Lumbra Hardwoods named Maine’s 2015 ‘Outstanding Manufacturer’

MILO — The Maine Forest Products Council has named Lumbra Hardwoods Inc. as this year’s recipient of the organization’s Outstanding Manufacturer honor, in recognition of the business’ perseverance, ingenuity and excellence in the sawmill business, and support of the Milo community and the forest products industry since 1952.

Lumbra Hardwoods was established by Oscar and Reuben W. Lumbra, a father and son team that operated a mill in Vermont before moving to Milo in 1960. Now Reuben’s sons, Reuben T. (Benny) Lumbra, president, and Stephen Lumbra, vice president, run the mill, which employs 36.

“This is a great family-owned business,” said Peter Triandafillou of Huber Resources. “It’s a pleasure to do business with them. They’re great corporate citizens of the community where they work.”

About seven million feet of hardwood logs per year go through the mill, Benny Lumbra said, with about 55 percent hard maple and the remainder yellow birch, soft maple, some white ash and some “odds and ends.”

Lumbra said he was honored to accept the award on behalf of his family and employees. “Maine’s forest industry has been very good to the Lumbra family,” he said. “It’s sustained the family business in Maine for 55 years. I’ve seen land ownerships come and go and the forest keeps growing.”