Lumber Industry Veteran Assists With Impressive Turnovers
Hank Marchal
Hank Marchal is the managing director of the European division for Robinson Lumber Company. The European head office is located outside of Brussels in Rixensart, Belgium. Marchal also oversees the company’s international purchasing in cooperation with colleagues in South America and New Orleans.
One of the main roles of Robinson Lumber’s industry leading international team is to document and verify full supply chain traceability and ensure legal and environmental compliance on all the company’s international contracts.
Specializing in worldwide import and export, Robinson Lumber Company works with North American, South American, European, African and Southeast Asian hardwoods in addition to Southern Yellow Pine and Honduras Pitch Pine. The company’s turnover ranges from 80 to 100 million $USD.
Marchal has been with Robinson Lumber Company for 28 years and in his current position in Europe for 25 years. His first job in the forest products industry was with Robinson Lumber Company in the Caribbean sales department in the French West Indies.
He attended the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium to receive a Master’s degree in European Political Administration. Marchal also received a Bachelor of Arts degree (BA) in International Relations and a BA in French from Rhodes College, in addition to a “License/Maitrise” or equivalency “Bachelor’s degree and one-year Master’s degree” in International Law and Translation from the Université de Poitiers in France.
His hobbies include traveling, gardening, basketball and running. He has been married to Stéphanie for 26 years.
They have one daughter and two sons.
Robinson Lumber Company is a member of the American Hardwood Export Council, the Kentucky Forest Industries Association, the Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association, the North American Wholesale Lumber Association, the National Hardwood Lumber Association, the Hardwood Manufacturers Association, the London Hardwood Club, the Southern Lumber Exporters Association, the Southern Forest Products Association, the Southwestern Hardwood Manufacturers Club, the International Wood Products Association and the Association of Wood Exporting Industries of the State of Pará, Brazil.
For more information, email hmarchal@roblumco.com, call +32-26-52-13-90 for the Belgium location or 504-896-6171 for the United States location. Visit their website at roblumco.com.
Two Decades Of Experience Helps Sell Hardwood
Mike Schulke
Mike Schulke is a member of the sales/purchasing team at Granite Valley Forest Products, located in New London, WI. Schulke focuses on strengthening client relationships, enhancing sales strategies and supporting Granite Valley’s commitment to offering high-quality kiln-dried hardwood lumber to its valued customers.
Schulke began his career in the lumber industry in 2004 as a lumber grader after earning a vocational degree in NHLA Grading Rules. Over the years, he has held various roles in sales and management, contributing to business growth and strong client relationships. Most recently, Schulke served as vice president of sales at Tigerton Lumber Co., where he worked on strategic plans and expanded market opportunities. He also worked for Wolf River Lumber, Inc., Ort Lumber and Flambeau, Inc.
Schulke holds an associate’s degree in marketing from Fox Valley Technical College and a Plastics Technician Degree from Milwaukee Area Technical College, alongside his NHLA certification.
Outside of work, Schulke is a board member of the Wood Products Manufacturers Association and the Great Lakes Kiln Drying Association. He enjoys skiing, golfing and traveling with his wife, Tina.
For more information, visit granitevalley.com.
Shannon Forrest Assists Midwest Hardwood Company With 80 Million Board Feet
Shannon Forrest
At Midwest Hardwood Company in Maple Grove, MN, Shannon Forrest is a member of the sales and purchasing team. His responsibilities include managing sales in Southeast Asia and India and handling kiln-dried purchasing on the United States East Coast. Producing 80 million board feet of hardwood lumber at their three sawmills and two concentration yards, the company has customers worldwide. They offer the following species in 4/4 through 8/4: Hard and Soft Maple, Cherry, Birch, Elm, Beech, Ash, Aspen, Basswood, Walnut, Poplar and Red and White Oak.
Midwest has the ability to develop specialized or proprietary grades for their customers and offers other value-added services such as width sorting, ripping and surfacing. Midwest is also actively producing rift and quartersawn products. Prior to joining Midwest Hardwood in September of 2024, Forrest was employed at Robinson Lumber Company located in New Orleans, LA. He started his career in the forest products industry in 1997 as a trader at Baillie Lumber Co. in Hamburg, NY.
Forrest graduated from Saluda High School in Saluda, SC, before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Resource Management from Clemson University in Clemson, SC.
His hobbies include hunting, fishing, hiking and boating. He also desires to visit all North American national parks.
He has been married to Amanda Forrest for 26 years and has three sons: Jacob, Caleb and Joshua.
For more information email shannonforrest@midwesthardwood.com, call 763-226-5085 or visit midwesthardwood.com.
