Wood Enterprise Institute
Our Story
Our team this year (2023-2024) is composed of seven students who attend Virginia Tech. The Wood Enterprise Institute (WEI), a part of the College of Natural Resources and Environment, is a student-run and faculty-supported organization. WEI was created in 2007 to provide students with the reality of starting a small business. Our goal is to create an innovative, sustainable product that satisfies the aesthetic and functional needs of our customers. Extensive research has been done to better understand the market we are participating in and create a model for our business that is sustainable and profitable. Each person on this team is a member of the Virginia Tech and Blacksburg community and is passionate about delivering a product that allows us to reflect on our beautiful town.
Product Description
This product is a set of 6 laser engraved wooden coasters handcrafted and made from hard maple wood. Each set of coasters includes a tray and tray holder that will be finished in polyurethane, a non-toxic protective wood stain. The design of Blacksburg is paired with a display tray in order to differentiate our product from others. Combining the coasters inside the tray can serve to make the set more lively and interactive. These aesthetically pleasing coasters are in a class by themselves and can only be found locally made in Blacksburg, you truly won’t find anything like this anywhere else.
Company Description
We are the Wood Enterprise Institute (WEI). WEI is a student-run business supported by faculty members that has enabled us to design, manufacture, market, and sell wood-based products for profit. WEI is a course at Virginia​​ Tech that offers opportunities for students who are interested in what it takes to run a business. Our goal is to conduct the manufacturing and shipping processes as sustainably as possible while continuing to run a successful, profitable business. Our team will strive to manufacture each product with the highest possible quality to ensure each customer receives a product that meets the standards of both the consumer and the manufacturer.
Statements
Mission Statement: Our mission is to create a unique, competitive, and profitable wood-based product.
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Vision Statement: Our vision is to create a successful business that produces a product showcasing the collaboration of different skill sets and levels of creativity.
Fun Facts
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WEI is from the CNRE, based in Blacksburg, VA
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This product is inspired from last year's laser engraved map. We wanted to make an interactive piece with that inspiration that also creates an innovative design for coasters.
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This is a piece of Blacksburg for the members of the community, love for the community as a small group of VT students, sustainability commitment.
