National Hardwood Magazine - December 2023

COLE HARDWOOD 

WE’LL MAKE YOU FAMOUS 

Ready for your close-up? Because as a Cole customer all eyes will be on you 

to make sure you get V.I.P. treatment from species selection to quick 

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GET THE RED CARPET TREATMENT. CALL COLE. 

HARDWOOD LUMBER FOR ALL YOUR HARDWOOD NEEDS 

Quotes: 800-536-3151 • Export: 574-753-3151 • colehardwood.com 

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DECEMBER 2023 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 1

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Producer | Large Inventory | Thick Stock | Imported Wood

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

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Ready for your close-up? Because as a Cole customer all eyes will be on you 

to make sure you get V.I.P. treatment from species selection to quick 

quotes, and from fair pricing to on-time shipments. 

GET THE RED CARPET TREATMENT. CALL COLE. 

HARDWOOD LUMBER FOR ALL YOUR HARDWOOD NEEDS 

Quotes: 800-536-3151 • Export: 574-753-3151 • colehardwood.com 

Contents 

National Hardwood Magazine DECEMBER 2023 Volume 97 No. 11 

About The Cover 

Flexibility in the marketplace and employee 

involvement are hallmarks of Cole Hardwood, 

Inc., a 34-acre concentration yard supplying 

U.S. and overseas markets, Cole specializes 

in lumber that is indigenous to the forests of 

Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Illinois. These 

COLE HARDWOOD 

WE’LL MAKE YOU FAMOUS 

species are Red Oak, White Oak, Ash, Poplar, 

Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Cherry, Hickory and 

Walnut. Thicknesses in most species are 4/4 

through 8/4, with some species up to 16/4. 

Cole Hardwood has kiln capacity of 

1,300,000 BF. The facility also has over 225,000 square feet of climatecontrolled 

warehouse, housing 4 KD inspection stations, 2 green lumber 

inspection stations, 2 stackers, a retail store, the office, planing mill and 

approximately 8,000,000 BF of kiln dried inventory. Total kiln dried and 

air-dried inventory stands at 12,000,000 BF. 

Cole Hardwood, Inc. is committed to making sure every step, from 

computer-controlled kiln drying to their one-on-one customer service is 

focused on quality—the kind that is only possible with commitment from 

every department, every person, every day! 

colehardwood.com 

COLE HARDWOOD 

Features & Industry Events 

26 

30 

34 

40 

52 

Integrity, Knowledge And Premium 

Hardwood Selection At Houston 

Hardwoods 

HHP, Inc.: Taking Pride In 

Quality Products 

Despite The Challenges That 

2023 Brought There Is Hope 

Going Into 2024 

NHLA Teams Up With Louisville To 

Celebrate Convention & Expo’s 

126 Years 

Robinson Lumber Welcomes NHLA’s 

First-Ever Offsite Convention Mill Tour 

Departments 

54 

Rossi Welcomes Guests 

To Reception 

Hall Of Fame Jockey Visits 

56 National Hardwood Magazine Dinner 

Lumbermen’s Luncheon Club Digs 

56 Deep, Raises Largest Donation Ever 

30 

Founded in 1927 by: O.L. Miller – 1894-1963 

Publisher: Paul J. Miller – 1963-2010 

• Forest Products Export Directory • Imported Wood Purchasing Guide 

• Import/Export Wood Purchasing News • Hardwood Purchasing Handbook 

• Green Books’s Hardwood Marketing Directory 

• Green Books’s Softwood Marketing Directory 

• The Softwood Forest Products Buyer 

Paul J. Miller Jr. – President 

Terry Miller – Vice President 

Zach Miller – Sales Executive 

Chris Fehr – Sales Executive 

Sue Putnam – Editor 

Cadance Hanson - Staff Writer 

Graham Sweeney - Staff Writer 

Dolores Buchanan - Who’s Who Coordinator 

Rachael Stokes – Graphic Artist 

Camille Campbell – Graphic Artist 

Tammy Daugherty – Production Manager 

Jennifer Trentman – Green Book Market Sales 

Lisa Carpenter – Circulation Manager 

Lexi Hardin – Subscription & List Services 

ADVERTISING OFFICES: 

5175 Elmore Rd., Suite 23, Memphis, TN 38134 

901-372-8280 FAX: 901-373-6180 

Reach us via the Internet at: www.nationalhardwoodmag.com 

E-mail addresses: 

ADVERTISING: tammy@millerwoodtradepub.com 

EDITORIAL: editor@millerwoodtradepub.com 

SUBSCRIPTIONS: circ@millerwoodtradepub.com 

EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENTS: 

Chicago, Los Angeles, High Point, Grand Rapids, Portland, Toronto 

Controlled circulation postage paid at Memphis, TN 

(USPS #917-760) 

10 Hardwood Calendar 

12 U.S.A. Trends 

14 Canadian Trends 

16 Industry News 

18 HMA Update 

20 AHEC Report 

22 NHLA: Why Knot... 

24 NAFF Bulletin 

57 In Memoriam 

78 Who’s Who 

82 Classified Profit 

Opportunities 

84 Advertisers Index 

The NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE (ISSN 0194-0910) is published 

monthly, except for two issues in December, for $55.00 per year and 

$65.00 (U.S. dollars) per year for Canada by National Hardwood Magazine, Inc., 

5175 Elmore Rd., Suite 23, Memphis, TN 38134. Periodicals Postage paid at 

Memphis, TN, and at additional mailing offices. 

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to National Hardwood Magazine, 

P.O. Box 34908, Memphis, TN 38184. 

Publications mail agreement No. 40739074. 

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 

P.O. Box 503, RPO W. Beaver Cre., Rich-Hill, ON L4B 4R6. 

The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject editorial 

content and Ads at the staff’s discretion. 




INDUSTRIES 

CONTROLS 

One Success Story 

After Another 

Paul, I would like to personally thank you for the incredible work you and your 

team did putting together Pennsylvania Hardwoods’ article in your magazine. 

This was our first published article with your company. Directly after the article 

published, we were approached by a company on the west coast, that we 

weren’t previously connected with. Thank you for the great work you and your 

team provided to our company, and for the impact you have on the industry as a 

whole. We look forward to working with you for many years to come. 

CLEEREMAN LUMBER COMPANY 1930’s CLEEREMAN INDUSTRIES 1955 CLEEREMAN CONTROLS 2019 

TODAY 

For optimal efficiency. . . 

knows what a sawmill needs: 

Now, TWO ENTITIES TO SERVE YOU BETTER! 

John Pysh 

Pennsylvania Hardwoods, LLC 

President/Export Sales 

Pennsylvania Hardwoods, LLC, strategically located in northwestern Pennsylvania, is dedicated 

to providing high-quality services and products for our customers, both domestic and abroad. 

Our company strongly believes that every step of the process is equally important. From the 

harvesting of some the world’s finest timber, to the manufacturing of the log on the sawmill, to the 

packaging of our final product, Pennsylvania Hardwoods takes no short cuts. When you choose 

Pennsylvania Hardwoods, you choose a company that focuses on quality and consistency. We 

look forward to doing business with you. We can be reached by phone (814) 590-6730, fax (814) 

589-7831, email jpysh@pahardwoods.com, website www.pahardwoods.com. 

NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 

P.O. Box 34908 • Memphis, TN 38184-0908 • Toll Free: 800-844-1280 

Website: www.millerwoodtradepub.com 

Email address: tammy@millerwoodtradepub.com 

www.nationalhardwoodmag.com 

CLEEREMAN The most trusted name in carriages 

n Over 1240 Carriages sold 

n Lowest cost of ownership 

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n In-house engineering department 

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Controls 

Industries & Controls & Controls Engineer 




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President Of 

PAUL CLEEREMAN 

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Sales 

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Cleereman Industries 

and Cleereman Controls 

715-674-2700 

www.cleereman.com 

info@cleereman.com

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DECEMBER 2023 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023 n NATIONAL RealAmericanHardwood.com/industry 

HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 

6 

9 

OCTOBER 2023 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE RealAmericanHardwood.com/industry 

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campaign The Real American in partnership Hardwood with Magnolia Coalition Network. has launched The ads its Build are inspiring Your World a national 

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Real American Hardwood is a registered trademark, and Build Your World is a trademark of the Real American Hardwood Coalition. 

Real American Hardwood is a registered trademark, and Build Your World is a trademark of the Real American Hardwood Coalition.

HARDWOOD CALENDAR 

December 

Southwestern Hardwood Manufacturers Club, 

The Grand Hotel, Point Clear, AL. 

www.swhmc.com. Dec. 1-2 

January 2024 

Appalachian Lumbermen’s Club, Meeting, 

Embassy Suites., Greensboro, NC. 

www.lumberclub.org. Jan. 9. 

February 

Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Assoc., 

Convention, Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, 

Indianapolis, IN. www.ihla.org. Feb. 5-7. 

Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Inc., 

Annual Meeting, The Hammock Beach Resort, 

Palm Coast, FL. www.appalachianhardwood.org. 

Feb. 21-25. 

National Association of Home Builders, 

International Builders’ Show, Las Vegas, NV. 

www.buildersshow.com. Feb. 27-29. n 

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U.S.A. TRENDS 

Supplier news about 

sales, labor, prices, trends, 

expansions and inventories 

LAKE STATES 

NORTHEAST 

SOUTHEAST 

WEST COAST 

Four lumber suppliers from the Lake States region recently 

agreed that market conditions have been “sluggish” 

overall in the last six months. 

According to one Wisconsin based lumber provider at 

the time of this writing, “Everyone is just buying what they 

need and not buying anything ahead. 

“It has been that way for the last 4-to-5 months,” he noted. 

“The buying part is the same as six months ago but 

the supply is not. No one is really caring about it as much 

because they don’t need much. 

“No one knows what to do,” he continued. “So, everyone 

is sitting on their hands because they don’t want to 

get stuck with the wrong materials.” 

His company, which deals with Poplar (typically 4/4, 

5/4 and 6/4), Red Oak and Aspen (4/4 and Select Commons), 

and Soft and Hard Maples (4/4 and Upper Commons), 

primarily provides materials to moulding, cabinet 

and RV companies. 

He added that recent mill closures have already begun 

to affect the industry. 

“There are going to be some problems coming down 

the road up here in Wisconsin,” he said. “People have 

nowhere to take their pulp. They are not going to cut up 

lumber not knowing what they’re going to do with the majority 

of their pulp.” 

A lumber representative in Indiana agreed that the 

“market is not as good as we wish.” 

“It has been pretty quiet,” she said. “Transportation 

doesn’t seem to be a problem like it was in the past. I 

assume that all of the matters overseas have affected 

sales.” 

Noting that her company handles Red and White Oak, 

Walnut, Hard and Soft Maple, Cherry and Poplar, she 

said that it specializes in 4/4 – 16/4. 

A supplier in Ohio said that the market has been “upand-down” 

recently. 

Noting that domestic lumber sales have been stronger 

than the European market, he said that the industry is “a 

little on the downside.” 

Throughout the Northeast lumber sources have mixed 

sentiments as to how the market is currently faring, with 

some stating that they are doing worse than they were 

six months ago and another stating that they are doing 

about the same. 

In Pennsylvania, a mill owner said that his business 

is not doing well, at the time of this writing. “We aren’t 

doing as well as we were six months ago,” he continued. 

“With everything that is going on globally, I think that 

people are worried and they are going to start spending 

less than they already were.” 

His sawmill offers Red, White and Black Oak, Cherry, 

Hard and Soft Maple, Beech, Hickory and Ash. “We harvest 

all Hardwoods that are native to Pennsylvania and 

saw mainly 4/4, with the occasional 5/4, 6/4 and 8/4,” he 

noted. “White Oak has been our best seller. It’s hot right 

now, between the stave mills and it being the specie of 

choice in the high-end homes, it has sold very well.” 

He said that his company sells to end users with kilns, 

pallet manufacturers and stave mills. When asked if his 

customers have recently offered any comments as to 

how their business is doing, he said that they seem to 

be in the same boat that he is. 

He mentioned that he owns a trucking company as 

well that hauls all of his sawmill’s lumber, from the time 

that the timber is cut to when it is shipped out. “The cost 

of fuel has affected our sales with how high the price of 

fuel has gotten.” 

A lumberman in New York said that his market seems 

to be fair. “We are able to move everything that we saw,” 

he said. “Pallet cants have been a challenge, but as far 

as the grade lumber we are able to move it, even if the 

prices aren’t what we want them to be.” 

He noted that his sales are about the same as they 

were six months ago, with it being a challenge then and 

a challenge now. 

His company offers Hard and Soft Maple and Cherry 

in 4/4 thickness and in grades No. 2 Common and Better. 

“Cherry seems to be easy to sell even though the 

Lumber sources throughout the Southeast region are 

a mixed bag, with comments ranging from the market 

has improved to sales have slowed down. 

In Tennessee a sawmill representative said that his 

market has improved, at the time of this writing. “We are 

doing better than we were six months ago. I think this is 

due to supply being down and the demand starting to 

pick up.” 

His company offers Ash, Cherry, Hard and Soft Maple, 

Hickory, Poplar and Red and White Oak in grades FAS, 

Nos. 1, 2 and 3A Common. “We are able to offer our 

Poplar in 4/4-6/4 thicknesses and White Oak in 4/4 and 

6/4 thicknesses, while we offer everything else in 4/4 

thickness,” he added. He also mentioned that White Oak 

has been a hot item for his company. 

His company sells to flooring companies, moulding 

and trim manufacturers, distribution centers and furniture 

manufacturers, as well as American exporters. “It seems 

that the U.S. and domestic business is fairly firm, while 

exports into Asia have been slow. Exports to Europe 

have been stronger than they have been to Asia lately,” 

he noted. 

He mentioned that the labor shortage continues to 

affect his company to an extent. 

In Alabama a lumber spokesperson said his White 

Oak sales have been doing well and Ash seems to be 

holding its own, while his Red Oak and Poplar sales are 

not doing as well. 

When asked if his sales were better than they were 

six months ago he mentioned that they might be doing a 

touch better than they were. 

The four main species that his company offers are Red 

and White Oak, Poplar and Ash in grades FAS Common 

and No. 2A Common and in thicknesses of 4/4 and 5/4. 

“We are worldwide, we sell into the international and 

the domestic markets,” he said. “Vietnam and China 

have both really slowed down and we aren’t hearing 

good things about either country.” He also mentioned 

that the domestic market wasn’t doing well, at the time 

Hardwood lumber suppliers on the West Coast reported 

stable to busy activity. Niche markets accounted for 

increased business while other markets stayed the same 

as the previous report. Throughout the region, several 

contacts mentioned challenging transportation concerns 

and are expecting availability shortages in the near term. 

One source in California said Hardwood activity is 

steady. “We’re seeing stable activity. I don’t know about 

our competitors but we haven’t seen much of a change. 

It’s been steady the last three months for us.” 

Carrying high-end and wider width lumber, he said, 

“We set ourselves apart from the commodities. The hospitality 

markets are looking for specialty products and 

that’s what we carry.” 

Carrying every species from Alder to Zebrawood, the 

source said the best moving item for his operation currently 

is Walnut and White Oak. “It doesn’t matter what 

cut, the Oak is moving,” he explained. “Rift cut, plain 

sliced, and quarter cut are all moving well in White Oak 

and Walnut. Probably our slowest species is Cherry right 

now.” 

As for transportation, he said availability of trucks has 

improved but pricing continues to rise. “We have seen 

tremendous increases in fuel prices along with surcharges 

that just seem to continue to rise,” he said. 

Looking ahead, the contact expects his market to remain 

the same but doesn’t think the same is true for 

commodity markets. “It’s a hard market if you’re not a 

specialty supplier right now. Due to prices of fuel rising 

and availability tightening, not everyone is willing to pay 

those increases.” 

“Most of our customers are booked for the next few 

months,” a contact in Washington noted. One issue that 

challenges them, he added, is “freight costs are starting 

to go back up because of fuel cost.” 

The Hardwood supplier, who handles mostly White 

Oak, said he expects lumber shortages in the coming 

months. “We’ll probably see some shortages in the 

whitewoods, such as the Maples and Walnut. Walnut 

Please turn to page 67 Please turn to page 68 





CANADIAN TRENDS 

News from suppliers about prices, trends, sales and inventories 

ONTARIO 

With the American Thanksgiving and hunting season 

behind us, and as we approach the Holiday Season, 

businesses are winding down for this usual break and 

slowdown in business until the new year. They are taking 

this time to look ahead and plan, while remaining cautiously 

optimistic that inflation will go down, Hardwood 

lumber and products sales will improve both on the domestic 

and international markets, and that the new year 

will yield a better profit. With demand still being down 

for Hardwood products, it is challenging to find lumber 

and logs as production has not increased much, and demand 

for finished goods also remains on the slow side. 

Businesses are purchasing what they need for the short 

term, only replenishing stocks as required. According to 

sources, industrial products are more in demand at this 

time, with the railroad tie and wooden pallet and container 

sectors the most significant end users. It was noted 

that 2023 was heading to be a record low year for consumption 

of Hardwoods. 

Ash production has been steady over the summer, 

and so demand for this species has been absorbing developing 

production, noted contacts. Kiln-dried business 

is reported as decent, even though domestic and international 

markets are not strong, it is however keeping 

inventories low for many grades and thicknesses with 

prices being noted as steady to firm. 

End users commented that Aspen supplies are ample. 

However, orders are a challenge to find, with pricing being 

highly competitive. Some sawmills are keeping their 

Aspen logs to a minimum at this time due to sales issues 

and possible staining if this species is not sawn at appropriate 

time. Demand for green lumber is in line with 

production output. 

Industries that were using Basswood as an alternative 

to the higher priced species have reverted back to 

purchasing sheet stock or reverted to buying other species. 

Competition for orders is intense noted contacts, 

with the Common grades cited as problematic, although 

all grades appear to be under price pressure at this 

QUEBEC 

The fall and early winter is seeing lackluster demand 

for lumber and finished Hardwood products. Secondary 

manufacturers such as residential flooring, cabinets, 

wood components, some millwork and moulding manufacturers 

noted they were keeping busy, compared to 

other markets. Several sawmills have reduced their production 

as lack of available logs is making it challenging 

for them at this time. Several contacts noted that inventories 

are low. With the Christmas Holiday coming up, they 

don’t foresee any improvements over the near future. 

