Mead Lumber: Thomae Lumber’s New Name
Recently, the name of a building material supplier and member of the Laurel and Billings, MT business community since 1982, officially changed from Thomae Lumber to Mead Lumber.
Thomae Lumber was founded by Paul Thomae Sr. and in 2007, Mead Lumber, a chief supplier of building materials with 53 locations in nine states, acquired the company. Nearly a decade after, in 2023, Mead Lumber experienced a rebranding with hopes that their efforts to increase consistency to all the units under the company would be realized.
The renaming of Thomae Lumber upholds their desire for business consistency and brand unification. Mead Lumber offers Spruce-Pine-Fir, Hem Fir, Cedar, Oak and Birch, according to their website.
President and CEO of Mead Lumber Dave Anderson is excited about this change and is confident that it will improve alignment within the units of Mead Lumber, in addition to assisting their continuation of providing top-tier customer service.
The company reassures its customers that their rebranding initiative will not shake their core values and standards for high-quality service. They intend to continue servicing the area with the same team.
To learn more, see www.meadlumber.com for details.
Fort Collins Entrepreneur Purchases Sears Trostel Lumber & Millwork
The sale of Sears Trostel Lumber & Millwork, a company that has been in Fort Collins, CO since 1929, to Fort Collins entrepreneur David Seidel was finalized on July 1, 2024. Sears Trostel Lumber & Millwork offers softwood and hardwood lumber, in addition to interior design products such as custom wood manufacturing.
The previous owners of Sears Trostel Lumber & Millwork, Steve Schwartz and Curt Viehmeyer, purchased the business from Bob Sears in 1981 and increased the company’s success.
For a seamless transition of ownership, Schwartz and Viehmeyer will remain working for the company in their current roles for the next year. Both previous owners and Seidel are excited about the sale.
For more information, visit www.sears-trostel.com.
Kodiak Building Partners Acquires Thomas Building Center
Prime building materials distribution company, Kodiak Building Partners, revealed the acquisition of Thomas Building Center, further proving the desires of both institutions to expand as leaders in the local, Pacific Northwestern market.
Kodiak Building Partners was founded in 2011 as an acquisition firm focused on supporting local businesses and building materials companies to succeed in their communities. To service consumers, remodelers, homebuilders and sub and general contractors, the company employs thousands of people across the country. The company offers multiple species of softwood lumber.
Kodiak’s CEO, Steve Swinney, has praised those at Thomas Building Center for their effort toward keeping ties within the community and the company’s impressive legacy, which line up with Kodiak’s values and will benefit both parties. President of Thomas Building Center, Tony Steinman has expressed that the acquisition will allow them to grow their product lines, greater establish relationships with their vendors and provide valuable and efficient customer service. Kodiak will, according to Swinney, be able to exhibit their regional expertise.
Thomas Building Center was founded in 1972 and serves local builders and DIY customers in Port Angeles, WA, Sequim, WA and surrounding areas. Founded by Rand and Vern Thomas as a lumberyard and hardware store, Thomas Building Center has grown over the past 52 years to become a leading supplier of building materials.
To learn more, visit www.thomasbuildingcenter.com.
Finalization of New Mount Pleasant, IA Facility is Recognized by Mid-Am Building Supply
Mid-Am Building Supply’s 19-acre property showcases a sweeping new facility, outdoor storage space, accessible loading/unloading areas, a drive-thru to improve order completion and delivery, in addition to a custom door shop capable of producing 500 doors daily and a modern, 5,000 square foot office space.
Since 1984, Mid-Am Building Supply, a subsidiary of ADENTRA, has been operating in Southeast Iowa as a specialty millwork and leading wholesale building product distributor. The company has warehouses in four states that serve a 10-state region throughout the Midwest.
Their operations supply easy access to their inventory of a variety of lumber products including but not limited to, siding, roofing, railing, windows, fasteners, cabinets, millwork, locks, interior and exterior doors, insulation and decking.
Go to www.midambuilding.com for more.
US LBM Acquires Automated Products, Inc.
Wisconsin based, premier manufacturer and supplier of structural building components, Automated Products, Inc. (API), was acquired by specialty building products, distribution giant US LBM.
API has been serving Wisconsin and the metropolitan area of Minneapolis-St. Paul from its facility in Marshfield, WI since 1964. It was founded as a roof, trusses, wall and floor panels manufacturer for residential and commercial uses.
US LBM President and CEO L.T. Gibson celebrates the interests in technology and innovation that those at both companies share, which he believes will further increase US LMB’s ability to support customers in the Midwestern United States. Sean Kelly, owner and president of API, and company leadership will continue heading the company’s daily operations.
Visit www.apiebs.com for more details.
Western Truss & Components and CRi SoCal Acquired by Builders FirstSource
The acquisition of Western Truss & Components in Flagstaff, AZ and the Orange County, CA based company CRi SoCal were not the first scores for Builders FirstSource (BFS) a Dallas, TX based LBM institution. In the first quarter, BFS acquired Hanson Truss Components Inc. based in Olivehurst, CA and Quality Door & Millwork located in Idaho Falls, ID and the whole company’s reported first quarter, value-added earnings were at 52 percent, which can be credited to their growth style, mergers and acquisitions.
Western Truss & Components was created in 1986 as a revered floor and roof truss supplier for custom home builders in all Northern Arizona. They have high hopes that their new location and local leadership will continue to support the company as the market leader in Flagstaff, AZ in addition to heightening their growth in other Arizona marketplaces such as Show Low, Sedona and Prescott Valley.
High quality installer of windows and doors, CRi SoCal was founded in the same year as Western Truss & Components as a single location dealer. The acquisition of the Orange County, CA company, in addition to the newly opened door and window showroom in Dana Point, CA, adds to the operations of Dixieline/BFS by supplying an increase in installation capabilities and chances to satisfy customers in Southern California.
Learn more at www.bldr.com.
Beacon Grows in the South
Athens, GA and Midlothian, TX, will have new facilities opened by Beacon, a forefront, publicly traded wholesale distributor focused on lumber, plywood, waterproofing, exterior products and roofing. Beacon boasts a total of 12 new locations, seven completed acquisitions and 28 branches as of July 2024.
Serving the residential and commercial markets, in addition to the University of Georgia, the new branch in Athens will give customers access to Beacon’s TRI-BUILT products and roof contractors may now enjoy access to the Beacon PRO+ app, which is intended to assist with increasing business efficiency, as noted by Regional Vice President for the Southeast, Lynn France.
The branch in Midlothian, TX will service customers in the residential and commercial markets like the Athens, GA branch. The 10 locations owned by Beacon in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including the Midlothian location, increase convenience for contractors who need to find materials for their projects. Peter Lippert, the regional vice president in Texas, commented that as for contractors needing on-site delivery, their Beacon OTC network connects Beacon’s inventory and fleet for on-time deliveries, emission reduction and fuel conservation.
Visit www.becn.com to learn more.
