Fort Worth, TX–Situated on 30 acres, Sweeney Hardwoods began operating as a wholesale distributor of Hardwoods in 1989 as part of the R.E. Sweeney family of companies.
Today, continuing to meet and exceed the needs of their customers is the mission of Sweeney Hardwoods’ 40 employees. That goal is met daily thanks not only to the fine Appalachian Hardwoods that Sweeney purchases, but also the more than 200 years of combined experience in the forest products industry that the company’s staff possesses.
Sweeney Hardwoods’ Vice President and General Manager Kim Lively commented, “Our biggest asset is our employees and their knowledge. Our second biggest asset is our customer service. We pride ourselves on being reliable and consistent in our products and services.”
In addition to lumber, Sweeney Hardwoods stocks Hardwood plywood, cabinet facing and S4S products, MDF, particleboard, hardboard, melamine and a wide variety of standard mouldings, custom mouldings, and sculptured pieces. In fact, the company’s moulding and millwork facility can produce custom pieces to meet customers’ exact specifications. The firm also has the capability of running custom profile mouldings up to 11-1/4” wide.
But Sweeney’s success also depends on the quality lumber procured by the company. Lively said, “The key is good flat lumber, and we have great results buying northern and Appalachian stock. I buy No. 1 Common and Better.”
The species list of Appalachian lumber purchased by Sweeney Hardwoods is lengthy and represents 60 percent of the company’s procurement, the balance being sheet stock. Monthly, Sweeney buys approximately 200,000 board feet of kiln-dried lumber.
Among the rough sawn lumber available at Sweeney are the following: Alder (4/4-8/4), Ash (4/4-8/4), Basswood (4/4-8/4), Beech (4/4-8/4), Birch (4/4-8/4), Cherry (4/4-8/4), Hard and Soft Maple (4/4-12/4), Pecan/Hickory (4/4-8/4 and rustic), Red and White Oak (4/4-10/4 and rustic), Poplar (4/4-10/4), Walnut (4/4-8/4) and Cypress as well as Mahogany and White Pine (No. 3 Common to C-Select and Furniture Grade, 4/4-8/4).
Sweeney Hardwoods also markets rift and quartered lumber in Red and White Oak (4/4-8/4), as well as Walnut (4/4 and 8/4).
“Our biggest asset is our employees and their knowledge. Our second biggest asset is our customer service. We pride ourselves on being reliable and consistent in our products and services.”
Kim Lively, Vice President and General Manager, Sweeney Hardwoods
On staff are two National Hardwood Lumber Association graders/inspectors: Curt Heinemann (a 1973 graduate of the 52nd class) and Mark Gilbert (a 1978 graduate of the 65th class). The two men have 90 years of combined experience in the forest products industry.
Lively has been with the company 27 years and in addition to being general manager, she purchases lumber inventories and handles sales along with Curt Heinemann, 27 years with Sweeney and 48 years in the industry; Paul Ramirez, 29 years (Paul is also knowledgeable and experienced in knife grinding and custom mouldings); Owen Morris, 15 years with Sweeney (he also does CAD drawings and grinds templates for custom moulding profiles); Ronnie Armstrong, 19 years with Sweeney Hardwoods and 50 years in the industry (Ronnie also does the purchasing of sheet stock for Sweeney); Taylor Moore, 5 years; Cameron Sawyer, 4 years; and Mark Gilbert, 3 years with Sweeney Hardwoods and 43 years in the industry.
Heinemann and Moore are assigned to outside sales for Sweeney with their territories spanning from West Texas (Amarillo to Midland/Odessa), Central Texas, South to Waco and East Texas into Louisiana. They also service parts of Southern Oklahoma.
Ninety-five percent of the company’s customers are cabinet manufacturers. Lively noted, “For the cabinet shops, we surface and straight-line rip lumber. These customers also purchase plywood and stock mouldings from us—whatever they need. If we don’t stock it or can’t manufacture it, we will do our best to locate and deliver to satisfy our customers’ needs.”
Sweeney Hardwoods has the flexibility to meet a wide variety of customer orders, such as S4S lumber products to high-end intricate mouldings, thanks to its equipment capabilities. “We have resaw capabilities,” said Lively. “We have two planers and two gang rips as well as three moulders. One moulder has the capability to profile up to 12” wide boards.”
“Our company has three divisions, being Sweeney Lumber; Resdoor, which is our door company; and Sweeney Hardwoods,” Lively commented. “We have the advantage of having three different companies on the property right here, so, if our customers want building materials or doors and jambs, we do yard transfers back and forth. It’s one-stop shopping.”
Sweeney Hardwoods owns a fleet of trucks and can provide next-day delivery within a 100-mile radius on in-stock items purchased prior to 3 p.m.
Lively explained the company owns three tractor-trailers, four bobtail trucks and two smaller trucks that do not require the driver to have a CDL license.
Driving all their success, as Lively mentioned, is their employees’ knowledge, and also the fact they take ownership literally. “We are an ESOP company,” she said. “We are employee-owned so everyone is working for the greater good—it’s not just a job here. That makes a difference in our success.”
Sweeney Hardwoods is a member of the Hardwood Distributors Association and the National Credit Managers Association.
With over 200 years of combined experience, Sweeney’s knowledgeable sales team is devoted to customer service. Pictured left to right: Curt Heinemann, Mark Gilbert, Ronnie Armstrong, Paul Ramirez, Owen Morris, Kim Lively, Taylor Moore and Cameron Sawyer
Sweeney’s production mill is supported by 2-Mereen Johnson gang rip saws, a Diehl straight line rip saw and a Baker ABX resaw. Not shown are 2-Newman 282 planers, a Weinig Unimat 217 moulder, a Weinig Unimat 23 moulder, and a Weinig U30EL 12-inch moulder.
Accuracy and precision are most important at Sweeney Hardwoods. After setting up the planer, thickness is double checked before continuing with the order.
Learn more at www.sweeneyhardwoods.com.
