Welcome to Gutchess Lumber, your trusted partner for your hardwood lumber needs! If you’re new here, let us introduce ourselves. We’re a 120-year-old B2B lumber company located in the Northeastern region of the United States. We are grateful to have been the global go-to source for top-quality lumber products, exceptional service, and tailored solutions to help businesses succeed since 1904. As a leading B2B company in the lumber industry, we understand the unique challenges and requirements of businesses that rely on truckloads of lumber, containers of hardwood, and mixed loads.

Reliable and Efficient Ordering

At Gutchess Lumber, we take pride in delivering truckloads and containers of hardwood promptly and reliably, including mixed loads. We understand that time is a precious commodity, and our efficient logistics and extensive distribution network ensure that your orders are delivered quickly and accurately. Whether you need a single truckload or multiple containers of hardwood, we have the capacity and resources to meet your demands and, most importantly, on time. Contact a Gutchess Lumber sales representative to learn more.

Premium Quality Lumber

Quality is our top priority at Gutchess Lumber. We source our lumber sustainably and conduct rigorous quality control measures to ensure that every piece meets the highest standards. We grade using NHLA guidelines. Our extensive range of lumber options includes Hard Maple wood, Red Maple wood, Red Oak wood, and more Northern species, all available in various grades and dimensions. Whether you require specific species or custom-cut sizes, we have the expertise and inventory to meet your requirements and offer mixed loads.

Tailored Solutions for Mixed Loads

We understand that not all businesses are the same and require uniform loads of lumber. Sometimes companies need a mix of different wood types and sizes. Gutchess Lumber excels in providing tailored solutions for mixed loads, ensuring that you receive precisely what you need. Our knowledgeable, experienced team works closely with you to understand your specifications, enabling us to curate a custom blend of lumber varieties in a single shipment, optimizing efficiency and reducing costs.

Expert Guidance and Support

As your dedicated partner, Gutchess Lumber offers more than just top-quality products. Our experienced team is here to provide expert guidance and support throughout your lumber procurement process. Whether you need assistance with product selection or estimating quantities, we have the knowledge and industry insights to help you make informed decisions.

Commitment Towards Sustainability

At Gutchess Lumber, sustainability is at the core of our operations. We are committed to responsible forestry practices. By sourcing lumber from sustainably managed forests and implementing eco-friendly manufacturing processes, we minimize our environmental impact while delivering superior products to our customers. Partnering with Gutchess Lumber means aligning your business with sustainable values and contributing to a greener future.

When it comes to truckloads of lumber, containers of hardwood, or mixed loads, Gutchess Lumber is the B2B partner you can rely on. With our dedication to quality, efficient logistics, tailored solutions, and expert support, we empower your business to thrive in the lumber industry.

Together, let’s build a solid foundation for your success in the lumber industry!

Welcome to Gutchess Lumber, your trusted source for high-quality Northern hardwood lumber products. Our company proudly provides expertly manufactured hardwoods, which come from the Northeastern region of the United States. Our Northern hardwood species, including White Ash, Basswood, Birch, White Oak, Cherry, Hard Maple, Hickory, Poplar, Red Maple, Red Oak, and Walnut, are responsibly harvested and manufactured to maintain their unique characteristics. Our guide showcases each of the Northern hardwood species we offer, along with their common uses, physical characteristics, fast facts, and much more.

Ash hardwood

White Ash is a highly desirable hardwood species that is commonly used for a variety of applications. Its dense and bright sapwood, which is the outermost layer of the tree, makes it highly resistant to wear and tear and insect damage. The light tan heartwood, which is the inner layer of the tree, provides the wood with excellent shock resistance and flexibility, making it ideal for tool handles, baseball bats, and other sports equipment. The uniform annual growth rings of White Ash give it a consistent and attractive appearance that furniture makers and flooring manufacturers alike highly prize. The wood’s dimensional stability and excellent finishing properties make it popular for guitar bodies, cabinetry, and other high-end woodworking projects. White Ash is also a popular choice for lobster traps due to its durability and resistance to decay when exposed to saltwater. Overall, White Ash is a versatile and highly sought-after hardwood species that is suitable for a wide range of applications.

