The business began life as a lumber yard, but Carl quickly scaled his operations into manufacturing operations for wall panels, roof trusses, and pre-hung doors. In 1969, the business took on a new but natural shape: it became Unibilit Industries, a modular home designer and builder. Even as the business transformed, it remained within the family: Doug Scholz, Carl’s son, became president of the company in 1975.
In 2018 Doug retired and sold the business to Greg Barney, Unibilt’s then Vice President of Business Development and today’s owner and President. Over the course of 40 years and three owners, Unibilt Custom Homes has delivered more than 12,000 modular homes in Ohio and across the Midwest.
Unibilit is also a proud LMC member and have been for over 20 years. LMC has worked as a partner to Unibilt as they’ve evolved their business to offer a very customized product with many specification and finish options available to customers.
The Unibilt team is consistently about 100-people strong. Both the Unibilt team and the LMC team have decades of experience to rely on and complement each other’s expertise. Many of Unibilt’s team have been with the company or have retired from the company after 40 years of service; and there are team members who are the third and fourth generation to work at Unibilt.
“Having the connection to LMC has given Unibilt Custom Homes resources and suppliers to expand our offerings. Our business’s evolution is part of an industry evolution and LMC has been able to help us make the connections we need and know where to turn.” said Greg Barney, President, Unibilt Custom Homes
With LMC, Unibilt gains purchasing power and an invaluable partner
Greg Barney, President of Unibilt and Amanda Farmer, purchasing manager, inherited the LMC partnership from the Sholz family. They’re one of many modular homes builders who are members of the LMC dealer family.
As with all LMC members, the purchasing power offered by LMC is important to the Unibilt team. “We just wouldn’t have the buying power we do without LMC”, Amanda says. “We work with all types of different suppliers, and they always get the first shot at whatever we’re bidding. One of the main benefits of working with LMC is the wholesale pricing. Most of our suppliers are 3 stars, and the purchasing power means our membership pays for itself.”
However, the value of the LMC relationship extends beyond the immediate benefits of the co-operative and into the wider network.
“At the last LMC Expo, I mentioned I was working on inquiries into a specific product,” Greg says. “Someone in the room had already introduced that solution to another modular home manufacturer, and he connected the two of us. I got the information I needed, and it was simultaneously a nice connection to make.”
“The big help through the pandemic was getting spot pricing on lumber every week. With as radically as lumber prices moved from 2020-2021, that was very valuable information to have as resources,” Greg says. “The LMC team are always asking, “How can we help you more?” We’ve gone through the accounts payable program[1] where they look at what we’re buying and see how we can find more savings by switching to an LMC vendor.”
In the dynamic landscape of home construction, Unibilt stands as a testament to adaptability and enduring quality. With a rich history dating back to a small lumber yard in 1950, the company's evolution into a leading modular home designer and builder reflects a commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction. The longstanding partnership with LMC has not only empowered Unibilt with purchasing prowess but also exemplified the strength found in strategic collaborations. As they continue shaping homes and lives across Ohio and the Midwest, Unibilt remains a beacon of resilience, and excellence in building dreams. Learn more about Unibilt Industries at www.unibiltcustomhomes.com