Sawmill Business Podcast

In this episode, you'll meet Clay Miller, fifth-generation lumber professional and head of sales and purchasing at Aurora Timberland, the hardwood distribution brand of Alexandria Moulding. Clay shares how he went from stacking lumber in his family's mill to struggling through his first months in sales—then finding success by selling authentically and building long-term relationships. He opens up about the collapse of his family business after a fire, his path back into the industry, and what it takes to run a customer-obsessed distribution operation across time zones. Clay also breaks down the state of the hardwood industry with striking clarity. He explains why production has fallen from roughly 16 billion board feet at the height of COVID demand to under 4 billion today, and what must happen—promotion, education, and capacity-building—to bring the market back. You'll hear how a five-word Instagram DM led Aurora Timberland into the Vietnam market, why he answers every inquiry, and his practical advic