Contacts noted green Ash is moving well for most 

grades and thicknesses, with prices being firm. Exports 

at this time are steady with China being the main buyer. 

On the domestic side, shipments are steady, although at 

low levels. 

The wood components manufacturers, cabinets, and 

other finished goods are more assertive with their purchases 

of the regionally important Hard Maple, as are 

many wholesalers. End users have not increased their 

purchasing. Trends are driven by tighter supplies. Some 

have expressed concerns there will be tighter supplies 

in the coming months as prices continue to climb for this 

species. 

Wholesalers, end users and distributors of Soft Maple 

are looking to fill inventories, which have been depleted 

due to limited purchases in the past few months. Developing 

supplies of green lumber are not that readily available, 

stated contacts. As kiln-dryers did not process that 

much Soft Maple over the summer months because of 

lower interest for this species it has resulted in weaker 

prices. Many contacts noted they are low on specific 

grades and thicknesses of this species. 

Millwork and moulding manufacturers reduced their 

purchases of Basswood as did the shutter and window 

blinds manufacturers. Wholesalers are also limiting their 

purchases. Sawmill output has been low, and supply and 

demand has narrowed. 

Green lumber supplies of Cherry have contracted said 

contacts. Kiln-drying operations are looking for more 

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INDUSTRY NEWS 

AN UPDATE COVERING THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT 

HARDWOOD SUPPLIERS/VENDORS 

Robinson Lumber Company Continues 

To Ensure They Are At The Forefront Of 

The Industry 

Robinson Lumber Company, is proud to announce a 

significant expansion of its operations in New Albany, IN. 

The company has acquired an additional five acres of 

land adjacent to its flagship yard, marking a major step in 

its ongoing commitment to growth and innovation. 

The centerpiece of this expansion is the installation of 

the new Combilift CSS Slip Loader, a cutting-edge piece 

of equipment that streamlines container loading, reducing 

the process to an impressive under-six-minute timeframe. 

This advancement underscores Robinson Lumber's 

dedication to efficiency and safety in its operations. 

Joe Buckhaults 

leadership and dedication have left an indelible mark on 

the company, and his retirement is a moment of well-deserved 

recognition. 

To carry the torch forward, the company is pleased 

to introduce its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Cliff 

Worley. Worley joined the Robinson Lumber team in 

September 2023 and brings a deep commitment to excellence. 

His expertise and vision 

will play a crucial role in propelling 

this fifth-generation business into a 

dynamic and prosperous future, according 

to a company spokesperson. 

"This expansion and change in 

leadership are significant milestones 

in our company's history," said 

Wesley Robinson, North American 

Hardwood Manager. "We're excited 

about the opportunities they present 

and remain dedicated to delivering 

top-quality products and services to 

our valued customers." 

For more information about Robinson 

Lumber Company and its 

expanded operations, please visit 

www.roblumco.com. 

ented employees in all roles. 

Granite Valley produces Red and White Oak, Hard 

and Soft Maple, Walnut, Basswood, Aspen, Hickory, 

Chestnut, Poplar and eastern white pine in thicknesses 

of 4/4 through 8/4, all Forest Stewardship Council certified, 

BMSB certified in Australia and New Zealand, as 

Please turn to page 73 

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Cliff Worley 

Further enhancing operational efficiency, 

Robinson Lumber has also 

introduced the Combilift Side Loading 

Multi-Directional Forklift. This 

addition enables tighter aisle configurations 

and more efficient storage 

solutions. These investments are 

part of a comprehensive plan to reinvest 

in the flagship yard over the 

next five years, ensuring that the 

company remains at the forefront of 

the industry. 

Robinson Lumber Company is 

also proud to celebrate the retirement 

of its esteemed President, Joe 

Buckhaults. A dedicated and valued 

employee, Buckhaults's journey with 

Robinson Lumber began over 30 

years ago, and he worked his way 

up to the position of President. His 

Granite Valley Forest 

Products Welcomes 

Adam Hyer 

Granite Valley Forest Products, 

located in New London, WI, recently 

brought Adam Hyer on board as 

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Adam Hyer 

their supply chain manager. Hyer will 

oversee kiln-dried lumber buying, 

inventory turns, product and market 

development, strategic growth, as 

well as developing and recruiting tal-

HMA UPDATE 

As 2023 winds to a close, the Hardwood 

Manufacturers Association (HMA) 

is making preparations for our 2024 

National Conference and Expo. The 

much-anticipated event will take place 

Monday–Wednesday, March 25–27, at 

The Charleston Place Hotel in Charleston, 

South Carolina. And if you’re an HMA 

member, industry supplier, or a Hardwood 

industry stakeholder, then you’re invited and encouraged 

to attend! This year’s theme is Pathways to Success 

and our lineup of presenters and sessions will provide 

educational opportunities for all—from your company’s 

senior management to our industry’s next generation of 

leaders. 

Our Opening Reception and Expo on Monday, March 

25, will kick off HMA’s signature event with the industry’s 

premiere networking opportunity. Enjoy comradery with 

your peers and meet with vendors, while refreshments 

flow and appetizer stations nourish. 

And we’ll give you one spoiler alert for now. On the 

agenda is a virtual tour of NWH’s facility in Longview, 

Washington. See how sawmilling is in the Pacific 

Northwest, get a close-up look of their operations, and 

experience a birds-eye view of an Alder forest. 

Get all the NatCon details, take care of your registration, 

and book your accommodations at www.HMAmembers. 

org. 

A Year-End Thank You 

Before we say goodbye to 2023, HMA staff would like 

to thank the 25 companies that have gone the extra 

mile and supported HMA’s promotional and educational 

efforts. Your contributions enabled HMA to influence 

homeowners through editorial and social media content, 

educate the design/build community via CEUs, and 

position American Hardwoods as the natural choice 

for today’s homes and commercial spaces. 

Looking Forward To 2024 

HMA Member Contributors 

Anderson-Tully Co. 

Baillie Lumber Co. 

Bingaman & Sons Lumber, Inc. 

Cersosimo Lumber Co. 

Dwight Lewis Lumber Co. 

East Perry Lumber Co. 

Holt & Bugbee Co. 

Jerry G. Williams & Sons, Inc. 

Kretz Lumber Company, Inc. 

Middle Tennessee Lumber Co. 

MO PAC Lumber 

Mueller Brothers Timber 

Northland Forest Products, Inc. 

RAM Forest Products, Inc. 

Stella-Jones Corporation 

The Turman Group 

Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. 

Non-Member Contributors 

Cedar Creek Hardwoods 

Cotton-Hanlon, Inc. 

Hardwood Market Report 

Maxwell Hardwood Flooring 

National Hardwood Magazine 

SII Dry Kilns 

Swaner Hardwood Company 

W.M. Cramer Lumber Co. 

Thank you, all! And if you’d like to add your company 

name to these lists of supporters, send an email to 

myself at ljovanovich@hardwood.org or Ian Faight at 

ian@hardwood.org. 

We’ll see you in 2024! n 

BY LINDA JOVANOVICH, 

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, 

HARDWOOD MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, 

WARRENDALE, PA 

412-244-0440 

WWW.HMAMEMBERS.ORG 





AHEC REPORT 

ESTABLISHED 1977 ESTABLISHED 2013 

2024 AHEC Events And Pavilions Are Opportunities To 

Connect With Customers And Find New Buyers 

In challenging markets, the personal relationship 

between suppliers and customers 

is more important than ever. The American 

Hardwood Export Council is planning a 

busy schedule of events in 2024 to develop 

these connections for your company and 

grow your global markets. 

In addition to what we expect to be a 

full slate of design, marketing, educational 

and networking events, AHEC has also 

planned pavilions at nine of the largest 

wood trade and furniture trade shows in 

the world in 2024, as well as an AHEC 

Convention in China. These pavilions will 

make premier representation available to 

American companies at the busiest events of the year 

for just $500 per booth. 

In 2024 we plan to host a U.S. Hardwood Pavilion at 

these events: 

IndiaWood, Bangalore, India (Feb 22-26) 

Dubai Woodshow, Dubai, UAE (Mar 5-7) 

Interzum Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China 

(Mar 28-31) 

FIMMA Maderalia, Valencia, Spain (May 14-17) 

SylvaWood, Shanghai, China (June 24-26) 

TechnoMueble, Guadalajara, Mexico (Aug 14-17) 

FMC Shanghai, Shanghai, China (Sept 10-13) 

INTERMOB, Istanbul, Turkey (Sept 12-15) 

AHEC Convention, China (September) 

TIWF Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand (Sept 18-20) 

Each year AHEC attends over 40 trade 

shows globally to promote American Hardwoods, 

research market potential, and drive 

local purchasing behavior. In our experience, 

these shows we have selected provide the 

best opportunity this year for an American 

company to connect with local buyers and 

build strong relationships. Of course, our 

participation in all of these events is subject 

to travel restrictions and funding through the 

Farm Bill, and event dates are subject to 

change. 

IndiaWood in Bangalore, India will be our 

first pavilion of the year and is set up to accommodate 

up to 14 companies. Though traditionally 

a difficult place for Americans to do business, 

India has made rapid advances in the manufacturing 

sector and wood processing industry over the last few 

years. 2023 was a record year for exports of U.S. Hardwoods 

to India as our “exotic” woods are becoming a 

desired commodity in the local market. We have also 

seen an increase in exports of U.S. Hardwoods in value 

grades and species for re-export furniture. AHEC will 

also organize grading seminars and factory visits after 

this show in the Jaipur region of Rajasthan. 

Dubai Woodshow is the cornerstone of the timber 

business in the Middle East, with buyers from all over 

the region in attendance. Many Middle Eastern countries 

BY MICHAEL SNOW, 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, 

AMERICAN HARDWOOD EXPORT COUNCIL, 

STERLING, VA 

703-435-2900 

WWW.AHEC.ORG 


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NHLA: Why Knot... 

HAVE THE HARD DISCUSSION ABOUT 

LONG TERM FUNDING FOR RAHC 

WE ARE GRAF BROTHERS 

The world’s largest manufacturer of 

rift & quarter sawn white oak products 

We are at the end of the year. 

We are also at the end of the first 

contract with Magnolia Network 

for the RAHC. We need a minimum 

of $1.4 million to keep it 

going for 2024. All our efforts last 

year only raised $700,000. Different 

companies from all sizes across the industry have 

stepped up to contribute. Still, we have only received donations 

from 200 unique companies in an industry with 

over 2,000 Hardwood lumber sawmills, concentration 

yards, distributors, and users. With less than 10 percent 

of the sector contributing, the RAHC will not be able to 

achieve its financial goals. Therefore, it cannot maintain 

its significant relationship with Magnolia and will lose all 

momentum and trust with them and Canvas. The associations 

are trying to step up for one year and raise an 

additional $700,000 on top of the $240,000 they already 

donated to RAHC. Please help these associations’ efforts. 

I have been the RAHC fundraising task force chair for 

a year now. I met with a task force member six months 

ago, and he asked me how it was going. I told him I was 

talking with two association executives and asking them 

to join the RAHC. The executive directors were interested 

but hesitant about the cost. I suggested they get their 

foot in the door by donating $5,000 and helping provide 

content and leadership. The $5,000 was not a significant 

cost to either but they needed board approval. To date, 

neither association has joined, but I fully expect it to happen. 

He asked me another question. “Is it still going to be 

this way five years from now? Are we going to spend 

hours of work chasing after $5,000 from different organizations 

to fund RAHC?” I replied 

frankly, “It’s worse than that; 

we are going to spend hours 

and hours chasing after $100, 

$1,000 and promises to give 

from everyone, each year, trying 

to raise 3 million dollars and getting 

funds from the same few people and never get close 

to our goal.” That statement has proven true. Of the 700 

companies who heard my RAHC rally cry at the NHLA 

convention, only 43 made donations, most of whom had 

already given, while all praised it and loved what we are 

doing. 

Can we be honest? And say that voluntary funding will 

fail in funding the RAHC long term. 

Can we also say that the other 30-60 associations affiliated 

with the Hardwood industry cannot fund RAHC 

long-term either? Why? Because they all have their mandates 

and programs beyond promotion that they need 

to keep doing, and they are just as strapped for cash as 

the Hardwood mills. NHLA gives 5 percent of its dues to 

the RAHC, which is still less than $100,000 annually. If 

NHLA gave 50 percent, it would be less than $800,000, 

and I would have to lay off half of the staff. Only if everyone 

doubles their dues will it work for associations to 

fund RAHC. 

Now what? We all want to keep it going. WHERE ARE 

WE GOING TO GET THE MONEY FOR RAHC? Yes, I 

yelled that. I have been talking about RAHC funding for a 

year and a half. Most people say they like the social media 

posts and the advertising. A few complain that it is not 

what they want, but even some complainers have donated. 

Everyone has had a chance to commit something. I 

have seen $100 checks and $75,000 checks. But what I 

We have the experience, the capacity and state-of-the-art 

manufacturing equipment to handle all your White Oak needs. 

PARTNER WITH THE ORIGINAL GRAF BROTHERS! 


BY DALLIN BROOKS, 


NATIONAL HARDWOOD LUMBER ASSOCIATION, 

MEMPHIS, TN 

901-377-1082 

WWW.NHLA.COM 

QUALITY / LOYALTY / TRADITION 

606-932-3117 

sales@grafbro.com 


RealAmericanHardwood.com/industry www.grafbro.com 


NAFF BULLETIN 

THE RACE IS ON 

Doesn’t everyone enjoy the thrill of a great race– 

what’s your favorite–Formula 1, the Kentucky Derby, or 

the America’s Cup? While some provide entertainment 

for spectators, these events also may present life and 

death challenges for competitors. 

Outside the world of sports, as individuals and as industries, 

we’re engaged in other races. The kind that affect 

our wellbeing and that of the generations that follow 

ours. 

Who’s competing? 

The forest products industry is racing to establish a 

sustainable future, which will protect valuable resources 

and promote the benefits of wood. Using the Kentucky 

Derby, as an example, we’re in a race against False 

Messaging, Plastics Better, and Lady Laminate. 

And, they’re all coming up the back stretch fast and 

hard. 

Where are we now? 

The race is underway, and right now, the cheerleaders 

for using manmade materials are LOUD and extremely 

effective in getting their message out. Composites and 

products that blend synthetic substances with wood are 

popular for many goods, such as decking materials, 

flooring, and furniture. 

In place of wood, many of these products depend on 

other limited resources such as petroleum products. With 

the addition of these substances, the biodegradability of 

the finished item is reduced, as well as the amount of 

carbon stored. 

A detailed discussion of the pros and cons for these 

products is a topic for another day. What we need to understand 

is how effective is the message about sustainable 

forestry and why choosing wood products is best 

that people of all ages are seeing, hearing and acting 

upon. 

What’s at stake? 

Every race has a prize, and in this race the stakes are 

high because the “prize” is the overall health of our forests, 

people, industry, and planet. 

What’s the goal? 

Specifically the wood products industry needs to reach 

current and future generations with factual information 

and a compelling story to help guide their decisions as 

consumers and as workers making career choices. 

Actions we take as consumers and as members of the 

forest products industry have repercussions that affect 

us all. When consumers choose wood, and demand for 

real wood products is maintained, forested land remains 

more valuable as a working forest than as land to be 

co-opted for other purposes that don’t offer the same 

carbon-reducing benefits that trees provide. 

What’s the strategy? 

Cheerleaders play an important role; if two teams show 

up at an event and only one brings a cheer squad, the 

imbalance is easy to see. 

That’s why it’s so important now for the forest products 

industry to turn up the volume and become more effective 

at communicating the important roles that trees and 

wood products play in our world. 

The tactics for accomplishing this task include getting 

an accurate message about trees out to people of all 

ages; providing critical education to young people; and 

strengthening the pool of talented individuals entering 

the industry workforce. 

•Get the message out and repeat it. Spreading the truth 

about trees and wood is the key point to convey, and repetition 

is important in getting any message across. 

BY ALLISON DEFORD, 


NORTH AMERICAN FOREST FOUNDATION, 

COLLIERVILLE, TN 

901-860-4131 

adeford@northamericanforestfoundation.org 


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“We’re constantly exploring new ways to have the best product and 

service possible because keeping our customers happy has definitely 

been the key to our success.” 

– Tim McCoy, Houston Hardwoods, President 

Tim McCoy, President of 

Houston Hardwoods. 

Guy Pike, Vice-president of 

Houston Hardwoods. 

Houston Hardwoods procures its kiln-dried domestic lumber from sawmills all over the country. 

Integrity, Knowledge And Premium Hardwood 

Selection At Houston Hardwoods 

Houston Hardwoods, headquartered in Houston, 

TX, offers among the largest selection of Hardwoods 

in Texas. More than 600,000 board feet of Hardwoods 

are purchased annually in Alder, Ash, Cherry, Maple, 

Red and White Oak, Walnut, Birch, Pecan, Poplar and 

many more species. Additional product offerings include 

mouldings, softwood and imported lumber, plywood, 

MDF and melamine, edgebanding and veneer sheeting. 

With what may be the best balance of Hardwood species 

and industry experience, Houston Hardwoods continues 

to fit the niche it found in providing superior service 

and quality products. “We offer most of the common 

domestic Hardwoods and also quite a few of the exotic 

woods,” President Tim McCoy explained. “I would say 

75 percent of our lumber is domestic and the other 25 

percent is imported.” 

By Michelle Keller 

A solid business plan and reputation for excellence is 

what McCoy said keeps the operation successful and 

competitive. Houston Hardwoods was minimally (if at 

all) impacted by the covid pandemic that began in 2020. 

“It was business as usual for us,” he explained. “We 

changed our operating hours to adjust to the needs of 

our employees, but we’ve since reinstated them and 

we’re back at full capacity.” 

Founded in 1990 by McCoy, president, and Guy Pike, 

vice president, Houston Hardwoods also specializes in 

marine products which include marine grade plywood, 

Teak plywood, and solid Teak lumber as well as Teak and 

Holly boat decking. A combined 80 years of industry experience, 

McCoy said, “When we opened this business, 

I had worked at another Hardwood company and Guy 

was in the remodeling business prior to this operation. 

We have a lot of experience in the lumber industry. We 

brought different approaches, ways of thinking and educational 

backgrounds to the table; that helped set the 

stage for a successful business.” 

