Hammond Lumber Company, family owned and operated since 1953, has steadily grown into one of the largest independent building material suppliers and now serves contractor professionals and homeowners from 22 locations across Maine and New Hampshire.
1953: Our founder, Clifton “Skip” Hammond begins a diesel-powered sawmill operation in Belgrade. Later this year, Skip buys out his partner for $50, hires two employees and Hammond Lumber Company is on its way to making history!
1967: All of Hammond Lumber Company’s retail stores can trace their beginnings to 1967, when Skip’s son, Donald, started the retail division. The first store, and still Hammond Lumber Company’s home branch, was in Belgrade.
1975: A new planer mill is built and Hammond Lumber’s second retail store opens in Skowhegan.
1983: After a fire burns the Starbird Lumber building, Hammond Lumber acquires the business and opens it’s third location in Farmington.
1987: The Maine Pine Log Homes division, is established. Maine Pine Log Homes offers a series of complete pine log home and cabin series packages with all cabin stocked being manufactured by Hammond Lumber Company’s sawmill and planer mill in Belgrade.
1989: Peter Allen Lumber is acquired and becomes Hammond Lumber Company’s fourth location, serving customers in the Lewiston-Auburn area.
1991: Hammond Lumber’s store in Greenville is purchased from its previous owner, serving customers in the Dexter, Jackman, Rockwood, and Moosehead Lake region.
1996: Skip Hammond steps down and hands over the reins of leadership to his son, Donald. Donald’s son, Mike, steps into the role of Vice President.
1997: Fairfield Lumber in Fairfield is purchased and becomes Hammond Lumber’s sixth location, serving customers in Central Maine.
2002: The former Wickes store in Bangor is bought, re-opens as Hammond Lumber Company’s seventh location, and serves customers in Northern and Eastern Maine.
2003: Hammond Lumber Company celebrates its 50th Anniversary!
2006: Belgrade and Bangor store get remodeled by adding showrooms, administrative and warehouse space.
2007: FSC chain of custody certification is achieved, allowing Hammond Lumber to sell certified wood products throughout Maine.
2008: Hammond Lumber Company’s eighth location is built and opens in Portland.
May 2010: Downeast Building Supply in Brunswick, Maine, is purchased from the Morrell family. The ninth location serves customers in the Southern Mid-Coast region of Maine.
November 2010: Hammond Lumber Company purchases the assets of Pineland Lumber Company of Lewiston.
2011: Hammond Lumber’s tenth, eleventh, and twelfth stores open in Damariscotta, Boothbay Harbor, and Pemaquid. These stores were formerly known as Poole Brothers and New England Building Materials.
2013: Hammond Lumber Company celebrates its 60th anniversary!
Sixty years ago, Clifton “Skip” Hammond borrowed $50 from his wife, Verna, bought a sawmill and started a lumber business in Belgrade, Maine.
2014: Hammond Lumber Company purchase the assets of Dexter Supply in Wilton, representing a hand-off from one long-time Maine family business to another. Located five miles from our Farmington facility, it becomes Hammond Lumber’s 13th store.
2017: Hammond Lumber Company Names Mike Hammond President/CEO. Don Hammond takes the role of Vice President. Don continues his oversight of log procurement, eastern white pine manufacturing, and fleet management. Mike continues to manage the retail business and relationships with our contractors and vendors.
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2018: Hammond Lumber Company acquires EBS Building Supply, converting 10 locations while also closing and relocating employees from the Pemaquid and Wilton store. Read more on the full transition.
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Hammond Lumber Company now has more than 800 employees and 21 branch store locations across Maine. The company is the largest lumber and building material dealer in Maine and one of the largest independent LBM dealers in the country.
2020: ProSales Magazine awards Hammond Lumber Company the 2020 ProSales Dealer of the year Award based on its success in balancing customer service excellence, employee satisfaction, and the successful acquisition and integration of Ellsworth Building Supply (EBS) into the Hammond family.
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4th Generation Hammond Family Photo for ProSales Magazine
2022: Hammond Lumber Company acquires Brock’s Building Materials in Rochester, New Hampshire, converting the location and becoming its first store outside of Maine. Now operating with 22 locations across Maine and New Hampshire and employing over 900.
Left to right: Bethany Hammond, Sadie Hammond, Mike Hammond, Scott Brock, Connie Brock, Evan Brock, Mary Hammond and Don Hammond