Our Story

 
Steve Wills Trucking & Logging L.L.C. was founded in 1983 by Steve Will, with the help of his grandfather Conrad Will Sr. and his father Connie Will Jr. He started out with a loan from his grandfather that allowed him to purchase a 1964 Kenworth log truck. As time went on, having the help of family and a few key employees made the business possible.

For decades, the logging industry was one of the main industries in northern California, specifically in Humboldt County. For Steve, the cycle of the entire logging process is what he finds most rewarding. “It’s very interesting to see how a tree is cut down, then brought to the landing by a yarder, put on a truck, then taken to the sawmill and cut into boards that make housing. When that’s all done the cycle goes back to planting trees and watching the forest grow over time.”

The logging industry has changed in the last 30 years in Humboldt County. Government restrictions have significantly shortened the logging season in California since Steve first opened Steve Wills Trucking & Logging L.L.C. Most of the local sawmills have gone out of business, and it has become difficult for people to find jobs in the industry. “Changes in the industry have forced us into diversifying the company, not just being a logging and a log trucking company.” Will says. Steve says he would have enjoyed being a logger and log trucker for the rest of his life. 

With the help of his wife Chris, the company has grown in many ways. “In business, my wife and I have always thought that we needed to be ahead of the curve. We saw things changing in the industry and we knew we had to change one way or another,” Will says. A few years ago Steve and Chris made the decision to expand the business into hauling milk for Humboldt Creamery. 

Recently, the company has increased to include a new shop in Orland, California. Milk is hauled from local dairies to the Land O' Lakes processing plant nearby. This new adventure is the latest news for Steve Wills Trucking & Logging L.L.C. Steve has also been able to continue the family tradition by working with his children, and it will be exciting to see where this takes the company in the future.