DEALER Briefs

Werner True Value Lumber, Pine Grove, Pa., hopes to relocate to a nearby 16,000-sq. ft. facility in late 2012 or early 2013, then convert its current 7,500-sq. ft. building into a warehouse.

Kelly-Fradet Lumber, Enfield, Ct., avoided serious damage after 70 firefighters doused a Feb. 27 blaze inside its sawdust storage building.

lnvestigators are searching for the cause of an explosion inside the concrete structure.

Mid-Gape Home Centers is remodeling and adding a new entrance to its South Dennis, Ma., location. The project began Feb. 6 and will be complete in mid to late summer.

Westborough Paint & Decorating owner Doug Curving anticipates 6pening 8,30r5-sq. tt. Village Hardware & Supply Co., westborough, Ma., June 1 at the former site of Village Lumber, which closed a year ago.

Menards this spring is opening its first location in Kentucky-a 200,000+sq.-ft. unit in Owensboro.

A rebuilt True Value Hardw?IO, Sharon Township, Oh., opened March 1, 10 months after a devastating blaze.

HD Supolv ooened a White Cap Conbiriction Supply in Conroe, Tx.

Frattallone's Ace Hardware added a 23,000-sq. ft. unit in Burnsville. Mn.

H&S Ace Hardware, Edgewood, Ky., closed Feb. 10 after nearly 60 years.

Evans Ace Hardware, Medina, N.Y., received planning board approval to redevelop a nearby property into a 10,300-sq. ft. replacement store with 11,400-sq. ft. drive-thru lumber warehouse.

Habitat for Humanity reopened its ReStore discount LBM outlet in Sarasota, Fl., Feb. 17 after expanding the facility by 5,000 sq. ft.

Lyle Lee hos been building custom homes for over 20 yeors. Here is whot he hos to soy obouf Roseburg's Engineered Wood Products.

"When building a quolity home, il's importont for oll the froming moferiols to motch. ln other words come together os specified in fhe design plons. lf the froming is off by even o t/t of on inch, it con cosl me thousonds of dollors in time ond moteriols.

I find Roseburg's RFPI@-Joist ond Rigidlom@ LVL to be very consisfenl in width ond depth. When I use Roseburg's RFPI@-Joist, my floors ore more level, stifier ond truer, moking my iob much eosier. fhis home is 6,000sguore feetso I used lJoistond [V[ from severol different unils ond the monufocturing consistency wos exocfly lhe some. lf you wont to moximize your profit, I would recommend using Roseburgt Engineered Wood Products".

Lee

SHORT & PAULK Supply Co , Tifton, Ga., opened its fourth retail location March 10 in Dawson, Ga., after a three-week remodel of the former Laing Hardware (see March. p.24).

According to manager Betsy Cosby Hodges, a grand opening celebration is set for May 4.

"Customers will see an updated interior featur-

SRS Combines Midwest Units

SRS Acquisition Corp. has consolidatcd its fivc Wilson Wholesalc and Ccnturv IlLrilding Ploducts bratrchcs in Illin<lis and Minncsota into a ncw division. Mid*'cst Roofin.l Supp11,.

Future Iocations opcned or acquircd in Illinois. Mir.rneapolis, Iowa and Wisconsin arc cxpcctcd to also use this nc',1' regional nanre.

ing a full-service hardware and building products center. We also have a full line lumberyard, along with a millwork showroom displaying a variety of windows. ooors. mourdings an0 hardware available fo. special order. saio Jay Short, president/c.e.o,

"The legacy opcrating nunres o1'our rarious rrnits havc and will continuc to bc lery inrportant to oLrr cornl)an\,'s success ancl growth" said SRS c.c.o. Ron Ross. "We havc workcd cliliecntly to glow thc vari<tlrs brands and to add to thcm with ncw locations. lt is vcrv irlportant. how,cr,cr. u,hcn uc have too rnanv blands c4rcratin-u uith, in thc sanrc or cor.rtiguons ntarkets. or if thc brand rro longcr adcquatch, portrays oLrr operations. thlt wc tr nil'r, blanclinr:."

Bascd in McKinncv. Tr.. SRS operatcs 64 locations in 26 stltcs Lrnclcr the l4 dil'l'ercnt business niultcs.

Mills Find Chaplains a Blessing

As thc luntbcr inclustr'1'ancl or,cnrll ccononr\r cont inue to strugtlc t() rcbound. scvcr-al harclu'oocl cor.nlran ics have hilccl on-site chaplains to Ircllr guidc their crnplovccs ancl funrily nrenrbcrs through thc strcss.

