Francis-Schulze Company
Francis-Schulze Company is a wholesale distributor of doors, hardware, and related building materials serving lumber dealers, home centers, and door specialists across Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky. Founded in 1957 and now operating as a division of Trimlite (Wynnchurch Capital-backed).
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1957
- HeadquartersRussia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Francis-Schulze Company does
Francis-Schulze Company is a wholesale building materials distributor founded in 1957 by D.J. Francis and headquartered in Russia, Ohio. The company distributes exterior doors, interior doors, storm doors, garage doors, vinyl shutters, hardware and locksets, door components, fiberglass columns, pergolas, and aluminum products to lumber dealers, home centers, and door specialists across Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky, delivering on company-owned trucks with weekly service and short lead times.
The product portfolio centers on door systems: exterior doors are primarily Masonite entry systems, where Francis-Schulze is the largest full-line stocking distributor in its four-state service area, while interior doors are supplied via a Trimlite partnership. Supporting categories — storm doors (Gerkin), garage doors (Safe-Way), vinyl shutters (Mastic/Ply-Gem), hardware (Schlage), door components (Endura), and fiberglass/aluminum columns (HB&G, Superior Aluminum) — round out a full entry-system bundle. A Door Visualizer tool, embedding a third-party Imagine.io configurator, was launched to support product selection.
Revenue is generated through quote-based wholesale hardware sales to a regional B2B dealer network; pricing is not publicly disclosed. On September 20, 2023, the company was acquired by Trimlite Equity, L.P. — itself backed by Wynnchurch Capital since July 2021 — and now operates as a division of Trimlite, with the founding Francis and Schulze families retaining minority equity. The business has no disclosed AI capabilities and limited proprietary technology beyond its inventory, logistics fleet, and digital catalog tools.
Francis-Schulze Company firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Francis-Schulze Company
- Legal name
- Francis-Schulze Company
- Website
- https://francisschulze.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1957
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Francis-Schulze Company is a wholesale distributor of doors, hardware, and related building materials serving lumber dealers, home centers, and door specialists across Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky. Founded in 1957 and now operating as a division of Trimlite (Wynnchurch Capital-backed).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Francis-Schulze Company industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Building Materials Wholesale Distribution
- NAICS
- Lumber, Plywood, Millwork, and Wood Panel Merchant Wholesalers (42331), Lumber and Other Construction Materials Merchant Wholesalers (4233)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031), Wholesale-Lumber & Other Construction Materials (5030)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Windows, Doors & Millwork Distribution (CRAOAFAI)
Keywords
Where Francis-Schulze Company is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Russia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Francis-Schulze Company business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Wholesale Building Materials Distribution: Francis-Schulze distributes wholesale building materials including exterior doors, interior doors, door components, and related hardware to lumber dealers, home centers, and door specialists. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales with regular wholesale orders from their distribution network.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Francis-Schulze Company product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Francis-Schulze Company is a wholesale distributor of building materials, specializing in exterior doors, interior doors, and related door components and hardware. The company sources products from manufacturers such as Masonite, Trimlite, Gerkin, Safe-Way, Schlage, Endura, HB&G, Superior Aluminum, and Mastic/Ply-Gem, and distributes them to lumber dealers, home centers, and door specialists across Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky via company-owned trucks with weekly deliveries.
Product overview
Francis-Schulze Company operates as a wholesale building materials distributor specializing in doors and related products. The core product portfolio consists of Exterior Doors (primarily Masonite entry systems) and Interior Doors (offered via Trimlite partnership including bifold, barn, French, and passage doors). These are complemented by add-on modules including storm doors (Gerkin), garage doors (Safe-Way), vinyl shutters (Mastic/Ply-Gem), hardware and locksets (Schlage), door components (Endura), fiberglass columns, fiberglass pergolas, and aluminum columns/railing/fence. The company also provides a Door Visualizer tool for customer configuration. Products are distributed through company-owned trucks across Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky with short lead times and weekly deliveries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Exterior Doors Entry door systems (primarily Masonite entry doors) providing security, insulation, and aesthetic appeal for building facades; offered as a core wholesale product to lumber dealers, home centers, and door specialists.
- Interior Doors
- Storm Doors
- Garage Doors
- Vinyl Shutters
- Hardware & Locksets
- Door Components
- Fiberglass Columns
- Fiberglass Pergolas
- Aluminum Columns, Railing & Fence
Companies that use Francis-Schulze Company
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Francis-Schulze Company technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Francis-Schulze Company partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TrimlitecoreTrimlite acquired Francis-Schulze Company in September 2023. Francis-Schulze operates as a division of Trimlite. Members of the Francis and Schulze families continue as shareholders in Trimlite. Trimlite is owned by Wynnchurch Capital.
- MasonitecoreFrancis-Schulze has partnered with Masonite to provide exterior door solutions. Francis-Schulze is the largest full line stocking distributor of Masonite entry doors in the Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky service area. Masonite provides leading-edge product innovation and manufacturing excellence.
