“We really pride ourselves in having the highest quality material from some of the best suppliers and names in the industry. Our key advantage is the supplier network we have at the mill level. We partner with suppliers that put quality first.” – Jason Horn, lumber product manager, AETNA Building Solutions
All of AETNA’s lumber is inspected upon arrival by industry professionals because they value providing high-quality and consistent lumber to all their customers.
Hardwood and softwood lumber and building material distributor, AETNA Building Solutions, recently added a new lumber processing center at its flagship location in Maywood, IL.
With five locations spread across Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Kentucky, AETNA has over 100 employees. Facilities encompass over 400,000 square-feet combined. Lumber Product Manager Jason Horn said the culture at AETNA includes not only meeting customer needs but projecting future product availability. “All of our lumber is purchased from sawmills from the Northern, Appalachian and Central growing regions,” he explained. “Our Alder, like all others, comes from the Pacific Northwest. These regions are known for consistency and a beautiful product. We introduce new lines as needed. There is a lot of planning and detail that goes into bringing the products to market.” Average lumber inventory for the combined locations is 1.6 million board feet.
AETNA Building Solutions purchases 5 million board feet annually of imported lumber including German Beech, African Mahogany, Sapele, Red Grandis, as well as domestic hardwood and softwood lumber.
The operation purchases 5 million board feet annually in imported, domestic hardwoods and softwoods including (Prime grades, Nos. 1 and 2 Common, 4/4 through 12/4) German Beech, African Mahogany, Afrormosia, Red Grandis, Walnut, Poplar, Ash, Aspen, Superior and Rustic Alder, Red and White Oak (Rift and Quartered), Yellow Birch, Cherry (Pennsylvania), Aromatic Cedar, Soft Maple (Red Leaf) and White Pine.
The new Maywood, IL, center is designed to maximize throughput and minimize material waste. Horn explained, “We invested in a new lumber processing center, that will allow us to surface and straight line rip material up to 12/4 in thickness. We paired a Newman Whitney double headed rough planer with a Mereen Johnson Diehl ripsaw, all fed with an automated table system. The two Newman helical carbide cutterheads deliver controlled thickness dimensioning top and bottom in a single pass at a maximum feed rate of up to 200 feet per minute.”
Horn said these capabilities are allowing the operation to rip product at 94 percent yield, giving their customer base better lead times, yields and overall quality. “After planing, the lumber is automatically conveyed to and loaded into a Mereen Johnson Diehl optimized ripsaw system, performing straight line ripping. The output of this system now allows us to do next day delivery to our customers. So, with a brand-new optimized system, we are also able to offer a better finish on the new rough planer.
AETNA Building Solutions, recently added a new lumber processing center at its flagship location in Maywood, IL.
“We have customers of all sizes,” he continued. “A lot of the small and medium sized shops might want to get the material surfaced and have it surfaced and ripped, prepping the processing portion for the customer. This way they don’t have to use their shop time and their labor to process that lumber. With this new system we have stocking programs at all of our branches for surfaced and straight line material and we’re able to offer all domestic species, hit and miss, rough, surfaced to various stock sizes with a straight line. Customers can order 100 board feet if they need it and it’s ready to go at the time of the order. They don’t have to wait for any processing.”
Among the many advantages of choosing AETNA Building Solutions, Horn said their company culture is highly focused on industry leading brands and quality. “We are a private, American owned and operated company. We have a team of experienced product manager-subject matter experts. Our goal is to provide knowledgeable purchasing experiences. AETNA Building Solutions has a strong belief in creating a culture of teamwork, accountability and finding a way to get the job done. We work together to find the best solutions for our customers, our co-workers, and our suppliers.”
AETNA Building Solutions is FSC certified which opens the opportunity to supply FSC labelled products to our customers.
One of the notable efforts of AETNA Building Solutions is a list of ‘Wayz’ available for complete viewing on the company’s website. Within that list several that stand out include Do the Right Thing, Honoring Commitments, Work Smart, Safety First, Invest in Relationships and Get Clear on Expectations. The ‘Wayz’ fortify AETNA’s company culture. Each week one Way is selected and made the focus of the week.
AETNA Building Solutions also has its own fleet of trucks and drivers for prompt delivery. “Being independently and American owned and operated allows us to be able to pivot to the market conditions. So, when new products come out we are typically first to market with them. We really pride ourselves in having the highest quality material from some of the best suppliers and names in the industry. Our key advantage is the supplier network we have at the mill level. We partner with suppliers that put quality first. This ensures we give our customers products that produce a better yield with a better finish.”
AETNA is also FSC certified, which opens the opportunity to supply FSC labelled products into their mix. The company attends and exhibits at the Midwest Tool Expo, Closet Conference Expo and Architectural Woodwork Institute Product Showcase, in addition to many more throughout the year.
“All of our lumber is purchased from sawmills from the Northern, Appalachian and Central growing regions,” said Jason Horn, lumber product manager at AETNA Building Solutions.
Established in 1937 as a wholesale plywood distributor business, by 2018 AETNA acquired Horn Brothers to build upon their Hardwood Lumber Program. In September of 2022, AETNA purchased Hardwood Specialties in Lexington, KY, to continue its strategy of growth.
AETNA Building Solutions is a member of the Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association, North American Building Material Association, The American Institute of Architects, International Interior Design Association, and Chicago Association of General Contractors.
For more information, call 773-972-2031, email jasonhorn@aetnaplywood.com or visit www.aetnaplywood.com.
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