By Melissa Wentarmini
Associate Editor
In a Facebook video released this month, Timber Products pulled back the curtain on its latest investment in Alger County: a state-of-the-art hardwood component facility dubbed Munising Components.
The new line, housed alongside the company’s existing veneer and lumber plants, marks what Timber Products leaders describe as a game-changing leap in automation, sustainability and customer service.
Founded in 1918, Timber Products is a fourth-generation, family-owned company best known for its hardwood plywood and decorative wood panels. Headquartered in Oregon, it operates eight manufacturing facilities across the country, supported by a logistics and import division.
Over the years, the company has built a reputation for pairing quality with sustainability — reducing emissions through low-formaldehyde resins, adding antimicrobial protection to some of its panel products and minimizing waste wherever possible. The Munising Components project, executives say, is a continuation of that legacy.
“This mill allows our customers to focus on what they do best without dealing with lumber waste or additional processing,” John Erickson, lumber sales manager, said in the video.
The facility, five years in the making, was officially launched in late July. According to Timber Products, Munising Components will serve the cabinetry, flooring and millwork industries by producing ready-to-use hardwood components at scale, significantly reducing waste while improving product quality and yield.
Munising Components is powered by a suite of cutting-edge equipment supplied by Eagle Machinery & Supply Inc. and MiCROTEC. The line includes Eagle’s High Speed Hogging Moveable Blade Ripsaw, Talon 3000 High Speed Crosscut Saws and newly patented palletizing automation, combined with MiCROTEC’s Woodeye scanners, which detect defects that human eyes could miss.
“The Woodeye scanners allow for defects to be detected that could go unnoticed by a human,” said Jerrod Allen, lumber inspector. “We can do just about anything now.”
According to Timber Products, the fully integrated system processes 30 boards per minute while collecting real-time performance data. Eagle analyzes the flow continuously using machine learning and artificial intelligence, providing Timber Products with a constant stream of production insights.
“The amount of automation going into it, and the rate of speed at which it’s processed — I’ve never seen anything like it,” said lumber finishing supervisor Rich Cota, Jr., who noted that the line can now operate with six workers instead of the 40 to 50 typically required on a traditional line.
Company leaders say the project began in conversations with customers about efficiency and quality.
“Eagle has more than 25 years of experience with continuous improvement and development in the industrial woodworking and automation industry,” said Jon Johnson, general manager. “Their willingness to work with us from the raw conceptual phase and support the project along the way is what made them stand out as the clear partner for the job.”
Timber Products has framed the project as a boost for Munising, pointing to the addition of more technical roles in its operations. At the same time, the company acknowledges that automation allows it to do more with fewer workers. Leaders say that shift reflects an industry-wide trend toward higher-skilled, technology-driven jobs rather than increased headcount.
Sustainability is another theme the company stresses. By removing defects onsite, the facility spares customers from waste-handling and transforms byproducts into energy.
“All the waste gets captured, either ground or bagged, then burned in our boilers on site,” product development manager Sam Stenerson said. “No trucking, no hauling — it’s all consumed here.”
That fuel powers all three Timber Products plants in Munising and generates steam for the dry kilns. It’s a closed-loop system that speaks to both efficiency and stewardship, themes that resonate in a community long tied to its forests.
For employees, the investment is as much about place as it is about technology.
“This is an exciting time at Timber Products,” Erickson said. “Not many sawmills have a dimension plant on site. It’s very exciting to talk with customers and prospects about how we can provide solutions to meet their needs.”
Stenerson put it more personally: “The investment Timber Products has made in this is a big deal for Munising. It shows their commitment to being here long-term. It means a lot to me; it means a lot to the community. It’s awesome to work at Timber Products.”