Sue Fiske, at the Warehouse
Forest Products Associates has been providing sustainably-harvested, high-quality lumber since our founding over 65 years ago. It is our mission to provide our customers with the best lumber purchasing experience possible and the largest selection of both soft and hardwood lumber.
Our company was founded by wood technologist Lee Fiske in 1946. Lee had an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and a Masters in Forestry from Yale University, and an abiding love for the many worldly varieties of wood. Flash forward to today and the business is run by Susan Fiske (UMass 1990, BBA), preserving the spirit of Lee’s initial vision for a lumber haven.
“We try to make this as pleasant and efficient an experience as we can,” says Ms. Fiske. “It should be as easy as going to the grocery store and as much fun as the candy store!”
Forest Products Associates goes beyond the offerings of a general wood store. The company offers a vast array of wood species, including exotics from all over the world. Most of the material is offered in the rough, at full dimension thickness’ of 4/4 through 16/4. Shoppers will also find some planed stock as well, such as Ipe decking. Both live-edge slabs and hardwood planks for bar-tops, benches and tabletops are also available.
One of the things that sets Forest Products Associates apart is our focus on quality. The standard NHLA grading system is only a starting point for us—we go above and beyond to bring our customers specimens that reach the highest tiers of excellence.
Material is sorted into Quality Special (QS), Quality 1 (Q1), Quality 2 (Q2), and Quality Z (QZ). 8” and wider is coded with a “W”(wide). 13” and wider is coded “WW” (wicked wide). Each piece is graded, measured and marked with board feet, quality code, species, and length. An extensive racking system allows for maximum accessibility. For the discriminating woodworker who must see each piece, this is an ideal setup. For the wholesale buyer, we offer standard NHLA graded units in bulk.
All of the lumber at Forest Products Associates is sourced from environmentally responsible suppliers, with a focus on sustainability. We know that beautiful wood is a finite commodity, which is why we work to be responsible in the purchase and sale of all varieties.