Basswood hardwood

Basswood, also known as linden, is a popular hardwood choice due to its lightweight and soft texture. The wood has a lighter color with a fine, close grain, making it easy to work with hand tools. Basswood’s low density makes it an ideal wood for woodenware, such as bowls and spoons, as well as crates and blinds. Additionally, it’s often used for internal furniture parts because it’s relatively inexpensive and easy to shape. Its softness makes it an excellent wood for carving intricate designs or details, making it a preferred choice for many furniture manufacturers. In summary, basswood’s versatility and ease of use make it a go-to wood for various hardwood designs.

Birch hardwood

Birch hardwood is popular for various applications due to its versatile nature and beautiful appearance. With its straight or slightly wavy grain and fine, even texture, it is an ideal material for creating furniture pieces with a sleek and modern look and for more traditional designs. Birch hardwood’s light color allows it to be stained or painted to match any design aesthetic, making it a versatile option for kitchen cabinets, paneling, and moldings. Birch is also an excellent choice for interior doors, as it is durable and can withstand wear and tear. Its natural resistance to moisture and rot makes it a popular choice for flooring in high-traffic areas. In addition to these more common applications, Birch hardwood is also used for various specialty wood items, such as turnings, toys, and decorative items, due to its ease of working and carving properties.

Cherry hardwood

Cherry is a popular and highly sought-after hardwood due to its warm and inviting reddish-brown tones, which deepen and improve over time. This heartwood is often highlighted with elegant and complex grain patterns, including curly, fiddle back, and birdseye figuring. Unlike other hardwoods, our Cherry hardwood has minimal gum spots, making it a premium choice for high-end furniture, cabinetry, and decorative woodwork. Its stunning appearance and durability make it a favorite among designers. It is often used for heirloom-quality pieces meant to last for generations. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, Cherry wood is easy to work with and finishes beautifully, making it a versatile material for a wide range of applications.

Hard Maple hardwood

Hard Maple is renowned for its durability and strength, making it an excellent choice for many applications. The pale and creamy hardwood provides a blank canvas for various finishes. It also has a fine, uniform texture with a subtle grain pattern ranging from straight to curly or wavy. Due to its hardness, Hard Maple resists wear and tear, making it ideal for high-traffic areas such as gym and basketball courts, bowling alleys, and stairs. It’s also a popular choice for furniture and cabinetry, where it can be finished with a clear coat to showcase its natural beauty. Hard Maple’s resonant properties also make it a favored wood for musical instruments such as violins, guitars, and drumsticks. Its versatility and durability make it a valuable addition to any woodworking project.

Hickory hardwood

Northern Shagbark Hickory is a type of hardwood highly valued for its toughness, durability, and resilience. This hardwood is renowned for its distinctive bark, which separates it from its southern counterpart. The sapwood is on the lighter side, while the heartwood ranges from a light to medium brown color. The wood has a tight, uniform grain that creates beautiful patterns and is easy to work with. Due to its high shock resistance, Northern Shagbark Hickory is perfect for use in cabinetry, tool handles, axles and shafts, bows, skis, paddles, furniture, and flooring. Its resistance to wear and tear, coupled with its toughness, makes it ideal for use in items that are frequently used or subject to heavy use. The wood is also well-suited for steam-bending, which is useful in furniture making and other woodworking projects. All in all, Northern Shagbark Hickory is an excellent choice for those who are looking for a strong and durable hardwood that is both beautiful and practical.

Poplar hardwood

White Poplar hardwood is a versatile and sustainable hardwood that is easy to work with and finishes beautifully. Its unique lightness and strength make it an ideal choice for various applications, including furniture, interior trim, toys, and even musical instruments. The wood’s light color and subtle grain pattern provide a neutral backdrop for any decorative or finishing touches, and it can be stained or painted to match any design scheme. Our White Poplar is sourced from prime timberland in the northern Appalachian region of Pennsylvania, near our manufacturing facilities, ensuring we can access the highest quality wood available while minimizing our environmental impact.

