About Union Church Millworks

Union Church Millworks, Inc. was established in 1996 by Stephen A. Bennett.  Located in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia, Union Church specializes in 3/4” hardwood flooring, full-length paneling and wainscoting as well as a wide variety of mouldings and stair parts.

Although our business is defined as “custom millworks” we have the uncommon capability to ship 75% of customer orders within five business days with all standard orders filled in less than 4 weeks.  To keep this customer commitment, we utilize a 25,000 square foot climate controlled warehouse in conjunction with an advanced inventory tracking system.  We also apply dedicated sales forecasting practices in order to ensure in stock positions.

We stock perpetual inventory of more than 450K square feet of completed flooring product, paneling and trim.  In addition, we have in excess of 1M to 2M board feet of kiln dried lumber.

The mill currently employs more than 45 people.  Many critical positions such as Mill Manager, Inventory Manager, Warehouse and Shipping Manager, Personnel Manager, and Key Account Managers and Craftsmen remain filled by the same qualified individuals that helped to start and establish the business more than a decade ago.

Approximately, 97% of all logs purchased by Union Church Millworks are supplied by Parent Company Holdings or by loggers who have been trained in SFI (Sustained Forest Initiative) practices and procedures.  Local landowners or farmers that do not traditionally harvest timber but may be doing so on a one time or non-routine basis supply the additional 3% of incidental timber.

The company has been featured in numerous Regional and National Publications and in the PBS series, “The New Home Show” and “HGTV” as well as several Major Motion Pictures building authentic/period set designs.  Commercial projects have been featured in “Architectural Digest” and include luxury resort work in The Greenbrier, The Homestead and Snowshoe Ski Resort.  We supplied flooring for the new corporate headquarters for “The Billy Graham Ministries.”  Most recently, we’ve supplied the hardwoods for the “Clifton Forge Masonic Amphitheatre” which won the “Building of 2012” by American Architects Magazine.

The business as a whole was originally structured to handle aggressive sales growth.  The machinery, warehousing capabilities and the raw material is currently in place to increase production well over 100%.  Additional labor could be easily added and supported due to available skilled labor in the local area.

Owner Profile

The Bennett Family has been involved in the logging and lumber business for more than 200 years in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia.  Steve Bennett continued the family tradition and entered the logging business in 1970.  In 1982, he purchased a local sawmill operation, of his own, and founded “Bennett Logging and Lumber, Inc.”  Union Church Millworks was added in 1996.

His personal land holdings are part of the Certified American Tree Farm Systems under the oversight of the American Forest Foundation and is SFI qualified.  Production from his own timberlands equals or exceeds 75% of Union Church Millworks manufactured volume.

Mr. Bennett has long been regarded as a leader and innovator in the Wood Industry.  His awards and recognitions include:

  • 1979 “Logger of Merit Award” from the Virginia Forestry Association

  • 1980 U. S. Forest Service “75th Anniversary Award” for his contributions to forestry and conservation on National Forest Lands

  • 1981 “Outstanding Independent Logging Contractor” by the American Pulpwood Association

  • 1983 “Pacesetter Award” from Timber Harvesting Magazine for his willingness and ability to improve logging operations through innovation

  • 1991 “Man of the Year in Forestry” by the Virginia Forestry Association

  • Served as past Chairman of Appalachian Forest Management Group

  • Past Director of the Virginia Forestry Group Self-Insurance Association

  • 1997 appointed by then-Governor George Allen to serve on the Open-Space Advisory Board for the State of Virginia

  • 2000 appointed by Governor Jim Gilmore to serve on the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation Board of Trustees

  • He has testified numerous times at Congressional Hearings in Washington regarding issues to Agriculture and Small Business Concerns

  • Recently appointed to Virginia Association of Counties Environmental and Agriculture Steering Committee

  • Past Winner of the Local Tri-County Chamber of Commerce “Business of the Year Award”

  • Current Chairman of the Local Government Board Of Supervisors