Industry News – August 2025

Industry News – August 2025

Pike Lumber Company Inc. Welcomes Faith Kamp

Pike Lumber Company Inc., located in Akron, IN, recently brought Faith Kamp on board as their newest sales representative. Pike Lumber manufactures kiln-dried Appalachian hardwood lumber in Ash, Basswood, Cherry, Hickory, Hard and Soft Maple, Red and White Oak, Red and White Oak Rift and Quartered, Poplar and Walnut.

Kamp’s first position in the forest products industry was stacking boards as a summer job at Pike Lumber in 2020. She then went on to be a timber department assistant, management trainee and assistant dry kilns coordinator before joining the sales team.

Kamp graduated from Tippecanoe Valley High School in 2020 and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and business management from Western Governors University in 2022.

In her free time Kamp enjoys hiking in the woods, basketball, traveling, meeting new people and spending time with her two Goldendoodles, family and friends.

Kamp has served as the club secretary and president for the Akron Lions Club. She sits on the board for the Fulton County Habitat for Humanity and the United We Stand Ministries of Akron. She serves as the head coordinator for the Akron chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

For more information, call 800-356-4554 or visit pikelumber.com.

Ron Jones Hardwood Sales Welcomes Matthew Lowry

Ron Jones Hardwood Sales Inc., located in Union City, PA, recently welcomed Matthew Lowry as their newest salesman and purchasing agent. Ron Jones Hardwood specializes in the manufacturing and sales of premium Northern Appalachian hardwood lumber. They offer thicknesses ranging from 3/4 through 8/4 and species include Cherry, Red Oak, Hard and Soft Maple, Poplar, Hickory, Ash and Yellow Birch, in rough or surfaced.

Lowry started in the forest products industry in 2009 as a woodworker piling boards at the gang rip and chop saw at Woodcraft Industries while attending Thiel College. Upon graduation, Lowry was promoted to a supervisor position for a short period of time before spending his next twelve years as lumber buyer at Woodcraft (Quanex). He then went on to be a lumber buyer and salesman at Lewis Lumber & Milling before joining the team at Ron Jones Hardwood.

“I have a heart full of gratitude for this industry and all the opportunities it has presented. The forest provides such a wonderful product with such a great story to tell. Most of my career has been in a secondary manufacturing setting where I rarely had the chance to color outside the lines with a primary focus on feeding the machine; so, I am excited to learn and put the pieces to a different puzzle together!” said Lowry.

Lowry graduated from Albert Gallatin High School in Smithfield, PA. He then went on to further his education and wrestle at Thiel College. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in actuarial studies along with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics in 2012.

Lowry enjoys spending time with family and raising his three children, volunteer coaching the local high school wrestling teams and swinging an axe.

For more information, call 724-984-7007 or visit ronjoneshardwood.com

Cole Hardwood Inc. Welcomes Sarah Cole To Sales Team

Cole Hardwood Inc., located in Logansport, IN, recently welcomed Sarah Cole to their sales team. Sarah has been with the company for two and a half years, where she started in accounts receivable and export coordination.

Cole Hardwood specializes in producing a range of high-quality hardwood products, including Ash, Basswood, Beech, Cherry, Hickory, Hard and Soft Maple, Poplar, Red and White Oak and Walnut. They offer these species in various grades and thicknesses.

Sarah graduated from Frankfort Senior High School, Frankfort, IN, in 2003 and studied at Indiana University Kokomo, Kokomo, IN, and Ivy Tech Community College, Lafayette, IN. She also went to Honor’s Beauty School, Indianapolis, IN where she became a licensed esthetician. Before joining Cole Hardwood, Sarah was a small business owner working as an esthetician.

Sarah is a board member of United Way of Cass County, a Kiwanis club member and a board member of the Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association.

In her free time, Sarah enjoys being active in her community, golfing, traveling and spending time with her family.

For more information call 574-727-7608 or visit colehardwood.com.

