lumber Archives - Virginia Business

Martinsville real estate, building supply firm names new president

The Lester Group has appointed Dana Cowart president, the Martinsville-based building materials and real estate development company announced Monday. Cowart started his new job Dec. 1.

Cowart brings to The Lester Group more than two decades of experience in the building supply sector. Previously, Cowart was vice president of acquisitions, vice president of sales and marketing, and filled other roles at TAL Building Centers, a Washington-based building supply company. Additionally, Cowart managed a door manufacturing operation at OrePac Building Supply, an Oregon-based wholesale building materials supplier, after beginning his career at Lanoga, which later was purchased by Pro Build, both building materials businesses.

Cowart has a degree in business administration and management from the University of Washington, according to his LinkedIn page.

“His visionary leadership and proven expertise in the building materials industry are exactly what our company needs as we continue to grow and adapt in an ever-evolving marketplace,” Jay Dickens, CEO of The Lester Group, said of Cowart in a news release. Dickens was hired as the company’s president in 2018 and named CEO in 2020, holding both positions until Cowart’s hiring.

The Lester Group acquired Williamsburg-based Custom Builder Supply this summer.

In addition to real estate management and development, The Lester Group owns Fredericksburg-based Fortress Door Co. and more than 21,000 acres of forestland in Virginia in Franklin, Halifax, Henry and Pittsylvania counties, as well as Rockingham County in North Carolina.

Biomass company to expand in Wythe County

Musser Biomass and Wood Products will invest $7.5 million to expand operations in Wythe County and add 10 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday afternoon.

The company, a division of Musser Lumber Co., will more than double production of dried hardwood chips and sawdust that the company supplies to composite decking manufacturers, plastic extrusion companies, and barbecue and heating wood pellet companies. It will also increase the purchase of leftover hardwoods from regional sawmills, creating a new market for the byproduct.

“Virginia’s forestry industry adds more than $23 billion to the commonwealth’s economy and employs over 108,000 Virginians, making it our third largest private sector industry,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Supporting companies like Musser Biomass and Wood Products helps to keep this industry strong and also spurs economic development in our rural communities.”

Musser Lumber was established in 1968 by Mike Musser. The company specializes in drying, surfacing and planing hardwood lumber for flooring and paneling, and it sources lumber from dozens of sawmills. In 2020, the Mussers established Musser Biomass and Wood Products, enabling the company to purchase sawdust and wood chips from its mill supply base and grow its sales.

“We continue to execute our long-term plans to make Musser Biomass and Wood Products the top source for hardwood fiber solutions in the biomass industry. From heating and barbecue pellets, composite decking and other biomass markets, we are truly redefining the dry wood fiber market,” Musser Biomass and Wood Products President Ed Musser, who is the son of Mike Musser, said in a statement. “We are very appreciative of the support we have received from both our local administrators and the governor.”

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with Wythe County and its Joint Industrial Development Authority to secure the project for the state. Youngkin approved a $75,000 grant for the expansion from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund, which Wythe County will match.

A 2020 AFID award to the company funded the purchase of a high-efficiency wood residual drying system. The units use lower temperatures and higher airflow to process more than 80,000 tons of wood fiber annually, and use 30% less energy and produce less dust and volatile organic compound pollution. A second AFID award in 2022 allowed the purchase of an additional dryer, Ed Musser told Virginia Business.

Timber exporter building $1.1M facility in Suffolk

Kristi Corp. a global supplier of industrial raw materials for aluminum and steel metallurgical industries, will build a $1.1 million log load and fumigation facility in Suffolk, creating 10 jobs, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday.

The company will source 100% of its exports from Virginia logging companies. Virginia competed with North Carolina and Pennsylvania for the project, which will be located at 1326 Portsmouth Boulevard.

“Once again, the world-class Port of Virginia and our skilled workforce enabled our commonwealth to successfully compete for this new lumber exporting facility,” Northam said in a statement. “This project will benefit both the local economy and our forestry industry, and we look forward to partnering with Kristi Corporation as it grows in Suffolk.”

Headquartered in New Jersey, Kristi Corp. was founded in 2005 and has branches in Canada and India. The company exports logs, lumber and biomass materials from North America across the globe.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Suffolk, the Virginia Department of Forestry and The Port of Virginia to secure the project for Virginia. VEDP’s Virginia Jobs Investment Program will assist Kristi Corp. with its employee recruitment and training.

Wythe County lumber company announces $2.4M expansion

Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday that Wythe County-based Musser Lumber Co. Inc. will invest $2.4 million to expand its operations and increase 12 jobs — which, during the next three years, will lead to more than $8.5 million in forest product purchases.

“Musser Lumber’s continued growth and success in Wythe County is a testament to the strength of Virginia’s forestry industry,” Northam said in a statement. “I am grateful to the Musser family for their commitment to Southwest Virginia and for investing in our rural communities.” Forestry is Virginia’s third-largest private industry and contributes $20 billion to the state’s economy annually, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring said in a statement.

Established in 1968 and founded by Mike Musser and his two sons, Musser Lumber Co. specializes in drying, surfacing and planing of hardwood lumber for flooring and paneling. The expansion will create a production and drying capacity for sawdust and wood shavings, which will be sourced from Virginia sawmills. The company’s investment will allow Musser Lumber Co. to grow its sawdust, shavings and wood chip sales to decking manufacturers, plastic extrusion companies and wood pellet producers.

“We started the company here and continue to grow because of our dedicated workforce, convenient location, and doing business the right way,” Ed Musser, Musser Lumber Co. vice president, said in a statement. “Musser Lumber Co. Inc. is grateful for the support of the commonwealth of Virginia, Wythe County and the Joint Industrial Development Authority.”

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with Wythe County and the Joint Industrial Development Authority of Wythe County, Wytheville and Rural Retreat to secure the project for Virginia. Northam approved a $75,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund to help Wythe County with the project. Funding and training will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

“This project is an important win for Wythe County as we focus on the commonwealth’s economic rebound from this global pandemic,” Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball said in a statement. “Forestry continues to be a pillar in communities across Virginia because industry leaders recognize the benefits of our abundant natural resources, extensive transportation network and unparalleled workforce.”

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Lumber company to invest $11M in Caroline County

Gatesville, North Carolina-based lumber company Ashton Lewis Lumber Co. will invest $11 million to establish a specialty Southern yellow pine sawmill in Ruther Glen (part of Caroline County), Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday. The company has also committed to sourcing 90% of its pine lumber purchases from Virginia forestland owners as part of the investment.

Ashton Lewis recently acquired Caroline County-based pine sawmill W.T. Jones & Sons Inc., which was established in 1970. The purchase saved 44 jobs, according to a statement from Northam’s office.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Ashton Lewis to Virginia, where forestry is our third-largest private industry,” Northam said in a statement. “Ashton Lewis’ commitment to Caroline County will not only preserve quality jobs for hardworking Virginians and bring valuable investment to this rural locality, but will continue to provide markets for our forestland owners.”

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with Caroline County to secure the project for Virginia. Northam approved a $50,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund to help Caroline County, and Ashton Lewis will receive training services through the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

“We are pleased to see Ashton Lewis taking over the former W.T. Jones & Sons sawmill in Caroline County and thank the company for retaining and creating jobs in rural Virginia,” Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball said in a statement. “It’s also great to see that the company will be purchasing a majority of its logs from Virginia landowners.”