Hardwood Matters - National Hardwood Lumber Association

Transcription

J U N E 201 0
H A R DWO O D M AT T E R S
T H E VO I C E O F T H E H A R DWOO D I N D U ST RY
SPECI AL EDITI ON:
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
ST RO N G RO OTS . G LO BA L R E AC H .
W W W. N H L A . C O M
READER SERVICES
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6
8
28
30
10
President's Message
Executive Director's
Message
Calendar
Job Board
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12
16
IN THIS ISSUE...
10
THE BEST GREEN IS BROWN
Why Wood Is Good
14
A JOURNEY OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Copeland Furniture Experiences Success
Through Quality
16
ADVANCING SUSTAINABI LITY THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
West Bros' Trailblazing Business Model
20 SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSION
CONTENTS
W W W. N H L A .C O M
A 150 Year Pledge to Environmental Stewardship
22
EXTREME MAKEOVER
A Legacy Lives on at Gat Creek Furniture
J U N E 2 0 1 0 H A R D W O O D M AT T E R S 1
H A R D W O O D M AT T E R S
T H E VO I C E O F T H E H A R DWO O D I N D U ST RY
THE MISSION OF NH LA
To serve NHLA Members in the North American hardwood
lumber industry by: maintaining order, structure, rules, and
ethics in the changing hardwood marketplace; providing
member services unique to the hardwood lumber industry;
driving collaboration across the hardwood industry to
promote demand for North American hardwood lumber
and advocate the interest of the hardwood community
in public/private policy issues; and building positive
relationships within the global hardwood community.
June 2010 ▪ Issue 102
National Hardwood Lumber Association
PO Box 34518 ▪ Memphis, TN 38184-0518
901-377-1818 ▪ 901-382-6419 (fax)
info@nhla.com ▪ www.nhla.com
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MISSION LEADERS
Ted Rossi
Rossi Group
President
Nancy Arend
Weyerhaeuser Hardwoods
Industry Advocacy & Promotion
Dave B. Redmond
Highland Hardwood Sales, Inc.
First Vice President
Chuck Bice
Sweeney Hardwoods
Unique Services
James W. Howard
Atlanta Hardwood Corp.
Past President 2006–2008
Chip Dickinson
Anderson-Tully Lumber Co.
Structure
Mark A. Barford, CAE
Executive Director
Rick Ekstein
Weston Forest Group
Membership & Marketing
NHLA STAFF
Pem Jenkins
Turn Bull Lumber Company
Rules
Mark A. Barford, CAE
Executive Director
m.barford@nhla.com
Renee Hornsby
Director of Communications/Editor
r.hornsby@nhla.com
Holly Weir
Graphic Designer
h.weir@nhla.com
The views of contributions do not necessarily reflect the positions of NHLA. All advertisements for Hardwood
Matters are accepted and published with the understanding that the advertiser and/or advertising agency are
authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser and/or advertising agency will
defend, indemnify and hold any claims or lawsuits for libel violations or right of privacy or publicity, plagiarisms,
copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or lawsuits that may arise out of publication of such
advertisement. NHLA neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee as to the quality of goods and
services advertised in Hardwood Matters. Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part
without written permission is prohibited.
2010 NHLA Annual Convention & Exhibit Showcase
Indiana Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company
International Auction and Appraisal
The Jacobs Team
Lumbermen's Underwriting Alliance
Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual
Insurance Company
Denise Stewart
Director of Finance
Thomas Walthousen
Director of Industry Relations
Lisa Browne
Convention Director
Jack English
Interim Chief Inspector
ADVERTISER INDEX
bc
26
ifc
7
ibc
13
■■■
Crystal Oldham
Director of Education
5
25
27
9
19
29
3
Ron Jones Hardwood Sales, Inc.
Quality Hardwoods, Ltd.
Southern Forest Products Association
Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Inc.
USNR
U•C Coatings Corporation
Weyerhaeuser Hardwoods & Industrial Products
Rich Hascher
Inspector Training School Instructor
Wayne Tomas
Technical Services Director
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Larry Evans
Industrial Timber & Lumber
Inspector Training School
Orn Gudmundsson, Jr.
Northland Corporation
Finance
Skip Holmes
Thomas & Proetz Lumber Co.
Continuing Education
Sally Johnson
Batey, Ltd.
Inspection Services
Bob Mitchell
Mitchell Forest Products, Inc.
Membership
Greg Patenaude
Péladeau Lumber, Inc.
Marketing
Jack Shannon
J.T. Shannon Lumber Company, Inc.
Hardwood Promotion
Joe Snyder
Fitzpatrick & Weller, Inc.
Rules
Kevin Trussell
Timber Mountain Hardwoods
Convention
For advertising inquiries:
Contact Leah Covington, Marketing Director at l.covington@nhla.com or 901-399-7551.
Cover Photo Courtesy of West Bros Furniture.
2
J U N E 2 0 1 0 H A R D W O O D M AT T E R S
CONT RI BUTORS
Gat Caperton is President and CEO of Gat Creek, a West Virginia manufacturer of hand-made,
solid-wood home furniture that he acquired from its founder in 1996. Originally named Tom Seely
Furniture, the 40+ year-old business employs over 100 skilled people in Berkeley Springs, WV and
sells its furniture throughout the U.S. Customers include national retailers like Room & Board and
more than 300 independent regional furniture retailers.
Gat Creek won Home Magazine’s American Furniture Awards in 2003 & 2006 for its original
furniture designs. The company received the Businesses for the (Chesapeake) Bay’s 2006
Environmental Excellence Award and in 2002, was awarded Governor’s Safe Workplace Award
and the WV Department of Environmental Protection award for improvements in environmental
management. Gat Creek is also a two-time winner of the West Virginia Business Environmental
Leadership Award.
Gat Caperton currently serves as the Vice Chair of Shepherd University Board of Governors and
on the board of the Natural Capital Investment Fund, an $8M CIF chartered by the Conservation
Fund. He helped found the Sustainable Furniture Council and serves on the executive council of
the Organization’s board of directors.
Gat Caperton holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BA in Economics from
Davidson College, where he also played on the school’s football team. Gat Caperton and his wife
Susan live in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. They have three daughters: Eliza (eleven years old),
Katie (nine years) and Evie (seven years).
Gregory Harden is president and CEO of Harden Furniture Company. Harden’s career has been
established through years of experience in management positions, acting as Director for New York
Design Center REIT and American Furniture Manufacturers Association. Harden is also a citizen
member of the New York State Environmental Board. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
from Colgate University. He enjoys skiing and is a coach with the NY Ski Education Foundation in
Lake Placid.
In 1992 the West Brothers, a family of Ontario furniture manufacturers downscaled from their
existing operations to refocus their attention on the creation of a new furniture manufacturing
company that would change the solid wood furniture landscape forever. As a hands-on leader, West
Bros. president Paul West spends much of his day in the factory ensuring close attention to details
that set this company’s product apart from the average. “It’s not just product” says West, “If a job is
worth doing, it’s worth doing right.”
