The Roy O. Martin Company began with one sawmill in 1923 when most Louisiana forests had been cut. Counter to the cut and get-out philosophy of the time, cutover lands were purchased and over 480,000 acres returned to sustained production.

Roy O. Martin, Sr. came to Louisiana in 1923 when most of the forests of Louisiana had been cutover. In the middle of the vast cutover pinelands few would have ventured to start up a company based on timber – some of the world’s largest mills were closing and lumber companies were failing. The new company started with one sawmill and built a second mill in 1933. This mill burned three years later but instead of quitting, son Ellis Martin, bought timber from nearby residents who wanted the mill, rebuilt and began to buy forestland. Little old growth timber was left, large tracts were not available, and tracts are widely scattered across the state; however, the company forest totaled 230,000 acres by 1958 in 830 tracts.

Over the years the company adapted by changing its product and manufacturing mix to match changing markets. During the 1950’s the company owned six retail building supply stores and built homes from the ground up. Later the company moved out of the retail business and sold off the supply stores. Another market change caused the company to sell off two sawmills and build a new one to specialize in kiln dried hardwood lumber. Presently the 480,000-acre pine and bottomland hardwood forest supplies logs, and roundwood to a sawmill, oriented strand board mill, plywood plant, and treatment plant and supports 1050 jobs, and 750 hunting clubs.

The forestry program, started in 1950, was recently certified by SmartWood to show the company’s commitment to sustainable forest management.