july2017

306 307 WESTON FOREST ed sales model; a customer-centred relationship where people love doing business with us. It’s what drives our success. Believe it or not, our industry is still somewhat archaic, and deliver- ing what you promised,when you promised, to the place you promised is not a given. It doesn’t happen all that frequently.We don’t have a 100 percent success rate, but we do have a fill rate in the high 90s, and because of that we stand above the crowd in our segment.” Rhone is adamant that it’s not about price.“If the only reason you buy from us is because we’re the cheapest,we’re probably not the right supplier for you.We provide the whole value proposition, the experience, the consistency, the long-term relationship of dealing with the same people for extended periods of time.We employ the best in the industry.We bring people here, they stay here, they become experts in their area of the market, and then we come to you as a consultant. We give you advice, share best practices, encourage you to investigate and find alternate ways of using wood, or manufacturing your finished product with wood, that will help you create efficiencies or overall lower costs while allowing us to remain your supplier. Customers are incredibly loyal to us for the things we bring them other than a cheap piece of wood.And we still bring them a competi- tive piece of wood.” Currently, the company has about 150 employ- ees; a combination of seasoned experts and fresh perspective. It is just as common to encounter There is nothing unique in our product offering. We sell lum- ber and plywood – there isn’t anything too special about a piece of 2 x 4. What we do is create a value-added sales model; a customer-centred relationship where people love doing business with us. It’s what drives our success. STEVE RHONE PRESIDENT a 20+ year veteran as it is to meet a 20-something running a major business unit.More than 95 per- cent of the products sold byWeston Forest are sourced in North America; primarily from British Columbia and south into Oregon andWashington; Alberta,Ontario, and Quebec and the Maritime provinces; and Maine, Michigan, and NewYork. The company is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and not only advocates, but champions proper management of the world’s forest resource.A significant part of the business involves extending the forest resource through remanufac- turing and sustainable practices. Looking ahead, Rhone says,“We are committed to consistent growth.We want to outperform the economy.Our target is to exceed 15 percent growth per year, but only if it makes sense to do so in markets that are profitable.