HD Supply to shutter Florida truss plant

Industrial Distribution staff -- Industrial Distribution, 10/10/2007 6:21:00 AM

The move, which will lay off about 55 workers, comes in response to the slumping home construction market, which has struck particularly hard in Florida.

Another factor in the closure is competition from the building materials distributor’s Forest Products Supply plant in Whitfield, which also makes trusses.

It’s the latest downsizing measure for HD Supply, which was acquired by a trio of private equity firms for $8.5 billion earlier this year.

The company closed a lumber yard in Whitfield three months ago and combined the former Cox Lumber Supply store with Forest Products Supply in June.

“We are evolving our business model to meet the changing needs of the market," spokeswoman Donna Taliercio told the newspaper, adding that HD Supply, "primarily serves the residential market and that continues to be a challenge.”

HD Supply ranked second on INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION’s 2007 Big 50 list of distributors, with 2006 sales of $12.1 billion.