Local Hardwood Lumber Company Remembered

By JoAnn R. Walter —

A local hardwood lumber company in business for five decades is remembered as a primary employer in Tioga County, N.Y., and one that got its start from the ingenuity of four ambitious entrepreneurs.

Founded in 1974, Double Aught Lumber grew from a small operation into a modern lumber mill. They offered a wide range of wood products for various industries and shipped all around the world. 

Baillie Lumber had been a significant business partner of Double Aught Lumber for decades. They shared via social media in January that Double Aught was a producer of several lumber species, including hard maple, soft maple, and red oak and ash, to name a few. In addition, they noted that Double Aught was known for its quality and attention to detail and was one of the most widely known brands in the hardwood lumber industry.

In February, Baillie closed the doors at the Double Aught property located at 1024 Owego Rd. in Candor, N.Y. 

Jill Meyer, Director of Human Resources at Baillie, remarked about the closing, “A very high percentage of employees accepted positions at Wagner Lumber located on Gaskill Road in Owego.”

Meyer also confirmed that there are no current plans for the Double Aught property.

Today, the Baillie Group, headquartered in Hamburg, N.Y., is one of North America’s largest hardwood lumber producers and ships worldwide. They operate several facilities in the United States.

Former Double Aught owner and president Joel Bingham, along with Bob Nickerson, Tom Brownridge, and Bruce Richards, started Double Aught in 1974. All have retired, and sadly, Brownridge recently passed away.

Bingham reminisced about Double Aught’s beginnings and when the business got its start operating a sawmill on Crumtown Road in Spencer, N.Y. At the time, there were three partners, Bruce, Tom, and Joel. When Bob Nickerson came along to build a roof on the open sawmill, he soon became the fourth partner.

Joel recalls, “There was no electricity there, and we worked with a 471 Detroit diesel.”

The Spencer location was eventually sold, and other locations were consolidated or closed.   

Bingham recalled the ups-and-downs of Double Aught’s business over the years, and the uncertainty surrounding it, including two recessions in 1974-75 and 2008-09, plus the global shock after the World Trade Center attacks.

Through it all, Joel said they weathered the tough times and kept moving forward, giving credit to the hard-working and dedicated employees, many of whom worked at Double Aught for years.

Bingham noted, “Our philosophy was to produce the best quality lumber that we could, and we wanted to be known for excellence,” and continued, “We had many great employees who really gave their all; they were exceptional.”

Terri Czuhanich had worked at Double Aught for 40 years as a bookkeeper and remembers fondly that Double Aught employees were like extended family. Eventually, her position was consolidated into the Baillie administration, and she retired. 

Double Aught contributed to the community in many ways, including supporting local non-profits, youth sports teams, and more. 

Bingham chuckled as he recalled giving a tour to curious Cub Scouts on the Double Aught property and the extra attentiveness that was needed to ensure their safety on-site.

One example of how Double Aught lent a hand to the community involves a 214 pound nutcracker on display at the Tioga History Museum.

A large piece of solid cherry wood for the project was donated by Double Aught.

Seven OAMS students, part of Donald Shultz’s Life Skills Technology class, created and built the nutcracker time capsule. Unveiled in 2015, it is slated to be opened in December 2050.

Double Aught Lumber is remembered for its fifty years in Tioga County.