Rocky Mountain Forest grows into new ventures

LARAMIE — Ponderosa-pine wood moldings and pellets for wood stoves may not sound like a sturdy foundation for a growing business, but those are the products at the core of the success of Rocky Mountain Forest Products Inc., a $16 million company rooted in the tough high-plains soil of Laramie.

Founded in 1975 by C.L. Burton, the company started out making fence pickets and cut wood stock used to fashion wooden toy blocks and components for companies such as Playskool. In 1995, Burton bought a business in Clifton, Texas, which he still operates from his Centennial, Wyo., ranch. Burton’s partner, Charles…