Borden, Ind.—Koetter Woodworking Inc., located here, will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year thanks in great part to the Koetter family itself. Tom and Mary Frances Koetter established the company in 1958, producing frame stock from their basement for a local cabinet company.
In those 50 years, the manufacturer has grown into four plant locations — Borden and Jeffersonville, Ind., and Somerset and Leitchfield, Ky. Today, Koetter produces architectural moulding, kitchen cabinet components, doors, custom millwork, stairs parts, Hardwood flooring, and blind and shutter components.
Jerry Renneker, lumber buyer for the company, said the most popular species are Red Oak, Poplar, Maple, Hickory and Walnut. While among the top sellers, Red Oak has diminished in popularity, Renneker said, “but there’s still a draw for people to use Red Oak for house trim, stair parts and cabinetry.”
Koetter Woodworking consumes 1.4 million board feet of Red Oak per year and 15 million board feet of Poplar.
“Our purchase of Red Oak (roughly 1.4 million board feet per year) pales in comparison to what we did 20 years ago,” he said.
However, Renneker said Red Oak’s length and cost does have some added value over other popular woods, including Maple, Hickory and even Cherry.
“We produce high-end architectural moulding,” he said. “So, the woods we choose are mainly for quality and appeal.” Red Oak fits that description.
Renneker said that “quality, price and service” is what Koetter has depended on during its 50-year history. Koetter Woodworking is a member of NOFMA: The Wood Flooring Manufacturers Assoc., Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Assoc. (IHLA), Kentucky Forest Industries Assoc. (KFIA), National Hardwood Lumber Assoc. (NHLA) and Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Assoc. (KCMA).
Koetter Woodworking specializes in rift and quartered Red Oak flooring, in such patterns as herringbone.
Renneker, who has served as lumber buyer for 12 years, said the Borden, Ind.-based manufacturer employs 500 people in a complex of 14 warehouses and production facilities, covering 50 acres. The Somerset, Ky. facility handles kiln drying while the Jeffersonville, Ind. plant produces doors and wood blind components. The Leitchfield, Ky. facility includes a sawmill and dry kilns.
In addition to Red Oak, Koetter Woodworking annually consumes roughly 15 million board feet of Poplar, 3 million combined board feet of Hard Maple, Hickory and Cherry and 1.5 million board feet of Walnut (No. 2 Common and Better).
The Borden facility features Weinig moulders, Mereen-Johnson ripsaws, Koetter dry kilns with 1.4 million board feet capacity and Western Pneumatic and Industrial finger jointers. The company carries an inventory of 4.5 million board feet of dry lumber and 1.5 million board feet of green lumber. Lumber is purchased within a 250-mile radius of Louisville, Ky.
According to the company Website, “Log inventory at Koetter Woodworking is but one example of Koetter’s firm dedication to continually supplying our customers at the lowest possible cost.”
Koetter Woodworking dries its own lumber to ensure the proper moisture content of the finished material. The manufacturer’s goal is to utilize the entire log through a computer scanning system that analyzes the material to determine the best yield for each board, prior to the board being ripped.
This rift and quartered White Oak flooring is available with cross cut distressing.
After the board has been ripped to width, it is cut to a specific length based on the need for the finished product, Renneker said. Koetter Woodworking’s inventory allows for customers to be serviced in a timely manner with a wide selection of profiles and species from which to choose.
“We’re considered a two-step distribution/seller because we don’t go directly to the contractor,” Renneker said.
The company runs a 500 horsepower boiler and provides all of its internal heat for the kilns with wood waste.
Renneker said many customers turn to Koetter Woodworking today because of its reputation in the industry.
“It’s a modern day success story,” he said. “(Tom and Mary Frances) started this company after hours in their basement. It’s grown to a full-size business in which all of Tom & Mary Frances’ sons are involved.”
“Their reputation in the industry is such that they’ve enjoyed very good success in what is considered a short period of time,” he said. “This is not a 100-year-old company. We’ve enjoyed a very large
Heartwood by Koetter is another of the firm’s Red Oak flooring offerings.
amount of success due to our relationships with customers and our ability to produce quality to service their customers.”
The manufacturer also participates in the Surfaces Show in Las Vegas and the International Woodworking Machinery and Furniture Supply Fair (IWF).
Koetter Woodworking is a third-generation company with Tom and Mary Frances’ grandsons and granddaughters now joining the team. Company officials include Randall Koetter, president; Richard Koetter, vice president of manufacturing; Gerald Koetter, vice president of procurement; Brian Koetter, vice president of sales and marketing; and T.J. Koetter, vice president of information technology and human resources.
