East Teak

East Teak Hardwoods was founded in 1972 with the purchase of a single 40' container of rough-sawn teak lumber, brought into the Port of Tacoma, Washington. The lumber was intended for the local boat building community, of which East Teak's founder was a member. This initial purchase eventually led to a network of international contacts and hardwood sources that is unexcelled anywhere in the industry.

USS Missouri, deck timber from East Teak In the early years the marine industry made up the majority of the company's customers. An understanding of the craft and the business of boatbuilding made East Teak a valuable resource for the dozens of small to mid-size independent builders using teak and other hardwoods. Eventually the company became a source for hardwood products to almost every major marine manufacturer, including Sea Ray, Bayliner and Wellcraft. Innovation initiated by East Teak changed the nature of teak importing and sales. For decades boat builders ordered rough-sawn boards and processed the lumber in their own highly staffed and equipped woodshops. East Teak was the first major supplier to offer manufacturers finished custom moldings and millwork that was ready on a "just in time" basis, resulting in greater efficiency. This practice soon became the industry standard.

In 1979 the company brought the largest single shipment of sawn teak lumber ever imported into the US, 600 tons, to the Port of Long Beach, California. East Teak also established its largest current facility that year on 100 acres in Donalds, South Carolina, capitalizing on easy access to the I-85 corridor and a fleet of 18 wheel trucks for deliveries. In 1992 the West Coast headquarters was moved to Sultan, Washington.

After three decades of growth, East Teak now offers a wide range of hardwood species, products and manufacturing services for every application, residential and commercial, to architects, specifiers and other building professionals.

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