4
CONT RI BUTORS
Tim Copeland is the founder and chief executive officer of Copeland Furniture of Bradford
Vermont. Copeland Furniture manufactures transitional, contemporary and modern hardwood
furniture. Copeland Furniture also produces Frank Lloyd Wright®Furniture by Copeland, under
license from the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation of Scottsdale Arizona.
Copeland Furniture, founded by Tim and his wife Jenny in 1976, is FSC certified by the Smartwood
Program of the Rainforest Alliance. Copeland builds furniture, exclusively using hardwoods from
the Northern Forest and purchases FSC certified lumber whenever feasible.
Tim majored in history at Trinity College in Deerfield, Illinois and has been involved in civic affairs
on a local and state lever in a number of capacities:
■ Auditor Town, Town of Corinth, Vermont
■ Member and Chairman, School Board of Unified District 36, Vermont
■ Chairman, Governors Council on Energy Independence, State of Vermont
■ Member, Board of Overseers, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Hanover, N.H.
■ Trustee of Public Funds, Bradford, Vermont
■ Member, Vermont Forest Products Council
Jeff Hiller is a founding Board Member and current President of
the Sustainable Furnishings Council, the #1 organization in green
furnishings. A published writer on sustainability, he has been keynote
speaker for numerous professional and academic organizations
including High Point Market, Las Vegas Market, ASID, ADAC,
SCAD, and NYSID. Jeff is also a Senior Partner in JB Training
Solutions, a leading management skills training company, and sole
owner PROaction Marketing Group, a marketing services company
based in Austin, Texas working with home furnishings wholesalers
and retailers across the country. Formerly VP Marketing/Four Hands,
a 3-time Inc 500 Fastest Growing company; owner The Arrangement,
a thriving retail furniture chain; Marketing Director/Houston
Rockets NBA franchise; and VP Account Director/Leo Burnett, a
Top 5 national ad agency.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
BOARD MAKES IMPORTANT
DECISIONS IN SUPPORT OF GRADES
At the completion of the recent spring conference, the NHLA Board of Directors took some
action that will benefit the long term success of the Association. The board and eight standing
committees dealt with a number of issues, but centered its attention upon the mega issue
of strengthening the NHLA grading system. At the moment, of particular importance is
ensuring that the world embraces and utilizes the NHLA grading system. As one producer
put it, “How can we be sure that our grades will continue to be the gold standard used around
the world; and some other country doesn’t establish a system and force us to use theirs?”
To that end, the Board passed the following motions which have been sent to the Active
Members for their subsequent approval, as they see fit:
■ “ To create a new membership category called “Partner.” The Partner category will
include individual firms or corporations engaged in the manufacture, custom kiln
drying, wholesaling or distribution of hardwood lumber, veneer, plywood and related
products that do not otherwise qualify as an Active member. The Partner category will
have no voting rights, and cannot serve on the board of directors, but has all the rights
of NHLA membership, including but not limited to, advertising, exhibiting and/or
sponsoring the NHLA annual convention and exhibit showcase”
■ “ To modify the definition of the Active Member category to include the requirement
that the corporate headquarters be located in North America”
■ “ To grandfather in existing foreign Active Members”
The practical effect of these motions is to recognize, monitor, and set standards for global
hardwood participation in our North American marketplace. The voting provision ensures
that the rules will continue to be made by North American based companies who have
developed and shepherded the NHLA grading rules for the past 113 years.
This action is bold and inclusive, and passed with 100% approval from the members of
the board. Just two years ago we adopted a new logo and tag line “Strong Roots. Global
Reach." We have now put it into action!
The practical effect
of these motions is to
recognize, monitor, and
set standards for global
hardwood participation
in our North American
marketplace.
Your NHLA has truly done a remarkable job. Throughout this very difficult period in our
industry, the staff and members of the board have given unselfishly of their time. Their
commitment and dedication has allowed your NHLA to come through strong and resilient
and prepared to lead our industry into the future. I encourage your participation and
welcome your remarks. And as always, I am proud to serve as your President.
Sincerely,
Ted Rossi, President and CEO
Rossi Group
6
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S
MESSAGE
SPRING BRINGS NEW GROWTH FOR
THE HARDWOOD INDUSTRY
Spring is in the air and what a wonderful spring it has been for the hardwood lumber
industry. Having just returned from a very successful spring board meeting, it was inspiring
to see the optimism expressed by your elected leaders for both the industry and NHLA.
With signs of returning demand and significant shortages of inventory, lumber has been
moving at a steadier rate and with increased prices.
Growth has been seen at NHLA, as well. Despite the significant loss of membership during
the past 18 months due to companies going out of business, we gained more than 80
new members over the past year. In fact, the month of May should be a net gain – maybe
indicating a turnaround from the last few tough years.
The modest resurgence in the industry has also brought attendees into a number of the
programs that NHLA provides to the industry. For example, there seems to be new found
interest and support for the Inspector Training School and various grading short courses
held throughout the country and the world. The summer School will begin mid-June in
Michigan and already has a dozen students.
NHLA recently completed a very successful Leadership Management & Development program
for the hardwood industry. The nine future leaders from the industry joined seven members of
the NHLA staff and participated in what has been one of our most highly rated programs to
date. It is inspiring to see how the future leadership of this industry is planning ahead. They see
the need to work on individual skills to be prepared for the challenges of their own company
and the need to work together with the Association to meet the challenges of the industry.
There is cautious optimism for this great industry this spring. Plans for the 2010 NHLA
Annual Convention & Exhibit Showcase are in place and the convention website has
undergone major restructuring and modernization. The 2010 Convention will feature Sarah
Palin as this year’s Keynote Speaker. In addition to a very prominent speaker, there will be a
full line-up of educational programs covering such topics as the basics of exporting, a report
on the hardwood market, a discussion of the Lacey Act and its effect on domestic producers
as well as the future of sustainable housing from an architectural point of view.
Having just returned from
a very successful spring
board meeting, it was
inspiring to see the
optimism expressed by your
elected leaders for both
the industry and NHLA.
The promise of spring has reinvigorated our great industry and it is an exciting time to
be such an important part of that resurgence.
Sincerely,
Mark Barford, CAE, Executive Director
National Hardwood Lumber Association
www.nhla.com
8
THE BEST GREEN IS BROWN
WHY WOOD IS GOOD, FROM THE SUSTAINABLE FURNISHING COUNCIL
10
When it comes to sustainable choices, there is sometimes a
misperception that avoiding wood products is a good thing to do.
Not so. While deforestation is a significant problem that must be
addressed through more careful sourcing, there is almost nothing
better than long-lasting products using solid wood from well
managed forests. Usually these products are sold on the basis
of superior quality and pride of ownership, both of which are
absolutely true, but they are also fantastically eco friendly.
What in the World is Going On?
The planet is going through profound changes, many the
consequence of human industry. Thousands of years ago, we
discovered that fire was useful for preparing food and keeping us
warm. About a hundred years ago, we learned that it was also pretty
useful for powering things like machinery, transportation, and the
turbines that create electricity, and that fossil fuels such as coal and
oil burned extremely well. The only problem was that that burning
those releases carbon back into the atmosphere, tipping the balance
that had been established at the end of the last ice age.
