Import:Export Wood Purchasing News - August/September 2017

Harold White Lumber Inc.: As The Fifth Generation Joins, Quality Is Still No. 1
By Gary Miller
“ Even with the dynamics changing as
younger generations are brought in, we’re
always looking for employees that share
our values, and a passion for creating quality
wood products. ”
–Lee White, president
Harold White Millworks
Pictured are members of the White family who own/operate Harold White Lumber and
Harold White Millworks, located in Morehead, KY. Left to right: Sawyer White, Lee
White, Laura White-Brown, Ray White Sr. and Ray White Jr.
Morehead, KY–Harold White Lumber Inc. (HWL), headquartered here,
is a fi fth generation lumber company that is continuing a legacy focused
on family ownership and quality hardwood products.
Ray White, president of Harold White Lumber and his brother, Lee, who
is president of Harold White Millworks, currently represent the second
generation that took over from their father, Harold White, who passed
away in 2014. It was from Harold that Ray and Lee learned the forest
products industry starting from the ground up. They are now passing
those lessons down to their own children.
Ray’s daughter, Laura White-Brown, is helping her father in export lumber
sales. She joined Harold White Lumber last year as a member of the
export logistics and sales/purchasing team, and has since expanded her
roles, including
accompanying
Ray on a recent
trip to Asia to be
introduced to
customers there.
Ray’s eldest
son, Ray White
Jr., is currently
attending
Morehead State
University, and
works part-time
at Harold White
Lumber. Ray
stated that upon
graduation from
college his son
Harold White Lumber produces an annual volume of 12 million
would be attending
the National Beech, Basswood, Ash and Hard Maple lumber.
board feet of Red and White Oak, Poplar, Walnut, Cherry, Hickory,
Hardwood Lumber
Association
Inspector Grading
School. “It’s
a requirement
for all of us who
work in the business.
It’s part of
the foundation
and fundamental
rules of this
business, so it
is important that
the children in
our family who
want to join our
company attend
the NHLA grading
school,” Ray
Among the equipment Harold White Millworks utilizes are an Aiken
Controls’ nDepth 3D system paired with a Kentwood in-feed
said.
and R320X-2M ripsaw. Recently installed is also a Microtec scanner
paired with a System TM optimizing crosscut line.
Lee’s children
are younger
than Ray’s, but
his eldest son, 18-year-old Sawyer, is already discovering his passion for
woodworking and crafting at the Harold White Millworks’ facility. Sawyer
works during summers and school holidays, as well as having work-study
after school each day.
Ray commented, “We see a lot of promise and opportunities for this next
generation that will take over in our footsteps.”
It isn’t just about the new generation coming in, though. Ray and Lee are
proud to say that one their father’s fi rst employees, Milton Hamilton, who
has been with the company from the start, is still coming in to work every
day at 5:30 in the morning over 60 years later. At 78-years-old, Hamilton
is head supervisor of the overall company. Working alongside Hamilton
is his son Darrel, who has been with the company for over 40 years, and
serves as secondary supervisor.
On the Harold White Millworks side of the family business employees
like Keith Holbrook, who has been employed at the fi rm for over 30 years,
work each day to ensure the products coming off the manufacturing line
are top quality. Altogether 46 individuals work at Harold White Millworks,
and the crew at Harold White Lumber totals 44.
“We consider each of our employees to be part of our family,” Lee said.
“Many of us socialize outside of work when we attend church, weddings
and/or funerals
together.
We have a
vested interest
in each other’s
lives. Even with
the dynamics
changing as
younger generations
are
brought in, we’re
always looking
for employees
that share our
values, and
a passion for
creating quality
wood products
Pictured is Randy Eldridge, millwork operations manager for Harold
White Millworks.
such as Hardwood
lumber
or value-added
wood products like we make at Harold White Millworks. At our dimension
plant we make mostly blanks and fi nger-jointed mouldings; however, we
can also make wood products like paneling, fl ooring, casing and doors.
A lot our millwork products are sold to manufacturers of mouldings and
other secondary products.”
Lee continued, “We have been very blessed to see a boom in the
millwork operation with the fi nger-joint products. Fortunately we are in
an area of the country where there are ample Poplar supplies and so we
have excellent markets for fi nger-jointed Poplar mouldings. In 2016, we
completed upgrades to the millwork line that tripled our production capacity
and effi ciency without adding or eliminating any jobs.”
Ray commented further, “Late last year we also added 100,000 board
feet of more kilns and have made many technological investments in set
works, software, computing and rolling stock.”
The main species of Appalachian lumber produced at Harold White
Additional photos on pages 16 & 29
Continued on page 16
Page 4 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News August/September 2017