Nailing down a future for a small wood‐products business

Liberty Industries was founded in 1964 by its current President and Chairman of the Board, Charles E. Trebilcock. It began as a small industrial wholesale lumber firm located in northeastern Ohio, specializing in wood packaging products. The original plan called for a regionalized concentration of sales in a four‐ to five‐state area. Liberty experienced moderate growth during its first nine years, when it functioned as a three‐person organization. In 1973, the firm decided to increase field sales by developing an inside support department. A marketing manager was hired, as well as several product specialists. As a result, sales increased more than 13 times from 1972 through 1979. (See Exhibit 1.)