After housing storm, company thriving

CEO (OR EQUIVALENT):Steven Carlino, president2014 REVENUE: $27.2 million2012 REVENUE: $21 millionREVENUE GROWTH: 30%
CEO (OR EQUIVALENT):Steven Carlino, president2014 REVENUE: $27.2 million2012 REVENUE: $21 millionREVENUE GROWTH: 30%

Douglas Lumber Corp. is building its business by building homes.

The Smithfield-based lumber, kitchen and home store has seen its revenue increase by more than 30 percent since 2012. While this recent growth is significant, what’s more impressive is that the company is still surviving – and thriving – after the economic downturn.

“Most of the people in our industry took an enormous hit from 2008 to 2012,” said General Manager Steve Rendine. “As the economy improves, one of the first things that improves with it is housing.”

Douglas Lumber made it through the hard times through smart business planning and the knowledge staff gained over the company’s nearly 40 years of operation.

- Advertisement -

“We remember what happened during the credit crisis, and we were very cognizant that we needed to not have debt,” Rendine said. “We had sufficient reserves to make it through.”

Now the company is focusing on one of its key client bases, light commercial buildings. “As the economy continues to improve, there’s already more opportunity in this area, and more government money available for affordable housing and multifamily units,” Rendine said. “Those types of customers are not the same as the guy building a colonial [but] we’ve had quite a bit of success mining the urban markets.” •

No posts to display