about us
AMERICA'S OLDEST WINDOW MANUFACTURER
For more than 170 years, Mathews Brothers has called Maine home. Founded in 1854 and still family owned today, we have grown from a small local manufacturer into America’s oldest window manufacturer, serving homeowners across New England and beyond through more than 180 trusted dealer locations. While our products and technology have evolved over the decades, our commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and the people behind every window and door has never changed. Manufactured in Maine by a team we are proud to work alongside, every Mathews Brothers product reflects the values that have guided our company for generations and continue to shape its future.
Mathews Brothers operates from our Belfast headquarters and manufacturing facility on Perkins Road, with additional production and office operations at our Hermon location on Logistics Lane. Because we sell exclusively through our network of trusted dealer partners, homeowners should contact a local dealer for product information, pricing, and purchasing assistance. For all other inquiries, please visit our Contact page to reach the appropriate Mathews Brothers team member.
The Company is Founded
In 1854, brothers Noah Merrill Mathews and Spencer Walcott Mathews founded a window sash and millworks company known as N.M. & S.W. Mathews Company. In 1860, their brother Sanford Hills Mathews joined the business, prompting a name change to Mathews & Co. By 1872, the company had expanded its offerings to include doors, window sashes, blinds, shutters, and window and door frames.
On August 24, 1873, the Great Fire of Belfast destroyed the company’s Front Street storehouse. Just 70 days later, the business reopened at the corner of Cross and Miller streets under the name Mathews Brothers Company.
By 1899, following the deaths of Noah, Spencer, and Sanford, company leadership consisted of Clara Starrett Mathews as president, Addie Richmond Mathews as vice president, Maude Elizabeth Mathews as treasurer, and Orlando Ephraim Frost as superintendent. Maude Mathews became especially involved in the business, which at the time was the largest woman-owned business in Maine.
In 1904, Orlando E. Frost assumed control of Mathews Brothers Company, expanding the product line to include spiral staircases and coffins. Frost also began the company’s long tradition of community involvement through his commitment to Waldo County General Hospital.
Expansion
In 1906, Orlando E. Frost expanded Mathews Brothers Company with the construction of a warehouse on Front Street. A decade later, Frost took on one of the company’s most ambitious projects: the construction of the Jennie Flood Kreger, a five-masted schooner. Construction began in early 1917, and the vessel was completed and launched on March 5, 1919. It remains the largest vessel and only five-masted schooner ever built in Belfast, Maine.
In 1928, Copeland Lang purchased Mathews Brothers Company from O.E. Frost and reorganized it as a stock company. In 1946, Lang sold the business to his son, Charles Lang, and son-in-law, Roger Haddock, with Roger serving as president and Charles as treasurer. Following Roger’s early and untimely death six years later, Charles assumed the role of president.
A New Era
In 1970, Mathews Brothers Company began producing insulated wood windows, advancing beyond traditional shop-grade wood windows. The company entered a new era in 1977 with the opening of the Belfast Factory Outlet, launching its retail division.
In 1978, Peter Haddock, son of Roger Haddock, and John Hawthorne purchased Mathews Brothers Company from Charles Lang. Peter became president while John served as vice president of operations. The company continued to grow, beginning production of its own insulated glass in 1981 and opening the Rockland Factory Outlet on Rankin Street.
By 1985, Mathews Brothers had opened a new retail store and warehouse at the corner of Cross and Spring streets in downtown Belfast. That same year, Scott Hawthorne, John’s son, joined the company. In 1986, John Hawthorne purchased the company from Peter Haddock, and both men were recognized by the City of Belfast as Businessmen of the Year.
Expansion continued in 1988 with the opening of a third retail store in Bangor, while Scott Hawthorne became a minority partner in the company.
140 Years
In 1989, John Hawthorne purchased the former Truitt Brothers plant on Perkins Road. Two years later, Mathews Brothers relocated its operations to the new facility, leaving behind the Cross and Miller Street factory that had served the company for more than a century. That same year, John Hawthorne, Peter Haddock, and Mathews Brothers Company were featured on the cover of Business Digest.
