Cottlesville Book Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11
PAID ADVERTISMENTS


    Cottle’s Island Lumber Co Ltd.

With all the talk of changes to the UI, cutbacks, loss of transfer payments, and people leaving the province for work, it's good to be able to sit down and read about something positive.  This is about one Newfoundlander who has remained optimistic about the future of our province.

You'll never find a prouder Newfoundlander than Rex Philpott.  No matter who he meets or where he goes, he's always quick to let people know where he's from.  Rex lives in Cottlesville, and is the owner of Cottle’s Island Lumber Company & Highland Homes.  This successful company is located on Chapel Island on the Road to the Isles.  Over the past twenty five years, this company has grown from a bucksaw, horse and push bench, to chainsaws, transport trucks, and lasers.

Like many in Newfoundland, Rex came from a large family.  And like many, the family knew about working for a living.  His father was always away providing for his family, and when they were old enough, Rex and his brothers worked.  There was no talk about UI or handouts.  Everyone worked in the fishery in the summer, and the woods in the winter.  It was hard going, but it was the way of life.

The family began a small sawmill operation on Chapel Island back in the late 60's.  Rex remembers those days well.  "When we wanted  to set up a small camp back in the woods, we had to carry everything on our backs.  There was no such thing  as snowmobiles.  We took everything in punt.  We had to go in with the tools, saws, and our weeks worth of food."  Rex, his brother Tony, and his father used to cut the sticks, carry them out to the water, and then row back to Chapel Island.  "It was nothing for us to put in a full days work sawing, and then head up to the hall for a dance.

Rex purchased the sawmill and woods operation from his father in 1978, and like his dad, continued to expand.  In 1994, he was looking for a new challenge and he found it in a log home company, `Highland Homes'.  The lumber industry has been changing, and there is a bigger emphasis on added - value products.  I wanted to expand our business so that we would be able to utilize our spruce logs onto some other product lines.  I saw big potential in this log home company, and decided to build it."

The new business had been operating out of Gander, but in true Philpott style, Rex immediately began construction of a brand new plant right alongside the sawmill.  He feels very strongly about keeping jobs in this area.  "I didn't want to have this plant an hour away from the sawmill, and I saw the opportunity to bring more jobs into the local economy."

As one of the biggest employers on the area, Rex Philpott has tried his best to keep people `home'.  The fact that so many people are leaving the province in search of work upsets him.  He sees the continuing expansion of his company as one way to help.  His sawmill and woods operation depends on the many skilled loggers and saw millers who work for the company, and the fact that seasonal workers are being effected by the UI cuts makes the job of finding more business all that much more important.

Anyone who knows Rex realizes that he hates surprises.  He likes to be a step ahead instead of following in the footsteps.  "I realized that in order to find more business, I was going to have to look into the overseas markets.  With the Canadian and Newfoundland economy in the state it's in, I picked up a map, and started looking."

In the years since adding Highland Homes to the sawmill company, Rex has racked up thousands of air miles!  His main target was Japan.  "The Japanese are so particular and picky that I felt that if I could get my homes into that market, it would be a great start." He recalls.  "They also have such a high population, that I realised I could increased my sales by getting into that market"  In just under two years, Rex and his company just outside of Nagoya, Japan.  They have successfully sold many homes into the Japanese market, and things look very good for the future.  But selling houses made in Newfoundland in Japan is only the beginning.  The company Is now negotiating with the dealers from all over the world - Germany, Korea, China, England, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Holland and more.  Everyone is now interested in the company from Cottlesville!

Even  with all the interest, Rex makes it very clear that there is only one  way his company is going to do business.  "I get asked all the time to sell our lumber and other products `rough'.  They (the foreign dealers) want to buy all the components for our homes, but they want to manufacture it in raw materials so that it can be processed overseas...let's keep the jobs and the money in Newfoundland."

Next time you're heading towards Twillingate, be sure to stop by the Cottle’s Island Lumber Company/Highland Homes.  Chances are, if Rex is there, he'll invite you in for a coffee.  After all, he's just one of the b'ys.


    This is a paid advertisement by the Cottle’s Island Lumber Company.