Red Maple hardwood

Red Maple hardwood is a popular choice for a variety of applications due to its moderate density, straight grain, and subtle figure. Its heartwood ranges from light to dark reddish-brown and its sapwood is white with a reddish tinge. Red Maple is often used for flooring, cabinets, furniture, veneer, and musical instruments such as drums and pianos. Due to its durability and workability, Red Maple is widely available and relatively affordable compared to other hardwoods, making it an excellent choice for both commercial and residential applications.

Red Oak hardwood

Red Oak is a widespread species of hardwood known for its strength, durability, and distinctive grain patterns. The heartwood of Red Oak ranges from light to medium brown, while the sapwood is a pale yellow color. With a coarse and open grain, Red Oak is easy to work with and can be finished to showcase its natural beauty. It is commonly used in flooring, cabinets, furniture, veneer, and millwork due to its strength, shock resistance, and affordability. The wood is also ideal for steam-bending, allowing it to be shaped into various forms for decorative and structural purposes. Red Oak is a versatile hardwood suitable for many applications, making it a favorite.

Walnut hardwood

American Black Walnut is a highly valued hardwood known for its rich, dark color and straight grain. The heartwood of this medium-density hardwood is a deep, dark red, while the steamed sapwood is dark in color. Our Black Walnut is sourced from North Central Ohio, where the wood is highly sought after for its color and workability. Its exceptional machining and bending properties make it ideal for furniture, paneling, cabinets, doors, paddles, coffins, flooring, and rifle stock. This versatile hardwood can be polished or stained to an exceptional finish, making it a popular choice for various high-end applications.

White Oak hardwood

White Oak is a highly desirable hardwood due to its durability and strength and is therefore used in a wide range of applications beyond whiskey and wine barrels. It has a fine, uniform texture with straight grains and is highly resistant to decay and insect attacks. This makes it ideal for outdoor furniture, boat building, flooring, millwork, and cabinetry. Its natural resistance to moisture also makes it a popular choice for outdoor structures such as decks, patios, and pergolas. Additionally, White Oak is highly valued for its appearance, with the heartwood often displaying a range of colors from pale yellow-brown to dark brown with a hint of olive green and the sapwood being only slightly lighter. Its distinctive grain patterns make it a popular choice for decorative applications, and its hard-wearing properties ensure that it remains a favorite for furniture designers and makers.

At Gutchess Lumber, we take pride in providing high-quality hardwoods, including White Ash, Basswood, Birch, White Oak, Cherry, Hard Maple, Hickory, Poplar, Red Maple, Red Oak, and Walnut. Each species has unique physical characteristics and uses, and we ensure they are treated with the respect they deserve. We are committed to maintaining our 120-year reputation as a trustworthy and reliable provider of hardwood lumber and look forward to serving our customers for years to come. Choose us for all your hardwood needs and experience the difference in quality and customer service.

As we become more aware of the built environment’s impact on our health and well-being, designers and architects are increasingly turning to biophilic design to create spaces that promote human health and happiness. Biophilic design is an approach to architecture and interior design that emphasizes the connection between people and nature. By incorporating natural elements, such as hardwood, plants, water, and natural light, into building design, biophilic design creates restorative, soothing spaces that promote overall health.

Benefits of biophilic design in architecture and interiors

Incorporating biophilic design into architecture and interior design can have several benefits. For example, studies have shown that exposure to natural light can improve mood, reduce stress, and increase productivity. Incorporating plants and greenery into a space can also improve air quality, reduce noise levels, and help to create a sense of calm and tranquility. Furthermore, using natural materials, such as hardwood and stone, can create a sense of warmth and comfort often lacking in modern, industrial-style buildings.

Key principals of biophilic design

One of the key principles of biophilic design is creating a connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. This can be achieved by using large windows, balconies, and green roofs that allow people to see and interact with nature from within the building. By blurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces, biophilic design creates a sense of continuity that is both calming and restorative.

Another important aspect of biophilic design is using color and texture to create a natural and organic feel. For example, using natural hardwood or stone walls can create a sense of calm and depth often lacking in modern, minimalist designs. Similarly, using soft, natural fabrics and materials, such as wool and cotton, can create a sense of comfort and relaxation often lacking in synthetic materials.

