The Kuiken family was originally from the Netherlands, and migrated to New Jersey in the late 1800s. Brothers Henry A. Kuiken and Nicholas A. Kuiken settled in what is now Fair Lawn in 1912. They were later joined by their older brother, Dirk, and their cousin, Richard R. Kuiken Sr. The family took the skills they had as carpenters and craftsmen to lay the foundation for what would, one day, become a household name in New Jersey.

A book on the history of Kuiken Brothers Company, by Jon Kuiken, will be available in spring 2012.

From 1989 to 2011, Kuiken Brothers duplicated its successful Fair Lawn presence by building and/or acquiring seven additional retail locations in New Jersey, and one in New York. The newest retail site, in Succasunna, NJ, features a 12-acre, state-of-the-art, drive-through lumber and building materials facility that serves builders, remodelers and homeowners. Within the last decade, Kuiken Brothers also added a dedicated commercial building materials location.

"My family began its migration to America about a hundred years after New Jersey received statehood," said Douglas R. Kuiken, president of Kuiken Brothers. "Kuiken Brothers played a key role in the second half of our state's history through building, commerce, philanthropy, good corporate citizenship and environmental-consciousness. I am very proud of our family and employee team. For the past century, they have put heart and soul into making a positive and indelible impact on our state."

The changes that have transformed Kuiken Brothers from a small, one-location operation to its current status as a market leader in lumber and building supplies are remarkable. They were achieved through foresight, business acumen and hard work. But even more important is the fact that many aspects of the company have not changed since the very beginning.

What has kept Kuiken Brothers steadfast through the ups and downs of the market has been its desire to do things the correct way, even when that way was not the easiest or the most profitable. Under the current leadership of the third generation and the day-to-day involvement of the fourth generation of Kuikens, the employees continue to be a highly motivated and professional group of people who strive constantly to do things better than they did the day before.

The culture, the values and the desire to treat customers and employees the right way is what has carried Kuiken Brothers through its one hundred years.

In August 2011, Kuiken Brothers announced one of the largest launches of classic American moulding products ever in the United States. The KB Classical Moulding Collection includes sixty-five, in-stock, historically-inspired moulding profiles, and represents classic American moulding profiles designed nearly 200 years ago. The collection includes a range of crown, casing, base, chair-rail and panel mouldings. The profiles are classified by style, including Early American, Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival and Colonial Revival.

Kuiken Brothers offers educational workshops to help builders, remodelers, architects and designers keep abreast of the latest products and best practices. As a part of the year-long 100th anniversary celebration, the company will host its annual Product Expo in November.

 Source: Kuiken Brothers Co., Inc.