Falling lumber and structural panel prices have led to the recent decision to close an additional 24 branches of Stock Building Supply, primarily in the Midwest.

Wolseley plc (Reading, England) said that falling lumber and structural panel prices have led to its recent decision to close an additional 24 branches of Stock Building Supply (Raleigh, N.C.), primarily in the Midwest. About 370 workers will be affected.

In March, the company announced it would close 22 Stock branches, and said that employee numbers had been reduced by nearly 4,500 (25 percent of total employees) between June 2006 and March 2007.