The proven alternative that performs to your expectations

Millard Barron, former president and c.e.o. of Payless Cashways, has joined Home Depot, Atlanta, Ga., as senior v.p.-store merchandising. Dennis Carey has resigned as Depot's executive v.p.-strategy, business development and corporate communication. He is succeeded by Francis S. Blake.

Jerry Little is now branch mgr. at Dyke Industries, Tallahassee, Fl.

Albert Johnson is now general mgr. at Stockton Supply, Rockwell, N.C.

Mitchell Frye has transferred from New South Wood Preserving to a sales position at New South Lumber Co., Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Mack Bursk is the new mgr. of Weyerhaeuser Co.' s Barnesville, Ga., sawmill. He replaces Kerry Miller, who now manages a West Virginia OSB plant.

Bill Pooser has retired from GeorgiaPacific, Atlanta, Ga., after 33 years in the industry.

Mike Henley, ex-Pruitt Forest Products, is new to the trading staff at Dobbins Forest Products, Birmingham, Al.

Mike Tamm, ex-Enron Corp., is new to OSB, southern pine and S-P-F sales in Texas for Bloch Lumber Company.

Tom Wilson is the new mgr. at Scotty's, Haines City, Fl.

Felix Vasquez has been named c.e.o. of MH2 Technologies, Dallas, Tx.

Togo D. West Jr. has been elected to the board of directors at Bowater Inc.. Greenville. S.C.

Karl Brohammer, ex-Southern Forest Products Association. has been promoted to director of the Georgia Institute of Technology's Advanced Wood Products Laboratory.

Deskin 56Dek" Spaulding, Atlanta, Ga., has been named Southeastern director of sales and marketing for Scoopsoft Corp. Alan Dubois is the new v.p. of business development.

Michael J. Badar has been named v.p. of Armstrong Wood Products, Dallas. Tx. Joe Thompson is now v.p.-marketing, wood flooring; Melvin Burkhardt, general mgr.new business development, and Drew Harsh, general mgr.-North American sales. AFP.

Kurt Heikkila has been elecred chairman of the Window & Door Manufacturers Association. succeeding Rick Liddell. Tim Miller, president, Velux-America, Fort Mill, S.C.. was elected to the board of directors.

Larry Hilchie, regional mgr., Grecon Dimter, Connelly Springs, N.C., was named 2001 Supplier of the Year by the Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers.

Geoffrey Ehrman has been named director of strategic alliances for Benjamin Obdyke Inc.

Neil Downe is now providing flooring installation services for Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

Florida Eyes China Market

Florida state officials will travel to China next month to promote the depressed Florida timber industry.

The delegation, led by state agricultural commissioner Charles Bronson, will meet with Chinese officials in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Dongguan. Florida officials hope China's building boom and recent entry into the World Trade Organization will bode well for state timber exports. "China's tariffs on plywood, particleboard, flooring and fiberboard have moved from an average of l87o down to 47o," Bronson said. "But Florida must act quickly before our global competitors capture the Chinese market."

He noted that China has banned domestic logging in some places, creating a market vacuum for lumber.

The Florida timber and forest products industry generates $9 billion a year and employs 130,000 people.

Dealers Note Their Strengths

A recent dealer survey finds that 89Vo believe customers choose independents over the big boxes based on a desire for personal, friendly service.

Out of 150 Ace retailers surveyed nationwide, 83Vo felt their non-threatening, intimate interiors were another big factor in winning over customer loyalty. Sixty-three percent said consumers like the fact that items are easy to locate, while 837o saw their neighborhood location as a significant advantage over big box retailers.

In addition, 79Va felt their product knowledge gave them an advantage over big box personnel;60Vo said their employees know most customers by name; 37Vo felt that sales and promotions were a major factor in attracting shoppers, and 54Vo cited their specialty services as an advantage.

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Depot Opens Pro-Only Store

Home Depot stepped up its pursuit of the professional contractor market by recently opening its first official Home Depot Supply store in Mesquite (Dallas), Tx.

The Feb. 28 opening was part of the Depot's effort to crack the $276 billion professional market.

The new store, which operates as six supply stores in one, aims to exclusively serve pro customers in separate pro departments such as plumbing and painting.

