Wolverine Hardwoods of Allegan, Michigan, a family-owned and operated company, provides high-quality, kiln-dried hardwood lumber that is highly regarded by manufacturers and end-users alike. The company prides itself on meeting every customer’s needs with precision and care.
In addition to shipping lumber to customers across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and China, Wolverine operates a retail store dedicated to fulfilling unique requirements. It has emerged as a preferred choice for contractors, craftsmen, and homeowners.
Famed forests
Located in southern Michigan, 40 miles southwest of Grand Rapids and 30 miles northwest of Kalamazoo, Wolverine is ideally positioned in the heart of one of the nation’s most productive hardwood regions. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reports that the state’s forest products industry contributed $26.5 billion to the economy in 2022, an increase of $4 billion since 2019.
According to a report by Michigan State University, the area’s fertile soils support high-quality hardwood forests, benefiting from a warmer, moister climate and a longer growing season that allows for quicker recovery. This strategic location, along with Wolverine’s commitment to craftsmanship and customer care, has helped the company build a stellar international reputation.
To learn more about Wolverine Hardwoods, we spoke with Tina Mallery, Office Manager, who oversees human resources and logistics, and Paul Mallery, Sales Manager, on behalf of company founder and President Javan Mallery, who is meeting customers on the West Coast.
The Mallery family has deep roots in Michigan’s lumber industry, with Javan’s father and grandfather owning lumber companies. “It was always in Javan’s blood,” Tina says.
After earning a business administration degree, Javan attended the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) school in Memphis, Tennessee, where his grandfather had been part of the seventh class, and his father and uncles also trained.
As Paul explains, the NHLA, founded in Chicago in 1898, established a standardized set of rules for grading lumber and assigning value. The association offers training and networking opportunities, helping members build valuable international contacts. One of Wolverine’s Canadian customers was even a classmate of Javan’s.
After completing his training, Javan began brokering lumber from his home in 1996, continuing until 2002, when he acquired a facility to offer a broader range of services. During those years, he built a strong reputation, says Paul, “so we’re still selling to the customers he worked with back then.”
Prized around the world
Wolverine’s hardwood lumber—including hard maple, soft maple, red oak, white oak, and walnut—is sourced from forests within a 300-mile radius of Allegan and kiln-dried to ensure it’s ready for use.
When freshly cut lumber arrives from local sawmills, it is end-trimmed, air-dried, and placed in the kiln to reach a moisture content of six percent. This ensures the product will not warp. Next, it is planed, surfaced, and graded by color and quality before being stored in a climate-controlled warehouse, awaiting shipment.
Michigan’s prized maple, both soft and hard varieties, is known for its bright white color—brighter than maples from other regions, except for those grown in northern Wisconsin and parts of Ontario and Quebec. “If we’re Grade 1A, they’re Grade 1B,” Paul explains.
Michigan’s red oak is also highly valued for its consistent red color, unlike the pinkish shades found in southern U.S. oak. “This is due to the soil composition and the water in the ground,” Paul explains. “Our species are a superior product because they come from Michigan, and we have customers in Texas, on the West Coast, and in China who insist on that nice red color.”
To become a true “one-stop” shop, Wolverine also sells plywood, which is either manufactured in Michigan or imported from Indonesia.
To better serve customer needs, Wolverine has made several key investments. The addition of two more kilns has doubled its drying capacity to 400,000 board feet, enabling the company to fulfill large orders faster.
Additionally, Wolverine acquired a gang rip saw, which allows it to take random-width lumber and rip it to sizes that customers can immediately use, saving them both time and labor costs. “It increases yield because the customer knows exactly how much usable lumber they’ll get from each board,” Paul says.
The company’s most recent upgrade was doubling the size of its retail store, allowing it to better serve local woodworkers from Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo who need specific lumber types and quantities.
Care for the customer
Wolverine’s customers primarily consist of wood product manufacturers—makers of cabinets, flooring, doors, trim, crown molding, furniture, guitars, and drumsticks—as well as distributors, other lumber companies, and RV manufacturers. Locally, through its retail store, Wolverine serves homeowners and contractors, from those remodeling kitchens to artisanal woodworkers crafting items like cutting boards.
“As a sales staff, we try to speak weekly with every regular customer so we know both their immediate and upcoming needs,” Paul says. “That way, we know how we can best help them.”
Tina adds, “We try to get to know each customer’s business so we understand what they make and what kind of lumber they need. We’re very involved in their business so we can help them stay productive.”
Tina also ensures that Wolverine’s shipping process is as efficient as possible. Thanks to the company’s strong relationships with local transport operators, she can offer quick turnaround times. “I try very hard to get it out quickly. We have several customers who ask, ‘Can you get it there the next day?’ and I will make it happen.”
Family and friends
Tina, Javan’s sister-in-law, and Paul, his nephew, agree that the family atmosphere extends to all 37 of Wolverine’s employees, which includes multiple families, such as one with three brothers and another with two brothers-in-law. Several employees have been with the company since 2002, and many others have worked there for more than 10 years.
“We care about all our employees, and we show it,” Tina says. “We value their work. It’s because of them that we can do what we do, and we accomplish a lot with a small staff.”
Employees earn competitive wages and are offered health, dental, and life insurance, as well as paid sick days.
Paul adds, “We make sure each team member hears from us regularly. We remind them that no role is less important than another, and that gives everyone a sense of purpose. It’s a team approach.”
Though business has slowed due to the economy and rising interest rates, Paul remains confident. “Our focus on customer service and our dedicated team of employees gives us a leg-up, even when the economy is tough.”
