G & E Wood Products
Imported from Russia by Greg Khalaydovsky and Ernie Sarro
gewoodproducts.com
(Call: 617-877-8156 or Email: info@gewoodproducts.com)
Frequently Asked Questions
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1. What products are you currently offering?
• At this point, G & E Wood Products (G & E) are specializing in mouldings using finger joint technology, with an option for priming. These quality mouldings are made from pine wood (Pinus Sylvestris) grown in an ecologically clean section of northwestern Russia.
• A variety of building material and finished products all made from several Russian wood species is planned for the future.
2. Is the quality as good as American manufactured moulding?
• Wood from trees grown in the frigid climate of northern Russia has a worldwide reputation for durability, tight, straight grained texture, and fine appearance. Unlike the “fast growth” trees that are prevalent in today’s wood market, our factory only uses trees 101 to 121 years old. This produces tighter grained wood that is highly durable.
• The trees are only cut in the cold months of October to April when the sap does not move inside the wood. The wood is dried in special chambers with temperatures 125 to 130 degrees F (62 to 65 degrees C) until the moisture content is tested at the internationally recognized standard of 8-12%. A certificate of proof must be provided with every order.
• The products we import are made exclusively with state-of-the-art technology and equipment obtained from Western European industrial countries such as Germany (Michael Weinig) and Italy (Spanevello) and others for ripping, cross-cutting, finger jointing, moulding and profiling.
3. How can prices of moulding imported from Russia compare with mouldings produced right here in the USA?
• Wood is plentiful in Russia and close to northern manufacturers. More importantly, labor costs in northern Russia are a fraction of that in the USA and even Canada. Shipping to the USA is a minimal expense when compared to the huge savings in timber costs and manufacturing.
• In addition, because Greg and Ernie incur very little overhead, they can pass this savings on to you. There are no distributors or middlemen involved. The shipment comes directly from the factory, inspected by G & E, and is delivered to your door. There are minimal advertising costs as most business is done by word of mouth. All this means that any size contractor or builder, big or small, can enjoy very close to “direct from the factory” pricing.
4. Can Russian manufacturers produce mouldings with the same specifications U.S. builders are accustomed to?
• Since the Russian manufacturers use virtually the same technology as the U.S., they can match the specifications of any standard profile currently available in the U.S.
• In addition, do to a strong desire to compete in the U.S. market, Russian factories, in most cases, are able to produce almost any custom designed moulding for a cost not much above a standard profile.
5. How do I place an order and get pricing?
• The first step is to give G & E your request in writing which must include the description of each profile, including a drawing to scale specifying the dimensions in inches, the number of feet of each profile desired, and a request for optional priming.
• The price per foot will depend on the dimensions of each profile ordered, plus optional priming.
• G & E will send you an exact quote including shipping and an approximate delivery date. Once you approve the order, we will then draw up an agreement/contract.
6. How long will it take to get my order?
• Let us preface our answer by emphasizing that this process takes time, but the very reasons that extend the process are the reasons why we can give you such reduced prices. It is just the nature of international trading. We suggest you place your order well in advance of your project.
• The first phase is the manufacturing. If the factory has previously made the requested profiles, their part may take as little as week. If they have to make adjustments for a new profile, it could take two weeks. Once the order is completed, our own inspector will verify that the order is complete and done to specification before it leaves the factory.
• The second phase is the shipping. That should take about one month including shipping from the manufacturer to the port and the boat trip to Boston. Once the shipment clears customs, G & E will inspect it and promptly deliver it to your door.
7. What assurances do I have that I will receive my order and that the order will be to specification?
• First of all, the contract that we make is legal and binding to all parties involved and is subject to strict laws of international trade governed by a board of arbitration.
• We have taken many steps to assure that the factories we deal with are reputable both in their business practices and the quality of their work.
• We have representatives in Russia that will inspect every order for completeness and quality of workmanship before it leaves the factory.
• The orders will be inspected again by G & E once it clears U.S. customs and before it is delivered.
• The only way our business can be successful is by producing a superior product and delivering it in good condition within an expected time frame. Your return business and your referral is what we are counting on. To that end, you can count on us to be your biggest advocate if the quality of what you ordered is not what we all expect from the manufacturer.
(Revision 7: 07/23/06 16:30 EAS)