Today, Houston Hardwoods operates from a 

50,000-square-foot facility with about 18 employees. 

After just the first five years of operation, they started 

adding moulders to the equipment lineup. Now the 

company’s two SCMI moulders streamline the production 

process and designate specific machines to certain 

tasks. “We are continuously seeking new ways to offer 

the best product and service possible because keeping 

our customers satisfied is the key to our success,” Mc- 

Coy said. 

Since inception, the company has been growing 

steadily both in terms of sales and line/product expansion. 

“We’ve grown every year since then,” said McCoy. 

The company itself has also evolved into a full-blown 

manufacturing facility that specializes in planing wood 

and producing custom moulding. “Our mill capabilities 

were limited in the beginning,” said McCoy. “About five 

years into it, we started adding moulders to our equip- 


Houston Hardwoods continues to fit the niche it found in providing 

superior service and quality products, with what may be the best 

balance of Hardwood species and industry experience. 




HOUSTON HARDWOODS Continued 

Houston Hardwoods’ mill area. 

Houston Hardwoods purchases more than 600,000 board feet of 

Hardwoods annually in Alder, Ash, Cherry, Maple, Red and White 

Oak, Walnut, Birch, Pecan, Poplar and many more species. 

Houston Hardwoods is a 

full-blown manufacturing 

facility that specializes in 

planing wood and producing 

custom moulding. 

Houston Hardwoods, located in Houston, TX, operates from a 

50,000-square-foot facility with about 18 employees. 

ment lineup. That’s become a big part of our business.” 

Recently adding a new Powermatic planer to its 

equipment list, McCoy said using its two SCMI moulders, 

they’ve been able to streamline the production process 

and designate specific machines to certain tasks. 

“We use one of the machines to run patterns that we 

change up several times a day,” said McCoy, “and then 

we leave the other machine set up for S4S lumber. That 

saves us a lot of time and makes us much more efficient 

than if we were just using one machine for everything.” 

Houston Hardwoods procures its kiln-dried domestic 

lumber from sawmills all over the country. “We try to get 

some of our species like Oak and Poplar from sources 

that are closer to home to avoid high freight/transportation 

costs,” said McCoy. “Some of the other species like 

Maple and Walnut we usually try to get from sources 

further north due to the higher quality of those woods in 

that area of the country.” 

The company has maintained its focus on one of its 

biggest strengths: being able to turnaround orders in 

one to two days. Its customers – most of which are located 

within 100 miles of Houston – appreciate the quick 

turnaround time and the fact that quality is never sacrificed 

in lieu of speed. While most of its customers are in 

Texas, Houston Hardwoods does ship orders to clients 

in other parts of the country. “We are often surprised by 

where people call from, but we don’t argue. We get the 

order done and ship it out.” 

According to McCoy, most of the firm’s customers 

during the week are professionals, cabinet shops, contractors, 

furniture builders and other lumber yards that 

do not deal in Hardwoods. The company also caters to 

a number of DIY hobbyists and woodworkers. “We call 

them weekend warriors; they go crazy when they come 

in here and see our extensive selection,” said McCoy. 

“This is a customer segment that helps to round out our 

client base and gives us the opportunity to work with 

smaller, locally-based wood workers.” 

Houston Hardwoods is a member of the Lumbermen’s 

Association of Texas & Greater Louisiana and the Greater 

Houston Lumber & Building Materials Association. 

McCoy added, “We’re constantly exploring new ways 

to have the best product and service possible because 

keeping our customers happy has definitely been the 

key to our success.” n 

For more information, visit www.houstonhardwoods.com. 




HHP has a drying capacity of 75,000 board feet 

each dry kiln, with an annual drying capacity 

for Northern Red Oak of 6 million board feet. 

“ One thing that Marco and Joe 

have always emphasized is the 

quality of the products that we 

produce here at HHP and the 

pride that we have when we put 

it into the marketplace. 

Bruce Dahn, HHP 

Hardwood Kiln-dried Sales Manager 

“ 

Taking 

Pride In 

Quality 

Products 

By Terry Miller 

HHP, Inc., located in Henniker, NH, was founded in 

1989 when Richard Carrier and Ross D’Elia purchased 

Henniker Hardwood Pallets. They broke ground on 

where the current mill stands, a few years later in 1992. 

HHP has since become a family affair with Richard Carrier 

and his brother, Marco Carrier, both now being HHP’s 

principals and Marco Carrier’s son, Joe Carrier serving 

as HHP’s general manager. 

HHP has an annual production of 13 million board feet, 

with 80 percent made up of Northern Red Oak. “The Red 

Oak from this region here in Central New Hampshire is 

sought after for its tight grain, consistent color, and its 

lack of mineral,” said Bruce Dahn, Hardwood kiln-dried 

sales manager. “Our customers won’t have to do any 

color sorting at the end of the day. The product that they 

buy from us is over trimmed and over edged so that they 

“Our most experienced graders oversee production being processed through the Trim Expert grading system,” said Bruce Dahn, 

kiln-dried sales manager at HHP, Inc. 

get a better yield and a better end result, allowing the 

customer to take our product and put it straight into their 

production process.” HHP is known for their consistency 

across all of their Red Oak production, as well as their 

other primary species, which include, Hard and Soft Maple, 

Ash and Yellow Birch. 

HHP saws 4/4 and 5/4 boards on a regular basis. 

“While our primary and biggest item is still 4/4, we always 

try to keep at least one kiln charge of 5/4 a month in 

process so we have it as a regular item across all grades 

from the uppers right down into the common grades,” 

Dahn continued. 

HHP offers custom widths and lengths, as well as proprietary 

grades. Their bin sorter allows them to hone in 

on their customers’ needs as they grade their kiln-dried 

lumber for a second time. “Re-grading our kiln-dried material 

ensures we catch any degrading of the lumber and 

to make sure our customers get the consistency and value 

they continue to invest in,” Dahn said. 

HHP has a wide range of customers, from those looking 

for lumber to go into high-end flooring or a millwork 

application to those looking for custom to standard pallets. 

“We manufacture what works best for our customer,” 

Dahn noted. “From the custom sorts that go to our 

high-end end-use customers to the distributors and manufacturers 

that need a custom designed pallet to carry 

the load that they want shipped, we strive to be efficient 

and cost effective by consuming all of the full range of 

products that are produced in the mill.” 

HHP is known to promote the ease that comes with doing 

business with them, whether it is moving material in 

and out of their facilities, or the consistency of their product, 

they strive to make their clients lives simpler. “You 

can receive HHP lumber any way you want, as long as it 

has the HHP logo and blue paint on the ends,” remarked 

Dahn. “Our customers that we sell to on a repeat basis, 

especially the distributors, see this as an added value on 

an already superior product.” 





HHP, INC. Continued 

Another way that HHP continues to add value to their 

products, is to end wax every pack of green lumber produced, 

all year-round, with U-C Coatings Anchorseal. 

Whether it is going on sticks for kiln drying in HHP’s kilns 

or being sold green. 

“One thing that Marco and Joe have always emphasized 

is the quality of the products that we produce here 

at HHP and the pride that we have when we put it into the 

marketplace,” said Dahn. HHP makes a point to pay attention 

to the little things, like putting grooved HT export 

blocks on every pack produced so that they are easier to 

move around and no loose blocks have to be picked up 

after moving packs. 

The added details that HHP puts into their products 

goes beyond adding extra blocks on packs leaving their 

sawmills. “Our most experienced graders regularly go 

back through packs of green & KD lumber to ensure the 

Trim X System’s output,” Dahn noted. “We are not trying 

to force boards up, into a grade. So, when a grader 

disagrees with how the Grade X System viewed the 

board, we go into the system and recalibrate the way it 

interprets the defects seen so we are consistently getting 

the production graded the way we want. We can do this 

because every board is sprayed with a unique identifying 

number as it is moved to the bin sorter.” 

HHP uses VisionTally with their kiln-dried lumber, ensuring 

that each piece is accounted for, and the footage 

Bruce Dahn, kiln-dried sales, 

Natalie Crane, green sales and 

office manager and Joe Carrier, 

general manager, at HHP. 

is accurate. “We are giving our customers the confidence 

that they are getting what they paid for, and the documentation 

that they get along with these packs helps 

lower their stress levels,” Dahn added. “Once the packs 

have been strapped & labelled, there is no question as 

to what the contents of each one is, no matter how far it 

has traveled.” 

HHP continues to utilize the oversized space that the 

mill was initially built on. “When the foundation was laid 

back in 1992, they made sure they had a good layout 

HHP dries all of its production in Nyle Dehumidification dry kilns, 

which ensure bright consistent color. “We also take the time to 

package our lumber so it appears as good as what the customer 

will find inside,” Dahn said. 

and allowed room for plenty of expansion,” 

said Joe Carrier. This forethought 

has allowed for additional 

equipment, such as, a McDonough 

double cut carriage, two PHL resaws, 

a PHL/Comact optimizing edger, that 

feeds the Trim Expert, on to a PHL 

trimmer and PHL 60 bay bin sorter, 

with USNR scanning, as well as the 

VisionTally. They also have seven 

Nyle Dry Kilns, with a drying capacity 

of 75,000 board feet each, with an 

annual drying capacity for Northern 

Red Oak of 6 million board feet. 

The accuracy of the equipment that 

HHP has invested in is paramount, 

as they ship their lumber around the 

globe. HHP ships to markets including 

China, Europe, Vietnam and the 

Middle East. “What works best for 

HHP is when we are able to find a 

key account, or a group of accounts 

that we are able to do regular business 

with. Whether it’s a container 

every three months or five containers 

every month, we look to do business 

with someone that is looking for 

a high-quality product that needs a 

consistent supplier,” Dahn said. HHP 

also finds it crucial to not overwhelm 

themselves with distribution partners. 

“We try not to water down the 

distributorship within a given market. 

It is important that we can distribute 

all the wood that we can produce 

through a limited number of these 

partnerships,” Dahn continued. 

“Since we produce a niche product, 

our clientele that really needs 

and values the Northern Red Oak 

is spread out,” said Dahn. Since 

HHP’s products are spread out 

around the globe, they export their 

products mainly through the Port of 

Boston, as well as sending containers 

through the Worcester railyard to 

the New York and New Jersey ports 

and occasionally sending containers 

through the Montreal port. When 

moving their products domestically 

Northern Red Oak makes up almost 80 percent of HHP’s 13 million board feet of annual 

production. 

HHP has a vast amount of equipment, which includes: McDonough double cut carriage, 

two PHL resaws, a PHL/Comact optimizing edger (pictured here), that feeds the Trim 

Expert, on to a PHL trimmer and PHL 60 bay bin sorter, with USNR scanning, as well as 

the VisionTally, as well as seven Nyle Dry Kilns. 

throughout the United States and 

into Canada they use a combination 

of HHP trucks and independent 

truckers based on where the lumber 

is headed. 

“One thing is for sure, HHP is well 

positioned to take care of their customers 

as the market continues to 

change and evolve,” said Dahn. 

To learn more visit www.hhp-inc.com. 

HHP is a member of the National 

Hardwood Lumber Association, 

Hardwood Manufacturers Association, 

American Hardwood Export 

Council, The New England Lumbermen’s 

Association and the National 

Wood Pallet Association. n 




Despite The Challenges That 2023 

Brought There Is Hope Going Into 2024 

Eric Porter 

Abenaki Timber Corporation 

Kingston, NH 

2023 was a challenging year. I would say it was successful 

in footage produced and shipped but the invoice 

values were way down due to the rapid drop in kiln-dried 

prices. Our sales in dollar value will be down from 2022 

but we were able to keep our market share in overall 

footage produced and sold. 

We serve a variety of manufacturers, distribution yards, 

wholesalers, brokers and the export markets worldwide. 

I would not be able to single out any sector that was 

better than another. 

Abenaki still produces the native American Hardwood 

species found in the Northeast and Appalachian regions 

as well as importing European Beech and some European 

Oak. 

We did do some control updating at both of our facilities 

and replaced some rolling stock but no new major 

equipment was added in 2023. 

Our key employees have proven reliable and consistent 

throughout the year. If we could add one or two at 

each facility, we wouldn’t hesitate to do so. 

Shipping was a major improvement in 2023 over 2022. 

We are more concerned as a company with the implied 

certification regulations that Europe is adding than 

we are with any tariffs currently. b 

By Cadance Hanson 

While looking back at how the Hardwood market fared 

throughout 2023, lumber providers came to a general 

consensus that while this year posed its challenges, it 

was a profitable year nonetheless. One participant stated, 

“2023 was definitely not the year we wanted but we 

were able to be profitable.” 

Another participant said, “2023 has exceeded our expectations, 

2024 has a similar uncertainty to last year’s 

planning due to geopolitical and economic conditions.” 

Participants also shared their concerns over how tariffs 

and the European Union’s new regulations will affect 

sales in the coming year, with one stating, “The EU regulations 

that are on the table pose a very significant threat 

to exporters and all lumber producers in the U.S.A.” 

Paul Mallery 

Wolverine Hardwoods, Inc. 

Allegan, MI 

Considering the market changes we experienced, I 

would say we were very successful throughout 2023. 

Maintaining and growing relationships with customers is 

a big key to being successful in the future. 

Most of our customers are end users, whether large 

manufacturers or smaller distribution level guys. White 

Oak and Red Oak have moved well for us this year. 

In 2023 we introduced plywood, MDF and ripped to 

width lumber. 

We purchased two 50,000 feet SII dry kilns, which has 

increased our ability to kiln dry our own lumber by 25 

percent. We also purchased a new electric forklift. 

For the most part we have been blessed with a great 

core group of employees. I have been thoroughly impressed 

with our crew and how they have come together 

this year as a team. 

We have three amazingly, dedicated, local owner operators 

and a couple brokers we work closely with to 

ensure our customers get the products they need in a 

timely manner. 

We do not export anything directly, so we are not currently 

concerned with tariffs. b 


Brandon Clark 

Clark Lumber Company 

Red Boiling Springs, TN 

2023 was definitely not the 

year we wanted but we were 

able to be profitable. The 

hardest part of 2023 was 

the inventory adjustments 

early in the year. It took several 

months of production to 

overcome the pricing adjustments. 

In order to be successful, 2024 needs to have steady 

demand for all production items and price stability and 

hopefully a small price increase would be best. 

Our grade lumber sales to distribution yards were 

strong, as well as our sales to moulding manufacturers, 

while our sales to flooring manufacturers was average. 

The pallet cant sales to the main line railroads 

was strong, while our sales to the small treatment plants 

was average, yet sporadic. All of our products moved at 

normal rates. 

We did not add any services or products in 2023 but 

Kirby Kendrick 

Kendrick Forest Products 

Edgewood, IA 

2023 was an interesting 

year. The first half of ‘23 

was still pretty good, while 

the second half of the year 

wasn’t as strong but still 

looks like it will end better 

than we were expecting. 

Challenges we must overcome 

to be more successful in 2024 would be labor, inflation 

cost and fuel cost, all while most American Hardwood 

prices have not kept up with the cost of inflation. 

Our customers are a mix of distributors and factories. 

Our Walnut and White Oak lumber items have been the 

strongest sellers for us in 2023. 

We recently started taking a higher-grade log and producing 

Walnut graded under Oak rules. This has allowed 

us to tap into other markets while still being able to offer 


spent more effort going direct to customers, putting less 

reliability on brokers. 

We installed a new optimized edger in November at 

one of our facilities. We also began building a new grading 

and sorting line at that same facility. This project will 

last into the first and, likely, second quarters of 2024. 

Finding enough qualified employees is always a challenge 

but we do feel fortunate to have a good crew right 

now at each facility. We have spent a lot of time and 

money on automation in the last few years and that has 

paid off by allowing us to retain the vast majority of our 

employees and keep production at the desired level. 

Shipping always has its own challenges, but we have 

not had any changes that have affected our ability to deliver 

loads to the customers. 

We have not had issues with shipments to Vietnam, 

but China is always a concern with the potential for tariffs 

and market uncertainties. The European Union has been 

down on shipments for some time but does seem to be 

increasing at a small percentage. b 

our same consistent standard NHLA grade lumber as 

well. 

This year was a year focused on growing our rolling 

stock, especially our semis & log trucks. This allowed us 

to have more control over our product and better serve 

our customers. 

We have been fortunate that we have many long-term 

employees with a nice mix of the younger generation to 

teach and help grow. Wages are an important part but 

there also needs to be a fun working environment, and 

a good relationship with the employees which we have. 

Our employees aren’t just employees, they’re more like 

family to us. When you can treat someone like family, I 

think they’re more inclined to work hard and stick around. 

Trucking in general has loosened up, but the cost of 

fuel is keeping rates elevated. b 



2024 FORECASTS Continued 

Ray White 

Harold White Lumber, Inc. 

Morehead, KY 

I wouldn’t call 2023 a successful 

year by any means, 

it was a pretty dismal year. 

This fourth quarter, however, 

has shaped up to be a very 

strong quarter. I am seeing 

every indication that I will be 

back in the black. I believe 

that there are many reasons for this, but I think that the 

simplest answer is that there is a lumber shortage that 

is taking place. The lumber market has been at a historical 

low especially with the production of Red Oak, Hard 

and Soft Maple, and other species being cut for industrial 

products, while simultaneously seeing historically high 

production costs. From my understanding, North American 

Hardwood production has now hit a 63-year low! Attrition 

rates are very high and will continue. 

I sell to domestic end users and distribution yards, and 

I export. I am probably still about 60 percent export and 

40 percent domestic. The European Union is primarily 

facing better markets. They have started switching over 

to Red Oak since White Oak is so scarce and it’s jumping 

in price. The EU has figured out how to stain Red Oak to 

where it is a very close look to White Oak. I have as many 

orders for Red Oak as I do White Oak that are going into 

Europe right now. 

I have started exporting finger joints. Up until this year 

I have only shipped our finger joint production to the domestic 

market but now, I am shipping mixed containers 

with Hardwoods and finger joints. 

With interest rates being at an all-time high and it being 

difficult to get existing parts, the only upgrades I made 

were for support equipment. We did install a fully optimized 

scanning system from Corley’s Lewis Controls for 

our sawmill, which was at a substantial cost. 

Anthony Hammond 

Roy Anderson Lumber Company, Inc. 

