Who’s Who in Softwoods
Durgin & Crowell Lumber Co: Offering Eastern White Pine Since 1976
Alex Darrah
Alex Darrah is sales manager at Durgin & Crowell Lumber Co., located in New London, NH.
Durgin & Crowell is a manufacturer of kiln-dried Eastern White Pine. The company is certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® Sourcing program. “Founded in 1976, Durgin & Crowell Lumber Co. has a history of innovation, continually seeking new opportunities to grow and diversify its business,” added Darrah.
The company employs around 85 people, and each year produces over 30 million board feet of 4/4 Eastern White Pine. Their products include all the NELMA grades and patterns as well as their Enhance Prefinished paneling. “Enhance is a 100 percent VOC free UV cured product ready for installation,” commented Darrah.
Darrah is married to Jessica, and together they have two boys: Fletcher and Lincoln. Darrah enjoys hunting, fishing, skiing and golfing with his sons.
More information can be found at durginandcrowell.com.
BPWood’s Lara Damen
Lara Damen
Lara Damen is a lumber trader who handles Douglas Fir sales and business development at BPWood in Vancouver, BC.
BPWood is a worldwide specialty company that offers boards, patterns, dimension and timbers in coastal species. They also import finger jointed, edge-glued, Clear Vertical Grain Western Red Cedar in addition to Japanese Cedar, ThermoWood and primed, finger jointed, edge-glued Radiata Pine.
Damen described the company as “small and nimble with a wide reach. BPWood has exceptional abilities to source the weird and wonderful products customers may be looking for.”
Damen has been in the forest products industry for five years and got her start at Western Forest Products as a sales and marketing intern. Through a co-op program at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, she worked at many Western Forest Products mills on Vancouver Island before moving to the Western Forest Products head office in Vancouver for a Cedar sales position.
At the University of British Columbia, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Wood Products and Processing.
In her spare time, she explores British Columbia on foot, with her bike or in her four-wheel drive vehicle.
BPWood is a member of the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, the North American Wholesale Lumber Association, the International ThermoWood Association, the British Columbia Wholesale Lumber Association, the National Hardwood Lumber Association, the Independent Wood Processors Association of British Columbia and the Pacific Lumber Exporters Association.
To learn more, call 604-830-0694, email lara@bpwood.com or visit bpwood.com.
Ken Hatcher At Brunette Machinery
Ken Hatcher
Ken Hatcher is a member of Brunette Machinery’s team as their U.S. capital sales representative.
Brunette Machinery has extensive experience in equipment manufacturing and has been a premium supplier to the North American forestry industry for more than 80 years.
Recently Brunette acquired the assets of Salem Equipment and formed a new entity, Brunette Salem USA Inc, operating out of Sherwood, OR.
Today, Brunette Salem manufactures and supplies a variety of branded sawmill equipment, including Brunette Salem Ring Debarkers, the Vertical and Horizontal High-Strain Bandmills, complete Headrig Carriage systems, Optimized Board Edger and a Swing Hammer Hog.
Hatcher grew up in Georgia and spent much of his life there. He attended South Cobb High School in Austell. Directly after graduation, Hatcher enlisted in the U.S. Army 7th infantry division, where he spent three years.
Hatcher has been working in the U.S. lumber industry for over 30 years. He started his career in forestry equipment manufacturing in parts and shop work then quickly moved to service and capital sales. In more than three decades, Hatcher has gained invaluable experience in the industry while also building up a large network of friends and colleagues. “His vast experience, connections in the industry and his friendly, open personality make him a great fit for the Brunette Machinery family,” stated a Brunette Machinery company representative.
Currently, he is living in Alabama with his wife. He noted that his new address puts him central to many lumber producing locations.
In his spare time, Hatcher enjoys all forms of art including painting, writing and performing music as well as experimenting with any creative digital platform he finds online. When he isn’t creating art or music, Hatcher loves to play on the water with his 50+ nieces and nephews.
For more details, visit brunettemc.com.
Solidwood Forest Ltd: Offering A Variety Of Products And Processes
Trey Herring
Trey Herring is a sales representative at Solidwood Forest Ltd., which has locations in Waller County and Cresson, TX. Solidwood is a processing distributor and wood preserver focusing on servicing Texas, Louisiana and Chicago but can ship across the U.S.
The company purchases the following: Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar and Southern Yellow Pine. Grades and thicknesses include Nos. 1 through 4 Common, and they offer micronized copper azole, kiln-dried after treatment, pickets, corbels and pattern stock.
Treating, kiln-drying, millwork, precision end trimming, Edge Timbers, Vintage Pine Pattern, Fire Chief and Solid Tone Brown are value-added processes offered by Solidwood. Solidwood also owns a fleet of trucks.
Herring’s career in the forest products industry started five years ago in sales and mill production. Herring has been with Solidwood for five years and in his current role for four-and-a half years. He also has experience as a mill coordinator.
He attended Cy-Fair High School in Harris County, TX.
Herring enjoys spring turkey hunting, catching speckled trout and playing golf.
He has one son (James) and one daughter (Virginia) with Morgan, his wife of 10 years.
Solidwood Forest Ltd. is a member of the Greater Houston Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association, North American Wholesale Lumber Association, American Fence Association, Lumbermen’s Association of Texas and Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association.
For more details, call Herring at 832-418-9399, email him at TreyH@solidwoodforest.com or visit solidwoodforest.com.
