With a major merger, U.S. Lumber works up the coast

From Alabama to Baltimore, Atlanta-based two-step distributor U.S. Lumber has earned a strong reputation in the Southeast since it was formed by the merger of Atlantic Trading Company and Bestwood Forest Products.

This week, with the stroke of a pen, U.S. Lumber gains a whole new region in which to build business.

U.S. Lumber Group and Mansfield, Massachusetts-based Boston Cedar, the specialty building materials distributor in New England, have agreed to merge their interests and form what they are calling “the largest private two-step distributor on the East Coast.” Rob Ankner, founder and principal of Boston Cedar, has agreed to become a partner at U.S. Lumber and will take a seat on the board of directors.

U.S. Lumber will have a controlling interest in the combined business and will manage it from its corporate office in Atlanta. The company operates nine distribution centers and two internal reloads, and covers 21 states.

“We are delighted to be in business with Rob and his 40-plus years of insight, experience and perspective,” said Lawrence Newton, U.S. Lumber's founder and CEO. “Under Rob’s leadership, his team at Boston Cedar has built a best-in-class company with their unique business model through longstanding customer partnerships. Boston Cedar and U.S. Lumber combined have the unique capability to serve customer and supplier partners up and down the Eastern Seaboard from the Canadian border to South Florida.”

The move presents synergies in products, culture and geography, acoording to executives. And, of course, both companies take on increased bargaining power and efficiencies with vendors.

Additionally, according to Eric Reppermund, director of national accounts for US Lumber, there are plenty of opportunities for each entity to learn from the other. For instance, U.S. Lumber has strengths in millwork and engineered lumber, while Boston Cedar has years of experience with high end, New England customers.

"We're both value-added specialty distributors," Reppermund said. "Our cultures are very similar. It's just a good fit for both us, and I'm very excited."