Mike Mooney Joins AHC Hardwood Group As Director Of National Sales
AHC Hardwood Group, headquartered in Atlanta, GA, announced that Mike Mooney has joined the company as director of national sales. Mooney will oversee sales operations for the Midwest, Southwest and Western United States. With more than 25 years of experience in the building products industry, Mooney is an expert in market entry, new product introduction and brand development.
Atlanta Hardwood and its affiliated locations operating as AHC Hardwood Group, made a tactical move over the course of the past five years to increase capacity by 300 percent to meet the growing demand for value-added secondary manufacturing. Mooney is charged with expanding the distribution footprint for AHC Hardwood Group as part of the increased focus on the production and sale of these products.
With Mooney’s leadership, AHC Hardwood Group will be increasing market presence in areas where there has formerly been limited exposure. Having successfully driven growth and innovation in past roles, Mooney’s strategic vision and expertise in developing markets for value-added products aligns seamlessly with AHC Hardwood Group’s mission and values.
In recent years, AHC Hardwood Group changed business models from a lumber yard-focused product group to the manufacture of customized and specialty products. As the largest manufacturer and distributor of Cypress siding in the United States, the company has expanded its offering of specialty products to include thermally modified exterior siding and decking, cabinet and furniture components, shiplap and nickel-gap siding, window and door parts, solid-plank flooring, and more than 1,000 moulding profiles. Mooney will be leveraging his industry knowledge and customer relationships to deliver a new message for the group that pivots from lumber yard sales and focuses on value-added products.
As AHC continues to evolve within a dynamic industry, Mooney’s focus will be on expanding the market for value-added products, which are produced in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Clarksville, TN, and Cleveland, GA. These facilities are renowned for their advanced technology and commitment to quality, providing exceptional and customized products to customers.
For more information, visit www.hardwoodweb.com.
Collins Promotes John Olson To Sales Representative Of Kane Hardwood Division
Collins, headquartered in Wilsonville, OR, recently promoted John Olson to sales representative in their Kane Hardwood division, located in Kane, PA. Collins is a family owned company that traces its roots back to 1855, when T.D. Collins began timber operations in Pennsylvania. The family expanded west and moved the company headquarters to Oregon. Collins produces Hardwoods, softwoods, NAF pine particleboard, TruWood Siding and Trim. Collins upholds their long-standing commitment to land and resource stewardship with more than 370,000 acres of FSC-certified forest lands, five manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and one retail yard in California.
Collins, annually, produces 18 million board feet of lumber and kiln-dries 14 million board feet. The species that they offer are Black Cherry, Hard and Soft Maple, Red and White Oak, Ash and Birch. They offer these species rough or surfaced in thicknesses of 5/8-12/4, green and kiln-dried in thicknesses of 4/4-12/4. They also offer specialized custom sawn timbers, railroad and switch ties and veneer logs in lengths of 6-feet through 16-feet.
Olson started in the forest products industry in 2006 at Highland Forest Resources, where his first job was laying sticks and stacking lumber on the green chain and dryline. He has been with Collins for 13 years and before transitioning to sales representative, he inspected lumber for 10 years before transitioning into yard manager. As yard manager he supervised 10 dry kilns, shipping operations, the planer and dryline, as well as the 16 employees in his department.
Olson graduated from Kane Area High School in 1999.
Olson and his wife, Melissa, have three children, Julian, 10, Melody, 9 and Jett, 7. He enjoys coaching, watching and cheering on his children’s sports teams, as well as camping and vacationing with his family.
For more information, call Olson at 814-598-0118 or visit www.collinsco.com.
MacBeath Hardwoods Welcomes CJ Katsekos
Industry vet CJ Katsekos has joined MacBeath Hardwood as the newest team member at their dry kiln division in Edinburgh, IN, as a sales and purchasing representative. Katsekos came equipped with nearly 20 years of experience in the industry, with a focus on sales and purchasing, both domestic and import/export.
Katsekos is married with four children. He enjoys deep sea fishing and is a diehard Bengals and Reds fan.
As the company observes its 70-year anniversary, MacBeath Hardwood continues to grow at all levels of the industry.
For more information, visit www.macbeath.com.
Graf Brothers Flooring & Lumber Join The Charlois Group
Through its subsidiary Oak Nation, Charlois is proud to announce the acquisition of 100 percent of Graf Brothers Flooring & Lumber in the United States.
For four generations, the Graf family has been active in Oak processing in the United States. Founded in 2003 by Greg and Dave Graf in South Shore, KY, at the heart of the finest White Oak forests, Graf Brothers is the world’s leading producer of quarter-sawn and rift-sawn American Oak, specializing in the transformation of Quercus alba into high-quality lumber and premium flooring. The South Shore facilities employ 350 people across 14 storage and production facilities, featuring extensive kiln-drying capacity and log yards on nearly 100 acres, supplemented by a 346 acres land reserve. The two sawmills on site, along with the sawing capacities of two exclusive subcontractors and log yards spread across the Appalachians, enable the processing of over 42 million board feet of logs per year into carpentry components, solid and engineered flooring or staves for wine and bourbon barrels, generating an annual revenue of over $100 million.
With this significant acquisition, the largest in its history, Charlois replicates in the United States the vertically integrated model that has made it strong in Europe, where the group is already the largest buyer of Oak in France and Romania.
