Building Products Digest - February 2011

Does your wood measure up?

The widely known Wolmonized name has signified effectively preserved wood for many decades. The brand has led the industry on technological and marketing fronts.

Micrcnized copper azole (MCA) type preservatives are the most common wood preservatives in North America; the combination of azoles in our Type C formulation is the most advanced form, requiring the least amount of chemical.

Wolmanized'ResidentialOutdoof wood is the preserved wood backed by the respected Good Housekeeping Seal and its two-year consumer prcmise.

The treated wood process using dispersed (micronized copper azole is certified under Scientific Certifi cation System's Environmentally Preferable Prcduct program based on Life Cycle Assessmenl

Wolmanized'Outdoof wood has been listed as a Green Approved product by the NAHB Research Center and can contribute points toward a home's National Green Building Certification.

For morc information, consult your provider of Wolmanized' Residential Outdoor- wood, or visit www.wolmanizedwood.com.

Tam-Rail's strength comes from three layers, not motal inserts.

Everywhere you look, there's something to like about the patented triple-layer Tam-Rail" Railing System. No metal inserts in the 6- and 8-foot sections for easier workability. A new formulation for even greater strength. And convenient kit packagingforeasierinstallation.Threestrong layers. COLO

One beautiful choice. For more information, call or visit us on the web.

R C HOICES

s are highly

ffimite damage when nd are backed bv

limited warranty.

penetrates to the core of the board. Siesult, cut surfaces, ends and drilled holes nol require retreatment at the jobsite. This is

ensured by a quality proteclion program that includes Independent Auditor verification.

The TruCore'protection system is user friendly and does not include volatile organic solvents, heavy metals, arsenic, chromium or similar metals and has no offensive odor and thus can be used for interior applications.

The TruCore@ protection system components have been used for over 50 years with an excellent performance history.

The TruCore@ protection system components are recognized by the Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) and the American Wood Preservers Association (AWPA). Active ingredients are registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (E PA).

A new generation acrylic primer system: The prime coat has been formulated with excellent adhesion, minimum tannin bleed, and maximum filling properties. The undercoat has been formulated via use of modified acrylic technology delivering maximum toughness while not compromising the exterior durability of the product.

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NAHB RESEARCH CENTER GREEN APPROUED

By Alan Oakes

How to know when youtve arrived

f, s I wnrre. wE ARE tust a few days into the New Year, but I am pleased to say la,I already have had some very optimistic conversations. I had a number of reports of being busy between Christmas and New Year, and into the first week of 201 l. So here's hopingl I think we are long overdue for real success.

You remember, I am sure, the call from the back of the car (about five minutes after leaving the house for an eight-hour drive) of "Are we there yet?" So I was thinking about "What is success and how do we know when we have arrived?" As I read about the two winning tickets in the $330-million-plus mega lotto, I was thinking what it must be like to win even $10 million and know you've arrived. Like you, I'm sure, I have planned how I would spend that money many times over the last 40 years-and, of course, have never won a dime. But while we all don't measure our success by how much money we have, it's been a question I have asked myself over many years: what would it take for me to feel successful monetarily and non-monetarily? And what I have found is that the goalpost continues to move every year. What seemed real wealth a few years ago doesn't seem that much today-particularly considering the price to accumulate it.

I must admit, I have always struggled to define what success means to me. I grew up in humble beginnings. For my parents, success was measured in keeping a job, having food on the table, getting our first TV (saving me the need to push up against my neighbors' windows watching without sound their television), going for a week's vacation to the coast in England, and getting our first carwhat a day that was! Success for them was saving a little for the rainy day and, even if it came and they didn't have enough, making sure my brother and I felt like we had a good life.

Times have changed, and I suspect many of us want a better life than our parents had. For many years, for me it was all about how I could grow my salary, along with all the trappings of perks, cars and promotions. It was all about getting more. It took a while for me to figure it out, but that just didn't make me happy. I did it because I had to-or thought I had to. But what I have learned over the years is that pursuing your passion is what really makes you feel happy and successful, even if the financial rewards are not there. Enjoying what you do in life can make doing even unpleasant tasks bearable. But often you have to go through the worst to understand that there needs to be something better in your life.

Today flexibility and creativity are highly regarded as keys to success and well being. Who would have thought that a few years ago? How many people have had to reinvent themselves and their careers through this downturn? I bet that if they ended up following their passions, they are now in a much better place. Maybe they're not earning as much, but they're happy to do what makes them happy.

My parents used to tell me all the time, "Be grateful for what you have." Sometimes it is easy to take people and things for granted. I hope I have matured enough to recognize what I have and to be able to do the things in life I enjoy.

As the industry turns around, and it will, let's not go back to 2OO4-5 when nothing was ever enough. Let's build our businesses on sound principles, be satisfied with new successes. and understand that always wanting more contributed to what we have gone through for the past four years. Times change, as do people, and so does the definition of what makes us feel successful as companies and individuals.

Lots of shows and events coming over the next six weeks. I hope to see you out there.

Alan Oakes. Publisher aioakes@aol.com

BPII

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;IEWER'-

D-i-yers take shine to solar deck lights

f\o-rr-vouRSELFERs looking to I-f quickly and easily light up their decks without having to run wire are going solar.

Solar deck fixtures contain a scientifically designed solar collector panel that converts sunlight into electrical energy, which is stored in highly efficient rechargeable batteries. Solar lights are equipped with LEDs, which reportedly never have to be replaced.

Although solar is usually not as bright as other forms of outdoor landscape lighting, improvements in solar panel and LED technology are closing the gap with hard-wired alternatives.

The types of solar lights on the market are growing just as fast:

being introduced, however, with detachable solar panels, so the fixture itself needn't be placed in a sunny location.

Flush-mounted lights are screwed directly into the surface of the deck, deck steps, risers, or railing posts, for a sleek appearance.

Stake lights can be placed along-

side ground-level decks.

Hanging-style lights are another convenient option, available in multiple formats. Individual fixtures, in styles such as lanterns or even a mason jar, can hang from a hook or from a rod mounted either in the ground beside the deck or along the railins.

Deck post lights slide right on top of deck posts, to replace existing post caps. Lighted caps accommodate standard post sizes (4x4, 5x5, 6x6), but can also be combined with an adjustable base to install on off-sized posts.

Post cap lights are the most popular type of solar deck light, thanks to their distinctive look, easy installation, and raised positioning for maximum access to sunlight. Fixtures are

LANTERNS

Rope lights and solar string lights come in a long line of lightbulbs, similar to a string of Christmas lights. A built-in light sensor is attached to the end of the string, along with an automatic on/off switch. The tiny solar panel is then unobtrusively staked in the ground nearby.

For homeowners who like the sound of chimes when the wind blows, hanging chime-style lights hang like a normal wind chime, but contain a lightbulb hanging among the chimes, as well as a hidden solar panel.

Today, your d-i-y customers don't have to be professional contractors, landscapers or electricians to add lighting to their decks.

HANGING CYPRESS

MAPLIN VENETIAN STYLE GARDEN LIGHT

Gomposite decking producers roll out new wave of design tools

j-lorr,rrosrrE DECKING manufacturers are unveiling a host \-,of new computerized design tools to help contractors and homeowers visualize their outdoor projects-and ensure they spec in their deck brands during the process.

MoistureShield's new Decklife online design tool allows users to create complex deck plans with a detailed 3D image. Available free at www.moistureshield.com, the software shows users what the completed deck will look like, while letting them make real-time changes in the material, color and layout of the decking and railings.

Dealers, contractors and homeowners can all work together using Decklife to ensure they are on the same page prior to installation and to save time when changes arise by simply editing the 3D design to see automatically updated specification reports. At anytime during the design process, users can view detailed composite decking material and cut lists, beam layouts, and stress analysis reports for their decking project.

Upon design completion, an all-inclusive Deck Designer Specification Kit can be printed. It includes a deck layout diagram, installation tips, and all of the reports.

"One reason our customers continue to use MoistureShield composite decking goes beyond product performance to the tools and services we provide to make their jobs easier," said Brent Gwatney, v.p. of sales and marketing for MoistureShield. "Decklife is another way we are helping contractors and homeowners get the MoistureShield deck of their dreams quickly and cost effectively."

Fiberon's online Deck Designer tool (www.fiberon. com) similarly allows users to watch their ideas come to life. With a couple of clicks, they can complete a deck layout that includes cut lists, building plans, and contractor and dealer listings.

Users select their deck shape and size, including the number of levels, stairs, railings and footings, and the widths of the boards. The project can then be tweaked by swapping in different Fiberon products, colors, textures, design shapes, and accessories. Multiple designs can be created and saved to compare and review later.

Universal Forest Products' new online Deckorators Deck Visualizer (www.ufpi.com) lets users select one of four deck configurations. Then they can swap in any of 10 different composite colors and textures, black or white railings, eight different baluster styles (in various colors), dozens of post cap options, and stair lights or other accessories.

The tool can be used on virtually any computer or mobile device and allows custom designs to be saved, printed, or emailed.

Gossen's Color Visualizer (www. gossencorp.com) allows users to view projects featuring three different styles of WeatherReady decking and, with the click of a button, see what the project would look like with different colored decking and railings.

TimberTech (www.timbertech. com) offers both a sophisticated online deck designer and a color visualizer. Since TimberTech offers multiple styles of decking, each with 11 color options, and eight color choices for its railings and posts, the color combinations are virtually endless. The site will help out with recommendations of more

3D RENDERING: Trex has incorporated its decking and railing products into new deck design software for professional builders.

popular color combinations.

Trex's site (www.trex.com) offers a customizable deck designer, color visualizer, fencing estimator, and sample deck plans. But the manufacturer has taken it to the next level, with its recent introduction of software strictly for professionals.

The new program, DeckWorks, allows pros to produce and output photo-realistic 3-D renderings of outdoor living spaces for their customers.

According to Ron Kaplan, chairman, president and c.e.o. of Trex, "Remodelers and landscapers are often involved in creating outdoor living spaces, but may not have access to software in which decking is wellrepresented. By offering a program that provides superior quality and versatility to these professionals, we're creating an opportunity for incremental Trex product sales."

DeckWorks, we're helping both exisr ing and new professional partners to distinguish their work from the com-

petition, bring a greater level of creativity to their designs and ultimately increase profitability."

Alternative decking makers add coordinated accessories

UNIVERSAL Forest Products hopes to sell more Latitudes decking and Deckorators railings with its new online design tool.

The software features a variety of common wood products but positions Trex as the exclusive wood-alternative option for decking and railing. In addition, it makes it possible to incorporate landscaping, lighting, furniture and accessories to visualize a complete outdoor living space.

DeckWorks is powered by Vectorworks, one of the leading design platforms for landscape architects, designers and contractors worldwide. Professionals who already own select Vectorworks software simply purchase a Trex DeckWorks plugin to begin incorporating Trex products into their designs. generating material lists and creating budgets and professional proposals.

"Professionals who use realistic 3D imagery to help potential customers visualize their dream decks achieve both higher close rates and project values," Kaplan said. "With

hsrsnn,trNBo to find additional I-luses for their patented technologies, alternative decking manufacturers are expanding their offerings to include other outdoor products that can complement their decks.

LifuTime Lumber, known for its composite decking, has added privacy fence and pergola products.

"LifeTime Lumber is one of the few companies whose products have the versatility to offer this number of design options for the builder contractor looking to offer sustainable, long lasting materials for their projects," said president Jim Mahler. "Now privacy fences and pergolas can be matched with other outdoor applications -decks, docks, ranch fencing, and planters."

Using LifeTime Lumber for all the non-structural building components, these new privacy fence and pergola profiles allows builders the option to deliver more affordable, fully coordinated. low mainte-

nance, outdoor construction materials.

Trex is now producing outdoor furniture. Its four different collections include dining chairs, folding chairs, Adirondack chairs, dining tables, side tables, coffee tables, sofas, ottomans, and chaise lounges.

Bqrrette Outdoor Living has expanded its Xpanse collection to include vinyl fencing. Two different series are offered-the Elite and the lower-priced Select series. They come in privacy. semi-private, traditional and contemporary picket panels, with several post and rail options.