Tompkinsville, KY 

2023 sales have been 

steady. Challenges for profitable 

pricing has existed, 

but ability to move lumber 

is present. For 2024, export 

markets need to improve 

to help move products that 

don’t historically move domestically. 

We sell to flooring manufacturers, cabinet manufacturers, 

millwork/moulding manufacturers and distribution 

We are having a very hard time keeping employees. 

We have started working with the community prison to 

employ non-violent felons to subsidize our workforce, 

and if it was not for them, I would not be in operation. We 

are paying them the same amount of money that I would 

pay anybody else to work for me and while they are on 

work release their guidelines and their rules are extremely 

stringent. If it wasn’t for this program, I wouldn’t be 

running at 100 percent, and even with it I am still always 

short, depending on how many people are eligible for 

work release. 

While we own our own fleet of trucks, the burden of 

regulations as far as trucking goes domestically has always 

been a problem, and with the exports we must deal 

with the longshoreman and the railroad labor strikes. The 

logistics of exporting is always difficult at best, but I have 

to say it has gotten better over the last 12 months. 

When it comes to tariffs, I’m not sure what the federal 

government will do with a presidential year coming up. I 

am also not sure what the Asian countries are going to 

do, but the EU regulations that are on the table pose a 

very significant threat to exporters and all lumber producers 

in the U.S.A. No mill will be exempt from the overwhelming 

data collection necessary to sell and buy wood 

productions. So far in our dealings and negotiations as 

far as the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) 

and the USDA with the EU, they are not listening or understanding 

that the problem with the illegal harvesting 

and deforestation is not happening in the U.S. or Canada. 

Overall, I am worried for our industry. Everything is 

changing quickly, and I am not sure what the future holds. 

We are a resilient industry; however who could have ever 

predicated the major challenges facing us all! b 

yards. Our strongest sellers have been White Oak, Ash 

and Thick Red Oak. 

Job inquiries have been steady, but finding qualified 

employees needed to support growth has proven challenging. 

Transportation has improved substantially over the 

course of 2023. 

At present, we do not have concerns regarding tariffs. 

We suspect global economic concerns will outweigh desires 

for tariffs to be renewed.b 


Bucky Pescaglia 

MO PAC Lumber Co. 

Fayette, MO 

2023 turned out better 

than what we expected at 

the beginning of the year. 

The year started off very 

slowly, but shipments picked 

up in the middle of the first 

quarter and remained fairly 

steady up until the time of 

this writing. 

75 percent of our customers are distributors, while the 

other 25 percent are end users. While Walnut represents 

95 percent of our production, all items across our product 

mix moved well in 2023. The demand and pricing for Soft 

Maple suffered throughout most of the year. 

We have had problems over the past year retaining 

enough employees. In order to combat this, we have 

a unique work week with nine-hour workdays, Monday 

through Thursday, and then just four hours on Friday. 

This allows our employees to get in their 40 hours but 

have a 2-1/2-day weekend. It has proven popular for the 

applicants we interview. We also try to do as much cross 

training as possible to avoid mental and physical fatigue. 

We have noticed that container availability continues to 

be a problem for us shipping out of the Kansas City area. 

Brian Gibson 

Cole Hardwood, Inc. 

Logansport, IN 

International and domestic 

business landscape proved 

to be exceptionally challenging. 

Following the post- 

COVID boom, the abrupt 

fluctuations in prices, particularly 

the soaring costs of 

lumber and the rapid decline 

in overall pricing, placed us in a precarious position. 

The consistent rise in manufacturing expenses further 

compounded our challenges, making profitability elusive 

throughout the year. 

Export markets witnessed a significant decrease in demand 

during the latter half of 2023, and regrettably, I do 

not foresee a substantial shift in this trend in the initial 

months of 2024. Adapting to these market dynamics requires 

strategic planning and a resilient approach as we 

continue to face the complexities of the global economic 

landscape. 


There are less containers coming into this area so the 

demand for empty containers can be intense. It makes 

it difficult to promise a delivery date when you are not 

guaranteed a container when you go to pick one up from 

the depot. Schedule changes have also created logistic 

nightmares. 

Exports represent over 60 percent of our sales in both 

dollars and footage. The whole topic of tariffs is unsettling 

with the experiences we had during the most recent 

trade war with China, but I am not as concerned with tariffs 

as I am with the new EUDR regulations that have the 

potential to cripple the U.S. Hardwood industry. This regulation 

has passed so we need to be ready to find a way 

to comply with it or risk losing a huge percentage of our 

market. We all hope that common sense will prevail with 

limiting these requirements, but we have to have a plan 

in case it doesn’t. Although compliance with these new 

regulations seems impossible, we can’t simply ignore it. 

The European Union has much more support for climate 

change policies than we have in the U.S. Keep in mind, 

those same regulations will cover wood components that 

are being brought into Europe from other countries, so it 

won’t just affect European lumber sales. This could be 

much worse than any tariff we have ever experienced. b 

Cole Hardwood operates as a Hardwood lumber concentration 

yard, catering to a diverse clientele of manufacturers 

and distributors. The standout performers in 

our product lineup this year have been the FAS/1F White 

Oak and various thicknesses and grades of Hickory. Notably, 

our proprietary rustic grades for Hickory and White 

Oak have experienced exceptional success, serving as 

a distinctive avenue to set apart our product offerings in 

the market. 

Cole Hardwood has recently integrated advanced 

scanners, implemented in collaboration with Aiken Controls, 

to assess thickness on both the green chains and 

all kiln-dried lumber machines. This technological enhancement 

has empowered Cole Hardwood to identify 

miscuts effectively, contributing to a significant enhancement 

in the quality of our kiln-dried Hardwood lumber. b 



2024 FORECASTS Continued 

Dave Halsey 

Patrick Lumber Company 

Philomath, OR 

Wesley Robinson 

Robinson Lumber Company 

New Orleans, LA 

2023 has exceeded our expectations, 

2024 has a similar 

uncertainty to last year’s 

planning due to geopolitical 

and economic conditions. 

Interest rates and the election 

cycle figure to be most 

relevant in forward planning. 

Patrick Lumber plans to further invest in our people, processing 

and remain focused on our core businesses. 

The upper grades of softwoods, especially Vertical 

Grain clears were the best movers in 2023 for our distribution 

customer base. Contemporary design elements 

in high-end home construction across the USA were in 

favor. Timber frame construction, which we highlighted in 

our headquarters building in Philomath, also has a strong 

showing in 2023. 

In 2023, we expanded our low grade customer base 

in several softwood categories including southern yellow 

pine. We continued expanding the Hardwood lumber 

business, especially West Coast Hardwoods like Oak, 

Maple and Alder. 

We purchased 10 acres next to our Philomath kiln and 

re-saw facility late in 2022 and began production in early 

2023 of West Coast Hardwoods. We continued to add 

to the mill installing more equipment. In 2024 we plan to 

complete installation of a Salem headrig which should increase 

production 10x. Our customers are showing high 

levels of interest in the West Coast Hardwoods that have 

been historically slash burned in the forest or sent to the 

pulp markets. 

We continue to look for quality employees in all of our 

main business units. The strong support for wood products 

in Benton County home of Oregon State University, 

a land grant school, has helped in recruiting. 

Losing ocean service to Europe from Portland and then 

Tacoma has increased the shipping costs for European 

customers. Along with the strong USD$ this has been the 

biggest impact. 

Right now, we don’t have any concerns with tariffs, we 

are dealing with them just like everyone else. Therefore, 

it’s a level playing field and has no impact. b 

The year 2023 brought 

a mix of challenges and 

achievements for Robinson 

Lumber Company. While our 

export sales to Asia and Europe 

faced some setbacks, 

our North American sales remained 

robust, ensuring that 

the year could still be counted as a success. With export 

sales presenting a hurdle, we are placing our hopes on 

the strength of the North American market to drive our 

success in 2024. 

At Robinson Lumber, we primarily serve manufacturers 

who possess a keen eye for yields. Once they witness 

the value we offer in terms of wood quality and precision, 

they return for more. Notably, our sales to flooring 

customers experienced significant growth this year, especially 

in our value-added sorted to width and ripped to 

width strips. Among our products, White Oak shone the 

brightest in 2023. 

Our commitment to continuous improvement is exemplified 

by ongoing investments in our flagship yard located 

in New Albany, IN. Recently, we doubled the yard’s 

size and introduced the state-of-the-art Combi-CSS Slip 

Loader. This new addition enhances our ability to stage 

and load containers and flatbeds efficiently and safely. 

We also have plans to expand our kiln capacity in the 

near future. 

The American Hardwoods industry is intricately linked 

to the global demand for wood products. However, we’ve 

observed increasingly frequent supply and demand imbalances, 

resulting in sharp price fluctuations. These 

market dynamics can challenge the maintenance of consistently 

profitable operations. 

For over 130 years, Robinson Lumber Company has 

not merely survived; we have thrived, grown and diversified. 

As we look ahead to 2024, we embrace the 

unique challenges that lie ahead with confidence and a 

commitment to innovation and adaptation. Thank you for 

your ongoing support and partnerships. We are excited 

to face the opportunities and challenges of the future. b 

David Messer 

MacBeath Hardwood Company 

Edinburgh, IN 

Overall, 2023 was not 

without its challenges, but 

all in all it was a successful 

year. Looking ahead to 2024 

I think the main challenge will 

be the availability of lumber. 

Specifically, the availability 

of the items most desirable. 

As it becomes more difficult for sawmills to produce 

grade lumber profitably in general, naturally there will be 

less of the few items that everyone wants. It seems as 

though the majority of the demand for Hardwood products 

is focused on a minority of the growing stock in the 

woods, which throws things out of balance for sawmills 

and log producers. This certainly isn’t a new challenge 

for 2024, but an ongoing challenge for the industry as a 

whole. The challenges that steep price adjustments in 

both directions present will be something that we all become 

more acquainted with in the coming year. 

A nice side effect of an economy that is moving very 

slowly is the availability of transportation. The cost of 

freight domestically and the availability of equipment 

necessary for export, as well as the cost to move that 

equipment have both improved over the course of this 

year, and outside of seasonal events that have an effect 

on flatbeds, I don’t see the ratio of trucks to loads tightening 

as we enter the new year. b 

Éric Sauvé 

Simon Lussier, Ltd. 

Blainville, QC 

Overall, it was an okay 

year. Much better than what 

we had anticipated but definitely 

not as profitable as the 

last couple years. We must 

overcome short term green 

lumber supply issues, so 

we have enough kiln-dried 

lumber to start off the new year and to continue to push 

sales. 

Most of our customers are furniture manufacturers and 

stair builders. The most popular products have been 4/4 

through 8/4 Yellow Birch and Hard Maple. 

This year we have introduced European steamed 

Beech to our domestic customers and are still testing the 

market. 

We have installed a new kiln which added 100,000 

board feet measure to our capacity. 

Thankfully this year was good to us and we did not 

have as much turnover as previous years. 

We have not had or expect any problems regarding 

tariffs from Canada. b 




NHLA Teams Up With Louisville To 

Celebrate Convention & Expo’s 126 Years 

With the 126th edition of their Annual Convention & 

Expo Showcase now behind them, the staff at the National 

Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA), headquartered 

in Memphis, TN, will start the hard work of 

planning the 127th edition. That will be held in St. Louis, 

MO, Oct. 2-4, 2024. Early bird registration opens April 

15, 2024. 

NHLA members and guests recently spent four days 

attending networking, educational and Expo displays at 

the Annual Convention & Expo Showcase, held in Louisville, 

KY, at the Omni Louisville Hotel. 

Photos By Terry Miller, Paul Miller Jr. and Chris Fehr 

The event began with the First Annual ITSEF Golf 

Tournament, followed by the Welcome Reception and 

Opening Session, where Eric Traupe spoke on team 

building through CIA tactics. Among the educational 

sessions offered attendees were: emerging AI applications, 

Hardwood lumber trends and forecasts, as well as 

a presentation by Michael Snow of the American Hardwood 

Export Council. 

A grand finale dinner was held at the Kentucky Derby 

Museum. n 

To learn more about the association, visit www.nhla.com. 

Tim Pleimann, Farrow Lumber Company, Cairo, IL; Dewayne Phillips 

and Jason Horton, Ashley Furniture Industries Inc., Ecru, MS; 

and Jayme Wilson, Legacy Wood Products LLC, West Plains, MO 

Gene Hamaker and Bob Hughes, Cardin Forest Products LLC, 

South Pittsburg, TN; Tony Honeycutt, Mullican Flooring, Johnson 

City, TN; and Terry Miller, National Hardwood Magazine, Memphis, 

TN 

Karl Schmertzler, Yoder Lumber Co. Inc., Millersburg, OH; Tom 

Armentano, Sirianni Hardwoods Inc., Painted Post, NY; and Bob 

Cafiero, Meadow River Hardwood Lumber Co. LLC, Rainelle, WV 

Volker Reinecke, Agentur Reinecke GmbH, Hamburg, Germany; 

Shannon Forrest, Robinson Lumber Company, Anderson, SC; 

and Mike Mallin, Midwest Hardwood Company LLC, Maple Grove, 

MN 

Dominik Belzer, Brunner-Hildebrand Lumber Dry Kiln Co., Nashville, TN; Charles Pepin, J.W. Goodfellow Forest Products Inc., Hemmingford, 

QC; Jos aan de Stegge, Brunner-Hildebrand Lumber Dry Kiln Co.; Nick Nakamura, Kohsa Consulting LLC dba Pacific Rim 

Export Inc., Phoenix, AZ; and Robert Goodfellow, J.W. Goodfellow Forest Products Inc. 

Additional photos on page 44 




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NHLA PHOTOS Continued from page 41 

Andy Nuffer, RAM Forest Products Inc., Shinglehouse, PA; Javan 

Mallery, Wolverine Hardwoods Inc., Allegan, MI; David Messer, 

MacBeath Hardwood Co., Edinburgh, IN; and Brian Gibson, Cole 

Hardwood Inc., Logansport, IN 

Mario Lussier and Marilyn Tremblay, Simon Lussier Ltd., Blainville, 

QC; Scott Rossi, Rossi Group, Cromwell, CT; and Robert 

Goodfellow, J.W. Goodfellow Forest Products Inc., Hemmingford, 

QC 

Hud Caldwell III and Ted Rossi, Rossi Group, Cromwell, CT; Lloyd Lovett, King City Forwarding USA Inc., Chesapeake, VA; Bob 

Hughes, Cardin Forest Products LLC, South Pittsburg, TN; and Reinier Taapken and Seamus Bowles, Salamanca Lumber Co. Inc., 

Salamanca, NY 

Alan Robbins, USNR, Jacksonville, FL; Trent Yoder, Yoder Lumber 

Co. Inc., Millersburg, OH; Tom Plaugher, Allegheny Wood 

Products Inc., Riverton, WV; and Rusty Logue, Battle Lumber Co. 

Inc., Wadley, GA 

Bobby Atkinson, Eagle Lumber Co. LLC, Greensburg, KY; Bob 

Bauer, KFIA, Frankfort, KY; George Crawford, Merrick Hardwoods 

Inc., Burnside, KY; and Josh Peachey, Eagle Lumber Co. 

LLC 

Dean Alanko, Allegheny Wood Products International Inc., Petersburg, WV; Will Donoho, Classic American Hardwoods Inc., Memphis, 

TN; David Olah, Allegheny Wood Products International Inc.; John Patterson, Middle Tennessee Lumber Co. Inc., Burns, TN; Chris 

Norris, Hood Industries Inc., Hattiesburg, MS; Rich Solano, Pike Lumber Company Inc., Akron, IN; and Greg Hubble, Prime Lumber 

Company, Thomasville, NC 

Tim Brownlee, Brownlee Lumber Company Inc., Brookville, PA; Jack Matson, World Tree USA, Raleigh, NC; William Perry, Powell Valley 

Millwork LLC, Clay City, KY; and Greg Wells and Barry Hamm, GreenTree Forest Products Inc., Wallingford, KY 

Craig Brouyette, Pike Lumber Company Inc., Akron, IN; Jordan 

McIlvain and Chris Strang, Alan McIlvain Co., Marcus Hook, PA; 

and Ryan Mulligan, Pike Lumber Company Inc. 

Loren Voyer, Kennebec Lumber Company, Solon, ME; Tom Coble, 

Hartzell Hardwoods Inc., Piqua, OH; Doug Settele, Keiver-Willard 

Lumber Corporation, Newburyport, MA; and Josiah 

McKamey, Hartzell Hardwoods Inc. 

Additional photos on next page 




NHLA PHOTOS Continued 

Paul Ostlund, Timesavers LLC, Maple Grove, MN; Geoff Hillenmeyer, 

Middle Tennessee Lumber Co. Inc., Dickson, TN; and Sam 

Patterson, Middle Tennessee Lumber Co. Inc., Burns, TN 

Quentin Moss, G.F. Hardwoods Inc., Moss, TN; Jos aan de Stegge, 

Brunner-Hildebrand Lumber Dry Kiln Co., Nashville, TN; and 

Tony Trobaugh, G.F. Hardwoods Inc. 

