In 1998, North Pacific recognized its 50 year anniversary. How did we grow from a young man's vision, 12 employees, and an investment of $15,000 to become one of this nation's largest and most respected world-wide distributors of building materials and products, employing over 780 people with annual sales exceeding $1.2 billion?

In November 1948, North Pacific Lumber Co. was founded by Doug David with an initial investment of $15,000 and 12 employees in three trading departments.

In the 1940's and 1950's, the lumber industry sold primarily through wholesale companies in the Midwest or through commissioned salesmen scattered around the U.S. With the introduction of telephone sales, WATS lines, the marketing chain and sales of West Coast forest products changed dramatically. North Pacific was in a position to profit from this form of doing business.

The ability to quickly and economically access markets all over the country with the new WATS lines was a major influence having a direct impact on the Company's growth and direction.

In 1955, North Pacific moved to larger facilities and remained in that location for 41 years. In 1968, the Southern Division was born to support sales from our new lumber mill in Waynesboro, Mississippi. In 1969, another lumber mill was purchased in Republic, Washington. The '60's and '70's brought the addition of a large fleet of long-haul trucks, a company plane, and a 40-acre distribution facility in Portland.

By the early 1980's, the Company recognized the need for a change in direction. The mills, the plane, the trucks, and the distribution facility were all sold to focus efforts as a trading company. In 1986, the sale of the Company by Doug to the employees was an instrumental change for the Company. In the late 1990's, growth through acquisitions and reload facilities brought about more transformation. In 1996, due to the strides the Company was taking, we formally changed our name to North Pacific Group, Inc. in order to encompass the many non-building products we were entering into. North Pacific presently consists of various trading divisions throughout the United States, Canada, and Central and South America.

With the Information Age quickly gaining pace, speed became the watchword. Information Technology was becoming an integral part of the Company's changing role in the once well defined chain of custody. The Internet boosted the speed of doing business and has moved us to be more flexible and creative in our business approach.

North Pacific has evolved over the years, but our reputation for excellence in service, price, financial stability, and ethical business practices have remained unchanged from the beginning.