To better serve its customers, Apollo maintains three warehouse and showroom/design-center facilities, including its original facility on Apollo Parkway in Willoughby, Ohio. In 2019, the company opened a second location in Cleveland proper, a 55,000-square-foot property under one roof, and in 2023, a third facility in Akron, which includes two warehouses totaling 65,000 square feet on a seven-acre property.

We recently enjoyed a wide-ranging conversation with the founder, owner, and company President, Jerry Bednarcik, who has 40 years of industry experience, and his son, Gerry Bednarcik, Operations, who joined the company five years ago from a Fortune 500 roofing company. Daughter Avalon, who works in sales, logistics and management, has been at Apollo over eight years.

Say hello to the Window Man
“I’ve been in the industry since 1985, so I have an extensive background of exterior building product knowledge and installation expertise,” Jerry says. “I’m still very much hands-on and I’ll do product demos for contractors and work through anything they need help with. Customers call me ‘Jerry the Window Man’ and say, ‘Go ask Jerry, he knows!’”

Just before our interview, he was helping young salesmen working for a contractor measure a house for siding. “They had been using roof and siding scopes and would have to go back to their office to work out an estimate, but I showed them—while walking around the building twice—how they could give the homeowner a price right then and there. They said they hadn’t realized how easy it was, using basic math skills. Next, I’m going to help a contractor figure out how to sell based on the client’s needs.”

Adds Gerry, “It’s about supporting the customer, being their champion, going out in the field, and educating a sales team like my dad did today. And we do this in-house for our staff too; we host internal trainings to make sure our staff is up to date on all the products we offer. We also do customer-facing events every year so they’re aware of what’s new in the market—be it product update trainings or certification courses—because if they know more, they can sell more and support their business growth,” he explains.

“We’re taking our one-stop shop to the next level. For contractors who want their business to grow, we’ll give them the tips and tricks they need to be successful.”

The full envelope
According to Gerry, Apollo’s portfolio of products—which includes windows, siding, roofing, doors, and more—is the most expansive in the region. Some distributors, he says, stock one line of siding or offer limited colors of shingles, for example, which results in delays. That is far from the case at Apollo. The company stocks four lines of siding in the full color offering, carries all lines of asphalt roofing shingles, and works with more than a dozen window and door manufacturers regularly. The team operates under the motto, “We have what you need, when you need it.”

The company is prepared to service a full range of needs—whether contractors are looking for cost and efficiency or to meet the latest ENERGY STAR requirements—with offerings such as foam backed or composite siding, reinforced thermally broken triple pane windows, and cool-roof reflective shingles, to name a few.

“If a builder wants a high-efficiency net zero home, we can accommodate them, and if they say, ‘I need to get this job done as fast as possible,’ we can help with that too. Our knowledge, service, and attention to detail help us navigate the product portfolio and assist customers in a meaningful way.”

Logistics and same-day delivery
It’s one thing to have a large product inventory from leading brands and the requisite knowledge about those products, and another thing entirely to get those materials delivered on time. Here again, Apollo excels.

The company maintains a fleet of over 30 delivery vehicles on the road daily, and also invests in specialty equipment including mounted tow motors referred to as a Moffit or Piggyback—a three-wheel all-terrain vehicle that detaches from a flatbed on arrival at a construction site, unloads the materials, and moves the material to wherever it is needed on site.

“Another vehicle type we have is a boom truck or conveyor vehicle or what I call a ‘laddervator,’ with a range of 28 to 36 feet. It’s mounted on a flatbed vehicle and once that truck is planted, the driver can pivot around and shoot the roofing material up to the crew in the quantity they need, exactly where they need it,” says Gerry.

The delivery crew will also hand-drop siding materials exactly where required. Some companies will drop a pallet on the curb, but Apollo will place it according to the customer’s specifications.

Serving the customer is always top of mind, Gerry adds. “If you’re focused on problems, anyone always find them, but here we focus on solutions. I like to say, ‘The answer is yes; what’s the question?”

To help customers, Apollo is open six days a week, “and I have even opened on a Sunday to get a contractor that last bundle of shingles. Our entire organization from sales to delivery has the same mindset: ‘Let’s make sure the customer is taken care of.’”

Digital systems for people and performance
When Gerry returned to the company five years ago, he developed a multiphase long-term plan. The first phase began with redesigning the company’s website, making it attractive and customer-friendly, and building up back-end capabilities so it could move into the second phase. This involved updating the company’s internal processing system, including accounts receivable and accounts payable, by utilizing an improved enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.

“Now that our process and network are stable and humming along efficiently, in phase three, we’re going to implement a back-end portal that will let our customers sign on at any hour—they can see their invoices, submit for rebates, pay their bills, look at delivery status, and have a myriad of updates and resources at their fingertips. We’ll be able to service them to an even higher degree than we have before,” Gerry explains.

“I knew this was going to be challenging, and it was a bit like our Apollo space mission,” he says, laughing. “We want to make our service out of this world and, once fine-tuned, we can communicate more efficiently with our customers, market our products more effectively, and let our staff focus more on customers instead of all the other tasks they used to get bombarded with.”

Building community
Treating customers like family extends to the company’s annual fish fry, with fishing boats hired to take customers out on Lake Erie in teams to catch walleye tournament-style. “While this is going on we have live music on shore and a whole array of entertainment along with a fresh fish fry and other food—smoked meats, chicken tenders, cheeseburgers. It’s a two-day event and it helps build camaraderie and a sense of family and helps show our appreciation of our customers.”

Part of the fun at the event involves caricature drawings of Jerry. One year it was Jerry holding a trident with a roofing shingle impaled upon it; last year Jerry appeared as a surfer, riding a window on the waves into shore. “Unlike the national competitors, we live in this community, and when customers buy products from us, they recognize us at the grocery store or the bank, and from their kids playing on the same baseball teams as ours. We live here and we care,” says Gerry.

And caring for the community goes beyond caring for customers, extending to charitable organizations, with Apollo participating in building projects for Habit for Humanity and Home for the Holidays, an initiative of the local chapter of the Home Builders Association; the team also supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation and St. Jude’s Hospital. “We’re a big advocate of supporting all the people around us.”

Fast tracking to the future
Apollo Supply Company was ranked as 2020’s Fast Track 50 No. 1 winner, in the Established Business Class, by virtue of having reported sales of at least $4 million in the years between 2016 and 2020, and has consistently placed in the top five since in the Fast Track 50 organization’s listing, which honors business excellence among the fastest growing businesses in the region.

At the time of writing, it looks now as if opening a fourth location at an undisclosed location within the region will happen sometime in 2025. Would the company ever consider expanding outside the state, we ask? The Bednarciks aren’t ruling out the possibility. “With our 20 percent growth factor, we are definitely on the path to grow our business dynamically over the next few years,” says Jerry. “We’re focused on controlled growth because we want to make that growth reproducible; we want to maintain our customer-centric culture and our family values, and still grow efficiently.”

Indeed, Apollo Supply Company’s journey from a single facility in Willoughby to a regional powerhouse exemplifies the enduring impact of customer-centric values, community engagement, and innovative growth strategies. With a deep commitment to supporting contractors, building lasting relationships, and delivering unmatched service, the company has carved out a unique niche in the exterior building products industry. As Apollo prepares for its next chapter, including expansion and cutting-edge customer solutions, one thing remains clear: this family-owned business is not just about building homes—it’s about building trust, community, and a legacy that continues to inspire.

The post Building Excellence, One Customer at a Time<p class="company">Apollo Supply Company</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Professional contractors are the core of Builders’ clientele, followed by “homeowner/DIY customers and what I would call traditional retail customers who may be coming in to buy a power tool,” says Stacy Andersen-Bivona, CEO and second-generation owner.

