As Owner & Operator of AMECO Forest Products, Craig Keeler has spent nearly five decades in the wood industry.
Craig started his career at a mill in Eugene, Oregon while attending the University of Oregon. While the graveyard shift wasn't ideal, having access to the major hardwood suppliers left an impact on Craig. He quickly took to the industry and would spend the next five decades working in many different roles for both established mills and new enterprises. Among the companies in Craig's resume are Georgia Pacific, Weyerhauser, Commonwealth Plywood, Superior Hardwoods, General Woods and Spencer Veneer.
Craig founded American Hardwood in the early 1970s and was instrumental in bringing new technologies into the industry, including North America's first cross phase splicer in the early 1980s. Craig grew American Hardwood into a team of 225 people, and eventually sold the factory in the late 1990s.
AMECO Forest Products is Craig's final venture in the hardwood industry. Rather than running a mill based in North America, AMECO provides custom slice/splice with a network of established mills based in Asia. AMECO prides itself on its complete control of the raw material base and only importing materials that don't compete with domestic production.