1900 Putnam Lumber Company is founded as a timber holding company. Putnam Lumber Company was organized at Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1900 by William O'Brien and his associates. He and his associates acquired about 300,000 acres of land that had been sold by the State of Florida. Originally Putnam Lumber Company was formed as a timber holding company and did not undertake manufacturing operations until 1919. The vast timberlands in Florida contained longleaf yellow pine and deep swamp tidewater red cypress stands of trees.

1919 Putnam Lumber Company begins sawmill operations. In 1919 the company leased the old Cummer Lumber Co. mill at Jacksonville, Florida and began lumber manufacturing operations. The company continued its manufacturing operations at the leased sawmill until 1928, when at that time moved all operations to a newly constructed pine and cypress manufacturing operations in Shamrock, Florida. While the new sawmill was being constructed, the company also established an office in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to enhance its relations with its export clients in the Caribbean.

1928 Putnam Lumber Company completes construction of new cypress and pine sawmill in Shamrock, Florida. The company began annual production of 40,000,000 feet of deep swamp tidewater red cypress and 100,000,000 feet of dense Florida longleaf yellow pine from the new sawmill in Shamrock, Florida. At this time, the company has established a robust export trade in which the Shamrock sawmill and other sawmills in the Gulf Coast supplied orders for clients throughout the Caribbean.

1945 Putnam Lumber and Export Company is founded by J. Ellis Crosby. The company continued its sawmill operations and produced many hundreds of millions of feet of Long Leaf Yellow Pine and Tidewater Red Cypress throughout the years. In 1945, Putnam Lumber Company was nearing the end of its sawmill operations and changed its focus to the export trade in the United Kingdom, European and Caribbean lumber markets. At this time, Putnam Lumber and Export Company of Jacksonville, Florida was formed by J. Ellis Crosby, who served for twenty-seven years as sales manager of Putnam Lumber Company.

Today Putnam Lumber and Export Company is focused on its main export markets in the Caribbean and Europe with an annual overseas distribution of 95,000 cubic meters (over 40 million board feet). Shipments are routed worldwide direct from mills or our warehouses located in Florida and Alabama. While a majority of our business is exportation of Southern Pine Lumber, Southern Pine Plywood, Hardwood Lumber and Composite Panel products, we continue to expand into new markets. Putnam Lumber and Export Company has grown by focusing on our customers' needs rather than our own. We strive to provide dependable service while filling the special needs of our customers and developing lasting relationships.

Putnam Lumber & Export Company
6196 Lake Gray Boulevard, Suite 102 / Jacksonville, Florida 32244 USA
Phone (904) 777-2655 / Fax (904) 778-0133