Collins Names Jason Stanley Director Of Hardwood Lumber Operations

Collins, located in Kane, PA, recently named Jason Stanley as their new director of hardwood lumber operations. Stanley has been with the company for four years.

Collins’ hardwood division manufactures Black Cherry, Red and White Oak, Hard and Soft Maple, Poplar, Ash and Birch in a variety of grades and thicknesses.

Before joining Collins as operations manager, Stanley was the general manager at NWH, assistant manager at ITL, procurement manager, yard manager and kiln operator at Highland Forest Resources. His first job in the forest products industry was piling lumber at his father’s sawmill during the summers while he was in high school.

He graduated from Kane Area High School, Kane, PA, in 1994. He and his brother followed in their father’s footsteps by attending the National Hardwood Lumber Association’s Inspector Training School in 1997.

He is a member of the Kane Area Industrial Development Corporation and the Pennsylvania Forest Products Association.

In his free time, Stanley enjoys watching his daughter play soccer and going to antique car shows.

For more information, visit collinsco.com.

Cummings Lumber Partners With Cleereman Industries In Rebuild

Cleereman Industries recently made several installations at Cummings Lumber in Troy, PA. In 2024 Cummings Lumber had a fire that destroyed the main carriage line of their mill. Cleereman Industries came out to assess the damages and talk about a timetable of replacing burnt equipment and what it was going to take to get them back up and running.

Rob Kittle, Cleereman Industries sales engineer met with Scott Cummings, owner of Cummings Lumber, to discuss the different options to get them back up and running. After discussing the options, it was decided that Cummings Lumber would install a Cleereman ST-62 Lumber-Pro thin kerf moving band mill with Cleereman Controls 3-D scanning system for breaking the logs down.

Once the order was confirmed Cleereman Industries sent lead engineer Rod Chitko to Cummings Lumber to take final measurements and draw everything up on site and go over the scope of the project. Chitko reviewed everything, from taking out the old equipment to how to reuse some of the existing sub steel, electrical, waste and setting plan.

Cleereman Industries believes that by sending an engineer to measure and draw everything up on site over a few days makes a huge difference on the overall experience and success on the installation for their customers.

The installation included a Cleereman Whole Metal Log Detector, Cleereman Log Haul with Dual Kickers, Cleereman ST-62 Lumber-Pro, Cleereman Controls Scanning System and Cleereman Headrig Roll case.

For more information, visit cleereman.com.

Sawmill MD Installs Three SiCam ResawX Systems At Clark Lumber

Sawmill MD, located in Crestview, FL, and SiCam Systems, located in British Columbia, announced that Clark Lumber’s three mills in North Central Tennessee have recently started up SiCam ResawX Scanning systems to maximize the efficiency and yield from their Horizontal Resaws.

The ResawX system provides cant sizing detail and recommended sawing solutions to Clark’s resaw operators via a 10-inch touch screen quickly and accurately without turning the cant. Scan time is less than 1/2 of a second once cant is in scan zone. The cant is normally scanned and size displayed to the operator on the fly before the cant gets to the stops in the grading/turning zone.

The start-up at each mill was completed in less than two working days with minimal interruption of production. “The team at Clark Lumber was prepared for the start-ups with very well engineered and installed scanning frames,” said Mike Ballard, of Sawmill MD.

After a few minor adjustments, and calibration ResawX was scanning quickly and accurately providing size and recommended sawing solutions to the operator.

Brandon Clark, owner of Clark Hardwoods, said, “The scanner has been very well received with all of the operators. We have one sawyer that has been working for 35 years that was a little reluctant at first but now says it is the best addition to the resaw we have ever made.”

The ResawX system improves Resaw operating results by reducing wasted lines and measurably reducing shims. ResawX allows the management to set sawing pattern recommendations based on size and grade, which improves the ability to maximize the output of desired products based on current requirements.

Contact Mike Ballard at SawmillMD@mindspring.com for more information on the SiCam ResawX Scanning system, or log into their website SawmillMD.com to see videos of the ResawX system and additional Sawmill MD product videos.

