Two of the Southeast’s most established family owned operations, Scotch Lumber Co., Fulton, Ala., and Gulf Lumber Co., Mobile, Ala., are merging. The new company, Scotch & Gulf Lumber, LLC, will encompass the Scotch sawmill in Fulton and Gulf’s sawmills, remanufacturing plant and wood treating facilities in Mobile and Jackson, Ala.

We’re just trying to keep our head above water in this lumber market.” That’s the word from David Richbourg, Plant Manager at H.W. Culp Lumber Co., a third-generation family-owned company producing heat treated southern yellow pine lumber. So far, so good; although hours have been cut, there have been no layoffs yet.

Benchmarking is one of the most valuable management tools used to discover competitive positions. Periodic comparison of key success drivers, such as yields and costs, against “best-in-class” is the first step in continuous improvement. While 2008 seems long ago at this point in the 2009 calendar, it’s good to establish baseline data. With baseline data we can explore how markets may behave going forward.

Loggers in Maine commenced chopping down pine in the southern part of the state as early as 1621. At the time, Plymouth Colony was the latest big thing in domestic adventure. Over the next 250 years or so, the loggers slowly moved north toward and through a vast supply of yellow birch, maple and spruce growing along the state’s remote hardwood ridges.

Router Bit Service, High Point, NC, has purchased a new Williams & White “Sure Sharp KGPM 120” bed knife grinder. Williams & White has another similar machine in operation at Canfor in Graham, NC, so Router Bit Service owners Scott Andrews and son Scott Jr., who researched several options, were able to contact head filer John Bolin and view the machine in operation as well as gain some feedback on the reliability of the machine.

Salem continues to review and upgrade products to meet the demand of the industry and to take advantage of new materials and technologies as they come available. Salem has redesigned its venerable bark hog line to improve performance and reduce maintenance costs.