Patrick Lumber Company: Preparing For Growth Over The Next Century And Beyond
“I believe that people are the most important part of Patrick Lumber. So, as we continue to grow and hire good people and bring the next generation into the fold, we will make sure that we are equipping them with the tools that they need to succeed and help bring Patrick Lumber into the future as well.” – Natalie Heacock, CFO and president, Patrick Lumber Company
Pulling alder off the chain at Patrick Hardwoods.
Charles C. Patrick, cofounder of Patrick Lumber Company, 1915.
For over a century, Patrick Lumber Company has proudly served the Pacific Northwest and North America as a leading secondary manufacturer of high-grade specialty wood products. From its beginnings in 1915 in Portland, OR—founded by Charlie C. Patrick, his father James Patrick and their partner Bill Brushoff—the company has grown through a commitment to adaptability, deep regional expertise and strong relationships with employees, communities and customers. By fostering close connections with suppliers and building partnerships with distributors worldwide, Patrick Lumber has come a long way since its founding more than 100 years ago.
Today, Patrick Lumber is headquartered in Philomath, OR, where the company continues to grow, innovate and invest in the future.
Patrick Lumber has long specialized in high-grade West Coast softwoods, including: Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Hemlock, Alaskan Yellow Cedar and Western Pine. Historically many of these species were sold as silo stave stock, stave stock for barrels, tubs, and buckets, produce crates and materials to build wood steam ships. Today these premium West Coast softwoods serve industrial markets to architectural projects in North America and overseas.
Along with a mix of other West Coast softwoods Patrick Lumber has included and expanded its diverse inventory with Southern Yellow Pine, and most recently, it has added a distinct lineup of Pacific Northwest hardwoods to its offering—a move that distinguishes Patrick Lumber in the market.
Shown here is an alder log being sawn at Patrick Hardwoods.
“With the opening of Patrick Hardwoods, adjacent to our manufacturing facility, we now produce a variety of native Oregon hardwoods,” said Chelsea Zuccato, vice president of sales and marketing. “We’ve added species such as: Bigleaf Maple, Oregon White and Tan Oak, Alder, Oregon Ash, Oregon Myrtle, Golden Chinquapin and Pacific Madrone. Focusing on two primary grades: Clear and Knotty, and longer lengths. With the hardwood mill addition, this further diversifies the species mix and markets for Patrick Lumber to better serve our customers.”
The primary reason Patrick Lumber can offer such a diverse range of high-quality wood products can be traced back to the acquisition of the former Mary’s River Lumber Company property in Philomath, OR, in 2016. Reopened as Patrick Lumber Manufacturing (PLM), the site includes dry kilns, re-saw lines, and both log and inventory yards, giving Patrick Lumber meaningful control over its own processing.
An all company meeting and a touring of Patrick Hardwoods led by Brad Mehl, president of Patrick Lumber Manufacturing.
Since establishing in Benton County, Patrick Lumber has become more engaged in the local community while also expanding and becoming more vertically self-sufficient. “Patrick Lumber Manufacturing is a place for Patrick Lumber traders to process their wood, allowing them to integrate a critical part of the supply chain. This integration has expanded Patrick’s capabilities in quality, volume and product offerings, while improving speed to market and reliability for customers,” Zuccato continued.
“The PLM campus spans 40 acres and includes sawing and drying facilities,” explained Brad Mehl, president of Patrick Lumber Manufacturing. “We primarily process Douglas Fir and Hemlock but also handle other softwood and hardwood species from the region.”
Above is finished Bigleaf Maple boards.
Since the move, Patrick has added two continuous dry kilns, bringing their total to seven. Loading processes have also been optimized for efficiency. Sustainability is a core part of operations, from landscaping and solar panel installations to fire safety systems and water storage infrastructure. These investments go hand-in-hand with their commitment to long-term environmental stewardship. Their Timber Hall headquarters, a stunning Douglas Fir timber frame building, showcases many of the company’s own products and reflects their emphasis on craftsmanship and sustainability. The site also represents a commitment to the community and company longevity employing 109 employees between their family of companies, that help carry out the mission and vision.
Trader assistants shown above touring Patrick Hardwoods at an all company meeting.
At the heart of Patrick Lumber is a culture of empowerment and innovation. Leadership encourages employees to take initiative—even at the risk of failure—knowing that growth often comes from experimentation.
“We’ve had traders come in, try new things, and open up new markets,” said Zuccato. “Their efforts have directly led to product diversification and geographic expansion.”
One such market is Lunawood, a thermally modified Radiata Pine. Through its subsidiary, Wood Source Inc., based in Denver, CO, has become the largest distributor of Lunawood in the Rocky Mountain region.
The company is also investing in leadership continuity. Natalie Heacock, now CFO and first female president in the company’s 110-year history, began her journey at Patrick Lumber as an accounting manager. Her rise reflects the company’s internal growth philosophy and its progressive approach to leadership.
Chelsea Zuccato, VP of sales and marketing, shown here speaking at an all company meeting at the Timber Hall.
Pictured is Patrick’s headquarters – ‘Timber Hall’ – featuring species produced by Patrick Lumber.
“Patrick has always been forward-thinking,” Heacock shared. “We focus on internal development first, and that’s shaped our culture, our hiring and how we approach the market. I believe that people are the most important part of Patrick Lumber. So, as we continue to grow and hire good people and bring the next generation into the fold, we will make sure that we are equipping them with the tools that they need to succeed and help bring Patrick Lumber into the future as well.”
Pictured is Bigleaf Maple going through the edger.
Zuccato continued, “We are very much about empowering our people. We allow them the room to fail, which also gives them room to achieve great success if they put the work in.” She added that being able to empower their people goes hand in hand with empowering them to find new avenues for efficiency through technology. “We are on the crest of something very big with AI, and it is going to change every business. We realize that it is extremely important that we empower our employees to learn and utilize tools such as LLMs (large language models) in effective and meaningful ways.” Patrick Lumber also invests back in their employees.
“We empower both our traders and staff to be well acquainted with our supply-chain. So, we offer learning tours of local sawmills to our staff twice a year. It’s important that the entire group understands the incredible process from log to lumber,” said Zuccato.
Bigleaf Maple is shown on a headrig.
As the company’s board of directors’ plan for the future, it remains focused on preserving the values and reputation that have defined Patrick Lumber for over a century—while embracing the next wave of growth and innovation.
The Patrick Lumber leadership team includes Dave Halsey, CEO and chairman, Natalie Heacock, CFO and president, Jeff Baumgartner Southeast sales manager, Brad Mehl, president of Patrick Lumber Manufacturing, Mark Gray, vice president of Patrick Lumber Manufacturing, Cris Schureman, president of Wood Source Inc. and Martin Schwab, vice president of Wood Source Inc.
Patrick Lumber is an active member of North American Wholesale Lumber Association, National Hardwood Lumber Association, Portland Wholesale Lumber Association, West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau, Hoo Hoo International, National Wood Flooring Association and the National Retail Lumber Association.
For more information, visit patlbr.com.
