Bankrupt Stock Exiting 12 States

Stock Building Supply is leaving at least 12 states, including Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, and closing all but one store in Florida, as the bankrupt chain spends its summer closing more than 100 locations from coast to coast.

On the chopping block are lumberyards, offices, component plants, installed sales hubs, and/or design centers in: the Northeast (East Haven, Newrown, Cr.; Lakeville, Milford, Northborough, Norwood, Sutton, Ma.; Exeter. N.H.: Oneonta, Richmondville, Roxbury, Sidney and Walton, N.Y.), South (Haines City, Hobe Sound, Homestead, Orlando, Plant City, Sebastian, Tampa, Winter Haven, Fl.; Carrboro, Fayetteville, Fletcher, Gastonia, Kernersville, Raleigh, Wilmington, Wilson, Winterville, Wrightsville Beach, N.C.; Charleston, Columbia, Conway, Greer, Spartanburg and Summerville, S.C.; Dallas, Haslet, Mansfield and Melissa, Tx.; Charlottesville, Chesapeake and

Powhatan, Va.),

. Midwest (Carol Stream, Chicago, Elgin, Rockford, Schaumburg, Il.; Franklin, Indianapolis, Sellersburg, In.; Macomb, Walled Lake, Mi.; Eagan and Rochester, Mn.; Appleton, Delavan, Green Bay, La Crosse, Marinette. Plover. Sussex and Windsor, Wi.), and West (Bishop, Grand Terrace, Ca.; Alamosa, Denver, Co.; Idaho Falls, Preston, Rexburg, Id.; Kalispell, Mt.; Las Vegas, Nv.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Brigham City, Logan, Roy, St. George, Ut.; Evanston, Wy.).

Closures began in early May and will continue until at least the end of August. Shuttered properties owned by the chain-as well as several not planned to be closed-have been placed up for sale.

Parent company Wolseley PLC's sale of a controlling interest in Stock to private equity firm Gores Group, Los Angeles, Ca., was contingent upon Stock filing for Chapter 1l bankruptcy protection so it could break hundreds of lease agreements. Even in its pared-down state, Stock told the bankruptcy court it did not expect to return to profitability until 20 1 3

After the first batch of closures, Stock-which once boasted 360 branches-was down to fewer than 200 locations-a total destined to further plummet as the summer proceeds.

Bell Lumber Buys Alamco

Bell Lumber & Pole, New Brighton, Mn., has acquired glulam producer Alamco Wood Products, Albert Lea, Mn.

Alamco president John Forman, who was brought in as an investor in Bell, will stay on to manage the facility. Its name has changed to Alamco Wood Products LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bell. New owner Tom Bel1 hopes to double the facility's capacity within l8 months.

Bell produces utility poles, log home components, construction mats, fence posts, and bam poles at facilities in New Brighton, Barron, Wi.; Shingleton, Mi.; Conway, Wa.; Oldtown, Id., and Vernon, B.C.

Bell also has been treating Alamco products for 15 years, so the two companies' leaders knew each other well. Alamco had been owned by 10 investors, a number of whom were ready to retire.

Boise Expands EWP In Northeast

Boise Building Materials Distribution has acquired the truss manufacturing and engineered wood distribution assets of Wood Structures Inc.. Biddeford. Me.

Boise has also hired former management and technical sales team members, who-following WSI's bankruptcy filing and closure in March-had joined forces as Total Structural Solutions and began investigating the purchase of the facilities.

The team will now operate as Boise Structural Solutions, headed by former WSI president Frank Paul. They will work with the Boise Distribution sales team to provide dealers in New England and surrounding areas with engineered wood and trusses from the former WSI facilities in Biddeford and Saco, Me., as well as Boise's distribution yards in Portsmouth, N.H., and Westfield, Ma.

The deal provides Boise with its only truss plant, although the primary objective was securing an even higher profile in engineered wood in the Northeast, according to Boise Distribution president Stan Bell.

Hixson Buys Culpeper Treating Plant

Culpeper Wood Preservers, Culpeper, Va., has sold its Streator, Il., wood treating plant to Hixson Lumber Sales, Pine Bluff, Ar.

Culpeper received $800,000, the same price it paid Rocky Top Wood Preservers for the facility two years ago.

Hixson, which now operates nine facilities, intends to increase storage capacity in Streator.

Culpeper continues to operate five treating plants.

New Hampshire Yard Reborn

Wentworth Lumber, Exeter, N.H., which closed last August after 50 years, has reopened as Exeter Lumber.

The business is now owned and operated by Sean and Josh Murphy, and their father, James. The latter's former partner, Rick Gregoire, will serve as general manager.

The facility has been completely renovated, inside and out, including adding new floors, windows, lighting and a drive-thru garage.

RoyOMartin Ready To lmprove Mill

Martin Cos. LLC, Alexandria, La., owner of the RoyOMartin brand, will expand its Rocky Creek Lumber sawmill in Mexia (Monroeville), Al.

"We are positioning ourselves to respond to increased product demand when the lumber market recovers," said president Roy O. Martin III. He added that Rocky Creek "will likely add a fourth shift, giving us the opportunity to run around the clock."

The expansion will include processing equipment needed to convert bark and sawdust into fuel necessary for two new dry kilns. Existing kilns fueled by natural gas will be retrofitted to also burn bark and sawdust.

No date has been set for construction to begin, but engineering work and equipment specifications are being finalized. The state and the city are expected to grant tax incentives for the expansion.

Creditors Okay Smitty's Plan

Creditors have approved a reorganization plan allowing Smitty's Building Supply, Alexandria, Va., to emerge from Chapter l1 bankruptcy.

The plan creates a distribution trust that provides potential payouts for secured and unsecured creditors. Bank of America agreed to provide Smitty's with a revolving line of credit totaling $5 million and a term loan of $9.5 million.

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Kyle Williams, ex-Bison Building Materials, has joined Snavely Forest Products as general mgr. of its Houston. Tx.. division.

John Bavester, ex-Wickes/Bradco, has joined Progressive Affiliated Lumbermen (PAL), Grand Rapids, Mi., as forest products mgr., replacing Joe O'NeiIl, who has retired.

Brent Olson has joined the sales force at Mathew Hall Lumber Co., St. Cloud. Mn.

Don Toulouse, ex-Bois Aise de Montreal, has joined the sales staff at Gillies & Prittie,Waterville. Me. Paul Hirsbrunner is new to sales at Empire Wholesale Lumber Co., Clarksville, In.

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