Covers five CLY sites, working capital, equipment fleet, launch costs, compliance, and reserve.
Private investor planCLY cost caseNo wood processing
Guyana Consolidated Lumber Yards
Five-yard export aggregation network for legal Guyana hardwood throughput.
A standalone business plan for raising capital to build and operate five CLYs that buy legal logs, store and document them, aggregate export-ready hardwood inventory, and sell reliable volume to direct export buyers. The yard is not a sawmill or processor.
Fencing, concrete, land prep, security controls, office/checkpoint, and setup buffer.
4-6 workers, local security, light maintenance, office, insurance, and reserve.
Organized, export-ready annual hardwood log throughput at stabilization.
Base export revenue plus stall rent and equipment lease revenue.
Network EBITDA before financing, taxes, depreciation, and investor overhead.
1
SBA section
Executive Summary
A $13.5M capital raise funds a five-site CLY network designed to convert fragmented legal hardwood supply into predictable, documented export inventory.
Covers five CLY sites, working capital, equipment fleet, launch costs, compliance, and reserve.
1,000 m3/month per stabilized CLY across five locations.
Mature network forecast after site overhead and buyer-mix optimization.
Documentation, chain-of-custody packets, and legal source discipline.
Five-year revenue and EBITDA forecast
Directional plan view; all figures in USD millions.
Investment Case Snapshot
| Supply | 75 enrolled producer stalls | Creates organized intake and producer retention. |
| Price | $620/m3 blended export value | Top-line anchor for model, not a guaranteed commodity quote. |
| Cost basis | $341/m3 producer purchase price | 45% discount to export value creates room for logistics and margin. |
| Contribution | $139/m3 gross contribution | 22.4% contribution margin before fixed yard costs. |
| Capex discipline | $650K/site target | Site budget is fencing, concrete, prep, controls, and setup, not wood processing. |
2
SBA section
Company Description
The company operates centralized lumber yards that turn many small producer relationships into one professional export platform.
Operating model
Government-enabled footprint
Land and utilities are assumed to be provided by government partners; the raise funds only the internal yard readiness and controls.
Producer aggregation
Each CLY has 15 modeled stalls, allowing 10-15 producers per site to bring legal logs into a secure, documented yard environment.
No wood processing
The yard buys, stores, sorts, documents, aggregates, and ships logs. It does not process wood into lumber.
Equipment fleet separated
The Japan equipment lease-to-own fleet is modeled as a separate $1.25M network asset, not repeated inside each yard build.
Base Assumptions
| Locations | 5 CLYs | Network size and fixed-cost base. |
| Producer stalls | 15 per CLY | Stall rent and producer coverage. |
| Throughput | 1,000 m3/month/location | 60,000 m3/year stabilized network volume. |
| Site capex | $650K/location | Fencing, concrete, land prep, basic office/checkpoint, security controls, and contingency. |
| Fixed yard opex | $15K/month/location | 4-6 workers, local security, light maintenance, office, insurance, and reserve. |
| Government support | Land and utilities covered | No land acquisition or utility burden in the base model. |
| Excluded | Processing-style cost burden | No sawmill, kiln, planer, treatment plant, land acquisition, or utility burden is included. |
3
SBA section
Market Analysis
The plan targets underutilized legal forestry capacity, with CLYs solving aggregation and export bottlenecks for small hardwood producers.
Underutilized legal allowance
The model uses the user-provided assumption that the sector operates at roughly 30% of legal allowance. The CLY network organizes legally allowed capacity already available to the sector.
Fragmented producer base
Small producers often lack secure storage, export buyer access, standardized documentation support, and enough consolidated volume to command stronger pricing.
Buyer demand for reliability
Export buyers can pay more consistently when yards provide legal source discipline, predictable shipment lots, species sorting, and accountable loading coordination.
Export capacity sensitivity
Impact if the network reaches 70%, 85%, or 100% of modeled stabilized throughput.
Species Portfolio and Margin Matrix
Greenheart
Chlorocardium rodiei
$139/m3 contribution
Role: Durability-led export mix for marine, structural, and heavy-use buyers.
