According to Weaberʼs president/chief operating officer, Matt Weaber, the company is now positioned for significant growth when the building and construction industry comes back.
WT Hardwoods Group—Two Great Brands Equal One Great Company
By Paul Miller Jr.
Lebanon, Pa.—In early 2012, the assets of Weaber Inc. were acquired in an all cash transaction by Resilience Capital Partners, a Cleveland based private equity firm. Resilience currently owns Taylor Lumber Incorporated. Weaber and Taylor Lumber were merged into one company. The merged company enabled operating and sales synergies between Taylor and Weaber to offer hardwood products. According to Weaber’s president/chief operating officer, Matt Weaber, the company is now positioned for significant growth when the building and construction industry comes back.
“The new company is committed to bringing you the same quality products and service that have been guaranteed during Weaber’s 70-year history and Taylor Lumber’s 126-year history,” he said.
Resilience Capital Principal, Ronald Cozean is the CEO. Taylor and Weaber’s experienced sales team has remained in place.
On a 125-acre facility, Weaber Inc. is among the nationʼs leading hardwood lumber suppliers. From forestry to the final product Weaberʼs operation is geared towards the needs of their customers.
“Management is committed to earning your loyalty and respect by working closely with you to provide the highest quality products at the best value,” Cozean said.
“A stronger balance sheet with ample credit combined with a broader product mix makes us a strong long term partner for your business. In turn, our customers can be assured that our dedicated workforce is focused on delivering quality and value on time while meeting and even exceeding your expectations,” Weaber explained.
“Matt and I have had many discussions and we are very focused on value-added products. We’re exploring options in relation to finishing and painting. One of our goals is to manufacture a finished product that is not so commodity based,” Cozean said. “Our focus through both companies is to offer even more value-added products and services, whether it is through the supply chain or the end product.”
Weaber added that the concept of the merger is to operate as one company. “We’ve consolidated accounting, IT and HR. There are certain areas where it just makes sense to consolidate. Then there are other factors, like how one facility operates versus the other,” he explained.“The two locations operate individually and independently. Each facility has its own specialty. Taylor’s specialty is rift and quartered lumber and Weaber’s is S4S boards, moulding and flooring.”
Committed foresters are dedicated to the conservation and management of Weaberʼs renewable Appalachian timber resource.
On a 125-acre facility, Weaber Inc. is among the nation’s leading hardwood lumber suppliers. From forestry to the final product Weaber’s operation is geared towards the needs of their customers. Committed foresters are dedicated to the conservation and management of Weaber’s renewable Appalachian timber resource. Making sure the lumber supply is dependable today and in the future is top priority.
Many qualified employees adhere to a strict code of ethics during the manufacturing process to ensure high quality products and services. Continuing to change and meet the demands of the market, Weaber offers rough lumber and S4S boards, mouldings and flooring products or finished lumber S4S boards, moulding and cut-to-size products. The company services its customers with small quantities through their distribution center and multiple truckloads from the mill.
Serving North America as well as global markets, Weaber’s location is ideal for exporting. “We ship out of the ports of Baltimore and Port Elizabeth,” Cozean explained. “Our geographical advantage over most of the southern manufacturers of lumber and flooring is the ability to go into New England and Canada.”
The company services its customers with small quantities through their distribution center and multiple truckloads from the mill.
Taylor Lumber Inc. is located in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains in McDermott, Ohio, where fine hardwoods are easily accessed. Taylor Lumber Inc. specializes in 4/4 through 8/4 Rift & Quarter sawn Red and White Oak hardwood lumber. Taylor’s quality manufactured lumber is produced from the highest-grade Appalachian forest logs, known for their clarity and excellent grain.Rift & Quartered lumber is also available in Ash, Cherry, Hard Maple and Walnut.Plain sawn lumber is available in all of the species.The company also produces Taylor Brand Solid Flooring and McDermott Engineered Flooring, which is manufactured in 3, 4 and 5-inch widths and available in Red and White Oak, Maple, Ash, Hickory, Cherry and Walnut.
On 85 acres of land, the company inventories approximately 2 million board feet of logs and 3.5 million board feet of green hardwood lumber. WT Hardwoods also stocks 1,200,000 board feet of kiln-dried hardwood lumber at this location.
Taylor maintains three West Coast warehouse locations, which are located in Portland, Ore., Long Beach, Calif., and Sacramento, Calif.“Finished products are shipped from our warehouses to our distributors,” Cozean explained.The firm keeps approximately 200,000 board feet of lumber at each of its West Coast facilities.
The entire Taylor plant is operated with Corley Manufacturing equipment. “All of our computerized equipment is manufactured by Corley Manufacturing in Chattanooga, Tenn., and Lewis Controls out of Cornelius, Ore.,” said Cozean.
Quality manufactured lumber is produced from the highest-grade Appalachian forest logs, known for their clarity and excellent grain.
Taylor Lumber has 20 dry kilns, which gives them a total dry kiln capacity of 1.2 million board feet and the company’s annual production is 18 million board feet.
The company uses Hyster brand forklifts and Caterpillar log loaders.
Additional services offered by Taylor include surfacing, straight-line ripping, width sorting, ripped to width blanks, and export preparation. Twenty-five percent of the company’s hardwood lumber production is traded on the export market.
The company produces 9 million square feet annually of hardwood flooring with its two flooring lines. McDermott’s Engineered Flooring’s specialty features include square edges; nail, staple or glue installation options; and several color finishing combinations; 9-ply engineered construction; and 5 mm wear layer for durability.
WT Hardwoods is a member of National Hardwood Lumber Association; National Wood Flooring Association; Hardwood Manufacturers Association; and the Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association. The Lebanon facility is third party certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. For more information visit www.weaberlumber.com or contact 800-745-9663.
On 125 acres of land, the company inventories approximately 2 million board feet of logs and 3.5 million board feet of green hardwood lumber.
The entire Taylor plant is operated with equipment manufactured by Corley Manufacturing located in Chattanooga, Tenn.
The company uses Hyster brand forklifts and Caterpillar log loaders.
Taylor Lumber has 20 dry kilns, which gives them a total dry kiln capacity of 1.2 million board feet and the companyʼs annual production is 18 million board feet.
Continuing to change and meet the demands of the market, Weaber offers rough lumber and S4S mboards, mouldings and flooring products or finished lumber S4S boards, moulding and cut-to-size products.
