July 2, 2005
Wood products companies rank high in Private 150
By GREG STILES
Mail Tribune
The rebounding wood products industry was a dominant player in the Oregon Business Private 150 released this week by the
monthly magazine.
Five of the top six privately held firms were wood products companies, including No. 1 Jeld-Wen of Klamath Falls and No.
4 Roseburg Forest Products.
The top five companies all had revenues greater than $1 billion, the magazine said. Overall, the Private 150 produced
$33.7 billion in revenue in the past year, a 15 percent gain over 2004. The building boom and stronger general
economy were chief contributors to healthy earnings.
The revenue figures used for the rankings by the magazine are for the most recent fiscal year.
No. 22 C&K Market of Brookings, the parent company of Rays Food Place stores, and No. 29 Swanson Group of Glendale,
another wood products firm, were in the $250 million-plus category.
No. 55 Sherms Thunderbird Market of Medford and No. 56 Cascade Wood Products of White City were in the $150
million to $250 million range.
Sherms passed a milestone in the past year, eclipsing the $150 million revenue market, after being in the
$140 million range last year.
Nonetheless, it slipped two spots in the rankings.
"I think were beating inflation at least in our industry," said President Steve Ulsrud. "But I
couldnt guarantee that without taking a closer look at the numbers."
Sherms has stores in Medford, Roseburg and Klamath Falls, where a new Wal-Mart Supercenter opened recently.
"Thats going to put a dent in the whole town," Ulsrud said.
He said Sherms wont counter with a bigger Food 4 Less big box, such as the one it operates in Medford.
"I think we will stick with the smaller store in Klamath," he said.
No. 62 South Coast Lumber Co. of Brookings had revenues of between $100 million and $150 million. No. 104 Butler
Automotive Group came in just over $75 million, while No. 109 Combined Transport was in the $50 million to
$75 million category as was Crater Lake Motors, which shared the No. 120 ranking with Smith Frozen Foods of Weston
owned by Sen. Gordon Smith.
Cascade Wood Products and South Coast Lumber Products were the top climbers among Southern Oregon concerns, rising by
seven and 10 spots respectively.
Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4463 or e-mail
business@mailtribune.com.