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| October 2007 - WVCO Acquires Ace
The Willamette Valley Company is proud to announce that Ace International Inc. and The Willamette Valley Company are combining efforts to better serve the wood products industries. Effective October 1, 2007, Ace International Inc. will merge with WVCO. Current manufacturing, distribution, technical and sales personnel will operate business as usual. Ace International Inc. in Centralia, WA will become a division of Willamette Valley Company. Ace Sales & Service Inc.
in New Westminster, BC will become a division of Canadian Willamette Ind., Inc. Ace is a manufacturer and distributor of bark flours used as fillers and extenders as well as distributor of wheat flour, wood putty, inks, and specialty wood coatings.
The combined strengths of each company will bring additional value to existing product lines. In the short term, customers should expect to receive the same service and products they are accustomed to. Long term, the strengths of both companies will be consolidated, enabling WVCO to offer products that increase customer value.
November 2006 - 2006 Supplier of the Year
WVCO Wins Plywood Honors for the Second Straight Year!
Willamette Valley Company (two time winner) tied with Dynea Resins for Supplier of the Year in the plywood category. Huntsman Polyurethanes and Tembec, Inc. Chemical Group tie for top honors among OSB suppliers. The award was accepted by John Harrison and Tony Vuksich.
The awards program, now in its second year, is sponsored by the Engineered Wood Technology Association, a related entity of APA. A total of 16 EWTA member product, equipment, and service suppliers received votes from 44 APA member companies. The program is designed to recognize the value and importance of the business relationships between APA member companies and their EWTA member suppliers.
November 2005 - WVCO Named 2005 Supplier of the Year
WVCO Takes Top Plywood Honors! EWTA Managing Director Terry Kerwood and APA Board of Trustees Chairman John Murphy presented this year's plywood Supplier of the Year Award to Willamette Valley Company. The award was accepted by John Harrison, along with Tony Vuksich and Donny Arrington.
The awards program, now in its second year, is sponsored by the Engineered Wood Technology Association, a related entity of APA. A total of 16 EWTA member product, equipment, and service suppliers received votes from 44 APA member companies. The program is designed to recognize the value and importance of the business relationships between APA member companies and their EWTA member suppliers.
August 2004 - WVCO Builds Manufacturing Plant in Two Harbors, MN
Willamette Valley Company made a decision to build a new manufacturing facility in Two Harbors, Minnesota. The plant is close to several customer locations, which allows WVCO to offer better service and become more cost competitive. Concepts from existing WVCO locations were considered in the development process of the new facility.
The New Setup
Willamette Valley Company took possession of a 37,500 square foot building in September and started production in January.
The first two production units are primer and OSB coatings. The OSB coatings are the primary production items at this facility. The main equipment components for our OSB area include the 5,200-gallon letdown tank, a 1,500-gallon letdown tank, a 50 HP disperser and a 25 HP disperser. This provides the flexibility to produce any batch size from a 55-gallon drum to a 5,200-gallon tanker load.
The primer area is set up for large bulk volumes. We have a 125 HP disperser with a 1,500-gallon tank and a 4,000-gallon letdown tank.
Growth and Quality
Two Harbors has steadily increased production from 28,500 gallons in February, 57,100 gallons in April to a record 93,325 gallons in June. The initial goal was to service 6 mills and with the growth in business, we are currently supplying 10 mills. The prospects look good for adding another 5 mills over the next few months.
Quality is a top priority at this facility. A QC bench has been setup to allow quicker feedback on the quality tests for our products. Quality records are stored and maintained to help analyze data and produce Certificates of Analysis that meet customer’s needs and requirements.
July 2003 - WVCO Builds Paint Manufacturing Facility
In July, 2003, the results of continued growth by the WVCO Southern Division became obvious again. The new production facility sprang into action!
As market demand increased, the need to become more efficient was obvious. Efficiency had become compromised partly by increasing production activity without increasing the space required to efficiently produce paints, putties, and fillers. Warehouse space was not sufficient to hold the raw materials and finished goods required to meet customer needs.
A new multi-purpose facility was designed as part of a process intended to increase efficiency and prepare for market growth. This facility has three primary functions.
Paint Production
The roughly 20,000 square foot of paint production area was designed with efficiency in mind. Storage tanks were removed from the old tank farm to the new building, increasing warehouse area. This increased putty production by creating more workroom and warehouse area for putty production and raw material inventory. This increased inventory efficiency, offering the opportunity to receive larger purchases of raw materials. Now, tight inventory management can enhance profitability in today’s highly competitive market.
At the same time, new connectivity for unloading tank trucks was installed. A large manufacturing area was designed to maximize production in the new facility. New paint mixing equipment was purchased and put in place. Larger batches can now be produced. This increased manufacturing capacity and decreased manufacturing cost. Now, WVCO can produce over 7,000 gallons of CBS Coatings per shift in their new facility. The newly installed equipment allows for modifications that can triple that capacity.
From the new Production Manager’s office, he can monitor his team’s daily progress and continue to lead in process flow improvement. This new facility gives the Production Manager a place from which to guide his team to new levels of success.
Research and Development
In addition to new paint production facilities, this building contains a new research and development office and lab. Chemist’s duties include support for present formulations, product quality assurance, and development of new formulations per customer requirements. They also assists with process flow, working to increase efficiency in daily production operations.
Technology Training Room
Setup of a new training room above the R&D area was supported to meet the growing technology needs of WVCO’s Southern Operations. The Southern Division Service crew has been in Microsoft Office training to prepare them to present polished, professional reports on their work to each customer. Customer Service Representatives are learning how to get the most out of IFS using queries and special Excel functions. This resource is designed to support many of WVCO’s diverse training needs, including not just support for Pineville and Conyers production, but even for facilities as far away as Chilé.
An extension to the training room is the Production Conference Room. This full service conference area is designed as a center to brainstorm improvements for all Southern Operations. Partitions allow for simultaneous meetings in a relaxed, but professional atmosphere.
Hope for the Future
New facilities bring the opportunity for exciting new directions and adventures for the WVCO team. The Customer Service team sees this as an occasion to better serve our customers with reduced lead times, more flexibility, and more opportunity for growth. The Willamette Valley Company. Working to make better things and to make things better!
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