Providing Customers More of What They Want

Providing Customers More of What They Want 

At MacDonald & Owen, we are constantly looking for ways to optimize our operations to better serve our customers. Recently, we made the strategic decision to close our Bowling Green, KY facility. While this was not an easy choice, we believe it allows us to concentrate on initiatives that align with both customer demand and our commitment to quality. Here is a closer look at why this move supports our overall mission.  

Why Transition Away from Bowling Green 

Our Bowling Green facility played an important role for us over the years, but several factors led us to focus our resources elsewhere: 

• Required Investment: To bring the Bowling Green facility in line with the standards of our other locations, significant upgrades would have been necessary. Given the high cost of these improvements, it became clear that the return on investment would be stronger in our PA and WI facilities. 

• Regional Lumber Supply: The Bowling Green area posed challenges in securing the volume and quality of green lumber that meets our standards. This made it difficult to maintain consistent production at the level of quality our customers expect. 

• Shift in Global Demand: The global marketplace has shifted, with demand moving away from some of the species that are more common in the Bowling Green region. This shift made it harder to align our output with what customers are seeking. 

• Prioritizing Key Facilities: Our Brookville, PA, and Luck, WI facilities have significant opportunities for growth, and concentrating our efforts on these locations allows us to better meet current and future needs. In the coming years, we plan to: 

• Build a new dimensional plant in Brookville to expand our production capabilities. 

• Add additional kiln capacity in Brookville to keep up with growing demand. 

Strengths of Our PA Location 

With this realignment, our PA and WI facilities are well positioned to continue meeting the evolving needs of our customers. Our PA location offers distinct advantages: 

• Strong Green Lumber Supply: Pennsylvania has one of the best supplies of green lumber in the country, including all species that were prevalent in Kentucky. This ensures a steady flow of quality lumber that can meet the demands of our customers.  

• Alignment with Global Demand: The products we produce in PA and WI are better aligned with global demand trends than those produced in KY. By focusing on these two locations, we are able to provide a product mix that matches what our customers domestic and abroad need most.  

Strengths of Our WI Locations 

Our Luck, WI facility also provides key advantages and growth opportunities: 

• Investment in Dimensional Production: We’re committed to continuing investments in our dimensional plant, positioning us to take advantage of opportunities for dimensional lumber production in Northern Wisconsin. 

• Strategic Partnerships: Our Wisconsin location allows us to maintain and deepen strategic partnerships that are essential to meeting the needs of our customers in the region and beyond. 

Looking Ahead 

By focusing our resources on our Pennsylvania and Wisconsin facilities, we’re positioning MacDonald & Owen for sustainable growth that directly benefits our customers. This strategic decision allows us to better align with global market demands, improve production efficiency, and strengthen the partnerships that help us deliver the highest quality products. 

As we continue to invest in these core facilities, our commitment remains the same—to provide our customers with the products and service they need to succeed. We’re excited about the future and look forward to sharing these improvements with you. 

Thank you for your continued trust in MacDonald & Owen.