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The Paynesville business specializes in custom millwork and louvered doors, but has added new equipment and a new line of custom three-dimensional relief carvings.

Using a laser scanner, WoodMax can scan almost any image or object and create relief carvings of it on a variety of products including doors, fireplace mantels, headboards, and wall plaques.

Bart Devries (left) and Tim Worms (right)

DeVries and Worms worked together for over eight years at a Sauk Rapids business - Worms in manufacturing and DeVries in sales - before they combined their skills and bought Paynesville Wood Products from John Hartert in mid-February. The pair added a CNC router and the wood carvings because they saw a demand for them and had learned about them at their former job.

WoodMax's creations begin with rough lumber that is worked to their customer's specifications. DeVries explained that each of their products, whether a high-end louvered door or a carved headboard, is hand crafted individually, not mass produced. In fact, the company has a carver who hand details relief carvings and who also hand carves models that can be reproduced in their customer's projects.

Currently, WoodMax employs three people, and DeVries hopes the company will expand to employ more.

For now, Hartert who ran the business for 13 years, will continue to work full time for WoodMax, but he hopes to cut back soon and work in his own shop. He hopes to spend his retirement building cabinets.

DeVries commutes to work from Sauk Rapids and is engaged to be married in September, when he will also assume the role of step-dad to an eight-year-old boy. Worms, who lives near Avon, is married and has a daughter.