Business View Magazine | Volume 8, Issue 6

95 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, ISSUE 6 SEARS TROSTEL LUMBER & MI LLWORK interest in going to college. They can learn a trade by going to a trade school or doing an apprenticeship and they can make decent money without the huge debt that you see with college.” In recent years, demand has come full circle with softwood lumber becoming more popular again. Sears Trostel has been manufacturing those softwoods for trim, siding and paneling. The company has also added an FSC-certified product named Pakari to its line. The thermally modified pine lumber is subjected to heat and steam to create a more durable, lighter, and straighter product for exterior applications. “Pakari is generally used for decking and siding, and we’ve also made custom paneling for customers. It has an exotic wood look that is great for interior projects, too,” Viehmeyer reports. “The thermal-modification process changes the cell structure of the wood, making it resistant to water, decay and insects. It’s competitive with other wood products used for decking – and in better supply than those products – so we’re pretty excited about adding this to our line.” A willingness and ability to meet current market trends has allowed Sears Trostel to expand beyond the northern Colorado construction market. Today, the company primarily serves the Colorado Front Range down to the south of Colorado Springs, into the Rocky Mountain communities, and north into neighboring Wyoming. But recent projects have also taken their products west to Arizona, California and Idaho. If the past is any indication, Sears Trostel Lumber & Millwork has a bright future ahead.