Cambium: AI Transforming Wood Waste into Lumber

The Problem of Wasted Wood Resources

A common sight across the United States involves felled trees being processed into wood chips rather than being utilized as lumber.

Ben Christensen, deeply connected to the timber industry through his upbringing in New Mexico and his family’s woodworking tradition, finds this practice concerning.

Coordination Challenges and the Birth of Cambium

The primary cause of this waste, according to Christensen, lies in logistical difficulties. Tree care services prioritize efficiency and scheduling, making detours for log delivery impractical.

Recognizing this gap, Christensen, alongside Marisa Repka and Theo Hooker, established Cambium. This startup focuses on repurposing wood that would typically be chipped or burned, primarily leveraging software to streamline the supply chain.

Cambium’s Core Offering: Connecting Buyers and Sellers

Cambium distinguishes itself by facilitating wood transactions, acting as a marketplace for both buyers and sellers.

The company aims to provide enhanced service and secure, long-term contracts for its clients.

Developing Consistent Wood Products

Cambium doesn’t merely connect parties; it also develops its own products to ensure consistent quality from variable wood sources.

They collaborate with suppliers and mills to produce these products, selling them to prominent companies such as Room and Board and Steelcase.

Expanding into Engineered Wood Solutions

Beyond furniture-grade lumber, Cambium also manufactures cross-laminated timber (CLT).

This engineered wood product, formed into panels, is created in partnership with manufacturers like Mercer Mass Timber, SmartLam, Sterling Structural, and Vaagen Timbers.

Environmental Benefits of Salvaged Wood

Utilizing salvaged wood offers significant environmental advantages. Reducing transportation distances by even 990 miles per 10 miles yields substantial carbon savings.

Furthermore, preserving existing trees within forests contributes directly to carbon sequestration.

A Fragmented Industry Ripe for Disruption

While a few large companies dominate the timber market, the remainder is highly fragmented. Christensen notes that it typically involves eight to ten businesses to deliver material to a final customer.

Each transaction within this complex network presents an opportunity for optimization.

Cambium’s Software and Network

Currently, Cambium collaborates with approximately 350 entities, including tree care services, trucking companies, and sawmills.

Many of these businesses haven’t yet adopted digital operations, and lack a compelling incentive to do so.

Focusing on Business Value, Not Just Technology

Cambium prioritizes demonstrating business benefits over simply selling software. Approaching potential clients with concrete purchasing offers proves far more effective than pitching technological solutions.

For example, offering to purchase a substantial volume of wood on a recurring basis immediately captures their attention.

Data-Driven Insights and AI Development

By gaining visibility into transactions across the timber value chain, Cambium is accumulating valuable data.

This data is being used to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to assist traditionally analog businesses with digitization.

Securing Funding for Growth and Innovation

Cambium recently secured $18.5 million in funding led by VoLo Earth Ventures.

Additional investors include 81 Collection, Alumni Ventures, Dangerous Ventures, Groundswell, MaC Venture Capital, NEA, Rise of the Rest, Soma Capital, Tunitas Ventures, Ulu Ventures, Understorey, and Woven Earth.

The Future of Cambium: Seamless Integration

Cambium’s future strategy involves attracting companies with customer access, then simplifying their bookkeeping processes without drastically altering their existing workflows.

The AI under development aims to extract information from phone calls and automatically populate databases.

Prioritizing User Experience and Accessibility

Christensen emphasizes the importance of meeting users where they are. Truck drivers, for instance, require text messages or voice calls rather than laptop access.

This focus on simplicity and accessibility is central to Cambium’s approach.