Blue Wolf’s capital and M&A expertise helped Florida’s largest independent distributor of windows, doors and trusses survive a housing market collapse and expand its operation to new locations around the state.
At the height of the housing boom in Florida, hundreds of building supply companies supported a thriving industry, but when the housing market collapsed in the wake of the 2008 crash, the majority of them were forced to close. American Builders Supply, a strong company founded by gifted entrepreneurs, confronted a decimated industry. Under Blue Wolf’s ownership, the company would become one of the few building supply companies to survive, recover and bounce back.
In 2011, with Florida housing starts at a fraction of their peak, Blue Wolf recognized that American Builders Supply’s market share and market position in critical elements of the housing supply chain gave it long-term value. We partnered with the founder and management team, providing them with the capital and expertise to consolidate their market on a statewide basis. This positioned them to grow and prosper from the very beginning of the housing market rebound that began in 2012.
Backed by us, the company acquired five smaller competitors around the state and opened several greenfield locations. As a strong institutional sponsor, we were able to attract nationally known and respected industry veterans to support the founding management team. Our operating partners also rolled up their sleeves to help the company implement a computerized Enterprise Resource Planning system and to fully integrate the newly acquired businesses into American Builder Supply’s platform.
American Builders Supply is now the largest independent distributor of windows, doors and trusses in the state of Florida. With the operational discipline and strategic rigor, the company, bolstered by the businesses it acquired during the downturn and the new facilities it built as the market rebounded, is a vital partner to the largest homebuilders in America. In 2017, Blue Wolf sold American Builders Supply to Kodiak Finance, a subsidiary of Kodiak Building Partners. This decision was driven by Kodiak’s commitment to continue building on the foundation we established and keep the company well positioned for long-term success, which would in turn benefit the local community moving forward.