The fencing lines are designed to complement Barrette's sheds, lattice, railings and accents.

AZEK Building Products has introduced an in-deck storage kit, for safely storing furniture cushions and covers, umbrellas, or other deck items. The compartment is concealed within the deck and blends risht in.

WITH ITS SOLID shuclure, LifeTime's composite lumber can be fabricated into simple oatio covers or elaborate pergolas using standardwood working tools and fasteners.

Gan you sell moulding online

ClEr-r-rNc sMALL. Llcutwttcst items

screwdrivers online is one thing. But lumber dealers and millwork shops are discovering that moving moulding via the Internet is no easy task-despite the lure of the products somehow magically selling themselves, to every corner of the globe.

Most millwork dealers are running into four major obstacles online:

l. Selling online isn"i necessarily less expensive"

For buyers, says Marshall Montgomery, The Affordable Cos., Costa Mesa, Ca., it's all about price. "Buying online saves you time and money," he promises. "You do not have to leave your home or deal with salespeople. lt is alw ay s cheaper."

The perception that it always must be cheaper online places a burden on shops that must go to extra expenses to sell online. Blumer & Stanton, West Palm Beach. Fl., has been dabbling in online millwork sales since 2005, with a major update expected next month.

"We're still looking for ways to

beat the overhead and make it profitable," says president Roger Stanton. "The cost of maintaining an online store, processing online PaYments, addressing the fickle nature of clients unfamiliar with the product (and their perception that anything ordered online should be returnable), and the cost associated with marketing the website (organic search engine optimization, AdWords, PayPerClick, etc.) are all expenses that don't correlate with selling mouldings from a physical location."

2. Just because your products are exposed to China, doesn"t mean it makes sense for anlone there to actually buy it.

"The biggest advantage of selling and buying online is the access to market," explains Dan Ritosa, Rino's Woodworking Shop, Willoughby, Oh. "The Internet has provided a forum where we can trade with people who are not in our normal geograPhic area."

Tyler Turner, Hartland Planing Mill, Clarksburg, W.V., agrees: "Hands down, the greatest advantage

(of online sales) is being able to distribute our product to a larger number of customers. Our website allows us to sell to the whole country and not just our local area."

Yet, admits Turner, "the biggest challenge we have encountered by far is length restrictions for shipping. UPS and FedEx cutoff for length is 9 feet. This means if you need one piece of moulding 12 feet long, it will have to ship via freight truck. This makes the cost of freight more than the total cost of the moulding itself. A normal freight truck shipment is usually three to four times more than a UPS Package)'

Online orders also contain, on average, smaller quantities. "Most consumers are interested in fewer than 12 pieces of moulding," says Blumer & Stanton's Roger Stanton. "Shipping costs for mouldings in excess of 8 feet is absolutely prohibitive unless you're shipping moulding for an entire project. This particular restriction on length is very limiting. Even standard shipping is expensive, and consumers are understandablY reluctant to spend $225 on shipping

for $200 worth of product."

Rino's Woodworking Shop often finds a way to make the numbers work. Lengths 8 feet and under are shipped by UPS if in small quantities or from long distances. The shop pays for shipping on UPS orders over $300 to most areas of the continental U.S. Larger orders and longer lengths are shipped common carrier. Rino's pays for shipping if common carrier orders exceed $3,000 (and, if the destination is in-state, they'll truck it themselves).

Yet, all UPS and common carrier shipments must be crated to minimize damage and ease handling-further increasing the supplier's cost.

3. Online catalogues and product listings allow buyers to view hundreds of options-but they can't touch them.

"When we purchase a Sony Blu-ray player online we pretty much know what to expect," says Rino's Ritosa. "When people purchase hardwood mouldings online, the product is a little more subjective. At times we deal with people who are in the industry and know a premium grade piece of material. Then other times, we might deal with people who ask for maple or red oak but do not have the slightest idea which is which.

"There is always a certain degree of trust that is exchanged in any purchase. Yes, the client cannot touch our product until it is received, but even if it is a local project the client cannot see our product until we deliver. The overall effect is the same. But in the end, what matters is our reputation of keeping a high quality level on all our products. In doing so, clients know that they will consistently receive a quality product."

For many consumers unfamiliar with moulding, they will be too intimidated to order online. "Occasionally we will get the wary customer, and they want to know about the quality of the product," says Hartland's Turner. "This is very understandable, because you really can't see the material. I regularly send samples of our mouldings to customers, and I think that this makes a big difference. Also in our case, we have been a family-owned business since 1912-I am fifth generation-and locally we are known for quality of material, so I think this helps quell some of the fears associated with Internet ordering."

Far more frustrating can be the une-

ducated who probably shouldn't be ordering online...

4. Online sales leave the specifying of materials, sizes and quantities up to the (often non-professional) customer.

Problems of customers ordering too much or too little are particularly difficult for custom millwork businesses. Affordable's Montgomery says, fortunately, incidents have been few.

"Measuring should never be a problem for the average person who can work a tape measure," he says. "If they cannot do that, we do not want them ordering. If they are not sure, they shouldn't be installing it either and should let their installer give them a material list to buy the right quantity;'

Ritosa says, "The client is mainly responsible for the take off. We have had it happen before that a client does not order enough or his margin of error is too small. Should this occur, the client would need to reorder additional material at his own cost. If the client should order too much, the material cannot be returned since all orders are custom run for each client."

In the age of Amazon.com, however, consumers think everything bought online should be returnable.

No return and minimum reorder policies can help, but customers must be trained to get it right from the start.

"With every one of our customers, I stress the importance of getting your quantities right with your order," says Hartland's Turner. "Most of the time, I have customers figure an additional 5Vo to '7Vo waste and there isn't a problem. However, there have been a handful of customers that have come up a couple feet short and we try to help them out the best that we can. The downside of this comes back to shipping. Most of the time the material shipped back is limited to 8 feet due to the higher cost of freight."

Until more millwork dealers conquer these obstacles, expect most of their online sales to be along the lines of Made Right Moulding, Dayton, Oh., which began selling electronically 1l months ago. The shop has had several inquiries from out of state, but so far all sales have been local, close enough for the customer to visit to examine samples and near enough for Made Right to deliver the products on its own truck.

SITE for Lewis Lumber Products, Picture Rocks, Pa., features tips to

customers select the right type of hardwood moulding.

Ecots a resounding success

f f,/Hnr coI-oR IS your parachute? Y Y No need to wonder about Rachel Maloney's-from the get-go, it's been green.

Not that she needs a parachute. Since the very beginning, her building supply company, Minneapolis, Mn.based Natural Built Home, has been soaring.

Mahoney was building a career in the medical device industry when a transfer back to her native Minnesota prompted her and her husband to hunt for a home. Fine, until it came time to remodel it. then -nada.

"I've always been passionate about the environment, and we had a hard time finding eco-friendly products. So," says young Mahoney, "l decided to quit my job and open my own business," filling the gap for the growing wave pf eco-thinkers such as she.

Do-gooder in tie-dyed shirts and Birkenstocks? Oh, no. Maloney came with plenty of business acumen under her belt. She turned to her former professor at the University of Minnesota's esteemed Carlson School of Business.

He put his students onto the project, assessing demand, demographics, what-have-you. They gave her the goahead.

She found herself a site in a neighborhood composed of older housing stock-prime prospects for remodeling-and opened up her bricks-andmortar outfit on Earth Day 2006. (She had dipped her toe in the clean, green water a year earlier doing business via a website.) The plan: Offer one-stop shopping for sustainable building for both walk-ins traffic and the pros.

Sure, she expected attention from the usual "Save the Planet" tribe and, indeed. those dedicated eco-consumers immediately found her through mentions on her vendors' websites. She also attracted the energy misers. especially during the recent rebate program. (Think insulation made of former denim jeans instead of fiberglass; low-flush toilets; compact, ondemand water heaters and such.) But it's the many customers driven by health concerns, fighting carpet dust and toxic paints, and concerned for

their kids' welfare who took her by surprise.

Print advertising brought in some business, "but it's hard to track," she says. Paying for key positioning on Google searches has proved more successful. Her own robust website (www.naturalbuilthome.com) is intended more for education than for placing orders. "People do their research on the Internet, but then they want to come in to touch and feel. so the website does drive traffic. Plus. we can put up peoples' photos of their projects, which fuels other peoples' ideas. They love that!" she professes. But what they love even better, turns out, is Facebook. Natural Built adds content once or twice a weekitems such as new products, sales, and classes offered. "It's fun!" she jubilates. "It opens a huge door for a small business like mine."

Vetting the products she carries remains a moving target. Her standards -the only constants-involve sustainability, recycled and recyclability content, low toxicity and VOC, and local, or at least U.S., production. "l ask our vendors all the difficult questions, like ingredients, or where things came from. There are many good products. but others that are questionable, and you have to dig deeper," she explains.

Then the real work kicks in: educating her customers, who are understandably confused by claims and verbiage and jousting standards in the conflict of FSC vs. SFI and such. (Natural Built's wood is locally-produced and sustainably-forested FSC certified or from a rapidly-renewable species, including red oak, white birch, maple and lyptus, plus more in dozens of veneers.)

Confusing? "It's not like shopping at Target," she laughs. "We form relationships with our customers, helping them find the best products for their needs. The 'right' products are not only better for the environment, but

GREEN SHOWROOM targets homeowners, designers and building professionals.

Rf Sf NG POPULARITY of enviro{riendly paints (upper) and flooring (lower) is, in part, driven by consumers with health concerns over tradl tional yet toxic or dusty alternatives.

long-lasting." And discounted for customers who package their orders, such as bundling requests for kitchen flooring, countertops and cabinetry. Natural Built also will undertake the install and, ofcourse, provides design assistance.

Free classes, held several times a month, facilitate the flow of info. They feature hands-on working with local clay (as in, plastering your walls) to eco-updates on the two most popular re-habs, kitchens and bathrooms. Some are Ied by Maloney, who also speaks to local outside groups. In addition, the classes utilize design/build professionals, who can educate on solar electricity or ways to conserve energy. Bottom line: They underscore the ease of going green. "It's not about sacrifice!" Rachel instructs.

Not by a long shot-at least, not anymore. This is not Ralph Nader's dreary kitchen. You've come a long way, baby, to quote the tagline for a cigarette we no longer smoke. Nowadays, kitchen surfaces carom from gorgeous bamboo and lino in stylish colors to glittering recycled glass-"countertops that are pretty! Products that don't look 'green,' but simply look beautiful. They fit any lifestyle from traditional to contemporary and offer more opportunities for original statements than the granite every-

body else is doing"-an environmental no-no which must be trekked in from abroad.

Natural Built also offers its unique "wood from the hood"-flooring and more, fabricated from culled boulevard elms-"and what could be more local and green?" she asks. While the company doesn't carry roofing or windows, personnel are equipped to steer clients to good eco-sources, including outlets sponsored by Habitat for Humanity.

"Paint," Mahoney recommends, "is such an easy entry point, and inexpensive." So are gadgets, great to small, such as her battery-free flashlights and Adirondack chairs fashioned from former milk cartons.

Natural Built makes a point to make its presence know by participating in shows such as the local Green Expo in spring and the Eco Experience at the annual State Fair, where the company has built a house every year for the past five seasons. "Over 350,000 people pass that building. It's an amazing thing," she says, "an eye-opening experience. People ask us, 'Why are you here?' and 'Why buy this?' We're doing so much education and can show what products look like to people from all walks of life."

The holdout-no surprise-is often the small contractor, who digs in his heels and fights learning something new"the last people to embrace the trend," in her experience. "But we offer free classes to get them to understand and feel comforlable. On the other hand, the A&D (architecture and design) people are an aware community, and we've just hired an outside salesperson to address them. They're early adapters."

Commercial accounts are signing on, too. The company has just supplied glass countertops for a new Microsoft Corp. facility in Fargo, N.D., and facilitated energy-saving rehabs of several local restaurants, where, Maloney testifies, "the savings add up quickly."

The company presently employs four full-time and four part-time people, whom Maloney has chosen "based on talent. They embrace our philosophy but are not versed in product knowledge. Instead, I like staffers who are excited and share that enthusiasm with our customers." Vendors offer them occasional PK training, as do new Internet courses, which allow studying on a staggered-time basis.

