Hancock Lumber Expands into Tiny Home Market with Acquisition of Tiny Homes of Maine

Photo byFred Field

In a move to bolster its manufacturing capabilities and address housing demand, Hancock Lumber, based in Casco, Maine, has announced plans to acquire Tiny Homes of Maine, a company specializing in movable tiny homes under 400 square feet. The acquisition is set to close by the end of October, with both parties signing a letter of intent earlier this week. Terms of the deal remain undisclosed.

Paul Wainman, Hancock Lumber’s president and CEO, highlighted the strategic alignment of this acquisition with the company’s broader goals, stating, “Tiny Homes of Maine is a natural extension of our component manufacturing and value-added construction initiatives, helping alleviate housing demand issues and offer more affordable options.”

Tiny Homes of Maine's Vision and Leadership

Founded in 2016 by Corinne Watson and Thomas Small, Tiny Homes of Maine has garnered a strong reputation for designing, manufacturing, and delivering tiny homes across the state. Watson, an engineer with experience at Fairchild Semiconductor and Smith & Wesson, co-founded the company with Small, who serves as the design engineer and operations manager. Together, they’ve played a pivotal role in advocating for tiny home legislation in Maine, ensuring a common building code standard for the growing housing segment.

Both Watson and Small plan to stay on post-acquisition, managing the Dyer Brook facility and overseeing daily operations. Their engineering background, advanced home design, and lean manufacturing processes will continue to drive innovation at the facility, further streamlined under Hancock Lumber’s operational umbrella.

A Strategic Expansion for Hancock Lumber

Hancock Lumber, a seventh-generation forest products company founded in 1848, sees this acquisition as a natural complement to its existing portfolio, which includes Mainely Trusses and Lapointe Lumber. The company’s expertise in manufacturing roof and floor components, wall panels, and white pine sawmill operations will now extend into the growing tiny home and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) market.

Tiny homes and ADUs are emerging as viable, affordable housing solutions, and Hancock Lumber aims to leverage its resources, customer network, and buying power to scale Tiny Homes of Maine’s business. By integrating the tiny home manufacturer’s mission of affordability with Hancock’s operational strengths, the company envisions a seamless growth trajectory.

“We are confident the companies will complement one another and together we’ll be able to scale and grow the tiny home business,” Wainman said.