Hancock Lumber to acquire Massachusetts lumberyard

Johnson Lumber lumberyard in Salisbury, Mass. seen from above

Photo / Courtesy of Hancock Lumber Hancock Lumber has announced plans to acquire Johnson Lumber, a single-location lumberyard in Salisbury, Mass., shown here.

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By Renee Cordes

Hancock Lumber will make its first foray into the Bay State through the acquisition of Johnson Lumber, a single-location lumberyard in Salisbury, Mass., about six miles north of Newburyport.

The acquisition, announced Thursday, will give the Casco-based buyer its 12th lumberyard.

Terms of the deal, which is expected to close May 31, were not disclosed.

All 20 employees of Johnson Lumber — including three second-generation owners — will join Hancock Lumber. That will bring Hancock Lumber’s workforce total to 725 employees, a spokeswoman told Mainebiz.

Hancock Lumber, led by President and CEO Paul Wainman, said the acquisition will extend the reach between the company's existing locations in Kennebunk, which is 40 minutes away, and in Wolfeboro, N.H., about 70 minutes away from Johnson Lumber. It will start operations as Hancock Lumber on Monday, June 2.

Another goal is to expand product lines including Hancock-made wall panels, trusses and pine, along with Marvin windows and Tiny Homes while boosting capacity and delivery efficiency across the region, according to Hancock Lumber. Hancock Lumber acquired Tiny Homes of Maine last year.

Located two miles from the coast and minutes from I-95 and I-495, Johnson Lumber is situated on a 12-acre site featuring covered storage and contractor-focused inventory.

Expansion plans

Both companies are family-owned firms, with Hancock Lumber dating back to 1848 and Johnson Lumber to 1963.

“It’s been an honor to work with the Johnson family on the acquisition and integration of their amazing company into the Hancock Lumber family,” said Kevin Hancock, the company’s chairman and sixth-generation managing owner. “We plan to reinvest, grow the business and add resources to allow that tradition to keep building.”

Originally a sawmill, Johnson Lumber has evolved into a contractor yard with a reach across northeastern Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire and southern Maine.

“Our family has been focused on finding the right partner to move our family business into the next generation of ownership,” said Trish Johnson, the company’s president and second-generation owner. “Ultimately, choosing to partner with Hancock Lumber came down to finding a company that will honor our values and take care of our people — both employees and customers — for the long-run.”