National Hardwood Magazine - August 2018

The company purchases

The company purchases over 1 million board feet each year of Alder, Soft Maple, Poplar, and Red and White Oak in FAS grade (4/4, 5/4, 6/4 and 8/4, kiln-dried and rough). Allen & Allen Company: Committed to Quality By Michelle Keller San Antonio, TX–Privately owned and operated Allen & Allen Company, a distribution yard based here, supplies Hardwood and softwood lumber and lumber products. The company’s product mix includes (but is not limited to): Hardwood lumber, Hardwood plywood, softwood lumber, treated lumber, custom moulding and trim, stair parts, windows and doors. Hardwood species available include: Alder, Soft Maple, Poplar, Red and White Oak in FAS grade (4/4, 5/4, 6/4 and 8/4, kiln-dried and rough). Director of lumber purchasing, Ron Luhring, commented, “Over time, we have noticed a drop in Alder sales as our customer base turns to Poplar. Customers are moving away from stain grade products, toward the paint grades. We feel this is a direct result of what’s trending in architectural and interior design.” Allen & Allen Company’s commitment to its customers to sell the best possible products available contributes to its success, which has remained a top business priority. Director of marketing, Christina Martin, said, “Our sales philosophy revolves around relationships. We try our best to identify the needs of our customers and source materials that will provide the most value.” The company was founded by H.B. Allen, who later passed it on to his son, Lynn Allen, hence the name Allen & Allen Co. The latter then sold it to Pat Knight, who was the owner and president for 18 years. Mr. Pat Knight’s legacy lives on as our work ethic is driven by his personal motto: ‘Believe in people. If you take care of people, the business will take care of itself.’” After Knight’s untimely passing in October of 1999, the business was left to his family, which still proudly owns and operates the firm, carrying the legacy of Knight and the Allen family. Allen & Allen Co. has provided quality products and superior service to construction and design professionals as well as ‘do-it-yourself’ end users since 1931. Offering comprehensive inventories, spacious selection centers and a knowledgeable staff, company President Buzz Miller said, “We have a business strategy here that we’ve adopted since the very begin- 24 AUGUST 2018 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE

Buzz Miller is president of Allen & Allen Company, a distribution yard located in San Antonio, TX. Allen & Allen maintains over million in inventory at its twoacre facility. ” We pride ourselves on serving a wide range of customers. Our current project mix has us sourcing materials for a number of private ranches/ estates, wineries and microbreweries as well as a number of restoration and refurbishment projects in historic San Antonio. ” –Buzz Miller, president, Allen & Allen Co. ning. We are a company that specializes in quality. Our forte is quality lumber, hardware, plumbing and window products.” Miller said specific attention is placed on specialty and hard-to-find items. “For hard-to-find building items, and the best choices on the most contemporary products, we are the ones to see. We stock rare softwoods – the kind that most yards don’t want to invest inventory dollars in.” Miller, who oversees the activities of 70 employees, said that more than million in inventory is stored in a lumberyard situated on a two-acre site. In addition to the large supply of inventory, another significant part of the Allen & Allen Co. is its large manufacturing facility, which handles moulding, millwork and grinding knives used for restoration and custom projects. Equipment utilized here includes Weinig moulders, a Mereen-Johnson straightline rip and a Newman Whitney planer. Most recently the company added a multi-line rip saw for increased efficiencies. “Our facility boasts an impressive custom knife collection and program,” Miller explained. “By utilizing our expe- Please turn to page 41 AUGUST 2018 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 25