Consistency, Growth And Relationships At Tri-State Forest Products
Tri-State Forest Products’ Springfield, OH, corporate headquarters.
In a distribution landscape increasingly dominated by scale, programs and national consolidation, Tri-State Forest Products has built its business on a more disciplined formula: consistency, thoughtful growth and long-term relationships.
Founded in 1993, by Tom Latham CEO, Tri-State Forest Products Inc., is a privately owned, full-line wholesale distributor specializing in engineered wood products and lumber. Headquartered in Springfield, OH, the company relocated to its current corporate campus in 2000 and has expanded steadily ever since—adding facilities with intention rather than chasing footprint for its own sake.
Premium Western Spruce lumber.
“Over the years, we’ve added multiple distribution facilities to better serve our customers,” said President Rob Latham. “Today our footprint runs from Michigan down through Tennessee, and we continue to invest where it makes sense operationally and strategically.”
Most recently, Tri-State opened a new distribution facility in Hubbard, OH, in October 2025. With that addition, the company now operates branches in Springfield, Perrysburg (Toledo) and Hubbard, OH; Indianapolis, IN; Edwardsburg, Saginaw and Gaylord, MI; Lawrenceburg (Lexington), KY; Milan, TN; along with a satellite location in Grand Rapids, MI. Combined, the network represents nearly 800,000 square feet of warehouse space.
All Tri-State facilities are rail-served, and the company owns and operates its own private fleet—allowing it to control delivery performance across all or part of 12 states.
A True One-Stop Source
Tri-State Forest Products positions itself as a comprehensive, one-stop source for lumber, panels and engineered wood systems as well as PVC siding and trim, aluminum railing, composite decking and mortarless stone.
Lumber offerings include long-length lumber, Spruce-Pine-Fir (SPF), and Southern Yellow Pine dimension, along with a broad board inventory featuring Pond Pine, Southern Yellow Pine, SPF, Cedar, poplar, and red oak. Panel products range from hardwood plywood, sanded panels, Sturd-I-Floor, underlayment, lauan, BBOES, and siding products.
In OSB, Tri-State stocks both commodity panels and premium branded products such as Huber Advantech® and ZIP System®, Weyerhaeuser Edge Gold® and West Fraser Durastrand®.
Where the company truly differentiates itself, however, is engineered wood.
Loaded trucks at the Indianapolis, IN, facility.
Tri-State maintains one of the most diverse engineered wood offerings in the wholesale channel, including I-joists, TriForce open-web trusses, LVL, glulam beams, LSL, columns and insulated headers. That depth allows the company to support projects ranging from single-family homes to complex multi-story commercial applications.
“Our inventory and in-house design capabilities give us the flexibility to build the right system for each customer,” Latham said. “Our design team’s tenure aligns closely with our customer base, which creates trust and efficiency throughout the process.”
Specialty Products and Manufacturing Capabilities
In addition to lumber and engineered wood, Tri-State supplies a full line of treated and fire-retardant products. Fire-retardant offerings include Hoover Treated Wood Products, which feature UL classification marks, verified strength properties, and smoke-toxicity testing, as well as Pyro-Guard lumber and plywood with a flame-spread rating of 25 or less under ASTM E84. Exterior fire-retardant treatments, including Exterior Fire-X, are also available.
An aerial view of Tri-State Forest Products’ Indianapolis, IN, distribution center.
Tri-State also manufactures treated fence panels in-house. Panels are built using visually graded ⅝-inch fence boards, ring-shank nails, and No. 2 premium 2×3 runners. Additional treated products include fence boards, balusters, stringers, lattice, landscape timbers, treated dimensional lumber, timbers, and plywood. “Our treated accessories are some of the best in the industry, just ask our customers. We know that successful business relies not just on quality products, but on great service and strong relationships,” said Latham.
People First, Always
Ask Latham what truly drives Tri-State’s success, and the answer comes quickly.
“It’s our people,” he said. “We’re fortunate to have a team that genuinely cares about this company and understands that our success depends on our customers’ success.”
A map of the service area showing all Tri-State Forest Products locations.
That philosophy shapes how Tri-State supports its customers—before, during and after the sale. The company trains customer sales teams, provides technical and product education, and offers jobsite and phone support to ensure confidence in both product selection and installation.
“We take a vested interest in helping our customers succeed,” Latham said. “That mindset shows up in how we communicate, how we problem-solve and how accessible our leadership remains.”
Growth with Purpose
While Tri-State is relatively young compared to some industry giants, the company has achieved meaningful growth without relying exclusively on national programs or top-down mandates.
A loaded trailer ready for transportation.
“We hire the right people and empower them to make decisions,” Latham said. “Ownership is accessible—to both employees and customers—and our teams are encouraged to build deep, lasting relationships.”
That decentralized, relationship-driven model extends to warehouse operations as well. Tri-State emphasizes accuracy, accountability and on-time delivery, continuously investing in communication systems and process improvement to eliminate friction for customers.
Looking Ahead
As Tri-State Forest Products looks to the future, its focus remains unchanged: consistency, disciplined growth, and relationship-building.
Flag raising at the newest location in Hubbard, OH.
“Our mission is to develop long-term partnerships by offering a broad product mix, competitive pricing and dependable delivery,” Latham said. “Quality products matter—but service, trust and relationships are what sustain a business.”
Tri-State Forest Products Inc. is a member of the North American Wholesale Lumber Association and the National Federation of Independent Business.
For more information, visit tsfpi.com.
