Ironton, Ohio: December 4, 2019 –– GTL Lumber Inc., a venture between Graf & Thomas Lumber and Greg Lute Trucking, led by an experienced ownership team with nearly one hundred years in the forest product industry, recently expanded in Ironton, Ohio, and they are excited about the future of the facility.
GTL purchased the drained Muth Lumber facility and was able to keep significant kiln capacity locally, a vital endeavor to maintaining finished product opportunities in southern Ohio, now and in the future. From zero inventory to well over $1M total inventories, the company is proud of how much they’ve grown in under a year’s time, and they are committed to continuous improvements and additions to their 13-acre site.
GTL took on a facility headed on the pathway to be shuttered and saved the jobs for Ironton, while also adding 19 new jobs to their facility.
Within 10 months of operations, GTL has seen new business emerging and a positive outpouring in the community. “The progress we have made is tremendous, not only because we began this journey at a downturn in the industry, but because we have the knowledge, drive and work ethic to prove our leadership in the hardwood lumber industry,” said Erin Cox, Director of Sales.
Because the only industrial road to the facility was failing, the City of Ironton financially assisted the company by accessing a Roadwork Development (629) Grant of $293,145 to maintain 3rd Street. Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth (APEG), regional JobsOhio network partner in southern and eastern Ohio, worked with JobsOhio and the company, to access a $300,000 JobsOhio Revitalization Grant to renovate the facility.
“This project is a big win for Ironton and southern Ohio,” said APEG Project Manager Taylor Stepp. “GTL saved this facility and has kept kiln capacity operational in the region. Kilns are vital to pieces in the supply chain to grow our area’s wood products industry.”
APEG was engaged through partnership with Lawrence Economic Development Corporation, Executive Director, Dr. Bill Dingus. Dr. Dingus added, “We are so very pleased that APEG, JobsOhio and LEDC could partner to retain jobs in Ironton and help GTL move into a new facility.”
GTL’s products are harvested in the heart of Appalachian Ohio, allowing for great varieties of high-quality hardwoods and the ability to produce the finest hardwood lumber in the world. The facility has a log yard, 16 dry kilns with 830,000 bf dry kiln capacity and 2M bf air-dry capacity, along with a fleet of trucks, flatbeds, open tops and log trailers.