Markctplace Chaplains. Dallls. Tx.. said contpanics f ind its serviccs arr exccllcnt lnanlgcntcltt resourcc itncl a benel'iciul tool to their bottont lincs. Nine lculs ago. RoyOMartin. Alexandria. I-a., "entbarkecl on ir vision to bc thc enrployer ol'choice in Ccntral Louisiana. ancl Markctplacc Cl'riiplains uas a huge part o1'that." said c.c.o. Jonuthan Maltin. "Peolrlc arc bluvn,n away when thev scc u,,c have a stlfl'cd chaplain's officc. ln cvc11, facility. the chaltlains intcract il ilh cvcry one of our 1 .200 cntplov ces on a lveekly busis. OLrr chapllins lrrrr e lrcld nuntcrous Prlr)cr sc:siorrs. u'ecldings and I'unerals."

Othcl contpanie s that have l.rilccl onsitc chaplains incluclc Flank Miller Lurrbcr. [Jnion City. In.: Ballic Lunrbcr. Harnburg. N.Y.. and Wcabcr' Inc.. Lebanon. Pa.

Martha Mathias. chairntan of Frank Miller Lumber. notccl that the chaplains werc particulallv helplirl when a crisis arosc.

"Havirtr: tr third plrrll ir) ()ur')pititual cxccuti.n'e r'.p. has becn a godsend in kccping us as a tarnill' enterprise that is well respected in cvcry comn'runity we operatc in." Martin saicl.

China Top Softwood lmporter

Dcspitc a rnilcl slowdown in thc lirurth qLrarter. total softwood itnports to China hit a lccolcl high in 20 I I nraking the country thc world's largcst irrrporter ol logs iind lurnber. rcp()rts Wottd RcsottrL'e QuurltrIt.

Sol-twood imports to China havc risen continuously over tl.rc past l-5 )'cars. Total intport valuc approachcd $ll billion last ycar-a 57% increasc fronr 20 10. Annual growth has bccn alrnost 307 over the past fivc vclrs and as high as 36% over the piist l-5 yclrs, back when softwood imports wcre valucd at.just lli70 rnillion.

Over the past l'ew vears. luntbcr iml)orts havc incrcascd faster than log irnpolts. eilthough lo-ls still constitLlte a greater share of the total import value of softwood products. After having increased for seven consecutive quarters, softwood imports fell for the first time in fourth quarter 20 11, due to reduced domestic demand and high inventories at many of the country's ports. Despite the l4%o drop from the third quarter, total import value was still higher than fourth quarter 2010.

By volume, softwood imports to China fell l0%. Importation of logs and lumber from Russia decreased the most, while lumber from New Zealand and logs from Canada was up slightly.

Much of the higher demand for softwood log imports continues to be driven by China's fast expansion in home construction and the country's lack of domestic forest resources.

RoyoMartin's plywood plant in Chopin, La., is adding a new six-deck Goe 1et dryer-the third Coe dryer it's installed over the last five years.

Premier SIPS by Insulfoam, Tacoma. Wa., has secured manufacturing capacity in Ohio, to produce struc' tural insulated panels for the Midwest and East.

Decnn Roofing Systems is moving manufacturing operations to a larger facility in Grand Prairie, Tx.

CertainTeed's vinyl fencing plant in Buffalo, N.Y., achieved ISO 14001 certification.

ProVia, Sugarcreek, oh., was named a 2012 Energy Star Partner of the Year by the EPA.

Great Southern Wood's treating plant in Glenwood, Ar., was certified by OSHA's Safety Health Achievement Recognition Program.

Hancock Lumber, Casco, Me., was named Exporter of the Year by the Maine International Trade Center.

National Nail Gorp., Grand Rapids, Mi., launched a new websitestingerworld.com-to promote its Stinger cap systems.

Anniversaries: K.l Building Materials, Louisville, Ky., 80th Manasquan Premium Fasten. ers, Brick, N.J., 25th.

I Treated with Cop-GuardrM or Cop-8TM

I High strenglh (2400Fb-1.8E)

Recycled Plastic Decking

Lumberock decking is manufactured with at least 75Vo post-consumer recycled plastic and a mineral additive.

Available in nine colors, the boards are warranted against cracking, rotting, peeling, and fading.

I LUMBEROCK.COM

(80u 480-2327

Goated Deck Screws

Deckfast epoxy-coated screws by Starborn Industries are now available with a star recess in additional colors: gray, green, red, and tan.

The epoxy-based polymer resin coating over zinc plate provides corrosion resistance in many types of decking, including ACQ-treated lumber.

T STARBORNINDUSTRIES.CoM

(800\ 596-7747

Fire-Resistant Joists

Weyerhaeuser's TrusJoist Iine now includes Flak Jacket, which has a specialty coating that enhances fire resistance.

