CBS Ranks #52 on the list of Top ProSales Dealers in 2010

he ProSales Top 100 Dealers list was released on Wednesday May 11th and Campbellsport Building Supply along with Berlin Building Supply, Kiel Building Supply and Drexel came in as #52 on the list of top dealers in 2010; up from #65 in 2009, #81 in 2008 and #95 in 2007. This is quite an accomplishment considering the economy and the fact that this list includes building supply dealers from across the country.  
Of the companies in this survey, CBS was one of 64 that posted an increase in sales between 2009 and 2010.  The good news is, the total of 64 is a sharp contrast with the fact that only 10 companies recorded increases last year. This year only 32 had declines in sales, down from the 90 companies that suffered losses in last year’s survey. The other four companies in this year’s poll said revenues were unchanged.

ProSales 100 Reveals Cautious Upturn in 2010 for the Biggest Construction Supply Firms
Washington, D.C. May 11, 2011. America’s largest pro-oriented construction supply companies recorded in 2010 their first collective revenue increase since 2006, but some firms continued to stumble and further progress for the entire group could be tough, the latest ProSales 100 reveals.
The annual report, produced by Hanley Wood’s ProSales magazine each May and released today on prosalesonline.com, found that ProSales 100 companies sold a total of $24.08 billion worth of goods in 2010, up 6.2% from their sales total in 2009. Sixty-four of the 100 companies posted an increase in sales, a sharp contrast with the 10 that had done that in 2009 from 2008. Another 32 suffered declines in sales from the previous year; in 2009, 90 did. The other four companies on this year’s poll said revenues were unchanged.

The ProSales 100 is the premier report on construction supply companies that garner more than half their revenues from professional builders. Large operations that cater primarily to retail customers, such as The Home Depot, Lowe’s and Menards, are excluded, thus making it possible to examine more accurately the pro-oriented side of the lumber and building material industry.

ABC Supply’s acquisition last June of former No. 4 Bradco Supply enabled the Beloit, Wis.-based specialty dealer to vault into the top spot on the ProSales 100, with a 51.7% rise in overall sales to $4.07 billion. Denver-based ProBuild, which had been No. 1 since 2005, dropped to No. 2 on the list at $3.5 billion in sales, a 9.4% gain. It remains the nation’s biggest full-service lumberyard.

Beacon Roofing of Peabody, Mass., takes third place with $1.65 billion in sales (down 5%), followed by Allied Building Products, East Rutherford, N.J., in fourth at $1.64 billion (up 0.4%); and 84 Lumber, Eighty Four, Pa., in fifth at $1.45 billion (up 7.4%). The actual rankings are based sales made to professional builders. In the case of the top 10, the rankings hold true whether one uses all sales or sales made solely to professional builders. Further down the list, the percentage of pro sales can make a difference in a company’s ranking.

“Two years ago, only two ProSales 100 members experienced jumps of greater than 20%,” noted Brendan Rimetz, ProSales’ assistant editor, who collected the data and reported on it in May’s issue. “This year, nine did. And two years ago, 31 companies posted declines of at least 20%, while just four did in 2010. For the rest, the gains and losses tended to be modest—61 were no more than 10% up or down.”

Leading the way was US LBM, the Green Bay, Wis.-based holding company founded in 2009 and comprised mainly of several former Stock Building Supply companies. It grew more than 11 times to $275 million in sales in 2010, pushing it to 14th on this year’s list. Meanwhile, its former corporate parent, Stock, saw its revenues drop 39.7% to $861 million, the biggest percentage decline on this year’s list. Raleigh, N.C.-based Stock incurred that decline despite acquiring two former Top 30 companies: Bison Building Materials of Houston (No. 16 in 2009) and National Home Centers of Springdale, Ark. (No. 26.)

“Even though the majority of dealers reported improving conditions, nobody’s feeling giddy,” ProSales editor Craig Webb said. “Indeed, 10 companies said one of their greatest achievements in 2010 was the fact they survived. And dealers face huge uncertainties going forward. Housing starts are down 75% from their peak in 2005, and most economists believe it will take several years before we see robust homebuilding again.”

ProSales 100 members manage 3,282 facilities nationwide and employ more than 62,000 people.

“Dealers remain cautious about investing in information technology, but they are looking forward to increasing the services they offer online,” ProSales publisher Mark Taussig said. “This year, 43% of the respondents said they plan to spend between a quarter and a half percent of revenues on technology. They’re making plans to enable customers to place and track orders online as well as pay invoices.”

Along with the ProSales 100, this month’s issue (and its cover subject) reports on the turnaround engineered by Jane Fesler, manager of the Twin Cities facilities for Lampert Yards.

ProSales magazine provides residential construction companies with information, insights and advice on improving sales and service. For more information on the magazine or ProSales 100, visitprosalesonline.com and click on the tab near the top marked “ProSales 100.”