Market signal: Recognized Guyana hardwood in forestry references.
Model economics: $620/m3 sale, $341/m3 purchase, $139/m3 contribution.
Purpleheart
Peltogyne spp.
$139/m3 contribution
Role: Premium color and density story for buyer outreach and species sorting.
Market signal: Woodworkers Source lists Purple Heart 4/4 lumber at $14.99 per board foot.
Model economics: $620/m3 sale, $341/m3 purchase, $139/m3 contribution.
Mora
Mora excelsa
$139/m3 contribution
Role: Heavy construction and flooring demand where secure volume matters.
Market signal: Included as a commercially relevant Guyana timber species.
Model economics: $620/m3 sale, $341/m3 purchase, $139/m3 contribution.
Wallaba
Eperua spp.
$139/m3 contribution
Role: Utility, pole, construction, and regional infrastructure applications.
Market signal: Common Guyana timber class used for durable exterior applications.
Model economics: $620/m3 sale, $341/m3 purchase, $139/m3 contribution.
Jatoba proxy
Hymenaea courbaril
$139/m3 contribution
Role: Comparable Latin American hardwood price context for dense export species.
Market signal: Woodworkers Source lists a Jatoba 4/4 lumber pack at $129.
Model economics: $620/m3 sale, $341/m3 purchase, $139/m3 contribution.
4
SBA section
Organization and Management
The management company controls capital, compliance, buyer relationships, site operations, equipment leasing, and consolidated reporting.
Per-Yard Staffing Plan
| Yard manager | 1 | Producer intake, inventory accountability, buyer coordination, local reporting. |
| Scale/documentation clerk | 1 | Receipts, grading intake, chain-of-custody packets, shipment records. |
| Yard hands / equipment spotters | 2-3 | Handling coordination, storage discipline, loading support, equipment oversight. |
| Security / gate control | Local coverage | Gate control and overnight storage protection; staffed or contracted based on the final site. |
Central management
Holds investor capital, contracts with yards, manages buyer relationships, controls reporting, and enforces network standards.
Compliance oversight
Maintains source files, purchase receipts, export documentation workflow, and periodic audit readiness.
Labor plan
The base model assumes 4-6 operating workers per yard, with security staffed or contracted locally.
Security discipline
Controlled gate access protects producer inventory and gives buyers confidence in physical chain-of-custody controls.
5
SBA section
Service and Product Line
The CLY is not modeled as a sawmill or wood-processing company. It is a buying, secure storage, aggregation, documentation, logistics, and export sales platform.
Log purchasing
Buy legal hardwood logs from enrolled producers at transparent yard intake prices.
Secure storage stalls
Rent producer stalls and provide controlled access, inventory records, and overnight protection.
Aggregation
Combine many small lots into reliable export-ready shipment volumes.
Grading and documentation
Coordinate species sorting, lot files, purchase records, and shipment documentation.
Export logistics
Schedule loading, transport coordination, compliance handling, and buyer shipment packets.
Equipment lease-to-own
Deploy the Japan equipment fleet separately from yard capex to improve producer productivity.
6
SBA section
Marketing and Sales
Sales strategy is direct buyer development: give exporters and offshore buyers a dependable, documented hardwood inventory source with fewer small-supplier coordination problems.
Export revenue contribution
Year 4 and Year 5 growth is modeled as buyer mix and operational optimization, not higher harvest volume.
Sales Strategy
| Direct export buyers | Build buyer book around repeat lots, documentation quality, and shipment discipline. | Reduces brokerage leakage and improves price discovery. |
| Species portfolio | Separate high-interest hardwood species and maintain lot records. | Buyer mix can lift realized value without growing legal harvest assumptions. |
| Reliability | Operate predictable yard hours, loading schedules, and security controls. | Buyers value consolidated inventory more than fragmented spot supply. |
| Producer retention | Offer stalls, transparent purchase prices, and equipment lease access. | Stable producer base protects throughput and working-capital planning. |
7
SBA section
Funding Request
The $13.5M raise funds five non-processing yards, working capital, the Japan equipment fleet, launch setup, compliance, and reserve.
