Northwest Hardwoods

A pioneering spirit still drives us today.
Our North American hardwood products all bear the name of the original 1967 alder operations: Northwest Hardwoods. We’ve kept the name as a symbol of the commitment to innovation that started there and helped our company grow. Today, our North American hardwood operations include over 30 facilities across North America.

Sales Philosophy
The Northwest Hardwoods sales team leads the way in helping our customers build more with less. Using a collaborative process called “consultative selling,” we set out to understand the customer’s manufacturing process and then find the grades that will ensure the highest through-put and overall cost-effectiveness.

Custom Grades
In addition to standard NHLA grades, we offer lumber grades that are more application-specific. These custom grades were developed from real-world challenges faced by some of our customers. Northwest Hardwoods’ custom grades offer more of what manufacturers want and less of what they don’t. We call this philosophy “Graded for Yield.®” For example, we divide NHLA’s #1 Common into two grades: Cabinet (a 2-face grade) and Custom Shop (a 1-face grade). By offering custom grades like these, we provide more flexibility to our customers. In this case: an economical option for 1-face applications, and less waste for customers who need 2-face lumber.

Manufacturing & Technology
To meet our exacting grading standards, we employ the most advanced technology and one of the most progressive manufacturing processes. It’s the other part of the Graded for Yield® equation, helping ensure the high quality and consistency of our products.

Double-cut bandmills and laser-guided scanning technology improve the yield of each log. In our Western and Glacial regions, abrasive planers deliver clean lumber with fewer splits and less skip. The latest kiln equipment, combined with the way we manage and monitor the drying process, provides more consistent product. And we grade after drying and sanding. It’s contrary to how some mills operate, but we believe it’s the best way to offer on-grade lumber.
Forms of pallet lumber supplied:
1, 12, 24