1.888.641.8081
SOUTHERN LOGGERS COOPERATIVE
1152 Expressway Drive
Pineville, Louisiana 71360
Contact
1.888.641.8081

HISTORY

Southern Loggers, “Working Together to Cut the Cost of Doing Business”

While attending the American Loggers Council (ALC) spring board meeting in 2004 and after a long day of congressional visits, the ALC leaders recognized that help from the nation’s capital might be slow in coming to the rescue of a challenged timber harvesting industry. To the loggers who were relatively new to this arena it became apparent to them, after watching other well-established organizations such as the United Electrical Workers and the American Cattlemen Association strategizing and working through their agendas on the hill, it might take time to make meaningful gains for the logging industry with policy makers.

2004

To a small group of Louisiana loggers another thought emerged. They decided to form their purchasing group or cooperative that could provide more immediate relief for loggers. Their main objective was to form a buying group that would enable them to negotiate better prices.
Under the direction of the first Executive Director, Clyde Todd and Chief Operating Officer, Mary Todd the SLC was formed under the provisions of Louisiana revised statute 3.71 and the Articles of Association were signed by Secretary of State on October 14, 2004
In 2004, the first nine members each made an investment of five thousand dollars into the SLC. That money was used to open up the SLC’s first station.

2005

The first fuel station opened in Winnfield, Louisiana.
The first year the SLC sold just a few thousand gallons of fuel, the Todd’s kitchen table was where all the work was done, Mary did everything by hand, Clyde would go to ALC meetings to recruit members and would spend many days on the road trying to locate where stations were needed.

2007

By the end of 2007, the SLC had grown to five stations in Louisiana and had opened up their first stations in Texas at Pineland and in Alabama at Pine Hill.

2009

With the growth potential recognized in the Southeast, Bill Jones was added to the team as the Assistant Director.
The first station opened in Mississippi at Redwood.

2010

The first station opened in Virginia at Covington.
Also, that year the SLC launched its first supplemental savings program with a national tires program.
In 2010, the SLC purchased a newly renovated office located at 1152 Expressway Drive Pineville, Louisiana.

2011

The SLC grew from eleven stations in 2011 to twenty stations in 2012.

2012

The first stations opened in South Carolina at Georgetown and in Ohio at Chillicothe.
Shannon Williber was added to the team as Executive Assistant.
After a record year of expansion Clyde and Mary Todd decided to retire. The SLC board brought in Todd Martin as Executive Director and Jason Slatten as Chief Operating Officer.

2014

In the fall, Lisa Dubois joined the team and was charged with monitoring fuel inventory and new membership services.

2015

To continue on their cost-cutting mission the SLC rolled out two more supplemental savings programs with Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) and a Fill-Rite transfer pump programs.
2,000 Member Milestone was celebrated in the first quarter of 2015.

2016

More expansion brought a need for more support staff. In January, Maryan Domrose joined the team as the Accounting Clerk.
Record membership growth for the SLC was experienced within that last year and the 2,500 + Member Milestone was celebrated at the end of 2016.

2017

In order to continue to serve our members with the prompt customer service that they have come to appreciate from us here at the SLC and with the ever growing membership, we have launched a new mobile friendly website. This new website will allow our members to find the nearest fuel station to their current location, they will be able to have access to their individual invoices, access list to vendor locations, get up to date news and sign up for our newsletters. This interactive site will serve as added benefit to a SLC membership. We are always looking for more ways to put money back into our members’ pockets.
Dennis Aucoin, the former SLC Board President and owner Slaughter Logging located in Clinton, Louisiana, indicated that leadership from the Board members and officers have played an important role in our continued success. They have shaped our footprint and are optimistic that we will continue to grow but most importantly that we will continue to “cut the cost of doing business for loggers.” The partnership with our guarantors, fuel brokers - FM FUEL & RESOURCES & MANSFIELD OIL, service companies - Petron, MECO and Emory Collins Co, each play a critical role in the success of the daily operations. But, we aren’t just fuel anymore. We have a variety of cost cutting services to choose from with our national parts program – FleetPride Heavy Duty Truck & Trailer Parts, national tires program – Continental / General Tires, Hankook Tires, Yokohama Tires, Goodyear, Cooper, and Southern Tire Mart, Fill-Rite transfer pumps program – Petron and our latest addition of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) –  being sold at ALL stations.
 
The formula for continued growth involves coordination of guarantors, mills and recruitment of new members within the forestry and agricultural industries. The SLC’s first member, Travis Taylor who passed away in 2014, always said, “If you want to help a logger, you have got to find a way to put something in his wallet.” He knew he had a good idea with starting a fuel cooperative since about one third of operating expenses are related to fuel. That money is gone at the end of every week. Fuel is not a cost you can see like equipment or the loads you put through the gate.
Fuel is a significant cost to a logger.