| Lessons Learned at the Dinner Table
Trust. Care. Service. These are the words that Freddie Siewers III uses to describe the values of the family business—for both customers and employ-ees.“Extraordinarily low turnover among our employees allows us to offer continuous service to our customers,” Freddie stated. “We treat people well, and that attitude rubs off.” Currently the Operations Manager of the company his grandfather started in1884, Freddie understands the impor-tance of hiring good people. “I want every person we hire to be here for many years, so we take our time interviewing candidates. We look hard for the right attitude…it’s just a bonus if a person has some background in the lumber business.” Since earning his business degree from Virginia Tech in 1979, Freddie has rotated through many positions within Siewers Lumber—from helping out the delivery men to working sales at the counter. Although he remembers accompanying his grandfather on visits to the mill and the yards, Freddie said his father didn’t really talk about business at home. “He was more focused on us doing our homework and getting us to our sporting events,” Freddie recalled. His younger brother, Richie, agreed. “We Dad got home.” However, Freddie, Jr., who is still active in the business, has taught his children by example to incorporate the basic values of life—such as honesty, trustworthi-ness, and perseverance—while managing a growing business. “We’re fortunate because we really have a harmoni-ous atmosphere,” said Richie, who is the Sales Man-ager for the firm. “Some-times, we have differences of opinion, but we have open communi-cation and discussions. Although there are six family members who work here, we generally all get along with each other.” As the fourth generation, both Richie and Freddie have watched the business change a great deal. “The economy was good in 1979 but during the recessions of ‘81-‘82 and ‘72-‘73, we’ve taken some hits. As family mem-bers, we have actually had checks issued for one cent so that our employees would receive their normal pay and benefits during tough times,” commented Freddie. The firm still pays the full cost for medical insurance for its employees and their families—a rare benefit in today’s tight labor market. However, Siewers is ready to go forward. “Our long-range plans and goals are in writing so that we have more formal communication for the family and the employees,” said Freddie. Although the building industry is subject to many swings, Siewers plans to build on its reputation for superior service, which has been evolving for more than a hun-dred years.
Cleaning is not a fun job, but at Siewers, it’s part of the daily routine. Sometimes, it has to be done several times a day! Just ask anyone who works behind Door #4, the area where customers go to have merchandise loaded into their vehicles. Not only are the guys pulling lumber, but when they are not helping customers, they have to sort, straighten, sweep, and keep the warehouse orderly. “It’s important for us to provide a good impression for the customer,” says Billy Harris, who celebrates thirty years of service with Siewers this year. According to Melvin Ross, just learning where everything goes can take a new employee six weeks or more. The sweeping alone often takes a half hour, although the length of the process depends on the volume of merchandise and number of Using chalk to color-code stock ends by length, the customer service team can rapidly locate anything from a window sill to an 18' piece of mould-ing for a customer to inspect. Al-though sometimes the pace is hectic, this group is always organized, be-cause they simply couldn't get the job done without the discipline to main-tain the stock in a pristine condition. “It’s also a quality issue,” added Richie Siewers, who notes that “keep-ing the wood stacked neatly leads to even pressure along the boards, and that helps prevent warping. We only sell the best quality lumber available, and our employees take great pride in keeping the inventory clean and organized for our customers.”
Different and Unusual Finger-jointed mouldings are nothing new, but having them already primed is a real time-saver for many builders. Chair rail, colonial casings, crown moulding, and beaded bases are available (in stock) with a primer coat already applied, which also helps keep the joints from opening up (a definite issue considering Richmond’s humid summers). The market is growing for PVC goods, and Siewers is now carrying many dimensional products made of recycled materials. Check for 1 x 4, 1 x 6, 1 x 8, 1 x 10, 5/4 x 4, and 5/4 x 6 sizes of decking and trims, such as brick moulding and drip cap. Originally, these items were used in balustrades but have expanded into handrails, door frames, lamp posts, and even complete windows. As for unusual, Siewers is known for having a mill than can reproduce just about anything. Whether matching a newel post or planing cherry wood for a desk, people who are looking for excellence in wood working come to Siewers. Among the favorites in the “unique” and “different” category include the blades and shaft for a windmill, tongue and groove flooring made of bloodwood, presentation gavels for the General Assembly, and more than 90 display cases for tobacco products, which were shipped all over the country.
Marvin Day Educates and Integrates Window Users On a fine day in May, more than a hundred architects,builders, homeowners, and installers participated in the first ever “Marvin Day” held at Siewers Lumber and Millwork. According to Dan Kelley of Architectural Windows of Virginia, “it was excellent—it’s rare to have the entire spectrum of users represented in one place.” From earning AIA credits to answering questions for contractors, Siewers was the place to be! We'll be glad to pull specified lengths of materials for a project or trim your choices as needed. That‘s the difference at Siewers—old-fashioned service. Forget a red flag? No problem—the staff at Door # 4 can supply you with one for your load! Delivery within 24 hours is typical at Siewers. Our drivers cover your materials at the job site to protect them from the weather.
Decade of Service Employee anniversaries this quarter (10 or more years at Siewers):
Thank you for your hard work! |
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