Alpine Lumber expands to New Mexico

Alpine Lumber has purchased five units from AC Houston, the western chain of lumberyards headquartered in North Las Vegas. This will be the Colorado pro dealer’s first foray into New Mexico. The new locations are in Angel Fire, Gallup, and Farmington, N.M.; as well as Durango and Crested Butte, Colo.

Bill Miller, Alpine’s chairman, CEO and president, confirmed the purchase in a phone interview with HCN, but said he would have no further comment. Before the acquisition, Alpine operated 10 lumberyards along Colorado’s Front Range and Western slope, two truss shops, two millwork operations, three professional paint supply operations and a pre-built stair shop.

Based in Westminster, Colo., outside of Denver, Alpine Lumber is a 100 percent employee-owned company that reported $189 million in sales in 2006.

AC Houston opened in Kansas in 1884 and relocated its headquarters to Las Vegas in 1998. The third-generation lumberyard operated 11 locations, including truss and wall panel plants, in five western states prior to the Alpine Lumber deal. Sales in 2006 were $157 million.

Chief executive Robert Houston said the company will continue to do business from its yards in Las Vegas, Ketchum, Idaho, and Indio and Sacramento, Calif.

“Absolutely,” Houston told HCN. “We will continue to do so for many years to come.”