Branching out – Rocky Mountain Log Homes of Hamilton, Montana courts investors for aggressive growth

The teeth on the log profiler at the Rocky Mountain Log Homes http://rmlh.com manufacturing plant south of Hamilton are shiny and well-oiled.

The building that houses it, constructed of a metal tentlike frame and a high-tech plastic fabric, smells pleasantly of dry pine.

The temperature outside in the windy, snowpacked yard is in the teens. Heated by radiant hot water pipes in the floor, the interior is still uncomfortably cold.

The structures are lightweight by design, said founder and co-owner Jim Schueler. Even on an overcast day, diffuse natural light permeates the manufacturing rooms. And because the buildings don’t hold heat like more conventional structures, the risk of damage to the custom $1 million, German-made profiler in the event of a fire is much less.

By ROBERT STRUCKMAN of the Missoulian

Full Story: http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2005/12/19/business/biz02.txt