The flagship location in Kearney remains the largest facility in the company with a 67,000-square-foot building—half set up in a shoppable retail format and the other half as a Design Center showroom. The entire building underwent a massive remodel in 2022-2023. “This remodel was planned and designed around the sales process and with each of Builders’ customer segments’ experiences in mind. DIY and traditional retailer shoppers have an organized and well-designed shopping experience, our pro customers have a pickup and shopping area for bulk buying convenience, and the homeowner customers have a complete Design Center to make all selections needed for the exterior and interior needs of their home,” Andersen-Bivona explains.

The showroom features roofing, doors, windows, siding, stone, fireplaces, decking, exterior lighting, cabinetry, flooring, countertops, sinks, decorative plumbing, tubs, toilets, shower systems, cabinetry hardware, backsplash/tile, interior lighting, window coverings, and paint.

“Our recently remodeled showroom in Kearney has gotten an overwhelmingly positive response,” says Andersen-Bivona.

The Grand Island location offers the same wide range of building materials, with a reduced retail footprint and its own Design Center showroom. “This location is also the neighbor to our Central States Component Systems, a manufacturing facility producing roof and floor trusses, staircases, wall panels, and floor cassettes. Formerly known as Spelts Schultz Truss before a recent rebrand, these products are shipped nationwide.”

In Kearney, Builders operates Edge and Stone Countertops, a business specializing in custom countertops. Meanwhile, Nebraska Installed Sales installs insulation, and Builders Colorado manufactures floor, roof, and wall systems. Builders Colorado also provides engineering and project design services. Across all divisions, Builders largely performs work in-house, relying on trusted subcontractors for specific tasks like cabinetry and flooring installation.

For a company with such a broad network of locations, products, and services, Builders’ origins are surprisingly modest. The story begins with Myron Andersen, Stacy’s father, who worked in construction throughout college before being drafted into the U.S. military. When conscription ended in early 1973, Myron opted to start his own construction business in Kearney. Inspired by a conference hosted by motivational speaker Zig Ziglar, Myron applied lessons about goal-setting, positivity, and helping others to his budding business.

In 1977, he opened Payless Building Center, initially catering solely to professional contractors. Operating on a shoestring budget, the business began with just four employees and a fleet that included a temperamental World War II-era flatbed truck.

“[My father] had a World War II flatbed truck. They would jump-start it in the morning and never turn it off all day because they weren’t sure it would start again,” shares Andersen-Bivona.

The company quickly found success, moving to a larger location in 1985 and expanding its offerings to include retail customers. In the 1990s, the company experienced rapid growth, acquiring manufacturing businesses and opening additional locations, including Builders Colorado.

Today, Builders employs nearly 400 people across its operations. Stacy and her brother, Chad Andersen, co-own the business alongside their father. Chad serves as President of the Board and is one of the top salespersons for the Colorado operations. Myron, though retired, remains active as a board member and is a frequent presence at the Kearney location.

“He loves it. The company is him. It’s very near and dear to his heart,” says Andersen-Bivona.

As a family-owned company, Builders emphasizes a family-oriented culture, work-life balance, and strong community values. “We take care of our team and take care of our customers,” Andersen-Bivona explains. Builders also opens many of its meetings and gatherings with prayer, reflecting its Christian-based ethos.

This people-first approach extends to suppliers and the community. Builders maintains strong vendor relationships, which helped the company navigate supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also donates 10 percent of its profits annually to charitable causes, supporting schools, veterans, and first responders.

Recruiting and retaining talent is a priority for Builders. The company partners with local schools and universities to attract young professionals and provides ongoing training to help employees grow within the organization.

Looking ahead, Builders plans to expand further, enhancing its Colorado operations and potentially establishing new locations in other states. “We have a plan of growth,” says Andersen-Bivona. “In five years, we will be present in numerous new markets.”

The post This Family-Owned Company Is Building on Success<p class="company">Builders</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

A family success story
Based in Eugene, Oregon, Zip-O-Log Mills remains true to its community and family roots. Now in its fourth generation of family ownership, Zip-O-Log’s senior management includes Chief Executive Officer James Workman, President Karl Hallstrom (the third generation), Vice President KayCee Hallstrom, and KelCee Hallstrom, who serves in the role of Secretary Treasurer. A combination of dedicated, highly experienced employees and the latest technology ensures the company remains at the forefront of the lumber industry.

Founded in Coburg, Oregon by Al Hallstrom and George Campbell in 1944, Zip-O-Log Mills’ rich legacy is one “rooted in hard work and adaptability,” according to the company. Soon after it was created, Al’s son Bill joined the growing business. By 1951, the company moved to its present site in Eugene.

Like other successful businesses, Zip-O-Log Mills was not immune to hardship. Despite a mill fire in early 1962, the resilient company rebuilt and was back in operation just a few months later. Continuing to expand, the business soon welcomed other family members, including Bill’s brother, and Al Hallstrom’s son, A.B., as accountant, and Bill’s son, Karl Hallstrom, along with Jim Hallstrom.

For years, Zip-O-Log Mills has recognized the importance of not only keeping up, but staying ahead of the competition. In the ’80s, the company ushered in “a new era of precision and efficiency at the mill,” when it invested in new log scanning equipment. This was followed years later with upgraded scanning technology, which enabled the company to cut timber 52 feet (almost 16 meters) in length. The ’80s and ’90s also saw Zip-O-Log Mills acquire Pennington Crossarms—expanding its utility sector expertise—and a second location in South Carolina, which enabled the company to enter the southern yellow pine crossarm market.

The ensuing years have seen the company achieve other milestones, including Bill Hallstrom’s being named Lumberman of the Year by the Portland Wholesale Lumber Association. 2016 saw the establishment of sister company Zip-O-Laminators, which produces custom glulam beams. To date, these glulam beams have been used on projects including the University of Southern Maine Career & Student Success Center, the Rogue Credit Union Community Complex, the Avalon Bothell Commons Clubhouse, and, most notably, the Portland Airport expansion in Portland, Oregon. “This expansion reinforced the company’s commitment to innovation and diversification within the industry,” states the company, adding that the 2017 sale of Pennington Crossarm allowed Zip-O-Log Mills “to focus its resources on core operations and new ventures.”

The latest—but certainly not last—chapter in the Zip-O-Log Mills story came in 2021. That year, Karl Hallstrom welcomed daughters KayCee and KelCee to the company as co-owners, “ensuring the continuity of family leadership and a commitment to the values that have defined the company for 80 years.”

Meeting your lumber and glulam needs
Decades of experience, investment in technology, and a passion for the industry continue to make Zip-O-Log Mills the best choice for its many customers. These reasons, and many others, are why clients put their trust in Zip-O-Log Mills for their posts and beams, crossarms, and specialty timber needs. Not all sawmills have the company’s long length sawmill capabilities or years of experience with high-quality Douglas Fir products.

Selling #1 and better free-of-heart center timbers and boxed heart timbers used on exposed structures, the company applies anti-stain and a clear wax base end seal to all rough wood products and surfaced timbers. Other options include anti-stain treatment on surfaced products, bottom boards and paper wrapping to protect products, and lath or kiln stickers on every layer. And to ensure products are received as needed, the company can ship via truck or rail.

In the posts and beams category, Zip-O-Log Mills carries a wide assortment of products. These include timber framing and kiln dried timbers, joists and stringers, domestic clears, and 3” and 4” structural wood. In the specialty timbers category, the company works with customers to meet their particular needs. Investment in up-to-date kilns means Zip-O-Log Mills can also offer clients quality, kiln dried wood products.

