THE PRODUCT STORY
The 2 a.m. Lightbulb Moment
“As I tried to sleep when I was sick, the lightbulb moment went off at 2 a.m. There I was in the middle of the night, Googling to find a product that matched the initial concept. I could not find anything. The next day, I took a day off of work and made the prototype.
I was caught up in no time. After a while, with the wooden prototype working so well, I told my wife I would patent it. The good partner she is, she raised the question of what it costs to patent something. I said I don’t care what it cost; I believe in this idea so much I would do whatever it takes to get it done. It is going to work!”
MY STORY
FROM THE MIND OF AARON LAHTI
A local, Aaron grew up in the woods of Fulton, Michigan. After graduating in 2003, he went to work on the east coast doing concrete. The experience he gained there with machines served him well as he left concrete to switch gears and work for his brother in the logging industry. The logging industry sparked a passion for Aaron.
“I love logging efficiently. The faster we get logs to the landing for the log trucks to haul out, the more money we all can make. With logging, all your moves need to be short and right.”
After spending three more years on the oil rigs, Aaron couldn’t ignore the call for logging. He wanted to move back home and provide for his growing family, and logging was the ticket!
“My cab is my office, and I love it! I am amazed at how much wood you can send through these machines. We have crooked trees up here because of the wind and snow we get. One must learn how to finesse the trees to go through the machines without beating them up.
It is a constant mind game out there!
Along with these challenges, you have to worry about getting stuck, maintaining the machines, placing wood correctly, and not cutting a tree down on yourself or other machines out there with you.”
Being sick with the flu and trying to work on getting bundles together for local campgrounds, Aaron had enough.
Even with the help of his family, He couldn’t believe the time and energy he was wasting on picking up pieces of wood individually. There has to be a better way. His trick then was a 5-gallon bucket with the bottom cut off to shape the bundles.
The wooden bundler has progressed into the welded, powder coated, heavy-duty product used today!