Ordinarily, plants absorb about half the world’s carbon dioxide
emissions from out of the atmosphere. Water and other nutrients
are absorbed from the ground, but carbon, the building block of
life, is sucked out of the air. The oceans are responsible for the
other half, used to support algae and other green life and to build
shells. These natural processes have kept everything in perfect
equilibrium. However, mankind now churns out twice as much
carbon as all plants and oceans can handle, leaving a warming
blanket hanging in the sky.
The increase in carbon emissions would be challenge enough, but
there is a compounding issue caused by deforestation. As noted,
trees build themselves out of carbon dioxide. But in many places
around the world, forests are being devastated by illegal logging. Forest coverage in Africa was down -9% from 1990 to 2005, South
America -7% and the island countries of Southeast Asia such
as Indonesia and the Philippines -3%. Thus, while a significant
increase in forest coverage would be needed to keep up with
industrialization, in fact it is shrinking. The result is steadily rising
temperatures, the melting of the polar ice caps, long-term droughts
in some areas and a lot more moisture in the air which is dumped
with catastrophic effects in the form of hurricanes, tsunamis, and
floods in other places. That’s it for your ecology lesson.
What Can We Do?
Contrary to common sense, one of the best things we can all do
is to use more solid wood products. Once a tree is made into
furniture, it traps the carbon contained in that wood for as long
as it exists. Cutting down trees, building with them as opposed to
burning them, and replanting them so new trees can absorb more
carbon as they grow is a perfectly sustainable solution. It takes
6 seedlings growing for 10 years to absorb the carbon associated
with the electricity to run a 90W overhead incandescent bulb in a
showroom for one year. The more trees that get planted, the better.
Contrary to common sense, one of
the best things we can all do is to
use more solid wood products.
There is another factor that is even less understood. All building
materials require energy to convert them into a state suitable
for manufacturing. Metals, glass and plastics must be melted at
very high temperatures. Wood and stone must be harvested and
quarried, then transported to a mill to be cut into usable shapes.
A lot of work has been done calculating the average amount of
energy required for a wide variety of raw materials, a measurement
called embodied energy.
It turns out that solid wood is one of the least energy intensive
materials available, requiring about 2 megajoules per kilogram.
Composite woods such as plywood and particle board require
10. Those numbers may not mean much until you consider that
glass requires 16, steel 32 and plastic 70. Most energy comes from
burning fossil fuels, so if a material requires 95% less energy to
render, it contributes 95% less carbon emissions. The key, though, is
to be sure that the trees used are legally logged under a sustainably
managed system. As the #3 user of wood, home furnishings has a
big stake in the outcome.
What Wood is Good?
Most of these good alternatives cost little if nothing more. North
American wood used in U.S. manufacturing is an outstanding choice
and also eliminates unnecessary transportation. Certified wood
does cost something more for inspections, but in the scope of an
entire piece of furniture where the price of wood may be only 20
to 30% of the total cost, the difference is negligible. Plantationgrown species and rapid renewables cost nothing more and in some
cases actually less.
When it comes to eco friendly alternatives, there is almost nothing
better than solid wood locally grown. Simply put, the more wood
products we use, the more we ease off the carbon accelerator
(energy) while we apply the carbon brake (new trees). Buy it, sell it
and use it with pride.
Jeff Hiller is President of the Sustainable Furnishings Council,
a large non-profit coalition of major industry players
committed to promoting sustainable practices. Contact him
at jeff@sustainablefurnishings.org.
Photo Courtesy of AHEC
First and foremost, it is important to note that not all forests are
under the same pressure. Timberland in North America has stayed
fairly constant in recent years because it is owned and operated
by large companies or individual landowners to whom it is their
livelihood. If they do not replenish their inventory, they would put
themselves out of business. Illegal logging occurs when someone
with limited means of survival, usually in a foreign country south
of the equator, goes into a nearby forested area, cuts down trees
and sells them to unscrupulous agents who prey on that traffic. It is
estimated that worldwide wood prices are depressed 15% because of
the amount of illegal lumber that finds its way into the supply chain.
So good supply management starts with knowing the country of
origin. If it is coming from an identified hot spot, then certified
wood is the best defense, a process whereby timberland owners
or manufacturers contract with an independent auditor to check
their sourcing homework and give them a passing grade. The Forest
Stewardship Council is best in class at doing these certifications
around the world. Another option is plantation-grown species such
as documented Teak, Mango and Rubberwood which are treated
like crops, part of a cyclical process of harvesting and replanting.
And rapid renewables like bamboo, wicker, rattan and seagrass are
plants that grow back very quickly and naturally all by themselves.
12
A JOURNEY OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
COPELAND FURNITURE EXPERIENCES SUCCESS THROUGH QUALITY
14
W WCourtesy
W . N H of
L ACopeland
. C O M Furniture
Photos
With a vision to create a family owned and operated enterprise, Copeland
set out in the early 1970s to make wood products from natural hardwoods.
Initially, the company made cider presses for home and small-scale
orchard use. From there the designs evolved into butcher-block kitchen
furniture and Adirondack-style porch furniture, items that were functional
and affordable for baby-boomers as they furnished their first homes.
During its many periods of growth, Copeland has evolved from a oneman operation in an old garage in East Corinth, Vermont, to a state-ofthe-art manufacturing facility located on the banks of the Connecticut
River in Bradford, Vermont. For 34 years, Copeland Furniture has sought
to stay loyal to its mission to produce furniture for discerning consumers
who have an appreciation for good design, quality, and value.
illustrate your principals. You can’t just talk about it and put a green label
on it and pretend that it’s something that it isn’t. That’s the nice thing
about FSC; sometimes it seems hard to comply with their standards but
that’s what makes it very credible.
How has your company benefited from being a member of the
Sustainable Furnishings Council?
Tim: SFC is another organization with a set of verifiable and tangible
standards. Anyone can be a member of SFC but we went through the
application process to achieve Silver Exemplary Membership status and
we actually qualified for gold minus one standard – life cycle analysis.
The life cycle analysis process is time consuming and costly which is
really the only reason why we haven’t done it, yet.
What is the biggest concern for your company in terms of sustainability?
Tim: The biggest issues for us are forestry practices and domestically
made products. We have a vested interest in sustainable harvest practices.
The lumber we use comes from within 500 miles of our factory. We think
that a tremendous about of energy is used moving logs and products
around the world; that doesn’t seem very sustainable. Living and working in
and near the regions that supply our raw materials means that far less fossil
fuel is consumed and less carbon dioxide emitted through transportation.
For these reasons, there seems to be a growing interest in domestic made
product and clearly an appreciation of North American hardwoods. Some
of the traditional North American hardwoods are almost a brand in and
of themselves – cherry and walnut for example have a brand appeal
that can’t be replaced by Chinese elm or rubber wood. There is a special
romance, appeal if you will, that isn’t going to be easily substituted.
What trends would you like to see grow, in terms of sustainability in
the furniture industry? In the hardwood lumber industry?
