Lumbermen's Equipment Digest

Cleereman Industries is excited to welcome our newest team member, Ray Tharpe. Ray is joining our team as our Sawmill Sales & Design Specialist.

With a lifetime dedicated to the forest products industry, Ray brings an exceptional depth of knowledge, hands-on experience, and leadership to our team. As a fifth-generation logger and sawmiller, the lumber industry has been a part of his life from the very beginning.

Throughout his career, Ray has more than 26 years of experience working in hardwood & sawmills, operating and servicing virtually every type of machine from log intake to finished lumber. His background includes 15 years in professional lumber manufacturing, with 12 years in upper management, where he helped lead operations, improve efficiency, and solve complex production challenges.

In addition to his manufacturing experience, he spent 11 years as the owner and operator of RTM Industrial Maintenance, a nationwide millwright and installation company specializing in industrial equipment installation, maintenance, and repair. His expertise also includes mechanical and structural engineering, as well as 26 years of troubleshooting and repairing industrial mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems.

What sets Ray apart is his practical, hands-on knowledge. Having professionally operated and installed nearly every piece of equipment found in a conventional hardwood sawmill, Ray understands the challenges our customers face and is passionate about finding solutions that improve performance and reliability.

Paul Cleereman says this is exactly what makes Ray such a valuable addition to Cleereman Industries. Over his years in the sawmill industry, Ray has built, installed, run, and troubleshot sawmill equipment firsthand — not just ours, but equipment from other manufacturers as well. That kind of well-rounded, hands-on background goes far beyond sawmill sales; it's a long history of real, boots-on-the-ground work in the mill. That depth of experience means Ray doesn't just understand our equipment on paper — he understands it the way our customers do, from years of installing, running, and fixing it himself.

Outside of work, Ray is a devoted family man and proud father. When he's not at the mill, he enjoys spending time with his daughter Addi, being outdoors hunting & fishing, and riding side-by-sides.

Please join us in welcoming Ray to Cleereman Industries. His extensive experience, industry knowledge, and commitment to the forest products industry make him a tremendous addition to our team, and we're excited for Ray to join our team.