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North Atlantic Firewood has set a new standard for how small businesses can get their name out in local diners, country gas stations, shopping malls, and even city skyscrapers. Dealing firewood is an old-fashioned trade that has recently been impacted by everything from falling fuel prices to laws restricting the movement of the Emerald Ash Borer Beetles in logs. In New England, firewood businesses have traditionally developed their customer bases by word of mouth and through small town publications. By using both modern and antiquated marketing campaigns, providing a reliable product, and having outstanding customer service, North Atlantic Firewood is doing everything in their power to grow in a shrinking industry.
North Atlantic Firewood, a New England distributor of high-grade hardwood firewood was created when two businessmen took the opportunity to buy a failing firewood company in 2011. Rob Wilich and Chad Knowles, the owners of North Atlantic Services, purchased and then modernized Southern New Hampshire Firewood, an established firewood distributor in South-Central New Hampshire. Immediately upon taking over the operation, they started scheduling deliveries of their available stock and began planning to move and consolidate their new acquisition with their other divisions. Two years later, they moved the entire firewood operation to the North Atlantic Services headquarters in Epping, NH to join their trucking dispatch, excavation division, and snow management company.
North Atlantic Firewood started to have locally-sourced, select hardwood logs delivered and stored on their two newly paved acres in Epping, NH. They saw this as an advantage over their competition, as the cleaner and drier the ground is, the less ability the logs and firewood will have to absorb moisture and collect dirt before it is processed and set out to dry. With only one firewood processor from the former company, they purchased a new one to escalate production. They added a second finishing tumbler to ensure they were only delivering firewood without the mulchy, residual mess that falls off of the firewood as it cures in piles. In February of 2016, Robert Proulx was hired as the firewood division manager to enhance and oversee their firewood operation.
With such a large investment made, their new firewood production system and woodlot team deserved a new marketing plan. Proulx wanted to let people know about the research and development that was done to produce the best firewood possible. To do this, they designed a new website to draw customers in (www.northatlanticfirewood.com). Social media campaigns across all possible channels were established and developed. Blogs were posted to help people understand when they should be buying firewood, the different types of firewood available, and the best ways to stack it. Signs were put up and word of mouth began to spread. They even had a newspaper article written about them, documenting the development of North Atlantic Firewood into a regional firewood powerhouse.
For a company that provides fuel to heat homes the traditional way, this type of business plan might seem unnecessarily modernized, though it is the best way for businesses to effectively grow in the 21st Century. North Atlantic Services (and especially the firewood division) wants to connect with the general public through every avenue possible so their name is the first company thought of when people think about purchasing firewood.
North Atlantic Firewood operates out of Epping, New Hampshire. Hardwood logs are locally selected and procured. The logs are then cut, split, tumbled, dried, pulled for a second tumbling, then delivered in one of the three trucks that the company has only for firewood distribution. It might only be a few more months before they’ll be adding a fourth truck to meet the demands of the firewood-reliant, winter residents of New England.
North Atlantic Services (North Atlantic Firewood, especially) is happy to receive public inquiries regarding any one of their services. For questions concerning excavation/site work, snow plowing, or firewood, please contact them through their individual websites. North Atlantic Services operates out of Epping, NH and can be reached at (603) 502-3817.
Release ID: 135003