COLUMBIA – An Ohio-based construction materials company is expanding with a new lumberyard in Columbia. The yard will create new jobs and provide for the local construction market, the company said.
Carter Lumber has opened a new full-service lumber yard at 1325 Veterans Rd. in Columbia near Interstate 77 and the Heritage Woods neighborhood, according to a September 3 press release.
The new yard will provide materials for Columbia’s strong construction market, newly appointed General Manager and Columbia native Gareth Rumley said.
“We’re very excited to be in the market and service all the Columbia builders and beyond,” Rumley said. “We're excited to help the community.”
The yard will bring between 10 and 20 jobs to the area, Rumley said. Rumley was unable to give a dollar amount for the investment.
The company expects the Columbia yard to expand with market demand in the future, he said, adding that Columbia-area builders reached out to the company to expand into the market as other similar providers have not grown with demand.
“There hasn't been any additions like a pro lumber dealer in this market in a while,” he said. “There's actually been a consolidation of similar companies.”
Carter Lumber has previously opened locations in Rock Hill, Easley and Johnsonville in Florence County, according to the company’s website. The company also has multiple locations in Charlotte.
The Columbia yard will be managed by the same team as the Charlotte operations, according to the press release.
“Carter Lumber has serviced builders in Columbia for years from our Charlotte Market, but this new location will allow us to finally provide the complete package, from products to service, for those builders and many more,” Carter Lumber executive Brandon Kujawski said in the release. “We strive to provide the best service in this industry, and we’re excited to prove that to home builders in Columbia.”
The Columbia lumberyard will provide building materials and installations of windows, interior and exterior doors, engineered wood products, cement siding and structural hardware, according to the release.
Lumberyard staff will also offer estimations and design help for roof and floor trusses, wall panels, engineered wood floor systems and cabinetry for builders, according to the release.
The company’s most recent expansion in Florence County created 80 new jobs with a $26 million investment, according to a March 2023 press release from the governor’s office.
“South Carolina is a place where businesses come to thrive, and Carter Lumber's investment is another testament to that fact,” Gov. Henry McMaster said in the 2023 press release.