Made in the Valley: Crossroads Recycled Lumber
NORTH FORK, California -- President Marc Mandel started the reclaimed wood company in 1981. His original clientele was farmers and ranchers in search of extra lumber. But over the last few decades the company has blossomed a wide range of customers all over the country.
Mandel primarily processes reclaimed lumber from large demolition projects and either resells or re-mills. He's turned dead pine trees into anything from flooring and panneling to cabinet materials and countertops. >
"I love taking an old beat up ugly beam and putting it on one of these machines and turning it into a beautiful piece of wood," said Marc Mandel, Crossroads Recycled Lumber president.
Crossroads handles more than 400 thousand board feet of lumber per year. As for the finished product, you can find that in buildings across the nation.
"We've done probably 50 Whole Foods stores across the country, Westwood BBQ, Pismos, Yosemite Ranch," said Mandel.
Between climate change and the bark beetle epidemic, Mandel says the company feels repurposing the dying trees is the most environmentally appropriate action.
"Because of the five year drought. the bugs come in and for some reason they love the trees that are stressing," said Mandel.
Crossroads Recycled Lumber is located in Northfork where American Forest Products and Sequioa Forrest Industries used to mill. The company has grown to 10 employees.
After acquiring and sorting the wood, metal detectors are used to get any iron that may be left. Then its onto the saw. The boards go to either, the plainer to make a table or slab, or the molder to add markings. >
"Every day is a treasure hunt. You cut into a beam and you see a pattern of life in a tree," said Mandel.
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