Tim: From the furniture industry side of things, I would like to see a
continued push of the economic advantages of domestically produced
product. As far as hardwoods, we should continue to support the
concept of sustainable forestry practices. It’s in everyone’s best interests
to keep our forests as working forests. The push for certification should
continue as it gives us all more credibility and gives the landowner an
assurance that their land is being treated in a responsible way, that is
going to yield more responsible hardwood for future generations. Would you rather be a leader in a continuing trend or a pioneer in
an undetermined trend? And which do you associate your company
with more?
What impact has forest certification had on your company?
Tim: Copeland Furniture holds chain of custody certification from the
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). We actually began purchasing FSC
certified hardwood in late 2005. It’s one of those tangible ways that
Tim: We would rather be on the leading end of a trend that is going someplace. (Cont'd on page 19)
ADVANCING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
WEST BROS' TRAILBLAZING BUSINESS MODEL
16
WPhotos
W W .Courtesy
N H L A . of
CO
M Bros
West
West Bros Furniture is located in Hanover, Canada. Hanover was
once Canada’s furniture center hosting several major manufacturers
including Sklar, Peppler, Knechtel and Wright Spiece, employing
hundreds of local craftsmen. Seventy-five years since the heyday
of 1930, West Bros Furniture is now Hanover’s only furniture
manufacturer and a major player in the solid wood furniture market. As a hands-on leader, West Bros president Paul West keeps steady
watch on the manufacturing process, ensuring close attention to
details that set this company’s product apart from the average.
West Bros Furniture is a family business; with regard to stewardship
and sustainability, what does being a family business mean?
Paul: It means doing business and operating with sustainability in
mind. It affects every job, the mentality of the people working
for us and affects the bottom line because it is after all being
sustainable is often challenging. However, we can be a sustainable
company and still make good margins, which allows us to hire
more people and produce a quality domestic product that we can
proudly say is made in North America. Over the course of the last number of years the market trend
moved more towards imported products – they (imported
manufacturers) continue to produce products that are getting
better but we continue to see more and more demand for better
quality domestic furniture. What makes it even more difficult
for the consumer is that many companies that manufacture
domestically aren’t producing everything here so sometimes you
don’t know where the product originates. As a consumer, it is
difficult to make a good judgment call on green products. That’s
why we are active members of the SFC (Sustainable Furnishings
Council) because they are bringing to the forefront the question of
what it means to be green. For example, it’s nice to claim green
status but how green are you really? How domestic are you? These are the types of questions that customers are and should
begin to ask. West Bros was the first solid wood manufacturing company to be
recognized as Silver Exemplary by SFC. We are fortunate that the
company started out on the right path. The market is making green
very popular, and it is only over the last few years that we have
begun to get credit for some of the things we’ve been doing since
day one. Starting from the ground up back in 1992, we began to
invest heavily in technology, and have grown to have one of the
most technologically advanced wood manufacturing facilities in
North America. The investment is significant, but the equipment
allows us to not only run efficiently but we know we are running
a sustainable operation; using the most wood possible with the
least amount of waste possible. Any waste we have remaining is
provide to local farmers to be used for animal bedding. We have
worked with the local hydro authority to send clean energy which
allows our equipment to run better, and the heat that the machines
generate provide much needed warmth in the winter months.
In your opinion, what are the environmental benefits of using solid
wood instead of other materials such as veneer, bamboo, MDF, etc.?
Paul: Big – Solid wood is a living, breathing material that is affected
by the environment in which it is placed, unlike processed woods.
People that buy solid wood have to be aware of this fact. When we
design product, we design it to support the solid wood platform.
There is a need for other products – such as veneers when the styling
dictates, but it should never be used to achieve lower price points or
to sacrifice quality. In our operation specifically, we never use these
material to cut corners to save money, which is unfortunately what
still happens today and is one reason why products such as veneers
have a negative connotation in many consumer circles.
Do you find it necessary to educate consumers on the benefits of
wood? If so, what techniques do you employee to do so?
Would you like to become a trendsetter in terms of your
business model?
Paul: It’s a must. In general, today’s consumers want information. Why
is the dresser here one price and a dresser there another when it looks
the same? The truth is that one does cost more because in most cases
it is solid wood, but it’s going to last. This lack of understanding does
not help to right an already uneven playing field. So it’s our job to
educate the consumer and tell them what is different.
Paul: The answer is definitely, yes. We’re proud of what we have
accomplished in just under twenty years, in which some more
established companies have yet to do.
The problem throughout the industry may be a lack of brand
recognition. If my neighbor goes out and purchases a new vehicle
and raves about it, I can look at the car and see it’s an Audi. If that
same neighbor is excited about a new dining room table very rarely
is the brand recognized but the style is. A large part of this is about
education. If the consumer gets excited and tells their friends then
we have the opportunity to educate and hopefully level the field. We
encourage product knowledge sessions with our dealer partners and
our sales reps continue to promote our products on a grass roots level.
Paul: I would hope that it will have a larger role in the coming years. More needs to be made of illegal logging, and more people need
to ask: “Do you know what you are buying?” North America has
species of wood that you can’t get anywhere else. North American
hardwoods are valuable tools that are in abundance and they are
something that people don’t really understand how lucky we are to
have. People/consumers need to understand how lucky they are to
have this beautiful natural resource.
What role do you think North American hardwood will play in
the coming years?
By your definition are the terms “green” and “sustainable”
interchangeable?
Solid wood is a living, breathing
material that is affected by the
environment in which it is placed.
What outside influences are affecting the trends in today’s furniture
manufacturing market?
Paul: The economy is a very strong outside influence especially when
you produce a domestic product that is about quality first and price
afterward. West has two types of consumers; the first is the consumer
that is not going to get laid off during economic downturns and the
second type are the people who have never bought our product
before but will now because they want something that will last.
Five years ago, the throw-away culture was in full swing, but today’s
consumer is making smarter purchases. We are seeing this happening
for us; our sales continue to be up from last year and we have been
able to grow the business substantially in the United States. Does West Bros Furniture see itself as a trendsetter?
Paul: We like to think of ourselves that way; we acknowledge that
there are larger companies out there, but we do think of ourselves
as a trail blazer because we listen to the consumer and produce the
sustainable product that people want.
18
Paul: The consumer thinks they are the same but you CAN have a
green product that is not very sustainable. Again it goes back to the
question that consumers need to ask — How green are you? What
sustainable practice does your company employ? We understand
that being sustainable is a bi-product of being green, but if you claim
to be green (green washing) and consumers can’t tell you or don’t
know why, then what exactly makes it green in the first place? That’s
why groups like the SFC are so important, because they are bringing
out those differences for all to see and understand Is the green/sustainable sustainable movement increasing the
demand for hardwood furnishings?
Paul: We knew last year that X number of people were in the market
to buy furniture; the question is who are they going to buy from? Does
the attribute of green or sustainability sell more furniture? Maybe, but
ultimately consumers are going to buy what they can afford and what
they like. The challenge is to get them to buy it because it’s green. How has SFC membership affected (benefited) your company?