How interior designers and architects use hardwood in biophilic design

Interior designers and architects often incorporate hardwood into biophilic design because it is a sustainable and eco-friendly material that connects people to nature. Hardwood provides a sense of warmth and natural beauty that can help to create a sense of calm and tranquility. It also has many practical benefits, such as durability, versatility, and resistance to wear and tear. By using hardwood in building design, designers can also promote carbon sequestration and storage, which helps to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and mitigate the effects of climate change. Whether used in flooring, furniture, or wall paneling, hardwood is a versatile and aesthetically pleasing material that can help bring nature’s beauty and serenity into interior spaces.

In conclusion, incorporating biophilic design into architecture and interior design can have many benefits, including improved health and well-being, increased productivity, and a greater sense of calm and tranquility. By incorporating natural elements, such as plants, water, and natural light, into building design, biophilic design creates restorative and aesthetically pleasing spaces. As we prioritize human health and well-being in building design, biophilic design will likely become an increasingly important trend in architecture and interior design.

If you are looking for high-quality kiln-dried hardwood lumber, look no further than Gutchess Lumber. Established in 1904, Gutchess Lumber is one of the leading American suppliers of kiln-dried hardwood lumber, exporting its forest products worldwide. With over a century of experience, the company has built a reputation for being a reliable and trusted source of top-quality hardwood products.

Gutchess Lumber and the American Hardwood Export Council

As a member of the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), Gutchess Lumber is committed to supplying and promoting American hardwoods in international markets. AHEC is the leading international trade association for the U.S. hardwood industry, representing committed U.S. hardwood exporters and significant U.S. hardwood product trade associations. With its extensive network and expertise, AHEC runs a worldwide program to promote the full range of American hardwoods in over 50 export markets.

Being a member of AHEC means that Gutchess Lumber has access to the latest market research and insights, allowing us to stay ahead of the competition and offer our customers the best possible products and services. We are dedicated to promoting the use of American hardwoods in international markets, which is one of AHEC’s primary goals. In addition, we are committed to providing our customers with responsibly harvested and environmentally-friendly forest products.

About Gutchess Lumber’s American Kiln-Dried Forest Products

At Gutchess Lumber, we understand the importance of providing our customers with the best hardwood products. That’s why we only source our lumber from responsibly managed forests, ensuring we play our part in protecting the environment. We then carefully process our lumber using state-of-the-art kiln-drying techniques, producing forest products of the highest possible quality.

Our extensive range of kiln-dried lumber products includes species such as Cherry hardwood, Hard Maple hardwood, Soft Maple hardwood, Red Oak hardwood, White Oak hardwood, and Walnut hardwood, to name just a few. For a complete list of the 11 American hardwood species Gutchess Lumber offers, click here. In addition, we offer a wide range of thicknesses and grades, making it easy for our customers to find the perfect forest product for their needs.

Gutchess Lumber Northern China Customer Furniture Manufacturer Cherry Makeup Vanity made with our 4/4 Cherry F&BP

Get American Kiln-Dried Hardwood Lumber Products Worldwide

We take great pride in our ability to export kiln-dried hardwood lumber products worldwide, providing our customers access to high-quality American forest products, no matter where they live. So whether you are looking for a reliable supplier of hardwood lumber for your furniture manufacturing business or need high-quality timber for flooring manufacturing, we can help. Learn more about our global exporting process, including frequently asked questions here.

Our experienced kiln-dried hardwood sales professionals are here to ensure that our customers receive the best possible service. From selecting the perfect hardwood product, grade, and thickness for your needs to ensuring timely and reliable delivery, we are committed to providing a seamless experience for our customers. We’ve been doing it since 1904, after all.

In conclusion, if you are looking for a top American kiln-dried hardwood lumber supplier that exports all around the world, then Gutchess Lumber is a perfect choice. With over a century of experience, a wide range of high-quality forest products, and a commitment to providing the best possible service to our customers, we are the leading supplier of kiln-dried hardwood lumber in the United States. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services.

