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EtOR over 40 years. L'niversal .a' Building Specialties. Auburndale. Fl., has been serving the Florida and Caribbean markets with specialty softwood and hardwood lumber products. In fact, Tom Moore, who founded the company in 1959, was the first to introduce western red cedar to Florida.

Over the years, UBS grew into what has become its signature niche, that of a specialty Cedar House. It also distributed Alaskan yellow cedar, redwood, cypress! Douglas fir, southern pine, ip6 and other exotic hardwoods.

In January 2001, Jim VanPelt joined UBS as president of the company. charged with positioning. growing and leading the business into the 2lst Century. From the onset, VanPelt sought to retrench and redefine UBS's core niche, and began to explore and add new product lines.

"With the market trendins awav from chemical and arsenic-treated lumber. I felt UBS had elements in place to launch a successful non-CCA alternative outdoor lumber program," VanPelt said. "After all, we were known for red cedar, yellow cedar, redwood and ip6. But we were missing out on a big piece of the concept, that being a synthetic line of lumber. Further, it was almost to the point that if you were a lumber distributor without a synthetic lumber line, you were out of vogue and behind the times."

WHe began working on this missing piece. Through the winter of 2001, VanPelt began researching the synthetic lumber industry. interviewing various manufacturers, and exploring market-entry scenarios. In March 2001, VanPelt met Walter Kuzmiw, Southeast regional representative for U.S. Plastic Lumber. Kuzmiw had the industry knowledge, contacts and vision that VanPelt was looking for. A month later, Kuzmiw enlisted UBS as USPL's Carefree HDPE plastic lumber stocking distributor in Florida, and introduced UBS to USPL's TriMax structural plastic lumber.

Suddenly, UBS was off and running. From inventory on the ground in April of 2001 to fast-rising sales through the balance of 200 I , to adding other manufacturers' lines in early 2002. In spring 2002, Kuzmiw joined UBS as a product specialist.

Currently, UBS offers six manufacturer synthetic lines and has grown its synthetic business to more than $4 million annually. representing over one-third of the company's total sales.

Seemingly overnight, UBS's lumber business transformed into a leader in alternative outdoor lumber. "Walter's impact on UBS's business has been extraordinary," VanPelt noted. "Certainly, we had some nonCCA pieces in place, but we didn't have any plastic lumber. Not only has Walter given us the plastic game, but he's given us cutting-edge status as probably the leading synthetic lumber distribution house in the Southeast."

HAT'S the best type of siding to stock fbr your builder and remodeler customers?

As many as possible, says Walt Hoyt, CertainTeed's Siding Products Group. "It's all about innovation, options and letting the customers decide," he says. "Builders and remodelers want choice without compromising quality." He advises offering pros the widest choice, the highest quality, and the most innovative siding options in multiple materials.