Pleasant River Lumber acquires central Maine building supply stores
By Ernie Clark, Bangor Daily News Staff
Pleasant River Lumber Co., whose properties include a lumber mill in Dover-Foxcroft, has entered the retail ranks with its recent purchase of the Waterville-based Ware-Butler Inc.
Lumber and Building Supplies.
“Ware-Butler has a great team and very solid reputation. Our number one goal is to continue to provide the high level of service and value that Ware-Butler customers are accustomed to, while utilizing our resources going forward to increase that value,” said Chris Brochu, Pleasant River Lumber co-president.
Ware-Butler Inc. is a family owned lumber yard and building supply center that has served central Maine and beyond for 95 years and has retail locations in Waterville, Madison and Livermore Falls.
“We are thrilled to work with the Brochu family to transition into this exciting new phase of Ware-Butler Inc.,” said Ware-Butler president Richard Giguere. “Our management team and I will be working conjointly with the PRL team to continue to increase the value of what we already offer to our loyal customers.”
No financial terms of the deal were released in the announcement of the acquisition, though Ware-Butler will continue to operate as a stand-alone company under Pleasant River.
Pleasant River Lumber co-president Jason Brochu said the company has been interested in expanding into retail for a few years.
“We believe our culture and the culture of Ware-Butler are a perfect match and that both companies will be stronger, to the benefit of our customers, by coming together,” he said.
Pleasant River Lumber has more than 300 employees around the state and owns and operates lumber manufacturing facilities in Dover-Foxcroft, Jackman, Enfield, Hancock and Sanford that specialize in spruce and fir framing lumber and eastern white pine boards.
Pleasant River Lumber also owns Chaffee Transport, a trucking company in Clinton; Quality Saw Sales and Service, a full-service saw filing and supply company in Enfield; and A&A Brochu Logging, a logging division specializing in commercial thinning also headquartered in Enfield.