"The current slowdown has offered us an opportunity to streamline our procedures and put in better systems for inventory and ordering, enabling one person to do the job of two," Maloney indicates.

Yet, the bleak economic picture hasn't put much of a dent in her business, which, she says, has grown every year while maintaining comfortable margins. "People are more price-conscious today, so we've added some products with a lower price point. But we also explain the possible tradeoffs,'dark green' vs. 'light green.' It all goes back to educating the consumer.

If they've heard of bamboo flooring but their choice comes vinyl-coated, we might say, 'Do you want your kid picking up Cheerios off vinyl?' and show them an alternate option."

That's called win-win. And that's why Natural Built Homes foresees a steadilygrowing slice of the pie.

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net

Sizrng up nolr-standard-sized OSB

|r\SB PRODUCERS coNrrNUE to go \-fbeyond the standard size-4 ft. wide and 8 ft. tall, atJ116" thick-to solve a variety ofbuilding challenges.

Each non-standard size has its advantages. Extra-thin panels-as little as ll4" thick-are lighter and less expensive, so they are suitable for underlayment and other applications. However, most structural uses require thicker panels.

Most manufacturers also offer panels up to l-l/8" thick. "Common applications for thicker panels are performance-rated sheathing and floor panels, which are typically produced with tongue-and-groove edges for easier installation," says Marilyn LeMoine, market communications director at APA-Engineered Wood Association. "Thicker panels are also used as sheathing for engineered shear walls and horizontal diaphragms designed to resist high wind and seismic loads."

Longer and wider panels are becoming increasingly popular. Georgia-Pacific can supply custom panels up to 8 ft. wide and 26" long, which are used in structural insulated panels (SIPs), panelized roof systems, modular floors, and in the manufacture of recreational vehicles.

The larger panels can be manufactured at the former Grant Forest Products mills in Earlton. Ontario. and Allendale, S.C., which G-P acquired in May 2010, along with an unfinished OSB mill in Clarendon, S.C. Once market conditions improve, G-P hopes to complete the unfinished construction and begin operations there.

Ainsworth also hopes to increase its offering of taller panels, once it acquires the remaining 507o interest in the Footner mill in High Level, Alberta, that it co-owned with Grant Forest Products. Although the mill has been shuttered for the past two years,

Ainsworth hopes to reopen the mill when the market improves.

"Once the deal is approved, we would still need to hire crews and ramp up production," says John Murray, manager of marketing and communications at Ainsworth. "The mill has the world's largest single-line continuous press, which means it could manufacture larger panels with far less waste."

More common, particularly with the trend of higher ceilings in residential construction, are 9' and 10' long panels for wall and roof sheathing. LP Building Products has been producing taller panels since January 2009.

Named LP Longlength, the panels are

installed vertically instead of horizontally so the sill plate can be tied to the top plate with only one panel. The result is sturdier walls, fewer seams, less opportunity for air infiltration, and no need to cut and install fillers or blocking materials.

"With LP Longlength, builders can use one solid piece of OSB vertically. which means construction is simpler and the home is stronger," says Judy Musgrove, LP's OSB marketing manager.

According to APA's LeMoine, taller panels have also become popular in regions where high-wind exposures require engineered shear walls to also resist wind-uplift loads. "These panels can protect structures against airborne debris and provide code-mandated resistance to wind pressures on exterior walls."

RoyOMartin supplies one such product, named WindBrace, which is a full 1-118" taller than standard OSB panels. The extra height eliminates the need to install metal connectors, threaded bolts, and blocking and filter strips - substantially reducing material and labor costs.

Stronger, more stable walls are also a plus in seismically actives areas. To meet these challenges, RoyOMartin's StructWall and StructWall XL are designed to minimize racking and shifting during seismic activity, and flex and absorb shock under extreme conditions. StructWall XL comes in 8' 1-1l8". 9' 1-l/8". and l0' l-l18". That extra l-l/8" allows one continuous panel to connect each walls' bottom plate to the top plate.

When constructing walls higher than one-story, taller sheathing adds rigidity. Next to large window and door openings, it allows wall-bracing segments as narow as 16"-without the use of any special components or connectors.

BIG TIME: LP's LongLength OSB sheathing is engineered for vertical installations in wall applications.

84 Lumber Gloses Yards, Trims Staff, While Vowing to Expand

Even as it was closing yards in other states, 84 Lumber Co. received $20 million in federal loan guarantees for debt restructuring, with the promise that it would enable the chain to add 400 jobs in its home state of Pennsylvania over the next three years.

Within the same week, 84 Lumber announced the closing of stores in St. Augustine, Fl .; Waveland, Ms.; Oklahoma City, Ok., and Toledo, Oh., and the temporary mothballing of its truss plant in Chandler, Az. The chain also cut five positions at its headquarters in Eighty-four, Pa.

The loan guarantees were part of a $45-million package that includes a $20 million loan from Wells Fargo Bank, $5 million from Pennsylvania's Washington County, and $5 million from 84 Lumber owner Maggie Hardy Magerko. The money will be used to pay off a l7-year-old, higherrate loan from Cerebus Capital.

Company spokesman Jeff Nobers said the company plans to add jobs to its new business units as they continue to grow. The new units include installation services for windows, insulation and siding, and commercial construction of college dorms, apartments, and shopping centers.

"Single-family housing will continue to struggle," said Nobers. "You're constantly looking at how you're doing things, whether it's store staff or markets."

The company has 3l stores and 760 employees in Pennsylvania.

Price Remains Key to Acceptance of Green Building Products

While green homes are generally perceived as expensive to build or purchase, a recent survey found that consumers and builders believe that reduced prices on building materials will help these homes become more affordable.

According to the NAHB Research Center stnvey, 59Vo of consumers and 757o of builders indicated that the costs of materials and products for green homes must be reduced.

"It's encouraging for us to see that consumers and builders are taking a stronger interest in green housing concepts," said Tom Halford, general manager-contract sales & marketing for survey co-sponsor Whirlpool Corp. "We need a combined voice of manufacturers, builders and volunteer organizations to continue helping the general public see the benefits of green building. Their collective input is valuable to us as we work to overcome the hurdles that are pointed out in the survey."

Another change consumers claim is needed to make green homes affordable is an increase in incentives for sustainable building and remodeling. Of all respondents,53Vo felt that increasing incentives for homeowners would help with green home affordability, and 367o suggested increasing incentives for builders. Most consumers (69Vo) believe state and federal governments should both provide incentives for purchasing green products. Among builders,407o support incentives for both homeowners and builders.

The survey showed that 777o of consumers feel that green homes are at least somewhat, if not very, important to them, with their primary reasons being: the positive impacts on the environment, the long-term financial savings, and the health benefits for the family.

Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply, Tallahassee, Fl., is liquidating after 65 years.

The yard split off 25 years ago from five-unit Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply of Central Florida, which remains in business.

John Bentley Lumber Co., Garrison, Ky., was destroyed by a Jan. 10 fire of undetermined origin.

Mariam Supply Go., Farmingdale, N.Y., has acquired Building Materials Wholesale (BMW Inc.), Pelham, Al., adding seven locations in Alabama and one in Mississippi.

Ace Hardware, Boiling Springs, S,C., has been acquired by Charlie Patton, co-owner of Buford Street Drug & Ace Hardw?r€, Gaffney S.c.

Hilldale Ace Hardwar€, Madison, Wi., reopened Dec. 23, two months after a fire caused $500,000 in damage.

Ace Hardware, Farmington, Mi., has closed.

Best Ace Hardware opened its Sth location, a 12,000sq. ft. store with 18,000-sq. ft. garden center in Long Neck (Millsboro), De.

Nelson True Value Hardware, Prairie du Chien, Wi., is moving to a new building.

Ace Hardw?rg, Bearden, Tn., is relocating next month to a larger, 12,000-sq. ft. building.

Sears Hardware & Applianc€ is closing its Stow, 0h., store March 20.

Ashland Hardware signed a 1O-year lease to add a 23,541-sq. ft. Ace Hardware store in Ashland, Va.

Ace Hardware & Garden Center, Perry, Ga., was named Business of the Month by the local Chamber of Commerce.

Leonard's Family Hardware, Pownal, Vt., closed Jan. 14 after 23 years.

Aubuchon Hardware shuttered under-performing stores in Essex Center and Enosburg Falls, Vt., Jan. 18.

Home Depot will open a 657,000-sq. ft. dishibution center next year in Joliet, ll. Based at the new CenterPoint intermodal complex, the facility willemploy 200,

Lowe's opened new home centers Jan.21 in Quincy, Ma.; Jan. 7 in Paramus, N.J. (John Marzacca, store mgr.); Dec.27 in Bangor, Me. (Todd Monica, mgr.), and the following day in Bayonne, N.J., after a one-day postponement due to a blizzard (Joseph Santangeo, mgr.).

Habitat for Humanity opened ReStore discount LBM outlets in Overland Park, Ks. (Jason Thompson, mgr.), and at the former Erb Lumber building in Jackson, Mi.

Hutchison Lumber is searching for the cause of a Dec.25 fire that caused $1.7 million in damage to its truck repair shop in Manchester, la. The facility housed nine semis.

Turman Tye River is operating the mill and dry kilns at the former Tayfor-Ramsey iacility in Anington, Va.

Vintage Lumber, Libertytown, Md., suffered a Dec. 22 fire that claimed its lumber warehouse and all contents, including a huck, two forklifts, dry kiln, and inventory,

JFM International, Willis, Tx., lost its office and warehouse in a Jan. 13 fire.

Nisly Wood Products' Kalona, la., sawmill suffered a Jan. 20 fire.

Firestone Building Products Go., Indianapotis, In., will close its roofing-membrane plant in Kingshee, S.C., in July, moving equipment and production to its facility in Prescott, Ar., which will also add 100 new jobs.

Rmax, Dallas, Tx., was chain-of-custody approved to use FSG-certifled wood for its nailable-base insulation products.

GAF Materials Corp., Wayne, N.J., is now offering a limited lifetime warrany on every GAF laminated shingle it sells.

Versatex Trimboard, Aliquippa, Pa., recognized TW Perry, Gaithersburg, Md., as its 2010 Dealer of the Year; Boise Distribution, Delanco, N.J., as Distributor of the Year; Matt Hubbard, Atlantic Forest Products, Baltimore, Md., Distributor Sales Rep of the Year, and Chris Hedlund, Regional Sales Manager of the Year.

Warren Trask Co., Stoughton, Ma., is now distributing Versatex Trimboard in New Enoland. and Weyerhaeuser Distribution, Gulfport, Ms.,is distiibuting the products in Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.

ABC Supply has renamed six of its Bradco Supply units in the Midwest under the ABC banner-Alsip and Wauconda, ll.; lndianapolis, In.; Warren, Mi.; Hazelwood, Mo., and Omaha, Ne.

Owens Inc., Duluth, Mn., filed to liquidate under Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Koppers, Pittsburgh, Pa., agreed to acquire the Rail Joint businessfrom Portec Rail Products, Huntington, W.V.

Snavely Forest Products is now dishibuting prefinished ceilirig and wall products from Synergy Wood Productsi Winter Park, Fl,, in six re!ional-rirarketsPittsburgh, Pa.; Baltimore, Md.Mashington, D.C.; Greensboro, N.C.; Lakeland, Fl.; Dallas, Tx., and Denver, Co.

Kennebec Lumber Co. rras started up a solid flooring plant in Solon, Me.

David Mittlestadt, general mgr. of Kennebec's Flooring Division, oversees the plant.

Wolf Adds New England DC

Wolf, York, Pa., will open a new distribution center in Worcester, Ma., serving dealers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and upstate New York.

The Worcester facility features one acre of outside storage and l0 dock doors, in addition to 60,000 sq. ft. of inside storage.

The move will create about 20 jobs and reportedly mark the completion of Wolf's two-year geographic reorganization, which included adding a DC in Lawrenceville, Ga., and moving to a larger facility in York-all to position itself to better serve 3,000 independent dealers on the East Coast.