Bill Rogers, Newman Lumber Company, Gulfport, MS; Jeff Dougherty, The AGL Group, Jacksonville, FL; Steve Leonard, Lawrence 

Lumber Company Inc., Maiden, NC; and Gail and Kevin Gillette, Tioga Hardwoods Inc., Berkshire, NY 

Jay Bowling, Blair Logistics Inc., Birmingham, AL; Jason Dishman 

and Lawson Maury, Hermitage Hardwood Lumber Sales 

Inc., Cookeville, TN; and David Murphy, Blair Logistics Inc., Ensley, 

AL 

Dathan Gruver, D & D Hardwood LLC, Racine, MO; Colin Campbell 

and Brian Lathrop, Wood-Mizer LLC, Indianapolis, IN; and 

Darrell Gruver, D & D Hardwood LLC 

Alex Gonter-Dray, Goodfellow Inc., Delson, QC; Wesley Boles, 

Hermitage Hardwood Lumber Sales Inc., Cookeville, TN; Melissa 

Berry, Continental Underwriters Inc., Richmond, VA; and Marty 

James, Penn-Sylvan International Inc., Spartansburg, PA 

Peter Lovett, King City/Northway Forwarding Ltd., Montreal, QC; 

Bucky and Cyndi Pescaglia, and Tony Pescaglia, MO PAC Lumber 

Co., Fayette, MO 

Jeremy Howard, Nyle Dry Kilns, Brewer, ME; Jeremy and Kim 

Pitts, Nyle Dry Kilns, Lenoir, NC; and Adam Duplisea, Nyle Dry 

Kilns, Brewer, ME 

Rick Rufo, Church & Church Lumber Co., Wilkesboro, NC; and 

Bruce Horner, Abenaki Timber Corp., Kingston, NH 

Doug Newman, Newman Lumber Company, Gulfport, MS; Rus 

Gustin, RAM Forest Products Inc., Shinglehouse, PA; and Sam 

Hull, Hull Forest Products Inc., Pomfret, CT 

Jim Howard, AHC Group, Mableton, GA; Chris Bingaman, Bingaman 

& Son Lumber Inc., Kreamer, PA; and Jeff Meyer, Baillie 

Lumber Co., Hamburg, NY 






Christine and Cameron McRae, McRae Lumber Co. Ltd., Whitney, 

ON; Shaun Rowe, Quality Hardwoods Ltd., Powassan, ON; and 

Patrick Gagne, Primewood, Drummondville, QC 

Josh Brennan, Frank Miller Lumber Co. Inc., Union City, IN; Keith 

Price, Corley Mfg. Co., Chattanooga, TN; and Jean-Francois Audet 

and Guillaume Genest, Primewood, Drummondville, QC 

Russell Struyk, CJ Struyk and Jessica Tilton, TMX Shipping Co. Inc., Morehead City, NC; Maureen Altham, TMX Shipping Co. Inc., 

Mooresville, NC; Alison Edwards, TMX Shipping Co. Inc., Virginia Beach, VA; and Curtis Struyk, TMX Shipping Inc., Morehead City, NC 

Josh Davis, Farm Credit Mid-America, Springfield, TN; Kellee 

Griffith, AHC Hardwood Group, Mableton, GA; John Beard, Beard 

Hardwoods Inc., Greensboro, NC; and Mark Vollinger, W.M. Cramer 

Lumber Co. Inc., Hickory, NC 

Tom Edwards, Lewis Lumber and Milling Inc./Reliance Hardwood 

Flooring, Dickson, TN; Mike and Laura Penner, Townsend Lumber 

Inc./Breeze Dried Inc., Tillsonburg, ON; and Rob Kittle, Cleereman 

Industries Inc., Newald, WI 

Nicolas Espinoza and David Quane, Paw Taw John Services Inc., 

Rathdrum, ID 

Scott and Stacey Lilley, Rossi Group, Cromwell, CT; Fredrik Sturesson, 

Rossi Group, Bradford, PA; and Jean Desilets, C.A. Spencer 

Inc., Laval, QC 

Michael Oakes and Lance Johnson, ISK Biocides Inc., Memphis, 

TN; Michele Brewer, KFIA, Frankfort, KY; and Monte Pope, ISK 

Biocides Inc. 

Ed Weiner, Rossi Group, Emporium, PA; and Matt Tietz and Bob 

Bell, McDonough Manufacturing Co., Eau Claire, WI 

Scott Hutton, A.W. Stiles Contractors Inc., McMinnville, TN; Charlie 

Brenneman, Brenneman Lumber Company, Mount Vernon, 

OH; and Casey Miller, A.W. Stiles Contractors Inc. 

Amy Coyner, MiCROTEC, Belpre, OH; Loren Voyer, Kennebec 

Lumber Company, Solon, ME; and Gus Welter, Granite Valley 

Forest Products Inc., New London, WI 






Michael Baker, BID Group Technologies Ltd., Saint-Ephrem de Beauce, QC; Patrick Lepage, BID Group Technologies Ltd., Mirabel, QC; 

Anne-Marie Levesque, BID Group Technologies Ltd., Quebec City, QC; Claude Cadrin, C.A. Spencer Inc., Laval, QC; and Pierre-Luc 

Nadeau, BID Group Technologies Ltd., Saint-Georges, QC 

Ray White II, Harold White Lumber & Millwork Inc., Morehead, KY; 

Geoff Webb, NHLA, Memphis, TN; Ray White Sr., Harold White 

Lumber & Millwork Inc.; and Dana Spessert, NHLA 

Gale Miller, Carbotech-Autolog, Tuscaloosa, AL; Stephanie Rodrigue, 

YOUR Marketing Dept., Alexander, NC; Matthew Phillips, 

Carbotech-Autolog, Starkville, MS; and Norm Steffy, Cummings 

Lumber Company Inc., Troy, PA 

Bob Hurst and Andrew Timmer, Eagle Machinery & Supply Inc., 

Sugarcreek, OH; and Jon Syre and Rick Barrett, Cascade Hardwood 

LLC, Chehalis, WA 

Riley Smith, TS Manufacturing Co., Lindsay, ON; Joey Nelson, 

Brad Michael and Jack Wright, JoeScan Inc., Vancouver, WA; and 

Ed Weiner, Rossi Group, Emporium, PA 

Ken Matthews, SII Dry Kilns, Lexington, NC; Rusty and Teresa 

Logue, Battle Lumber Co. Inc., Wadley, GA; and Jim Higgins, Brian 

Turlington and Ben Mathews, SII Dry Kilns 

Rob and Brigette Matson, Matson Lumber Company, Brookville, 

PA; and Jesse LaSon, Rossi Group, Cromwell, CT 

Toto Robinson, Robinson Lumber Company, New Orleans, LA; Damon Graf, Graf and Thomas Lumber Co., Vanceburg, KY; Erin Cox, 

GTL Lumber Inc., Ironton, OH; Parker Robinson, Robinson Lumber Company; and Kelly Hostetter, Kamps Hardwoods Inc., Caledonia, 

MI 

Joe Benko, Deer Park Lumber Inc., Tunkhannock, PA; Michael 

Yates, The AGL Group, Weymouth, MA; and Joe Zona, Deer Park 

Lumber Inc. 

This was taken at Churchhill Downs, Louisville, KY during the 

NHLA Convention. Ray White II, Harold White Lumber Company, 

Morehead, KY, Bucky Pescaglia, MO PAC Lumber Company, Fayette, 

MO, riding “Not A Chance in Hell” and Ray White Sr., Harold 

White Lumber Company. 

Additional photos on page 58 




Robinson Lumber Welcomes NHLA’s 

First-Ever Offsite Convention Mill Tour 

Photos By Terry Miller 

Robinson Lumber Company, a proud member of 

the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) 

for a century, recently had the privilege of showcasing 

its flagship yard located in New Albany, IN, during the 

first-ever NHLA Convention offsite mill trip visit of its 

kind. The event was a resounding success, with over 

120 esteemed guests transported in three buses to witness 

the latest innovations and expansion at the facility. 

An exciting highlight of the showcase was Robinson 

Lumber Company’s recent acquisition of five acres of 

additional land across the street, effectively doubling 

the yard’s footprint. The expansion represents a significant 

commitment to meeting the growing needs of the 

industry. At the heart of the tour was the CombiLift CSS 

Slip Loader. This state-of-the-art equipment enables the 

loading of containers and flatbeds in a remarkable six 

minutes, setting a new industry standard for efficiency 

and safety. 

As part of Robinson’s ongoing commitment to providing 

the highest quality products and services, Robinson 

Lumber is set to further enhance its operations. Plans 

are underway to introduce additional kiln capacity, which 

will significantly bolster the company’s production capabilities. 

Moreover, a new green stacker, all of which add 

to Robinson’s value-added, pulled-to-width and ripped 

strips, with a focus on premium woods like White Oak 

and Hickory. n 

Jim Howard, AHC Hardwood Group, Mableton, GA; Garner Robinson, 

Robinson Lumber Company, New Orleans, LA; and Troy 

Jamieson, Merrick Hardwoods Inc., Somerset, KY 

Chris Rider, AHC Hardwood Group, Mableton, GA; Court Robinson, 

Robinson Lumber Company, New Orleans, LA; and Rusty 

Logue, Battle Lumber Co. Inc., Wadley, GA 

Learn more at www.roblumco.com. 

Ryan Filek, Epicor Software Corporation, Austin, TX; Jordan 

McIlvain, Alan McIlvain Co., Marcus Hook, PA; and Damon Graf, 

Graf and Thomas Lumber Co., Vanceburg, KY 

Gene Hamaker, Cardin Forest Products LLC, South Pittsburg, TN; 

Patrick Gagne, Primewood, Drummondville, QC; Parker Boles, 

Hermitage Hardwood Lumber Sales Inc., Cookeville, TN; and 

Claude Cadrin, C.A. Spencer Inc., Laval, QC 

Russell Kelly, UFP Industries Inc., Union City, GA; Shannon Forrest, Robinson Lumber Company, Anderson, SC; Hal Mitchell, AHC 

Hardwood Group, Mableton, GA; and John Stevenson and Aaron Mizell, Thompson Hardwoods Inc., Hazlehurst, GA 

Jeremy Howard, Nyle Dry Kilns, Brewer, ME; Wesley Robinson, 

Robinson Lumber Company, New Orleans, LA; and Adam Duplisea, 

Nyle Dry Kilns 

Doug Newman, Newman Lumber Company, Gulfport, MS; Rus 

Gustin, RAM Forest Products Inc., Shinglehouse, PA; and Sam 

Hull, Hull Forest Products Inc., Pomfret, CT 




Rossi Welcomes Guests To Reception 

The Rossi Group, headquartered in Cromwell, CT, recently 

welcomed guests to a reception in Louisville, KY 

in conjunction with the National Hardwood Lumber Association 

Convention and Exhibit Showcase, which was 

held at the Omni Louisville Hotel. 

As their website states, The Rossi Group delivers a 

world class selection of Hardwoods, including the gold 

standard in Cherry, all sorted, milled and dried to tolerances, 

consistencies and yields not possible even five 

years ago. 

Photos By Terry Miller 

Learn more at www.rossigroup.net. 

Located near the Pennsylvania-New York border in 

Bradford, PA, Bradford Forest Products, part of the Rossi 

Group since 2021, specializes in high-quality Cherry, 

Hard and Soft Maple, Red and White Oak, and Ash. 

Emporium Hardwoods, another Rossi Group facility 

and nestled in Emporium, PA, is a state-of-the-art operation 

touting two double cut slant head-rigs, two band 

re-saws, and a sorting line with 37 automated bays to 

ensure a maximum range of sizes and grades before 

stacking and kiln drying. n 

Daniel Taapken, Seamus Bowles, Mark Stevenhaagen and Reinier 

Taapken, Salamanca Lumber Co. Inc., Salamanca, NY 

Richard Palmer, Palmer Timber Limited, Cradley Heath, England; 

Dennis Mann and Jeff Meyer, Baillie Lumber Co., Hamburg, NY; 

Reinier Taapken, Salamanca Lumber Co. Inc., Salamanca, NY; 

and Wally Klubek, Baillie Lumber Co. 

Mark and Tammy Miller, Frank Miller Lumber Co. Inc., Union City, 

IN; Jeffrey Dougherty and Stephen A. Zambo, The AGL Group, 

Jacksonville, FL 

Rob Matson, Matson Lumber Company, Brookville, PA; Darwin 

Murray, McClain Forest Products LLC/Legacy Wood Products 

LLC, West Plains, MO; and Jeff Wirkkala, Hardwood Industries 

Inc., Sherwood, OR 

Scott Lilley, Scott Rossi, Jesse LaSon and Ted Rossi, Rossi Group, Cromwell, CT; Ed Weiner, Rossi Group, Emporium, PA; and Hud 

Caldwell III, Rossi Group, Cromwell, CT 

Steve and Dani Jones, Ron Jones Hardwood Sales Inc., Union 

City, PA; and Alex Smith and Bill Buchanan, Buchanan Hardwoods 

Inc., Aliceville, AL 

Ray and Gina Wheeland, Wheeland Lumber Company Inc., Liberty, 

PA; Woody Stanchina, Continental Underwriters Inc., Richmond, 

VA; Jeff Stenta, Engle-Hambright & Davies Inc., Du Bois, 

PA; and Rob Matson, Matson Lumber Company, Brookville, PA 

Ed Weiner, Rossi Group, Emporium, PA; Scott Holley, NWH, 

Beachwood, OH; Joe Zona, Deer Park Lumber Inc., Tunkhannock, 

PA; and Riley Smith, TS Manufacturing Co., Lindsay, ON 

Ray Wheeland, Wheeland Lumber Company Inc., Liberty, PA; 

Jack Monnoyer, Deer Park Lumber Inc., Tunkhannock, PA; Eric 

Porter, Abenaki Timber Corp., Kingston, NH; and Steve Stoufflet, 

Robinson Lumber Company, New Orleans, LA 

Peter McCarty, TS Manufacturing Co., Levant, ME; Matt Tietz, Mc- 

Donough Manufacturing Co., Eau Claire, WI; Cassie Lewis, Turn 

Bull Lumber Company, Elizabethtown, NC; Joe Korac, Automation 

& Electronics USA, Arden, NC; and Geoff Gannon, TS Manufacturing 

Co., Plymouth, NH 

Wally Klubek and Vincent Catarella, Baillie Lumber Co., Hamburg, 

NY; Dave Leonard, Hardwoods Specialty Products, Toronto, 

ON; and Joe Zona, Deer Park Lumber Inc., Tunkhannock, PA 




Hall Of Fame Jockey Visits 

National Hardwood Magazine Dinner 

Photo By Terry Miller 

National Museum of Racing (NMR) and Hall of Fame 

jockey Mike E. Smith made a surprise visit to a dinner 

hosted by National Hardwood Magazine during the recent 

National Hardwood Lumber Association Convention, 

held in the hometown of the Kentucky Derby, Louisville, 

KY. 

Dubbed “The Jockey’s Jockey” by Sports Illustrated 

magazine in 2014, Smith was inducted into the National 

Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 2003. A seven-time 

Triple Crown race winner, including a sweep of the series 

in 2018 with undefeated Justify, he also won The 

Derby in 2005 with 50-1 longshot, Giacomo; the Preakness 

in 1993 with Prairie Bayou; the Belmont in 2010 

with Drosselmeyer and 2013 with Palace Malice. 

The NMR further noted that four of Smith’s Breeders’ 

Cup wins have come in the Classic, with Hall of Famers 

Skip Away (1997) and Zenyatta (2009), as well as Drosselmeyer 

(2011) and champion Arrogate (2016). He has 

won five editions of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, with the 

Hall of Famers Inside Information (1995), Azeri (2002), 

Zenyatta (2008), and Royal Delta (2012), as well as Ajina 

(1997). 

Also, in December of 2019, 

Smith won his 217th Grade 1 

race, breaking the record previously 

held by Hall of Famer Jerry 

Bailey. Through 2022, Smith has 

won 5,692 races with purse earnings 

of $344,795,158 (No. 3 all 

time). 

The above are just some of 

Smith’s career accomplishments. n 

In Memoriam 

Thomas Beard 

Thomas Richard Beard, 90, of Greensboro, NC, died 

September 21, 2023, at Well Spring Retirement Community, 

Greensboro. 

Tom was born in Greensboro on October 2, 1932, to 

the late Ernest Neilson Beard Jr. and Alma Smith Beard. 

He is survived by the love of his life, Nancy Cridlebaugh 

Beard, wife of 65 years; children Anne Beard Krahnert 

(John), T. Richard Beard Jr. (Susan), and John S. Beard 

(Sarah); grandchildren John Krahnert III (Cara), Lauren 

Stone (Darrell), Thomas Beard III (Rory), Mary Grace 

Beard, and John Beard Jr.; and four great-grandchildren. 

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by 

three brothers, Hugh Beard, Cyrus Beard, and Neilson 

Beard III. 

Tom was a proud graduate of Christ School in Arden, 

NC. He attended Davidson College and graduated from 

Bowling Green Business University (now WKU). He was 

honorably discharged from the Army in 1956. 

After the Army, Tom joined his father in the Hardwood 

lumber business. Upon his father’s retirement, Tom 

created one of the most respected Hardwood lumber 

wholesale companies in the world — Beard Hardwoods, 

Inc. Tom was a pioneer in introducing Tulip Poplar to the 

export market in the late 1970s and built his company 

into a top US exporter to the Asian furniture industry. 

Tom was a devoted servant leader, a passion he 

shared with his children and grandchildren. He faithfully 

served First Presbyterian Church as a deacon and an elder. 

He took great pleasure singing in the church’s choir 

for more than 30 years. He also made a concerted effort 

to give back to Christ School, which he credits for developing 

his love of music and work ethic, serving many 

years on the school’s Board of Trustees. 

Tom loved Greensboro and giving back to his hometown. 

He was an active member of the Kiwanis Club 

of Greensboro and Greensboro Country Club. He also 

served on the board of the River Landing retirement 

community. He was committed to making Greensboro a 

better place for generations to come. 

Tom also served on many industry boards, including 


Look who surprised dinner attendees in Louisville, KY, home of Churchill Downs! Renowned 

jockey Mike E. Smith, pictured in plaid jacket, front row. 

Read more at 

www.racingmuseum.org. 

Lumbermen’s Luncheon Club Digs Deep, 

Raises Largest Donation Ever 

The annual meeting of the Lumbermen’s 

Luncheon Club (LLC) 

took place recently during the National 

Hardwood Lumber Association 

(NHLA) Annual Convention & 

Expo Showcase. 

The Club celebrated a big accomplishment 

this year by raising a record 

high donation for their chosen 

charitable cause: the American Legion 

Post 193. LLC raised $7,750, 

which surpassed last year’s donation 

by about $2,000. 

Erin Cox, of GTL Lumber Inc., 

was thanked for finding the American 

Legion and arranging food and 

drinks for the celebratory luncheon. 

Steve Jones, of Ron Jones Hardwood 

Sales, was in charge of the 

Photo By Terry Miller 

Pictured are most members of the Lumbermen’s Luncheon Club. 

induction ceremony of seven new LLC members. 

