In 1973, Larry Lancaster worked at a finish door manufacturing plant, purchasing high-quality wood core from Western Core Company, a reputable stave core supplier in Arcada, California.
Larry took a leap of faith when Western Core went up for sale. He sold his house and used that equity to purchase the stave core plant.
In the 1970s, stave core was the must-have product — this was before laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and particle board were around.
Larry ran the business in Arcada for three years, making stave core from redwood trees. When his son, Rick, was 10 years old, Larry relocated his family and his business to Susanville, CA. Susanville provided a better location for his family, a better selection of lumber, and three sawmills at the time.
For the next 19 years, Larry ran a successful business and turned Western Core into a top stave core supplier. In 1995, Rick joined the team. Rick, his father, and his brother moved Western Core Company to Payette, Idaho.
In January 1997, Rick officially took over the company. On his first day as owner, Rick walked into three feet of water throughout his plant from a local flood. Not one to back down from a challenge, Rick turned things around, formed some integral partnerships, and went from a disastrous start to the year to an incredibly profitable one.
This success continued, and Western Core Company is still a thriving, growing business manufacturing the best stave core available.
In January 2022, Rick sold the company to Anthony Bushong, who is leading Western Core into the future.
The Western Core team continues to innovate and remains a leading stave core supplier in the United States.
Western Core has a top-notch stave core drying process to get the core to an optimal moisture content that exceeds industry and building standards.
We kiln dry the core after gluing to a 6% to 10% moisture content. This eliminates warping, telegraphing, and other issues that were common before this process in the '90s and early 2000s.
We also recently added laminated veneer lumber (LVL) to our offerings, allowing us to serve even more customers and provide the right core for various applications.
Previously manufacturing three truck loads of stave core per month, Western Core can now regularly ship 8+ truck loads of stave core per month!
In the late ’90s, Western Core Company was operating a double shift with 24 employees. So many people told us it couldn't be done, but fast turnaround times that keep our customers happy have always been our driving force.
Investing in their employees has always been important. Brent Templeton, our Manager and Operator, has been with the company for more than 20 years and is critical to our ongoing success.
He’s received other job offers through the years, but has stayed loyal to Western Core because he has the freedom to excel and innovate here.
Western Core isn’t always the cheapest guy on the block, and we don’t try to be. We’re here to provide the best stave lumber core with the best service. We don't get customer complaints, and we have long-term customers — some dating back more than 40 years.
Looking for a reputable stave core supplier? To show you just how great our product is, we’ll send you a free stave core sample to see for yourself. If you have any questions, please contact our experienced team. We’re ready to help you source the right products for your application.
Our samples are a great way to see our core in person, so you can make sure it meets the strict requirements for your products and customers.
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