Industry News – October 2026

Industry News – October 2026

Wolverine Hardwoods Inc.’s Lumber Industry Veteran Jeremy Potter

Jeremy Potter recently transitioned into a full-time sales role at Wolverine Hardwoods Inc., a hardwood lumber distribution and concentration yard located in Allegan, MI. After serving as the company’s Retail Store Manager for the past two-and-a-half years, Potter will focus on building customer relationships and serving hardwood manufacturers, distributors, and woodworkers with hardwood lumber, plywood and BREEZE DRIED stick products.

Wolverine Hardwoods purchases approximately 12 million board feet of hardwood lumber annually and is the exclusive U.S. distributor of BREEZE DRIED sticks for a wide range of woodworking and manufacturing applications.

The company’s inventory includes Ash, Alder, Basswood, Cherry, Eastern Red Cedar, Hard and Soft Maple, Hickory, Poplar, Red and White Oak, Walnut, exotic hardwood species, and domestic and imported plywood. In addition to supplying quality hardwood products, Wolverine offers surfaced lumber, custom rip-to-size products through Wolverine Rips, and commercial kiln-drying services.

Potter brings nearly three decades of experience to his new sales position. He began his career in 1997 stacking boards and grading lumber in Grand Rapids, MI. Throughout his career, he has worked for several hardwood lumber companies across West Michigan and spent 13 years as an independent lumber inspector, developing extensive expertise in hardwood grading, quality standards and customer service.

“During his time at Wolverine Hardwoods, Potter has helped strengthen the company’s retail operations while earning the trust of customers throughout the industry. In his new role, he looks forward to expanding those relationships and helping customers find the products and solutions that best meet their needs,” noted a Wolverine Hardwoods company representative.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring my experience to Wolverine Hardwoods and look forward to continuing to serve our customers while helping the company grow,” Potter said.

Outside of work, Potter enjoys spending time with his three children and grandchild, traveling, golfing, cooking and reading.

Wolverine Hardwoods Inc. is a member of the Great Lakes Kiln Drying Association, the National Hardwood Lumber Association, the Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association, the Lake States Lumber Association, and the Michigan Association of Timbermen.

For more information about Wolverine Hardwoods Inc., call 269-686-7004, email jeremy@wolverinehardwoods.com, or visit wolverinehardwoods.com.

JoeScan To Debut TrueSight Sawmill Vision System At TP&EE 2026

JoeScan will debut its new TrueSight Sawmill Vision System at the Timber Processing & Energy Expo, September 23 through 25, 2026, in Portland, OR.

TrueSight is a coordinated suite of hardware and software products designed to bring geometric scanning and color vision together throughout the sawmill. The system provides co-registered color images and geometric profiles that optimization integrators can use to support defect detection, grading, cutting and sorting decisions.

“TrueSight gives integrators and mills a complete vision platform designed specifically for sawmill applications,” said Joey Nelson, president of JoeScan. “By developing the scanners, cameras, lighting, calibration tools, networking and software to work together, we can reduce integration complexity and help our customers focus on optimization.”

The TrueSight platform includes JS-50 WX geometric scan heads, new ColorCam vision heads, lighting, industrial computing and networking components, a documented integration API and new software tools including a scan system simulator.

TrueSight also plans to introduce new push-button calibration hardware for both JS-50 WX geometry scanners and ColorCam vision heads, simplifying system setup and ongoing maintenance for mill personnel.

Existing transverse scanning systems equipped with JS-50 WX scan heads can be upgraded to add TrueSight color vision capabilities. Its modular architecture allows mills to expand system capabilities while continuing to use their existing JoeScan equipment.

At TP&EE JoeScan will demonstrate TrueSight and discuss beta partnership opportunities with optimization integrators and sawmills.

For more information or to schedule a meeting at TP&EE, reach out to info@joescan.com.

 For additional information about this topic, contact Brad Michael at 513-410-8568, email him at brad.michael@joe
scan.com or visit joescan.com.

