• History
• Behind the Scenes
• Better Business Bureau
• Safety

A Brief History and Lost "S"
In 1822 Captain Isaac Henry Curtiss built a sawmill near Ballston Spa, NY. In 1865 the property was sold to others, but in 1890 it was back in the Curtis family, purchased by Elmer A. Curtis (he dropped the second "s" as a waste of time). His son, Kent Carlton Curtis, continued to operate the lumber and feed business after his father's death, and his son, Robert K. Curtis, took over in the late 1940's. In 1952, Curtis Lumber Co., Inc. had nine employees, and was growing rapidly. Over the next 30 years, the company added a hardware division, a truss manufacturing facility, a large mill work operation, a rail siding, many new building and eight branch lumber yards.

The headquarters store, together with its subsidiary operations, is now located at Curtis Industrial Park, off Route 67 in Ballston Spa, NY. Robert Curtis' son Jay S. Curtis purchased the business from his father in 1992. Today, with 18 locations, Curtis Lumber Co. employs over 600, and serves many thousands of homeowners, professional builders, and industrial customers in New York's Capital Region and beyond.

Behind the Scenes… Building Confidence at Curtis
When you visit any of Curtis Lumber’s stores or yards, you know what to expect – large stocks of lumber, building materials and hardware that you need, plus knowledgeable, courteous salespeople to help you make your selections. That’s what keeps Curtis customers coming back, year after year. But behind what you see, there’s another Curtis organization…the people who make what’s out front possible. Office and computer department personnel…advertising specialists…planning experts… and above all, EXPERIENCED BUYERS. The people who do the purchasing for all 18 Curtis locations know their market and their sources, and they know how to buy in the huge quantities that mean savings to you! Building confidence…it’s always been a specialty of Curtis Lumber.

We Are a Proud Partner of the Better Business Bureau
Curtis Lumber Co., Inc. enjoys a good reputation with the organization that stands for ethical and honest business - the Better Business Bureau. We have made a commitment to treating our customers fairly and acting quickly to resolve any problems that arise. We support the BBB efforts to protect consumers from unethical businesses and to offer our customers a "level playing field" where you can compete fairly and honestly if any problems do arise. BBB membership is a partnership between Curtis Lumber Co., Inc. and our community. It is a partnership based on values like excellence, trust, respect, teamwork, and integrity. Being part of the BBB is not an honor every business enjoys. BBB membership isn't offered to every business. Only certain companies can join--companies that meet the BBB rigorous membership standards. You may visit the BBB website anytime at www.upstateny.bbb.org


The Curtis Way is the Safe Way
Curtis Lumber and OSHA are a team that works together! Curtis Lumber is part of the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP)-- a cooperative compliance program. VPP was initiated by OSHA in 1982 as a way of encouraging companies to exceed minimum OSHA safety requirements. VPP is designed to recognize and promote effective safety and health management and to provide candidates with a mechanism for obtaining a desired performance. The VPP concept recognizes that enforcement of safety regulations alone can never fully achieve the objectives of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Good safety management programs that go beyond OSHA standards can protect our customers and employees more effectively than simple compliance. VPP is NOT "just another program," it is really a "process" that defines a single system and structured approach to help achieve the goal of working more safely. In 2002 Curtis Lumber received a National Award from Assistant Secretary of Labor, John Henshaw. Curtis Lumber is the smallest VVP company in the nation! 18 of our locations are currently involved in the Premier Voluntary Compliance Programs with OSHA and NYDOL. We also have 8 VVP Star sights and 5 NYSDOL SHARP sites. For more information on VPP, SHARP and OSHA please visit our Worksite Safety and Health Page.