In 1994, Mathews Brothers celebrated its 140th anniversary by earning the Governor’s Award for Business Excellence. The company also introduced its vinyl welding and cleaning system, technology still used today. At the time, corporate leadership included John Hawthorne as president, Scott Hawthorne as vice president, and Peter Haddock as treasurer.
John Hawthorne retired as president in 1998 and became chairman, with Scott Hawthorne assuming the role of president. Around this time, Mathews Brothers launched its Acadia Windows line featuring closed-cell PVC composite construction.
In 2000 and 2001, Mathews Brothers joined the American Window Alliance and earned its first national industry award from Window & Door magazine for small business marketing programs. The company was also featured in Alice H. Anderson’s 2001 book, Company Secrets.
Innovations
In 2002, Mathews Brothers introduced bending and architectural features such as eyebrows and octagons to its vinyl product line. That same year, Scott Hawthorne was elected president of the American Window Alliance, and the company launched a wellness program for employees. The program later earned the Governor’s Award for Physical Fitness, Health & Wellness in 2003.
The company celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2004 with a large event held at the mill premises. That year also marked the introduction of Mathews Brothers’ first patio door and painted exterior options for its vinyl products. Scott Hawthorne additionally presented the company’s wellness program at the Second National Prevention of Heart Disease and Stroke Convention in Atlanta.
Between 2005 and 2006, Mathews Brothers expanded its product offerings with several new vinyl and composite window lines, including the Builder’s Pride economy series and the MikronWood™ line, later rebranded as Noah Merrill, featuring paintable and stainable pine interiors.
Another milestone came in 2006 when Kyle Hawthorne became the first third-generation Hawthorne family member to join the company full time, later moving into retail sales in 2007. That same year, Mathews Brothers hosted the American Window Alliance annual meeting and organized a successful employee fundraiser to purchase phone cards for Maine soldiers deployed in Iraq.
Redefinition
In 2008, Mathews Brothers redefined its business model by closing its three retail locations to focus entirely on manufacturing and distribution. That same year, the company received the Statewide Historic Preservation Award for Excellence in Crafts and Trades, participated in a gubernatorial trade mission to Korea and Japan, and was named Business of the Year by the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce.
A major rebranding initiative followed in 2009, with product lines renamed after key figures in company history, including Spencer Walcott, Noah Merrill, Clara Starrett, and the O.E. Frost Collection, reinforcing the company’s heritage and resilience.
In 2010, Mathews Brothers earned the Maine MEP Manufacturing Excellence Award for innovation in management and production. Later that year, Governor John Baldacci attended the launch of the Clara Starrett product line, designed to meet Department of Energy R5 standards. The line officially launched in 2011 under Product Manager Kyle Hawthorne, while Alex Hawthorne joined the company full time in production.
Throughout 2011 and the years that followed, Mathews Brothers continued receiving recognition, including a feature in Window and Door magazine, the OSHA-SHARP designation for workplace safety, the Belfast Area Chamber’s Large Business of the Year award in 2012, the Silver Collar Award in 2013, and a second Crystal Achievement Award from the National Glass Association for innovative radio marketing.
In 2013, Kyle Hawthorne was promoted to Vice President of Operations, while Alex Hawthorne became Executive Vice President overseeing Financial Services and HR.
Circle of Life
As Mathews Brothers entered 2014, the company and Belfast community were met with the tragic loss of John and Jan Hawthorne, beloved parents of Scott Hawthorne and grandparents of Kyle and Alex Hawthorne. Known for their dedication to family, education, and community, their impact inspired generations within both the company and the region.
To honor their legacy, Mathews Brothers opened the John G. and Janice H. Hawthorne Center on May 30, 2014. The opening ceremony included Scott, Kyle, and Alex Hawthorne, along with Governor Paul LePage and author and talk-show host Howie Carr. The center serves as home to the company’s Marketing, Inside Sales, and Customer Care departments, while also functioning as a customer showroom and modern education center.
