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Mark Muth of Muth Lumber Company is the fourth generation Muth to add a unique mark on the family business. Mark’s great grandfather, Bill Muth, Sr., had many years of lumber industry experience prior to starting a company called Huntington Hardwood Lumber Company located in Huntington, West Virginia.

In 1984, Mark’s father, Dick, and uncle, Tim, bought his grandfather

out and changed the name to Muth Lumber Company, Inc. also known as MLC. They found the Ironton, Ohio, property in 1986 and brought in three kilns in 1987. The 1301 Adams Lane location currently has 16 kilns. According to Mark Muth, “When I came along, they said that I needed to do something different…so I began focusing on international trade. When my father and uncle ran the business it was all domestic trade. Now, 70 percent of what I do goes export.”

When Muth sought information to help with the considerable expenses that can occur when attending an international trade show, he found Kelly O’Bryant, Director of the International Trade Assistance Center. O’Bryant told Muth about a grant program called the International Market Access Grant for Exporters (IMAGE) Grant. The IMAGE Grant program is designed to offset the cost of international marketing activities. Muth has received assistance for attending an April show in Dubai, a May show in Germany and will also receive assistance with his upcoming October show in Vietnam.

Muth mentioned that “Kelly’s assistance has been very helpful. The IMAGE Grant afforded us the opportunity to go to the show in Germany that we would not have been able to do otherwise. She also helped to get our website translated into Chinese.”

As a result of the show in Germany, Muth’s orders have increased considerably. Due to that increased demand, Muth will be hiring more employees to complete those increasing orders.

International Trade Assistance Center (ITAC) Success Story Muth Lumber

Mark Muth Muth Lumber Company