Business View Magazine - Nov 2023

130 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 11 partner’s expense. It’s about building something bigger, something better than either entity.” A Prosperous Future of Expansion Ahead Community is certainly a concept that has been lost in the conglomerate world over the years, but it doesn’t seem Lumber Traders will have that issue as it expands, and it surely has plans to do so rapidly. It’s currently expanding to a new third location that will be opening up in the first quarter of 2024 with a focus on rental equipment and outdoor power tools. It also has plans to unify the dispatch operations between its two truck fleets at both of its locations to maximize both profits and overall efficiency when it comes to distribution. “All-around, it’s about sustainable growth and diversification,” Steiger says, referring to how the company will continue to diversify itself through the addition or acquisition of companies in other ancillary industries–similar to what it did when setting up its glass division. Overall, Lumber Traders is an ESOP that excels at returning value back to employees, vendors, and customers alike! Any business owners planning their succession should take note that a conversation with a company like Lumber Traders is a giant leap in the direction of making a noble exit. PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n Exterior Wood, Inc. www.exteriorwood.com Founded in 1977, Taiga Exterior Wood is located in Washougal, WA and has established themselves as a leader in the pressure treated industry in both quality and inventory. Taiga Exterior Wood’s meticulous quality control process ensures that every piece of raw lumber is properly graded for the correct application before treating. n Randall Hurley www.randall-hurley.com n Weyerhaeuser www.weyerhaeuser.com