Huttig Opens New Distribution Centers As part of its strategic plan to enter new markets and expand product offerings, St. Louis–based millwork, building materials, and wood products distributor Huttig Building Products has opened three new distribution centers across the country: A 45,000-square-foot center in Albany, N.Y., serves a 200-mile radius and accommodates two pre-hung door assembly lines and stocks interior and exterior door models, wood molding, stair parts, and columns. An Atlanta 58,000-square-foot distribution center services one of the nation’s fastest growing housing markets in conjunction with the company’s Macon, Ga., location, providing composite decking, vinyl railing, columns, exterior doors, interior doors, windows, and molding profiles with additional plans to add pre-hung door capabilities later this year. The new 73,000-square-foot facility in Brooklyn Park, Minn., Huttig’s 45th DC and first location in Minnesota, services a 150-mile radius of metro Minneapolis with pre-hung interior and exterior door assembly lines and lines of building materials and wood products, interior and exterior doors, molding, columns, and stairway systems.
The DCs target three of Huttig’s market strategies, the company says. “Product strategy is the focus of the Albany location where we were only selling building products but not millwork. The Atlanta location serves as market penetration, and our geographic expansion strategy involves the recent acquisition we did in Dallas [Texas Wholesale Building Materials in early January] and is the focus of our new center in Minnesota,” says CEO and president Michael Lupo.
Celebrating its 120th year of business, Huttig Building Products (www.huttig.com) serves 47 states and had reported 2004 sales of $938 million.
Princeton Forest Products Announces Promotions, Hires Princeton Forest Products, a designer, manufacturer, and distributor of Eastern White pine products, has announced new hires and promotions. Greg Holt became the new account manager for the California area and will manage sales and promotions in the West for retail distributors of Princeton’s products. Pierre Gibeault was hired as product manager and will team up with Princeton’s Quebec manufacturing partners out of Montreal. Hans Fischer was promoted from account manager to Princeton’s Northeast sales manager and will manage accounts from New Jersey to Maine, while James Means was hired to take over Fischer’s previous responsibilities as account manager. Chris Marshall has moved up from assistant purchasing manager to inside sales coordinator.
Based in Orange, Mass., Princeton Forest Products (www.princetonforestproducts.com) has been in operation for 17 years.
Universal Forest Products Celebrates 50 Years With Habitat Contribution To commemorate its 50th anniversary, Universal Forest Products, a manufacturer and distributor of wood and wood-alternative products, announced a $100,000 donation to Habitat for Humanity, presenting $1,000 to local Habitat organizations in each of its 86 communities in addition to a larger donation to its home base, Kent County. “For 50 years we have been building our success in towns across America,” said William G. Currie, CEO and vice chairman, in a press release. “These are the towns where our employees live, work, and raise their families—and we want to see them grow and prosper.” Universal also plans to celebrate its anniversary in its facilities across the country, Mexico, and Canada.
Founded in 1955 by William Grant Sr., Universal Forest Products (www.ufpi.com) serves the retail/dealer market, site-built construction, industrial packaging and components, and manufactured housing through its 98 facilities.
In Brief Vancouver, Canada–based forest products supplier Ainsworth announced that Minnesota operations it acquired from Potlatch Corp. are now producing Ainsworth Engineered OSB. The mills have switched from Potlatch yellow edge seal to Ainsworth’s turquoise edge seal, which signifies its seal of approval. …Windsor, Calif.–based specialty lumber, molding, and mill-work provider Windsor Mill named Sean Pasell as manager for the New England region. …Richard C. Wininger was named vice president for Western Timberlands at Federal Way, Wash.–based forest products provider Weyerhaeuser. Wininger began his Weyerhaeuser career as a business analyst in 1986. …Fort Wayne, Ind.–based hardware and lumber co-op Do it Best Corp. announced the hire of John Clapp, a former senior buyer for plumbing products at TruServ Corp, as its merchandise manager for plumbing products. Clapp’s responsibilities include developing, evaluating, and implementing the plumbing department’s programs for its members.
Spread the word!
Send your company’s news, announcements, and events to Katy Tomasulo, via e-mail ktomasulo@ hanleywood.com or fax 202.785.1974.