Dave and Greg Graf will continue to lead and support the activity, benefiting from Charlois’s expertise and support, with many synergies anticipated. Graf’s carpentry and flooring products, highly reputed in the United States, represent a timely diversification for the group. Indeed, in its pursuit of maximizing and optimizing raw materials, Charlois brings together historically complementary activities: forestry, sawmilling, stave milling, cooperage and now flooring.
“Our expertise and ambitions converge: joining the Charlois adventure is an exciting new chapter for all Graf teams. We are happy to embark together on this new phase dedicated to valuing the finest Oaks,” said the Graf brothers.
For more information, visit www.grafbro.com or www.charlois.com.
MasterBrand Completes Acquisition of Supreme Cabinetry Brands
MasterBrand, Inc., located in Beachwood, OH, through its subsidiary MasterBrand Cabinets LLC, recently announced that it has completed its acquisition of Supreme Cabinetry Brands, Inc., a cabinetry company, from GHK Capital Partners LP, for $520 million in cash.
“Today is an important day as Supreme joins MasterBrand,” said Dave Banyard, president and chief executive officer of MasterBrand. “The completion of this acquisition marks a major milestone, positioning MasterBrand to offer an unmatched breadth of offerings and enhanced service to even more customers and consumers. As one team, we will build on our shared legacy of innovative product leadership, superior customer service and continuous improvement to drive significant value for all our stakeholders. We warmly welcome the talented team at Supreme and look ahead with excitement to our continued journey of growth and innovation, as we advance our purpose of Building Great Experiences Together.”
The combined company will reach more customers, through its dealer networks, with greater efficiency and effectiveness. Through this transaction, MasterBrand will broaden its portfolio of premium cabinetry in the resilient and attractive kitchen and bath categories, further diversify its channel distribution and add to its strategically located facility footprint.
MasterBrand is the largest manufacturer of residential cabinets in North America and offers a comprehensive portfolio of leading residential cabinetry products for the kitchen, bathroom and other parts of the home. MasterBrand products are available in a wide variety of designs, finishes and styles. These products are delivered through an industry-leading distribution network of over 4,400 dealers, major retailers and builders.
For more information, visit www.masterbrand.com.
Hardwood Industry Launches New Tool for Architecture and Design Professionals
The Real American Hardwood Coalition (RAHC), located in Washington, DC, and the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA), located in Memphis, TN, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, have launched a new website at RealAmericanHardwood.pro. The website was developed to educate architects, interior designers and construction professionals on the attributes of Real American Hardwood® products, as well as introduce new and innovative Hardwood product technologies for the built environment.
Filled with information on the uses, value and benefits of the most commonly specified domestic Hardwood species, the website also explores new ways for design/build professionals to incorporate Hardwood products—such as thermally modified Hardwood and cross-laminated timber—into commercial and residential spaces. A sustainability section provides visitors with data—backed by science and research—on the environmental and climate friendly qualities of Hardwood products, and how they compare to alternatives, such as vinyl and steel.
Linda Jovanovich, chair of the RAHC, says the new website plays an important role in educating current and future professionals. “As the RAHC works with and educates architects, designers, specifiers and students, RealAmericanHardwood.pro is a valuable resource to serve those communities. I am looking forward to adding it to our education toolbox and putting it to work alongside our website at RealAmericanHardwood.com, which is designed to inform and inspire consumers and prosumers alike.”
“There are many different factors that are important to consider when designing a space for people to gather, while celebrating the Naturally Authentic® beauty and character of Real American Hardwood products,” says Dallin Brooks, executive director of the NHLA. “From the visual aesthetics of lumber to the functionality of different species, this new platform will equip all involved in the design/build community with the information they need to create a positive impact on both people within design spaces and on the environment outside by specifying Real American Hardwood flooring, cabinetry, millwork, furniture, and more.”
The website also includes a featured projects section, where visitors can read case studies about unique projects and submit their own work for publication.
Visit www.RealAmericanHardwood.pro to experience the website and learn more.
NWFA Completes 77th Home with Gary Sinise Foundation
The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), located in St. Charles, MO, has provided flooring for its 77th home in support of the Gary Sinise Foundation R.I.S.E. program (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment). The R.I.S.E. program builds mortgage-free, custom, specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded veterans and first responders. The home dedication for U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class (Ret.) Joshua Geddis recently took place in Coburg, OR. Flooring for the project was donated by NWFA member Denver Hardwoods. Installation services were provided by New Dimension Hardwood Floors.
In addition to the 77 homes already completed, NWFA currently is working with its members to source wood flooring for 12 additional R.I.S.E. homes in various stages of planning and construction. Currently, 157 NWFA member companies have donated product, logistics, and installation services in locations throughout the United States, with a total value of more than $6.9 million. A list of all NWFA R.I.S.E. participating companies can be found at www.nwfa.org/giving-back.aspx.
To learn more about the program, and how you and/or your company can get involved, contact the NWFA at 800.422.4556, or e-mail them at anita.howard@nwfa.org.
The National Wood Flooring Association is a not-for-profit trade organization, with more than 3,000 member companies world-wide, dedicated to educating consumers, architects, designers, specifiers, and builders in the uses and benefits of wood flooring. The NWFA is located at 14 Research Park Drive, St. Charles, MO 63304, and can be contacted at 800.422.4556 (USA & Canada), 636.519.9663 (local and international), or at www.nwfa.org.
