Durgin and Crowell Lumber Company, Inc. really knows their Eastern White Pine. The sawmill has been in business in Springfield, New Hampshire since 1976, and the two brothers who grew up watching their father oversee the business with passion and precision now run the mill themselves, helping to grow it into one of New England’s largest manufacturers of kiln-dried Eastern White Pine lumber. While many other mills have come and gone in that time, Durgin and Crowell credits its success to “the combination of old-fashioned hard work and an awareness of the future.”
Peter O. Crowell and Arthur Durgin founded the company with just six employees, designing it for maximum efficiency to produce the greatest amount of lumber with a small crew. They got their company off the ground in just a few short months, overcoming numerous challenges and continuously growing their output. Over the years, the company modernized its equipment and methods, staying on top of trends and technological advancements.
With the passing of their father in 2009, brothers Ben and Peter Crowell continued the company’s legacy, and a few of Durgin and Crowell’s very first employees are still on their crew today. The mil produces up to 30 million board feet of Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)-certified Eastern White Pine lumber each year.
“Our pine comes from local sources here in New England, mostly from private landowners who own relatively small woodlots,” they explain. “The fiber isn’t shipped here from overseas, and the loggers who bring us our wood are required to comply with state and federal environmental and employment laws. From the mill to the logger to the landowner, it’s in everyone’s interest to ensure our region has a sustainable and renewable fiber supply. The SFI sourcing program gives us a platform and a vehicle to promote sustainable forestry while realizing a market benefit. That market benefit should help us remain in business for years to come.”
“We pride ourselves not only on the quality of our products, but also the quality of our people; from log purchasing, to manufacturing, to sales. Hard work and attention to detail help deliver products and service that keep customers and end-users coming back.”