Maine Sawmill Adds Lumber Store

Michael and Hilda Record, owners of Record Building Supply, Oxford, Me., opened a new retail business in Cumberland, Me., primarily to sell products from its own sawmill, Record Lumber of Oxford.

The 7,200-sq. ft. Board Barn lumber store sells pine and hemlock boards, framing lumber, posts and beams, as well as wood pellets for heating and wood shavings for horse bedding.

Mike Biskup is assisting with marketing, sales and daily operations of the store.

The business kicked off with a grand opening Jan.29.

Worker Killed by Falling Log

OSHA is investigating what caused a log to fall from a debarking machine at KyKenKee, Vance, Al., and fatally strike a 22-year-old worker Dec. 30.

"It appears the log came out of the piece of machinery and then it goes onto a ramp to be fed to another piece of machinery, and somehow it came off that and landed on top of him," said police sgt. Kip Hart.

He said the unidentified victim was walking by the machine when the log fell.

Alabama Sawmill Ramps Up Gradually Following Fire

Swift Lumber, Atmore, Al., restarted operations at a reduced level two weeks after a mill fire that caused several million dollars in damage to machinery.

According to v.p. David Swift, an electrical motor exploded Jan. 6, sparking a fire fueled by sawdust and wood debris.

The damaged equipment was hauled away for repairs, and temporary machinery moved in. Swift expected the repairs to take as long as a month.

Bookkeeper Cops Plea Deal

A bookkeeper convicted of embezzling from Alexander Lumber Co., Cortland, Il., was sentenced to four years probation and ordered to pay $29O65 to her former employer.

Carole Cardot, 50, pleaded guilty in exchange for agreeing to pay restitution, serve probation and 400 hours of community servce, and write a letter of apology to the company.

Investigators said she had been manipulating deposits and stealing money for at least two years, until the company discovered the irregularities after it laid her off in February 2010.

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The moment(

l\fioveNrs oF rRUrH happen in sales. Establishing early IVlhow we want our relationships to go is essential to a profitable and happy sales life.

Start with your first sentence. "Hello, my name is Jeremy Profitmaker. I work with ABC Distribution. We sell lumber in your area. What kind of lumber do you buy?"

Keep the introduction simple and ask a question. (The person asking the questions controls the call.)

When selling face-to-face, other basic preparation includes:

. Card in left, shake with right. Eye contact and firm handshake please.

Simple introduction.

. Ask the prospect to sit.

Begin asking questions.

. Most sellers ramble in their introduction. Simple introduction, then questions.

Side-Stepping and the Non-Answer Answer

When customers side-step even a simple question, it is our opportunity to establish what kind of relationships we willhave.

Us.' "How much of that do you buy per month?"

Customer: "A fair amount."

This is what I call a non-answer answer. If we let it (side-stepping our question) pass, we are establishing that it is okay. And it is not okay What kind of relationship would we have with our spouse if, when we ask where they are going, they respond, "Out"? We cannot allow our customers to establish this kind of relationship with us either. When we ask a question, no matter how simple, we cannot move on until we get an answer.

Why doesn't the customer want to respond? What are they hiding? Like the detective who almost gets run over by the car at 3:00 in the morning, it only happens when he is getting close to finding the killer (order). If the customer obfuscates, all the more reason to ask more questions.

If we let the answers to simple questions slide, we are complicit in our own demise at closing and for the balance of the relationship.

Giving Price and Closing

Price should be given at closing only. Why give price if customers are not ready to buy? To have our price shopped? This does not work for us. We should do everything in our power to construct our sales calls so that we give price at closing only.

Master sellers construct sales conversations where pricegiving and closing happen simultaneously. A "quotron," for

example, might say, "Hi, John. I've got a car of 92-518".|t is rolling, and I can get it into you at $250. What do you think?" All information has been siven. Are we information dispensers? No!

Instead consider:

Us.' "Hi, John. We just bought a block of 20 studs. We can work with you on trims and shipment. We've got a heck of a price. How many can you use?"

Customer: "What's the price?" (A question about price is a buy sign. We have constructed the conversation so that interested customers will give us buy signs. This is a great way to get into more sales conversations versus quotronic information dispensing.)

Us.' "The price is the icing on the cake, John. How many can you use?"

Or...

"The price is fantastic. If we agree that the price is fantastic, how many can you use?"

Eventually we have to give the price. But we have made the giving of the price an event-something of value. And when we give the price, we ask for the order!

The moment of truth of our sales career happens every no. Quotrons so fear the no they don't ask. Some sellers ask once. Closers ask several times in different ways. The sellers getting all the business ask multiple times per closing call. Set five times as a goal.

Firing Non-Profitable Customers

Setting a deadline for how long we will work non-profitable accounts is key to sales growth. (Especially the marginally profitable!)

Prospecting + Firing non-profitable accounts = Sales growth

Our biggest moment of truth is when we decide that we are worth more than we are being paid. Master sellers upgrade their account base continually. Struggling sellers hang on to customers (even those who abuse them) too long and only prospect in emergencies.

Some master sellers are born; most spawn from a moment of truth, an AHA! moment, where they enter the World of No Excuses. It's when they decide, it's 1007o up to me.

James Olsen Reality Sales Training (503\ 544-3572 james @realitysalestraining.com

Hunting for a universal gr products database

AIn the recent past, a common criticism of green building rating systems organizations is that they also failed to provide relevant product information. The National Alliance of Home Builders is creating a database of products that its Research Center has evaluated and approved for use in its National Green Product Standard program. However, it is virtually useless at this stage, with a clunky interface and only a handful of products listed.

souND LIKE my grandpa, but today's green merchandisers never had it so easy.

Back in my day-2005-there were few residential green building programs or product standards to consult. Online lists and databases of verified products were sparsely populated and behind the market. When I was asked to develop a green merchandising program, it was a challenge we met only by doing lots of extra work vetting products ourselves and assembling our own database. Though our methodology would be easy for non-experts to implement, the burden on a typical merchandising department would be too great.

Thankfully, the last several years have seen tremendous maturation in the green building sector. The trails have been blazed and today's merchandise managers have a growing number of information resources at their disposal. But trails are trails, and until sustainability is a fully mature, mainstream superhighway (ironic choice of metaphor, I know), successful merchandisers must still invest time in evaluating their green product choices. There is still no universal green product database. On the other hand, there are a small number of valuable online resources that make the process of identifying "greenest in class" products a little easier.

The GreenSpec database from BuildingGreen.com has been one of the most trusted sources of green product information for years. The editors evaluate products against their own stringent criteria and avoid accusations of bias or favoritism by not accepting advertising or listing fees. It's not a comprehensive list, but the products listed are often best in class. BuildingGreen also offers news and analysis, making it a valuable resource that every dealer and distributor in the green building space should utilize regularly.

TOn the other hand, the GreenHomeGuide.com, founded in 2003 and acquired by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2008, is not a simple directory of products. The site is based on expert advice delivered as focused "Know How" pieces, or as answers to inquiries in the "Ask a Pro" section. This kind of contextual information about products and materials can be extremely valuable for gaining knowledge about the category, alternatives, performance, and installation issues that simple databases will not provide. While it offers no product directory, per se, it does link to the GreenSpec directory.

There are other product lists and directories worth a look, too. Product certifying organizations such as Scientific Certification Systems (www.scscertified.com) list certified products on their websites. But the need for reliable, transparent product information is huge and still largely unmet. New online directories have emerged to try to fill the gap. One of the best designed attempts to provide a LEED-oriented directory of products is EcoScoreCard.com, but it's still too young to be comprehensive.

Green building culture values transparency and thirdparty verification, which has led to greater focus on life cycle analysis (LCA) and environmental product declarations (EPD) as a standard method for manufacturers to communicate the sustainability profile of their products. If widely adopted, such standardized product data would make development of a universal database feasible. That's exactly what's needed in order to create mainstream scale at the retail end of the green building supply chain.

JaY TomPt Managing Partner William Verde & Associates (415) 321-0848

By Dave Kahle

Selling is simple

ffene ARE A NUMBEn of different lldefinitions to help you come to grips with what selling really entails.

A. Settirg is the sc'ience of hetping people get what they want.

If your prospective customer doesn't want or need what you are offering-if it doesn't fill some need in the customer-then you have no business engaging in the selling process with him.

Now don't get too hung up on the definition of "need." If we define that too narrowly, we eliminate everything except food and shelter. Our needs and wants are ever-expanding, and include things that make us feel good or fill some emotional need as well those that meet our basic needs. We may not really need a caramel cream latte, but thousands are purchased every day. It makes us feel eood.

While selling is what you do and you can do it better, it's still less about you and more about your customer.

ll. Settirg is the process of helping people make decisions that often lead them to purchase Jrom you.

Effective selling begins with an understanding that it is about influencing the decisions of the customer. In other words, the ultimate location for the sales process is the mind and heart of the customer. Very few sales situations involve only one decision. One decision leads to another, which leads to another. which leads to the decision to buy.

Let's take one of the simplest selling situations with which I have ever been involved-selling water softeners to homeowners. This is a classic "one-call close." In other words, there is only one sales call necessary to help

the customer make a decision. You either sell it when you see them, or you don't sell it at all.

Sounds simple. But even that simple, one-call sales process is quite a bit more involved when examined through the perspective of the decisions that the customer must make.

To initiate the process, the company must advertise and make itself appear to be a reputable solution for hard-water problems. Customers live in the land of apathy and ignorance. In other words, they don't know the salesperson or the company, and that's fine with them. Their lives are okay

(Please turn to page 26)

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Selling Is Simple

(Continued from page 24)

without them. So, they are ignorant of the company and apathetic about it.

The first decision the customer must make is whether or not to call the company. The company hopes to influence that decision by the quality of its advertising, as well as its reputation in the market.

Let's say the customer decides in the affirmative and calls the company. Now, the customer has a salesperson on the phone. The customer now must decide whether or not to interact honestly with the salesperson. If the salesperson seems rude. arrogant or uninterested, the customer may decide to call someone else. Some get that impression and terminate the call. Others decide that the salesperson sounds trustworthy and competent enough to talk to, and do so.

As the conversation progresses, the salesperson is going to ask the customer for an appointment to come out, view their situation. and test their water. Another decision for the customer. Some decide not to do that, for whatever reason, and they drop out of the process. Others decide to make the appointment and move one step closer

rn the process.

Now, the customer faces yet another decision-whether or not to keep the appointment. Twenty to 30Vo of those who make an appointment decide, after the fact, not to keep it. So, they make sure they are gone when the salesperson shows up, or they hide in the basement and wait until he leaves. Those who do not keep the appointment drop out of the process, those who decide to keep it, move one step further along.

The salesperson shows up, this time in person, in the customer's home. The customer has another decisionwhether or not to be honest and forthcoming with the salesperson. Should she let me test the water? Should she take him down in the basement and show him the old equipment? If the salesperson appears competent and trustworthy, she will generally decide to interact honestly and the process moves along. Finally, the salesperson tests the water, recommends a new system, and asks the customer to buy.

This simple, one-call close selling process consisted of a series of six decisions. Even in this simple selling process, the effective salesperson understands that it is a series of deci-

sions and his/herjob is to help the customer make each affirmatively.

C. Srtttng is at the same time both simple and inc r e dibly c halle ng in g

It is simple in that almost every adult of reasonable intelligence, with just a modicum of people skills, can understand it and do it. It is incredibly challenging in that to become exceptionally good at it takes the better part of a lifetime of effon and practice.

Let's compare selling to the game of basketball. Anyone can take a basketball, bounce it a couple of times, and throw it up at hoop. In its essence, that's the game of basketball. However, there is a great distance between the skills and competence of the novice and those of someone like LeBron James. While the world is full of people who can play basketball, only a handful compete at a worldclass level.

You can sell. But more importantly, you can also sell better. You can do each step better.

- Dave Kahle is a sales trainer, presenter and author of eight books, including How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime. Reach him at (800) 331-1287 or via www.davekahle.com.

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tcolife's polymeric stabilizers enhance the wood's dimensional stability, making tcolife superior for loadbearing supports and deck framing.

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Sellwith confidence knowing Ecolife is "Standardized" by the American lllood Protection Association and preservative treatments are inspected by ALSC accredited agencies.