Weber Brothers Sawmill Modernizes With Paw-Taw John Services

Investing in existing equipment can often provide some of the greatest returns, and that’s exactly the approach Weber Brothers Sawmill took with its latest modernization project.

Located in Mt. Pleasant, MI, Weber Brothers Sawmill has built a reputation for producing Red Oak, Hard and Soft Maple, White Ash and many other species. Serving customers with products ranging from green lumber and kiln-dried hardwood to dimensional lumber, pallet stock and custom live-edge slabs, the company continues to invest in technologies that improve quality, efficiency and long-term competitiveness.

Working alongside the Weber Brothers team, Paw-Taw John Services recently completed a comprehensive upgrade of the mill’s linear carriage, edger and resaw with complete run-around system. Rather than replacing dependable machinery, the project integrated custom Paw-Taw setworks with the existing equipment, improving positioning accuracy, increasing operating speed and reducing handling errors that can lead to unnecessary downtime.

The modernization is only the beginning. The next phase will integrate a scanner-optimizer with the existing Paw-Taw linear carriage setworks, allowing the system to optimize cutting solutions for each log. The result will be increased board footage, improved fiber recovery, fewer shims and reduced processing time. Once complete, the carriage system alone is projected to increase fiber recovery by as much as 13 percent.

According to Paw-Taw representatives, projects like this demonstrate how thoughtful engineering and modern controls can help sawmills increase production while maximizing the value of equipment they already own. Every mill has unique goals, and the best solutions are those designed around the operation—not the other way around.

To purchase hardwood products or sell timber, Weber Brothers Sawmill can be reached at 989-644-2206, weberbrossawmill@yahoo.com or by visiting weberssawmill.com.

Paw-Taw John Services Inc., based in Rathdrum, ID, specializes in industrial motion control, custom automation, electrical engineering, Temposonics distribution, and factory-certified Temposonics repair. Learn more at 208-687-1478, quotes@pawtaw.com or pawtaw.com.

Forest Service Awards $106 Million In Grants To Support Wood Industry

The National Hardwood Lumber Association recently shared that the Forest Service is awarding $105.5 million in grants for 177 projects that advance innovative uses of wood, increase wood construction, expand wood energy markets and strengthen forest products processing capacity. The funding is creating jobs, supporting active forest management and building more resilient rural economies through promotion of wood products and wood energy systems that address critical issues and sustain local economies.

Awardees include private, non-profit and government sectors that include tribes, local and state governments, businesses and for-profit entities and institutions of higher education. These investments support Administration goals to expand America’s timber production and the Secretary’s memo to increase timber production on the National Forest System to increase active management on national forests and other lands to improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk and support rural prosperity.

Visit nhla.com for more details.

NWFA Completes 88th Home With Gary Sinise Foundation

The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has provided flooring for its 88th 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. Marine Corps Sergeant (E-5) James “Eddie” Wright took place recently in Montgomery, TX. Flooring for the project was donated by NWFA member Mullican Hardwood Flooring.

Sergeant Wright was inspired to join the Marines by the military service of his father, who served in the Air Force, and his grandfather, who served in the Army during WWII. He served two deployments in Okinawa and the Middle East. After joining the elite 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, he was deployed to Fallujah in Iraq. While on patrol in 2004, he was riding in the lead vehicle of his convoy when insurgents ambushed his unit. During the ensuing firefight, a rocket propelled grenade struck his rifle. It exploded on impact, instantly severing his right arm below the wrist and his left arm below the elbow.

“I’m told that even while tourniquets were being applied to slow his bleeding, Sergeant Wright still managed to calmly direct other Marines to safety,” said Stephanie Owen, NWFA president and CEO. “He received 40 pints of blood over the course of his medical evacuation to the U.S., and 40 more to save his life.”

In addition to the 88 homes already completed, NWFA currently is working with its members to source wood flooring for 17 additional R.I.S.E. homes in various stages of planning and construction. Currently, 163 NWFA member companies have donated product, logistics and installation services in locations throughout the United States, with a total value of more than $7 million. A list of all NWFA R.I.S.E. participating companies can be found at nwfa.org/giving-back.aspx.

