coMpany FocuS

RETAILER CUSTOMERS returned to in-person showgoing in droves for Orgill’s recent spring buying market/175th anniversary celebration in Orlando, Fl.

Orgill: focusing on making its customers successful for 175 years

This year, Orgill, Inc.—the world’s largest independent hardlines distributor—is celebrating its 175th anniversary, a milestone few companies reach and one typically associated with a smaller business that peaked decades earlier.

Orgill, however, is growing faster than ever. Its sales have doubled over the past 10 years to $3.6 billion annually, and are 15 times what they were in 1990.

Headquartered in Collierville, Tn., Orgill serves more than 12,000 retail hardware stores, home centers, pro lumber dealers, and farm stores in the U.S., Canada and over 50 countries around the world.

What’s Orgill’s key to not just surviving but thriving after 175 years? Its unveering focus on the retailers it serves. “The company has continuously adapted over the years to serve our mission ‘to help our customers be successful,’” shared Boyden Moore, president and CEO. “The simplicity of our mission, complemented by our core values of Customer Centered, Integrity, Teamwork, and Excellence, provide a clear framework for how the business has been managed throughout our history. It has been the key to our growth and success navigating through wars, pandemics, depressions, recessions, technological and competitive changes.”

Retailers have immediate access to more than 75,000 SKUs in each of its eight distribution centers. Drop Ship programs are available from the industry’s leading manufacturers. Its distribution facilities are among the newest and most efficient in the industry, with order accuracy rates of 99.6% and industry-leading fill rates.

Randy Williams, executive VP of distribution, said, “In

our distribution centers, we know we represent the ‘last mile’ as we work to get our products into our dealers’ stores. With that always in focus, we always keep our customers in the forefront as we continue to improve.”

The distributor operates one of the industry’s largest truck fleets. Roughly 98% of customers receive their shipment on a scheduled Orgill truck within 48 hours of placing an order.

The company also boasts one of the largest field sales teams in the industry with more than 350 reps strategically located throughout North America. They work side by side with customers to help identify and address opportunities in the dealer’s local market.

The field staff is supported by a highly skilled team of customer service specialists located in each distribution center, as well as the Collierville home office, who all share the same commitment to the customer’s prosperity.

“Regardless of what role you have within the company, the mission is clear and everyone understands that when our customers succeed, Orgill succeeds,” noted David Mobley, executive VP of sales. “We’ve always worked hard to get to know the customers we serve and to do all we can to understand their business and the challenges they face. Simply put, our customers drive Orgill’s success.”

Orgill does not charge dealers a membership fee to be a customer. Its focus is strengthening the dealers’ local brand. Services include market analysis, store design and layout, assortment planning and review, pricing strategies, integrated marketing services, promotional buying, educational seminars— both monthly and at our dealer markets—and shared best practices from their most successful case studies.

And the innovations continue. “Orgill is celebrating its 175th anniversary because of our ability to adapt quickly to any business climate,” concluded Eric Divelbiss, executive VP and CFO. “Our conservative approach to financial and risk management has allowed us to thrive through the ups and downs in the economy, and our simple mission statement keeps our focus in the right place—year in and year out. These business attitudes ensure that our best days are yet to come.”

CURRENT STATE-of-the-art warehousing and shipping operations, on display at Orgill’s (top) Rome, N.Y., distribution center have come a long way since its early warehouses (middle) a century ago and (bottom) in the 1940s.

MI Rebrands as Part of MITER

MI Windows & Doors has revealed a new parent brand for its business: MITER Brands.

The nationwide company will retain two fast-growing regional product brands—MI Windows & Doors in the East and Milgard Windows and Doors in the West. Sunrise Windows & Doors products will be available under the MI Windows and Doors’ brand in the East.

“Through strong organic growth and the recent acquisitions of Milgard and Sunrise, our team has built a strong family of leading window and door brands,” said CEO Matt DeSoto. “The name MITER Brands reflects our culture, values, and growth strategy and encapsulates our people-first approach centered around our team’s priority to drive value for our customers.”

US LBM Adds SE Truss Plant

US LBM has opened a new floor and roof truss manufacturing facility in Lithonia, Ga., as part of its Brand Vaughan division to supply residential and commercial builders in the greater Atlanta metropolitan area.

The new 25,000-sq. ft. truss facility operates one roof truss line and one floor truss line, provides in-house design, and uses computerized saws and technology for accurate truss set up and profiles. In addition to the new truss facility, Brand Vaughan operates seven locations across northern Georgia, providing professional builders with a wide range of materials, including lumber, engineered wood products, windows, exterior and interior doors and trim, rebar, roofing and siding.

