trend reversed by the end of the period (2019-2021).

A quarter of the timber harvest came from Nouvelle‑Aquitaine, nevertheless jobs in this industry were to be found in every region, including in departments with little woodland. For example, primary processing activities were also located in areas where the construction and agri-food industries are well developed. The paper and cardboard industry was the leading employer in the sector, and was largely dependent on multinationals or foreign companies. Five other segments, ranging from forest exploitation to the production of finished products, completed the sector. These companies were often more independent.

Two-thirds of these jobs were blue-collar positions, and the vast majority were held by men. Nine out of ten jobs were on open-ended contracts, but the sector faced a high turnover of its workforce.