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Our HistoryThe man who continues to be the owner and CEO of the organization, George Terbovich, founded Horizon in 1975 after completing his BS in environmental resources at Penn State University. With his interest in the environment, great appreciation for wood and it’s complexities, and life long residency in northwestern Pennsylvania where the stands of hardwoods are world renowned, an endeavor in the wood business was a natural match. The history of Horizon Wood Products began in the 70’s when George first tested the waters of the wood industry by purchasing standing timber for pulpwood and sawmills. This endeavor quickly advanced into the purchase of high quality stands of veneer trees as American hardwood species increased in popularity in the early 80’s. With a keen appreciation for the value of well managed timberlands, Horizon established a buying style which focused on potential enhancements and improvements that could be made to a stand of timber. Horizon supported businesses that maintained an environmental focus on harvesting by engaging in selective cutting activities. During the late 70's and early 80's the concentration on sawlog and veneer wood purchasing activities was expanded into the sale of export veneer logs. Horizon sharpened it's focus on high quality timber tracts primarily for Red and White Oak veneer logs destined for Europe and Asia. This was a time when Horizon began to nurture it's interest in the export business. In the mid 80's Horizon developed a close relationship in Europe through it's promotion of what has become our 'signature' species, American Black Cherry. By the late 80's the name Horizon was well recognized in the European market as being synonymous with premium quality Black Cherry sawlogs and veneer logs. By this time we were exporting hundreds of containers of top grade products annually. Concurrently, the addition of the skills of John DeLullo, a long time friend and expert marketer, helped Horizon develop an exceptional division for log sales. During the 90's Horizon began directing its energies towards expanding into a manufacturing entity with the establishment of a sawmill, veneer mill and other refinements. Jody Brian came on board as mill manager and his vast experience and knowledge helped shape the mill division as a state of the art manufacturing area. By maintaining a carefully selected workforce made up of the top talents in the industry, Horizon has been able to mold itself into the high quality organization it is recognized as being today. We are a progressive, energetic and focused company committed to providing the best to our customers in the ever-changing wood market As both the century and millennium mark rolled around and we entered the era of the 2000’s, Horizon continued its upward growth and refinement. After handling only green material since its beginnings, Horizon was receiving an ever-increasing demand for dried products. The installation of hot water dry kilns which gently evaporate the moisture from the lumber and flitches did not prove to be enough to handle the demand for dried material. Quickly additional kiln space was added to help satisfy the need. Once again, the customer spoke and Horizon listened. After receiving requests for uniform color and consistency in particular species such as walnut, Horizon addressed the issue with the installation of steaming equipment to fulfill the need. With ever-growing volumes of wood being handled, as well as a broadened arena of markets to deal with, the shear logistics of handling the material became a continuous challenge. The addition of robotic lifting devices, in both the mill and grading area, proved to be an enormous boon to the way the work flowed. Sorting, shipping and handling issues are still continuously being evaluated and streamlined in order to make the Horizon products move most efficiently through the manufacturing process and out the gates to the customer. The year 2004 marked an interesting expansion point in the company with the introduction of the “Evolutions” division. The Horizon folks have a consuming interest in the world of wood and all that goes along with it, which developed into a fascination with the history of wood and how it has changed over the eons. Horizon has acquired a superb collection of petrified wood specimens which represent the fossilized remains of the mighty ancient pines and palms that shaded the land 200 million years ago when dinosaurs were the species populating the earth. These museum quality pieces of petrified wood are available for sale to the true collector, investor or admirer of nature’s history. The Brennen Panels are another part of the “Evolutions” division, which showcase some of the more spectacular and special qualities of our raw material. These artistic pieces are meant to be yet another way to enjoy the absolute beauty mother nature has created for us in the unique and mysterious growth patterns of some of our special treasures. |
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Mailing Address: Box 471 • Ridgway, PA 15853