Company History
Western Building Products started in business in 1946, at 7534 West State Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, when at the end of World War II Milwaukee was without a Millwork Jobber.
The company was known at that time as Western Lumber Distributors and was a partnership of Reo, Harold and Marsden Elliott.
The principal product line at that time was lumber which was sold to customers in car load lots.
In 1947 the company leased its first warehouse space, an old pickle factory, to use in the distribution of mouldings.
In 1955, the company’s name was changed to Western Moulding Company.
Driver, Harland Semrow with his truck before a delivery.
In 1955, the company became a distributor for Farley and Loetscher Manufacturing of Dubuque, Iowa, a reputable Millwork Manufacturer. Western grew rapidly into a full-line Millwork Jobber and soon became the largest distributor of “Quality-Bilt” millwork in the United States.
In 1964, the company acquired nearby H&H Scrap Metal’s facility, eventually the site where warehouse 8 was constructed.
In 1973 the Andersen Corporation selected Western as their new Milwaukee Distributor and a new dimension of quality performance was added in serving customers.
In 1983 the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) was
established affording employees the opportunity of having an interest in the company.
In 1984, the company’s name was again changed to Western Building Products, Inc. to better reflect the broader range of products being offered.
In 2003, our Illinois Distribution Center (IDC) in Genoa City, Wisconsin allowed Western to continue to grow and service an expanding market.
After 70 plus years, we continue serving an ever-expanding customer base in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa, delivering quality building products on time and error-free.