Robinson Lumber Company (“RLC”), headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Overseas Hardwoods Company (“OHC”), headquartered in Mobile, Alabama, are pleased to announce that RLC has sold to OHC its imported hardwood lumber inventories in Chalmette, Louisiana and Garland, Texas. These strategic locations complement OHC’s existing facilities in Lufkin, Texas and Stockton, Alabama, enabling the company to better serve customers throughout the Gulf South. Although RLC has been headquartered in New Orleans since 1893, in recent years it has been consolidating its imported hardwood lumber business at the company’s Winchester, Virginia yard, which it opened in 2015 and where it operates over 700mbf of kilns and a production line. RLC will continue to serve customers nationally, and there are no changes to its American Hardwood or Finished Products businesses.
“Although we’re not actually related, we like to call the RLC Robinsons our ‘New Orleans Cousins’ because previous generations of our family companies have shared friendships and business together. My father Lee kiln-dried imported hardwoods for Robinson Lumber Company throughout the 70’s and 80’s,” remembered Luckett Robinson, Vice President of OHC.
Members of both families’ current generation planted the seeds of this transaction during RLC’s 125th anniversary celebration last fall. Discussions continued and both agreed that following OHC’s purchase of Sitco’s inventory last year, there was a need to further consolidate imported hardwood lumber inventories in the Gulf South. “If I had known that they would buy so much lumber, I would’ve invited our ‘Mobile Cousins’ to town much sooner!” quipped RLC CEO Garner Robinson, who continued, “We are excited to have agreed on a deal favorable for both our companies, and most importantly for all our customers. We look forward to finding other ways to work together in the future.”
For more information on Overseas Hardwoods Company and Robinson Lumber Company, visit their websites at: www.ohc.net and www.roblumco.com.
