Clark Hardwoods LLC Makes Capital Improvements
Clark Hardwoods LLC, located in Erin, TN, recently put in a Cleereman combination optimized edger. The mill is undergoing some other capital improvements regarding material handling that should be complete late spring/early summer 2024, according to Brandon Clark, Vice-President of Clark Lumber Company.
The mill’s annual production is 10 million board feet, producing Red and White Oak, Hard Maple, Poplar, Ash, Cherry, Hickory and Walnut. The operation provides planing services and has 125,000 board feet of drying capacity. The company, headquartered in Red Boiling Springs, TN, produces 50 million board feet of Appalachian Hardwoods in thicknesses ranging from 4/4-8/4.
For more information, visit www.clarklumbercompany.com.
Robinson Lumber Finalizes Sale of U.S. Flooring Business to Tradelink Wood Products
Robinson Lumber Company and Tradelink Wood Products are pleased to announce they have completed a transaction to sell Robinson’s U.S. Flooring Business to Tradelink including Robinson’s U.S. flooring inventory, their flooring brand, associated Goodwill and the transfer of related supplier, customer and service provider relationships.
Under the terms of the agreement, Robinson will provide Transition Services to Tradelink Wood Products. Guiding the transition of Robinson’s flooring business is Dan Lennon who will ensure the integration of Robinson’s valued customers, suppliers and service providers into Tradelink’s system while remaining with Robinson as Vice President. Tradelink is pleased to welcome Jacqueline Monteilh, a dedicated nine-year Robinson employee, who has joined the Tradelink Sales Team and is now part of the Tradelink family.
Robinson Lumber Company and Tradelink Wood Products are both family-owned businesses with extensive histories in the wood products industry. The two companies have shared numerous professional relationships since the 1980s, serving as customers, suppliers and competitors across various markets. Through years of collaboration, mutual admiration has grown within both organizations and among the individuals who drive them.
This strategic transaction stands as a mutually beneficial step forward for both companies and their customers and suppliers.
For more information visit, www.roblumco.com.
Dura Supreme’s New Manufacturing Facility Begins Production
Production has officially begun at Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s new manufacturing facility in Statesville, NC.
In March of this year, the company announced its plans to expand its manufacturing operations with a new multi-million dollar manufacturing facility to accommodate the increasing demand for its cabinetry products.
Over the last few months, the company has been hard at work setting up all the new state-of-the-art equipment, fine-tuning the layout of the building, as well as recruiting and training the first of the new North Carolina production team. The new facility is designed to mirror the same state-of-the-art cabinet-making processes and quality craftsmanship practices that are already in action at their headquarters in Howard Lake, MN, while providing the ability to increase their manufacturing capabilities to keep up with the demand for their highly requested cabinets, which they offer in Cherry, Maple, Red Oak, Quarter-sawn White Oak, Knotty Alder and Hickory in grades No. 1 and 2 Common and Select and Better.
The North Carolina factory is now officially open and production has commenced. Recently, the Dura Supreme team celebrated their first cabinet produced at the new location. This milestone marks the beginning of a new era in Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s 70 years of history and establishes the company’s position as a leader in the American cabinetry industry.
For more information, visit www.durasupreme.com.
IWT-MOLDRUP Seeks To Bring Thermal Wood Modification To The Forefront Of The Industry
Thermal wood modification is moving to the next stage in the U.S. with the MOLDRUP process. “The MOLDRUP plants, which is in a closed process, as opposed to the Finnish and Italian plants on the market, is a controlable process. This means that you do not have the same problems with the final piece of wood, such as brittleness etc. This is also better for the environment, as the energy consumption is half of that of other plants and is very easy to operate,” said Lone Moldrup, CEO of IWT-MOLDRUP.
Thermal wood modification as a supplement and sometimes an alternative to biocide based chemical wood impregnation has been available for almost 30 years around the globe. The demand and production of thermally modified wood has increased rapidly in Europe and Oceania over the past few years.
The price of thermally modified timber is substantially higher than that of treatment with CCA and MCA, but with a new series of plants from IWT-MOLDRUP, the production costs have been reduced to be similar to those for biocide wood impregnation.
According to a company representative, thermal modification is still being done by specialist companies, but with the development of IWT-MOLDRUP’s new series of plants, it is moving towards being integrated into sawmill operations.
More production capacity in the U.S. with these plants that have a potential annual capacity of 2 – 2.5 million board feet, is a natural development as many American wood species are very suitable for thermal modification.
It is important to understand the benefits and limitations of thermal modification. The major advantage is the drastically improved dimensional stability (50-80 percent improvement), the uniform brown color even through the heartwood and enhanced durability against rot and fungi use area occasionally wetted like cladding, whereas thermally modified wood for frequently wetted applications like decking will require an extra layer of protection against fungi and insects.