Use of funds
Use of proceeds by major deployment bucket, in USD millions.
Capital Ask Detail
| Yard capex | $3.25M | $650K per location for fencing, concrete, land prep, office/checkpoint, basic yard systems, and contingency. |
| Net working capital | $5.85M | $1.17M per location to finance producer purchases, inventory timing, and export receivables. |
| Japan equipment fleet | $1.25M | Initial lease-to-own equipment fleet; not duplicated inside yard capex. |
| Launch and compliance | $0.65M | Legal, insurance, sourcing, documentation process, and export-buyer setup. |
| Contingency reserve | $2.5M | Reserve for ramp timing, buyer payment cycles, site readiness, and working-capital volatility. |
| Raise target | $13.5M | Rounded plan request for the five-yard deployment. |
Yard capex by location
Target site build cost: $650K per CLY before working capital and fleet.
Per-Yard Capex Breakdown
| Concrete pads and loading aprons | $220K | Hardstand areas for log storage, loading lanes, and truck movement. No sawmill, kiln, planer, or processing line. |
| Site prep, grading, drainage, access | $150K | Land clearing, compaction, drainage, gravel/access works, and yard layout preparation. |
| Perimeter fencing, gates, lighting, cameras | $115K | Physical security for stored producer inventory and controlled truck access. |
| Office/checkpoint, basic IT, scale allowance | $75K | Small site office, intake/checkpoint, records hardware, basic communications, and weigh/measurement allowance. |
| Safety, fire, signage, yard markings | $30K | Low-cost operating controls needed for a non-processing storage and aggregation site. |
| Permits, project management, contingency | $60K | Local setup buffer for installation variance and final site readiness. |
| Target per yard | $650K | No processing equipment included. |
Rollout Schedule
| Months 0-3 | Company setup, government site confirmations, buyer outreach, producer enrollment. | |
| Months 4-9 | Build first 2 yards, launch purchasing desk, begin compliant aggregation and export documentation. | |
| Months 10-18 | Open remaining 3 yards, establish security coverage, equipment lease program, and standard grading flow. | |
| Year 3 | Operate at modeled 60,000 m3/year network capacity with stable buyer and producer cadence. | |
| Years 4-5 | Optimize buyer mix, species sorting, working-capital turns, and producer retention. | |
8
SBA section
Financial Projections
The forecast is directional and formula-driven. It uses the non-processing yard cost structure as the base operating case.
Per-m3 unit economics
Base case price waterfall from export sale value to gross contribution.
Monthly yard overhead
Target fixed operating cost: $15,000/mo per CLY.
Monthly Yard Overhead Breakdown
| Yard manager/local lead | $1,600/mo | Producer intake, yard accountability, daily reporting, and local issue resolution. |
| Documentation clerk | $900/mo | Receipts, lot files, chain-of-custody packets, and shipment records. |
| 2-3 yard hands/equipment spotters | $2,400/mo | Handling coordination, storage discipline, loading support, and equipment oversight. |
| Security and gate coverage | $3,200/mo | Local gate control and overnight protection; can be staffed or contracted. |
| Fuel and minor maintenance | $2,000/mo | Support for yard movement, light equipment upkeep, and small repairs outside per-m3 export logistics. |
| Insurance, permits, safety supplies | $1,000/mo | Site-level insurance, local compliance items, PPE, and safety consumables. |
| Office, communications, supplies | $600/mo | Connectivity, records, forms, office supplies, and basic admin. |
| Operating reserve and weather buffer | $3,300/mo | Repairs, rainy-season disruptions, security coverage gaps, and monthly variance. |
| Target per yard | $15,000/mo | Monthly operating cost for a non-processing yard with government utilities covered. |
Cost Basis Summary
$650K per yard capexFencing, concrete, land preparation, drainage/access work, security controls, a small office/checkpoint, basic IT, safety setup, and contingency.
