Columbia River Log Scaling & Grading Bureau

What Columbia River Log Scaling & Grading Bureau does

Columbia River Log Scaling & Grading Bureau is a private, Oregon-registered nonprofit organization founded in 1910 and incorporated in 1919, headquartered in Eugene, Oregon. The Bureau provides independent third-party log scaling and grading services to the Pacific Northwest timber industry, primarily serving log buyers, log sellers, and government timber agencies in Oregon and Washington, with historical operations also conducted in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Texas. Its core value proposition is unbiased, uniform measurement compliant with standards set by the Northwest Log Scale Advisory Group (NWLRAG), using multiple scaling rules including Eastside/Westside Scribner, Northwest Rules Cubic, U.S.F.S. Cubic, Alberta Metric, and JAS Metric.

The Bureau's service offering is organized into five integrated modules: Log Scaling (core field measurement and grading), Check Scaling (quarterly quality-assurance reviews by Field Supervisors), Data Recorder Services (field data capture on Juniper Allegro2 handhelds that transmit several times daily to the Eugene office), Data Processing Support (validation, 3-year scale-data storage, and multi-format reporting on an IBM AS/400 Model 8231 (E10) central server with Adobe Acrobat PDF support), and Remote Access (online portal for subscribers to view scale data throughout the day). Governance is provided by an 18-member unpaid Board of Directors — 13 industry-elected members representing log buyers and sellers plus 5 non-voting appointees from government agencies managing Pacific Northwest timber.

The Bureau's revenue model is professional-services based, charging subscribers service fees for scaling operations, data processing, and data distribution under contractual arrangements typical of third-party scaling bureaus; specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. Customer acquisition occurs through industry reputation and word-of-mouth within the timber sector rather than active marketing, and the organization is an active member of the Northwest Log Scale Advisory Group, which reinforces its credibility within the Pacific Northwest timber ecosystem.

Name

Columbia River Log Scaling & Grading Bureau

Legal name

Columbia River Log Scaling & Grading Bureau

Website

https://crls.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Columbia River Log Scaling & Grading Bureau is an Oregon nonprofit, founded in 1910, that provides independent third-party log scaling, grading, and data reporting services to log buyers, log sellers, and government timber agencies across the Pacific Northwest, primarily in Oregon and Washington.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Log Scaling and Grading Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Log Scaling Services (AFAMAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Third-Party Audit & Verification for Log Measurement (AFAMAIAJ), Log Sorting, Grading & Merchandising Services (AFAMAIAC)

Keywords

• Log scaling services
• Timber grading services
• Third party scaling
• Log measurement
• Check scaling

Headquarters

HQ city

Salem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Log Scaling and Grading Services: The Bureau operates as an Oregon Not for Gain or Profit company (incorporated 1919) providing log scaling and grading services to subscribers in the Pacific Northwest timber industry. Revenue is generated through service fees for scaling operations, data processing, and distribution to subscribers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Columbia River Log Scaling & Grading Bureau provides accurate, unbiased, uniform log scaling and grading services to the Pacific Northwest timber industry using multiple industry-standard log scale rules (Scribner, Cubic, Metric). Services are delivered by trained field scalers using Juniper Allegro2 handheld data collectors, with data transmitted to a central IBM AS/400 server for validation, storage, reporting, and remote access by subscribers.

Product overview

Columbia River Log Scaling & Grading Bureau provides a unified log scaling and grading service to the Pacific Northwest timber industry, offering five integrated service modules: Log Scaling Services (core measurement and grading using Scribner, Cubic, and Metric rules), Check Scaling (quarterly quality assurance), Data Recorder Services (field collection using Juniper Allegro2 handhelds), Data Processing Support (IBM AS/400-based validation, storage, and reporting), and Remote Access (online data viewing and system access). The company was founded in 1910 and operates in Oregon, Washington, and has scaled in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Texas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Log Scaling Services

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Northwest Log Scale Advisory GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bureau is an active member of the Northwest Log Scale Advisory Group, an industry body that establishes log scaling standards and tolerances for the Pacific Northwest timber industry.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Regional players

• Northwest Management Inc. Northwest Management Inc. is an Idaho-based forestry and natural resource consulting firm. Comparable to Columbia River because it provides independent forestry support services (inventory, assessment, management) to similar Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies timber customers and government agencies.

Broad incumbents

• Resource Management Service: Resource Management Service is a global timberland investment management and forestry services firm. Comparable in delivering independent forestry measurement, inventory, and asset management to institutional timberland clients and government agencies, much as Columbia River serves as an independent third-party in Pacific Northwest timber transactions.
• Mason, Bruce & Girard: Mason, Bruce & Girard is a Pacific Northwest-based forestry consulting firm offering timber inventory, appraisal, and resource management services. Comparable to Columbia River because both operate in the Pacific Northwest forestry services space, providing independent measurement, inventory, and management support to timberland owners, government agencies, and mills.
• SGS Timber Services: SGS is a global testing, inspection, and certification company that provides independent inspection and verification across commodity and natural resource supply chains. Comparable to Columbia River at the concept level as an independent third-party measurement/verification provider serving commodity transactions, though at vastly different scale and geography.
• Steigerwaldt Land Services: Steigerwaldt Land Services is a forestry and resource consulting firm providing timber cruising, appraisal, and forest management services across the U.S. Comparable because it offers third-party measurement and forestry support services similar in customer profile (timberland owners, government agencies, mills) to Columbia River's scaling services.
• Westervelt Company: Westervelt Company manages timberlands and provides forestry services in the Pacific Northwest and U.S. South. Overlaps with Columbia River because both serve the Pacific Northwest timber value chain with measurement and forest resource services for mills, landowners, and government timber programs.

Emerging players

• Forest Resource Associates: Forest Resource Associates provides timber inventory, cruising, and forestry consulting services across the western U.S. Comparable to Columbia River as a regional forestry services firm serving similar Pacific Northwest and Western timberland customers with measurement and appraisal services that complement scaling bureaus.

Direct peers

• Timberland Resource Consultants (TRC): Timberland Resource Consultants is a West Coast-based forestry consulting firm providing timber inventory, appraisal, and land management. Comparable to Columbia River as a third-party measurement and forestry support services provider serving Pacific Northwest mills, landowners, and government agencies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/columbia-river-log-scaling-bur

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Columbia River Log Scaling & Grading Bureau