For more information please contact the Moldrups at www.moldrup.com or our North American import- and selling agent at www.americanwoodtechnology.com.
Middle Tennessee Lumber Co., Inc. Hosts Hardwood Grading Course
Middle Tennessee Lumber Co., Inc. (MTL), headquartered in Dickson, TN, is set to host a Hardwood lumber grading short course with the Tennessee Forestry Association (TFA) and the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA), January 29-31.
This short course will be a great place for lumber graders, log buyers, yardmen, sawyers, edgermen and management to learn the fundamentals of measuring and grading Hardwood lumber.
While this is the first Hardwood lumber grading short course that MTL has hosted, they are not new to bringing in people throughout the industry to glean a better understanding on specialty skills that are required throughout the forest products industry. “We have a replica of a model home built inside our MTL Clarksville Distribution Lumber and Flooring warehouse specifically designed for training, primarily for proper Hardwood flooring installation, sanding and finishing, as well as demonstrating the newest flooring equipment, stains and finishes. The TFA has chosen this location to host their lumber grading short course. The facility is right on the banks of the Cumberland River and is a very scenic location,” said Bill Joyce, founder of MTL.
For more information contact the TFA at 615-883-3832, or Larry Pitts at 931-572-8592 or email him at lpitts@tnforestry.com.
NWFA Completes 72nd Home With Gary Sinise Foundation
The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), located in Chesterfield, MO, has provided flooring for its 72nd 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 United States Army Sergeant First Class (Ret.) Ryan Davis took place recently in Savannah, GA. Flooring for the project was donated by NWFA member Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring. Sanding and finishing products were donated by NWFA member companies Norton Abrasives and Uzin-Utz/Pallmann. Installation services were donated by NWFA members MSC Inc./Roswell Floor Refinishing, Southern Woods Flooring and Davidson Wood Flooring.
Throughout his five deployments to Afghanistan and Syria, SFC Davis was invested in leading servicemen and women on missions and enjoyed finding ways to inspire younger soldiers. In 2019, while on deployment in Afghanistan, he and his team were conducting a raid when an explosion was triggered. The blast caused severe injury, resulting in the loss of his right arm above the elbow, his right leg above the knee and his left leg below the knee.
“Sergeant First Class Davis underwent 28 life-saving surgeries as a result of his injuries,” says NWFA President and CEO, Michael Martin, “and continues his recovery at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. He hopes to return to the 75th Ranger Regiment following his recovery to inspire and motivate other soldiers. We’re honored to partner with Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring, Norton Abrasives, Uzin-Utz/Pallmann, MSC Inc./Roswell Floor Refinishing, Southern Woods Flooring and Davidson Wood Flooring to provide beautiful wood floors for his new home.”
In addition to the 72 homes already completed, NWFA currently is working with its members to source wood flooring for 14 additional R.I.S.E. homes in various stages of planning and construction. Currently, 153 NWFA member companies have donated product, logistics and installation services in locations throughout the United States, with a total value of more than $6.9 million. A list of all NWFA R.I.S.E. participating companies can be found at www.nwfa.org/giving-back.aspx.
To learn more about the program, and how you and/or your company can get involved, contact the NWFA at 800.422.4556, or e-mail them at anita.howard@nwfa.org.
The National Wood Flooring Association is a not-for-profit trade organization, with more than 3,200 member companies world-wide, dedicated to educating consumers, architects, designers, specifiers, and builders in the uses and benefits of wood flooring. The NWFA is located at 111 Chesterfield Industrial Boulevard, Chesterfield, MO 63005, and can be contacted at 800.422.4556 (USA & Canada), 636.519.9663 (local and international), or at www.nwfa.org.
National Hardwood Lumber Association Gears Up For The Year
The National Hardwood Lumber Association, headquartered in Memphis, TN, gears up for the year with their Inspector Traning School’s 205th class and a four-day introduction into Hardwood Lumber Grading.
Their 8-week Inspector Training School program, which will be held January 8 though March 1 at their headquarters, is a mix of hands-on training, testing, in-class lecturing, sawmill site visits, one-on-one training with the instructor and more. Students who successfully fulfill all of the program requirements will receive a certificate of completion.
Prospective students must have a high school diploma, GED, or pass an ‘Ability to Benefits’ test administered on the first day of class. Students must supply an official copy of their high school transcript(s) or equivalency certificate with scores that meet the state’s minimum standards for passing.
Their four-day introduction into Hardwood Lumber Grading will be held January 9 through January 12, at Glenville State University, located in Glenville, WV.
This 4-day workshop will be led by Mark Depp, NHLA Inspector and will include a thorough study and explanation of the NHLA Lumber Grading Rules, emphasizing the basics of Hardwood lumber inspection. It will give yardmen, sawyers, edgermen, sales and office staff and management level personnel an introduction to lumber inspection.
For more information visit www.nhla.com.
