National Hardwood Magazine - May 2022

TRADE TALK AN UPDATE

TRADE TALK AN UPDATE COVERING THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT HARDWOOD SUPPLIERS/VENDORS 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 MEMPHIS, TN—The Board of Managers of the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA), headquartered here, recently announced the appointment of Dallin Brooks as the organization’s executive director. Since June of last year, the search committee has been on a quest to find the right executive director to help NHLA reach Dallin Brooks its full potential. “With the help of the recruiting firm Vetted Solutions, we have found an individual with a great deal of energy, ability and an intense desire to be part of helping to create a vibrant industry,” said Jeff Wirkkala, president of NHLA. For the last 10 years, Brooks has been the executive director of the Western Wood Preservers Institute, working to promote and protect the preserved wood market for lumber, utility poles, and railway ties. WWPI has steadily grown under his leadership and transitioned from a defensive reactionary industry to a positive offensive story, focusing on content creation and dissemination. Together with his staff, he developed smartphone apps for Treated Wood Guide, Wood Pole Guide, and Tie Grading Guide in collaboration with other industry associations. Brooks maintained the preserved lumber “Checkmark” inspection program and worked with universities to research and improve quality control metrics and standards, reducing variability, and improving treating production. He also successfully lobbied legislation for the continued use and disposal of treated wood waste in California. Brooks graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Wood Products Processing as well as a Master of Science degree in Forest and Society from the University of British Columbia. He has dual citizenship in Canada and the United States. Brooks has innovative experience in the Hardwood industry; while working for Jartek Oy, he strived to bring thermal modification from Finland to North America for wide plank flooring, cabinets, gun stocks, and other niche Hardwood markets. Brooks grew up in the forests on his family hunting and fishing resort in BC, Canada. Brooks has seven kids and is relocating his family to the Memphis, TN area. His official start date will be June 13, 2022. To learn more, go to www.nhla.com. NEWALD, WI–Cleereman Industries/Cleereman Controls, headquartered here, recently performed a number of equipment installations, according to Vice President Paul Cleereman. At Shamco Lumber Inc. sawmill in Iron River, MI, Cleereman Industries’ engineering department handled everything from Paul Cleereman the foundation/steel embedment prints and electrical prints to all the engineered drawings needed for the entire project. The primary breakdown of this mill is a double cut band mill. Cleereman supplied a new Mellott Model 642-6-foot slanted band mill for this project along with an optimized Cleereman LP-42 linear carriage and Cleereman 654-2G optimized edger line that feeds a Cleereman trimmer. The mill is supplied with logs coming from the new Cleereman 848 debarker. Cleereman supplied a Precision chipper and waste system for Shamco. Cleereman Controls did all of the optimization on carriage and edger lines in this mill along with debarker and trimmer controls. Also, Beiler’s Sawmill in Quarryville, PA recently installed a Cleereman LP-42-inch linear carriage with Cleereman Controls. Beiler’s Sawmill also has a Cleereman edger on order for spring delivery 2022. Rich in logging and sawmill history, Cleereman Industries has developed and manufactured sawmill machinery for over 60 years using three guiding principles: •Manufacture high quality products built for high production, increased yield and years of trouble-free operations. •Use simple yet highly functional designs to minimize the number of moving parts while maximizing the performance and functionality. •Provide unequaled service and support to its customers. To learn more, go to www.cleereman.com. MEMPHIS, TN—Nathan Hascher of ETT Fine Woods in Donalds, SC, a longtime resident of Memphis, TN, and his father, Rich Hascher, retired, longtime director of the National Hardwood Lumber Association’s Inspector Training School, based here, both were recently honored Please turn the page 72 MAY 2022 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE MAY 2022 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 73