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Less waste and fewer culls. Ecolife reduces cracking, splitting, and warping and saves inventory downfall, improving profits and margins.

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tcolife's light color makes it easier to paint and stain. Lifetime Limited Warranty against decay and termites.

"Andbecauseitrepelsmoisture so effectivelv. ii doesn'icrackand waro in wetenvironments like othertypesoftreated lumber. We highlyrecommend it for iraming,substructures, and decks Ecolife is our fint choicei'

Bob Heidenreich 0wner. The Deck Store

"Ecolife stability means fewer seruioe calls."

Grow the next generation of lamily business leaders

IIfs ALL KNow that family busiV V nesses are great places to work when the family gets along and the business is doing well. When the business is not doing well or when the family is not getting along, they are not much fun.

Passing on the business to the next generation is the aim of most entrepreneurs who work to build their business. But this does not happen all by itself. It takes planning. communication, and a will to do it. The downfall of many family businesses can be traced to the lack of good succession planning.

There are three key issues that cover a big chunk of the real estate about why family businesses fail to make it into the next generation:

Control issues of the founder. Entrepreneurs like to be in control. They work extremely hard to build a business, and they like to have a hand in everything that is going on. Once the business is successful and growing, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to let go. If they do not find a way to loosen the reins, the next generation gets anxious. impatient and discouraged.

Son John says, "l'm 45 years old. When am I going to really run this business?" Even when dad hands over the reins to Johnny. how many times does dad appear in the office, only to throw a monkey wrench into the operation. (A lot!)

Dysfunction of the family. The family itself contributes to the problems in passing on the business. The lack of a plan on the business side inflames already heated emotions

among the siblings. Serious dysfunction, mental illness, addiction, entitlement, and self-centeredness may combine to make a transition next to impossible.

No development of the next generation of business leaders. Usually, if there is no clear strategic vision for

A successful transition has four key elements: creating a strategic plan, choosing a successor, devising a contingency plan for succession, and developing the next generation of leadership.

Entrepreneurial drive and focus get the business to a certain level. As the business grows and matures, it is the vision of the founder that moves it in the direction to keep growing. But, at some point, that is not enough. A well-conceived strategic plan is crucial for the business to grow beyond the dreams of the founder.

The choice of a successor (or successors) is a big stumbling block for many enterprising families. It should be undertaken as early as possible. Waiting until dad is well into his seventies is too late. All stakeholders should have input into the process. It should be a transparent, open process, so that all concerned know, all along the way, that this is an important decision for the business and the family.

the business (a strategic plan), no one really knows where the business is going. Therefore, they do not know what to focus on. Without that plan, next generation leaders do not get developed. All the good will, hard work, and devotion to the family and the business does not compensate for the lack of a stratesv.

Every good plan has contingencies built in. For example, if the owners want John to become c.e.o. in five years, everyone involved must be aware that John may decide he does not want to be in the family business anymore, or it is clear he is not the right choice. All of these issues must be addressed in the planning for the choice of a successor.

The next generation of leaders will either bring the business to another level, or watch it slowly slide off a cliff. The key to leadership development is understanding the needs of the business and what skills the potential leader needs to develop. In helping guide the development of the next

generation of leaders, I use the PEP model; people, experience, and programs.

Mentors, advisors, family members and business colleagues all can serve to help guide the potential leader. These can be extraordinarily influential relationships. For example, in one family business, the young leader developed a close relationship with Uncle Tony who worked in the business. Tony did not have a major leadership role in the business, but he had spent the last 35 years learning it. He was thrilled to pass on his wisdom to his young prot6g6.

Experience outside the family's business is crucial if the young leader is to develop a panoramic view of the industry. Working in a related industry can be of enormous benefit to the person entering the family retail lumber business.

Formal educational programs in a university family business center can be helpful for the entire family, as a way to learn more about strategy, business development, or the dynamics of family businesses. For the young leader, contact with same generation peers gives the person a group that he or she can call on as they progress in their development.

Ideally, these PEP domains are integrated with each other so the young leader will have experience outside the company before joining the family business, pursue more formal education or coursework, perhaps in marketing or finance, and finally, that person will have a range of helpful relationships, from mentors in and outside the company to advisors such as executive coaches and family members.

Family businesses face enormous challenges as they move from one generation to the next. A clear strategy for the business, coupled with a plan to identify and develop the potential leaders, can provide a path for the family to move toward its soals.

- Gerard Donnellan, PhD, is a family business consultant and or gani4ational psychologist specializing in next-generation transitions. He is the author o/Grow the Leaders for Your Family Business (Without Giving Them Big Heads and Making Them Think They Are Kings of the World). He can be reached at (781) 86 3 - 5 3 54 o r ge rryd@ bi g- leap.com.

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By Marty Stanley

Transactions vs. interactions

IIJHeN You rALK to people, are V Y you focused on the transaction ot youi interaction?

A transactional encounter is one where you're going through the motions to get the task or the discourse done. Maybe you are texting. talking on the phone to someone else, or just dazed and confused, but the bottom line is that you're not engaged with the other person or the process.

Interaction occurs when two people are engaged in a dialogue or actively participating in the process. For example, think of the last time you went out to eat. When you ordered, was the waiter friendly, knowledgeable and quick? Did he or she show authentic interest. assistance and interaction in helping you with your order and when paying the check?

That kind of interaction is so noticeably different from a typical transaction that it is now considered a fluke, instead of what customer service should be. As a consumer, it is so refreshing to be engaged in this kind of interaction and on the receiving end of good service !

Businesses who have employees focused on the interaction also seem to have owners who clearly have a different strategy for hiring and training people than their competitors. who are focused on the transaction.

Effective Interaction Affects Outcomes

Ask yourself: What are you talking about, and are your conversations focused on the transaction or interaction? When you are talking to people, are you clear about the purpose of the conversation? Are your thoughts, words and actions aligned with that purpose and the outcomes that you hope to achieve?

If you are focused on the transaction, there can be a tendency to treat the conversation in a matter-of-fact, Sgt. Friday approach: "Just the facts, Ma'am." The conversation is like a flowchart-cover all the bases and move on to the next topic. person or activity. The implied message behind the message can be interpreted as "I don't have time for you or what is important to you."

During this challenging economic time, when organizations are "doing more with less," common after-effects include employee fatigue, increased absenteeism, low morale, and diminished productivity or quality of work. Every one of these impact the enduser or consumer of your products or services.

There is a lot of talk about "employee engagement." But are you really walking the walk or is it really just another form of transactional communication with a fancy label? If

you want to utilize real employee engagement, take a look at the quality of conversations you're having. Are they "transactional" or are you really interacting with them?

Turning the Tide

A recent study indicated that 63Vo of the workforce under age 45 plans to leave their current employer when the economy improves. While it may be politically correct to say the impetus for leaving is a better opportunity for advancement or more money, the bottom line is that most people start looking and choose to leave an organization based on perceived negative interactions with management.

So how does one turn the tide from transaction to interaction?

It's all about the level of participation in that conversation. How are you participating in the conversation? How are you listening? Are you an active participant as a listener? Or are you thinking about what to say next or envisioning the other person with a big "L" on their forehead, as in "Loser..." "How many times have we heard this before?" "Here she goes again..."

Good managers and leaders understand that conversations require participation. It's more than 'Just the facts." They understand that when they speak to colleagues, employees, customers or suppliers, they are conveying multiple messages:

The content of the message: is it clear and consistent with the organization's policies and practices?

. The delivery of the message: is the delivery consistent with the organization's core values, such as "respect," "integrity" or "good communication."

The quality of interaction: are you really listening? Is it participative?

Hurd Latches on to SuperSeal

Hurd Windows & Doors. Medford.

Wi., has acquired vinyl window manufacturer SuperSeal Manufacturing Co., S. Plainfield, N.J.

SuperSeal will continue its brand products, as a subsidiary of HWD Acquisition. SuperSeal co-owner Ron Vespa will stay on as v.p.

Empire, DeWalt Break Pact

DeWalt and Empire Level are discontinuing the DeWalt branded line of professional box levels designed and

If you are looking for improved employee engagement or increased customer retention, an easy and cost effective place to start is by examining your conversations. Are you talking about things that are relevant and important to the other person?

Chatting about the weather or the latest sports scores are okay, but unless you are a meteorologist or sports broadcaster or coach, you'll get more mileage with an interaction that is focused on the person, their work, or their purchase.

One Gonversation at a Time

Authentic interaction is heartfelt, but not sappy, and comes from a place of caring and wanting to be of service or making a difference. It's about leaving the other person feeling glad they had the interaction with you.

Even difficult conversations can be authentic, caring and leave a person feeling respected. How do you start? One conversation at a time.

Stan by really listening to the conversations that you're having with people. Are you approaching it like a transaction or an opportunity for authentic interaction? Do you care enough about yourself. your organization, and the people with whom you converse to choose to have authentic interactions?

If not, just know that you may be missing out on opportunities to make a difference in someone else's life or closed to the possibility that someone might make a difference in yours.

It's just a choice. And you can choose to change it with your next conversation.

- Marty Stanley, president of Dynamic Dialog, is an author, speaker and facilitator. Contact him at (816) 822-4047 or marty s tanley @ alt e r in goutc o me s.com.

manufactured by Empire.

Although the products reportedly have sold well since their launch one year ago, an Empire competitorStanley Tools- acquired DeWalt during 2010.

Empire president Jenni Becker said, "We're disappointed that this agreement didn't work out as planned, but we certainly understand that a partner who becomes a direct competitor through acquisition is an untenable situation, and we're pleased that an amicable resolution has been reached."

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ASSOCTATTON

Illinois Lumber & Material Dealers Association will gather March 2223 for its annual construction supply expo at Pere Marquette Hotel & Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, Il.

Northeastern Retail Lumber Association will open its headquarters in Rensselaer. N.Y.. for Feb. 15-17 seminars on basic and advanced blueprint reading and material handling.

On March 1, Greg Brooks shares his industry outlook at Manchester Country Club, Bedford, N.H. A webinar on new ideas for installed sales

will be March 22, while increasing sales with visual merchandisine is the topic on March 3 |

Mid-America Lumbermens Association sponsors an estimating and take-off class March 22-23 at the State Fair Community College, Sedalia, Mo.

National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association stages its annual spring meeting and legislative conference March 14-16 in Washington, D.C.

Attendees will learn how to effec-

tively communicate their positions on key issues to members of Congress, then meet with lawmakers and representatives of federal agencies.

Ohio Construction Suppliers Association is sponsoring an installed sales roundtable March 24-25 in Cincinnati.

Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association's annual spring meeting is set for March l-3 at the Hilton Airport, Atlanta, Ga.

Speakers include Dr. Bob Abt, on biomass and the southern forest; Tom Cator, with a legislative update, and Zoltan van Heyningen, providing an update on the Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association is holding its wood basics course for the first time in the Southeast-March l4-ll at Mississippi State University, Starkville, Ms. The class includes both classroom training and field operations on such topics as sales training, product segmentation, price and cost trends, logistics, transportation, forest management, and operations.

North American Building Material Distribution Association presents its annual University of Industrial Distribution March 7-10 at University Place Conference Center & Hotel. Indianapolis, In.

Topics will include achieving inventory control, marketing and pricing strategies, hiring the right salespeople, and how to keep good customers. Graduates earn 30 units of continuing education credits.

Moulding & Millwork Producers Association will host its 48th winter business meeting March 23-26 atWild Dunes Resort, Isle of Palms, S.C. Day two will be devoted to the Productivity Information Exchange, offering millwork producers private appointments with industry suppliers.

American Fence Association's first Fence Installation School. March 6-l I in Tulsa, Ok., will teach professional standards and best practices to new and less-experienced installers. The course will cover personal safety, blueprint reading, tools, equipment, truck and trailer loading, site reading and layout, and working with concrete.

2O1l Lumbw T he futu r#loffirs better, but proceed with caution

\f,/Hnr ooes 201 I Have rN sroRn for the lumber V Y industry? Questions like this are difficult to answer even when the economy is healthy. When the economic data has been sending mixed signals, however, wading into the forecasting arena can be treacherous. Now, more than almost any time in our history, John Kenneth Galbraith's observation that "the only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable" rings true.

