Carter Lumber, one of the nation’s largest building materials suppliers, announced the acquisition of Gaster Lumber and Hardware, a three-location building materials supplier serving the Savannah, Georgia, metro area. This acquisition continues the expansion of Carter Lumber’s footprint in the Southeast, giving the company full coverage across Georgia and adding the area from Hilton Head to northern Florida to its coastal service presence.
Gaster Lumber was founded in 1985 and remained a Gaster family-owned and operated business until its acquisition by Carter Lumber. Over the years, Carter Lumber has built a track record of partnering with family-run companies that value relationships, local leadership, and long-term stability, offering a transition that preserves what made those businesses successful.
“Gaster Lumber is exactly the kind of company we look to partner with: a strong, family-run business that shares our values around people, hard work, service, and long-term relationships,” said Jeff Donley, President and COO of Carter Lumber. “We’re proud to continue the legacy Ray and the Gaster team have built and look forward to building on that foundation as we grow in the Savannah market.”
The Gaster Lumber locations mark Carter Lumber’s entry into the Savannah metro area and will operate as part of the Coastal Carolinas market under the direction of Market Vice President Brian Sento. With this addition, the Coastal Carolinas team will serve professional builders from Wilmington, North Carolina, through northern Florida.
“Like the Charleston, South Carolina, location we added last year, this acquisition was driven by customer demand in Savannah. Builders aren’t satisfied with the options in the market today, they want partners who value long-term relationships, not just transactions. That’s what we bring, and we’re excited to introduce that approach in Savannah,” said Brian Sento.
Gaster Lumber will operate as part of Carter Lumber effective immediately, with no disruption to customers. Carter Lumber plans to invest significantly in expanding reach, capacity, and capabilities to better serve builders across all segments of the Savannah market.