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We are a manufacturer and retailer of quality wood moudlings. We
carry a wide selection of stair parts, tongue and groove paneling, fireplace mantels, dimensional boards, pre-hung doors,
locksets and door hardware.
Our
Mission:
The mission of Valley Planing Mill is to produce and sell superior quality wood mouldings &
millwork in our chosen markets, at an affordable price to our customers. Valley Planing Mill will employ a talented staff
in a close “family” environment with a culture dedicated to serving our customers with the best product and service
available.
Our
History:
Valley Planing
Mill began business in 1963 when Edward Schroeder’s (current President of Valley Planing) father, Edwin C. Schroeder,
purchased a building at auction in the Appleton area. The elder Schroeder was a general contractor and purchased the building
to store his equipment. A planer that didn’t sell at the auction was left behind. Shortly thereafter, Edwin was contacted
by a local lumberyard that needed some lumber planed.
“It was all Greek to me then” says Ed (Edward), who
recalls going to work on Saturday with his father. His job: planing lumber. Since the senior Schroeder was a contractor, he
knew many people in the Fox Valley area who were in the business. As time went on, more and more people came to him for planing
services. So the business grew. “My dad knew enough about business to determine his customers’ needs,”
says Ed. “He purchased equipment for producing profile mouldings, and we were in business as a millwork and door supplier.
At the time, we sold primarily to residential and commercial builders, with a small percentage sold direct at the retail level.”
Upon his father’s retirement in 1978, Ed Schroeder took over as president of Valley Planing Mill. Expanding the business: We stock over 70 different profiles of moudlings in Birch, Cherry, Pine, Poplar, Maple
and Oak. We have a wide in-stock selection of interior doors in Birch, Oak and Pine and an exceptional selection of dimensional
boards in Birch, Cherry, Clear (and Knotty) Pine, Poplar, Maple and Oak. In addition, over 175 special profiles of mouldings
can also be produced on demand. Hundreds of styles of doors, stair parts and door hardware are also available and style choices
are easily achieved through dozens of suppliers.
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| Our Lumber is Moulder Run - jointed edges, planed & sanded surfaces (100 grit). |
Valley Planing has grown steadily over the past 40 years. Four buildings (over 40,000 total
sq. feet) at the corner of Hickory Farm Lane and W. Wisconsin Avenue. Modernization and continual improvement have been
a hallmark of the growth of Valley Planing. An expanded and dedicated warehouse and spacious showroom and business offices
were relocated to a new building on-site in 1995.
The
showroom is set up to serve both walk-in retail customers as well as contractors who sometimes accompany their customers to
choose individual items or packages for the entire home. The showroom is more like a builders showcase than a facility packed
with shelves of products.
“We have displays, complete with accessories, that feature different
moulding treatments,” says Schroeder. “Contractors can send their customers to the showroom so they can actually
see what the moulding will look like in their homes. Do-It-Yourself displays are also featured including door hardware, interior
doors, stair parts, and architectural elements such as columns.
Also growing or changing is the level of expertise of the staff. Many customers rely on our input and design
assistance in making their selections.
We produce over 75% of the products we sell. Customers are often amazed when they walk into our warehouse and
see the miles and miles of mouldings and dimensional boards.
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| With "miles of mouldings" our selection is outstanding. |
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