The Softwood Forest Products Buyer - November/December 2022

TRADE TALK
Jimmy Thornberry
Continued from page 63
Butch Bernhardt
Thornberry is the president and one of the owners of Powell Valley
Millwork, a domestic manufacturer of mouldings and millwork with two
manufacturing locations east of Lexington, KY. Thornberry entered the
millwork industry in 1993 when he and his father developed their first
location in Jeffersonville, KY.
Since then, the Thornberry family has expanded their presence in the
market acquiring a second location in 2014 and grown their business to
employ approximately 200 team members, supplying a diverse customer
base across North America.
Communication is paramount to Thornberry, and he finds himself at
home when walking the facilities, asking questions, giving advice, and
finding ways to make equipment run more efficiently and increase morale
amongst the team, the NAFF stated.
In Memoriam
He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a degree in finance
and business management. When not in the office, Thornberry is at home
with his grandchildren, traveling with his wife, or on the family farm
raising beef cattle.
Bernhardt is senior program manager for the Western Wood Preservers
Institute (WWPI), headquartered in Vancouver, WA.
His responsibilities include product education, technical publications,
standards, distance learning and digital design tools for preserved wood
products.
Bernhardt has extensive experience in wood promotion, providing
product support, user education and international market development
for nearly four decades in positions with WWPI, Western Wood Products
Association, Softwood Export Council and Western Red Cedar Lumber
Association.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University and is the
third generation in his family to work in the wood products industry.
Western Wood Preservers Institute represents preservative treated wood
product producers, chemical manufacturers and others serving the industry
throughout western North America. For 75 years, WWPI has provided
regulatory and market outreach services aimed at sustaining a viable
western North America preserved wood industry.
To learn more, contact Allison DeFord at adeford@northamericanforestfoundation.org
or visit www.northamericanforestfoundation.
org. n
ONTARIO/QUEBEC TRENDS Continued from page 40
September until mid-November. Logging has started again with the
arrival of the fall months, and we have been fortunate so far with the
weather.”
An Ontario wholesaler reported, “Sales have been well diversified
across the board. Nothing is sitting out there that is building up. Most
items are selling OK. I believe the Pine markets are going to be pretty
good right through next summer, unless something drastic happens.”
According to an Ontario manufacturer, “Pricing is still OK. The only
thing that might fluctuate is on the industrial end, as far as grades go.
If Spruce drops very much and they can’t get enough of it, White Pine
will be used as an alternative.
“There still seems to be a lot of movement in the industrial, so we are
OK there currently. We see the hardwood market has dropped off. With
the U.S. dollar being so strong, they must have lost some of their exports
over to Europe, which filters back. There is not near the hardwood
production around as there was at one time.”
Reported a Quebec wholesaler, “In the next six months, I don’t think
production is going to change, it should stay the same. There is still
going to be short supply. The only thing that could upset the market
is if the U.S. goes into a major recession. We might see their Pine on
our market and the unfortunate thing is our market isn’t that big. They
might decide they need to be tenacious just to get rid of stock, so that
would hurt us quite a bit.”
An Ontario producer noted, “The Canadian dollar is low right now,
which is good. If it gains strength and gets up around 83-85 U.S. cents,
then you are going to see the larger wholesalers buy from the states,
because they can afford to do it then. Right now, the exchange is too
heavy for that. Unless something drastic happens south of the border,
where they drop the price significantly, that is the only way they would
bring it in.
“Transportation is always providing us with challenges. Fuel will not
be coming down anytime soon by any noticeable amount, especially
with the recent OPEC decision and who knows what the winter is going
to bring for fuel prices.” n
Blane
Francis Raymon Bennett
Francis “Frank” Raymon Bennett, 87, of
Moscow, ID, was a beloved grandfather, father
and husband during his incredible 87 years of
life. He passed away peacefully in his home surrounded
by loved ones recently, according to the
Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
Frank’s life began July 11, 1935, to parents
Guy and Millie Bennett, in Clarkston. He attended school in Clarkston,
while also assisting with his family’s fruit orchard business. With a fruit
orchard, wooden boxes were a necessity. The boxes were first created by
his father, who purchased lumber from the Potlatch mill. Soon, the two
realized they could make the lumber themselves, thus creating their first
small sawmill. When World War II started, the apple boxes quickly transitioned
to boxes for ammunition. But during the war, cardboard became
readily available and eliminated the demand for wood boxes. The family
was challenged to think bigger and thus, created their first dimensional
lumber mill.
