Veteran ldaho firm is changing 1nd growittg with the times

By Harold Cole MacBeath Hardwood Co. salt Lake city

Street in Idaho Falls, Idaho, -is one of the most progressive mill and fixture houses in the state of Idaho. Their business extends through Wyoming, Nevada, Montana and Idaho. This from a very inconspicuous and austere beginning.

In 1905, Carl Johnson and his family moved from Chicago to Idaho Falls, which at that time had a population of 1200 people and two milling houses. One

Dill.

In 1905 there was no electricity available in the area, so a water wheel turned by water from a canal, provided the power for these mills to operate. It wasn't until 1908 that Utah Power and Light installed electric service in Idaho Falls. With the advent of electric power, the mill, which had been run on a single shaft 80 feet long with 15 pulleys attached to the shaft to operate these various machines, was converted to electric power and powered by one 1b hp. motor using the same shafts and pulleys.

CABINET assembly area is partially seen in top left picture. One of their fleet of trucks is seen top right. A portion oi the lumber storage area is at lower left. Under the mill (lower right picture) you can still see the original installation of the 80' power shaft and pulley. Only about half is visible in this shot.

To-this very day, the original shafts and pulleys are in a basement area of the present shop. Needless to say, the machines have now been converted to individual motors. (See photos).

Dill operated a contracting company and his mill was operated by Fisher and Aiken. They went out of business and sold that mill to the Johnson familv in 1914. Mrs. Johnson, a widow, had four sons: Ernest. Adolph, Oscar and Eno. Eno began operation of the mill in 1919. Eno was basically a construction contractor. In 1919 there were 6 employees.

Story at a Glance

Founded in 1905, the Johnson Brothers Planing Mill is expanding, using youthful management and a staff of experienced men the corporate memory goes back to a water-powered mill and horse drawn delivery wagons.

The bulk of the millwork business consisted of sash and doors, windows, and casework. This was before the advent of plywood so all the members of the casegoods had to be edge glued. During these times there were no trucks, so deliveries were made by teams of horses. Softwoods were purchased from Idaho sawmills producing pine. Later, rail service became available and softwoods were brought in by rail from the Pacific Coast and hardwoods from the East and South. From 1919 to L929, by diligent work and skill- ful management, the company started to show a profit. Then came 1929 and the crash and business was sustained on a smaller scale until 1gB?. At that time there were many governmental contracts and the company began to make a sustaining profit. Work became plentiful and 1g3? Eno too[ over as sole owner.

The company has grown from a beginning staff of 6 to a present staff of 12. The working conditions and employee-employer relationship are ideal. The average length of time per employee is 12 years. Gene Johnson was manager until 1g?0, the time of his death.

Since 1970, David L. Sargis, a grandson of Eno, has been the manager. His youthful ipproach to business problems coupled with the experience of long time employees, has created since Ig7g, the greatest volume in the firm's historv.

The present machinery consists of 1b milling and r_emanufacturing machines under the supervision and direction of "Red Stacey", mill foreman. Detailing and estimating is done by Mike Rosenwinkel and pav.id L. Sargis. Mike has been with the firm 1? years, having moved from the Middle West to Idaho in the 1950's.

Today the company's basic business consists of fixture work, casework and retail lumber and sundw sales. Johnson Brothers Planing Mill is a Formica distributor, probably the largest in the whole area.

In August, 1973, under the direction of David L. Sargis, Precision Hardware - Hollow Metal Co.. Inc. was formed across the street from the mill location. At the present time this subsidiary company has 6 employees and the volume growth has bein so phenomenal that it is double the original expectationJ. Wittr the lar-ge volume of government buildings being put up in_that area, the future ofthis subsidiary has a iremendous outlook.

"Grandpa" Eno Johnson, now in his 83rd year, still maintains a tremendous hrterest in the company. He comes to work every day and is always available for advice and instruction gained from his long years of experience, to all his employees. He is keen minded and alert to the problems of running the company. For his advanced years, he has very good health and plans on being around for a long time to come.

He only regrets that things are not like they used to be.

cD REPARATION" is the key -f word to use when attemPting to explain the success of American Forest Products Corporations' International Division.

Success is defined in our economy in terms of volume and growth. The International Division has increased sales volume on a dollar basis by over 400Vo during the last year and, although it deals in a broad variety of products in board footage in lumber alone, it grew by 640Vo over the preceeding year's activity.

Organized only one year ago from the company's existing Silmarco Division, it has rapidly expanded its scope of activities. This growth was made possible, according to general manager James E. McGee, by the careful long-range forecasting and planning required by The Bendix Corp. which acquired AFPC in 1970. "Bendix' extensive international experience and orientation were also a contributing factor," he said. Bendix is a worldwide manufacturer serving the automotive, aerospace and building materials markets.

This rapid growth was also achieved, according to McGee, by fully integrating international activities with existing AFPC caPabilities. Simply stated, this means that imported hardwood products are now being marketed through American Forest Products' 16 wholesale building materials distribution centers in seven states, rather than being considered a specialty product marketed bY only two or three centers.

How has all this come about in