R.P. Lumber Co. plans to acquire Alexander Lumber, which has a location in Fairbury.
The Edwardsville-based R.P. Lumber continues to grow throughout Illinois, Missouri and Wyoming. R.P. entered the Iowa market in early 2021 and is currently expanding its Missouri footprint with the development of three new locations in the southwestern part of the state.
Alexander Lumber is a 130-year-old family company with locations in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. The building materials and hardware retailer grew with the westward expansion of the U.S. railway system.
A press release indicates the transaction will close Friday, Dec. 3 and terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“For five generations, Alexander Lumber has been our family’s identity,” said Watt Alexander, Board Chair of Alexander Lumber. “It has shaped our lives and our relationships to one another, but time has caught up with us.”
Alexander said the goal was to find another family-owned company, rather than a private equity backed competitor where business decisions would be made for long-term goals. Robert L. Plummer, president and CEO and R.P. Lumber, believes Alexander has always led by example as they are an industry giant with deep roots and a “sterling reputation” that has remained intact for decades.
“We are honored and humbled that the Alexander family has entrusted to us this great business their family built,” Plummer commented. “We do not take that responsibility lightly.”
R.P. is a full-service retail home center and building materials supplier. The company also operates a truss manufacturing facility in Central Illinois and a wholly-owned subsidiary, R.P. Home & Harvest which operates 22 farm and ranch lifestyle stores across Illinois, Wisconsin, Indian and Ohio. R.P. was founded by Robert and Donna Plummber in 1977 in Staunton, Illinois and is currently based in Edwardsville.
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