The group’s mission, which is simple but meaningful, is to promote timber 

and lumber one way or another! n 

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NHLA PHOTOS Continued from page 51 

Ray White Sr., Harold White Lumber & Millwork Inc., Morehead, 

KY; Paul Miller Jr., National Hardwood Magazine, Memphis, TN; 

David Anderson, Roy Anderson Lumber Co. Inc., Tompkinsville, 

KY; and Matt Begley, BPM Lumber LLC, London, KY 

Bob Bauer, Executive Director, KFIA, Frankfort, KY; Dana Lee 

Cole, Hardwood Federation, Washington, DC; and Jerry Muth, 

Muth Wood Products Company LLC, Fairfield, OH 

Nathan Jeppson and Dave Brower, NWH, Frisco, TX; and Jed 

Miller, NWH, Tacoma, WA 

Bruce and Wilma Horner, and Eric Porter, Abenaki Timber Corp., 

Kingston, NH 

Brian Gibson, Cole Hardwood Inc., Logansport, IN; Ray Wheeland, 

Wheeland Lumber Company Inc., Liberty, PA; and Burt 

Craig, Matson Lumber Company, Brookville, PA 

Isaiah Harville, Baillie Lumber Co., Leitchfield, KY; Robert Ousley, 

James Ritter Lumber Co. Inc., Summer Shade, KY; Rob Mc- 

Carthy, NWH, Apple Creek, OH; and David Caldwell, HMR, Memphis, 

TN 

Craig Albright, Messersmith Manufacturing Inc., Bark River, MI; 

Bill Rogers, Newman Lumber Company, Gulfport, MS; and Chris 

Fehr, National Hardwood Magazine, Memphis, TN 

Rusty Hawkins, Roy Anderson Lumber Co., Tompkinsville, KY; 

Doug Newman, Newman Lumber Company, Gulfport, MS; and 

Chad McPherson and Anthony Hammond, Roy Anderson Lumber 

Co. 


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Jack Matson, World Tree USA, El Segundo, CA; Kevin Smith, Matson 

Lumber Company, Brookville, PA; and Lisa and Matt Gabler, 

PFPA, Harrisburg, PA 

Trent Johnson and Dalton Van Esselstyn, Blue Book Services 

Inc., Carol Stream, IL; and Michael Snow, AHEC, Sterling, VA 

Kelly Park, Continental Underwriters Inc., Benton, KY; Melissa 

Berry, Continental Underwriters Inc., Richmond, VA; Ray Wheeland, 

Wheeland Lumber Company Inc., Liberty, PA; and Woody 

Stanchina, Continental Underwriters Inc., Richmond, VA 

Claus Staalner, American Wood Technology LLC, Jefferson, GA; 

and Alex Staalner, Brookhuis America Inc., Jefferson, GA 

Phil LeBlanc, Lumber Resources Inc., Quebec City, QC; Laura 

Townsend and Mike Penner, Breeze Dried Inc. Tillsonburg, ON; 

and Javan Mallery, Wolverine Hardwoods Inc., Allegan, MI 

Steve Spears, Taylor Group Inc., Louisville, MS; Don Goodin, 

Lebanon Oak Flooring Co. LLC, Lebanon, KY; and Jeff Eisfelder, 

Taylor Group Inc. 

Eddie Carson, Beasley Forest Products Inc., Ridgeland, MS; 

Tammy Daugherty, National Hardwood Magazine, Memphis, TN; 

DeWayne Feltner, MacBeath Hardwood Co., Edinburgh, IN; Chris 

Fehr, National Hardwood Magazine, Memphis, TN; and Trevor 

Vaughan, Ron Jones Hardwood Sales Inc., Union City, PA 

Susan Coulombe, J.D. Irving Limited, Clair, NB; and Terry Miller 

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Hud Caldwell III and Ted Rossi, Rossi Group, Cromwell, CT; and 

Mary Claire and Nordeck Thompson, Thompson Appalachian 

Hardwoods Inc., Huntland, TN 

Andrew Johnson and Michael Yates, The AGL Group, Weymouth, 

MA; and Stephen A. Zambo and Jeffrey Dougherty, The AGL 

Group, Jacksonville, FL 

Simon Ince, Walker Lumber Company Inc., Woodland, PA; Nate 

Jones and Steve Jones, Ron Jones Hardwood Sales Inc., Union 

City, PA; and Nick Ince, Walker Lumber Company Inc. 

Michael Oakes, ISK Biocides Inc., Memphis, TN; Dean Miller, 

AHC Hardwood Group, Cleveland, GA; Steve Gunderson, Hermitage 

Hardwood Lumber Sales Inc., Cookeville, TN; and Dave 

Wilson, Hardwood Specialty Products, Toronto, ON 

Paul Newton, Tim Girardi, Mike Gaines, Willow Rouben and Ron 

Nentwig, Logs 2 Lumber 2 You LLC, Nashville, TN 

Dave Sondel, Ken Weiss, Mark Peaden and Calen Dembitsky, 

U-C Coatings LLC, Buffalo, NY 

Troy Jamieson, Merrick Hardwoods Inc., Burnside, KY; Michael 

Snow, AHEC, Sterling, VA; Steve Merrick, Merrick Hardwoods 

Inc.; and Chris Norris, Hood Industries Inc., Hattiesburg, MS 

Susan Cho, PLMI, Philadelphia, PA; Melissa Forcey, Forcey 

Lumber Company Inc., Woodland, PA; Sean Briscoe, PLMI; Patti 

Heintzelman, Keiver-Willard Lumber Corporation, Newburyport, 

MA; and Brant Forcey, Forcey Lumber Company Inc. 


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Chip Underwood, Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods Inc., Huntland, 

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LLC, Maple Grove, MN 

Chris Fehr, National Hardwood Magazine, Memphis, TN; Eric Porter, 

Abenaki Timber Corp., Kingston, NH; Chris Bingaman, Bingaman 

& Son Lumber Inc., Kreamer, PA; and Burt Craig, Matson 

Lumber Company, Brookville, PA 

Stacey and Scott Lilley, Rossi Group, Cromwell, CT; and Frances 

Cooper and Amanda Spooner, Cooper Machine Company Inc., 

Wadley, GA 

Robert Goodfellow, J.W. Goodfellow Forest Products Inc., Hemmingford, 

QC; Stacy Mellott, Mellott Manufacturing Co. Inc., Mercersburg, 

PA; and Claude Cadrin, C.A. Spencer Inc., Laval, QC 

Scott Bashrum, NWH, Frisco, TX; Scott Holley, NWH, Beachwood, 

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Paul and Annette Eastman, Collins Kane Hardwood, Kane, PA; 

and Bo Hammond, Kop-Coat Inc., Pittsburgh, PA 

Scott Stringer, Barry Hodgkin, Karen Gauthier and Jason Bolstad, 

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Keith Price and Jim Burris, Corley Mfg. Co., Chattanooga, TN 


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Robert Wagner, USNR, Graham, NC; Trevor Vaughan, Ron Jones 

Hardwood Sales Inc., Union City, PA; Alan Robbins, USNR, Jacksonville, 

FL; and Sam Pope, USNR, Woodland, WA 

Jon Krepol, Industrial Vision Systems Inc., West Conshohocken, 

PA; Trevor Vaughan, Ron Jones Hardwood Sales Inc., Union City, 

PA; and Mike Ballard, Sawmill MD, Crestview, FL 

(Front row, from left) Mitra Reese, Penn-Sylvan International Inc., 

Spartansburg, PA; Alex (Hoa) Thi Tran, Penn-Sylvan Hardwoods 

Inc., Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and (back, from left) Jay Reese, 

Marty James and Andrew Robinson, Penn-Sylvan International 

Inc., Spartansburg, PA 

Susan Cho, Sean Briscoe and John Smith, PLMI, Philadelphia, 

PA 

Cassie Lewis, Turn Bull Lumber Company, Elizabethtown, NC; 

and Ian Faight and Linda Jovanovich, SCMA, Pittsburgh, PA 

Jon Pace, Hal Mitchell and Zack Rickman, AHC Hardwood Group, 

Mableton, GA 

LAKE STATES Continued from page 12 

He added that transportation expenses have gotten 

“crazy.” 

The supplier offers almost all domestic species and 

around 80 exotic species that are primarily sold to office 

furniture manufacturers, architectural, woodworking and 

plywood customers. 

One Michigan mill representative said that the market 

for Red Oak and Maple has been “picking up a little bit.” 

“Basswood and Aspen are in the tank now,” he added. 

“Those have been really slow on the grade side. I think 

a lot of it is just demand to be honest. There just isn’t 

enough out there.” 

Noting that Red Oak is his best seller, he said that Maple 

has “picked up, surprisingly.” 

Regarding the overall timber market, he said that “customers 

have seen the downtrend as well.” 

“They’ve seen a little more competition out there,” he 

noted. 

He agreed that higher fuel costs have been challenging 

for the industry. 

“It seemed like they were ticking down in the summer,” 

he said. “But now they’ve bopped back up there. It doesn’t 

look like there is any end in sight.” n 

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NORTHEAST Continued from page 12 

price is off,” he mentioned. 

He said that he sells to a wide range of customers, 

including wholesalers and end users. “They haven’t said 

anything good about their sales to me lately,” he added. 

In Connecticut a lumber representative said that his 

market is slow. “Our sales are worse than they were six 

months ago,” he added. 

His company handles Red and White Oak, Poplar and 

Ash, and occasionally sells some Cherry and Hard Maple. 

“We mainly offer the upper grades, FAS and No. 1 

Common and very little No. 2 Common, we offer these 

in 4/4 thickness and in theory we handle 4, 5, 6 and 8/4 

as well,” he said. 

The majority of the customers that he sells to are 

importers and distributors, he noted that he will occasionally 

sell directly to end users depending on the market. 

“We typically use agents in other countries and my 

agents in the Middle East are telling me that their sales 

are still slow despite the fact that they were expecting 

them to have picked up by now,” he said. “My agents in 

Europe are of course having a hard time with the war 

and the increase in energy costs.” 

He mentioned that he is happy with his Red Oak 

sales. “Red Oak is a species that I have always thought 

of as a more domestic item, but I have noticed that it has 

started to sell more abroad with more countries starting 

to buy it.” n 

SOUTHEAST Continued from page 13 

of this writing. 

“We are just hanging in there and hoping that the 

market gets better,” he added. 

A lumber representative in Arkansas said that his sales 

have been sporadic. “There is definitely less production 

and there are less opportunities for orders,” he remarked. 

“It seems that there are less people that want to haul 

Hardwood logs and both green and kiln-dried lumber 

production have slowed down.” 

He mentioned that his sales are doing about the same 

as they were six months ago when asked. 

His company offers primarily all Hardwood species, 

with a focus on Oak and mixed Hardwoods. “We offer 

grades FAS, No. 1 Common and No. 2 Common and 4/4 

and 5/4 thicknesses,” he said. 

His company sells to end use manufacturers, 

distribution yards and exporters. “It seems that they are 

also experiencing sporadic sales,” he said. “They will 

have a couple of good days and then they have a few 

days where there isn’t a lot happening.” n 

WEST COAST Continued from page 13 

may not be as bad but with White Oak we have all of 

the barrel companies that buy up products for their whiskey 

barrels. They are paying more of a premium than 

what people want to pay for a sawlog. They are willing 

to pay more to get the White Oak for the barrels. That’s 

why there’s a shortage right now and it will probably get 

tighter.” 

Another contact in California said fuel costs are a major 

issue and trucking in general is challenging in his 

area. “Trucks aren’t allowed to come into certain parts 

of California,” he explained. “We have restricted freight 

coming in by truck and a lot of it is coming in by train and 

into the port. It’s still difficult to get it from the port.” 

He continued, “The off-gassing of the diesel fuel and 

the fumes don’t meet the criteria set forth by legislation 

here. Until the trucking companies can get a handle on 

that end of it, our prices will be higher just to move it in.” 

Overall many Hardwood suppliers in the area expect 

market activity to remain stable but look for price increases 

and availability shortages to continue. n 

ONTARIO Continued from page 14 

time. Green production is low in several regions. With 

less Basswood being produced, it has temporarily eased 

price volatility. 

With orders for finished goods being low, many secondary 

manufacturers have reduced their operating 

hours, thus using less lumber and raw materials. Purchases, 

say some contacts, are for replacement needs 

only. Kiln-dried Birch sales are hard to come by, and prices 

are sliding down. Mills and wholesalers are shipping 

their limited quantities of green stocks, however, they 

noted competition is fierce for orders. Sales are for premium 

color material with prices stable. 

There was a slight improvement in demand for Hard 

Maple, although secondary manufacturers and lumber 

wholesalers indicated sales of finished goods were not 

that good. Purchases were made to replenish depleted 

stocks, as buyers saw a tightening of supply availability. 

Inventories are still noted as low, with prices continuing 


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ONTARIO Continued 

to rise for some grades and thicknesses. Green Hard 

Maple production is low, with some areas struggling to 

source logs because of inclement weather and weak 

markets. Secondary manufacturers and wholesalers are 

working to increase their receipts. 

Soft Maple sales are now more closely aligned with 

buyers’ needs. Prices have stabilized, and are now edging 

higher. “We saw demand for kiln-dried inventories 

shift from an excess on markets to hardly available supplies, 

which resulted in firmer pricing for this species,” 

said one source. 

Red Oak demand remains at a fair pace as it is used 

in finished goods, in repair and remodelling projects, for 

solid wood flooring and for railway ties. Kiln-dried demand 

is outpacing supplies, which raises prices for most 

grades. End users are absorbing green Red Oak at this 

time, and supply is not sufficient to meet this demand. 

On the other hand, White Oak is in great demand at 

this time both on domestic and international markets for 

high-end finished goods. However, the issue is finding 

logs to supply this need. Prices are rising as a result of 

this shortage. Most kiln-dried inventories for White Oak 

are thin for most items. 

In early October, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister 

responsible for the Federal Economic Development 

Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), the Honourable 

Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for Waterloo, 

participated in the Wood Manufacturing Cluster 

of Ontario (WMCO)’s Quarterly Networking Event. MP 

Chagger announced almost $2.9 million in support for 

the organization so they can help SMEs (small and midsize 

enterprises) in southern Ontario adopt digital strategies. 

The announcement notes Ontario is home to the largest 

concentration of advanced wood manufacturing in 

Canada, and the forest industry is a pillar of the Canadian 

economy. It has over 3,000 companies employing 

35,000 workers who contribute more than $7 billion in 

revenue each year. The Government of Canada supports 

these workers and the manufacturers that employ 

them as they evolve, scale up, adopt new processes and 

technologies, increase their production capabilities and 

create good jobs for Canadians. 

WMCO is an industry-led cluster that supports SMEs 

across southern Ontario specialized in cabinetry, commercial 

fixtures and millwork, furniture, flooring, mass 

timber construction and other niche products. With this 

investment, WMCO will support manufacturers as they 

adopt technologies, including supply chain digitization 

and increased Internet-of-Things capabilities. 

WMCO will provide seed funding for up to 50 eligible 

SMEs undergoing digital adoption projects, creating 50 

new jobs. As part of this investment, 50 new products, 

services and processes will be commercialized. WMCO 

will also prioritize SMEs in rural and Indigenous communities 

through targeted outreach activities. 

The Government of Canada is investing in manufacturers 

so they can reach their potential and develop new 

possibilities for this important industry. 

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, and a happy, 

healthy and prosperous New Year! n 

QUEBEC Continued from page 14 

Cherry to supply demand from China, which is pressuring 

green lumber prices. 

Flooring plants are holding back buying Hickory, and 

some wholesalers are also reducing orders of this species. 

Kiln-dried business is flat mostly everywhere at 

present for Hickory. 

Certain residential wood flooring manufacturers are 

more cautious in purchasing Red Oak and are lowering 

prices accordingly. Business is reported as not being 

strong for Red Oak; supplies are thin due to its low production 

this year. Kiln-dried prices gained traction over 

the past few months with figures being raised accordingly. 

Drying operations were purchasing No. 1 Common 

and Better Red Oak, as they do not have much in drying 

yards or kilns. Certain residential wood flooring manufacturers 

said they were taking a cautious approach to Red 

Oak buying and lowering their prices. 

Contacts noted strong demand for White Oak for green 

No. 1 Common and Better, due to low production. Prices 

are rising for certain grades and thicknesses, and demand 

on domestic markets are quite good, while exports 

are fair for certain businesses. 

Demand for Poplar is reportedly decent while prices for 

Common grades have tightened in certain areas. 

Markets for Walnut are not that strong, except for the 

U.S. and to China; production has been low for the past 

several months. 

Furniture producers are experiencing slow business 

while supplies are ample for raw materials and framestock. 

Wood pallet markets are also slow while others 

note steady sales. 

According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation 

(CMHC) housing supply across Canada’s largest cities 

saw just a 1 percent growth in the first six months of 

2023, compared to the first half of 2022. CMHC’s latest 

Housing Supply Report examines new housing construction 

trends in Canada’s six largest Census Metropolitan 


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MUELLER BROTHERS 

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Tracey Mueller, Log Procurement; Kevin Mueller, Mill Manager; 

and Randy Mueller, Sales 

SAWMILL AND TWIN BAND RESAW 

Manufacturers of: 

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SPECIALIZING IN PLAIN SAWN: 

• WALNUT • COTTONWOOD 

• SYCAMORE • HICKORY • RED OAK 

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400,000’ DRY KILN CAPACITY 

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Grooved sticks used on all 

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P.O. BOX 175 

OLD MONROE, MO 63369 

PHONE: 636-665-5193 

FAX: 636-665-5812 

Email: randy@muellerbros.com 

www.muellerbros.com 

NHLA 

QUEBEC Continued 

Areas (CMAs). These are Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, 

Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Tighter borrowing 

conditions, elevated construction and labor costs, and 

high interest rates created challenging conditions for 

homebuilders across all six major markets. Additionally, 

construction timelines saw a slight increase from the 

first half of 2022, up 0.9 months. 

Toronto and Vancouver accounted for nearly twothirds 

of the housing starts across the six markets, with 

apartment starts making up nearly three-quarters of all 

housing construction. The strong apartment growth observed 

in Toronto and Vancouver was offset by declines 

in Canada’s other largest centers. 

Montreal tends to build more small and low-rise apartment 

structures than Toronto and Vancouver. Because 

of their smaller size, these structures take less time to 

plan and build. The decline in housing starts in Montreal 

was, therefore, more reflective of the recent deterioration 

in financial conditions. 

Elevated rates of apartment construction, highlights 

the report, are not likely to be sustainable due to various 

challenges facing developers. These challenges include 

higher construction costs and higher interest rates. 