Paul: In general, it has helped us gain credit for the sustainable
things we have done. It is also great for brand awareness and has
put West Bros on a higher plane. Compare for instance what
is happening on the internet. You could be a small, one-closet
company making millions or a huge company with a 50-story office
making millions. It’s not about size anymore; it’s about who can do it
quicker and who can do it better. Rupert Murdoch once said, “The
world is changing very fast. Big will not beat the small anymore. It
will be the fast beating the slow." W W W. N H L A .C O M
A JOURNEY OF CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT (Cont'd from page 15)
We’re also looking at ways to reduce packaging material, increase recycling, and decrease
landfill use. We’re looking at ways to cleanly convert wood waste to heat energy for our own
building to further reduce our consumption of imported oil. The automatic waste fired boiler
system is almost on-line. We missed most of the 09–10 heating system, but starting this fall,
no more oil. The Pelletizing plant is under construction and we hope to start selling pellets to
local home owners late summer-early fall of 2010.
Do you see the furniture market changing
drastically in the next decade or has a new
change already begun?
We view sustainability as a process and a journey of continuous improvement. We’re
committed to that journey. Tim: I think that this whole question of
sustainability of furniture is at the beginning
of a long term trend. I don’t think people go
out shopping thinking I want to purchase the
greenest product I can. I think they have the
same interests they always have; price and
design style but I think sustainability can be the
icing on the cake. The issue of sustainability
has become a secondary issue for a much
larger percentage of the buying population
than it used to be and it seems to be growing.
Other than using FSC certified wood, what
other ways do you incorporate sustainability
into your company?
Tim: Numerous. Copeland Furniture works
with our Sales Representatives and through
them our dealerships to further promote
a broader understanding of how consumer
decisions have impacts on both forests and
social conditions. We promote this through
our website, point of purchase material and
various other interactions including dialogue
and material distribution. And while we are
educating and communicating the issue of
sustainability, we have actually cut our printing
tonnage by approximately 90%. The basic
difference is we used to print and distribute
product catalogs and now we just put them in
PDF format and post them on the website.
While the environmental impact of our factory
and the environmental cost of the furniture
we build are among the lowest, we’re not
standing still. We’ve reduced VOC (volatile
organic compounds) emissions by over 50%
over the last 3 years. We’re working with finish
suppliers to reduce them further. We now offer
waterborne finishes as an option on all furniture.
These finishes are every bit as durable as our
traditional catalyzed lacquer with the added
benefit of drastically reduced VOC emissions at
the factory and off-gassing at the home.
SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSION
A 150 YEAR PLEDGE TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
20
WPhotos
W W .Courtesy
N H L A . of
CO
M Furniture
Harden
It has been said that our society has consumed more
natural resources in the past 100 years than in all of
man’s previous existence combined. However, for 150
years and through five generations of family ownership,
Harden Furniture has upheld a tradition of environmental
stewardship. From harvesting trees from its company
owned and managed 20,000 plus acre woodland in
Upstate New York, to the maintenance of an on-site
Forestry Division and adherence to environmentally sound
principles and practices such as use of proven silviculture
methods, Harden has been practicing a responsible
environmental policy since before the Industrial
Revolution and all of its impact on the environment.
Founded by Charles Harden in 1844, Harden Furniture
is now in its fifth generation of family ownership and is
headed by CEO Greg Harden.
Is there a growing market for “sustainable”
furniture design?
Greg: The market for sustainable design is growing,
but at a disappointing rate. Sustainability is a topic that
consumers support overwhelmingly, yet their behavior
at the point of sale remains more price driven. As
consumers become more aware of what sustainable
means and that it does not necessarily cost more there
will be more opportunity. In a recent study conducted
by the Shelton Group, half of the people surveyed
said that they would not be willing to pay more for a
sustainable/green product. While the other half surveyed
were willing to pay more, they were only willing to pay
an increase of 10–15% for the green product. What does sustainability mean to you?
Greg: I have a fairly broad and general definition that
determines my personal and professional decisions
and it centers on efficiency. If a process or product
uses less energy or material, and if the materials are
renewable then it is more sustainable.
How has the word "sustainability" changed over the
last decade?
Greg: A decade ago the few people who thought
about the term, defined it as resource depletion. Today,
it is more energy and forest resource driven due to
greenhouse gas emissions (GGE). Most consumers are
only able to identify recycling and energy star appliances
as sustainable, but more are focused on deforestation as
it contributes approximately 20% to the GGE issue.
How do you feel your family-owned furniture business
is different from other furniture companies?
Greg: We take a much longer term view – financially
and environmentally. To a large degree it is because
we are a small privately held company that puts
“doing the right thing” as our number one priority. It
is also because we have lived in this community for
almost 200 years and we are sensitive to what sort of
community we leave to future generations.
Harden Furniture is certified by the Sustainable
Forestry Initiative. What do you believe SFI
certification has given to your company?
Greg: We are much better stewards of the
environment now as we were required to create and
commit to a detailed management plan. You manage
what you measure and we have been able to make
significant improvements in our forest management
practices due to SFI. The only real disappointment
is the lack of LEED recognition. Hopefully that will
change with the new LEED standard, but it is a shame
that the SFI standard is not recognized because it is
not only effective; it is also the most popular North
American program as defined by acreage.
We have lived in this
community for almost 200
years and we are sensitive to
what sort of community we
leave to future generations.
Do you think the SFI program could do more or should
do more?
Greg: SFI President, Kathy Abusow has done a great job
of improving recognition and advancing the SFI/LEED
issue. While LEED remains a bit “wood unfriendly” there
is tremendous market and public relations opportunity
if SFI is admitted as a peer of the Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC).
(Cont'd on page 26)
EXTREME MAKEOVER
A LEGACY LIVES ON AT GAT C REEK FURNITURE
22
Gat
WPhotos
W W .Courtesy
N H L A . of
CO
MCreek
Gat Caperton has been designing furniture since 1996 after
purchasing a small furniture manufacturing company in West
Virginia. Believing that great craftsmanship need not be limited
to traditional furniture, he created Gat Creek. While the furniture
bears his name, it really comes from the dedicated work of over
145 people that share a passion for woodworking, nature and home.
Over the past five years the company has been honored with a
number of design, environmental and workplace safety awards.
In a conversation, Gat Caperton shares his opinions and hopes for
future trends in furniture design and sustainability efforts.
What was your reason for buying a furniture manufacturing
company 14 years ago, and what was the market like at the time?
Gat: I’m really a manufacturing guy first and a furniture guy second.
While growing up in West Virginia, my father owned and ran an
insurance brokerage firm which created my bias for running a
family-owned business when I grew up. I spent the first six years
after college working for a diversified manufacturing company
based in Chicago which sparked my love for manufacturing. In 1996,
I did an LBO (Leveraged Buyout) of a small, 40-year-old furniture
company. During this same time, I hit four of the five major life
stress points: went into debt, got married, moved and took a new
job. Today, I’m still married and still in debt. So, success! The bank
hasn’t asked for all of their money back and my wife Susan and I
have three awesome daughters (major life stress point #5). During
all of this, the domestic market for wood furniture changed from
10% Asian imports to 70% Asian imports.