The company carries industrial-grade woods, utility heat treat S4S (surfaced on four sides), #1 and Btr FOHC Full Sawn Rough Green Kiln Dried (4’ mults), #1 and Btr FOHC Full Sawn Rough Kiln Dried, and more. Sizes vary depending on the product. Economy S4S Green, for example, is available in 1×4-6 8’-20’ and 2×4-12 8’-24’ sizes, while Utility Heat Treat S4S can be had in 3×4 8’-24’ and 4×4 8’-24’.

For Zip-O-Laminators, the saying is, “Operating Between the Improbable and the Impossible.” Zip-O-Laminators takes it to heart, and is always willing to tackle any project and give you a true assessment and way to do it. As long as it is Douglas Fir or Alaskan Yellow Cedar, the plant can make a beam 115 feet long, 111 inches deep, and 32 inches wide. See the company case study of PDX to explore one of its most complex jobs to date.

Respecting the planet
Producing both green and kiln dried timbers, Zip-O-Log Mills’ products are typically sold in 8-to-24-foot increments, all the way to 52 feet. Specializing in 100 percent Douglas Fir means the company provides purchasers with high-quality, consistent products. Timber is not sold to the public or contractors, but can be purchased from one of the company’s distribution partners. Depending on customer need, partial truck orders from Zip-O-Log Mills can be combined with an order from sister company, Zip-O-Laminators, and “we encourage you to bundle your shipments to save on transportation costs.”

At Zip-O-Log Mills, nothing goes to waste; in fact, the company is proud to state, “100 percent of every log is used.” Bark and chips are sold to landscaping companies, and—owing to their high quality—serve as playground cushioning. Blueberry farmers use wood shavings, as the resin helps the berries grow. And low-grade wood is given a second life, made into pallets or concrete forms.

Following in the footsteps of founders Al Hallstrom and George Campbell, the Hallstrom family and their staff look forward to serving the wood product needs of customers for the next 80 years… and beyond.

The post Rooted in Tradition – A Legacy in Lumber<p class="company">Zip-O-Log Mills</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Meeting demand
Known for its services in lumber yard retail and distribution, Frisco Woodline now provides its customers with all the capabilities they need from a niche supplier. To meet demand, the company began pivoting to actively meet its evolving market around seven years ago. These days, that primarily means providing solutions that other suppliers cannot.

“Convenience sells, and so does expertise in what we do. Our unique product offering gives people a reason to come to us,” says Neil Agarwal, President and Chief Executive Officer, who co-owns the company with his sister, Libby Mendiratta, Executive Vice President and Director of the firm’s Minority Business Enterprise department.

Part of this convenience that the team delivers includes guiding customers in constructing unconventional buildings by helping them decode complicated specification sheets. The company also provides logistics services, rare products, remanufacturing, unusual treatments and cutting, and products requiring multi-step processes. In many cases, the team can help customers save money on over-specified projects by having its experts guide them through the correct channels to achieve those savings while remaining within code and legal requirements and still delivering high-quality outcomes.

The approach has proven successful, and the company finds that well over a third of its business comes from specialty projects and goods. By embracing the opportunity presented by these difficult projects, Frisco Woodline is building a wealth of knowledge that it will pass on to future generations to ensure its continued success. “There are a lot of one-stop shops in our industry, but customers come to us when they have issues,” Agarwal adds.

The company recently introduced a pre-finishing facility where PVC, metal, and wood are primed, painted, and customized to customers’ specifications. The service has drawn significant attention, and Frisco Woodline now supplies clientele from a much larger catchment region than before.

“Suppliers and customers tell us that our quality is significantly better than what they are able to find elsewhere,” Agarwal says of the quality. This new line is not only growing company revenue, but it also provides the team with improved scalability. The service has also become a calling card to draw new customers who would otherwise not have known about its services.

The result of this approach to meeting shifting markets where they are is a collection of perfectly executed projects, including numerous public projects such as panels for the iconic Washington Metro. Another project, Passive House at Hamilton at Eagleview in Pennsylvania, is an apartment complex designed to function without traditional heating or cooling systems, for which the company supplied a vertical siding envelope system of pre-finished lumber treated with stain at varying concentrations to achieve a range of warm amber tones.

A rich history
The company’s story begins with Neil and Libby’s father, Prem Agarwal, who arrived in the United States from India as an engineering student to embark on his master’s degree in industrial engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. As a die-hard entrepreneur, Prem Agarwal owned an ice-making outfit before purchasing the company, then known as G.E. Frisco, in 1985. It was first established by George Edward Frisco in 1955 and incorporated in 1969, and the company’s name was changed to Frisco Woodline as part of a rebranding campaign it embarked on a few years ago.

The company’s success has truly been a family endeavor. Libby Mendiratta came from an information technology background, and has been with the company for nearly 24 years, and Neil has now been with the company for a decade, having worked for several years as an investment banker on Wall Street. “It’s been a good partnership to grow the company,” he says.

Today, Frisco Woodline sees itself as a small part of the bigger construction picture—one that helps shape communities by building everything from homes and hospitals to schools and other infrastructure that contributes to the area’s prosperity and overall wellbeing.

Building a better workplace
This sense of community also extends to creating a positive work environment where people want to come and be a part of something bigger every day. Part of this mission is to provide its teams with all the tools they need to help build a better future for the company and its customers. One way in which Frisco Woodline achieves this is by investing in future-positive technology to improve efficiency and communication between field and office staff, project managers, and customers.

To this end, the company commits to investing in the best machines and systems available for its unique setup, implementing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and a host of other technologies that provide transparency across the board. The reward has been worth the capital outlay, as Frisco Woodline’s goals are now more clearly defined and better aligned while customers reap the benefits.

“There are things that we want to be cutting-edge on, and then there are things that we don’t want to be the guinea pigs on,” Agarwal explains. “Our enterprise planning resource system is, in my opinion, best-in-class in our industry.”

While the company has experienced vigorous growth as of late, its next aim is to ease into doubling in size over the next 36 months. In the process, the team is also looking at practical ways staff members can directly benefit from such expansion by becoming stakeholders in its future prosperity.

To achieve this, continuous education and professional development are key priorities. “We’re creating a culture of learning,” Agarwal says about the daily reflection sessions employees engage in to identify areas where they can improve and where they excel in their craft. “We try to be problem solvers for any wood product. If this is something someone hasn’t heard about, we’re here to help with that,” he continues, highlighting how much he appreciates the caliber of the team.

By supporting each other’s successes and lending a helping hand to avoid failures, this tight-knit group of people are dedicated to their customers’ success as much as their own. Agarwal uses an old African proverb to describe this commitment: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”

As part of maintaining a healthy business landscape, Frisco Woodline is also committed to supporting its community. From rebuilding projects in Montgomery County, Maryland to supporting the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), the team’s support for charities and community organizations is extensive, and the company maintains a strong presence and voice in the industry.

To this end, Neil Agarwal serves on the board of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Metro Washington and other organizations that receive the company’s support, and Libby Mendiratta was recently appointed President of NAWIC DC for the next year. One of the organization’s most exciting events—in which Mendiratta takes great joy—is a free girls’ camp where teenage girls are educated in the possibilities that the construction industry provides women. Mendiratta knows all too well that careers in this industry allow women to take care of their families while earning a good living doing satisfying work.

At Frisco Woodline, the team is driven by achieving new and challenging ways of applying wood, metal, and an ever-evolving selection of materials in residential and commercial projects. Therefore, diversifying its skills and capabilities has become a consistent and core part of the company’s vision. “The future holds a lot of opportunity for us,” Agarwal says.

The post 70 Years and Counting<p class="company">Frisco Woodline</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

“We were around before Wisconsin became a state. Since there was no official State of Wisconsin, we could not file our business license until 1848, which we now denote as our official incorporation,” notes Richardson Industries President Justin Richardson.