The coating allows one-hour floor/ceiling assemblies that meet 2012 fire protection requirements for both single- and multi-family projects. Builders can cut and drill the joists as usual and assemble with standard hangers.

T wooDBYwY.CoM

(888) 453-8358

Gombination Housewrap

HydroGap drainable housewrap from Benjamin Obdyke combines a water-resistant barrier and drainage system into a single application.

The product has a tri-laminate substrate, with the moisture barrier protected between two non-woven layers. A spacer on the surface creates a lmm gap between sheathing and cladding materials to promote faster drainage.

I BENJAMINOBDYKE.COM

(800) 346-7655

Gordless Nailer

The Paslode CF325Li nailer is cordless for easier installation of drywall.

Its lithium-ion battery drives up to 6,000 nails per charge, while a depth-of-drive function allows easy adjustments.

Included are a rugged carrying case, charger and safety glasses.

I PASLODE.COM

(800\222-6990

Gurvy Golumn Gover

Fulcrum Composites' curved column covers are a durable, lightweight way to cover poles. The covers can be installed like conventional drywall, with depth-set screws, taping, and mudding. Each half has tapered edges to hide the taped joint. Standard lengths are 8' and l0', with 12",15", and 20" diameters -plus custom sizes.

T FULCRUMCOMPOSITES.COM

/98q) 636-ro2s

Metal Railings

Railing Dynamics has rolled out a new product line, Metal Works Excalibur railing.

The pre-assembled, steel-component system has a durable, triple-coated finish.

Factory-welded panels are available in 6'. 8'. and l0' level sections and 8'x8' stair sections, in 36" and 42" heights.

I RDIRAIL.COM

(871) 42O-724s

End-Gut Protection

Golorful Fiber Gement Panels

Zippy Door Govering

Made with 4-mil plastic sheeting, heavy-duty, glued-in zippers, and double-sided tape, ZipWall quickly covers door openings to create a complete dust barrier.

Fire retardant, it fits doors up to 4'x8'.

T ZIPWALL.COM

(800) 718-22s5

TimberTech has developed a latex-based paint to cover endcuts of its decking boards.

Each 8-oz. can covers approximately 250 end cuts when applied with foam or bristle brushes. Colors include cedar, grey, rosewood, teak and walnut.

T TIMBERTECH.COM

(800) 307-7780

Illumination Series fiber cement panels from Nichiha are now available in an array of custom colors, rather than just five stock colors.

Using its new Color Expressions system, the company can match any paint manufacturer's standard colors in a satin finish.

T NICHIHA.COM

(866) 424-442r

Gellular PVG Decking

Trailways cellular PVC decking from Gossen Corp. is available in five colors: siena walnut, summit grey, acorn brown, alpine grey, and shoreline sand.

Made in America with recycled vinyl, the dualextruded boards are protected against swelling, cracking. warping. and splintering.

T GOSSENCORP.COM

(800) ss8-8984

Engineered Wood Flooring

Prolength Plankfloor is pre-jointed and ready to install.

Made by Owens Flooring, a division of Quanex Building Products, the engineered wood planks combine a composite base with a solid wood wear-layer. Seven species are available in six stains.

T QUANEX.COM

(713) 961-4600

Easy-to-Ghoose Exterior Finishes

The new Storm System line of exterior finishes from California Paints reportedly makes choosing the right product easier than ever before.

The finishes are organized in five easy-to-understand categories that utilize familiar color-coded weather symbols and conditions. Category I "Clear" transparent finishes (natural oil finish, wood life extender, waterproofer) provide basic moisture protection. Cat 2 "Light" toned and semi-transparents (oil finishes, pentrating oil finish, latex stain) offer moisture and light UV protection.

Cat 3 "Moderate" semi-solids (alkyd linseed oil finish) supply moisture and moderate UV protection. Cat 4 "Heavy" solid-color finishes (alkyd linseed oil) provide moisture and heavy UV protection. And, Cat 5 "Extreme" primers (acrylic latex, quick-dry oil) are formulated for extreme conditions.

I STORMSYSTEM.COM

(80u 225-ll4l

Glubby Decking & Railing

Clubhouse decking and railing from Deceuninck North America is formulated to be up to 257o lighter than most wood and composites.

Constructed of l007o PVC, the products feature a natural wood appearance with deep grain embossing. SunShield protective capstock resists fading, cracking, brittleness, and surface degradation.

The Hardwood line offers four variegated grains, while EarthTone offers four solid colors.

Also offered are Clubhouse Elite and Clubhouse Plus vinyl railing products.

T DECEUNUNCK-AMERICAS.COM

(81'7\ 563-4251