84 Lumber's sales shrank 36% in 2009 to $1.35 billion, a spokesman for the company confirmed. While steep, the decline isn't all that unusual for many of nation's biggest building material dealers.
Even with the decline in 2009 from 2008's sales total of $2.1 billion, 84 could hold onto fourth place in the ProSales 100 rankings this May. That's because Stock Building Supply, No. 2 on last year's list, went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year and emerged as a company likely to take in roughly $1 billion a year, down from 2008's $3.2 billion. ProBuild is likely to remain atop the list despite shrinking 27% in 2009 to $3.2 billion from 2008's $4.4 billion, while No. 3 ABC Supply has a chance to move to No. 2. But instead of moving up to third, 84 looks set to get leapfrogged by No. 5 Beacon Roofing Supply, which had roughly $1.63 billion in sales during 2009. And the No. 6 dealer, BMC Select–formerly Building Materials Holding Corp.–won't gain a spot, because it also went through Chapter 11 last year and is now roughly a $1 billion firm called BMC Select.