New Owner for Minnesota Mill

Timberlyne Group/Sand Creek Post & Beam, Wayne, Ne., has acquired Cass Forest Products, Cass Lake, Mn., and its subsidiary, Aitkin Hardwoods, Aitkin, Mn.

Timberlyne Group is no stranger to sawmill operations, purchasing Dickinson Timber, Kelliher, Mn., in 2017. With the addition of Cass, newly renamed Timberlyne Wood Products, Timberlyne Group can better serve their customers by ensuring both the quality and reliable supply of the timbers used in their structures.

“With the scarcity of wood and volatility of the current lumber market we felt securing our own sources of timber just made sense on so many levels. The added bonus of being able to offer custom hardwood flooring, paneling and millwork created by Aitkin Hardwoods to our customers is just icing on the cake,” said co-founder and board member Jule Goeller.

Cass Forest Products began in 1989 and has served the home building industry for 33 years, earning a reputation for kiln-dried quality wood and high safety standards. Founded in 1998, Aitkin Hardwood will continue to operate its showroom and mill shop.

Co-founder and chairman Len Dickinson noted, “Cass Forest Products has been one of our main sources of high-quality timbers for many years, so making it part of the Timberlyne Group family seems like the perfect fit.”

PrimeSource Acquires Fastener Manufacturer Axxis

PrimeSource Brands, Irving, Tx., has acquired Axxis, LLC, Schaumburg, Il., a provider of Complete and KlinchPak brand collated fasteners and tools.

Carl Schneider, CEO of Axxis, will remain involved as part of the PrimeSource team focused on accelerating Axxis’ growth.

IWPA Returns to In-Person World of Wood Convention

The International Wood Products Association recently concluded its 66th World of Wood Convention in Orlando, Fl.

The successful event was attended by 230 professionals, including 52 overseas visitors from 16 countries. It marked a return to being held live and in person for the key industry gathering, which was held virtually in 2021 and 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the event, JoAnn Gillebaard Keller, president and CEO of Holland Southwest International, was elected new IWPA president, succeeding Mike Schultz, Floor & Decor.

Gillebaard Keller said, “Over the next year, I look forward to working with the IWPA staff on growing our membership, building out our compliance training programs, and continuing our all-important government and public affairs work.”

New VP is Jordan McIlvain, Alan McIlvain Co., and treasurer is Colin Miller, Clarke Veneers & Plywood. Re-elected to three-year terms on the board of directors are Elizabeth Baldwin, Metropolitan Hardwood Floors; Chris Connelly, Wood Brokerage International; Dan Lennon, Robinson Lumber Co.; John Herzig, Robert Weed Corp.; and Caroline McIlvain, J. Gibson McIlvain Co. New to the board is Bryan Courtney, Genesis Products, Inc. R.P. Lumber Co. has opened a

new store in Mt. Vernon, Mo.—its 83rd location and 17th in Missouri.

New South Construction

Supply, Greenville, S.C., has signed a letter of intent to acquire American Contractors Supply, Atlanta, Ga.

Once the deal closes, ACS will operate under the New South name under Jason Reuter as division president of tilt-up, and Ron Barteski as division VP-operations of tilt-up.

L&W Supply has acquired the assets of DWS Building Supply,

with locations in El Paso, Tx., and Las Cruces, N.M.

Arnold & Palmer True Value,

Northville, N.Y., has been acquired by Dominick Cox and Christian Klueg from Lee Robinson and Shawn Darling.

Curt’s Ace Hardware will

open a new branch this summer in Elizabethton, Tn.

Belle Hardware, Baltimore, Md., is closing this month after nearly 45 years.

Aubuchon Co. will grow to 108 locations in eight states with its purchase of Cornell’s Hardware,

Eastchester, N.Y., from third-generation owners John Fix III, Mary Beth (Fix) Wellington, and Thomas Fix.

The store will keep the Cornell name, and the Fix family will continue to be involved in various roles as employees.

Hamshaw Lumber’s seven

New England locations are now selling Insultex House Wrap from

Innovative Designs Inc.

Waltham Lumber, Waltham, Ma.; Wehrung’s Specialties and

Wehrungs Lumber & Home

Center, Ottsville, Pa.; Shrewsbury Lumber, Shrewsbury, Ma.; Dries Lumber, Macungie, Pa.; Solanco Building Supply, Quarryville, Pa.; and Krumenacker’s Builders

Supply, Nicktown, Pa., now carry MOSO X-treme bamboo decking and siding, distributed by Thielsen Lumber, Essex Junction, Vt.

Chase Lumber, Sun Prairie, Wi., is celebrating its 125th anniversary.

WATERS HARDWARE’S leadership team, including brothers Bo Geren, Wes Gerken and Rusty Gerken, alongside their brother-in-law Mike Valent, is aggressively growth-minded and carefully vets every opportunity based on location, market potential, and price.

