Celebrating 70 Years of Growth
Our History
Horner Millwork was established in 1948 by William Horner. At the age of 21, Horner, a pro soccer player, immigrated to the US from Belfast, Ireland with $100 in his pocket. He built a business selling ‘prehung’ doors during an era when carpenters were still mortising frames by hand. The time and convenience of being able to pop in a framed door established Horner Millwork as the preferred supplier of doors and windows in Eastern Mass and Rhode Island.
From the ashes
In 1978, a devastating fire destroyed two-thirds of the property, but Horner, at age 71, had no plans to walk away. Horner Millwork was rebuilt and sold to the Humphrey family. Soon after the sale, Horner Millwork expanded into commercial sales.
Expansion
Over the next decades, Horner Millwork continued to expand. Satellite offices and showrooms were opened in Southboro, Pembroke, and Woburn (now in Haverhill); a retail store (Remodelers Outlet) was opened in Fall River; and Horner acquired Cooper Stairworks, Phoenix Millwork, Design Door, and Home Genius.
Horner’s manufacturing facility in Somerset, as part of North Atlantic Corp, also continued to expand. A series of additions brought the overall square footage from 145,000 sq ft to 266,000 sq ft and the installation of a 4,250 solar panel array generates nearly 100% of the plant’s electricity.
Dedication in Memoriam
The celebration of this milestone is bittersweet as we remember the lives of Irving “Pete” Humphrey and Marjorie Humphrey who both passed away recently. The parents of our current owner and president, Peter Humphrey, Pete and Marjorie were instrumental in the company’s early successes. Pete Sr. began working in Somerset on a full time basis after leaving PD Humphrey (now Humphrey Building Products). After raising her children, Marjorie worked for Horner Millwork in Somerset, MA for over 20 years before her retirement. Pete and Marjorie will always be remembered and missed by all.
Gratitude moving forward
Our mission is to provide exceptional products and services to every customer, every time. As we reflect on the last 70 years, we are grateful to our loyal customers and dedicated employees that have contributed to our success and we look forward to many more years of building together.