Did you make any immediate changes to the company?
Gat: The first significant change I implemented was lean
manufacturing. In the first six months, we dropped the factory’s
lead times from 16 weeks to 8 weeks and cut inventory in half. This
allowed me to pay off the excessive portion of our LBO debt and
established a good long-term capitalization for the business. Today,
lean manufacturing remains core to our operations and works with
our commitment to sustainability. Our lead time is now 28 days and
we turned our inventory 10 times last year.
In the first six months, we dropped
the factory’s lead times from 16 weeks
to 8 weeks and cut inventory in half.
What is the greatest asset of your company?
Gat: I’ll answer with two saying that we repeat regularly here: (1) People make our furniture, not machines, and (2) From the best
wood comes the best furniture. We have fabulous people here and couldn’t do what we do without getting great wood from our local suppliers.
What benefits are there to using locally sourced hardwoods?
Gat: We won’t work with anything else… locally sourced
hardwoods are corner stone to our business. The key benefit is
sustainability. The Appalachian hardwood we use is sustainably
harvested plus we minimize the energy used to move and convert
the resource to long-lasting furniture. We also find brand value in
our local hardwoods. Many customers prefer cherry, oak and even
maple over most unknown foreign hardwoods. The drawback to
these hardwoods is managing yields.
Where has hardwood faltered in the past decades and what can
be done to correct this?
Do you believe a hardwood revival will soon begin or is it already
taking place?
Gat: While style trends can help and hurt specific hardwoods (like
oak most recently), I don’t believe the industry has much control
over this problem. Style trends will always be bigger than the
hardwood industry itself. Competition to hardwood tends to hinge
on pricing or costs. Again, pricing is mostly out of the industry’s
control, its classic commodity pricing. The industry does however,
have some control over costs. We like to look at net costs – after
effects yield, transportation, inventory and production costs. For
example, creating drawer boxes made from some “new” wood that
is clean, easy to finish and inexpensive is a way to control cost.
Gat: The hardwood market is a world-wide market today. Parts of
the market are enjoying growth while others are retreating in size. Domestically, I believe that we have found the new bottom and
will grow slowly out of it over the next five years.
We won’t work with anything else...
locally sourced hardwoods are
corner stone to our business.
What is the biggest impasse for the hardwood/solid wood
furniture market?
Gat: The definition of “solid-wood furniture” has been stretched
so much that today it simply means that the furniture is not hollow. Few customers believe the claim today and even fewer understand
the actual benefits of solid-wood furniture.
The term “niche” has been used to define companies such as Gat
Greek – companies that use solid hardwoods in the construction
process and manufacture within the United States. Does that term
describe your company? Or do you believe there is a growing
trend in this type of sustainable business? If so, do you think the
Sustainable Furnishings Council has played a role in developing
this market trend?
Gat: Gat Creek is a definitely a niche company and our niche is
growing these days. People’s understanding of the importance
of sustainability has helped our business and our niche. SFC
has certainly helped domestic hardwoods and manufacturing
but it has a much broader mission. SFC is working to make the
entire furniture industry more sustainable and the U.S. consumer
more knowledgeable about sustainability. Production of wood
furniture will never move in mass back to the United States. Some
production has returned but the majority of wood furniture
production will remain oversees. In many ways, making the
international production of furniture more sustainable outweighs
the importance of promoting good domestic production. The SFC
mission and actions follow this reality.
What separates Gat Creek from other furniture manufacturers?
Do you care more about trends or do follow your instincts when
determining market strategy?
Gat: We’re a custom manufacturer of solid, Appalachian wood
furniture based in West Virginia. We’ve maintained a unique
authenticity in what we make and how we make it.
Gat: I care about trends a lot but find them real hard to predict.
Thus, I typically rely on instincts and parable industries when
determining market strategy.
What has the “green conversation” done for your business?
What trends do you see developing within the furniture industry
over the next five years?
Gat: I started working in conservation 13 years ago. I literally woke up
one morning in a panic asking myself, “Am I cutting down all the trees
a played in as kid growing up in West Virginia?” I started researching
the question that very day. I was relieved to find the answer was “No.”
The Appalachian forest has more hardwood trees (tree mass) today
than it had 20, 50 and 100 years ago. I led my answer with the long
preamble because the “green conversation” is not new to my business,
but I am very excited that is growing in breath and importance today.
I have long been upset that the term “Made in America” too narrowly
focused on saving jobs. It should stand for sustainability – sustaining
our planet, the American economy and way-of-life. Hopefully, the
“green conversion” will broaden our country’s understanding of what
it does well and how we should constantly strive to improve.
24
Gat: After decades of people wrongfully predicting change in how furniture is sold in the U.S., it’s finally happening. The internet
is collapsing multi-step distribution. This is resulting not only from internet commerce but also from the improved distribution of information and the increasing ease and speed of
communications. Consumers will work more directly with
producers in the future. “Middlemen” like retailers will still succeed
but only those who truly add value to the process. Scarcity of
product or information will no longer create premium “rents”
(economics term) for the middleman. W W W. N H L A .C O M
SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSION
(Cont'd from page 21)
Would you consider yourself a pioneer in the green initiative with regard to
hardwoods and the furniture market?
Greg: Yes. As the only company that owns timber properties, operates a sawmill and
manufactures furniture; we understood early on what the issues were and how to
position the Harden brand for a “greener market”.
Harden is involved in other sustainability
efforts, such as the Living Canopy Program.
What is the Living Canopy Program?
Greg: The Living Canopy Program will be
a partnership between Harden, SUNY-ESF
(College of Environmental Science and
Forestry) and our local high school. When we are finally able to acquire the right
property – one that has been clear cut or
very poorly managed – we plan to engage ESF
and the high school environmental science
programs in a project to reforest the property.
It will be a living laboratory where students
can measure things like carbon sequestration,
regeneration and wildlife diversity.
Besides wood, what other environmentally
friendly products do you use in the
construction of Harden furniture?
Greg: We offer the option of bio base foams
on our upholstery product and take advantage
of every opportunity to purchase recycled or
more advantageous materials. The company
is in compliance with the new CARB ultra low
emitting formaldehyde regulations and we are
working on water based coatings that would
replace our high solids material.
It is our goal to
reduce our total
carbon emissions by
10% annually...
Do you predict a rise in demand for solid
wood products? And/or a rise in demand for
products made in America?
Greg: We are seeing a rise in demand for
domestic products, but that remains tempered
by lower priced imported products. Solid
wood has always been an important brand
attribute for Harden and consumers appear to
be even more interested in solid wood as they
26
seek out furnishings that are more durable and elegant. There are a
lot of consumers whose experience with low price is that it often
results in something headed to a landfill after only a few years of
use. The recent legal actions for Lacey Act violations got everybody’s
attention. Will it increase demand for domestic lumber and
production? Will it cause off shore lumber prices to soar and affect
the availability of products coming to this market? It’s too early to
tell but it is something to watch.
Does Harden incorporate any sustainable energy resources into
its business plan?
