OGDEN, Utah — Murphy Door, the manufacturer of bookcase doors, Murphy beds, and multifunctional hidden-door furniture, has acquired Merrill Hardwoods Division (MHD), a 30-year-old hardwood manufacturing company based in Rigby, Idaho. 

The deal marks a full-circle moment for Murphy Door. According to the company, MHD founder Kris Merrill was instrumental in designing and building the very first Murphy Door products more than 13 years ago.

Murphy Door acquired MHD's 22,500 square foot facility in Rigby, Idaho, including its buildings, all manufacturing equipment, and full team of approximately 10 employees, for $3.25 million via traditional financing, representing a significant discount to the estimated $6.5-7 million in combined real estate and equipment value. All MHD staff will become Murphy Door employees, with plans to double headcount at the facility within 12 months.

The acquisition is expected to add approximately $5 million to Murphy Door's top line over the next 12 months and opens new product categories including floating shelves, stair risers, veneered products, custom hardwood supply, and furniture lines such as nightstands, dressers, armoires, vanities, and kitchen cabinets, all featuring the multifunctional and hidden-door elements Murphy Door is known for.

“Kris helped us build our very first product over a decade ago, so bringing MHD into the Murphy Door family feels less like an acquisition and more like coming home,” said Jeremy Barker, CEO of Murphy Door and recent Utah Business CEO of the Year winner. “The equipment, expertise in Hardwood processing and manufacturing, as well as the team they've built in Rigby over 30 years, is exactly what we need to take Murphy Door into its next chapter.”

Unlike Murphy Door's existing panel and sheet goods operation, MHD is a hardwood processor, bringing specialized capabilities including molders, planers, and advanced texturing equipment. The crown jewel is a Hessaman texturing machine that enables cross-scoring and texturing of veneers and exterior siding — a capability Murphy Door believes it is one of the only companies in the nation to possess, and one that opens product categories the company could not previously enter. With plans to double headcount at the Rigby facility within 12 months, the acquisition marks a deliberate step toward a fundamentally broader manufacturing operation.