Also in 2014, Mathews Brothers began sponsoring fishing trips aboard Captain Dave Marciano’s F/V Hard Merchandise, featured on National Geographic’s Wicked Tuna. Since then, the company has hosted multiple contests offering trips with Captain Dave, creating a unique tradition for members of the Mathews Brothers community.
Still Leading The Way
Moving into 2026, Mathews Brothers has continued to expand and grow at a rate unprecedented. Our second manufacturing center was purchased in Hermon in late 2018 and was used for cold storage while it was built up and eventually became fully operational in 2022. With that came the need for more people, and we now proudly employee over 400 Mainers, supporting both the Hermon and Belfast communities. In 2025 and 2026 Mathews Brothers was officially named one of the best places to work in Maine.
Growth really picked up in 2026 as Mathews Brothers opened partnerships with large dealers inside Maine and beyond, notably Hammond Lumber as well as RK Miles in Vermont, Erie Materials in New York and many other dealers that we are very proud to work with. Around this same time Mathews Brothers ventured into a new advertising adventure with the production and broadcasting of video advertisements on TV showing the interior and exterior of our beautiful windows in a way that further increased the sales of our Sanford Hills line of products. Can’t forget about Mathews Brothers window nerd as well.
Our brand-new product that is shaking up the industry going into this summer 2026 is Vacuum Insulated Glass, or what we call VIG by Mathews Brothers. Vacuum seal technology between the panes of glass currently outperforms any other window on the market and does so while weighing less and looking great. Now caught up to present time, we are focused on continuing to maintain the growth that has been the direct result of the hardworking people that we are lucky enough to have working here at Mathews Brothers.
Still Leading the Way of Window Innovation
Being America’s oldest window manufacturer does not mean standing still. It means having more than 170 years of experience adapting, improving, and innovating through every change the industry has seen. From the earliest days of handcrafted wood products to today’s advanced window and door systems, Mathews Brothers has continually embraced new technologies, materials, and manufacturing processes while maintaining an unwavering commitment to quality. Our longevity is not the result of resisting change. It is the result of leading it.
Mastering Wood and vinyl
For more than 170 years, Mathews Brothers has built products from the materials homeowners trust most. Our experience crafting traditional wood windows helped shape the industry, while decades of innovation in vinyl manufacturing have allowed us to deliver exceptional durability, energy efficiency, and value. Today, that expertise comes together across our product families, giving builders and homeowners solutions that balance timeless design with modern performance.
Leading The Industry
Innovation has always been part of who we are. From adopting insulated glass decades before it became commonplace to developing advanced window systems that exceed modern performance standards, Mathews Brothers continues to invest in better products, smarter manufacturing, and new technologies. Our goal remains simple: build windows and doors that perform beautifully for generations.
Family Owned, Maine Built, Employee Powered
Since 1854, Mathews Brothers has remained deeply connected to the people and communities that helped shape our company. While our products have evolved alongside changing technologies and customer needs, our commitment to craftsmanship, integrity, and customer service remains unchanged. Every window and door we build reflects the pride, skill, and dedication of the people who make them right here in Maine.
Best Places To Work In Maine
The story of Mathews Brothers would not be possible without the people behind it. For more than 170 years, our employees have been the driving force behind our growth, innovation, and success. By investing in their well-being and fostering a positive workplace culture, we strive to ensure every team member feels valued and supported. We are proud that commitment was recognized when Mathews Brothers was named a 2025 Best Places to Work in Maine award winner.
A Proud Presence in Community
Mathews Brothers has always believed that being part of a community means giving back to it. From local events and charitable initiatives to supporting organizations that strengthen the places we call home, we are committed to making a positive impact beyond the products we manufacture. The communities that have supported us for generations deserve nothing less.
FIND A DEALER NEAR YOU
Our network of authorized dealers can help you explore product options, review finishes and configurations, and find the perfect solution for your project. Use our dealer locator to find a Mathews Brothers dealer near you.