Certainly, mixed signals abound in the current economy. We saw an uptick in construction spending at the end of the year, albeit a small one. Unemployment is tracking downward, though job creation is far from the level needed to make significant inroads to a healthier unemployment number. This tension between good and not good enough is the theme for Forest2Market's 20ll forecast. We expect 2011 will be a better year for the industry than 2010, but the recovery will be painfully slow at times, continuing into 2012, 2013 and perhaps even 2014.

Housing Starts

The struggling housing market is the primary reason for the tone of this forecast. According to Standard & Poor's, the nation now has a 44-month inventory of distressed properties (up from 40 months previously), with a principal balance of $450 billion.

And this number is not likely to head in the opposite direction any time soon. Foreclosures topped I million in 2010. We expect they will be closerto 2 million in 2011. Recently, large banks were forced to declare foreclosure moratoriums in order to amend processes and procedures that had been called into question. Those moratoriums were temporary, however, and homes that have been in litigation limbo are starting to flood the market again. As many as 250,000 of these homes are likely to trudge through the foreclosure process in the lst quarter of 201 1.

By most accounts, home prices are expected to fall

another 5Vo to l07o over the next year. "Declining housing prices can-rather perversely-discourage home buying," noted housing expert Gary Shilling. "The remaining home equity of those with mortgages would be wiped out on average. That, in turn, would impair already-depressed consumer confidence and their willingness and ability to spend, to say nothing of residential construction."

This decline will ultimately lead to more homeowners being underwater. Unfortunately, many homeowners who are either unemployed or looking to relocate will find themselves with even fewer options and choose to walk away, thus feeding this vicious cycle.

How does all of this negative information relate to housing starts? Many appear to be ignoring much of the negative news. Some reports, for instance, have suggested that housing starts will be near 800,000 by the end of 2011, a 507o increase over last year. As much as we would love to see that, we think it is wildly optimistic.

The two main problems we are facing in housing are high unemployment and an overabundance of inventory on the market. Neither one seem to have any marked improvement on the horizon, with inventory numbers continuing to grow. Unsold inventory is 8O7o above its historical norm at 3.7 million units. Even in a healthy housing market, it would take time to work that inventory down to a manageable level. In reality, people are choosing to stay in their homes and make improvements instead of upgrading to bigger houses. Those who are shopping face increased scrutiny and down payment requirements. This environment of strict lending is not going away anytime soon after the hard lessons the banking industry learned and the still present litigation looming over predatory lending. That will eliminate the "marginal" buyer and limit financing only to the upper-tier of borrowers.

That being said, Forest2Market's latest Economic look shows that housing starts in 2011 will average

Housing Starts

Source: Forest2Market's Economic Outlook, January zOtL

100,000 above 2010's level, or 625,000 annually. Not until the last four months of 2Ol2 will the number of starts crest the 800900 mark (see chart above). From there, we have more ground to cover before we reach a sustainable replacement level for housing of 1.3 million starts annually.

GDP

In addition to housing starts, GDP projections are

pushing the recovery further into the future. Our outlook for GDP shows stronger than expected growth through 2nd quarter 20ll (see chart on next page). Projections for this period have improved, in part due to the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010, which was signed into law Dec. l'7. This legislation removed uncertainty about tax rates from the market and added some additional tax cuts that are likely to spur spending by both businesses and consumers.

Even though we project an uptick in GDP through the 2nd quarter, this trend will be short-lived. By 4th quarter 2011, GDP will contract, starting the second leg of a double-dip recession. While changes in legislation and monetary policy, as well as global events, have the potential to influence GDP going forward, we expect a second recession of approximately nine months, one that starts in October and ends in July 20l2.By the end of our 24-month forecast period, GDP growth will return to the 27o level, setting the stage for more growth into 2013.

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Lumber Industry Outlook

How will the broader economic outlook affect the southern yellow pine market in 2011? Industry performance in 2010 holds some clues.

For dimensional lumber grades #l-4, the average weighted price moved from $252 in Dec. 2009 to $263 at the end of 2010. Price changes were mixed, with almost as many dimensions/grades increasing as decreasing. All dimensions of #4 increased, while all dimensions of #3 decreased. Grades #l and #2 were a mixed bag of ups and downs. Looking solely at price, these numbers indicate that not much has changed in the lumber market year over year. While following an upward trend, that trend is moderate.

The real story is what you find when you look beyond the numbers and focus on the supply chain. Last year at this time, sawmills were facing a log shortage. Due to the recession, mills had decreased inventory to minimal levels. Then, as the busy spring season approached, exceptionally wet winter weather made it difficult for mills to source the logs they needed to meet production demands. As a result, SYP lumber prices spiked and pushed lead times out weeks and sometimes months.

u.s. M ITAL WORl(S. tNC. *

buaHlt3r"

The spike in SYP lumber prices and increased lead times produced the illusion that demand had improved. The truth, however, was that buyers had adjusted to a life of 'Just-in-time" purchasing. They were caught off guard by the abrupt change, and a wave of panicked buys flooded the market. Buyers saw lead times stretched from days to weeks and then, in some cases, months. Forced to buy whatever they could find, buyers were unable to counter the prices being offered. The drastically reduced number of trucks on the road and new demand from the federal housing tax credit joined the log shortage to create the "perfect storm" that ruled the market.

This chain of events will not repeat itself in 2011. The factors preventing the type of run up that characterized the market last year include the fact that sawmill inventories are much healthier this year (due to a strongerthan-forecasted 4th quarter) and that the supply of logs at mills will be sufficient to meet demand (helped by favorable weather and log prices). Instead, we predict modest growth for 2011, growth that will be driven by increased sales volume and improving market stability.

Seasonal patterns in demand dictate our forecast for growth in SYP lumber prices this year. Following long-term trends, we expect prices to rise in response to increased demand during the busy spring season, then retreat

once that demand disappears.

We project SYP lumber prices will peak in the $375lrraer range sometime in the spring and then start to retreat as the hot summer months arrive. The difference between 2010 and 2011 will be the speed in which we reach those peak prices. The dramatic week over week rises we saw in 2010 will be a thing of the past. Instead, we expect a more balanced, less aggressive rise as the peak buying season approaches.

After the busy season subsides, prices will fall back below $300/N,rsp and bounce along that price floor through the remainder of the year, as demand will no longer be sufficient to sustain the increase in prices and production. Contrary to popular belief, even after the many closures we saw during the "Great Recession," too much production capacity is still an issue at all levels of the supply chain. Manufacturers running on one shift can easily add second and third shifts, increasing capacity dramatically as they chase higher prices. When demand starts falling, however, the higher production levels lead to oversupply in the market, and prices fall precipitously. We expect 2011 will follow this long-term pattern as well.

One difference between 2010 and 20ll is that, for the most part, lumber buyers will be able to buy "just in time" throughout the year. This will allow companies to turn product quickly and keep inventory at or close

to market. This will be a welcome relief after the wild ride we experienced in the first half of 2010.

Forest2Market' s Economic Outlook is based on tested, comprehensive econometric models and provides insight into the future. What these models tell us is that many hazards lie ahead for the U.S. economy and the lumber industry, any one of which could easily derail the fragile recovery. At the same time, any one of these obstacles could be removed, leading to better outcomes. During the last part of 2010, we saw obstacles being removed from the economy.

As a result, the outlook for the next 24 months looks better than it did just a few months ago. GDP growth is stronger. The number of starts is increasing. Unemployment numbers are improving. Even during the second leg of the recession, negative GDP growth will not be as severe as we once thought. All of this supports the view that the worst news is behind us. And who knows? Perhaps the stars will align and the economy will recover even faster.

- Bill Nocerino manages sales of Mill2Market, Forest2Market's weekly lumber price report/benchmark service. He also oversees product evolution and derivative product development. Formerly, he was sales manager at Florida's Robbins Manufacturing and president of Mississippi's Follen Wood Preserving. Reach him at (704) 540-1440 or b i I Lno c e r ino @fo r e s t2

Gross Domestic Product Source: Forest2Market's Economic Outlook, January 2AL1.

Vicki Klumb O'Neill and Steve Funchess have been named co-presidents of Klumb Lumber Co., Point Clear, Al. Buddy Klumb is retiring after more than 50 years at the helm, but will remain chairman of the board.

Jason Wehrung has been named president of Wehrung's Lumber & Home Center, Tinicum, Pa. He succeeds his father, founder Vernon Wehrung, who remains c.e.o. of Modern Precast Concrete. Ottsville. Pa.

Matt Loiselle, ex-ilevel, has joined the outside sales force at Eastern Engineered Wood Products, Bethlehem, Pa., covering southern N.Y., northern N.J., and southwest Ct. Brian Ecker is a new technical designer.

Russell Kennedy has retired after five years as president and c.e.o. of ENAP, New Windsor, N.Y. C.f.o. Steve Sallah is leading the co-op on an interim basis.

Jack Stevenson has been named director of strategic accounts for Stock Building Supply, Raleigh, N.C.

Grady Mulbery, ex-SierraPine, has joined Roseburg Forest Products, Roseburg, Or., as v.p. of composite manufacturing, based in Atlanta, Ga. Gene Ling is the new plant mgr. at Roseburg's Russellville, S.C., particleboard mill.

Jackie Medley is now selling southern yellow pine 1x4 for Garrison Brothers Lumber. Eufaula. Al.

Robert Young, ex-Briggs & Stratton Corp., has joined True Value Co., Chicago, Il., as divisional v.p. for the paint, hardware and tool departments.

Michael K. Brown has been promoted to chief information officer and executive v.p. of Lowe's Cos., Mooresville, N.C., replacing Steven M. Stone, who has left to pursue other interests.

Rick Russell has been promoted to executive director of customer financial services at ABC Supply, Beloit, Wi.

Carol Leonard is now regional sales mgr. for Texas at Gorell Windows & Doors. Indiana. Pa.

Cynthia Arnold was appointed senior v.p. and chief technology officer for Valspar, Minneapolis, Mn. She succeeds Larry Brandenburger, v.p.-research & development, who has retired after 3l years with the company.

Danny R. Shepherd has been named executive v.p.-construction materials for Vulcan Materials Co., Birmingham, Al. Daniel Sansone is now executive v.p. and c.f.o.

Al Schuler has retired after I I years as research economist for the USDA Forest Service.

Manfred Seitz is retiring at the end of next month as chairman, president and c.e.o. of Robert Bosch Tool Corp., Mount Prospect, Il. Terry Horan becomes president and c.e.o. April l.

Vernon Barabino, senior director of financial services, was named Employee of the Year by the Southern Forest Products Association, Kenner, La.

Peter J. Johnson, ex-Pricewater-houseCoopers Consulting, has joined the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Washington, D.C., as managing director, office of sustainability.

Robert B. Clemence and Louis A. Oleksy, Jr. have been promoted to v.p.s of sales for Hyde Tools, Southbridge, Ma.

Victor "Yictt Grizzle has been named executive v.p. for Armstrong Building Products, Lancaster, Pa.

John Striednig has been promoted to director of Laticrete's new specialty products division, Bethany, ct.

Greg Jarvis has been promoted to director of supply integration, sustainability & logistics services at Millwood Inc., Vienna, Oh. Doug Gaier succeeds him as director ofregional sales.

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Simeon .'Sim" Gaddy has joined the sales team at Royal Group's window and door division, as key account mgr. for the Southeast. Tim Finke, ex-PlyGem, is now key account mgr. in the Midwest.

Douglas Ford, Curtis Lumber, Ballston Spa, N.Y., has been appointed chairman-elect for the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County.

Pryce S. Wright is the new purchasing mgr. at MungusFungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to coowners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

lp6 Flowing Again from Brazil Mill

Redwood Empire sister company Exmam (Exportadora de Madeiras Amazdnica Ltda), Belem, Brazil, has resumed production, due to improving market conditions.

The operation, purchased by Pacific States Investment Group in 2001, allows Redwood Empire to remain in the forefront as the only U.S.-owned and operated ip6 producer and exporter in South America.

3'to 48"

Allegheny Wood Products, Kingwood, W.V., formed a new company, Allegheny Wood Pellets, to produce wood pellets from its mill's sawdust.