This cutback takes place at a time when more sellers 

are coming to market. New listings have increased 

in each of the last six months, and in September surpassed 

their pre-pandemic level by 10 percent (this data 

is the most current data available at press time). 

The Royal Bank of Canada’s Monthly Housing Market 

Update notes that early evidence in September confirmed 

that higher interest rates continue to restrain real 

estate activity across most of the country – with Alberta 

once again bucking the trend with its sustained vigour. 

Home resales fell 1.9 percent month over month (m/m) 

nationwide, marking the third consecutive monthly decline. 

A sharp easing of supply-demand conditions since 

summer has brought most markets into better balance 

while tipping Ontario into a buyer’s market. This has 

relieved the upward pricing pressure that built in the 

spring. Canada’s aggregate MLS Home Price Index fell 

slightly month-over-month in September (-0.3 percent) 

for the first time since March. Prices are expected to 

soften further through the remainder of this year and 

possibly into early next as market conditions continue to 

tilt in favor of buyers. 

Sales declines were widespread in September with 

few markets reporting advances. Among Canada’s 

larger markets, the pullback was sharpest in Vancouver 

(-5.6 percent m/m). Though the latest backstep in 

Toronto looked comparatively modest at -1.8 percent, 

the fall since this spring’s peak is substantially more 

pronounced (-22.4 percent) than in Vancouver (-13.7 

percent). 

Higher interest rates, affordability challenges and economic 

uncertainty are likely to keep homebuyer demand 

muted in the near term. At the same time, higher interest 

costs may also exert increasing pressure on existing 

homeowners to sell, keeping the flow of new listings 

going. Together these trends would hand buyers more 

pricing power in the months ahead, driving prices further 

down in Ontario while restraining gains elsewhere in the 

country. 

With housing markets down, it will mean less consumer 

spending on many Hardwood finished goods as 

consumers reign in their spending as interest rates are 

higher and with the economic uncertainty. 

We extend the Hardwood industry sincerest best wishes 

for a happy, healthy and prosperous Holiday Season. n 

nationalhardwoodmag.com 

INDUSTRY NEWS Continued from page 17 

well as European Union and United Kingdom compliant. 

They offer ripped to width lumber. Granite Valley has 40 

dry kilns, 60 bay green bin sorter, 100 carts off their dry 

line and two sawmills. Granite Valley purchases 400,000 

board feet of kiln-dried lumber monthly (5 million board 

feet annually). 

Before joining the Granite Valley team, Hyer started 

piling lumber in 2004, he then went on to be the chief 

business development officer, chief inventory officer and 

director of international sales at MacDonald & Owen 

Lumber. He also serves as a volunteer for the American 

Hardwood Export Council and previously served as the 

chairman of the board. 

Hyer went to the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse 

and graduated with a degree in Chemistry in 2004. 

Hyer has been married to his wife for 21 years and is a 

father to five children. 

For more information visit www.granitevalley.com. 

DMSi Announces Log and Lumber Division 

DMSi has been at the forefront of innovation for inventory 

and order management solutions for the building 

materials industry. With a recent growth initiative, the 

company is now poised to provide the same level of innovative 

solutions to the Hardwood industry. DMSi’s Log 

and Lumber Division was officially created earlier this 

year, as a way for the company to specifically focus on 

the inventory, production and order management needs 

of the Hardwood industry. 

“Hardwood companies need software that can address 


Family Owned And Operated Since 1976. 

A.W. Stiles Contractors providing a full line of 

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Installations and Complete Rebuilds on Existing 

Equipment. Hardwood Package Kilns, Predryers, 

Walnut Steamers. Also manufacturing softwood 

kilns, including Dual Path Continuous Kilns. 

Our kilns are all manufactured in 

McMinnville, Tennessee. 

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Providing replacement control installations 

and upgrades for existing kilns and pre-dryers. 

Screen shot above. User Friendly, Reliable, 

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Contact: Lee Stiles Cell: (931) 409-0144 

286 Bass Lane, McMinnville, TN 37110 

Email: lee@awscontractorsinc.com 

Website: www.awscontractorsinc.com 




INDUSTRY NEWS Continued 

New partnership 

New possibilities 

McDonough Manufacturing has acquired 

B.I.D. Canada Ltd., an expert in material 

handling equipment. 

Let's chat about how we can help you 

achieve your goals. 

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tional and partnership with Hardwood Timber and Transportation 

Services; DMSi has been focused on building 

a team to provide a fully-integrated, end-to-end suite of 

inventory, production and order management solutions 

to the Hardwood industry. 

For each product DMSi has acquired, the first step 

has been to build out the foundations of a team that can 

handle their growth plans, then begin the modernization 

efforts to position DMSi to be the last software provider 

their customers will ever need. 

Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska for nearly five 

decades, DMSi has remained an independent, 

family-owned business, 

guided by its original core values in 

a relentless pursuit of excellent customer 

service. 

For more information, visit www. 

dmsi.com. 

NWFA Completes 70th Home 

with Gary Sinise Foundation 

The National Wood Flooring Association 

(NWFA), located in Chesterfield, 

MO, has provided flooring for 

its 70th home in support of the Gary 

Sinise Foundation R.I.S.E. program 

(Restoring Independence Supporting 

Empowerment). The R.I.S.E. 

program builds mortgage-free, custom, 

specially adapted smart homes 

for severely wounded veterans and 

first responders. The home dedication 

for United States Army Sergeant 

(Ret.) Shane Parsons took place recently 

in Columbus, OH. Flooring for 

the project was donated by NWFA 

member Sheoga Flooring. 

In 2006, Sgt. Parsons was off duty 

while stationed in Iraq, but volunteered 

to go out on a mission. As 

the lead driver, he drove over an improvised 

explosive device (IED) that 

was designed to cut through metal 

and protective gear. The explosion 

resulted in the loss of both his legs 

above the knee, and a traumatic 

brain injury. 

“When Sgt. Parsons was air lifted 

out of Iraq, he suffered three cardiac 

arrests,” says NWFA President and 

CEO, Michael Martin. “The longest 

one lasted 45 minutes, which left him 

unable to read, write, or manage dai- 

United States Army Sergeant (Ret.) Shane 

Parsons and family at his home dedication. 

their needs that are unique to this industry,” says Henry 

German, DMSi co-owner and President of the DMSi Log 

and Lumber Division. “The Log and Lumber Division’s 

sole focus is on software solutions equipped to handle 

these needs effectively.” 

While just recently announced, the development of 

DMSi’s Log and Lumber Division was a strategic initiative 

nearly four years in the making. Beginning with the 

rollout of TallyExpress in 2018, and more recently, the 

acquisitions of eLIMBS and Simply Computing Internaly 

basic living skills. Through his hard 

work, he has regained the ability to 

read, speak, and care for himself. 

We’re honored to partner with Sheoga 

to provide beautiful wood floors 

for his new home.” 

In addition to the 70 homes already 

completed, NWFA currently is working 

with its members to source wood 

flooring for 13 additional R.I.S.E. 

homes in various stages of planning 

and construction. Currently, 153 

NWFA member companies have donated 

product, logistics, and installation 

services in locations throughout 

the United States, with a total value 

of more than $6.9 million. A list of all 

NWFA R.I.S.E. participating companies 

can be found at www.nwfa.org/ 

giving-back.aspx. 

To learn more about the program, 

and how you and/or your company 

can get involved, contact the NWFA 

at 800.422.4556, or e-mail them at 

anita.howard@nwfa.org. 

The National Wood Flooring Association 

is a not-for-profit trade 

organization, with more than 3,200 

member companies world-wide, 

dedicated to educating consumers, 

architects, designers, specifiers, and 

builders in the uses and benefits of 

wood flooring. The NWFA is located 

at 111 Chesterfield Industrial Boulevard, 

Chesterfield, MO 63005, and 

can be contacted at 800.422.4556 

(USA & Canada), 636.519.9663 (local 

and international), or at www. 

nwfa.org. 

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Beers Millwork Expands 

Beers Millwork has come a long way in a short period 

of time. 

"We began in a rented space within someone else’s office 

where we stored materials in 800 square feet," said 

Amanda Beers, co-owner with her husband, Alan Beers. 

The couple started the millwork company in June 2020, 

and they have been steadily expanding ever since. "Within 

6 months," she said, "we signed a lease for 15,000 

square feet in Mount Pleasant, SC, and in June of 2023 

• Shipping Dry Lumber 

• Kiln Dried Lumber 

• Clear Strips 

• Surfacing-2-Sides (S2S) 

• Gang Ripping / Parallel Sawing 

• Straight Line Ripping 

• Optimized Cross Cut 

• Molding Millwork 

• Edged & Face Glued Products 

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Wheeland Lumber Company, Inc. 

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P: 570-324-6042 • F: 570-324-2127 




INDUSTRY NEWS Continued 

we relocated the business to North Charleston where we 

now have close to 26,000 square feet, which includes a 

full millwork shop and a showroom. A little over 3 and a 

half years and we have three locations." 

The millwork supplier offers custom and commodity 

doors in solid Hardwoods and according to their website 

they offer several species, which include but are not limited 

to, Red and White Oak and Poplar. They can make, 

replicate or supply any interior trim profile or product 

such as stairs, treads, balusters, mouldings, casings and 

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windows. Additionally, Beers offers exterior doors, railing, 

decking and millwork details such as screen doors, 

gates, corbels and shutters. They also supply door and 

cabinet hardware. 

For more information, visit www.beersmillwork.com. n 

AHEC REPORT Continued from page 20 

are very consistent buyers of Red Oak, in particular 8/4 

lumber. This region can be difficult to travel around and 

make strong connections, so events like Dubai Woodshow 

are ideal for bringing in potential customers from 

Turkey, the UAE, Pakistan, Egypt, 

Saudi Arabia, and more. 

Interzum Guangzhou and FMC 

Shanghai are the largest shows in 

China and cover every aspect of the 

furniture and flooring industries. China 

has now opened up to American 

travelers, so we are looking forward 

to holding our full-scale pavilions at 

these shows for the first time since 

2019. 

FIMMA Maderalia in Valencia, 

Spain will be an excellent opportunity 

for the U.S. Hardwood industry 

to connect with European buyers 

and will be the only pavilion of the 

year in Europe. The Spanish market 

has been consistent, and the show 

attracts buyers from all over Europe 

and North Africa. 

Sylva Wood, held next June in 

Shanghai, is different from Interzum 

and FMC because while the larger 

shows include finished products, 

machinery, and other furniture materials, 

Sylva Wood is a “wood only” 

show. This means the attendance is 

a bit smaller, but typically more informed 

and wood-focused. 

TechnoMueble in Guadalajara, 

Mexico will provide a chance 

for U.S. Hardwood companies to 

connect with buyers in one of the 

fastest growing markets of the last 

few years. We have seen excellent 

growth of U.S. Hardwood exports 

to Mexico, thanks in large part to a 

supply chain shift away from China 

and toward manufacturing hubs 

closer to end markets like the USA. 

AHEC last held a pavilion at 

INTERMOB in Turkey back in 2016, and after a few 

rocky years, the market has returned to a very promising 

target for U.S. Hardwood producers. Based on feedback 

from AHEC Regional Director Rod Wiles we believe the 

timing is right to re-enter the market with a U.S. Hardwood 

pavilion in September 2024. 

TIWF Bangkok is a new show for 2024. The Thailand 

market has become one of the strongest in Southeast 

Asia, and this pavilion will be our largest event in the 

region in 2024. 

The AHEC U.S. Hardwood Pavilions host between 

12-30 companies and space is given 

out on a first come, first served 

basis. $500 covers the space, pavilion 

build, electricity, flooring, lighting, 

and basic furniture. Due to the 

large demand for these spaces, registration 

occurs several months in 

advance and typically sells out the 

same day. 

In addition to these trade shows, 

we also offer U.S. companies representation 

during our “mini trade 

show” at the AHEC Convention 

this September in China. All AHEC 

members that register will be given 

a free table with their company 

logo at a cocktail reception with our 

attending Asian buyers. The event 

will serve to educate local buyers 

on the benefits of using American 

Hardwood products, how to specify 

Hardwoods, and connect them directly 

with you, the industry. We had 

excellent participation at the 2023 

AHEC Convention in Chengdu, China, 

with over 400 attendees, and 

we are looking forward to another 

strong event this year to reconnect 

with the market. 

Above all, our goal at AHEC is to 

represent the American Hardwood 

industry and connect U.S. companies 

to new markets. By providing 

a low-cost way to exhibit at international 

trade shows we hope to make 

it easy for small, family-owned companies 

to make a big global impact. 

If you are interested in attending our 

AHEC China Convention or any of 

the trade shows listed here, please 

contact AHEC’s International Program 

Manager, Tripp Pryor, tpryor 

@ahec.org. n 

NHLA: WHY KNOT... Continued from page 22 

have yet to see is everyone contributing something. 

I PROPOSE WE SEND OUT A SURVEY. It sounds 

simple enough, but this is how it will go. The survey will 

only have one question. 

1.How do you want to fund the RAHC long-term? 

A.Voluntary contributions 

B.Associations surcharge for 

membership dues 

C. Grants 





ISK BIOCIDES ISLAND.indd 7 

5/18/17 3:14 PM

WHO’S WHO 

IN HARDWOOD PURCHASING 

A BRIEF SKETCH OF THE LEADING 

PURCHASING EXECUTIVES IN 

THE HARDWOOD INDUSTRY 

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EXPERIENCE QUALITY DEPENDABILITY 

975 Conrad Hill Mine Rd. ~ Lexington, NC 27292 

Phone 336-746-5419 ~ Fax 336-746-6177 

www.kepleyfrank.us 

Facilities: 

3 Sawmills Processing 50 Million' • 750,000' Dry Kiln 

Capacity • 600,000' Fan Shed Capacity 

2 382 Newman Planer Mills • 50 Bay Bin Sorter 

Products Available: 

4/4-8/4 Appalachian Lumber • 6/4-8/4 Ship Dry Capacity 

Crossties (100,000 BF per week) • Timbers up to 18' 

1,000,000+ Average KD Inventory • 12,000,000+ 

Average AD Inventory 

Species: 

White Oak • Red Oak • Poplar • Ash • Hickory 

Elm • Beech • Gum • Hackberry • Pecan 

Jimmy Kepley, owner, and Bart 

Jenkins, lumber sales 

The firm manufactures 4/4 through 8/4 thicknesses. 

Sales: 

Bart Jenkins 

bjenkins@kepleyfrank.us 

Jimmy Kepley 

jkepley@kepleyfrank.us 

JIM RICE is president of Lodi Lumber Co., located in 

Lodi, OH. 

Lodi Lumber is a manufacturer of custom and standard 

pre-hung doors, mouldings and millwork. The company 

purchases a total of 300,000 board feet annually of Red 

and White Oak, Hard and Soft Maple, Poplar, Cherry, 

Walnut, Knotty Alder and some Mahogany (FAS and No. 

1 Common, 4/4 through 8/4, kiln-dried and rough). 

Lodi Lumber was founded over 134 years ago and also 

purchases some red and white pine in both Clear and 

Common grades for use in manufacturing. 

Value-added services offered include the ability to custom 

match moulding profiles in various species and custom 

knife grinding. 

Rice graduated from Cloverleaf High School, located 

in Lodi, in 1974 and attended Lorain County Community 

College, located in Elyria, OH. He has worked at Lodi 

Lumber for 53 years and held management roles for 38 

years. Rice’s duties include daily operations and lumber 

purchasing. 

In his spare time, Rice enjoys hunting and archery. He 

has been married to Joyce for 38 years and the couple 

has two daughters, Lindsey and Whitney, as well as six 

grandchildren. Whitney is the 5th generation of the family 

to work at the company. 

Additional information is available at www.lodilumber. 

com. 

JOHN W. HUBBARD is owner and operator of Camden 

Hardwood Products LLC located in Camden, TN. 

Camden Hardwood Products manufactures Hardwood 

flooring and furniture frames. The company purchases 

over 1 million board feet of Hardwood species per year 

(No. 2 Common and Better, 4/4 through 12/4, green or 

air-dried, rough), including Hickory, Red and White Oak, 

Hard and Soft Maple and Poplar, as well as mixed Hardwoods. 

Hubbard has worked at Camden Hardwood for almost 

30 years, with responsibilities including lumber purchasing 

and daily operations. He is a graduate of Columbia 

Military Academy in Columbia, TN, and graduated from 

the National Hardwood Lumber Association Inspector 

Training School in 1963. 

In his spare time, Hubbard enjoys hunting and fishing 

and gardening. 

For more information, contact 731-584-3314. 

KATE DAVIS is the CEO of TableLegs.com, 

an end use manufacturer 

and wholesaler stationed 

in St. Johnsbury, VT, who 

focuses on tables, tops, bases, 

components and turning squares 

throughout the U.S. 

TableLegs.com purchases 

roughly 200,000 board feet of domestic 

lumber annually, 170,000 

of which is domestic Hardwood. 

The company purchases kiln-dried FAS Hard and Soft 

Maple, Red and White Oak, Cherry, Walnut, Sapele, and 

pine in a range of 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 8/4, 10/4 and 12/4. Their 

turning squares are the above species excluding Hard 

Maple at 1.75”, 2.25”, 2.75”, 3.5”, and 4.5” wide and 4”- 

60” long. 

TableLegs.com uses their proprietary EasyBase system, 

and they provide finishing and custom turnings for 

their products. 

Davis has officially been involved in lumber purchasing 

with the company for 12 years, only recently taking the 

CEO position. Unofficially, she has been in the business 

her whole life, saying, “This is a family owned business.” 

Outside of her job, Davis enjoys being outside and 

spending time with her family, which includes her husband 

of 18 years, Jeff, as well as two daughters. 

TableLegs.com is a part of the VT Wood Works Council. 

To reach the company, in addition to their website, call 

800-748-3480 or email legs@tablelegs.com. n 

Scanning Carriage 

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Have you considered 

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“Last summer Matson Lumber 

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with new Paw Taw optimization. The 

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and the results have certainly met 

our expectations. The pricing, the 

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Give us a call for options. 

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Resaw System 




Kate Davis 

IN MEMORIAM Continued from page 57 

the National Hardwood Lumber Association, Appalachian 

Lumbermen’s Club, Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers 

Inc., North Carolina Forestry Association, 

North Carolina Export Council and North Carolina Ports 

Advisory. 

