The Origins Of MRD Lumber
In 1986 Jack Nicklaus, at age 46 became the oldest man to win the US Open. The Voyager Spacecraft flew around the world in nine days. And MRD Lumber Company was founded.
In the years prior to the establishment of MRD, Mark and Rick, two of the three owners of MRD, were employed as successful contractor salesmen in the Lehigh Valley. Dennis, the third owner, was a project estimator for a general contractor in Schuylkill County. What started out as a far-fetched topic of conversation, initiated by the requests of the contractors Mark and Rick serviced, became a reality in April of 1986 when the three combined their industry knowledge and purchased a small lumber yard in Coopersburg, PA.
The Original MRD Location In Coopersburg PA
When the Coopersburg, PA yard was purchased, it employed one individual besides the owner, consisted mainly of a 200-square-foot area that served as a showroom and office space, and was nearly out of business. Mark, Rick, and Dennis, along with two employees, put in long hours to begin transforming the business into a reputable contractor-based yard. By 1991 the company’s sales volume had grown to a level that allowed them to construct a modern 2,500-square-foot showroom and office building as well as a complete mill shop. MRD Lumber had found its niche with the professional builders and remodelers by providing a high caliber of individualized service, thus creating a partnership with their customers.
MRD Lumber Opens Location In Orwigsburg, PA
In 1992 MRD Lumber Company, now a successful force in the Lehigh Valley’s lumber and building industry, purchased a second location in Orwigsburg, PA. The new acquisition featured a 10,000-square-foot showroom and increased warehouse space. The increased warehouse space allowed the company to stock more diverse product lines and add an on-site pre-hung interior door shop. The two locations quickly began to complement each other with the services and capabilities they now shared, thus allowing MRD to continue to provide the professional building trade with the services they needed.
MRD Increases Services In Berks County, PA
In 1996, the company made steps to increase its presence in the Berks County market, a link between the market areas of the two existing yards, while also focusing on increasing the level of service extended to its professional building contractors throughout its trade area. The Sales Department at MRD Lumber consists of highly knowledgeable, customer service-minded individuals committed to providing unsurpassed value to their customer base. Today, the company’s sales department has grown to include outside sales representatives, each who focuses on a specific territory; an inside support staff; and an estimating department.
With Outside Sales Representatives calling on customers and visiting job sites, MRD Lumber began to see an increasing demand for the custom millwork and trim packages manufactured in the mill facility located in the Coopersburg branch. This increased demand quickly caused the MRD Lumber to outgrow its existing manufacturing facility. In 2002, the Orwigsburg Facility completed a major renovation project, which increased storage space by adding drive-through storage rack units, but more importantly, a new 4,000-square-foot manufacturing facility was incorporated into the existing warehouse. In 2003, the company continued to update its existing facilities, focusing on the Coopersburg yard. A 5,000-square-foot warehouse and rack storage units were added at this location.
MRD Lumber Opens Large Building Supply Complex In Bethel, PA
In 2005, MRD Lumber determined that both existing locations were operating at full capacity of the material they were able to handle and began searching for property on which to construct a distribution center. In 2007 MRD Lumber Company secured a 42-acre site along Old Route 22, at Midway Road, in Bethel Township, PA. A newly constructed facility was completed on the site in October, 2008. The new facility is home to the company’s sales offices, administrative offices, and 10,000 square foot manufacturing facility. With over 20,000 square feet of warehouse space and 35,000 square feet of outside storage buildings, the new facility also serves as a distribution center, with approximately 95% of all deliveries being processed from this location. The facility also offers a one-stop building material supply service in Bethel PA, and the surrounding communities of Schuylkill, Berks, Lebanon, Lehigh Valley, and Bucks County.
MRD's Continued Commitment To Serving Contractors & Homeowners In PA
Based on the simple philosophy that customer service is the single most important ingredient in successful customer relationships, MRD has come a long way from the days of 5 employees working 70–80 hours per week. Today, MRD has over 40 employees and services builders and remodelers throughout Schuylkill, Carbon, Berks, Bucks, Lehigh and Lebanon Counties.
Although many changes have taken place over the years, one thing will continue to be the driving force at MRD, our focus on providing the highest level of customer service possible. We know other companies can be suppliers, we pride ourselves on being more, on becoming an extension of your team, on going that extra mile each and every day. At MRD Lumber we measure our success by the success of our customers.
Who We Serve
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