Columbia Forest Products, Greensboro, N.C., was awarded the Healthy Home checkmark from Green Parents' List for its PureBond hardwood plywood.

Lapointe Lumber, Augusta, Me.. was named Business of the Year by the local Chamber of Commerce.

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building insulation products have been recertified by the Cradle to Cradle certification program.

Wells Lamont, Nites, tt., launched a new design of its website, with enhanced browsing capabilities.

Fiberon, New London, N.C., now offers two new multi-chromatic colors for its PVC decking: Spanish cedar and jatoba for Outdoor Flooring PVC decking, and castle gray and Tudor brown for Horizon composite decking.

ProBuild redesigned probuild.com with new features and functionality, including advanced search capabilities for specific products and services.

CanWelBroadleaf is now distributing Ainsworth Engineered pointSlX Durastrand Flooring and Boise Gascade's engineered wood products throughout Canada.

Despite Closing, Retiring Dealer Looks Out for Workers

After 46 years, Service Builders Supply, Opelousas, La., is liquidating, but the owners intend to make sure no employees are left high and dry.

"I wanted to retire, and the manager wanted to retire, and I didn't have anyone to run it anymore," said president Raymond Beauxis, who co-owns the business with founder Greg Bordelon.

Other employees are also retiring, but Beauxis and Bordelon will remain loyal to those who aren't. "We have quite a few that have been with me

from 25 to 40 years," Beauxis said. "I'm finding jobs for those who aren't (retiring). Nobody is going to lose a job."

Weyco Completes Rail Sale

Weyerhaeuser finalized its sales of six shortline railroads to Patriot Rail Corp., Boca Raton, Fl.

The deal includes about 160 miles of track in Mississippi, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Washington, primarily serving Weyerhaeuser and International Paper Co. mills.

Patriot now owns 13 shortlines.

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'l'hc clarnps can be installecl thrcc riars: corc clrill. busc pla1c. or surfitce- nroLlnt. N'lanr-rfactulcrl o1' stluctur-ll alunrinunr. thc clunrps are also lr ailablc rr ith l brusltccl stccl l inish.

I

WWw.I)I V I]RStT(j LASSCLA\{PS.CoN,1

0J88) 671 5l8S

PVG-Goated Gomposite Railing

Enduris' new Encore PVC-coated composite railing system complements its cellular PVC decking and is code-approved.

Three rail styles are offered in white, although additional colors are planned. Series 100 has a 2"x3.5" rectangular profile; Series 200 has a twopiece T-rail style with a flat cap, and Series 300 offers a small contour profile.

Included are balusters, hardware, and easy-to-follow instructions. Options are post caps and trim rings, as well as special brackets and hardware for stair applications.

T WWW.ENDURIS.COM

(888\ 329-1428

Spot Lighting Decks

Decklighting Systems now offers three different lighting kits, which can be used independently or in unison on stairs, rails, and posts.

LED three-beam spotlights use 807o less energy than incandescent bulbs, create less heat, and are safer for children and pets. Photocell technology automatically turns lights on and off, as needed, to save even more energy.

A choice of white, black, or antique bronze blends with nearly any deck or patio.

T WWW.DECKLIGHTINGSYSTEMS.CoM

(888) 305-4232

Enduring Railing

Railing Dynamics' new Endurance porch rail installs with hidden brackets.

The railing combines the low maintenance of vinyl with the security of aluminum reinforcement. An aluminum top-center channel is designed for easy installation of wiring for lighting or speakers.

Further customization is provided by several baluster styles and multiple top cap options.

T www.RDI RAIL.COM

(877\ 420-7245

Hidden Deck Fasteners

National Nail's Cauo hidden deck fastening system can be used to install all kinds of deck boards, from treated wood to hardwoods and composites. Included are proprietary screws, a specially designed driver bit, and Cat'ao Marksman tools.

T WWW.CAMOFASTENERS.COM

(800) 968-6245

. Dust collection systems

Electric Brad Nailer

An electric nailing gun from Arrow Fastener can fire up to 2" 18-gauge brad nails.

Made of high-impact composite plastic, the EBN320 R.E.D. features an ergonomic soft-rubber grip to reduce user fatigue.

It also has a slide-load magazine, l0' cord, LED guide light, and rotating belt hook.

T ARROWFASTENER.COM

(800) 776-2228

Bonding Experience

Zinsser's Bondz primer is formulated to bond any topcoat to hard-to-paint surfaces. The fast-drying modified acrylic formula is low-odor and low-VOC.

It provides adhesion to hard, dense interior and exterior surfaces such as fiberglass, tile, glazed brick, aluminum, laminate, and galvanized steel.

T WWW.ZINSSER.COM

(800) 323-3584

Recycled Resin

Framrng

EcoStud Track and Stud System from Superior Polymer can qualify for up to five LEED green credits.

Constructed of IOOVo recycled resin, the lightweight framing products are easy to handle, impervious to water, and resistant to mold. mildew. and insect damage.

They also work well with most insulation products, including fiberglass batts, blown-in cellulose, or rigid foam board.

I SUPERIORPOLYMER.COM

(906\ 337 -3355

ln Your Corner

USG's Sheetrock paper-faced plastic bead can be used to create crack- and chip-resistant corners.

Easier to cut than metal, the bead is made of paper tape laminated to composite plastic that resists scuffing from sanding.

I WWW.USG.COM

(800) 9874-4968

PVG Railing Extras

Illusions Vinyl Rail Systems has added two new options to its Grand Illusions line of extruded PVC railing products.

Color Spectrum offers 35 basic colors, plus infinite colormatching capabilities. Vinyl WoodBond combines the look of lifelike walnut, rosewood cherry and mahogany woodgrain with the promise of low maintenance.

Both options are available in four panel styles, plus two styles of stair rails and gates.

I WWW.ILLUSIONS. VINYLRAILING.COM

(800) 338-3362

Golorful Bamboo Flooring

Teragren's Portfolio bamboo flooring is available in l0 colors. including two hand-scraped versions, and qualifies for two LEED credits.

The collection leatures microbevel ends and edges, a sevencoat aluminum oxide/polyurethane finish. and fold-down locking system fbr easy installation.

T WWW.TERAGREN.COM

(800) 842-9411

Made from the bounty of the world's best managed forests here in the southeastern USA, we bring you...

PLYWOOD, a tried and true product that actually does "glow on tlees".

When it comes to quality southern pine plywood, Coastal Plywood has been a leading provider thrcughout the eastern US since 1981 Wholesale distributors rcly on Coastal Plywood for a wide variety of produets rnilled ta exacting standards and consistency. Depend on Coastal Plwvood for superior customer .t serviceand reliabledelivery. liil-=t"l

orman"".lPf'ff"-$---

get afl three from Coastal P@ood. - f ^, ) And we havedecades of historyti prove it.

INTERNATI0NAL BUILDERS SHOW, sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders, was Feb.8-11 in Orlando, Fl. [1]Wayne Hilton, Jon Bailey. [2] Dustin Schroeder, Brett McCutcheon, Chuck Hotze. [3] Al DeVasto, Rick Kapres, Chris Hedlund. [4] Alan Stoneking, Brian Orchard, Chuck Casey, Jim Boyd. [5] Greg Phillips, Gary Maulin. [6] Kris Anderson, Taylor Baker. [7] Garnett Douglas, Ken Goodnough, Joel Adamson. [8] Richard Wallace, Russell Richardson, Digges

Morgan. [9] Joe Holt, Peter Staal. [10] Craig Combs, Joanne Funyak, Paul Bush. [11] Aron Pritchard, Nisha Vyas, Steve Kennedy. [12] Jessica Philippe, Alan Oakes, Kari Kolb. [13] Mark Reum, Travis Jungers, Kelli Bergen, Tommy Mayhew. [14] Curtis Walker, Tom Merkert, Mark Canoll, Mike Tichenor. [15] Dan Beaty, Rick Sanders, Craig Young, Judson Moore. [16] Carl McKenzie, Mike Hain, Lawrence Newton, Rob Pavlik. (Continued on next two pages)

IBS (continued from previous page): l1l Peter Williams, David Levonick. [2] Bob Sule, Jeffrey Hoffman. [3] Heather Crunchie, Victor Keller, Gael Mourant, Brenda Collins. [4] Frank Peterson, Lisa Martin, Kim Pohl, Kyle Loveland. [5] Kyle Lazon, Kaylynn Poplawski, Scott Cathcart. [6] Denny Rossi, Sunny Akarsu. [7] Bob Clark, C.W. Macomber. [8] Art Sutherland, Trudy Johnson. [9] Milledge Wells, Chris Shepherd, Joe Heltsley, Ear Shepherd. [10] Tony Saad, Albert Renaud, Benuit Jean, Jean Marc &rilding-hoducts.om

Dubois. [11] Ray Tassini, Noah Nichols, Ralph Bruno, Derek Watt. [12] David Lawson, Shelby Lentz, Roger Dankel. [13] Rich Jones, Kristin Zommer, Bob Goral. [14] Gary Bernstein, Jack Dalton, Ken Bernstein. [15] Rosalie Leone, Miguel Rivera-Sanchez, Jessica Ferris. [16] Brent Gwatney, Joe Brooks, Gina Hardin. [17] Scott Schmidt, Carol Kelly. [18] Joel Cone.

(More photos on next page)

February Z)lr r Buildiru hodu6 Diged r 4!i

BIG BUILDERS SHOW (confrnued from previous two pages): [1] Brian Delbrueck, Chris Kollwitz, Thomas Fitzgerald, Bob Edwards, Ken Panitt. [2] Alex Hines, Ron Cook. [3] Derek White, Mari-Lynn Welyk, Justin

idweffi''-"

Lucius "Judge" Smith Nottingham Jr., 76, retired president of Carolina Lumber, Jacksonville, Fl., died Dec. 25 in Jacksonville.

During World War II, he participated in eight infantry campaigns and two D-Day invasions, earning the Combat Infantry Badge, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Silver Star. Presidential Unit Citation. and French Croix de Guerre with Palms.

He joined Carolina in 1953, and retired as president at the end of 1989. He was a former director of the Florida Building Materials Association.

Donald Grady, 73, retired coowner of Mulherin Lumber, Augusta, Ga., died Dec. I I in Augusta.

He joined Mulherin after serving in the U.S. Army, working his way up to becoming a co-owner. He retired in 2010, after 49 years with the firm.

Darrel D. Kalvig,76, former manager of Lampert Lumber, Kenyon, Mn., died Jan. 4 in Windom, Mn.

He went to work for the chain right out of high school, working at several locations, last as manager in Kenyon, until the store closed in 1963.

Ida Mary D'Amante, 96, retired co-owner of Twin State Lumber. Concord. N.H.. died Dec. 27 in Concord.

She and her husband, Armante, launched the business after World War II, building it into one of the largest native hardwood dealers in the U.S.

Owen Milton, 8l , owner of Milton Lumber. Dover. Tn.. died Dec. l7 in Murray, Ky.

Kenneth Holtvluwer, 87. founder of Standale Lumber & Supply, Standale, Mi., died Dec. 24 in Standale.

After serving with the Army during World War II, he and his wife, June, operated Standale. They turned over a two-thirds interest in the business to their children in 2005. but he did not retire until last spring.

Norman Floyd McGowin Jr., 79, former owner of W.T. Smith Lumber and Rocky Creek Logging, Chapman, Al.. died Dec. l.

ln 1953, after graduating from Yale, he served in the Marine Corps. & Reserves. Afier active duty, he joined the family business and worked as a principal and sales manager. The business was sold to Union Camp in 1966, and is now owned by Coastal Forest Products. He then served as president

of Rocky Creek, retiring in 1991.

At Rocky Creek. he was instrumental in pioneering aviation mapping techniques for forest management. He also completed a manuscript titled The Forest and the Zrees. which is under contract with New South Books and awaiting commercial publication.

John B. Collis, 85, co-founder of Collis True Value, East Herkimer, N.Y.. died Jan.2 in Herkimer.

During World War II, he served with the Navy, earning the Victory Medal and American and European Theater Medals.

The longtime contractor operated the store with his wife. Amelia. for more than 30 years, before turning it over to their son. Kenneth.

