Glacial Species & Grades

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Glacial Species & Grades

NWH plays a significant role in the Glacial growing region (also known as the Northern growing region) with facilities in Michigan and Wisconsin. We have 4 facilities located throughout Michigan and Wisconsin to take full advantage of the beautiful product that is produced in the region. The regionā€™s frigid winter climate produces hardwoods with very tight growth rings, creating lumber with outstanding color and fine texture. NWH takes these exceptional qualities to an even higher level by offering special color sorts in several species.

Ash

With an open grain and a coarse texture, Northern Ash is quite workable and has good finishing properties. Ash is a favorite with furniture and architectural millwork manufacturers.

Basswood

A premier carving and turning hardwood, our Basswood is a preferred species among high-end shutter manufacturers. It is also perfect for instruments, specialty products and millwork.

Cherry

Cherry is valued for its rich, deep reddish brown color and exceptional character and extraordinary finishing qualities.

Hard Maple

Hard Maple is admired for its bright white color and fine grain. Its beauty and strength makes it a favorite for furniture, flooring and cabinetry.

Hickory

The densest of eastern hardwoods, Hickory is used for applications that require high shock resistance and is a top choice for cabinetry and furniture.

Red Oak

Red Oak is a timeless choice widely used in furniture, flooring, cabinetry, joinery and architectural millwork. We sort by color to help reduce waste and improve yield.

Soft Maple

Soft Maple is less dense than Hard Maple, lower priced and is used as a substitute. It has similar grain and figure with good machining properties and outstanding color and fine texture.

Walnut

A traditional American hardwood, Walnut is steamed to enhance the chocolate brown heartwood and darken the sapwood. Walnut is prized for high-end furniture, architectural interiors, cabinetry, doors, flooring and paneling.

White Oak

A hard, versatile lumber, White Oak is a favorite in furniture, flooring, doors, cabinetry and millwork. White Oak has more figure than Red Oak, with a distinctive open grain and coarse texture.

Glacial Growing Region

The Glacial region of the United States consists of states from Wisconsin up north to Maine. These states generally experience long winter seasons and short summers. The Glacial region is known for species with shade tolerance, the capacity of a tree species to survive in light of low intensity, or the relative capacity of a species to grow under low light conditions. The Glacial region is well suited to slow grown, tight grained species.

Glacial
Growing Region

PROTECTING A RENEWABLE RESOURCE WORLDWIDE

Hardwoods are more than just beautiful and resilientā€”they are vital to carbon storage and the health of forest ecosystems. Through sustainable forestry practices like selective harvesting, natural regeneration, and replanting, we ensure the long-term vitality of our forests. Our commitment to responsible forest management is reinforced by adherence to the Lacey Act and internationally recognized certifications, including PEFC and FSC, which uphold the highest environmental and ethical standards.

We apply these same principles to our imported hardwoods, utilizing a rigorous procedure for purchasing imported lumber to ensure they are responsibly sourced from forests managed with care and transparency. By adhering to internationally recognized certifications, we protect biodiversity, ensure traceability, and promote sustainable forestry practices globally.

Our commitment goes beyond compliance; we conduct on-site audits overseas, reinforcing our dedication to ethical sourcing and conservation through direct, in-depth evaluations. We donā€™t just state our valuesā€”we take action to ensure they are upheld.

FSCĀ® Chain of Custody

FSC is an international nongovernmental organization that promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the worldā€™s forests. To learn more, visit www.fsc.org.

NWH can offer FSC certified products from a variety of domestic and international locations. Also, FSC controlled wood mitigates the risk of forest products originating from unacceptable sources (fsc.org/en/cw). Ask us today about availability.

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FSC Logo
PEFC Chain of Custody

PEFC is the worldā€™s largest forest certification standard promoting sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification. PEFC works throughout the entire forest supply chain to ensure good forest practices and wood sourcing. To learn more, visit www.pefc.org.

NWH can offer PEFC certified and PEFC Controlled Sources material originating from forests certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), American Tree Farm System (ATFS) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Z809). We can offer a variety of products and species with PEFC claims. Ask us today about availability.

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PEFC Label
IWPA Supporting Member

The IWPA and NWH are committed to supporting the legal and sustainable harvesting of wood products from around the world. The IWPA supports the sustainable management of global forests for both current and future generations and the benefits to local communities that depend on the forest resource while generating economic growth and quality jobs for those who manufacture, sell, and use these remarkable products.

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