ProBuild, America's biggest full-service pro LBM company, said today it plans by mid-November to close 12 of its locations, 10 of which haven't been reported previously.

In an e-mail to employees from the Denver headquarters, company president and CEO Fred Marino said the facilities to be closed are in:

  • Cherry Hill, N.J.
  • Fredericksburg, Va.
  • Greensboro, N.C.
  • Columbia, S.C.
  • Yorkville, Ill.
  • Westmont, Ill.
  • South Fork, Colo.
  • Granite Falls, Wash.
  • Sedro Woolley, Wash.
  • Coupeville, Wash.
  • Bonney Lake, Wash.
  • Moses Lake, Wash.

ProBuild also will discontinue its gypsum operation in Lynchburg, Va., but will remain open as a lumberyard.

"It is difficult to make the decision to close operations because we recognize the impact it will have on our employees and the communities which we serve," Marino wrote. "But this step is made to improve overall profitability of the company, and to retain jobs and more effectively serve our customers across the country."

The closures in Illinois already were known (see story) and mark ProBuild's departure from the Chicago market. The Denver-based company also is exiting the Columbia, S.C., and South Fork, Colo., markets, but will continue to deliver into markets that had been served by the closed facilities in Washington state and New Jersey.

ProBuild will continue providing gypsum to the Greensboro, N.C., and Fredericksburg, Va., areas, but won't attempt to sell other building products there.

"ProBuild is facing tough decisions like this all around the country as we continue to deal with a struggling economy," Marino wrote."But we are confident that by making these difficult decisions now, ProBuild will ultimately be better positioned to weather the downturn and eventually thrive when market conditions become more favorable."

The reductions leave ProBuild with roughly 435 facilities nationwide. It ranks No. 2 on this year's ProSales 100, behind only the specialty dealer ABC Supply. ProBuild reported $3.5 billion in revenue last year, 87% of it to professional builders and remodelers.