What Cole Hardwood does

Cole Hardwood is a privately-held, family-owned hardwood lumber processor and distributor founded in 1986 by Milt Cole and headquartered in Logansport, Indiana. The company operates from a single 32-acre facility featuring 1,300,000 board feet of kiln capacity, two acres of dry indoor storage, S2S/SLR1E planing capabilities via a Newman 382 Planer, on-premise rail spur access, and container loading infrastructure. Its core product line consists of 12 North American hardwood species (Ash, Basswood, Beech, Cherry, Hard Maple, Hickory, Poplar, Red Oak, Sassafras, Soft Maple, Walnut, and White Oak) sold in thicknesses from 4/4 through 16/4 and across grades including Select & Better, #1 Common, #2 Common, and (for Hickory) Rustic Pecky. All lumber is kiln-dried to a tight 6-8% moisture tolerance, end-trimmed, coated, and NHLA inspected.

The company's revenue model is centered on direct B2B sales with quote-based pricing that varies by species, thickness, grade, and order volume, with order capabilities ranging from 1,000 board feet to multi-million board feet. Distribution operates across three channels: company-owned truck fleet delivery within a 300-mile radius for regional B2B customers, a physical retail storefront at the Logansport facility for walk-in buyers, and an export operation serving customers in over 40 countries through on-premise rail and container loading. The customer base of 1,300+ spans woodworking and manufacturing businesses (primary) plus retail/individual woodworkers (secondary). Sales is conducted almost entirely through the company's direct sales team, which carries over 120 years of combined industry experience, supplemented by trade association memberships (NHLA, AHEC, IHLA, Hardwood Distributors Association, Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers, Kentucky Forest Industries Association, and Lake States Lumber Association).

Governance and ownership remain entirely within the Cole family: Tyler Smith serves as President, Tori Cole-Wagoner as CFO, Tyler Cole in Operations/Retail Sales, Keith Cole as Retail Store owner, and Sarah Cole in Sales. The company is reported as having no external investors, no patents or trademarks, no subsidiaries, no public revenue disclosure, and no digital product offerings, mobile applications, or AI/ML capabilities — making this a traditional, vertically integrated industrial commodity processor with globally distributed but relationship-driven sales.

Name

Cole Hardwood

Legal name

Cole Hardwood, Inc.

Website

https://colehardwood.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cole Hardwood is a privately-held, family-owned hardwood lumber processor and distributor based in Logansport, Indiana, supplying 12 North American hardwood species to 1,300+ B2B woodworking and manufacturing customers across 40+ countries via its 32-acre facility, kiln-dried inventory, and own truck fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hardwood Lumber Processing & Distribution

NAICS

Lumber, Plywood, Millwork, and Wood Panel Merchant Wholesalers (42331), Sawmills (321113), Sawmills and Wood Preservation (3211)

SIC

Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031), Sawmills & Planting Mills, General (2421), Lumber & Wood Products (No Furniture) (2400)

akta.pro primary industry

Hardwood Lumber Distribution & Trading (IMAMAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hardwood Lumber Sawmills (IMAMABAB), Sawmilling & Lumber Production (IMADADAA)

Keywords

• Hardwood lumber processing
• Kiln-dried hardwood lumber
• NHLA inspected lumber
• Lumber distribution services
• Hardwood lumber supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Logansport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Hardwood Lumber Sales: Sale of processed hardwood lumber products including various species (Ash, Beech, Cherry, Hickory, Maple, Oak, Poplar, Walnut, etc.) in multiple thickness cuts. Direct B2B and retail sales model with own truck delivery fleet.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Cole Hardwood processes and distributes North American hardwood lumber across 12 species (Ash, Basswood, Beech, Cherry, Hard Maple, Hickory, Poplar, Red Oak, Sassafras, Soft Maple, Walnut, White Oak), kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content and NHLA inspected. Operations span a 32-acre one-site facility in Logansport, Indiana with 1.3 million board feet of kiln capacity, S2S/SLR1E surfacing, on-premise rail spur and container loading, and delivery on a company-owned truck fleet within a 300-mile radius plus export to 40+ countries.