Depot's two smaller pilot professional stores in Phoenix, Az., and Colma, Ca., will change their name from Home Depot Pro to Home Depot Supply.

Additional pro locations are expected to open this year in Milpitas, Ca., and Highland Ranch, Co.

In conjunction with Home Depot Supply, the Atlanta-based company has also introduced its Pro initiative program at 535 home centers, hoping to add more professionals to its customer mix.

The Pro initiative is expected to be expanded to 400 home centers in 2003.

Changes to the new pro division include Ron Bogdanovich, who has been promoted to v.p.-pro operalions. He succeeds Tom Taylor, who has been promoted to president-Southeast Division, Atlanta, Ga.

Dave Krumbholz, who joined from Payless Cashways last fall, has been named v.p.-Home Depot Supply, sales and services. Lynn Martineau is president of the pro division.

ABC Supply Buys 11 More

Siding and roofing distributor ABC Supply has acquired I l-unit window/ siding supplier Burton Building Products, Little Rock, Ar.

The acquisition of Burton's facilities in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas brings ABC Supply's total to 226 locations in 44 states.

Steel Studs Still Losing Out

Once touted as the future of framing, steel studs are still struggling to compete with traditional wood studs.

According to a new study by the National Association of Home Builders, fewer than 60,000 single family or multi-family housing units out of an average 1.6 million built between 1998 to 2000 used metal framing in some portion of the house.

Texas builder Tony Houseman said that he'd constructed 15 homes using steel, but has since abandoned the practice because of price.

"To get the cost down, so the steel houses are the same as the wood house, you need to do 50 to 75 units a year," said Houseman.

Although Houseman likes some of strengths of steel studs (they don't burn, won't rot or slip; don't exPand or contract with moisture changes, and are impervious to termites), he is cautious of steel framing's future.

"In California, probably 15 to 2O% of the homes are built with steel," he said. "But those are more expensive $1 million to $2 million homes-and they'll pay extra for the rigidity in the seismic zone."

Lisa Stevens of the North American Steel Framing Association says the only significant growth for metal framing has been in floors.

The NAHB survey found that steel floor framing tripled from 9,941 single-family and multi-family housing units in 1999 to 30.935 units in 2000.

James Hardie Drops Gypsum

James Hardie Industries has agreed to sell its U.S.-based gypsum facilities to Toronto, Canada-based BPB for $345 million.

The March 13 agreement, expected to be completed by May, involved the sale of James Hardie's wallboard plant in Nashville, Ar., in addition to plants in Washington and Nevada.

The sale also includes two adjacent gypsum mines, a joint treatment plant and a grinding and packaging facility. James Hardie's gypsum division

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employs nearly 600 people.

"The James Hardie operation is a highly successful organization which marks another step forward in BPB's strategy to expand in to the U.S.," said BPB presidenVc.e.o Brent Thompson.

The deal is expected to make BPB the third largest gypsum producer in North America. BPB's U.S. headquarters are in Tampa, Fl.

The North American wallboard market represents over 50Vo of world demand. The BPB acquisition represents 7 .5Vo of the U.S. market.

Pride In Wood Products

The Wood Promotion Network plans a series of media spots over the next year promoting the use of wood products and demonstrating support for building professionals.

The group will team with the California Forest Products Association and the California Forestry Association to run tv ads from late April through June.

The organization has also partnered with Ford to explore the best means for the industry to access a granting program designed to demonstrate Ford's commitment to rural resource communities.

GEORGIA HABITAT: Style Solutions employees helped install exterior balustrade systems, entryway and window trim pieces and louvers in four Habitat for Humanity homes in Atlanta, Ga., as part of the 2002 International Builders Show. The houses will be relocated to oermanent sites in the Atlanta area and occupied by Habitat families.

The U.S. auto maker ran a series of anti-wood ads last year. causing a sizable backlash against the company from the lumber and timber industry.

Ford has so far responded to the controversy by running a pro-wood ad in the January edition of Family Handyman-a magazine that features wood stories and projects. Future prowood ads sponsored by Ford are scheduled to appear this summer.

More details of the group's plans will be made available this month after the Steering Committee meets.