Greg: Our main facility in McConnellsville does not consume
any fossil fuels for heat or process steam. We are very focused on
reducing energy use and our carbon footprint which we post on our
website. It is our goal to reduce our total carbon emissions by 10%
annually and while we were successful in delivering a reduction in
2009, we fell short of our goal with an overall reduction of 8.1%.
Speaking of carbon and the advantages of solid wood, for every
metric ton of solid wood furniture we produce approximately 500 kg
of carbon is “locked up” until such time as your Harden either burns
or decays. Given the longevity of our product we’re confident that
we have sequestered a lot of carbon over the years!
Has membership in the Sustainable Furnishings Council helped your
company? Do you feel it has helped the furniture industry
as a whole?
Greg: Yes, it has helped Harden and as SFC continues to gain
momentum we should see even greater benefit. There are two
critical elements from my perspective. One is participation and the
other is public recognition. We need greater participation from a
membership and program standpoint. The second point is educating
the consumer so they understand the benefits of legally and
sustainably sourced wood fiber, indoor air quality, and all the other
tangible benefits of purchasing green. W W W. N H L A .C O M
CALENDAR
I N DUSTRY EVENTS
AIA National Convention
North Star Expo – Logging/
Trucking/Sawmill Show
China Furniture and
Woodworks 2010
Grand Rapids, MI September 17–18
Saw Tech Log Expo
AHEC 15th Southeast Asia and
Greater China Convention
Chengdu, China | June 14–18
Participating: Leah Covington, Marketing Director
Washington Hardwoods Commission
Annual Meeting
Castle Rock, WA | June 16
Speaking: Mark Barford, CAE, Executive Director
Tennessee Forestry Association
Board Meeting
Memphis, TN | June 17 | NHLA Headquarters
SkillsUSA Techspo
Kansas City, MO | June 22–24
Participating: Chris Churchill, Education Program Manager
Shanghai, China | September 7–10
Miami, FL | June 10–12
Dalian, China | June 10–13
WH ERE IN THE WOR LD IS N H LA?
Furniture China
Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada June 12–13
BuildExpo
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
June 18 –20
Forest Products Society
64th International
Convention
Kentucky Wood Expo
Madisonville, KY September 17–18
London Design Festival
London, UK | September 18–26
RISI North American Forest
Products Conference
Boston, MA | October 6–8
Intermob
Madison, WI | June 20–22
Istanbul, Turkey | October 16–20
Dry Kiln Operator's
Short-Course
Fall High Point Market
Clyde, NC | July 27–30
Haywood Community College
33 rd Annual Kiln Drying
Short Course
St. Paul, MN | August 16–19
University of Minnesota
High Point, NC | October 16–21
2010 SAF National
Convention
Albuquerque, NM | October 27–31
NAWLA Traders Market
Chicago, IL | November 3–5
Missouri Forest Products Association
(MFPA) Summer Meeting
Lake Ozark, MO | July 23–24
Participating: Mark Barford, CAE, Executive Director
Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturer's, Inc. (AHMI)
Classic Summer Conference
White Sulphur Springs, WV | July 24–27
Speaking: Mark Barford, CAE, Executive Director
International Woodworking Fair (IWF) 2010
Atlanta, GA | August 25 –28
Participating: Tom Walthousen, Director of Industry Relations
28
Hardwood Federation Annual Meeting
Washington D.C. | September 14–15
Participating: Mark Barford, CAE, Executive Director
2010 NHLA Annual Convention
& Exhibit Showcase
Vancouver, BC, Canada | October 13–16
CALENDAR
EDUCATION & TRAIN I NG
Hardwoods 101
Memphis and Pickwick Lake, TN June 7–10
Contact: Chris Churchill
901-399-7555 c.churchill@nhla.com
4-Day Lumber Grading
Short Course
Millersburg, OH | June 7–10
Yoder Lumber Company and
Ohio Forestry Association
Instructor: Barry Kibbey,
National Inspector
Contact: John Dorka
614-497-9580 | 614-497-9581 (fax) john@ohioforest.org
Short Course
McConnellsville, NY | June 14–16
Harden Furniture, Inc.
Contact: Dave McGowan
315-335-8105 dmcgowan@harden.com
Summer Program
Greenville, MI | June 14–August 20
Montcalm Community College
M-TEC
Short Course
Sandy Lake, PA | July 19–22
McKeever Environmental
Learning Center
Instructor: Barry Kibbey, National Inspector
724-376-1000 | 724-376-8235 (Fax)
info@mckeever.org
Short Course
Old Monroe, MO August 31–September 2
Mueller Brothers Timber, Inc.
Instructor: Benji Richards,
National Inspector
Contact: Tammy Homfeldt
573-634-3252 | 573-636-2591 (fax) tammy@moforest.org
Memphis, TN September 8– December 10
NHLA Headquarters
Instructor: Rich Hascher Contact: Chris Churchill
901-399-7555
c.churchill@nhla.com
Short Course
Beijing, China | September 16–18
Beijing Dongba Timber
Wholesale Market
Instructor: Bob Sabistina,
International Consultant
Short Course
Guangzhou, China
December 9–11
Guangzhou Yuzhu Timber
Wholesale Market
Instructor: Bob Sabistina,
International Consultant
JOB BOARD
Hardwood Order Puller
Hardwood Lumber Inspector
Boehm-Madisen Lumber Company is seeking a hardwood order puller. Qualified candidates must be able to drive a forklift, tally lumber and pull
hardwood orders to specifications. A NHLA Inspector Training School
certificate is a plus. Must have prior experience in handling hardwoods, be
able to throw lumber when putting orders together and have a solid work
history in the hardwood industry. Salary is $15.00 per hour.
Boehm-Madisen Lumber Company
N16 W22100 Jericho Drive | Waukesha, WI 53186
262-544-4660 | john@boehm-madisen.com | www. boehm-madisen.com
Superior Hardwoods, a leader in the forest products industry, seeks an
experienced Hardwood Lumber Inspector at their Montezuma, Indiana
sawmill and concentration facilities. The ideal candidate will be a
graduate of the NHLA Inspector Training School with two to three years
of experience in grading hardwood lumber. Salary is commensurate with
experience and qualifications.
Lumber Inspector
Inter-Continental Hardwoods (ICH) is a major importer of hardwoods from
around the world. We distribute these woods to markets all over North
America. We are currently seeking a lumber inspector to inspect our many
woods for quality assurance. A graduate of the NHLA Inspector Training
School is preferred. Relocation assistance is available. Benefits include,
medical, dental, retirement plan, vacation and holidays. Salary is negotiable.
Inter-Continental Hardwoods
6841 Malpass Corner Road | PO Drawer 119 | Currie, NC 28435
910-283-9960 | 910-283-9964 (fax)
ttriolo@ichardwoods.com | www.ichardwoods.com
Senior Lumber Inspector
Fred Netterville Lumber Company is a family owned business with other
58 years of operating experience. We are looking for a Senior Inspector
to grade Kiln Dried lumber with the ability to work it up if needed. Candidates should have at least 5 years experience. Salary is negotiable.