Product overview

Cole Hardwood is a single-product hardwood lumber distributor offering 12 species of North American hardwoods including Ash, Basswood, Beech, Cherry, Hard Maple, Hickory, Poplar, Red Oak, Sassafras, Soft Maple, Walnut, and White Oak. All lumber is kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, NHLA inspected, end-trimmed and coated, and available in thicknesses ranging from 4/4 through 16/4. The company operates a 32-acre facility with 1.3 million board feet of kiln capacity, S2S/S1R1E planing capabilities via a Newman 382 Planer, on-premise rail spur and container loading, two acres of dry indoor storage, and maintains its own truck fleet for deliveries within a 300-mile radius.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ash Lumber North American Ash hardwood lumber, kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, NHLA inspected, end-trimmed and coated. Available in 4/4 to 12/4 thicknesses in Select & Better, #1 Common, and #2 Common grades, for woodworking and manufacturing customers.
• Basswood Lumber Basswood hardwood lumber, kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, NHLA inspected, end-trimmed and coated. Available in 4/4 to 8/4 thicknesses in Select & Better, #1 Common, and #2 Common grades, for woodworking and manufacturing customers.
• Beech Lumber Beech hardwood lumber, kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, NHLA inspected, end-trimmed and coated. Available in 4/4 to 6/4 thicknesses in Select & Better, #1 Common, and #2 Common grades, for woodworking and manufacturing customers.
• Cherry Lumber Cherry hardwood lumber, kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, NHLA inspected, end-trimmed and coated. Available in 4/4 to 8/4 thicknesses in Select & Better, #1 Common, and #2 Common grades, for woodworking and manufacturing customers.
• Hard Maple Lumber Hard Maple hardwood lumber, color-sorted for White and Brown, kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, NHLA inspected, end-trimmed and coated. Available in 4/4 to 8/4 thicknesses in Select & Better, #1 Common, and #2 Common grades, for woodworking and manufacturing customers.
• Hickory Lumber Hickory hardwood lumber, kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, NHLA inspected, end-trimmed and coated. Available in 4/4 to 8/4 thicknesses in Select & Better, #1 Common, #2 Common, and Rustic Pecky grades, for woodworking and manufacturing customers.
• Poplar Lumber Poplar hardwood lumber, kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, NHLA inspected, end-trimmed and coated. Available in 4/4 to 16/4 thicknesses in Select & Better, #1 Common, and #2 Common grades, for woodworking and manufacturing customers.
• Red Oak Lumber Red Oak hardwood lumber, kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, NHLA inspected, end-trimmed and coated. Available in 4/4 to 8/4 thicknesses in Select & Better, #1 Common, and #2 Common grades, for woodworking and manufacturing customers.
• Sassafras Lumber Sassafras hardwood lumber, kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, NHLA inspected, end-trimmed and coated. Available in 4/4 to 5/4 thicknesses in Select & Better, #1 Common, and #2 Common grades, for woodworking and manufacturing customers.
• Soft Maple Lumber Soft Maple hardwood lumber, kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, NHLA inspected, end-trimmed and coated. Available in 4/4 to 12/4 thicknesses in Select & Better, #1 Common, and #2 Common grades, for woodworking and manufacturing customers.
• Walnut Lumber Walnut hardwood lumber, kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, NHLA inspected, end-trimmed and coated. Available in 4/4 to 8/4 thicknesses in Select & Better, #1 Common, and #2 Common grades, for woodworking and manufacturing customers.
• White Oak Lumber White Oak hardwood lumber, kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, NHLA inspected, end-trimmed and coated. Available in 4/4 to 8/4 thicknesses in Select & Better, #1 Common, and #2 Common grades, for woodworking and manufacturing customers.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Hardwood Lumbermen's Association (NHLA)coreOthersCole Hardwood is a member of the National Hardwood Lumbermen's Association, the premier hardwood industry trade organization. Their lumber is NHLA inspected.
• Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen's AssociationcoreOthersRegional trade association membership for Indiana-based hardwood industry professionals.
• Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturer's Inc.coreOthersTrade association membership representing Appalachian region hardwood manufacturers.
• Hardwood Distributor's AssociationcoreOthersAssociation membership supporting hardwood distribution industry standards and practices.
• Kentucky Forest Industries AssociationminorOthersRegional industry association membership supporting Kentucky forest products industry.
• Lake States Lumber AssociationminorOthersRegional trade association for lumber industry in the Lake States region.
• American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC)coreOthersMembership supports Cole Hardwood's export operations to over 40 countries by providing international market access and promotion of American hardwoods globally.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Baillie Lumber Co. One of the largest U.S. hardwood lumber manufacturers and distributors, offering NHLA-graded hardwoods across multiple species and thicknesses with significant export operations. Directly comparable to Cole Hardwood in product mix, NHLA grading standards, and export reach.
• Rex Lumber Company: Family-owned U.S. hardwood lumber distributor with NHLA-graded species, kiln operations, and export capabilities. Closely comparable to Cole Hardwood in product offering, ownership structure, and go-to-market approach.
• Allegheny Wood Products: U.S. hardwood lumber manufacturer with Appalachian sourcing, multiple sawmills, and kiln drying operations. Comparable to Cole in species mix and processed hardwood distribution, with broader manufacturing footprint.
• Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods: Hardwood lumber manufacturer and distributor operating in the Appalachian region with kiln drying, grading, and export services. Comparable in scale and product mix to Cole Hardwood.
• Matson Lumber Company: Family-owned Pennsylvania-based hardwood lumber distributor with kiln drying, NHLA grading, and export operations. Direct peer in scale, ownership profile, and customer mix.
• Kretz Lumber Company: Mid-sized U.S. hardwood lumber distributor offering kiln-dried NHLA-graded hardwoods with both domestic and export sales. Closely comparable to Cole in product breadth and customer base.
• American Lumber Company: Hardwood lumber distributor with NHLA grading, kiln operations, and export capabilities serving cabinet, furniture, and millwork manufacturers. Directly comparable product offering to Cole Hardwood.
• Hardwood Industries, Inc. Hardwood lumber manufacturer and distributor operating a kiln-dried NHLA-graded hardwood product line with domestic and export distribution. Direct peer in species mix, processing capabilities, and target customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Northwest Hardwoods: Large-scale hardwood lumber manufacturer and distributor with multiple facilities across the U.S. Overlaps with Cole on species breadth and B2B distribution, but with a much broader geographic footprint and higher production volumes.
• Anderson-Tully Company: Vertically integrated hardwood lumber producer with timberland ownership, sawmills, and kiln-dried hardwood distribution. Overlaps with Cole in kiln-dried hardwood distribution but extends further upstream into timberland management.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/colehardwood
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cole-hardwood-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cole Hardwood