National Hardwood Magazine - December 2023

HHP, INC. Continued

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 32 DECEMBER 2023 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE RealAmericanHardwood.com/industry RealAmericanHardwood.com/industry DECEMBER 2023 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 33