Equally remarkable, Richardson Industries has been a family enterprise since its inception, and Justin represents the seventh generation of his family to lead the firm. The company marked its 175th anniversary in 2023 with a celebration, and is presently gearing up for expansion, he says.

Roof trusses currently comprise the largest share of Richco’s business. Roof trusses offer a sturdy, well-engineered alternative to traditional building framing and reduce construction costs as they eliminate the need for interior bearing walls. Using a roof truss will “speed up the building process and allow for the trades to get in quicker,” explains Richardson.

A floor truss, which is also made out of wood and metal connector plates, is used to develop a floor framework. These also help speed up the building process along with offering customers clear spans that open up basement spaces.

Both kinds of trusses, along with the rest of the company’s products, are manufactured in-house at its plant in Haven; all engineering, production, and design are performed by Richco employees.

As a business-to-business operation, about 90 percent of everything Richco makes is supplied to lumber yards, making it a distributor as well as a manufacturer. Roughly 65 percent of the company’s products end up being used in the residential sector, while another 35 percent go to multi-family and commercial projects. The company primarily serves the Wisconsin market, although it has also done business in Illinois, Northern Indiana, and Upper Michigan.

Quality is key
Richco maintains a mindful ethos. “I always tell everyone, lumber needs to be green and renewable, because it needs to stay competitive in price,” Richardson states, adding that, “sustainable forestry techniques are the most profitable way to do it. No one is clear-cutting anymore; it’s not a very good system.”

The company purchases much of its lumber from a membership-based buying group called LMC of Wayne, Pennsylvania, and “we still maintain some direct relationships with mills. The vast majority of the lumber we purchase is from Canada. It’s SPF grade, and we bring it in by railcars,” he explains. SPF refers to spruce, pine, and fir—three evergreen trees found in coniferous forests that are commonly used in construction.

In addition to buying high-quality lumber, the company runs a comprehensive internal quality assurance program and is subject to third-party inspections by the Truss Plate Institute, a Maryland-based organization that maintains quality standards among companies in the wood and metal plate truss market. Richco also has truss designer accreditation through the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA) and boasts a reputation for top-notch work.

“Our industry is making a big push to get all the jobs in the truss industry certified, so that if [a worker] moves and finds another truss company in a different part of the country, they can take that certification with them,” Richardson points out.

Indeed, Richco’s technical staff members stay abreast of any changes to regulations and codes, and the company’s manufacturing plant is equipped with the latest truss equipment, component saws, and automated jigging tables. Richco promises fast delivery of its products, courteous drivers, and all-around excellent customer service.

A solid team
The company aims to treat its staff as well as it treats its clients. Safety, for example, is an “every day, all-day” concern, “not something that we ever take for granted.” Proper PPE, regular maintenance of existing equipment, thorough training on new equipment, and staying on the lookout for potential hazards and dangers are all par for the course.

Richardson Industries also includes Richardson Contract Furniture, which is based in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. This company serves as an original equipment manufacturer “for some high-end commercial furniture outlets,” says Richardson. Altogether, Richardson Contract Furniture and Richco Structures employ roughly 200 people, and Richco seeks certain traits from prospective new staff.

“We like to hire adults; we want people who are self-motivated and don’t require a lot of management. We want to tell you what the job is, tell you the parameters on how to do it, but give people the ability and freedom to do it how they see fit and how they feel is the best way to get it done,” he says. Indeed, the culture can be best summarized as “get the job done,” he shares.

A storied history
Looking back over the company’s long history, Justin Richardson says he’s proud of the company’s ability to bounce back, adjust, and innovate. Richardson Industries originated as a lumber mill before evolving into a furniture manufacturer. In its early days as a manufacturer, it produced ‘brawl-proof tavern chairs’—a product line that offers an intriguing insight into historical American drinking habits—among its wares. “We made cheese boxes. We made a lot of things that just don’t exist anymore,” he laughs.

At one point in the 1980s, Richardson Industries ran a “multi-million-dollar domestic furniture facility,” with a nationwide market and hundreds of employees, he recalls. Faced with brutal, low-cost competition from China, the company pivoted. Richardson Industries still makes furniture, while the Richco segment of the business supplies wooden building material.

“It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for 175 years, but it’s definitely been interesting,” Richardson tells us.

Given such a rich legacy, it is no surprise that one of his key goals is to keep “continually moving and innovating.” Richco was recently recognized for its innovation, earning an award from the Sheboygan Chamber of Commerce for a workplace literacy program. The company launched the program to address a language barrier, as many of the company’s employees are Hispanic; some, in fact, are asylum seekers from Nicaragua. The team hired an outside firm to lead lunchtime English classes and to teach “some of the managers enough Spanish to be dangerous,” Richardson says.

These days, Richco Structures does not do a huge amount of promotion, a reflection of its clientele and a reputation that speaks for itself. “We have such a small customer pool. We really rely on our product, our design, and our customer service to speak for itself. [We want] framers in the field to prefer using Richco Structures over other truss companies and developers and builders to know when they buy our products through one of our trade partners, they can be confident it’s going to be on-time, in full, and correct.”

The company’s long history also includes a tradition of giving back to the community. The Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice, based in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, exemplifies this trait. Sharon Richardson—Justin’s grandmother—died in 2004 of breast cancer. One of her last wishes was for the family to establish a community hospice. In 2007, the facility opened its doors, offering hospice and palliative care among other end-of-life services for anyone in the area “regardless of income or insurance. We’re really proud of what it has done for the community and the service it provides.”

Looking to the future
For all its recent success, Richco is grappling with certain industry challenges, including inflation. “The price of building continually goes up and up every single year,” says Richardson. “All we can do is become more efficient in how we make our products, how we engineer our products, and make sure that our customers have the best price.”

His industry peers need to understand that “we don’t need to lower the quality of what we’re doing in order to lower costs. I think it’s important that industry maintains [itself as] a strong provider of quality materials,” he adds.

That said, he is strongly optimistic about the future. There are no plans to sell or change the family-ownership structure. At present, two of his cousins work for the firm, as a truss designer and floor truss assembler, while other family members are company co-owners.

“We want to continue to provide a quality product. I’d also like to be selling more than I am today,” says Richardson, simply, of the company’s plans for the years to come.

The post A Family Company with Deep Roots Looks to the Future<p class="company">Richco Structures</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

“NLBMDA is the proud voice of the entire lumber and building material industry, which continues to be under constant threat by unrelenting and burdensome regulatory policy and unfavorable legislation,” says Jonathan Paine, NLBMDA President and CEO. “As the LBM industry faces unprecedented federal legislative and regulatory challenges, NLBMDA remains at the forefront leading the fight to protect and advance the interests of its members.”

As a dedicated advocate in Washington, DC, NLBMDA plays a critical role in advocating for its members by providing the unified voice on key issues affecting the lumber and building material industry at the federal level. The organization represents thousands of businesses across the country, including small and family-owned operations as well as large regional companies, all of which are involved in supplying lumber and building materials as well as organizations that support the industry as a whole. As the industry faces an evolving landscape of legislative and regulatory challenges, NLBMDA continues to stand on the front lines in Washington, DC, advocating tirelessly to protect its members from overreaching regulations while promoting a proactive legislative agenda that ensures the industry’s continued growth and prosperity.

Mission and objectives
NLBMDA’s mission is to advance the interests of lumber and building material dealers and suppliers by providing resources, education, and advocacy to promote business growth and industry sustainability. The association works to foster an environment in which its members can thrive by addressing the challenges and opportunities that arise within the industry. One of NLBMDA’s primary goals is to influence federal policy to ensure a favorable business environment for its members. The organization engages in lobbying efforts to address issues such as taxation, environmental regulations, transportation, trade, and labor laws, all of which directly impact the building materials sector.

