National Hardwood Magazine - February 2024

Stoltzfus Forest Products has a combined 24,000 square feet of dry lumber storage between their two yards.
Stoltzfus Forest Products:
Doing It All From Timber Tract To Lumber Board
By Paul Miller Jr.
Located in the small town of Peach Bottom, PA, Stoltzfus
Forest Products was established in 1990 by Samuel
Stoltzfus, father to Benuel Stoltzfus, who currently manages
the business. This family-run sawmill has evolved
from humble beginnings to become a thriving force in
the Hardwood industry.
The story began when Samuel, a dairy farmer with a
fascination for sawmills, decided to delve deeper into
this interest. During the quieter periods on the farm, he
took a big step and acquired a small mill. At first, he ran
the mill in tandem with the daily demands of dairy farming.
Orders started coming in, thus, in 1990, Stoltzfus
Forest Products was created.
Since its modest beginnings, Stoltzfus Forest Products
has undergone significant growth. In 2016, the company
made a substantial move by purchasing a 10-acre property,
to which they relocated their mill. Today, Stoltzfus
Forest Products provides a range of Hardwoods, including
Poplar, Red and White Oak, Walnut, Hickory, Soft
Maple and Cherry. With an annual production capacity
Located in the southeastern region of Pennsylvania, in Lancaster
County, Stoltzfus Forest Products sources its logs from the surrounding
areas.
of 10.5 million board feet through the mill and 3.5 million
board feet through the dry kilns, the company consistently
delivers top-notch lumber to their customers. Their
products include No. 2 Common and Better lumber,
which accounts for approximately 70 percent of their
output. The remaining 30 percent is dedicated to various
specialty orders, such as railroad ties, pallet cants,
industrial blocking, and mat timbers. They also handle
special requests from local woodworkers and farmers in
need of custom-cut pieces for projects like wagons. “We
are drying the upper grades and selling the lower. We
don’t dry much No. 2 Common at all. Walnut would be
the only thing that we are drying in No. 2 Common. The
other species in No. 2 Common are sold green,” Benuel
added.
While they used to
work with Ash, it has seen
a large decline in recent
years. “I would say at
this point we are 90 percent
4/4, and the other
10 percent is 5/4 to 16/4.
When we put the kilns in
two years ago it kind of
changed the thicknesses we dry. We are heavier to 4/4
to better accommodate our current markets, as well as
quicken our production time since it goes through the
kilns faster,” Benuel commented.
Located in the southeastern region of Pennsylvania,
in Lancaster County, Stoltzfus Forest Products sources
its logs from the surrounding areas. “We will go up to
120 miles for a nice piece of timber. It must be good
quality and good timber to go that far. The majority are
less than 50 miles. Lancaster county doesn’t have a
whole lot of timber, so we don’t get a lot of timber out of
our county. It’s more out of York County across the river
to the west and Chester County to the east and then we
get quite a bit of timber out of Maryland. I think we get
more timber out of Maryland than we do Pennsylvania,”
Benuel added.
“We are able to control the quality
from the standing tree the whole way
to the local wood shop.”
In terms of storage, the company utilizes around
12,000 square feet of dry storage, although some of this
space houses equipment. Additionally, they have approximately
14,000 square feet of dry storage at another
yard. Stoltzfus also uses Breeze Dried Sticks to prepare
lumber stored on the yard. Looking ahead, they have
plans to expand with two new buildings, a 12,000 square
foot warehouse, and a 36,000 square foot production
building, expected in 2025.
Stoltzfus Forest Products boasts a diverse team of
dedicated employees, many of whom come from the local
Amish community, celebrated for their strong work
ethic. The leadership team includes the general manager,
Benuel Stoltzfus, as well as Samuel Stoltzfus,
responsible for sawdust
sales and truck loading.
Abner and Henry, both of
whom are Benuel’s brothers,
play crucial roles in
the company. Abner oversees
the mulch operation
and manages log procurement,
including logging
activities, while Henry
serves as the mill maintenance supervisor and has
prior experience on the Head Saw; he also manages
parts inventory and oversees the filing room. Other valuable
team members include Levi King, who manages
dry storage and the processing of kiln-dried lumber, and
Phillip Smith, responsible for kiln-dried lumber sales.
Omar King holds the position of grading and lumber
quality supervisor, ensuring high-quality standards in
grading and yield processes. In addition to these crucial
roles, Melvin, the youngest brother, contributes by loading
and unloading kilns and serving as a sawyer. Amos
Beiler, the log yard manager and production manager,
oversees the two hour shift schedule, managing the logistics
of both the mill and dry storage. His responsibilities
include coordinating schedules, ensuring efficient
operations and filling in for absent team members when
– Benuel Stoltzfus, Stoltzfus Forest Products
Please turn to page 42
“We are drying the upper grades and selling the lower. We don’t dry much No. 2 Common at all. Walnut would be the only thing that
we are drying in No. 2 Common. The other species in No. 2 Common are sold green,” said Benuel Stoltzfus.
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