National Hardwood Magazine - October 2018

AHEC REPORT A STUDY IN

AHEC REPORT A STUDY IN RED OAK Red Oak is the most abundant species growing in the American Hardwood forest, yet it has never really found favor in Europe where it represents only a very small percentage of U.S. exports. Therefore, it was not surprising that a group of European furniture design students had never used American Red Oak to craft a piece of furniture. But in the course of a recent three month program that all changed as they created a stunning collection of pieces made with the timber, and backed by a full life cycle environmental impact analysis. The aim of the U.S. Red Oak Design Challenge for students at Rycotewood College (United Kingdom) was to transform a strictly limited amount (1 cubic meter) of the timber into a stylish, practical piece of storage furniture. For the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), it was also to transform the students’ perspective of the value and potential of this abundant, renewable raw material and the wider U.S. Hardwood resource with the added stipulation that all their work had to undergo life cycle analysis (LCA). In the final analysis of all concerned – students, AHEC, the Oxford college tutors and mentor (acclaimed furniture maker Philip Koomen) – the project achieved its goals on all fronts. That the finished furniture hit the heights in design was there for all to see at Rycotewood’s annual student show, where the 10 creations were displayed together. “The students exceeded my expectations. Their response to the project was enthusiastic, focused and diverse and their pieces demonstrate huge creativity, inventiveness and making skills, and they’ve also demonstrated that Red Oak has untapped potential in furniture and interior applications,” said Koomen. What clearly also impressed AHEC European Director David Venables, Kooman and Rycotewood Furniture Design and Make Program Coordinator Joseph Bray was the range of creations the students produced from the identical amount of the same timber. They included steam bent, almond-eye shaped wall units with precisely fitting drawers mounted, demountable bookshelf and shoe rack, with a coat hanger made from offcuts added in. Additionally, shelves and Beech shoe rack dowels were fastened to Red Oak sides and supports with carefully worked Walnut pegs (20 percent of other materials than Red Oak were allowed in the Please turn to page 90 Rycotewood College students designed and made various pieces from timber in the American Red Oak Design Program, which included AHEC as a sponsor. Pictured is a book shelf. BY MICHAEL S. SNOW, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AMERICAN HARDWOOD EXPORT COUNCIL, STERLING, VA 703-435-2900 WWW.AHEC.ORG 26 OCTOBER 2018 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE

GOLDEN STATE RELOAD RELOCATES Golden State Reload 17618 Harvill Ave., Perris, CA 92570 Located-North End, Hardwoods Specialty Building Midwest Walnut and MacBeath Hardwood partnered up in relocating Golden State Reload to Hardwoods Specialty Products in Perris, CA. Diane Johnston Golden State Reload Ph: (951) 538-4720 dianej@goldenstatereload.com Golden State enjoyed 9 years of continued growth at Peterman Lumber in Fontana. “We both enjoyed a fantastic working relationship all these years until we outgrew each other,” commented Pete Peterman, owner and CEO of Peterman Lumber. This prompted the necessity for Golden State to move and acquire additional leased storage space. “Upon hearing that we needed to move the reload, Dan Besen, vice president, and Nick Smith, general manager of Hardwoods Specialty Products, invited us to move to their newly constructed 150,000 sq. foot warehouse,” commented Diane Johnston, manager of Golden State. Diane also commented, “Even though Golden State is a completely separate business from Hardwoods Specialty, Hardwoods has been most helpful in delivering our lumber to the wholesalers upon request.” Golden State has kept a consigned inventory for both Midwest and MacBeath from inception. This inventory is for sale to wholesale distributors only in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada. Over the years, this consigned inventory has proven to be an excellent back up “just in time” inventory for the wholesalers. Jon MacBeath stated, “We’re really excited to see what we can do out of our new home at Hardwoods in Perris (Riverside). Because of our continued partnership with Golden State and Midwest Walnut, we feel like we’re in a very strong position in the Southern California market. When it comes to reloads, I believe the product mix is unmatched.” Mark Imhoff who handles the sales and inventory for MacBeath, stated, “Having our concentration yard in Indiana enables us to offer a variety of species, grades, and thicknesses providing the distribution yards with a local supply of Eastern Hardwoods. We also offer millwork and sorting capabilities.” Midwest Walnut, being one of the largest Walnut producers in the United States, now has the largest consigned Walnut lumber inventory in the reload as well as the Southern California marketplace which is available to all the wholesale distributors. The Walnut lumber for the reload comes out of both the Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Willow Springs, Missouri, mills. Their reload inventory is made up of 4/4 through 20/4 Walnut in a variety of grades. They also keep some additional high-end proprietary grades to serve the wholesaler’s architectural customers. Walnut squares and dimensional stock are among other items at the mill that would be available upon request. Midwest Walnut and MacBeath Hardwood are both excited and looking forward to expanding their presence in the California, Arizona, and Nevada markets. n Heather Aherns Midwest Walnut Council Bluffs, IA Ph: (712) 325-9191 heathera@midwestwalnut.com Mark Imhoff MacBeath Hardwood Edinburgh, IN Ph: (812) 343-3657 macbeath33@gmail.com OCTOBER 2018 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 27