Waters Acquires 7-Unit Nuts & Bolts

As part of an aggressive growth strategy, Waters Hardware recently closed on the purchase of the seven-store Nuts & Bolts hardware store chain serving Missouri and Kansas.

The original seven-location Waters Hardware is itself an acquisition by the Gerken family, who founded Gerken RentAll in 2002 and began their expansion into hardware and home improvement when they first purchased Paola Hardware in 2016. The addition of Nuts & Bolts brings their total number of home improvement stores to 20—11 of which house Gerken Rent-All service centers, as well as 13 standalone Gerken Rent-All locations and three lumberyards.

“Hardware is a natural extension of our original rental business,” said owner Rusty Gerken. “These Nuts & Bolts locations are serving regions we’ve been looking to grow into because they complement our current offerings so well. Bringing them into our family of home improvement businesses just made sense, and we’ve already started introducing enhancements we know customers will appreciate.”

All seven Nuts & Bolts locations will remain open as they go through a complete remodel. Each will be rebranded with the Waters name and undergo a complete store reset, including refreshed interiors, layout updates, and product additions. Gerken Rent-All heavy duty equipment rental will be added to select locations.

Guy C. Lee Adds EW Godwin’s Sons

Guy C. Lee Building Materials, Smithfield, N.C., has purchased century-old E.W. Godwin’s Sons Lumber Co., Wilmington, N.C., to become its eighth location.

Zack Godwin, who had served as president, will stay on during the transition before retiring this summer. Lewis Connor will serve as general manager of the new location, which will retain the Godwin name “for the foreseeable future.”

E.W. Godwin formed its sawmill business in 1906 and opened its current location in 1909.

Nation’s Best Buys Florida’s Sparr

Nation’s Best, Dallas, Tx., has added Sparr Building & Farm Supply in central Florida to its family of businesses.

“With two other Nation’s Best-owned stores already in Florida, the expanded presence that comes from Sparr Building & Farm Supply gives us a very strong foothold in the state,” said Chris Miller, president and CEO of Nation’s Best. “Their well-earned reputation as a one-stop shop for farm supplies, hardware, and lumber is something we can learn from and build on in our other locations. And their best-inclass operational excellence and inventory management processes will strengthen our entire organization.”

As Sparr’s owners Paul and Sam Howard were planning to retire, the brothers sought out a partner who would value and continue to hone the best practices that drove them to become the largest farm and horse fencing supplier in the state. “The Nation’s Best team has shown us they see the importance of honoring the Sparr brand and our commitment to the communities we serve,” they said.

Sam’s son Chris will stay on to oversee the Sparr division within Nation’s Best, and Chris’ wife Kandis will continue to contribute to various functions, including operations, human resources, and recruiting.

Sparr, with four locations northwest of Orlando, joins Hall’s Hardware & Lumber and Panhandle Lumber & Supply, both located in the Florida Panhandle, as Nation’s Best extends its presence in the southeastern U.S.

Sparr will maintain operations under its existing name with its key leadership team overseeing operations alongside Nation’s Best, which will provide the strategic and financial support necessary to drive optimal growth and profitability.

SUPPLIER Briefs

Labrador Lumber Co., Owego, N.Y., was destroyed by an early morning fire April 26.

Beacon has acquired Wichita Falls Builders

Wholesale, Wichita Falls, Tx.

ABC Supply Co. added a branch in Tiffin, Ia., managed by Shane Heim.

Woodgrain, Fruitland, Id., has completed the purchase of Huttig Building Products, St. Louis, Mo., increasing its distribution center network to 32 locations.

Fiberon has broken ground on 130 acres in Columbia, Tn., to build a 500,000-sq. ft. decking/cladding plant. Production should begin in late 2024.

Milwaukee Tool has opened an Engineering Design & Innovation space in Chicago, Il., to accommodate its continued investments into new technology.

Arauco will invest $20 million to expand its TFL operations at its particleboard mill in Grayling, Mi., by late 2023.

IKO has started up a new $70-million, 460,000-sq. ft. roofing products manufacturing and distribution facility in Hagerstown, Md.—its sixth U.S. based manufacturing operation.

WernerCo opened a new corporate service center in West Middlesex, Pa.

Dealers Warehouse is now distributing Envision

Outdoor Living Products’ Fairway Railing Collection from its three Tennessee locations.

Dealers Warehouse is a longtime distributor of Envision’s composite decking lines and hidden fasteners.

Digger Specialties Inc. has launched a product photo contest that will run until July 31 and is open to lumberyards, distributors, pros and homeowners. Gift cards will be awarded for the best photos in six DSI product categories: Westbury aluminum raiiling, columns, gates, fencing, accessories, and custom products. All entries will receive a DSI grill set.

Fresh ideas for home improvement.

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