HARDWOODS SPECIALTY -
HARDWOODS SPECIALTY - Continued ing regions. The company’s distribution yards each take in from 20,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet in space. All storage space for wood is enclosed, as well as the loading bays, Blanco says. “We have a low-capital-need model,” Blanco says. “All facilities are leased to maintain flexibility.” Hardwoods Specialty Products’ main customers are cabinetmakers, custom millworkers, furniture makers and others. “Hardwoods provides the essential link between suppliers, who wish to sell large volumes of product, and industrial customers, who often require smaller quantities of many different products on a just-in-time basis,” Blanco explained. “We are larger than any of our direct competitors, virtually all of our customers and most of our suppliers. We link hundreds of family-owned Hardwood mills with thousands of small-tomid-sized industrial manufacturers.” The company provides credit and liquidity. “We have over 2,000 different customers,” Blanco says. “We take care of our suppliers’ sales, buying in volume and paying the mill promptly – effectively becoming their third-party sales force,” he said. “We have over 100 mill suppliers and a number of key long-term supply relationships.” Inventory of wood is carefully maintained. “Our inventory ranges up and down depending upon the season that we are in and the nature of the product,” Blanco says. “From We link hundreds of family-owned Hardwood mills with thousands of small-to-mid-sized industrial manufacturers.” Lance Blanco, president and CEO, Hardwoods Specialty Products 38 Hardwoods Have Workability
HARDWOODS SPECIALTY - Continued an inventory management perspective, we don’t want to be over two months of sales nor under one, so that we have what our customers want available on a just-in-time delivery basis.” The last three years have been “very difficult,” Blanco says. “We have had to make some very difficult decisions and shut down One of the company’s covered lumber storage bays is shown here in Riverside, Calif. Make Production Of Grade Lumber Most Profitable. RESAW MATERIAL UP TO 18”× 18” Noyna Morillo is part of Hardwoods Specialty’s office staff. branches and lay off some very good people,” he says. “However, this was necessary for us to do to survive, and we believe we are stronger as a distributor today, having made those choices. Our focus is growth going forward as a company. We don’t want to forget our roots as a reliable, focused group of consultative sellers. We see the continued need and value that our distribution model provides to both lumber manufacturers and to our customer base and we believe we have the best value proposition in the industry to continue to grow our distribution business.” For more information on Hardwoods Specialty Products, you can visit www.hardwoods-inc.com. • This Baker Grade Lumber System consists of a Model “DX” single-head Baker Band Resaw with computer setworks, automatic Infeed and Outfeed TurnArounds, Raw Material Infeed Deck, and Remote Operator’s Control Booth. Square up your grade logs on your existing sawmill, and then send those squares to a Baker Grade Lumber System to resaw them into straight boards ready for market. It is really quite a high production concept that will cut your overhead costs dramatically. At the heart of the Baker Grade Lumber System is the Model “DX” Baker Band Resaw, which can be purchased with one or two heads. Each head is equipped with 36”-diameter all steel band wheels which can utilize a 1¼”, 1½”, or a 2” band blade. These thin-kerf band blades saw at amazingly fast rates and with amazing accuracy! Contact a Baker Sales Consultant today and ask for your FREE video and literature package. Phone: (573) 663-7711 or call Toll-free: (800) 548-6914 eMail: info@bakerproducts.net www.logtolumber.com Your Log To Lumber Leader Since 1988 FEBRUARY/2011 39