Gutchess Lumber Co., Inc. is a leading producer of North American forest products, with seven lumber yards and manufacturing plants located in New York and Pennsylvania. The company takes advantage of the abundant prime North American timber in the region to provide high-quality lumber products to its customers. Gutchess Lumber has been a well-established hardwood lumber manufacturer in business for over a century. Founded in 1904, the company has built a reputation for providing high-quality hardwood forest products to customers worldwide. As a fifth-generation led and employee-owned company, Gutchess Lumber is committed to maintaining its position as a leader in the industry for years to come.

Responsible forest products

Sustainability is a crucial aspect of Gutchess Lumber’s operations. The company is committed to responsible forestry practices, harvesting timber from responsibly managed forests, and using state-of-the-art manufacturing processes that minimize waste and reduce its environmental impact. Gutchess Lumber controls the manufacturing process from the forest through shipping to customers. From harvesting logs to delivering hardwood forest products, the company controls every aspect of the process to ensure the highest quality products for its customers. Watch as logs are added to the log yard at Gutchess Lumber’s Cortland, New York headquarters below.

Hardwood forest products

Gutchess Lumber‘s seven lumber yards and manufacturing plants are strategically located across New York and Pennsylvania, providing easy access to world-renowned timberland. The company also has a robust distribution network that enables it to deliver products to customers across North America and worldwide. One of Gutchess Lumber’s key strengths is its ability to provide its customers with a wide range of hardwood products. The company manufactures and exports hardwood forest products worldwide, including Black Cherry lumber, Hard Maple lumber, Northern Red Oak and White Oak lumber, and other Northern hardwood species. Gutchess Lumber’s products are used in various applications, including furniture making, cabinetry, flooring, and more. Read some Gutchess Lumber customer testimonials here.

World-renowned hardwood lumber

One of the critical strengths of Gutchess Lumber is its ability to provide consistent products. The company has a team of sales professionals who work closely with customers to understand their unique requirements and provide tailored solutions. This customer service level has helped establish Gutchess Lumber as a trusted supplier in the industry.

“We have been trading with Gutchess Lumber for at least 20 years,” a hardwood distributor customer in the United Kingdom said. “They have always been reliable, straightforward and their quality always meets expectations. Gutchess Lumber has always delivered on time, as per their contracts and their staff responsible for documentation are very thorough, ensuring that we never have any problems with the import process. We have no hesitation in advising that Gutchess Lumber is an honorable company.”

Produced by employee-owners

As one of the leading producers of North American forest products, Gutchess Lumber prides itself on manufacturing a consistent product. Maintaining strict quality control standards is one of the key benefits of keeping the entire manufacturing process in-house. Each employee at Gutchess Lumber is dedicated to producing a superior hardwood forest product, as they have skin in the game. Gutchess Lumber is an employee stock ownership company, which means employees are company owners. Listen in as sales representative Trudy Burdge talks about the ESOP program in the video below.

In conclusion, Gutchess Lumber is a leading producer of North American forest products, committed to sustainability, high-quality products, and exceptional customer service. Whether you’re a contractor, furniture maker, or packaging manufacturer, Gutchess Lumber has the products and expertise to meet your needs. Use our interactive map to identify your region’s sales representative and get in touch to purchase hardwood from one of the leading producers of North American forest products.

If you’re in the market for hardwood lumber, whether it be for cabinets, caskets, stair treads, millwork, fine furniture, etc., then you know there are a lot of options out there. But if you’re looking for a supplier you can trust to provide quality hardwood lumber products consistently, then look no further than Gutchess Lumber Co. Inc. We’ve been in business since 1904, and we have a long-standing reputation for being a national leader in the hardwood lumber industry. Whether you need one truckload or one hundred truckloads of lumber, we’re here to help.

“We like your quality and service and have fewer issues with your lumber compared to our competitors. We know your price is higher, but we have a better yield with Gutchess’ lumber.” -Furniture Manufacturer customer located in the United States of America (click here for more testimonials)

 

What Sets Us Apart

There are a lot of things that set Gutchess Lumber apart from our competitors, but three things, in particular, stand out: our commitment to customer service, our superior product, and our unmatched experience.

First and foremost, we pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service. We understand that buying lumber is a big investment, and we want to make sure you feel confident and comfortable every step of the way. Our sales team is knowledgeable and helpful, and they’re always happy to answer any questions you may have.

