It’s really helped us increase our production. The mills like it because we’re able to deliver what they need. We can even deliver in the months when logging is sparse because we store product at our satellite facilities. That way, the mills always have a fresh supply of logs. That’s important to them, so it’s important to us.”
Knaeble Timber gets its products for the mills from several sites it logs at any one time. According to Kevin, the company has five to six active sites at any one time where it gets timber. The sites range in size from a few acres to several hundred acres.
“Our volume depends on several factors, especially weather,” Kevin explained. “We like to think we can hit it really hard from around the first of December to early spring if the ground freezes up and the snow stays around, but it’s also dictated by our customers’ needs.”
Employees make a difference
Staying around is something Knaeble Timber knows. With more than three decades in business, the company began with a small number of employees, but quickly grew to more than 30 in the ‘70s. Technology has lowered the number of workers needed, so today the company employs about 20 people. There are also several subcontractors who work exclusively for Knaeble Timber. The company works 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the winter months, when the logging season is at its peak.
Knaeble Timber runs two crews, which move around to various logging sites doing whatever is necessary to get logs to area mills. Many of the employees have been with the company for several years. “It’s really a family operation,” Khris commented. “We don’t say that just because we run it. We believe the people who work here are more like family than employees. We’ve got guys that have been here almost as long as the business has been in existence.”
“Most of our employees grew up in the industry, so they understand what it takes to be profitable,” Kevin added. “They work very hard at it. They understand the business and they understand machinery. They can do almost any work that needs to be done on the machinery. That’s a big plus. When you have that kind of dedication, people recognize your company as a good one. Our employees really help our company shine.”
A Knaeble Timber
operator uses a Timbco
425EXL feller buncher
to fell trees on a project
in Koochiching County.
The machine features a
cab-leveling system that
allows easy operation
on steep slopes and flat
ground.
When logging slows down, many of Knaeble’s employees remain with the company to help in its road building operation. The company focuses on building township roads, forestry roads, doing the dirt work and placing the subbase ahead of the pavers. Beginning this summer, the company will also supply concrete through a new ready-mix plant at Northome.
“One of the hardest things about logging is that when it slows down a lot of guys leave, so it’s hard to keep a crew together,” Kevin observed. “Road building has allowed us to keep those employees around by filling a void during the off-season. We still do some logging in the summer too, but with the road building we can keep our guys around. That’s important to us. We dabbled in road building before, but really got heavy into it about the time Khris and I took over the business.”
Key employees include woods foreman Jason Newberg, trucking foreman Jeff Peterson, construction foreman Charlie Nelson and ready-mix manager Cory Pink.
“Really, all of our employees are key,” affirmed Khris. “Without them we wouldn’t be in business.”
Good equipment is important
Knaeble Timber also relies on good equipment to increase productivity at its logging and road building jobs. Included in its inventory are two Komatsu excavators (a PC220LC-7 and a PC200LC-6) purchased from Road Machinery & Supplies through sales representative Ryan Milette. The company also purchased a Lim-mit LM2100 delimber and a Pro Pack PP453 delimber through RMS.