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Hardwood Blog
Perspectives and insights on the hardwood lumber industry.
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Tuesday, 07 August 2018 15:21
5 Ways to Increase Employee Engagement
There is no doubt that employee engagement in the workplace is important. But recently, there has been evidence that engagement is not where businesses would like it to be. The lack of engagement can have a rippling effect that can be felt throughout the entire company. And it can often lead to additional time spent on recruitment, interviewing and hiring of new employees. Many companies face this challenge and the hardwood lumber industry is no…
Thursday, 02 August 2018 17:42
What About Basswood?
When people think of hardwoods the first species that come to mind seem to be Red Oak, White Oak, Walnut, Cherry, etc. But what about Basswood? Often times Basswood is lumped in the “other” category on industry reports since it typically only represents about 5-8% of the total timber production volume today. But maybe its time for a change. Generally speaking, Basswood (Tilla americana) is a soft, light wood that is stable and can be…
Monday, 23 July 2018 19:00
Mentorship Programs. Can They Help Your Business?
When hiring new members to their teams, many companies choose to hire externally, while others choose to promote from within. In these cases, there is a confidence and trust in the individuals who have worked within the organization and are ready to take the next step. This is something that we have come to experience firsthand when we have needed to fill important positions within our lumber yards, sawmills, and even at our corporate headquarters.…
Thursday, 12 July 2018 12:53
Finding White Ash
Ash has been one of the most commonly requested hardwood lumber species recently. Even though we have seen increased demand, Ash logs have been getting harder and harder to come by due to the emerald ash borer. Because of this, loggers have been aggressive in harvesting Ash trees to minimize the potential losses of landowners. While both loggers and landowners have tried to stay in front of this, sawmills have been forced to adjust accordingly…
Thursday, 21 June 2018 16:57
Questions To Ask When Learning From Others
Successful business leaders ask questions to grow and improve their leadership skills, but what types of questions do they ask? Naturally, we reflected on this thought and began to consider what questions leaders in the hardwood lumber industry ask to improve operational processes, create clearer strategies, and enhance working conditions for their organizations. Here are a few key questions we have found valuable. Can we simplify? It is easy to over-complicate a project. Businesses, like…
Tuesday, 12 June 2018 14:23
The Importance of "Industrial Hardwoods" to a Sawmill
1 Common, 2 Common, FAS, Prime, Select & Better, are just a few hardwood grade requests that we hear from customers. It seems as if we are always talking about grade lumber in the hardwood industry. However, it is important to keep in mind that 30 to 40% of a typical hardwood log results in low-grade lumber. Low-grade lumber, commonly referred to as industrial hardwoods, can be found in a variety of forms. Cants, pallet…
Tuesday, 22 May 2018 18:08
Talk Less, Listen More, For Successful Leadership
Communication is an essential aspect of being a successful leader, the ability to really listen to colleagues should be a tool in every business leaders toolbox. At American Lumber, we make conscious efforts to stress the importance of the flow of communication back and forth between leadership and employees, and vice versa. This is true whether it is our customers, lumber traders, sawmill managers or yard personnel. It is our belief that when individuals listen…
Wednesday, 09 May 2018 18:29
Keeping Pace with Technology
Technology advances at an exponential rate. Every day we are notified of a new update, computer system, app, or program that is better than the one that you are currently using. Given the pace of technology it can be very hard to keep up with all of the latest advancements. Determining the technology that is right for your business and incorporating it the right way can give your business a competitive advantage in the marketplace.…
Monday, 23 April 2018 14:45
The Value of Tropical Lumber Shorts for Manufacturers
Inventory management issues, shipment lead times, and currency fluctuations are just some of the common issues United States tropical hardwood importers who bring in millions of board feet each year -like American Lumber- are challenged with. When it comes to tropical lumber, not all species are sold in 8’ and longer bundles. One of the challenges to this is that it results in the regular accumulation of lumber less than 8’ long. This is…
Thursday, 12 April 2018 18:23
Developing New Managers Into Effective Leaders
Being a good manager doesn’t necessarily translate into being a good leader. Often, employees who get promoted to management positions have steadily increased their responsibility levels within the organization or possess excellent technical skills. However, while these employees often possess these “hard skills” they are sometimes lacking the “soft skills” that allow them to be effective leaders for their teams. Promoting employees from within is a very common practice in the hardwood lumber industry. At…
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Tuesday, 20 March 2018 14:37
Soft Maple: Could it work for you?
Soft Maple is regarded by many experts in the hardwood lumber industry as one of the most versatile species in the industry. With its ability to sand nicely, machine easily, stain well, hold firm edges in joinery, and its reputation for having a straight grain, Soft Maple is a very popular choice for furniture and cabinetry. However, Soft Maple is not only used in these type of applications. It is also used in a variety…
Wednesday, 07 March 2018 21:48
Does your company promote work-life balance
Many business leaders understand the importance of encouraging employees to find the right “work-life” balance. However, that is not always as easy as it sounds. Many times it starts with helping employees develop personal habits at work that allow them to be successful so they can create more time to do things they want to do away from work. At American Lumber, we have been focusing on a few best practices that we have found…
Wednesday, 28 February 2018 21:04
Have you considered using Sycamore?
It is not often in the hardwood lumber industry that you hear about a manufacturer using Sycamore in their production. However, that doesn’t mean it should be overlooked. Sycamore is an excellent species choice when used in the right situation. American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), can go by a variety of names, such as Buttonwood, American Plane, Water Beech, Ghost Tree, and sometimes Virginia Maple. Sycamore is usually found throughout the eastern portion of the United…
Friday, 16 February 2018 15:41
Custom Grades could be your key to greater yields.
Could changing your perspective on hardwood lumber grades allow you to buy materials that meet your needs more effectively? A custom grade of hardwood lumber might be exactly what you need! The grading system that is used for the hardwood lumber industry was established over 100 years ago by the National Hardwood Lumber Association, (NHLA). Unlike softwoods, which are graded on the entirety of the board, hardwoods are graded based on the amount of clear…