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This is a photo of Zip-O-Log’s headrig located in Eugene, Ore.
ZIP-O-LOG MILLS Masters Specialized Products

By Wayne Miller

Eugene, Ore.—Zip-O-Log Mills specializes in carefully crafted, high-quality timbers available in an impressive range of stock and custom sizes. The company’s products may be found in high-end custom homes, ski lodges, country clubs, restaurants and even a 40,000-square-foot horse barn.

Zip-O-Log Mills was founded in 1944, and today is run by the third generation, Karl and Jim Hallstrom, who are co-owners of the company. Commonly known as “Zip-O,” the firm promotes itself as a long-length cutting mill that manufactures Douglas Fir timbers, clears, dimension and specialties.

The company can produce timbers up to 52-feet in length, and is equipped to saw to size any dimension for specialty and custom orders. Recently, Zip-O-Log began producing kiln-dried timbers in 3x6 through 12x12. In order to produce the highest quality KD timber, Zip-O-Log pre-sorts the timbers that they dry. By doing this, they generate a dry timber that will be more
Timbers are being graded at Zip-O-Log’s grading station.
suitable for saw sizing or surfacing. Zip-O-Log offers rough dry, surfaced, and saw sized timbers.

“We can do whatever the customer asks for,” said Karl Hallstrom, adding that all cuttings are clear-end sealed with a wax-based seal. There are additional options on surfaced products, including bottom boards for added protection during shipping and handling as well as stickering each layer with lath or kiln sticks. The company also provides paper wrapping.

“We pride ourselves on accurate tallies, on-time shipments and quality that meets or exceeds our customer’s expectations,” Hallstrom said. Zip-O-Log’s production is mostly No. 1 and Better FOHC, rough, full sawn, Douglas Fir cuttings. The firm offers posts and timbers in stock FOHC cuttings in 6x6 to 6x16, 8x8 to 8x16, 10x10 and wider and 12x12 and wider.

In dimension, stock items include 2-inch rough fascia in a wide variety of sizes. The family-owned company also produces about 300,000 board feet per month of industrial and export Clear products.

The entire facility is paved, which makes for cleaner and better working conditions. The majority of finished products are stored inside of a 55,000-square-foot shed.

“In the log yard, we inventory our logs by grade and diameter, so it makes it easy to go out and shop, just like being at a supermarket. You pick the logs you want,” Hallstrom said. “However, we recently had an order for several 12x18x48-foot. That’s a big log and a large stick of wood. We went out to the log yard and hand picked the correct logs, had the order out in
Jim Hardeman measures timbers with calipers in quality control.
one day and shipped it to the customer. We definitely go the extra mile to get what our customers need.”

The Zip-O-Log mill encompasses nearly eight acres of mill site and a nine-acre log yard, located two miles away. Pennington Crossarm Co., a sister company, has three state-of the-art dehumidification kilns and a modern planer mill and timber sizer.

Efforts to establish long-term customer relationships have been successful, according to sales manager Mark Grube, who said some customers have been buying from the mill for over 40 years. He added that the company is willing to go the extra mile to give customers what they want, and in a timely fashion — even if it means producing a custom order that it’s never tackled before.

“In addition to regular everyday timbers, we’ve become very proficient at putting together piece orders and doing special cuttings for our customers,” said Joe Honochick, general manager.

Zip-O-Log is a member of the North American Wholesale Lumber Assoc. (NAWLA) and the Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau (PLIB). To ensure quality control — both during production and shipping — the company relies on quality standards instituted by its founders and carried on by successive generations.

“We all work towards a common goal of producing the highest quality products and to always meet or exceed our customers’ expectations,” Hallstrom said.

Zip-O-Log sales manager, Mark Grube; and general manager, Joe Honochick.
The owners of the company believe that keeping up with the latest technology is a big part of Zip-O-Log Mills’ long-term success, and the company has consistently reinvested in new equipment, tweaking product flow to find new and better methods of improving production, all to provide the best quality and service to its customers.

For more information about Zip-O-Log Mills and its products visit www.zipolog.com or contact direct at (541) 393-3309.

 
 
 
     
 
 

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