This year has certainly been a price roller coaster in the lumber industry and Elk Creek Forest Products remains uniquely positioned in the Douglas-fir supply chain, providing a superior level of mill direct experience in ways unlike many others.
As a matter of fact, through effective partnership with over 20 sawmills both large and small across the Northwest, Elk Creek Forest Products serves as an attractive “mill direct” option for qualified customers, like yourself. In this partnership, sawmills initially convert round logs into squared ones, and these “squared logs” become the raw material for our diverse product lines.
Although we’re not a traditional mill, we function like a sawmill in several key capacities. By maintaining a large production inventory and conducting mill activities such as, kiln drying, re-sawing, surfacing, and custom timber processing, Elk Creek Forest Products offers a unique blend of variety and value. Also, we are certified by the West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau (WCLIB®) and the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®). As a result of these certifications, our material adheres to strict grading guidelines and inspection standards to ensure we provide you with the best quality products.
One hundred years ago, there were more than 200 sawmills in Oregon. These mills ranged in size from large-scaled sawmills that became the foundation for cities like Eugene and Bend, to smaller family-owned mills located all across the state. Subsequently, local customers had relatively easy access to purchase lumber direct from a nearby mill.
Today, with limited access to timber land, a shrinking workforce, economic pressure and advances in technology, the number of operating mills you can openly access has drastically declined and mill diversity has largely disappeared. Many that remain have transitioned to a highly automated production style, designed to optimize the log to fit specific tools the mill uses to produce volume. For most mills, selling volume is the priority. This creates potential challenges for customers to source the diversity of products they desire without being burdened by unwanted volumes of lumber.
Even with a limited number of lumber producers, customers still desire to source directly. Like buying from a specialty butcher, local farmer, or craft brewery, the concept of direct sourcing has real advantages. This is because you often get advanced product knowledge, unmatched quality, and potentially lower prices. But the fact remains, there is still a need for products that are unique to what mills can or are willing to produce.
This is where Elk Creek Forest Products truly provides value.
By combining both the capacity of mill volume with customized production capabilities and selection, you can find exactly what you need all in one place, at a competitive price.
Helping you achieve the right balance of quality, convenience, cost, selection, and service is what Elk Creek Forest Products does every day. This is especially true in the business-to-business transactions of Elk Creek’s core customers, for whom time is money, and value is defined as the right mix of price, quality, and availability.
Another key to Elk Creek Forest Products success is maintaining a unique and lasting relationship with the sawmills. We provide a crucial service to our mill vendors, recognizing what it takes to make them efficient, effective, and successful. This in turn allows us to provide our customers unique access to the products those sawmills produce.
In short, as a “squared log mill” Elk Creek Forest Products places itself in the middle of the supply-service component, providing access to mill direct value with customized attention to quantity and detail. Contact us today and source the Douglas-fir lumber you need for business success in 2019!
