KENDRICK FOREST PRODUCTS
KENDRICK FOREST PRODUCTS Continued 48 SEPTEMBER 2016 NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE them care that much more for our products’ performance.” Following in the tracks of pioneer “culture” companies like Zappos, the Kendricks understand that the next generation of employees perform best when not constrained in the same manner as was customary 30 years ago. Kendrick produces green and kilndried Walnut, Red and White Oak, Hickory, Basswood, Hard and Soft Maple, Ash, Red Elm, Grey Elm and Cherry and from Iowa’s most fertile ground. Contact Matt Yest for 3/4 to 10/4 thickness quotations of lumber. For more information visit www.KFPIOWA.com. NHLA Continued from page 10 try, connect to the next generation of innovators who are attracted to the sustainability, beauty, and durability of Hardwoods? How do we position ourselves to proactively take advantage of the next “big thing?” More importantly, how do we discover the new opportunities ourselves? Why is that important? Because our well-funded competitors recognize wood as a competitive threat. Consider the ongoing plans of the concrete industry who, in 2015 embarked on a million campaign to increase their market share in the construction industry. Yes – you read correctly -- million, all directed toward “taking back market share from wood,” and passing “concrete friendly” building codes. And while I recognize that the residential construction industry is in fact dominated by softwoods, the lesson is clear. Our competitors are better prepared and funded than Hardwood. How do we level the playing field? Is research the solution, or a different approach to promotion? If the concrete initiative is a precursor of things to come, the time is now to search for the answers. AHEC Continued from page 14 environmental profiling was the first of its kind in Australia and New Zealand and the response to it from the design community was overwhelmingly positive. Each of the designers expressed their gratitude for being invited to be a part of the project and found it to be a great learning experience. It also provided a valuable opportunity for them to test new designs in new species and, all being well, two of the designs manufactured are now slated for commercial production. It also provided an opportunity for one of Australia’s leading Hardwood importers to stock and offer Red Oak and Tulipwood lumber for the first time. The full project can be seen at www.- seedtoseat.info.
LAKE STATES Continued from page 6 Regarding inventory, he said, “We’re a smidge higher than we’d like to be on both logs and lumber, but not too significant. Some companies stock up as a strategic move, but it’s not really where we’d like to be.” His customers are distributors, cabinet shops and flooring manufacturers. “They’ve all been buying in steady volumes and have said their markets are stable,” he added. For the rest of the year, he stated, “We expect business to pick up in the fall.” A contact in Indiana stated, “the market is virtually unchanged from the last few months for us. Business hasn’t been great but I can’t complain.” This contact said, “Ash is a big species we handle. Being in a quarantined area has made sourcing quality Ash difficult, which has been tough on our business the last few months,” and added, “Because it has been uncharacteristically hot, we pushed our whitewood production which has caused inventory to be a little higher than we’d like. This is something we have been dealing with over the last few weeks.” An industry representative in Wisconsin called the market active. “We’ve been extremely busy since the first of the year, except for July which was slow because of the 4th of July and because direct manufacturers take time off to make repairs around the summer holidays.” He mentioned that rain in his area has become a bit of a problem. “Rain is hampering our shipments of logs that we have coming. It’s a little concerning,” he explained. The main species this contact handles are Hard Maple, Red and White Oak and Basswood. “White Oak is staying strong and another species that is pushing through steadily is Soft Maple.” He added that Hard Maple and Red Oak have stayed busy too. He continued, “Our 5/4 Basswood is another that has been moving extremely well lately. White Ash seems to have been really hot, but prices are dropping so that makes it a difficult species to make a profit on. To deal with some of the issues regarding the quarantines of Ash forests I’ve heard some mills are sourcing from outside their normal band of harvest.” His company deals in all grades. “Low grades are definitely getting better than they were over the last six months. I see low grades trending in a favorable direction for sure.” His customers are end users and PHL HORIZONTAL RESAW SYSTEMS: 418 484-2800 info@phlinc.ca www.phlinc.ca distributors, kitchen cabinet manufacturers, flooring manufacturers and architectural millwork producers. “The kitchen cabinet business has been a busy market from what I’ve heard, but everyone else is keeping busy as well,” he commented. Looking forward to the rest of the year, he said, “I think the momentum is going to carry through fall of 2016 without major slowdowns,” he said. Come meet our sales staff: TIMBER PROCESSING & ENERGY EXPO Portland, OR September 28-30 SERVING THE HARDWOOD INDUSTRY SINCE 1975! Division of SEPTEMBER 2016 NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 49