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 in St. Charles, MO, and can be contacted at 800-422-4556 (U.S. and Canada), 636-519-9663 (local and international), or at nwfa.org.

USITC Votes On Hardwood And Decorative Plywood From China, Indonesia And Vietnam

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) recently announced its injury determinations in its antidumping and countervailing duty investigations concerning hardwood and decorative plywood from China, Indonesia and Vietnam that the U.S. Department of Commerce determined are subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value and subsidized by the governments of China, Indonesia and Vietnam.

The USITC defined three domestic like products in these investigations.

Chairman Brett W. Doyle and Commissioners Jason S. Kearns and Peter-Anthony Pappas voted in the affirmative regarding hardwood and decorative plywood (excluding all softwood structural plywood) from China, Indonesia and Vietnam. As a result of the USITC’s affirmative determinations regarding hardwood and decorative plywood, Commerce will issue antidumping and countervailing duty orders on imports of this product from China, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Chairman Doyle and Commissioners Kearns and Pappas found that the imports of softwood structural plywood downfall and stamped and certified softwood structural plywood from China, Indonesia and Vietnam that Commerce determined are sold at less than fair value and subsidized by the governments of China, Indonesia and Vietnam are negligible and voted to terminate the antidumping and countervailing duty investigations for these products from China, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Commissioners Bart Thanhauser and David Foley Jr. did not participate in the vote in August.

The USITC’s public report on Hardwood and Decorative Plywood from China, Indonesia, and Vietnam (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-764-766 and 731-TA-1747-1749 (Final), USITC Publication 5784, August 2026) will contain the views of the USITC and information developed during the investigations.

The report was expected to be available on this site usitc.gov/commission_publications_library by September 28, 2026.

Status of proceedings, links to relevant documents, and more information about the investigations can be found here ids.usitc.gov/case/8288/investi
gation/8781.

Custom Woodworker Acquired By Big C Lumber

Big C Lumber in Granger, IN, recently acquired Priebe’s Creative Woodworking, a Benton Harbor, MI-based, custom cabinetry company. Big C Lumber handles Alder, Walnut, Poplar, Hickory, Red and White Oak, Cherry, Hard Maple, Sapele, cedar, western spruce-pine-fir, douglas-fir, pine, radiata pine and southern yellow pine according to their company website.

Founded in 1995 by Jeff Priebe, Priebe’s Creative Woodworking has spent more than three decades creating custom cabinetry, architectural woodworking and refined home interiors.

The addition further strengthens Big C Lumber’s ability to serve customers at every level of cabinetry—from functional everyday spaces to luxury custom designs.

Big C Lumber operates 14 lumberyards with showrooms (eight in Indiana and six in Michigan), eight of which also feature design centers. Manufacturing divisions include a custom millwork and cabinet shop in Fort Wayne, IN, a window and door shop in Mishawaka, IN, and a structural building components facility in Dowagiac, MI.

Go to bigclumber.com to learn more.

Riverhead Building Supply To Acquire Assets Of Contractor Express

Riverhead Building Supply, a family-owned lumber and building materials dealer operating 21 full-service lumberyards and two Lakeville kitchen and bath showrooms across New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, recently announced it will acquire certain assets of Contractor Express.

Riverhead Building Supply handles the following species according to their company website: Hickory, Cherry, Walnut, Oak, Maple and more.

Founded in Oceanside, NY, in 1981 by the Lucas family, Contractor Express is a full-service lumber and building material dealer. This acquisition will significantly strengthen Riverhead Building Supply’s ability to serve customers and communities throughout the South Shore of Nassau County, increasing its presence and capabilities in a market where Contractor Express has built a reputation.

Upon completion of the transition, Bob Lucas, president of Contractor Express, intends to retire from his 48-year career in the lumber and building materials business.

The deal was expected to close in September, upon completion of due diligence.

For over 75 years, Riverhead Building Supply has been a supplier for quality-conscious builders, contractors, architects and homeowners in the Long Island, Eastern Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Greater Boston, MA, areas.

Visit rbscorp.com to learn more.