NWH Partners with Nyle to Enhance Drying Efficiency with HRV Technology

Nyle Dry Kilns is excited to announce a new partnership with NWH, a leading producer of quality hardwoods, to improve drying efficiency at its Titusville, PA and Longview, WA, facilities. In line with its commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability, NWH has invested in a Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) system to optimize heat utilization and reduce operational costs.

The HRV system is designed to capture waste heat from kiln exhaust air and repurpose it to preheat incoming air. This significantly reduces fuel consumption and minimizes energy waste. The innovative solution not only improves drying consistency but also lowers overall operating expenses.

By incorporating heat recovery technology, NWH is taking proactive steps to reduce its environmental impact while maintaining the highest standards in hardwood drying. Their investment in cutting-edge kiln technology aligns with their long-term vision for efficiency, cost savings and sustainability.

 Nyle Dry Kilns is proud to support NWH in achieving greater energy efficiency and optimized drying performance. This partnership underscores the growing industry demand for advanced drying solutions that balance quality with responsible energy use.

 For more information about Nyle’s HRV solutions, visit nyledrykilns.com.

Comact Brings Board Stacking System Online At Batesville

Comact, based in Mirabel, QC, completed an installation of a board stacking system that was recently brought fully online at Batesville, a casket manufacturer, located in Vicksburg, MS.

The entire installation was designed, installed and powered by Comact. The installation includes four robots (provided by Yaskawa, a strategic partner of Comact) which replaces four operators that stack the casket lumber and a Comact scanner with AI to separate, position and classify boards by matching it with data from the previous scanner in front of the ripsaw which minimize mismatch possibilities. The Comact 3D scanner also allows the client to grade warp at the outfeed of a ripsaw.

The PLC (programable logic controller) is capable of handling over 1,000 different products with the use of over 60 recipes. The four robots are able to stack eight different products at one time. The robots are also able to stack different width boards while creating square bundles. The robots are also engineered with tooling that allows them to handle boards ranging from 1-inch to 6-inches.

The company stated that with the enhanced robotic cell safety it is now possible to continue production while a full cart is being swapped out. The stacking robotic cell breakthrough has also allowed Comact to demonstrate its leadership in the automation portion of process where manpower is still a big part of production but hard to get in today’s world, a company representative continued.

The robotic automation for board stacking has become a standard product at Comact for the forest products industry and they are planning on bringing two other products to the marketplace for long board stacking and anomaly correction on a transverse line.

For over 100 years, Comact has delivered high-performance wood processing equipment, digital solutions, cutting tools and expert project services. For more information, visit comact.com.

Combilift Launches Two New Products Ready For Purchase

At LIGNA 2025 in Hannover, Germany, Combilift introduced two new solutions for timber handling that are made to increase safety, efficiency and decrease the environmental impact of long-load operations.

The Combi-FSE 8000, a heavy-duty electric sideloader for long loads, offers an eight-ton lift capacity for handling a variety of wood products in confined outdoor or indoor spaces. It has emission-free operation with the twin 18kw drive motors to provide the torque and responsiveness needed for heavy packs, in addition to all-electric performance suitable for indoor timber stores. The steering and traction designed for muddy or uneven outdoor conditions are patented, while the under-deck battery position and glazing gives operators unimpeded visibility even when reversing in narrow racking aisles or busy sawmill loading areas. The quick battery change is, according to a company representative, “ideal for multi-shift operations in busy timber yards.”

Combilift also has the Combi-Connect, a telematics system created for “real-time machine performance tracking and maintenance planning,” stated a Combilift spokesperson.

Combilift’s Combi Load Xtender, which is described as a “pantograph-style load extender that enables complete loading and unloading of trailers or rail wagons from a single side — a major advantage in timber yards where space is tight, or trailer access is limited.” With the Xtender, packs of timber can be loaded from only one side and its compact design allows for smooth motion and complete functionality below the height of a standard trailer without interference.

Martin McVicar, the CEO of Combilift, stated that the products, which are now available for ordering, were created as a response to what Combilift has been hearing from the timber industry- that customers have a need to transport bigger loads in smaller spaces with more safety and less emissions.