By providing a platform for collaboration, advocacy, and education, NLBMDA helps ensure that the lumber and building materials industry remains competitive and resilient. The association’s efforts to influence policy, promote best practices, and support its members’ success contribute to the overall health and sustainability of the industry. For over a century, NLBMDA has been a trusted voice for the industry, playing an essential role in shaping the future of building materials in the United States.

The association has long been the voice of the lumber and building materials industry, representing the interests of thousands of dealers, manufacturers, and suppliers across the United States. As the industry faces an evolving landscape of legislative and regulatory challenges, NLBMDA continues to stand on the front lines in Washington, DC, advocating tirelessly to protect its members from overreaching regulations while promoting a proactive legislative agenda that ensures the industry’s continued growth and prosperity.

A strong defense against unreasonable regulations
NLBMDA’s commitment to shielding the industry from excessive government intervention is evident in its ongoing efforts to combat regulations that threaten the livelihood of lumber and building materials dealers. A key area of focus has been the push to repeal the estate tax, commonly known as the “death tax.” NLBMDA is working closely with House Republicans to advance the Death Tax Repeal Act, which would permanently eliminate this tax. With significant momentum in the House, thanks to the leadership of Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) and other key figures, the bill faces a tougher road in the Senate. However, NLBMDA remains steadfast in its advocacy, recognizing the importance of this issue for family-owned businesses in the industry.

In addition to the estate tax, NLBMDA has been a vocal opponent of the Department of Labor’s new Independent Contractor Rule, which revises the federal framework for determining worker classification. The new rule is expected to result in more workers being classified as employees rather than independent contractors, a change that could impose significant costs on businesses in the lumber and building materials sector. NLBMDA has submitted extensive comments to the DOL and is working with lawmakers to rein in the agency’s authority, underscoring the association’s commitment to protecting its members from burdensome regulations.

NLBMDA is also actively engaged in opposing several other regulatory measures that could negatively impact the industry. The Department of Labor’s proposed Overtime Rule, which would significantly increase the salary threshold for mandatory overtime pay, and the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) Joint Employer Rule, which expands the standard for determining joint employer status, are just a few of the regulations that NLBMDA is fighting against. In each case, the association has taken a strong stand, submitting detailed comments and working closely with lawmakers to ensure that the voices of lumber and building materials dealers are heard.

Advancing an aggressive legislative agenda
While NLBMDA is committed to defending the industry against unreasonable regulations, it is equally focused on advancing a robust legislative agenda that supports the growth and sustainability of its members. One of the key legislative priorities for NLBMDA is the permanent extension of the 100 percent bonus depreciation tax provision, a critical tool for LBM dealers that allows businesses to take an immediate deduction on the cost of eligible business property. As the phase-out of this provision began in 2023, NLBMDA has been working tirelessly with the House Ways & Means Committee and other lawmakers to extend this tax benefit through 2025 and beyond. The ALIGN Act, which would make 100 percent bonus depreciation permanent, has garnered strong bipartisan support, and NLBMDA is optimistic about its chances for passage.

In addition to tax issues, NLBMDA is leading the charge on several other fronts. The association has been a fierce advocate for legislation that would prevent excessive credit card swipe fees, which have become one of the highest costs of doing business for small retailers. The Credit Card Competition Act, which NLBMDA is actively lobbying for, would introduce more competition into the credit card payment network, potentially saving small businesses billions of dollars annually.

NLBMDA is also working to address the nation’s housing crisis by advocating for the expansion of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and the creation of new tax credits for building single-family homes. The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act and the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act are two critical pieces of legislation that NLBMDA is pushing forward. These bills have the potential to spur the building of millions of additional homes over the next decade, supporting both housing development and LBM dealers across the country.

Educating members and building a stronger industry
A crucial part of NLBMDA’s mission is to educate its members about the legislative and regulatory issues that impact their businesses. The association provides a wealth of resources, including webinars, frequent and timely member communications, and direct engagement with lawmakers, to ensure that its members are well-informed and equipped to navigate the complexities of the industry. For example, in response to new federal regulations requiring small businesses to report personal information about their owners and key employees to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), NLBMDA is hosting a members-only webinar to help dealers understand and comply with these requirements.

NLBMDA also plays a vital role in helping its members adapt to changes in the regulatory environment. The association is closely monitoring developments in OSHA’s Crane and Derricks in Construction Rule and the proposed Worker Walkaround Rule, providing timely updates and guidance to ensure that LBM dealers can comply with these regulations without compromising their business operations.

Industry support and education
Beyond its advocacy work, NLBMDA offers a wide range of educational resources and professional development opportunities to help its members succeed. The association provides training opportunities, webinars, and member guidance on topics such as safety standards and regulatory compliance to help members stay informed about the latest trends and developments in the lumber and building materials market.

In addition to educational engagements, NLBMDA facilitates networking opportunities for its members through its two annual conferences as well as panel discussions and committee meetings throughout the year. These events allow dealers to connect with suppliers, manufacturers, and other industry professionals, fostering relationships that can lead to business growth and innovation.

Impact and value
By providing a platform for collaboration, advocacy, and education, NLBMDA helps ensure that the lumber and building materials industry remains competitive and resilient. The association’s efforts to influence policy, promote best practices, and support its members’ success contribute to the overall health and sustainability of the sector. For over a century, NLBMDA has been a trusted voice for the industry, playing an essential role in shaping the future of building materials in the United States.

As the leading voice for the lumber and building materials industry, NLBMDA continues to be a powerful advocate in Washington, DC. Through its efforts to combat unreasonable regulations, advance a proactive legislative agenda, and educate its members, NLBMDA is helping to build a stronger, more resilient industry that is well-positioned for future success. Whether it’s fighting to repeal the estate tax, pushing for the permanent extension of 100 percent bonus depreciation, or working to prevent excessive credit card swipe fees, NLBMDA is on the front lines, ensuring that the interests of lumber and building materials dealers are protected and advanced.

The post Leading the Charge for the Lumber and Building Materials Industry<p class="company">NLBMDA</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Cardinal Home Center’s journey began as a division of Madison Wood Preservers, a company founded in 1959. Originally, Madison Wood Preservers was focused on supplying pressure-treated southern yellow pine, a staple in the building industry. However, by the late 1980s, former CEO Bill Price recognized the need for a separate retail division to serve the growing demands of the community.

In 1989, MWP Supply was established as a division of Madison Wood, providing building materials alongside its pressure-treated products. As demand increased, the company expanded, acquiring the Wrangler Jean plant across Highway 29 in 2002 and rebranding as MWP Supply Incorporated in 2004. This move signified a major shift in the company’s operations, allowing it to grow independently from Madison Wood Preservers.

In 2019, the company took another leap forward by acquiring Blue Ridge Builders Supply, expanding from a single location to three across central Virginia. This expansion was a pivotal moment in Cardinal’s journey, as the company rebranded from MWP Supply to Cardinal Home Center in 2021, reflecting its broader focus and growing footprint in the home building industry.

One of the core strengths of Cardinal Home Center lies in its focus on the residential custom-building space, distinguishing itself from big-box retailers. “Our customers come to us with unique plans and designs,” says John Michael Price, CEO of Cardinal and great-grandson of one of the founders. “We help them turn those designs into reality, working closely with architects and builders to solve the challenges that come with custom homes.”

Cardinal’s emphasis on quality is reflected in its product offerings, which cater to the unique needs of custom home builders. The company prides itself on providing top quality products that are tailored to specific customer demands. From Marvin windows and doors and Benjamin Moore paint to Milwaukee Tools and Scag mowers, Cardinal partners with top-tier brands to ensure that its customers receive the best products available.

“We’re not just a building supply store,” adds Toby Allen, President of Cardinal Home Center, “we’re a partner in the construction process. Our staff is knowledgeable and trained to deal with the challenges that come with custom building projects. We don’t just sell materials; we help our customers figure out how to get the job done right.”

