Katahdin Cedar Log Homes signs deal with Chinese developers

Contributed photo
VISIT — Katahdin President David Gordon, left, met a private plane chartered to transport the Syswin representatives to Presque Isle. With Gordon are, from left, Syswin USA CEO Delin Zhang (Della), Syswin USA Vice President Ge Hu (Greg), and Syswin USA Business Development Manager Kersam Liu.
Large log lodge plus individual homes to boost company sales in 2012
    OAKFIELD — It started with a phone call in March of 2011 and wraps up the year with a deal that could mean a 30 percent jump in 2012 revenues for Katahdin Cedar Log Homes, a leading log home manufacturer.
    After a whirlwind of negotiations, an on-site visit in China, and subsequent contract and deposit, Katahdin is poised to manufacture a 10,000-square-foot lodge and real estate center immediately, to be followed by multiple single family homes to be built on the shores of a man-made lake in Chengdu, People’s Republic of China.
    “We are delighted to be selected after competing with as many as a dozen log home companies for this significant log home development in China,” said David Gordon, president of Katahdin Cedar Log Homes. “They have told us that it is the high quality of our product, and our ability to provide training staff familiar with construction in China, that made the difference.”
    Katahdin was initially contacted by Kersam Liu, business development manager of Syswin USA, a company that acts as intermediary for Syswin Inc., one of the largest real estate development companies in China. After several months of providing quotes and designs, representatives from Syswin USA, CEO Delin Zhang; vice president Ge Hu; and Liu visited the Oakfield manufacturing facility and a large Katahdin designed log home in Presque Isle in late June. Two weeks later, Syswin notified Katahdin that they had been selected to be the supplier of cedar log homes.
    “The last week of August I was joined by two other Katahdin executives to visit the proposed development in China and to meet with senior representatives of Syswin Inc.,” Gordon said. “We visited two development sites, including the company we are now working with, Chengdu Cultural and Tourism Development Group, LLC. After our presentation, we negotiated and signed a favorable wholesale agreement.”
    The final elements of the first building and its design were recently concluded and the first building, a 10,000-square-foot main lodge, will be manufactured and shipped to China in early 2012, he explained.
    “Ultimately with this Syswin contract, we anticipate increasing our 2012 revenues by a third over the past year,” Gordon added.
    Syswin USA is an extension of China’s Syswin, Inc., who is the sole investor in the U.S. subsidiary and one of the largest real estate development companies in China.
    Founded in 1973 by Foster Gordon and two associates, Katahdin Cedar Log Homes is one of the largest log home manufacturers in the U.S. and is the largest processor of Northern White Cedar in the world. The parent company, Katahdin Forest Products, also operates Katahdin Cedar Fencing and Cedar Ideas, a garden accessories company. David Gordon continues his father’s legacy by providing high quality, cedar log homes, fencing and other products at affordable prices.
    Based in Oakfield, Katahdin Forest Products has more than 80 employees. For more information, visit: www.katahdincedarloghomes.com.