Q+A with Midcoast Show Sponsor Katahdin Cedar Log Homes
MIDCOAST SHOW SPONSOR-2010
What is your business all about? How did you get started?
Katahdin Cedar Log Homes was founded in 1973 with a single vision in mind: produce the highest quality log homes in the most efficient way possible. In those days we did much of the hard work of turning Northern White Cedar logs into homes by hand. Two or three homes per year was the norm. These days we’re a lot bigger than we use to be. We have a staff of close to 100 skilled men and women working in manufacturing, design, sales and service, and more than 70 dealers throughout the US, Europe, Japan and Israel. Today, we are the largest cedar log home manufacturer in North America.
Why Maine? What about Maine inspires your business?
Aside from the fact that we are proud Mainers, our state provides us with one very distinct advantage in the log home industry: Northern White Cedar. Our corporate headquarters in Oakfield, ME is located in one of the most densely populated Northern White Cedar forests in the world and one of the few places in the US where it is available in abundance. This allows us to produce log homes that are significantly more rot resistant, insect repellant and energy efficient than homes made of pine or other commonly used species.
Northern White Cedar is our lifeblood and we make sure that all of our cedar comes from sustainable, well-managed forests. We are the only log home manufacturer in the US to earn Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody Certification certified by the SmartWood program.
Tell us about a standout project of yours?
Last year we finished our single largest project ever, Eddie Montgomery’s Steakhouse, a 20,000 sq. ft. restaurant and entertainment facility produced for country music star Eddie Montgomery (half of the country music duo Montgomery Gentry). The 28’ ceilings, purlin roof and massive log trusses give the structure a cathedral-like feel. The steakhouse also features a tour-quality, professional concert sound and light system for the top name country performers he expects to book, as well as new and up-and-coming artis
ts.
Who is your ideal customer?
Tough question…. I think the attributes of an “ideal” customer are the same attributes that the majority of our customers share in common with each other: they are fulfilling a dream, they have a clear vision of what they want and they are passionate about that vision. Some dream of a 900 sq. ft. log cabin off the grid, others dream of a 9,000 sq. ft. log mansion on a lake. What matters most to us is that we are able to help them achieve that dream.
What are the distinguishing characteristics of your business that set you apart from others in your field?
Energy efficiency and precision manufacturing are two of the things that set us apart the most. When the company was founded in 1973 one of our primary goals was to utilize our natural resources in the most complete and efficient way possible. That meant finding a use for every piece of every log including short pieces, narrow pieces, scraps, shavings and sawdust. Over the years we developed manufacturing efficiencies and started two sister companies to achieve this goal. Parts of the log that are too small for our homes are used by our sister company, Katahdin Cedar Fence, now the largest cedar fence manufacturer in the Northeast US. Pieces that are too small for our fencing get shipped across the road to Cedar Ideas, our other sister company that produces window boxes, planter boxes and garden accessories. Scraps, shavings and sawdust get fed into our 14-million BTU wood-fired biomass boiler, which heats our manufacturing facility (9 different buildings) and has cut our fossil fuel consumption by 90%. To cut our gasoline consumption, we recently started combining excess heat from the boiler with local waste potatoes from farmers to create ethanol in our commercial distiller.
In addition to the energy efficiencies of our mill, we have also developed the R-23 Energy Envelope System™, a proprietary full-log insulated wall system. The system increases the energy efficiency of a standard log wall by 156% and meets or exceeds all of the new, more stringent energy codes throughout the country.
The other major factor that increases our efficiency is the precision or our log manufacturing line. Our computerized line and laser-guided saws significantly reduce human error and make cuts that normally have to be done on the construction site. Before the new computerized line, when measurements and cuts were made by hand, we could produce one home per day with six people. Today, we can produce two homes per day with two people!
What does all of this mean for our customers? It means greater savings and greater value in every step of the process. Our manufacturing efficiencies allow us to provide more value for less money. Our computerized log line allows customers to save time and money throughout the construction process. And finally, our Energy Envelope System™ will save on energy costs for the life of the home!