Ferguson Enterprises Inc. (Ferguson), a plumbing distributor, announces the acquisition of Ar-Jay Building Products Inc. (Ar-Jay).
Ar-Jay is a cabinet, lighting and fireplace showroom located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa serving professional contractors, remodelers and residential homeowners. The company was originally founded in 1957 and Ralph Palmer, president of Ar-Jay and his son, Jeff Palmer, purchased the company in 1997 from Richard Felter. The Ar-Jay brand will continue under the new ownership, now operating as The Ar-Jay Center, a Ferguson enterprise.
“This acquisition further demonstrates Ferguson’s commitment to the showroom business and we’re excited to welcome The Ar-Jay Center to the Ferguson family,” says Ferguson CEO Frank Roach.
“I’ve had two wonderful, long and fulfilling vocations in the kitchen and bath industry; 25 years writing the Closing the Sale column for Kitchen and Bath Design News, and 47 years of employment developing a wonderful company. In addition, working with my son and keeping Ar-Jay as a family business brought a lot of wonderful feelings to me and our family,” says Ralph Palmer C.K.D., president of Ar-Jay Building Products Inc. “Now I have a clean palette and the opportunity to pick my colors and images for my future.”
Ferguson has one location in Cedar Rapids located at 4625 6th St. SW. This location will remain open.