Ware-Butler deals expand its lumber, building supply footprint into 3 Maine towns
Courtesy / Ware-Butler
Ware-Butler Inc., whose Livermore Falls store is shown here, has acquired Crescent Lumber.
Ware-Butler Inc., a lumber and building supply retailer with operations in five Maine locations, is adding three more.
The Waterville-based company this month acquired Phinney Lumber in Gorham and Puiia Lumber Co. in Mexico. The chain plans to buy Jordan Lumber Co. in Kingfield by late May, according to a news release Monday.
In addition, Ware-Butler said it is buying another business, custom cabinet maker Woodsmith’s Manufacturing of Oakland, and expects that deal to close in mid-May.
Ware-Butler, which itself was acquired last November by Pleasant River Lumber Co., would not disclose terms in any of the transactions.
With the addition of current employees at the acquired businesses, Ware-Butler’s workforce will grow from 122 to 185, Alan Orcutt, Pleasant River Lumber's retail operations manager, told Mainebiz by email.
The Phinney and Puiia businesses will operate as Ware-Butler Building Supply stores, while Jordan Lumber and Woodsmith’s Manufacturing will continue to do business under their current names, Orcutt said. “Our goal is to maintain core business and grow with new business in all locations,” he added.
Management at each of the businesses will remain in place, except at Puiia Lumber, where owner and General Manager Tom Puiia is stepping down.
The acquisitions come as other Maine lumber and building supply companies buy up businesses of their own. Hancock Lumber earlier this month announced an acquisition; Hammond Lumber made one last October.
Commenting on Pleasant River’s place amid all the moving and shaking, Orcutt said, “These acquisitions continue our progress toward our long-term business plan to integrate our core manufacturing business at PRL with building products retail and related integrated businesses. We are uniquely positioned as the largest sawmill manufacturer in Maine to provide a top-quality, consistently available supply of made-in-Maine products to the retail building supply sector.”
Ware-Butler, founded in 1925, is also in the process of expanding to Greenville, in space formerly occupied by Moosehead Cedar Log Homes. Pleasant River purchased that company in February and plans to move it to Dover-Foxcroft, where Pleasant River is headquartered, by this summer.
In addition, Pleasant River owns and operates lumber manufacturing facilities in Dover-Foxcroft, Jackman, Enfield, Hancock and Sanford, specializing in spruce and fir framing lumber and Eastern white pine boards.
The company also owns Chaffee Transport, a trucking business in Clinton; Quality Saw Sales & Service, a saw filing and supply company in Enfield; and A&A Brochu Logging, a logging division specializing in commercial thinning, headquartered in Enfield.
With the most recent acquisitions, Pleasant River Lumber Co. employs a total of 568 people, according to the news release.
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