Leo I. Howlett Jr., 82, retired owner of Howlett Hardware, Absecon, N.J.. died Jan. 4 in Absecon.

After serving with the Navy, he joined the family business in 1954. The store closed in 1996.

Robert W. Barron, 85, retired owner of Ace Hardware. Rochelle. Il.. died Dec. 22 in Rochelle.

He served with the Marines during World War IL He ran the hardware store tbr 2-5 years, retiring in l99 l

DURASTRANDFLOORING

Weather happens. Wet wood swells. Such are the facts. The good news is, at last there's a solution engineered to address the challenge head on. PointSlX" Flooring and pointSlX Durastrand Flooring feature a patented tapered-

edge technology that offsets the effects of moisture,

e

eliminating the need for sanding.

Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word min,). Phone number counts as 1 word, address as 6. Centered copy or headline, $9 per line. Border, $9. Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished "camera+eady" (advertiser sets the type), $65 if we set the type. Send ad to Fax 949-852-0231 or dkoenig@ build-

I[eep track of the West

ing-products.com. For more info, call (949) 852-1990. Make checks payable to Culler Publishing. Deadline: 1 8thof previous month.

To reply to ads with private box numbers, send correspondence to box number shown, c/o BPD. Names of advertisers usinq a box number cannot be

DATE Book

fistlngs are often submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations wrth sponsor before making plans to aftend.

American Fence Assn. - Feb. 8-10, FenceTech & DeckTech, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 82243y',2:, americanfenceassociation.com.

New Jersey Building Materials Dealers Assn. - Feb. 8, regional meetings, Mayrood Inn, Maywood, N.J.; Feb. 17, Erini's, West Trenton, N.J.; (800) 269-9603; njbmda.org.

Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen's Association - Feb. 9-10, convention & expo, Indianapolis, In.; (800) 6404452; www,ihla.org.

Wisconsin Retail Lumber Association - Feb. 9-10, annual convention & meeting, Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells, Wi.; (262) 250-1835; www.wrlamsi.com.

House-Hasson Hardware Co. - Feb. 10-12, market, 0pryland Resort, Nashville, Tn.; (800) 333-0520; www.househasson.com.

Florida Hardware Co. - Feb. 12-13, market, Doubletree Hotel, Orlando, Fl.; (904) 783-1650; www.floridahardware.com.

WoodWorks - Feb. 15, Wood Solutions Fairs, Raleigh, N.G., and Duluth, Ga.; (866) 966-3448; www.woodworks.org.

South Dakota Retail Lumberman's Association - Feb. 15-16, annual convention, Best Western Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center, Sioux Falls, S.D.; (605) 665-5089; www.sawbucks.com.

Roof Coatings illanufacturers Assn. - Feb. 16.18, expo, Las Vegas, Nv,; (201) 207-0919; www.roofcoatings.org.

Peak Auctioneering - Feb. 19, LBM auction, MCC Exhibit Hall, Kansas City, Mo.; (800) 245-9690; www.peakauction.com.

Long-Lewis Hardware - Feb. 19-20, market, Montgomery Civic Center, Montgomery, Al.; (2051 322-2561 ; www.longJeds.com.

Progressive Affiliated Lumbermen - Feb. 22-24, annual conference & buyers mart, Rosen Plaza Hotel, Orlando, Fl.; (800) 7488900; www.pal-coop.com,

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. - Feb. 24, regional meeting, Birmingham, Al.; (800) 527 -8258i www.lumber.org.

Orgifl Inc. -Feb,2526, dealer market, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fl.; (800) 347-2860; www.orgill.com.

National Wooden Pallet & Container Assn. - Feb, 26-March 1, annual leadership conference & expo, Renaissance Resort & Golf Club, St. Petersburg, Fl.; (703) 5196104; www.nwpca.com.

Crow's Market & Price Service

The mosl comprehensive market & price service covering the llorth American lumber and panel market.

Southeastem Lumber Manufacturers Association - March 1-2, spring meeting, Atlanta Airport Hilton, Atlanta, Ga.; (770) 6316701; www.slma.org.

Lumbermens Merchandising Corp. - March 2-4, annual meeting, Marriott World Center, Orlando, Fl,; (610) 293-7049; www.lmc.net.

National Frame Building Assn. - March 24, frame building expo, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, In.; (800) 557-6957.

Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Association - March 2-6, annual meeting, Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, Ponte Vedra, Fl.; (336) 885-831 5; www.appalachianwood.org.

lllinois Lumber & Material Dealers Association - March 4, estimating workshop, Sprinlield, ll.; (800) 252-8641; www.ilmda.com.

Northwestern Lumber Association - March 34, lowa lumber convention, Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, Coralville, la.; March 9-10, Nebraska lumber convention, Embassy Suites, La Vista, Ne.; ?as) 5$-aazz:www.nlassn.org

American Institute of Timber Construction - March 4-5, annual meeting, Tucson, Az.; (303) 792-9559; www.aitc-glulam.org.

Peak Auctioneering - March 5-6, LBM auction, Baltimore, Md.; (800) 2a5-9690; www.peakauction.com.

HDW Inc. - March S7, dealer market, Jackson Convention Center, Jackson, Mi.; (800) 2568527; www.hdwinc.com.

American Fence Assn. - March 6-ll, fence installation school, Tulsa, Ok.; (800) 8224?42; www.americanfenceassociation.com.

Southern Cypress Manufacturers Association - March 14, annual meeting, Charleston Place, Charleston, N.C,; (412) 323-9320; www.cypressinfo.org.

Greenprints - March 14-15, conference & show, Sheraton Downtown, Atlanta, Ga. ; (404) 87 2-3549; www. g reenpri nts.org.

Hardwood Manufacturers Assn. - March 14-16, conference & expo, Charleston, S.C.; (41 2) 829477 0; www.hmamembers.org.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association - March 14-17, Wood Basics Course, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Ms.; (800) 527 -8258; www.lumber.org.

Blish-Mize Co. - ilarch 18-19, spring market, Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Ks.; (800) 995-0525.

Emery.Vtlaterhouse Go. - illarch 18.19, market, Rhode lsland Convention Center, Providence, R.l.; (800) 283-0236; www.emervonline.com.

As a subscriber to Crow's Market & Price Service you'll get the lbllowing great features:

' Crow's Weekly Market Report - the longest-running & most respected Iumber & panel price reporting publications in North America.

' Crow's Price lVatch - an online service that allows you to analyze price trends and instantly see which prices are up and down and by how much.

' Crow'e Lumber & Panel News Seruice * a comprehensive & reliable daily news service covering the latest lumber news & wood products industry developments.

' R/S/'s Lumber & Ponel Outlooh - a weekly analysis of wood products markets by RISI's economists - the most trusted source of forecasting in the North American industrv.

Warm Fuzzies

Looking for an affordable fir&SCot to become the friendly face of your business? Well, here's the story of how a former stray cat named Miss Kitty has become the goodwill ambassador of the oldest Ace Hardware store in Colorado.

"People walk in and we say, 'Hi, how are you?"' says Bill Ruth, owner of Offen Ace Hardware in Greeley. "They say, 'Where's the cat?"'

Bill's parents, Donald and Jo Ruth, bought the store from the Offens in 1963 and joined Ace Hardware two years later. Bill grew up working part-time at the store, then took over after his parents retired.

The cat showed up just when Bill decided that the store needed a mouser, to catch the hungry critters attracted by bird seed sold at the store. Street-smart and agile, Miss Kitty was perfect for the job.

What Bill didn't know, however, is that Miss Kitty had a family, having entered the store looking for a safe, warm place to have her kittens. This fact became known when she was sent to the veterinarian-a customer-for a checkup and spaying.

"The little devil had her kittens in the back of the store," says Bill. "We looked and looked to find them." Once the kittens were old enough, they were adopted by customers.

Nowadays, Miss Kitty usually resides in a cardboard box near the cash register that bears her name. That way, she's always close by, to deliver a friendly purr or accept a scratch behind her ears. When she needs a change of pace, she often rides around the store on Ruth's ann or shoulder. "She's been a big part of the store," says Bill.

Send us your news!

Have your recent expansion, personnel promotions, new product introductions, or other company changes published in the next issue of BPD.

Just Fax your news to 949-852-0231 or email to kdebats@ building-products,com,

Arch

[www.wolmanizedwood.com]......,.,Cover I

Biewer Lumber [wwv.biewerselect.com].............................,.........7

BW Creative Wood [www.bwcreativewood.com] ........................37

Capital [wwwcapital.lumber.com]..................................................4

Claymark [www.claymark.com]

Coaslal Plywood [www.coastalplywood.com],...................,........43

Cook Coung Lumber [www.cookcountylumber.com]..................3

Grumpler Plastic Pipe [www.cpppipe.com] ................................36

Elder Wood Preserving [www.elderwoodpreserving.com] ........32

Enduris [www.enduris.com]

Fasco America [www.fascoamerica.com].............,......,.,.,.,.,.,.,...38

Forest2Market [www.forest2market.com] ...........,.,............,.,.......39

Great Southern Wood Preserving [yellawood,com] .....,...C0ver lV

GRK Fasteners [www.grkfasteners.com]

Guardian Building Products [www.guardianbp.com] ...................8

Master Mark Plastics [www.rhinodeck.com]......,.,.......................43

McFarland Cascade [www.mcfarlandcascade.com] ...,.,.,.Cover lll

Osmose [www.osmose.com]................. .,..............5

Pacific MDF Products [www.pactrim.com] ...........,........,.,.....,.,..26

Redwood Empire [wrvw.redwoodemp.com].................................23

RlSl [www.risiinfo.com/crows]. ...........................49

Selkirk [www.se|kirkcedar.com]...............,.,..................................41

Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com],.,.,......,.,.,...................21

Siskiyou Forest Products [siskiyouforestproducts.com]...........29

Sunbelt [www.sunbeltracks.com] ......... ,.......,.,...37

TAMKO Building Products [www.tam.rail.com]...........,.,...Cover ll

U.S. Metal Works [www.usmetalworks.com] ..,.,.,.,......,.........34, 41

Viance [www.treatedwood.com]

Wahoo Decks [www.wahoodecks.com]

Warren Trask Co. [www.wtrask.com] .....,......,,,..............................3

Western Red Cedar Lumber Association [www.wrcla.org]...30-31

{

With spring building season in gear, homeowners are asking forYellaWoodo brandproducts for their outdoor projects. That's because research shows theyprefer brand name products over those they don't recognize - and they're partial to environmentally friendly products too. With YellaWood@ brand pressure treated pine, they'll

find bo&. Our "Yella tag" lumber is well-known for quality. It also uses a treatment process certified by Scientific Certification Systems as environmentally preferable based on a Life-Cycle fusessment.* And in today's world,those are two great reasons to lookforthat Yella tag when you're building outdoors.

C0., FL C0NYERS, GA. GOLUMBUS,TX JESUB GA o BUCKI'IER, MQ GLEI,IWOOD,AR MT. PLEASANf,TX o BB0OKHAVEII|, MS

YelbwoodG)brand prewre V€ted prodK.|s 4e treated with@pperand oths prervaiivs (the "Pr*rvatiG") and p{ffialive rethods, systems, ild t6hrclogies ol un€lal€d tid pani6. Fs d€tails regtrdir€ tiE P|€srvaliws, melhods,systems,and lehndogies u$d byGreat Southm Wood P|wMr€, l|Epo€ted. s htts/ ryw.9€at9utheruood.@r/products4/ellawood or write us atPO. Box 610, Abb€vilb, AL 36310- Askcteabt lq wffity details q visit h1F/ww.greatsoulhmwood.@fr!tsrodwb^daranlies. Fq important handling ild oths inmatlln @|@ming ourproductso. ior a @pyotthe Yellawood@ bEnd MaterialSatetyData Shel (MSDS), plea$ visit us at w.grealeuthemwood.m q wite us at P.O. Box 6 O, Abevilb, AL 3631 O Yellawood@ and tt€ yeffw rag e federalvregiste€d tademad<s of G@t SouttFm Wood P|€wing, l.Eptrated. / ' Wfm Bnpred t) afialire @Wrquatffity.

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-Yella Felkt