$15K per month operating overhead4-6 workers, local security/gate control, fuel and minor maintenance, insurance, permits, office costs, and weather reserve.
Excluded from yard costNo sawmill, kiln, planer, treatment plant, land acquisition, or utility burden. Government land and utilities are assumed.
Five-Year Forecast and Formulas
| Year 1 | Build 2 yards; partial operations | 14,000 m3 | $8.9M | $0.7M | 14,000 m3 export volume x $620/m3 + early stall/equipment revenue; site opex during partial operations. |
| Year 2 | 5 yards active; ramping | 40,000 m3 | $25.1M | $4.2M | 40,000 m3 export volume x $620/m3 + partial ancillary revenue; all yards active at base-case opex. |
| Year 3 | Stabilized base case | 60,000 m3 | $37.9M | $7.4M | 60,000 m3 x $620/m3 + $225K stalls + $525K equipment leases, with $15K/month/location fixed opex. |
| Year 4 | Operational optimization | 60,000 m3 | $42.0M | $8.9M | Base volume held constant; buyer mix, grading, and inventory discipline lift realized revenue. |
| Year 5 | Mature network | 60,000 m3 | $46.2M | $10.1M | Mature buyer book and species sorting improve realized value without modeling harvest expansion. |
Stabilized EBITDA Bridge
| Export revenue | 60,000 m3/year x $620/m3 | $37.2M |
| Producer purchases | 60,000 m3/year x $341/m3 | -$20.5M |
| Variable logistics/compliance | 60,000 m3/year x $140/m3 | -$8.40M |
| Gross contribution | 60,000 m3/year x $139/m3 | $8.34M |
| Stall rent | 15 stalls x $250/month x 5 yards x 12 | $0.23M |
| Equipment lease revenue | Japan equipment lease-to-own fleet at stabilization | $0.53M |
| Yard fixed operating cost | $15,000/month/location x 5 x 12 | -$0.90M |
| Central compliance/export desk | Management, documentation control, buyer service, and audit support | -$0.75M |
| Network EBITDA | Before financing, taxes, depreciation, and investor-level overhead | $7.44M |
$1.17M/location for inventory purchases and export receivable timing.
$650K/location for five non-processing yard builds.
Annual volume to cover $900K yard fixed opex plus $750K central desk at $139/m3, before ancillary revenue.
Species matrix economics
The model uses one blended export price; species work is upside from sorting and buyer mix.
9
SBA section
Appendix
Sources, caveats, and diligence items for a private investor review.
Model Caveats
- Pricing is a defensible planning assumption, not a guaranteed commodity quote or buyer commitment.
- Export growth is presented as incremental formal export capacity from legal, underutilized forestry allowance.
- Wood processing is excluded. The company handles buying, secure storage, aggregation, documentation coordination, logistics, and export sales.
- Government land/utilities are assumed. If that assumption changes, capex and fixed opex must be revised before financing.
- The $7.4M stabilized EBITDA line uses the $15K/month/site opex case and a $750K central compliance/export desk.
Primary Sources
U.S. Small Business Administration business plan guideTraditional plan structure and funding/projection guidance.Archived Guyana Forestry Commission 21 Species BookletGuyana hardwood species reference used for appendix context.Woodworkers Source Purple Heart lumberRetail hardwood proxy, not a log-export price guarantee.Woodworkers Source Jatoba lumberRetail hardwood proxy, not a log-export price guarantee.The Wood Database: PurpleheartSpecies context and market-position reference.The Wood Database: JatobaComparable dense Latin American hardwood context.
Diligence Checklist
Confirm site commitments, access, utilities, drainage, and security requirements.
Validate legal source documentation flow with Guyana forestry/export authorities.
Quote fencing, concrete, drainage, and security systems locally before locking site capex.
Secure buyer indications for species mix, grade requirements, payment terms, and shipment cadence.
Stress-test working capital against receivable days, rainy-season logistics, and volume ramp timing.
Confirm labor plan, guard coverage, insurance, export compliance, and yard operating permits.