This approach has allowed Cardinal Home Center to carve out a niche in the industry, focusing on quality over quantity and providing personalized service that is often lacking in larger chain stores.

At the heart of Cardinal Home Center’s success is a strong commitment to values. The company places a premium on customer service, ensuring that every interaction is warm and welcoming. “We embody quality, consistency, and trust in everything we do,” says Price. “From the products we stock to the way we treat our customers, we’re always striving to provide the best experience possible.”

One of the ways Cardinal achieves this is by carefully selecting its product offerings. The company partners with brands that share its commitment to quality, ensuring that every product on the shelves meets high standards. For example, Cardinal is a key distributor of Framer Series lumber, a product known for its superior consistency and durability. Unlike traditional lumber, Framer Series is mechanically graded and guaranteed, ensuring that each piece meets stringent quality standards. Partnering with Madison Wood, the company is uniquely able to offer a Pressure Treated Framer Series as well.

This focus on quality extends to every aspect of the business. Cardinal Home Center’s approach to product selection is designed to simplify the decision-making process for customers, offering a curated selection of the best brands in each category. “When you walk into our store, you’ll see a streamlined selection,” Allen explains. “For example, in the power tool aisle, we primarily stock Milwaukee tools because we believe they offer the best value. We want our customers to feel confident in their choices.”

The company has seen significant growth in recent years, thanks to a series of strategic acquisitions. In 2023, the company acquired Augusta Paint & Decorating, adding two new locations in Waynesboro and Staunton, Virginia. Most recently, in January 2024, Cardinal acquired Valley Building Supply and Lake Anna Tractor & Hardware, further expanding its reach.

This growth has presented both opportunities and challenges for the company. As Cardinal expands, it has had to adapt its corporate structure and find ways to maintain the close-knit culture that has been a hallmark of the business. The company has gained valuable insights from recent acquisitions, integrating new teams, learning from one another’s experiences, and adopting best practices from the acquired companies.

One of the biggest challenges has been managing the logistics of multiple locations. Cardinal has invested in expanding its retail and warehouse spaces, including a 6,000-square-foot addition in Lake Anna and a 4,500-square-foot showroom in Staunton. These expansions are part of a broader strategy to increase product offerings and improve customer service across all locations. The company is also expanding its facilities to store more products indoors, which is crucial for preserving the quality of the lumber and other building materials. Keeping everything sheltered allows Cardinal to ensure its products remain in excellent condition, ready for customers when needed.

As Cardinal Home Center continues to grow, the company remains committed to its core values, particularly in how it treats its employees. With a workforce of over 150 people, Cardinal places a strong emphasis on teamwork, communication, and promoting from within.

“We’re a family business, but we’re a business,” Price says. “We can’t succeed without our employees, and we’re always looking for ways to support them and help them grow.” This commitment to employees is reflected in the company’s approach to management. Cardinal promotes from within whenever possible while also bringing in outside talent when necessary.

The company’s growth has also required changes in how it manages its operations. As Cardinal has expanded from one location to multiple, it has implemented new corporate structures to streamline operations and improve efficiency. This has allowed store managers to focus more on local culture, sales growth, and team morale while corporate teams handle purchasing, logistics, and other administrative tasks.

As Cardinal Home Center looks to the future, the company remains focused on its mission of providing high-quality products and exceptional customer service. With plans for further expansion and ongoing renovations at its new locations, Cardinal is well-positioned to continue its growth in the coming years.

“Our goal is to keep improving and evolving,” Price says. “We want to stay true to our values while embracing new opportunities and challenges. Whether it’s expanding our product offerings, improving our customer service, or supporting our employees, we’re always looking for ways to get better.”

For Cardinal Home Center, the journey from a small division of Madison Wood Preservers to a leading building supply retailer has been one of growth, adaptation, and a deep commitment to quality and service. As the company continues to expand, it remains rooted in the values that have guided it for over three decades: customer service, quality, and trust.

The post Revolutionizing the Residential Construction Market<p class="company">Cardinal Home Center</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

“We want to see prosperity at every level,” affirms Rusty Arnold, who wears multiple hats at Frontier, including Co-Owner, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Executive Officer. “We want to be prosperous; we want our customers to be prosperous, and we want mills to be prosperous. The only way you can achieve that is by working together and communicating.”

Believing in open, honest, face-to-face communication, Arnold continues to uphold Frontier’s mission and values: do what’s right, do it effectively and efficiently, ask questions and communicate, QTIP (“Quit Taking It Personally”), and stay humble.

Founded on experience
Prior to establishing Frontier, Woodward and Messamaker devoted much of their careers to the lumber industry. They worked at other lumber distribution companies serving the Kansas City market, eventually landing at Continental Timber based out of Wichita but with a facility in Kansas City. After a decade and a half, the duo created Frontier Forest Products with the blessing of Continental’s owner.

In September 2015, Arnold joined the company after working at a competitor that was a nationwide company and owned by a fund. He saw the writing on the wall! “I wasn’t built for the corporate world; that wasn’t my forte,” he says. “I hold my people in higher respect. People aren’t numbers and I believe in trust with the FFP team while holding myself and my co-workers accountable. We are a team and teams work together.”

Woody retired in 2021, with Messamaker and Arnold buying out his share.

To this day, Arnold is grateful for making the move to Frontier and being afforded the opportunity to work for a company—and an industry—he loves. He speaks about Woody and Keith with great respect. “They’ve been fantastic bosses and partners, and I can’t thank them enough,” he says. “They’ve given me the opportunity I always wanted as an entrepreneurial spirit. It’s been a fun run so far, but there’s so much more to do.” Rusty and Keith are currently working out details of the next buyout, which will see Rusty as the majority owner.

Forward-thinking
Rusty Arnold is dedicated to Frontier’s growth and stability not only today, but also into the future. “I intend for my leadership team to have share ownership, and over the next 16 years to put it in a position so the company will thrive as the younger generation takes the helm. Seeking to be the best leader possible for the company’s employees, he is committed to taking the company to the next level and educating the younger leadership group.

When he joined the company, it had one location in Kansas City. In 2017, Frontier opened its office and yard in Tulsa/Sand Springs, Oklahoma. The years to come saw additional sites in West Des Moines, Iowa and an office and warehouse in Wichita/Valley Center, Kansas.

To ensure customers get the products they need quickly and efficiently, Frontier Forest Products works with many well-known vendors, such as Roseburg Forest Products, Louisiana Pacific, Vaagen Bros., Georgia-Pacific Wood Products, Sierra Pacific Industries, Stimson Lumber, and West Fraser, to name a few. Lumber products supplied by the company include boards, treated wood, plywood, studs, oriented strand board (OSB), dimension lumber, and rebar.

Partners in success
“One key to success as a business, a partner, and a vendor, is respecting one another,” says Arnold. “We will always give a straight answer and have products for our customers at a fair price. We will make each other profitable, and Frontier Forest Products will be known as a sustainable, legacy company.”

No matter the type of business, it is important to support one another for long-term prosperity and survival. This ties into Arnold’s three-point vision of knowledge, trust, and faith. By constantly talking to the lumber mills, his team gathers firsthand information about the industry, where the market is trending, and how to best navigate it. FFP employees are always working to identify market opportunities and take these opportunities to the customer, believing in working with mills to help move their products.

“We hope they use the market information to their benefit, and appreciate the value we provide, versus seeing us as trying to close a sale,” he says. “We want to see them thrive, and we hope they want to see us thrive. The same goes for the mills. We should all be talking to mills daily and asking, ‘How can I help you today?’”

