Maple Rapids Lumber Mill, Inc.

Maple Rapids Lumber Mill, Inc. is a family-owned and operated business with a reputation for providing high-quality lumber products and services for nearly 50 years. After working in the industry for nearly a decade, president Richard Grubaugh, along with his brother, Ken, started the company in 1973.

“We borrowed a portable sawmill to get started and just kept sawing,” said Richard. “Since then, we haven’t quit sawing, and we’ve never run out of logs.”

Today, two generations of the Grubaugh family now work at the mill—Ken as vice president, Ken and Richard’s sister, Catherine Childers (office manager), nephew, Ryan (mill operations and sales), nephew, Greg Armbrustmacher (finance management), and several other nieces and nephews.

A member of the National Hardwood Lumber Association, Lake States Lumber Association, Indiana Hardwood Association, and the Michigan Association of Timbermen, Maple Rapids Lumber Mill also owns a drying facility in Coleman, Michigan, producing kiln-dried lumber and flooring which ships to customers as far away as China.

Maple Rapids Lumber Mill, Inc. employs more than 40 employees at their two locations, processing more than eight million feet of lumber, and drying 1.5 million feet of lumber per year. Among their workforce are sawyers who utilize computers to get the most out of every log, National Hardwood Lumber Association-certified graders, and experts that maintain all of the mill’s machinery and saw blades in-house—saw blades that can last for years and are changed twice per day. The mill receives an average of four truckloads—or 400 logs—every day. 

“We source most of our logs from within 60 miles but have purchased timber from as far away as the Mackinac Bridge to get the best grade,” said Ken Grubaugh. “We’re always glad to come out and give a price on timber for no charge, and we’re proud that many of our timber growers supply exclusively to us.”

“When woodlots are properly managed, they’ll produce forever,” Richard added. “We’ve revisited many of these woodlots six or seven times over the past 48 years. In fact, there are more logs today than when we first started.”

We pride ourselves in our humble beginnings and look forward to the future