Florida’s construction market continues to grow, and major Lumber & Building Materials (LBM) companies are expanding to keep up with demand.

Across the state, large distributors are acquiring local lumberyards, truss manufacturers, and building supply companies to strengthen their operations and improve service for builders.

​Here are five major developments helping reshape Florida’s building supply landscape.

The Deal:
US LBM acquired Milton Truss.

Why It Matters:
Roof and floor trusses play a major role in Florida construction, especially in regions with strict hurricane-related building requirements. With the addition of Milton Truss, US LBM expanded its component manufacturing presence in Florida through its Raymond Building Supply division.
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The move strengthens the company’s ability to serve builders in the Florida Panhandle and parts of southern Alabama.

The Move:
Builders FirstSource (BFS) continues expanding and optimizing its Florida footprint.

Why It Matters:
Jacksonville remains an important market for BFS as the company continues focusing on distribution efficiency and manufactured building components. Like many large LBM suppliers, BFS has been investing in operational improvements designed to support faster deliveries and increased builder demand throughout growing markets.

The Deal:
US LBM acquired L.D. Mullins Lumber Company.

Why It Matters:
Founded in 1946, Riviera Beach-based L.D. Mullins Lumber built long-standing relationships with builders and remodelers throughout South Florida.

The acquisition expanded US LBM’s Florida presence to 18 locations and strengthened its reach in one of the country’s busiest construction markets.

The Deal:
RoMac Building Supply acquired Thomas Lumber.

Why It Matters:
Regional building suppliers are growing alongside national companies. By adding Thomas Lumber, RoMac increased its capabilities in Central Florida, including lumber supply, millwork operations, and delivery capacity.

​The move helps the company support continued residential and commercial growth throughout the Orlando area.

The Deal:
US LBM acquired Manning Building Supplies.

Why It Matters:
This acquisition added nine Florida locations to US LBM’s network, including seven building supply yards and two truss manufacturing facilities.

Combined with Raymond Building Supply, the deal strengthened US LBM’s presence across many of Florida’s largest housing markets, including Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Sarasota.

As Florida construction activity continues to increase, builders are relying more heavily on suppliers that can provide multiple products and services under one roof.

Many larger LBM companies now offer framing lumber, trusses, doors, windows, and other building materials through integrated operations designed to improve efficiency and delivery times.

​For contractors, these expansions may help improve product availability and support growing demand across the state.

The construction and Lumber & Building Materials (LBM) industries are changing fast. More women are stepping into leadership roles, running projects, and driving innovation across jobsites, offices, and supply chains.

If you’re a woman working in the trades—or know someone who deserves recognition—these awards can be a great way to highlight achievement and open new doors.
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Here are 5 well-known awards programs that celebrate women in construction and LBM:

​If you work in the lumber and building materials (LBM) industry, staying sharp matters. These podcasts break down sales tips, operations ideas, pricing updates, and industry trends in a simple, practical way you can use right away.

For a long time, most workplace safety gear was designed using the “standard male body” as the default. That might have worked when most workers in certain industries were men, but it creates real problems now that more women are in construction, manufacturing, utilities, and other field-heavy jobs. The issue isn’t just comfort. Poorly fitting gear can actually reduce protection and increase the risk of injury.​For a long time, most workplace safety gear was designed using the “standard male body” as the default. That might have worked when most workers in certain industries were men, but it creates real problems now that more women are in construction, manufacturing, utilities, and other field-heavy jobs. The issue isn’t just comfort. Poorly fitting gear can actually reduce protection and increase the risk of injury.

In many cases, “unisex” PPE is simply scaled-down men’s equipment. The problem is that women’s bodies aren’t just smaller versions of men’s. Differences in shoulder width, torso length, hip shape, and waist-to-chest ratios all affect how gear fits. So instead of fitting properly, jackets might pull tight in the hips but hang loose in the shoulders, or gloves might fit fingers but be too wide in the palm. When PPE doesn’t sit correctly on the body, it can shift during work or fail to protect key areas.

Safety gear is supposed to reduce risk, but oversized or poorly fitted equipment can introduce new dangers. Long sleeves or loose pant legs can get caught in machinery or moving parts. Boots that are too large can cause instability, leading to slips, trips, and falls. Even something as simple as a hard hat that doesn’t sit correctly can shift during movement and reduce visibility or protection. If a worker constantly has to roll up sleeves, tuck in excess fabric, or adjust gear throughout the day, that gear is no longer functioning as intended.

Fall protection equipment is one of the most critical safety systems on job sites, but most harnesses were originally designed around male proportions. On many women, chest straps can sit too high or too low, crossing in uncomfortable or awkward places. Leg loops and shoulder straps may not align properly with the body’s center of gravity. In a fall situation, this improper fit can cause uneven force distribution, increasing the risk of injury, bruising, or even suspension trauma. A harness only works as intended when it fits the body it’s protecting.

When properly fitting PPE isn’t available, workers often make their own adjustments just to get through the day. This can include rolling sleeves and securing them with tape, stuffing extra socks into boots, tightening loose gear with clips, or modifying straps. While these workarounds may seem harmless, they can compromise the integrity of the equipment. PPE is tested and certified in its original form. Once it’s altered, it may no longer perform as designed in an emergency, which creates a false sense of safety.

Beyond the physical risks, ill-fitting PPE also has a psychological and cultural impact. Wearing gear that clearly wasn’t designed for your body sends a subtle message that you weren’t fully considered in the workplace design. Over time, that can affect confidence, comfort on the job, and even long-term retention in male-dominated industries. Workers who constantly struggle with uncomfortable or impractical gear are more likely to feel disengaged or excluded. Properly fitting PPE is not just about compliance, it’s about making sure every worker can do their job safely and effectively.