In terms of product, we only sell the highest quality hardwood lumber. We source our lumber from responsibly managed forests, typically within a 150-mile radius of our seven locations across New York and Pennsylvania to control each step of the manufacturing process from forestry all the way to the mill. Most of our products are kiln-dried to ensure optimal moisture content. Green lumber sales are also offered by Gutchess Lumber. We offer a wide range of lumber grades and sizes to choose from, so you can find the perfect product for your needs.

Finally, there’s our experience. We’ve been in business for close to 120 years, and in that time we’ve worked with customers of all shapes and sizes – our lumber products have been used by small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. This experience has given us the knowledge and expertise needed to provide each and every one of our clients with the best possible service and product.

If you’re looking for an American supplier of high-quality hardwood lumber that you can trust, then look no further than Gutchess Lumber Co. Inc. We have the experience, commitment to customer service, and superior product that you need. Contact your region’s representative today to learn more about what we can do for your business.

Founded in 1904, Gutchess Lumber Co. Inc is an employee-owned (ESOP) and family-led business that specializes in the production of superior quality kiln-dried hardwood lumber products. We are one of the largest suppliers of American hardwoods in the United States, with customers all around the world. Our hardwood lumber products are used in a variety of applications including furniture, cabinetry, flooring, millwork, stair treads, and much more.

Gutchess Lumber began in 1904 as a small, regional lumber company serving central New York. George Gutchess started the sawmill business by powering his mill with a wood-fired steam tractor. In the beginning days of Gutchess Lumber, oxen and horses were used to transport lumber across surrounding regions in New York state.

Today, Gutchess Lumber operates out of seven strategically located mills across New York and Pennsylvania, shipping truck loads and container loads of lumber to customers across the United States as well as all over the world. We attribute our success to our commitment to customer satisfaction and our dedication to producing the highest quality product possible.

The Gutchess Lumber Difference

What sets Gutchess Lumber apart from other American hardwood suppliers? Quality control is paramount at our facility; we grade all of our kiln-dried lumber according to the National Hardwood Lumber Association standards. This results in a more stable and consistent product for our global customers. Our lumber comes from prime timberland in the northeastern region of the United States. Our forestry team is dedicated to working with private landowners to develop plans that benefit the environment, meaning that our hardwood lumber products come from well-managed forests that adhere to our responsible forestry management practices.

In addition to producing high-quality lumber, we also pride ourselves on our customer service. Our international sales team members are happy to work with your schedule, no matter where you are in the world, to answer any questions you may have about our product or your order. We know that when you’re buying lumber internationally, time is of the essence; that’s why we work hard to keep lead times as short as possible.

If you’re looking for an American hardwood supplier that you can count on for consistently high-quality lumber, Gutchess Lumber Co. Inc. is the right choice for you. We have been in business for over 100 years and have shipped container loads of lumber to satisfied customers all over the world. Contact your region’s sales representative today to learn more about how our hardwood lumber products can maximize your yields.

John Linn, KD sales manager, recently celebrated his one year workiversary with Gutchess Lumber. Since October 2020, John has become a vital member of the sales team and the organization as a whole. Here is a bit of John’s story:

I’ve been in the hardwood lumber business for about 19 years. I started in the industry working for a small concentration yard in Roanoke, Virginia, mainly providing Yellow Poplar for a trading company in Cortland, New York that was exporting container loads overseas. Eventually that Virginia yard closed and I moved to New York in 2004 to work for that trading company.

It was there that I learned the export market and gained many valuable relationships with suppliers around the country and end users in overseas markets. Being able to travel domestically and especially overseas to visit end users, gave me invaluable insight into the hardwood industry that most people don’t get to see. I travelled mostly to China and Southeast Asia several times a year, getting to know the culture, customers and lumber industry there.

When I started with Gutchess Lumber, it opened an entirely new world of knowledge and opportunity for me, since it was the first time I was directly exposed to the entire production process, from the standing timber, to the sawmill, down to managing the KD inventory. Gutchess Lumber is an amazing company to work for who invests in its employees. I have a new appreciation for the lumber industry in my current role and I’m looking forward to seeing what the future brings.

