A family owned mindset and passion for quality products has helped a longtime Montevallo business flourish for more than 60 years, said its current general manager.

Woodgrain Products, near the corner of Alabama 25 and Shelby Street south of downtown Montevallo, first opened its doors as the Brown Moulding company in 1947, and has been in business in the city for 63 years.

“This is a business we pass by and actually go through every day,” said Montevallo Chamber of Commerce President Mary Lou Williams. “We appreciate the impact they have had on our community.”

Woodgrain Distribution in Montevallo consists of two company divisions housed under the same roof. The company’s distribution division currently employs 44 people, while the separate manufacturing division employs 60.

The manufacturing operation mainly produces unfinished wood mouldings, which are used for baseboards, chair rails and many other commercial and private uses.

The distribution side of the business works to sell and ship the company��s products to its customers, which includes Home Depot and many independent businesses across Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia and Louisiana.

Most of the wood the facility uses comes from New Zealand, and includes solid pine, oak and many other types of timber, said Woodgrain Distribution Montevallo’s General Manager Kevin Senecal.

“Just to watch the machinery and see how the products come together is pretty neat,” Senecal said.

The company recently began producing its flexgrain line of mouldings, which are made out of a rubbery, flexible polymer, and are useful for rounded frames, like arched doorways, Senecal said.

Although the market for wooden and synthetic mouldings has dropped with the nation’s housing crisis, Woodgrain Distribution has remained profitable.

“Despite what the economy has done, our company has found a way to remain profitable,” Senecal said. “This community is just something special. It’s a great place to be.”