Yoder Lumber: 75 Years of Success

Yoder Lumber has been a leader in the production of Appalachian hardwood lumber since 1944. Here's how our company evolved from a single portable sawmill serving local landowners to a provider of customized hardwood lumber solutions to customers around the world.

1944 – Founder John J. Yoder started the company with five employees and a portable sawmill. The mill was moved from location to location during timber harvests, sawing timber into lumber on site for landowners.

1955 – Yoder Lumber designed its first permanent sawmill in Sugarcreek, Ohio. This became known as the Charm location and it is still in operation today.

1965 – Yoder Lumber installed a new building and circular sawmill at the Charm location.

1972 – Yoder Lumber began producing a line of wooden pallets for local manufacturing companies. This service lasted for over 15 years.

1975 – Yoder Lumber purchased the Berlin, Ohio location for use as an active manufacturing plant and dry kiln yard.

1985 – The company began offering lumber in a variety of species to local customers through a retail office.

1987 – Smash Proof Products – Yoder Lumber designed and produced a line of creepers for the automotive industry from 1975 to 1989.

1989 – New dry kilns, storage buildings, a manufacturing plant, a warehouse and office space were added to the Berlin location. The company also expanded its truck fleet with a new line of Peterbilt and International trucks.

1992 – Yoder Lumber expanded the Berlin plant to increase manufacturing space to 17,000 square feet.

1995 – A new Headrig Bandsaw was installed in the Charm sawmill to increase efficiency.

1996 to 1999 –The Berlin plant was expanded to increase warehouse space and add to the company’s main offices.

1999 – Yoder Lumber purchased the Buckhorn facility from Semac Industries, increasing overall capacity with two band sawmills, a pre-dryer, dry kilns, and various storage buildings.

2002 – Rolling Ridge Woods, the company’s veneer logs division, was incorporated in Parkersburg, WV. This division was acquired as part of the Buckhorn yard purchase from Semac Industries in 1999.

2003 – A new 45-bay sorting line was created at the Buckhorn location that increased throughput to sort on average 17 million board feet of lumber annually.

2004 – Yoder Lumber began exporting lumber by containers to customers in China.

2005 – Yoder Lumber Logistics was officially launched as a corporation and division of Yoder Lumber.

2010 – A new, state-of-the-art sawmill which includes a 7’ Salem Headrig and Linebar Resaw Bandmill was completed at the Buckhorn facility.

2014 – Yoder Lumber celebrated its 70 year anniversary and installed a Woodeye and Talon Saw Line from Eagle Machinery at the Berlin location.

2015 – Yoder Lumber rebranded its entire organization and created seven new division names and logos. The company’s new Architectural Wood Solutions division was created to support the retail environment and restaurant fixtures markets.

2019 – Yoder Lumber celebrated its 75 anniversary and installed its first fingerjointer, a Weinig.