For more information about Combilift, visit combilift.com.

McDonough Manufacturing Appoints Bob Bell As Director Of Sales And Service

McDonough Manufacturing Company is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Bob Bell as director of sales and service.

In this role, Bell will be responsible for leading the company’s sales initiatives, overseeing customer service operations and supporting McDonough’s continued growth across North America.

Bell brings extensive experience in the sawmill and industrial machinery sectors, along with a strong track record of performance at McDonough. His appointment reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to leadership and customer-focused service delivery.

This strategic promotion supports McDonough’s broader efforts to strengthen relationships, enhance responsiveness and deliver long-term value to its customers throughout the industry.

For more information, visit mcdonoughmfg.com.

WCMA Introduces New Board Members And Leadership

The Wood Component Manufacturers Association (WCMA), based in Lindstrom, MN, recently welcomed new leadership at its annual Plant Tour & Networking conference in Williamsport, PA. Jeremy McClain, of Osborne Wood Products, has stepped into the role of President, while Matt Yest, of Kendrick Forest Products, transitions from a director position to vice president.

Newly elected Directors Christian Atherholt (Lewis Lumber Products) and Mike Mooney (AHC Hardwood Group) will be filling the seats left by outgoing Directors Matt Nicoson (American Millwork) and Yest, who has moved into the vice president role.

Joining the board as the new Tech Partner Ex-Officio is Tony Sutton (Mereen-Johnson), who will be replacing outgoing Christian Smedberg (WEINIG Holz-Her).

Executive Director Amy Snell expressed enthusiasm for the new leadership team and their contributions to the organization.

Additionally, the WCMA extends its gratitude to outgoing WCMA President Phil Menzner (Menzner Hardwoods), outgoing past President Frank Fitts (Fitts Industries), Director Matt Nicoson and Tech Partner Ex-Officio Christian Smedberg for their dedication and service to the WCMA Board.

The WCMA advances and promotes the interests of the North American wood products industry through interactive and innovative manufacturing solutions. The WCMA represents manufacturers of dimension and wood component products who can supply any component one might need for cabinetry, furniture, architectural millwork, closets, flooring, staircases, building materials and decorative/specialty wood products made from hardwoods, softwoods and a variety of engineered wood materials. WCMA member companies are located throughout the United States and Canada.

For more information, visit wcma.com.

Leading Kitchen Storage Trends Crave Dura Supreme’s Larder Cabinets

As homeowners seek more kitchen storage solutions to help keep their countertops clutter-free while still offering all of their everyday items close at hand, the need for specified kitchen storage ‘centers’ is increasing. At the forefront of this trend is Dura Supreme Cabinetry, located in Howard Lake, MN, and their popular customized pantry cabinets, larder storage centers. Dura Supreme’s larder cabinets are designed to make it simple and easy to design, customize and create the ideal storage center to meet the needs of the homeowner’s personal daily tasks.

Dura Supreme purchases more than 1 million board feet of hardwoods annually in Cherry, Maple, Red Oak, Quarter-sawn White Oak, Knotty Alder and Hickory (No. 1 and 2 Common, Select and Better).

“With Dura Supreme’s larder units, even those small appliances can be housed neatly and discreetly behind beautiful cabinetry,” explains Karen Wistrom, vice president of marketing for Dura Supreme Cabinetry. “A beverage center Larder Cabinet can be a highly functioning coffee station or house a complete home bar setup, while a storage center larder can be used as a breakfast station to make mornings a breeze, or a baking center larder can be used to keep baking prep and cleanups to a minimum.”

Resting at countertop level, these cabinets are designed as a workspace as well as a storage unit. Each larder cabinet can be customized with a variety of options, including integrated lighting options, pocket doors and the option to include a power station for easy operation of small kitchen appliances within the cabinet. “Our pantry cabinets not only provide a substantial amount of additional functionality to a kitchen design, but they’re also beautiful inside and out!” stated Wistrom.

For more information, visit durasupreme.com.