He believes that this includes maintaining human connections instead of relying solely on technology. In an industry that used to be driven by in-person meetings and phone calls, many are now pushing artificial intelligence (AI) instead of building on personal relationships. Too many mills want to do everything online instead of having genuine conversations. Even with young leadership, this is an old-school value that Frontier Forest Products embraces.

“What I’m seeing out there is a lack of communication and relationship-building,” states Arnold. “This industry is so fast paced that if you make a call to a mill at 8:30 in the morning and you don’t hear back until 1 o’clock, I’ve already lost the business. Sometimes I get an email five or six hours later, or don’t even get an email back. I grew up talking one on one—that’s how you develop a gut instinct that enables you to navigate a company.”

Being in a fast paced, high-commodity industry means it can be critical to hear someone’s voice and better glean what they are thinking. “I think we are allowing technology to lead us down a path that destroys that human connection,” says Arnold. “It can be utilized equally and be good for everybody, but I think we are potentially losing sight of how best to use it.”

A big believer in respect, Arnold says it is vital to treat customers, vendors, and industry partners well, which extends to Frontier itself. “The new motto I am slowly integrating into our company is: ‘Serving Large and Small Alike.’ I don’t care if you’re big or if you’re small; you’re getting the same treatment. I don’t believe in treating anybody differently… when it comes to servicing, everybody gets the same treatment.”

Internally, respect and loyalty go a long way at Frontier Forest Products. When Arnold says he wants employees to have a well-balanced life, he means it. This includes workers going to see their kid play baseball at two in the afternoon if their work gets done. Every week, Arnold posts a Thought for the Day emphasizing responsible leadership, shining a light on the company, and highlighting its positive culture.

“We constantly strive to be on the forefront of what’s coming in the lumber industry, and do what’s best for our customers,” he says. “Helping each other comes full circle; hopefully, by doing that, we can gain trust, build faith, and implement the promises we set out to achieve. Those steps—knowledge, trust, and faith in delivering on our promises—are the long-term goals of any company. Our customers who appreciate those three things come to us for those reasons.”

The post Keeping the Human Touch<p class="company">Frontier Forest Products</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

“Our great uncle, Clay Huskey, was a builder in Nashville in the ’30s and ’40s, when there weren’t established lumber yards,” says Austin. “He had connections in North Alabama with sawmills and would go down there and bring back material for his builds. Like any good estimator, he’d bring back a few boards too many, and stored those on a lot in South Nashville.”

He started selling the extra boards and eventually realized it would make a better business than building houses. Taylor and Austin’s granddad Cecil was brought into the business and ended up buying it years later when Clay retired. After Cecil passed, it was run by their dad and brother for a number of years, growing it steadily until Austin and Taylor came on board. “Taylor and I grew up in the business, following dad’s footsteps and loving every minute of it,” Austin says.

Maintaining that Huskey family feel is very important, as well as being nimble, he adds. As the world is continually consolidating, the Huskeys feel they meet a need in the market—if a customer needs something, or if there’s a change happening in the market, they can make a decision and move on it without having to consult a committee.

“Being family-owned, we don’t want people to feel like a number,” says Austin. “Our dad always had a very open-door policy and was very well connected with everybody in the company and certainly operations, because he grew up doing it just like Taylor and I did.”

The business has always operated in the greater Nashville area, and takes pride in its products. “We’re not trying to provide the cheapest products necessarily, but from a purely hard dollar standpoint, we’re trying to provide quality products that are going to last because they’re going into our community,” he adds. “That’s a big deal to us as well. When my dad took over, it was seven people; it’s more than 300 families now, and supporting those families and creating more opportunities for those families is a service we take very seriously.”

The family’s Christian beliefs are also extremely important, Taylor adds. “We do a lot of giving, both here and around the world. Every single year, we sit down, and we take what we’ve made, and really try to do our best to tithe it wisely and well, investing in something beyond these walls. It’s important to us.”

On the business front, the company has recently forged a new partnership with Marvin Windows and Doors, considered an excellent fit for Huskey due to sharing similar values. “It’s a big deal to sell a quality product and brand you believe in,” says Taylor “We also felt we had a gap in our product offering. When our dad opened the truss plant and started working with more track-focused guys, bigger builders doing more homes per year, it was through that process we lost our focus on the custom home builder.”

As the team made the shift back toward a focus on the custom home builder, they realized they didn’t have a product that fit in the multi-million dollar home sector. “They’re not going to put a vinyl window in there; they need something nicer,” says Taylor.

That set the company’s sights on a partner that could offer that kind of product. After speaking to a number of different companies, Huskey landed on Marvin, another family-owned and operated business in its fifth generation. “They align with us value-wise really well and build such a quality product,” says Taylor. “It’s easy to sell that product, because it’s a product and company we believe in, so we feel really good about the partnership.”

Huskey is currently making a big investment in a specific Marvin showroom that will be “very unique,” he adds, and probably one of the few in the country boasting a showroom of this caliber to display product. “We’re excited for that and want to keep growing that product category in this market.”

Of course, none of this ongoing success would be possible without maintaining an exemplary company culture. “I can’t really talk about company culture without talking about lean thinking and lean manufacturing,” says Austin. “We’re big, lean thinkers. Sometimes that gets seen as simplifying everything and cutting out jobs, but really, nothing could be further from the truth. Lean is about growing people and engaging everybody in understanding the areas that can be a struggle in your job and your role.”

By fixing those struggles—or making them less complicated—the company ends up with a more engaged workforce, achieves more at the end of the day, and produces a quality product.

For Huskey, lean also includes morning meetings at every job site to keep the team engaged, on the same page, and learning together. “This way we don’t just do the job, we improve the job,” Austin says. “We give people time to make those improvements on ideas they’ve had in their particular station.”

There’s a methodology around that, he adds, but it’s really about how to get everybody engaged in making Huskey the best place to work while creating more throughput, more value to the customer, and a better product at the same time. In short, Huskey strives to ensure company culture and atmosphere remain positive and uplifting for everyone.

“We also invest in employees not only to improve jobs here, but also improve their life,” says Taylor. “We have a library of more than 30 books we want everybody to read. We have book clubs going on all the time covering chapters in these books, from Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink to 2 Second Lean by Paul Akers. If people read and apply it—not just at work, but also at home—that’s something that’s our heart. It’s about improvement of the business to drive value for customers, but also becoming a better person outside of these walls.”

The only requirement Huskey asks is that the employee reads the book if they take one. “Even if this is just a stepping stone for somebody to get to where they really want to go, we want it to be a good experience for them and we want to support them in whatever else they want to do,” says Taylor. “If we can be that for somebody and they can learn something here that they can go on with to bigger and better things, that’s awesome. We love that.”

While the company has faced a few challenges over the years—including growing at a “breakneck pace” from 2021 to 2022—it has managed to maintain the right size for future success. As for milestones, while Huskey is growth-minded from both a business and people perspective, it’s not focused on chasing a number, Taylor explains.

“We want to grow for really two reasons. The first being that in this space there’s been so much consolidation over the past 10 to 15 years, and as that’s happened there’s a bit of fear that as the big get bigger, they get treated differently from vendors and manufacturers.”

Huskey doesn’t have to be the biggest, but it does need to be a good investment and a good bet for vendor partners. “We need to be buying more from them year in and year out, to be good customers and good bets long-term,” Taylor says. “We need to continue to get good service, good pricing, to be able to provide that and value to our customers.”

Coming out of COVID, the company learned that the relationships built with vendors and the investment they saw in their specific customers were very real, Austin adds. “There were multiple product categories that you had to pick and choose during that time, and certainly there will be material tightening again as market fluctuations happen, so we feel to stay relevant in the supply chain, we need to be somebody who’s going to do more next year than we did this year.”