- TrimlitecoreFrancis-Schulze partnered with Trimlite to provide interior door products. Trimlite offers an extensive portfolio of interior door designs including bifold doors, barn doors, French doors, and passage doors. Trimlite is a premier name in interior doors with leading-edge product innovation.
- SchlageminorSchlage provides hardware and lockset products distributed by Francis-Schulze. Schlage products feature distinct style with durability and strength for security.
- EnduraminorEndura sill and jamb door components are distributed by Francis-Schulze. Products provide quality and performance at exceptional value.
- HB&G ColumnsminorHB&G Columns provides fiberglass columns and pergolas distributed by Francis-Schulze. Products include quality wood, fiberglass, and PVC columns and millwork.
- Superior Aluminum ProductsminorSuperior Aluminum Products provides aluminum columns, railing, and fencing distributed by Francis-Schulze. Products are built with corrosion-free aluminum.
- Gerkin Windows & DoorsminorGerkin Windows & Doors provides premium storm doors distributed by Francis-Schulze. Products are superior in style, durability, and efficiency.
- Safe-Way Garage DoorsminorSafe-Way Garage Doors provides garage doors distributed by Francis-Schulze. Products range from residential to commercial garage doors.
- Mastic by Ply-GemminorMastic by Ply-Gem provides vinyl shutters distributed by Francis-Schulze. Premium quality vinyl shutters are backed by a limited lifetime warranty.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Francis-Schulze Company competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Boise Cascade: Major distributor of engineered wood products and building materials with wholesale operations serving dealers and home centers — overlaps with Francis-Schulze in the wood-based building products wholesale channel.
- Foundation Building Materials: National distributor of building products including insulation, roofing, and complementary categories — broader portfolio than Francis-Schulze but comparable B2B wholesale distribution model serving contractors and dealers.
- ABC Supply Co. Largest wholesale distributor of roofing, siding, windows, and exterior building products in North America — a much larger incumbent whose product mix (doors, exterior building products) overlaps with Francis-Schulze, though it primarily competes in roofing/siding categories.
- BMC Stock Holdings: Large national distributor and manufacturer of building products including structural components, millwork, doors, and windows — broader portfolio but overlaps with Francis-Schulze in doors and millwork for builder/dealer customers.
- Allied Building Products (now part of ABC Supply): Formerly a major regional distributor of exterior building products including doors, roofing, and siding; now part of ABC Supply — historically a close peer to Francis-Schulze in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic door and millwork distribution channel.
Regional players
- Gulfeagle Supply: Regional wholesale distributor of roofing and building products serving the southeastern U.S. — directly comparable wholesale distribution model to Francis-Schulze but operating in a different geography.
Direct peers
- Lansing Building Products: Wholesale distributor of exterior building products (doors, windows, siding, roofing, millwork) serving professional contractors and dealers across the eastern and central U.S. — overlapping product mix and channel with Francis-Schulze in OH/IN/MI/KY.
- BlueLinx Holdings: National distributor of building products including doors, millwork, and engineered wood serving dealers, home centers, and OEMs — directly comparable wholesale-distribution model to Francis-Schulze but at much greater scale and geographic reach.
- Huttig Building Products: Wholesale distributor of millwork, doors, and building materials serving lumber dealers and home centers — directly comparable B2B wholesale model and customer base to Francis-Schulze.
- US Lumber: Wholesale distributor of lumber, engineered wood, and building products serving two-step dealers and home centers — directly comparable product mix and customer base to Francis-Schulze.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Francis-Schulze Company social profiles
Digital presenceFrancis-Schulze Company financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Francis-Schulze Company leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Francis-Schulze Company funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Francis-Schulze Company M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Francis-Schulze Company
What does Francis-Schulze Company do?
Francis-Schulze Company is a wholesale distributor of building materials, specializing in exterior doors, interior doors, and related door components and hardware. The company sources products from manufacturers such as Masonite, Trimlite, Gerkin, Safe-Way, Schlage, Endura, HB&G, Superior Aluminum, and Mastic/Ply-Gem, and distributes them to lumber dealers, home centers, and door specialists across Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky via company-owned trucks with weekly deliveries.
Is Francis-Schulze Company a public or private company?
Francis-Schulze Company is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Francis-Schulze Company founded?
Francis-Schulze Company was founded in 1957. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Francis-Schulze Company based?
Francis-Schulze Company is headquartered in Russia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Francis-Schulze Company make money?
One revenue line is on record: wholesale Building Materials Distribution.
Who are Francis-Schulze Company's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Boise Cascade, Foundation Building Materials, ABC Supply Co., BMC Stock Holdings and Allied Building Products (now part of ABC Supply). Gulfeagle Supply is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Lansing Building Products, BlueLinx Holdings, Huttig Building Products and US Lumber.
Does Francis-Schulze Company have an API?
No public API is recorded for Francis-Schulze Company.
What industry is Francis-Schulze Company in?
Francis-Schulze Company's product category is Building Materials Wholesale Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOAFAI, Windows, Doors & Millwork Distribution. Its NAICS code is 42331 and its SIC code is 5031.