Tom’s favorite hobby was meeting people. He never 

met a stranger. He loved golf and was very proud of the 

hole in one he made when he was 72. He especially 

loved playing golf with his sons, grandsons and son-inlaw. 

The Belvedere Open will never be the same! 

Tom was most proud of his family, with whom he loved 

spending time at their beloved home in Oak Island. The 

Please turn the page

Connecting North American 

Forest Products Globally 

LIKE AND FOLLOW US ON: 

@millerwoodtradepub 

www.millerwoodtradepub.com 

IN MEMORIAM Continued 

family will always cherish the memories made there. 

The family would like to express its gratitude for the 

wonderful staff at Well Spring Retirement Community, 

especially those in the Skilled Care Unit who treated 

Tom and his family as one of their own. 

A celebration of life was held on Sunday October 1, 

2023, at First Presbyterian Church, Greensboro, NC. 

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please consider 

donating to one of the organizations that Tom was 

so passionate about. n 

NHLA: WHY KNOT... Continued from page 77 

D. USDA research and promotion 

program (Checkoff) 

E. Not at all 

If you select A) Voluntary contributions, you will be sent 

to a screen that says donate $1,000 now to submit your 

answer (and it will take credit cards). It will also have a 

button to go back and change your answer. If you are 

unwilling to donate now, you must choose from the other 

options. 

If you select B) Association surcharge for membership 

dues, you will be sent to a screen that says add $1,000 

to your dues now to submit your answer (and it will take 

credit cards and have a list of associations you belong 

to). It will also have a button to go back and change your 

answer. If you are unwilling to donate now, you must 

choose from the other options. 

If you select C) Grants, you will be sent to a screen that 

says matching funds are required for grant donations of 

$1,000 now to submit your answer (and it will take credit 

cards). It will also have a button to go back and change 

your answer. If you are unwilling to donate now, you must 


If you select D) USDA research and promotion program 

(Checkoff), you will be sent to a screen that says, 

Checkoff programs take years to create; donate $1,000 

now to submit your answer (and it will take credit cards). 

It will also have a button to go back and change your 

answer. If you are unwilling to donate now, you must 


If you select E) Not at all, you will be sent to a screen 

that says, many others don’t feel the same way; please 

donate $1,000 now to support those who want it to continue. 

It will also have a button not willing to donate and 

end the survey. 

Do you get the picture? Good then Why Knot Have The 

Hard Discussion About Long-Term Funding For RAHC? n 

NAFF BULLETIN Continued from page 24 

The old saw in marketing says that customers need 

seven to 12 touches before they take action, and children 

learning to expand their range of acceptable foods 

may need to be exposed to the new food 15 times before 

they cultivate a taste for it. Changing hearts and minds 

for wood – for good – takes a strategy, creativity, and 

repetition. 

•Educate effectively. Effective education begins at an 

early age in order to reach a wide range of people. Our 

signature Truth About Trees kit for K-3 classrooms (provided 

at no charge) brings the message about trees to 

kids built upon science-based facts and creative visuals. 

Kids have an opportunity to learn about trees, and grow 

in understanding their significance. At the same time, 

adults around them hear the message and learn something 

new. 

A new junior high version, in a gamified app, is also 

on the horizon. Not only does the app reinforce the message 

kids should have heard in early elementary, but it 

builds upon that concept with age-appropriate information 

and introduction to careers in the field. 

•Close the skills gap in the forest and forest products 

industry. The forest products industry needs smart, curious, 

enthusiastic workers in all types of jobs. As a career 

field it’s wide open–with something for everyone from art 

to math, science to accounting and more. 

The career message is critical. Between ages five and 

seven children often start thinking about what they want 

to be when they grow up. Making forestry careers as visible 

to them as other careers plants a seed that allows 

their interest to develop. 

Around sixth grade or junior high is the time when kids 

begin taking a more realistic interest in careers; once 

again, having resources available to them to help satisfy 

their curiosity is an important advantage in building 

greater interest in the industry and closing the skills gap 

for good. 

We’re in this race to win it – and the health of future 

generations and our planet depends on it. 

The North American Forest Foundation is dedicated 

to supporting the forest products industry and helping 

future generations learn the truth about trees; we are 

cheerleaders as well for attracting more people to the 

field for satisfying careers. 

And, we can’t win the race without you. 

Send a message to Allison DeFord at adeford@ 

northamericanforestfoundation.org and say I’M IN! 

Or visit our website, northamericanforestfoundation. 

org/, to learn more about how to become a sponsor of 

the Truth About Trees app or an annual or one-time donor. 

Together we keep the industry thriving for generations. 

Let’s bet on exTREEmelysmart for the win! n 

Wood: The Natural Choice 

Stay on track: www.rta.org or 




CLASSIFIED 

PROFIT OPPORTUNITIES 

To: Anyone involved in the sawmill controls industry 

SEEKING AN eLIMBS SPECIALIST 

DMSi is currently seeking a candidate to implement and support the eLIMBS inventory 

system. This person will use their industry and product knowledge to help customers 

improve their business processes with the software. 

Duties include 

-Manage implementation projects, including system set up and configuration 

-Train customers and other DMSi personnel on use of the system 

-Help resolve client cases by gathering information and researching issues 

-Create documentation to improve eLIMBS training resources 

Qualifications 

-Knowledge of the hardwood lumber industry and supply chain processes 

-Experience with training end-users (virtual and in-person) on new software procedures 

-Strong logical and problem-solving skills 

-The ability to positively represent DMSi/eLIMBS 

Position Details 

-Full-time position 

-Ability to work from home or Omaha office 

-Travel to customer locations required 

-Medical, dental, vision, 401(K) with match, PTO, and other benefits provided 

Reply to Kevin Peterson (kpeterson@dmsi.com) 

To: Anyone involved in the sawmill controls industry 

FOR SALE 

Dry Kiln Concentration Yard with 470,000 bdft Kiln Capacity 

and 400,00 bdft Predryer Capacity 

LOT – Western Pennsylvania 

26.47 – acre industrial site 

26.31 – acre wooded lot 

70,000 sqft asphalt lot 

100 x 80 vehicle lot 

Enough sq footage to openly store 2,000,000 bdft lumber. 

BUILDINGS: 

80 x 212 Steel storage building concrete floor (blue lumber storage) 

65 x 140 Wood frame equipment building concrete floor (green chain) 

60 x 130 Wood frame equipment building (stacker) 

60 x 80 Steel building high storage (sawdust) 

60 x 60 Wood frame equipment building (grading shed) 

130 x 80 Coe steel building (predryer) 

5 – 50,000 ft SII Kiln Building 

2 – 40,000 ft Irvington Moore Kilns 

2 – 80,000 ft Nardi Kilns 

25 x 160 Garage w/small office and wash area. Parts storage rooms. 

Block and wood structure. 

25 x 160 Open face wood storage shed, gravel floor. 

25 x 160 Open face steel storage shed with a 50 x 60 high overhang roof, 

gravel floor. 

104,000 sqft Asphalt lot 

OFFICE – Roughly 2,000 sqft working space. 

11 Individual offices 

2 large clerical offices 

1 large conference room 

Small kitchen 

2 Restrooms 

Reply to: nhm@millerwoodtradepub.com, put CMP #3578 in subject line. 

ALL CLASSIFIED 

ADS MUST BE PAID 

IN ADVANCE 

$45.00 PER INCH • 

Blind Box Number Fee: 

$10.00 

DEADLINE: 

30 Days Preceding 

Publication Month 

Classified advertising will not be 

accepted for Hardwood products such 

as lumber, dimension, turnings, veneer, 

carvings, new dry kilns or dry kiln 

equipment, etc. 

USED MACHINERY FOR SALE 

●USNR 4TA30 Top Arbor Three Shifting 

Saw Edger 

●Infeed Landing Deck 

●USNR – Lunden Cam Unscrambler 

S/N 41419 

●Even Ending Rolls 

●Queuing Hooks (2) ahead of Scanner 

●Queuing Hooks (2) after Scanner 

●Edger Infeed Model 600 Maximizer 

S/N 2951-A 

●USNR 4TA30 Edger with 200 HP Arbor 

Drive Motor 

●Outfeed Belt with Shifting Edging Shears 

●Specs – Hardwood 1” to 4” Thick x 4” to 24” 

Wide x 6’ to 16’ Long 

●Saw Kerf .160” x Saw Plate .120” 

●Two Hydraulic Units 

●Water Mizer Oil Mist Guide System 

●Set of Babbitt Guide Tools 

Contact: James Robbins 

Cell: (207) 322-3162 

Email: jarobbins@rlco.com 

Certified Lumber Grader – Job Description 

Cardin Forest Products is a family owned sawmill and kiln drying operation located in South 

Pittsburg, Tennessee. We are currently seeking a candidate to fill a hardwood lumber grading 

position in our kiln drying operation. 

The ideal candidate will have: 

•Been NHLA certified 

•2 to 3 years of experience grading kiln dried hardwoods 

Duties will include, but not be limited to the following: 

•Grade and mark all lumber to be sorted according to NHLA rules/guidelines 

and industry standards 

•Communicate effectively with your team and other departments 

•Adhere to all safety policies and perform tasks in a safe and responsible 

manner 

Required Qualifications: 

•Minimum of one (1) year experience grading green and/or kiln dried domestic 

lumber 

•Must be NHLA trained or have equivalent knowledge. 

•Must be physically capable of performing all duties of the job and any other 

duties assigned by Crew Leader 

Position 

•Full time position 

•Company offers medical, dental, 401(k), and other benefit offerings 

We are an equal opportunity employer. Employment selection and related decisions are 

made without regard to sexual orientation, race, color, age, disability, religion, national origin, 

citizenship status and creed. 

Salary Negotiable 

Reply to: Jeremy Ball 

Cell: (423) 619-8056 

Email: jball@cardinfp.com 

SALESMAN WANTED 

We’re looking to add a salesman 

to our team to grow our U.S. sales, 

and our Ontario, Canada westward 

sales. 

Knowledge of the Hardwood industry, 

logistics and supply chain 

process are important. Strong sales 

qualities and solutions oriented. 

Full-time and exclusive to our service. 

Location is not an issue – work 

remote from U.S. or in Ontario, Canada. 

Reply to: 

nhm@millerwoodtradepub.com 

Put CMP #3579 in subject line. 

national 

hardwood 

mag.com 

HELP WANTED 

SERVICES 

901.767.9126 

or visit us at 

www.hmr.com 

Benchmark pricing and market 

commentary on the North American 

hardwood lumber industry. 

Go online at hmr.com for a sample copy. 

Our Classified 

Advertising 

Works! 

FOR INFORMATION CALL: 

800-844-1280 

Connecting North American Forest Products Globally 

National Hardwood Magazine 

www.nationalhardwoodmag.com 

Hardwood Purchasing Handbook 

www.hardwoodpurchasinghdbk.com 

Greenbook’s Hardwood 

Marketing Directory 


Greenbook’s Softwood 

Marketing Directory (on-line only) 


Forest Products Export Directory 

www.forestproductsexport.com 

P.O. Box 34908, Memphis, TN 38184-0908 

(800) 844-1280 or (901) 372-8280 

Imported Wood Purchasing Guide 

www.importedwoodpurchasing.com 

Import/Export Wood Purchasing News 

www.woodpurchasingnews.com 

The Softwood Forest Products Buyer 

www.softwoodbuyer.com 

The Softwood Forest Products Buyer 

Special NAWLA Edition 

www.softwoodbuyer.com 

Forest Products Stock Exchange 

(on-line only) 


PLEASE VISIT US ONLINE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR PUBLICATIONS 


info@millerwoodtradepub.com 




ADVERTISERS 

INDEX 

Abenaki Timber Corporation...................... 

AGL Group, The......................................60 

AHC Hardwood Group................................ 

Air Systems Mfg. of Lenoir, Inc.................. 

Anderson, Roy, Lumber Company, Inc....... 

Atlanta Hardwood Corporation.................. 

Automation & Electronics USA..............17 

Bailey’s Inc.............................................58 

Baillie Lumber Co....................................... 

Beard Hardwoods....................................... 

BID Group..................................................7 

Bingaman & Son Lumber, Inc.................10 

BioLube, Inc................................................ 

Breeze Dried Inc......................................... 

Brunner-Hildebrand Lumber 

Dry Kiln Co..............................................57 

Carbotech-Autolog..................................63 

Cardin Forest Products LLC....................... 

Church, Bryant, Hardwoods, Inc................ 

Clark Lumber Co......................................... 

Classic American Hardwoods, Inc............. 

Cleereman Controls..................................5 

Cleereman Industries...............................5 

Cole Hardwood, Inc............................... FC 

Collins......................................................... 

Continental Underwriters, Inc................... 

Cooper Machine Co., Inc........................68 

Corley Manufacturing Co......................IBC 

Cramer, W.M., Lumber Co........................... 

Cummings Lumber Co., Inc......................3 

Deer Park Lumber, Inc................................ 

Devereaux Sawmill, Inc.............................. 

DMSi Software............................... 42 & 43 

Eagle Machinery & Supply, Inc..............64 

EXPO Richmond.......................................... 

EZLOG Company, Inc.................................. 

Farm Credit Mid-America........................... 

Fitzpatrick & Weller Inc.............................. 

Forcey Lumber Company, Inc..................... 

Frank Miller Lumber Co., Inc...................... 

GF Hardwoods, Inc..................................... 

Graf Bros. Flooring & Lumber................23 

Granite Valley Forest Products.................. 

GTL Lumber Inc......................................59 

Hardwood Forestry Fund........................80 

Hardwood Manufacturers Assoc .............. 

Hartzell Hardwoods, Inc............................. 

Hermitage Hardwood Lumber Sales, Inc.. 

HHP, Inc....................................................... 

Hurdle Machine Works Inc.....................19 

Industrial Vision Systems, Inc...............11 

Irving, J.D., Limited................................15 

ISK Biocides, Inc....................................76 

JoCo Lumber, Inc........................................ 

JoeScan...................................................... 

Jones, Ron, Hardwood Sales, Inc.............. 

Josey Lumber Co., Inc................................ 

Kentucky Forest Industries Assoc............. 

Kendrick Forest Products.......................... 

Kepley-Frank Hardwood Co., Inc...........78 

King City Forwarding USA, Inc...............21 

King City/Northway Forwarding Ltd.......21 

Kop-Coat Protection Products...............71 

Kretz Lumber Co., Inc................................. 

Lawrence Lumber Company Inc................ 

Lewis Controls, Inc...............................IBC 

Lewis, Dwight, Lumber Co., Inc.............70 

Lewis Lumber & Milling.............................. 

Limbo.......................................................... 

Lumber Resources Inc............................... 

Lussier, Simon, Ltd..................................... 

MacBeath Hardwood Company.................. 

Maine Woods Company.............................. 

Mars Hill, Inc............................................... 

Matson Lumber Company........................... 

Maxwell Hardwood Flooring..................67 

McDonough Manufacturing Company....74 

Mellott Manufacturing Co., Inc................... 

Meridien Hardwoods of PA., Inc................. 

Merrick Hardwoods.................................... 

Messersmith Manufacturing, Inc............... 

MiCROTEC................................................... 

Middle Tennessee Lumber Co., Inc............ 

Midwest Hardwood Company.................... 

MO PAC Lumber Company.......................... 

Montreal Wood Convention........................ 

Mueller Bros. Timber, Inc.......................72 

Neff Lumber Mills, Inc................................ 

New River Hardwoods, Inc......................... 

Note: Advertisers with no page number carry an alternating Ad schedule. 

North American Forest Foundation............ 

Northern Hardwoods.................................. 

NWH............................................................ 

Nyle Dry Kilns...........................................1 

Oakcrest Lumber, Inc................................. 

OHC | Overseas Hardwoods Company....... 

O’Shea Lumber Co...................................... 

Patrick Lumber Company........................... 

Paw Taw John Services, Inc..................79 

Pennsylvania Hardwoods Co...................... 

Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual 

Insurance Company................................62 

Peterson, Keith D., & Co., Inc................81 

Pike Lumber Co., Inc.................................. 

Prime Lumber Company........................ BC 

Primewood............................................ IFC 

Quality Hardwoods Ltd............................... 

Railway Tie Association.........................81 

RAM Forest Products, Inc.......................... 

Real American Hardwood Coalition.........8 

Robinson Lumber Company....................61 

Rosenberry, Carl, & Sons, Lumber, Inc...... 

Sawmill MD.............................................11 

SII Dry Kilns..............................................9 

Sirianni Hardwoods, Inc............................. 

Smithco Manufacturing, Inc....................... 

Snowbelt Hardwoods, Inc.......................... 

Southern Forest Products Assoc............... 

Stiles, A.W., Contractors, Inc.................73 

Stoltzfus Forest Products, LLC.................. 

Taylor Machine Works, Inc......................... 

Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods, Inc... 

Tigerton Lumber Co................................25 

TMX Shipping Co., Inc................................ 

TS Manufacturing...................................16 

U-C Coatings, LLC....................................... 

USNR.......................................................77 

Western Hardwood Association................. 

Wheeland Lumber Co., Inc.....................75 

White, Harold, Lumber, Inc......................... 

Williams, R.J., Inc...................................69 

Wolverine Hardwoods, Inc.....................65 

Wood-Mizer, LLC......................................66 

For over a century, Corley has given you the edge in the industry. 

Our edger optimizers provide value, grade and volume-driven solutions; true random and fixed-width solutions; simultaneous 

processing of multiple thicknesses, grades and species; taper solutions based on actual shape; online parameter changes 

with no downtime; remote troubleshooting and software upgrades; Dynavision scanning in either 1" or 3" profiles; grade 

intensive or pass through type systems; and custom control packages to meet individual mill requirements. What does this 

mean? Maximum returns—year after year! Our experienced professionals can help you realize a profit potential you never 

thought possible. Call us today or visit our website to discover what other lumbermen have known for over 100 years. 

www.corleymfg.com 

www.lewiscontrols.com 



P.O. Box 471 | Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401 | tel: 423-698-0284 DECEMBER 2023 | n fax: NATIONAL 423-622-3258 

HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 85

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 

We deliver the highest-quality hardwoods 

that make all your dreams come true. 

Ask about our FSC ® 

certifi ed products 


FSC-C005392 

www.PrimeLumber.com

National Hardwood Magazine - December 2023

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