Story at a Glance

Recent modernization of southern pine mill helps firm focus on specialty markets. job handling on-time delivery," Spencer adds.

Shaffoner Industries lumber buyer Chuck Smith agrees. Smith's company is a large truss maker headquartered in Burlinlton, N.C. He says Rayonier provides a "good quality product and sales representatives who are knowledgeable, professional and efficient."

John Elwell, Rayonier's director of wood products sales and marketing, puts it this way: "We believe in programs with 'customer partners.' We only make what our customers want. We have positioned ourselves in the marketplace to rationalize both our customer base and product mix. Working as partners, we can deliver product to the customer costeffectively, directly," Elwell explains.

Based on experience and market research, management believes that 2" dimension is nol where southern pine is headed. Hence, the company's focus is on retail, specialty treaters and export. During the Past Year, barely half of the company's total production was 2" dimension. "Specialty products are our specialty," notes Dave Morgan, general mgr., wood products & fiber procurement.

Specialty markets spell opportunity. Working with Hoover Treated Wood Products, Griffin, Ga., Rayonier helped supply No. I dense timbers of all sizes and lengths to build giant roller coasters. The largest coaster (built near Nagashima, Japan) required 2 million bd. ft. of treated southern pine, mostly 3" and 4" lumber from their Baxley, Ga., mill.

The company has lumber mills at

Baxley and Swainsboro in southeast Georgia and at Plummer in northern Idaho. Plummer was purchased in 1995. Baxley underwent a $10 million upgrade. Both mills produce boards and dimension lumber. Baxley also offers 5/4 decking plus timbers and posts and is headquarters for the company's wood products organization.

An important element in the company's strategy was the purchase three years ago and upgrade early this year of the mill at Swainsboro. The recent modernization and expansion cost $13 million and increased capacity by 35Vo. Through it all, employees kept production going at near record levels.

Typically, a southern pine mill has three tests for measuring and controlling wane. The new Swainsboro operation uses eight to 10. Swainsboro's new twin-line configuration lets it pick out pieces with wane and process them separately. Pieces not passing pre-set wane thresholds are automatically rerouted to the dimensional line.

"You can't make everything square and make money-there would be too much waste," Smith says. "But you can sell wane-free at a premium if it's identified."

A mill full of automated machinery goes nowhere without motivated people at the controls.

Dave Morgan waxes philosophically: "In reality, the lumber business is more people-oriented than equipment-oriented. In a manufacturing environment, it's amazing what can happen when your people are committed, excited and participating in meeting goals."