National Hardwood Magazine - October 2014

DOWNES & READER

DOWNES & READER continued from page 33 man operating the machine, and there’s a 2- man crew working with him to sort lumber coming from it. Then we decide which bundles we want to cut the straps and sort, so we might get 15 units in one load and maybe four of them need to be sorted, so those go to the two employees for sorting. When they are finished sorting, we bring the lumber back around and re-scan it. Then the lumber goes to the warehouse.” The positive impact VisionTally has on production at Downes & Reader is not limited to efficient lumber tallies. Reader noted that, “it’s going to have a ripple affect across everything that touches the lumber. It will positively affect our sales staff. Now they will have better ability to check and see what we accurately have in inventory. So if someone wants a certain size of lumber, such as Poplar that’s 6 to 7 inches, we can look across the whole yard through VisionTally and see exactly how much board footage we have to that specification. “We are excited about the enhancement to our company that this equipment delivers.” Established more than 40 years ago by Ed Downes and Rod Reader, Downes & Reader Hardwood Co. Inc. has Established more than 40 years ago by Rod Reader (left) and Ed Downes, Downes & Reader Hardwood Co. Inc. has approximately 75 employees, and a combined kiln-dried inventory of 6 million feet, ten 10-wheel trucks, three 18-wheelers and a facility equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. around 75 employees combined at the two distribution yards, and a combined kiln-dried inventory of 6 million feet, ten 10- wheel trucks, three 18-wheelers and a facility equipped with 4/4 - 8/4 Ash Basswood Birch Cherry Hard Maple Hickory Poplar Red Oak Soft Maple CONCENTRATION YARD • 725,000’ DRY KILNS • SURFACING NEWMAN WHITNEY S-382 PLANER • STRAIGHT LINE RIPPING White Oak P.O. Box 566 Rt 434 Apalachin, N.Y. 13732 (607) 687-1160 FAX: (607) 687-1165 Specializing In Export Preparation, Length & Width Separations and Mixed Container & Trailer Loads 56 OCTOBER 2014 ■ NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE

Within 2-1/2 months of VisionTally usage, Downes & Reader’s Blakeslee yard had processed over 1,000 bundles. Stoughton, which installed VisionTally after Blakeslee, did 500 lumber bundles within the first month. state-of-the-art equipment. The company is a member of the National Hardwood Lumber Association, Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Inc., Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, Wood Product Manufacturers Association, and the Penn-York Lumbermen’s Club. Downes & Reader is active in promoting the forest product industry as a sustainable resource and contributes to the Hardwood Forest Foundation to educate children in grade school about the dynamics of the forest and the important role it plays in society today. For more information, visit www.downesandreader.com. ■ Paul Letourneau enters data into Downes & Reader’s computer network for ease of tracking inventory. OCTOBER 2014 ■ NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 57