As the lumber business grew, the family expanded to two other mill
sites, in Moscow and Troy. Frank had his sights on continued growth, and
he then purchased Boone Lumber, in Princeton, which is known today
as Bennett Lumber Products, Inc. After purchasing Boone Lumber, he
quickly got to work on modernization efforts for that mill and eventually
closed the Moscow and Troy mills. Frank was a visionary and his constant
modernization efforts frequently received praise for his mills being
“ahead of their time.” With his humble nature, few knew that Frank was
also an innovator in the industry. He had a keen eye for reducing manual,
labor-intensive processes whenever possible. In the late 1960s, he started
working with an engineering firm and brought to life the bin sorter. In
1972, Bennett Lumber Products was the first sawmill where the revolutionary
bin sorter was implemented. It then become adopted by sawmills
worldwide.
Throughout the years, Frank never failed to credit the success of Bennett
Lumber and Guy Bennett Lumber, to the dedication of the employees
from the surrounding communities. Without the employees, Bennett
Lumber Products and Guy Bennett Lumber would not have thrived and
continued to be successful year after year. Frank never fully retired before
his passing and that is a true testament to his love and devotion to his
business, employees and sustainable lumber practices. He put his whole
heart into the mill and made every decision with precision and the utmost
care. His legacy will continue with his son and grandson.
Frank met the love of his life, Delores Hall. They were married shortly
thereafter on Jan. 1, 1953. The two of them moved to Moscow and they
raised six beautiful children together.
Above all else, Frank deeply loved his family and you could often find
him surrounded by his children, 11 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
On any given Sunday, you would find him sitting at the kitchen
table educating one of the many family members on NASCAR, IndyCar
or golf. He and Delores shared a love of travel and would often take off
on an adventure together with their children. With that came his passion
for flying. He obtained his pilot’s license at a young age and would often
fly his helicopter to assess his timberland. In the evenings and on weekends,
you could find him tending to his yard and garden. He took great
pride in his meticulous koi pond. Frank had exquisite taste and a keen eye
for Western art and found a lot of joy in attending Western art shows with
his wife.
He was predeceased by his parents; his brother Guy Bennett Jr.; his
son, Frank Bennett Jr.; and his daughter Sandra Bennett.
Frank is survived by his wife, Delores Hall Bennett; sister Janice
Bennett Dimke; brother Richard Bennett; daughters Vicki Bennett Jahns
and husband Bob Jahns, Shelley Bennett, Suzanne Bennett Wilson and
husband Charles Wilson; and his son Brett Bennett.
A service to celebrate his life was held at the Nazarene Church, 1400 E.
Seventh St., Moscow, with a reception later at the Latah County Fairgrounds,
1021 Harold Ave., Moscow.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Moscow
Rural Fire Department, P.O. Box 8626 Moscow, ID 83843.
Arrangements were entrusted to Short’s Funeral Chapel of Moscow
and condolences may be left at shortsfuneralchapel.com.
Softwood Calendar
November
North American Wholesale Lumber Association, Traders Market,
Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, AZ. www.nawla.org.
Nov. 9-11.
January
National Association of Home Builders, International Builders' Show
(IBS), Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV.
www.buildersshow.com. Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2023.
Connecting North American
Forest Products Globally
LIKE AND FOLLOW US ON:
@millerwoodtradepub
www.millerwoodtradepub.com
Page 64 Softwood Forest Products Buyer • November/December 2022 Softwood Forest Products Buyer • November/December 2022 Page 65