Of course, the company’s focus never strays far from people, another reason why it remains growth-focused. “If we were just going to mail it in and be okay with doing what we did last year, year over year, the ability for us to grow leaders within this company would be limited,” says Taylor. “For people to grow within our company, to go from the shop floor to inside to sales or management, what have we got to do to keep growing?”

Huskey Building Supply is committed to promoting from within, and to do that, the company must keep creating as many possibilities as possible. This dedication, coupled with longstanding family involvement, speaks volumes to where the company is heading. As third-generation owners, the brothers aren’t beholden to Wall Street and can make long-term decisions themselves, says Austin.

“We don’t have to rely on the next quarterly earnings report, which creates a lot of ability to stay nimble and to support our customers. But again, it really comes back to our people. If we have an engaged team that cares about what they’re doing, operates with excellence, and understands we want to let value flow to the customer, it just creates a better experience.”

And the brothers are certainly doing something right. “On a personal note, the business is certainly a fun business, and I’ve grown to love it,” adds Taylor. “The thing that gets me up in the morning is that our name is on the sign, and we love that we’re standing on the shoulders of our grandfather and our father. That’s something we take great pride in,” he says.

“We’ve been a huge part of the growth over the years, and that’s been fun to take part in. It’s fun to wake up and realize this is something that, if our grandfather could look at it now, he would be shocked that it’s still in the family and we’re still doing it day in day out.”

“We’re very aware of the statistics of third generation, privately held, family-owned businesses, and I think less than seven percent make it to that fourth,” adds Austin. “But we love what we do. We love a challenge, so we’re trying to make long-term decisions every day.”

The post All in the Family: Long-Term Growth Through Employee Support<p class="company">Huskey Building Supply</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Whether working with professional contractors or large custom home builders, Walker Lumber & Supply delivers prompt, effective service built on core values—fair and reasonable pricing, superior building materials, and exceptional customer care—that have been the foundation of the business since 1949.

Founded by Robert Walker after World War II, the company grew and diversified over the years. Today, Walker Lumber & Supply is a thriving business that has weathered its share of storms and continued to prosper in spite of challenges, including the closure of more than half of Nashville’s lumberyards.

The company has consistently been at the forefront of the industry thanks to owners Ray Hayles and Scott McMillan’s emphasis on developing a top-notch management team and integrating technology while optimizing efficiency. Perhaps their most notable achievement, however, is their nationally acclaimed “Second Chance” program, collaborating with neighborhood ministries to restore hope and dignity to those in addiction recovery.

“We started our Second Chance program as an opportunity to have a human impact on our community,” says Tim Roach, Operations Manager.

The reality of getting sober is just one aspect of treatment for the one in seven Americans who battle addiction or substance use disorders, he adds. Rebuilding their lives and overcoming the stigma associated with addiction can be equally difficult for many. Thankfully, Walker Lumber is willing to help those who need it most, with many individuals having gone through the program since its inception.

Second Chance program participants must fulfill the conditions set forth by the state’s Tennessee Drug Free Workforce Program, including random drug tests. However, the most critical component is the empathy extended to those in the program. Through understanding and patience, Second Chance provides individuals with an option to start over and make a difference in their futures.

“Many of these individuals face significant hiring challenges due to public perception,” says Roach. “When they do get hired, they’re often taken advantage of because of their legal or financial circumstances. Employers see their background and offer lower pay for the same work compared to coworkers without similar histories.”

The onset of COVID also helped accelerate the program when the company experienced challenges finding employees. Being located close to a number of halfway houses led to applications from residents recently out of rehab or jail, looking for stability while getting their feet back on the ground.

“A lot of these individuals don’t have access to basic resources like cars or phones,” Roach says. “They would walk to our location and apply in person, driven by the hope of finding an opportunity. After we hired a few participants and supported their journey through the Second Chance program, one of the halfway house owners visited to share how much the residents appreciated and valued their positive experiences with us. They wanted to help by sending us applicants they felt would fit with what we were doing,” he says, and the program continued to evolve and expand from there.

“Soon, all the halfway house owners were on board and sending people to us so we could help those who really want to change their lives for the better,” Roach says.

Walker Lumber’s leadership have not only brought these people into the fold, but given them a home away from home, adds Roach. “We leave their past in the past. We evaluate individuals on their performance here and now; nothing in the past matters.”

Currently employing 11 individuals, the process isn’t easy, but it is rewarding. “It’s tough,” says Roach, especially when people go through rehab and move back into addiction. “But we have people here right now who are actively working to change their lives and change their situation and change who they are. All we can do is love and support them the best we can.”

Hannah Johnson, Walker Lumber’s Human Resources professional, approaches her role more like a social worker, he adds—ensuring employees are receiving health care and dental care, taking them to court when needed, and helping them through any legal issues they’re experiencing. It’s challenging, but at the end of the day, it’s all worth it.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to have those guys out there in our yard doing so well, knowing where they came from and what they’ve been involved in,” Roach says. “Some guys have been in addiction for a very long time, and sobriety is very difficult for them. They’re making the effort, and we’re just happy to have a company that opens the door for them and allows them the ability to have a loving, caring environment that’s stable enough to allow them to be who they are and to turn themselves around.”

The program’s success has led to other businesses asking how to implement their own second Chance Program. “We’ve had companies far bigger than ours bring their team to see the program in action. We explain to them what we’re doing and how it has evolved over time,” says Roach. “The program has adapted to help our community and help the participants.”

A crucial aspect of any program like this is fostering an environment free from stigma and shame, a value deeply embedded in the company culture and championed by leadership. At Walker Lumber, the owners prioritize more than just sales and profits; they genuinely care about making a difference. “We’re a people-first culture and not driven solely by sales and numbers. We’re driven by people and by relationships,” says Roach. “We’re a relationship-based company, and that drives our culture.”

This focus on people, relationships, and service has resulted in sales that have continued to grow year over year. “The owners of the company… look at this business as a mission for them,” says Roach. “Some people go across the world to do mission trips to help people, but their mission is, ‘let’s build a company that gives employees stability, a place to come and work and make money and provide for their families and their community.’”

This supportive culture is one that is easy for employees to buy into. “Everyone who works here needs to understand the kind of company we are, the values we stand for, and how those principles shape everything we do,” says Roach. “Honesty and integrity are at the core of everything we do. The owners want talent, of course, but ultimately, they want people who care. We can teach you the business part, but you can’t teach someone to care.”

Walker Lumber’s dedication to honesty and transparency is also greatly appreciated by clients, allowing the company to provide a high level of service that exemplifies the humanity of the business. “We are a company built entirely on relationships, and for good reason. Providing a high level of service requires truly knowing your clients—not just on the surface, but on a deeper level. It means understanding their wants and needs and anticipating potential challenges before they arise.”

It’s a commitment that doesn’t go unnoticed in the construction world. “I’ve had so many people tell me, when they come onto our yard or into our store, how everybody seems so happy and so friendly,” Roach says. “They enjoy coming to our yard because it’s so different than what they experience anywhere else.”

Walker Lumber marries this positive attitude with customer service offerings that are second to none, he says. “It’s rare that you even hear about a lumberyard with their own custom software, their own custom applications. But we’re doing our own deliveries, pulling materials with web-based applications, and using technology to build analytics into our offering,” using this data-driven approach to improve service.

As Walker Lumber continues to evolve and enhance its ability to serve clients, the team envisions a promising future filled with opportunities for growth. However, beyond its commitment to business success, the company takes the greatest pride in its Second Chance program—a transformative initiative that offers individuals the opportunity to rebuild their lives and embrace a fresh start.

“The Second Chance program gives everyone here a sense of purpose,” Roach says. “We’re all part of it—part of the employees’ growth and helping them become who they are today while leaving their past behind. It’s a company-wide effort, and that’s what makes it truly special. It adds a deeper sense of purpose to everything we do.”

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