Fred Netterville Lumber Company
PO Box 857 | Woodville, MS 39669
601-888-4343 | 601-888-6469 (fax)
charlie@nettervillelumber.com | www.nettervillelumber.com
Lumber Inspector
Baillie Lumber Co. seeks an experienced green and kiln dried hardwood
lumber inspector for its Clendenin Lumber Co. facility in Donalds,
South Carolina. Working knowledge of NHLA rules required. We offer a
competitive benefit and compensation package.
Superior Hardwoods offers a competitive salary and a full benefit package.
Applicants with a proven record of inspection credentials are sought.
Superior Hardwoods
6429 West 100 North | Montezuma, IN 47862 662-280-6075 | 765-245-2737 (fax)
dbailey@jtshannon.com | www.jtshannon.com
Sales Position
A leader in the hardwood distribution market for almost 100 years is
looking for sales candidates for its San Antonio, Texas division. The
position’s responsibilities include: territory management, quoting and
selling hardwood lumber products, filling trucks to capacity, quoting
custom millwork opportunities, proactive phone calling, and relationship
building. The environment is fast paced, and result oriented. The company
is dedicated to providing quality products in a competitive market. The
ideal candidate will possess a bachelor’s degree, the ability to multi-task,
and preferably have prior hardwood lumber and moulding experience.
The company offers a competitive salary with strong benefits.
Please send your resume and questions to: hardwoods2010@yahoo.com.
(Company Name Confidential)
Lumber Inspector 2nd Shift
Allegheny Wood Products located in Marble, Pennsylvania is seeking
a lumber inspector to work second shift. Interested candidates should
contact Paul Karg, Yard Supervisor.
Allegheny Wood Products, Inc.
Highway 208 | Marble, PA 16334 814-354-7304 | 814-354-7307 (fax) | www.alleghenywood.com
Lumber Inspector
Please fax resume to: 864-456-7160. No phone calls please. Mail resume to: Clendenin Lumber Co. | Attn. Inspector Position
1125 Smith St. Ext. | Donalds, SC 29638
30
Allegheny Wood Products located in Marble, Pennsylvania is seeking a
lumber inspector to work the dry line day shift. Interested candidates
should contact Paul Karg, Yard Supervisor.
Allegheny Wood Products, Inc.
Highway 208 | Marble, PA 16334 814-354-7304 | 814-354-7307 (fax) | www.alleghenywood.com
JOB BOARD
Hardwood Lumber Grader
Sawyer – Circular Saw
Lindsay Hardwoods, LLC is seeking a hardwood lumber grader with two
years experience grading green lumber and a thorough knowledge of
NHLA rules. Applicant must be able to grade and tally green lumber on
a greenchain and be able to upgrade for remanufacture. Candidates
should also be hardworking, flexible, and a team player with leadership
potential. Salary is based on experience $14 to $18/hr.
Lindsay Hardwoods, Inc.
PO Box 343 | Farmville, VA 23901 434-392-861 5 | 434-392-8615 (fax) | lindsayhardwoods@embarqmail.com
Savage Lumber Company is seeking an experienced Sawyer for
Circular Saw. Qualified candidates should contact Alex Savage at
savagelumber@blomand.net.
Savage Lumber Company
PO Box 39 | Doyle, TN 38559
931-657-2211 | 931-657-2214 (fax)
Sawyer
Grade hardwood sawmill in central Virginia seeks an experienced sawyer
to operate modern bandmill. Applicants should have three years sawing
experience, knowledge of optimized computer assisted sawing, and
knowledge of hardwood grading rules. Possession of strong maintenance
skills is a plus. Salary range is $12 to $14 per hour and based on experience.
Saw Filer
Lindsay Hardwoods is seeking an experienced filer to file saws for single
line bandmill. Two years experience is required and salary is negotiable.
Experienced Lumber Grader
Savage Lumber Company located in Doyle, Tennessee has a position available for an experienced Lumber Grader. Candidates
with lumber grading experience should contact Alex Savage at savagelumber@blomand.net.
931-657-2211 | 931-657-2214 (fax)
Entry Level Lumber Grader
Savage Lumber Company has a position available for an entry level
Lumber Grader in Doyle, Tennessee. Interested candidates should
contact Alex Savage at savagelumber@blomand.net.
931-657-2211 | 931-657-2214 (fax)
Lumber Inspector
ITL Corporation is seeking a full time Lumber Inspector. Responsibilities
include accurate inspection of both green and kiln dried and leadership
of crew. This position is located in Marion, North Carolina. Qualified
candidates will have basic computer skills and must be a graduate of
the NHLA Inspector Training School. Experience is preferred but not
required. Please send resumes via mail, fax or email to:
ITL Corporation | Attn: Kenny Warner
PO Box 150 | Marlinton, WV 24954 304-799-4745 | 304-799-4117 (fax) | kenny@itlcorp.com
Experienced Yard Supervisor
Graham Lumber has a position available for an experienced Yard
Supervisor. Duties of the position include: Supervision of the stacker,
two inspection lines, AD yard, and Kilns. The Yard Supervisor will be
responsible for 36 employees and their safety and all quality and
production targets. The person in this position will work with the sales
department and General Manager to set inspection schedules and Kiln
schedules. The Yard Supervisor reports directly to the General Manager. Qualified candidates will have a minimum of 5 years inspection and kiln
dry experience as well as 5 years of supervisory experience. Salary is
negotiable. Submit resumes to Keith Snider at ksnider@ahiwood.com.
Graham Lumber Company
PO Box 679 | Hwy 412W | Linden, TN 37096
931-589-2143 | 931-589-5914 (fax)
Bandmill Sawyer
American Walnut Company has a position available for an experienced
Bandmill Sawyer in St. Joseph, Missouri. Please send resume to the
following address:
American Walnut Company | Attn: Alan Eckley
2801 South 2nd Street | St. Joseph, MO 64501
913-371-1820 | 913-371-1823 (fax)
americanwalnut@americanwalnut.com | www.americanwalnut.com
Current job openings are posted by members at www.nhla.com.
For more information, visit www.nhla.com or contact Chris Churchill
at 901-399-7555 or email at c.churchill@nhla.com.
HOW DO T H E SE
POPSICLES
RELATE TO YOU?
FYI: The Popsicle was created much by accident in 1905, by then 11 year old Frank
Epperson. Epperson left his fruit flavored drink outside on the porch with a stir
stick in it and later returned to discover the drink frozen and surprisingly delicious.
Eighteen years would pass until Frank Epperson obtained a patent for the “frozen
drink on a stick” that is now a beloved American classic.
32
Photo © Olga Lyubkina | Dreamstime.com
As temperatures rise and thermostats go down, people begin to search for something
to relieve the summer heat and a Popsicle is just the thing to cool you down. The
necessity of the Popsicle stick is often overlooked. But think about it; how can you
hold a Popsicle without the stick? Popsicle sticks are constructed from birch which is
extremely resistant to disease and fungi and its ease of use and low price point make
it desirable for use in crafts of any nature.
Photo Courtesy of Saint Blues Guitar Workshop

Hardwood Matters - National Hardwood Lumber Association

Transcription

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