It’s no secret that logging crews are aging, and that experienced loggers are struggling to attract young people to the profession. Even NPR has picked up the story, reporting on June 16th about the looming shortage of loggers in the American workforce.
But not all the news is bad. Enter Will (26) and Wesley (24) Coleman of Richburg, SC. This entrepreneurial duo are not only logging, but are growing their own new business. They formed Coleman Brothers Logging, LLC in December 2012 along with a thrid owner, Katherine Suaso. Together, they have been steadily increasing their pulpwood and saw timber harvesting in and around Chester County.
The company has had lots of help from Ideal Logging, Inc., which provides Coleman Brothers with a steady supply of tracts requiring first thinings or final harvesting. Ideal’s Tommy Barnes, a board member of the SC Timber Producers Association, has been a mentor and a source of encouragement to Will and Wesley, who got their start working for Tommy and his business partner, David Cox, at Ideal. “They’re hard-working guys,” says Tommy Barnes, who himself started his business in his late 20s. “I’ve known them all their lives, and you don’t find many young people who are dedicated to logging. They deserve a chance.”
In June, Coleman Brothers Logging was able to purchase a used TigerCat skidder and feller/buncher with a loan from Natural Capital Investment Fund’s (NCIF) Logging Initiative. “Runnning the equipment we purchased with the NCIF loan, we doubled our loads in the first week,” says Will Coleman. “We really appreciate the chance to show we can make it on our own.”
Rick Larson, Senior Vice President for NCIF, is also pleased that the financing provided will help the company move to the next level. “They did well in their first year of operations, despite working with slow, unreliable equipment that needed expensive repairs,” says Larson. “They convinced us this new equipment will help them work more profitable. And, the fact that Ideal stands behind them is extremely important.”
From Forest Business Network: https://www.forestbusinessnetwork.com/39231/young-loggers-buck-the-trend-and-grow-new-business/