Gutchess Lumber Co, Inc. is proud to have seen many years of multigenerational leadership and employee-ownership. The following story was written by one of our sales representatives, and multigenerational employee-owners, Chris Wickersham.

It is hard to imagine over 30 years in the same industry! My journey in the hardwood lumber industry began back in 1987. For my first two years I worked in the Southern Indiana area for a hardwood veneer manufacturer that also produced and sold green hardwood lumber. I was a sales representative that covered IN, KY, TN, MS, AR and TX. It was a great first job out of college, lots of freedom to learn how to sell and take care of customer’s needs! My customers were all on the manufacturing side making products such as office furniture, pianos and even caskets.

In 1989, I moved over to the largest hardwood veneer manufacturer in the U.S., which happened to be building a state of the art hardwood lumber sawmill in PA. After moving to their sales office in Southern California I was able to sell both hardwood veneer and hardwood lumber throughout CA and parts of Mexico. It was great experience with a wide variety of customers: manufacturers, distributors, architects and designers.

In 1996, staying with the same company I transferred to the Dallas TX area where I began to home office (not a normal thing back then!). My territory was expanded to handle Texas to the west and became exclusive to selling hardwood lumber. My customer base also shifted more from manufacturing to distribution. Finally in 2010, I was fortunate to join the employee-family owned company of Gutchess Lumber. It was a great fit from the beginning, as I continued to handle the same territory and customers that I had been covering for many years.

At Gutchess Lumber, we are committed to producing the best possible product and I am happy to be part of that. We put quality first and our customers readily recognize that. It is always a fun part of my job when I get to travel with our customer’s sales reps to see on going jobs first hand. It is amazing to see the beautiful products that come from our lumber. It certainly makes my job much easier to have such a high quality product to represent!

There has been many changes within our industry over the past 30 years but one thing has remained the same and that is the people. I think that is what makes our industry so unique. People who are down to earth, honest and use good common sense. That seems to be a lost art these days. Many of my customers have become great friends over the years. Several have passed the company reigns down to the 2nd generation which is always exciting to see.

Hopefully with a few more years to go, I may actually see that 3rd generation customer! Now that is being old!

Gutchess Lumber Co, Inc. is proud to have seen many years of multigenerational leadership and employee-ownership. The following story was written by one of our sales representatives, and multigenerational employee-owners, Chris Griffin. 

Hardwoods have been a part of my life from a very early age. Playing in the forest as a child, watching my grandfather cut pulpwood, splitting cords of wood by hand for a summer job as a teen and eventually working with my father harvesting timber after graduating high school.

My younger years forged a natural path to 30 years of employment at Gutchess Lumber. As a fourth-generation family member to work for Gutchess Lumber, my career began in the mill, where I first started piling lumber off the green line. From there I would soon graduate to running an edger, and this is where I quickly found a passion in learning how to saw logs. So, I did whatever I needed to do to learn everything about the whole process of making lumber: bucking logs, edging boards, trimming, and grading lumber. Within a year I held the Head Sawyer position, diligently working on crafting my skill. I had watched and learned from the sawyers that came before me and was determined to be the best sawyer I could possibly be.

I enjoyed my 25 years in the mill, but it was time to move on. So, I accepted an opportunity to work in lumber purchasing. This job entailed identifying good quality sawmills in the Northeast and purchasing their lumber. The position was another opportunity for me learn more about the industry from others involved with it. I soon learned that majority of the people in this industry have sawdust in their veins and are very passionate about their work. And while all do things a little differently, we are all striving to the same end goal of premium quality hardwood lumber.

I held this position for three years before graduating to Domestic KD Sales, where I am still to this day, selling lumber into Canada and into the Southeast region. In this position, I am able to provide our customers with the finest hardwood lumber produced in the Northeast.

Many things have changed throughout the years since I sawed my first log. Automation has been introduced into the mill. Harvesting is now primarily outsourced. Consumer needs fluctuate. Throughout it all, the one thing that has not changed is my dedication and passion for hardwoods and Gutchess Lumber.