Selling more in a world that wants less

sense to rent something that won't get used very often. Growing household preference for just that kind of economic conservatism is reshaping the kinds of relationships people are having with their stuff.

A well-known example is Zipcar. For decades, no product/consumer relationship was as intimate (and Freudian) as the one between people and their cars. But today, some people are leaving that paradigm behind for the planetfriendly and economical choice of car sharing. It is, perhaps, a new kind of consumer status symbol, but it is emblematic of a deeper movement that is redefining the role of manufactured goods in people's lives and what it means to "consume."

tTt"u Gnenr Recesstoru. combined with growing aware|- ness of how "consumerism" contributes to climate change, has led to a surging movement of people simplifying their lifestyles and sharing more of the things they need-rather than blindly acquiring more stuff. In other words, more people are becoming conscientious consumers or disavowing the consumer label entirely.

This is disaster for retailers, right? Not necessarily. For retailers committed to green business practices, it's just another opportunity to serve their community. There are several ways that less consumption can be good for your bottom line, as well as for the planet.

It's clear there is a broad spectrum of negative environmental impacts associated with manufactured products, which a short Internet video, The Story of Stuff (www.thestoryofstuff.com), does a good job explaining. It takes energy to make things and move them from one side of the planet to the other. Then there's disposal and the potential for toxic leachates to pollute groundwater. The more we consume, the greater the impacts, so obviously, the less we consume, the fewer the impacts. That's the 30,000 foot view.

Understanding this system is the first step in developing green business models that replace inherent negative impacts with profitable, regenerative outcomes. All well and good, but how can merchants make money by selling less stuff? One strategy is rethinking goods in tbrms of services: selling fewer goods, but selling more of the services those goods provide.

This idea's been around for a long time in our industry, in the form of tool and carpet shampoo rental. It makes

People are looking to share almost everything: cars, bikes, tools, and even skills. The rise of neighborhood work groups-neighbors organizing themselves to help one another tackle home projects-recalls the days when communities came together for barn raisings. Meanwhile, professional tradespeople are branching out into new kinds ofprojects and are looking for short-term rentals of specific tools, rather than having to invest in "retooling."

If customers want and need less stuff, then retailers must adapt. Begin marketing your rental department's green virtues. For those not yet renting tools and equipment, now's the time to start. Talk to your pro customers and ask them what they need. Facilitate neighborhood work groups in your area and help create local tool lending libraries. Rent space in your parking lotfor Zipcar or other car-sharing.

Think outside the box, too. Rent electric cargo bikes (www. cargocycling.org) or portable solar power generators (www.portablesolarpower.net) for off-the-grid construction projects. Getting into the shareable mindset will not only lead to more innovation, but it will unlock new income streams and forge new customer relationships.

Jay Tompt Managing Partner William Verde & Associates @r5\ 32r-0848

McShan Modernizing Sawmill

McShan Lumber Co., McShan, A1., is investing $3.5 million to upgrade its sawmill this fall, to improve productivity and lumber quality.

The mill will install a Timber Machine Technologies 8" bottom arbor gangsaw and a TMT three-saw lineal edger system, along with all lumber handling equipment between the machines.

The installation will be completed during three weeks of downtime in October, so McShan hopes "that sufficient lumber inventory downstream of the sawmill will keep sales and shipping disruptions to a minimum."

Dealer Stages Swan Song

Eastern Lumber, Amesbury, Ma., is liquidating and will close at the end of June so owner Anthony Matrumalo and his family can pursue other opportunities.

"It feels like it is time to do something else," said Matrumalo, who has owned the 62-year-old store for 22 years. "I usually talk myself out of it, but this year I couldn't." He said that running the store has been a sevenday-a-week job for himself, his wife, and his five children.

Once the store is closed, he plans to host a goodbye party and concert for the community, then devote himself to his true passion: country music. Over the years, he's made frequent trips to Nashville. Tn.. where he has composed songs for various artists. He also hosted in-store concerts that featured his friends in the business.

"This isn't even what I dreamed of doing, but it's been such a nice career," said Matrumalo, who does not plan to sell the I,400-sq. ft. building or 3.5-acre property.

Trex Buys Substructure Maker

Trex Co., Winchester, Va, acquired the assets of steel deck framing manufacturer Iron Deck Corp., Denver, Co.

Using the newly acquired technology, Trex's plants in Winchester and Fernley, Nv., will manufacture new Trex Elevations Steel Deck Framing.

"This product line extension will allow us to continue gaining market share in the rapidly growing ultra lowmaintenance category, while positioning our brand for strategic expansion into the $1.9 billion deck substructure market," said Ron Kaplan, Trex chairman, president and c.e.o.

Tibbetts Lumber Go. opened ya.d #4, in Lehigh Acres, Fl. (Mike Bowman, general mgr.), lrby Building Supply, Durant, Ms., is liquidating after 92 years.

Evans Lumber, S. Charleston, W.V,, has been put up for sale by owner Don Evans, who expects to continue operating the 82-year-old business for at least another six to nine months.

Bill's Hometown Hardware. Myrtle Beach, S.C., is being opened by Bill Clarke, who recently closed his nearby Ace Hardware franchise.

Levi Lumber, Intet, N.Y., suffered damage to its office and service garage in an early morning fire May 5.

Kreofsky Building Supplies, Plainview, Mn., is adding a 1,500-sq. ft, showroom in NW Rochester, Mn., specializing in decking, doors and windows.

Ace Hardw?ro opened a 6,000sq. ft. store in Ardmore, N.C. (Douglas Brown, owner).

Manchester True Value. utanchester, Mi., was destroyed by an early moming fire May 18

Twins Ace Hardw?r€, Fairfax, Va., has been opened by twin brothens Jeff and Craig Smith.

Elliott's Ace Hardwar€ retocated its New Berlin, Wi., store to a larger facility in Muskego, Wi.

National Lumber, Satem. Ma.. added a Benjamin Moore showroom, headed by Dan Hurley.

Geiger True Value Hard.

WiIO, Chillicothe, ll., has remodeled, expanding its sales floor and adding more merchandise.

Nuts & Bolts opened its 5th True Value hardware store May 6 in Bonner, Ks.

Gore True Value Hardware. Gore, Ok., held a grand reopening last month following an extensive remodel.

Menards opened new 200,000+sq. ft. stores May 18 in Davison, Mi. (Jim Coyer, general mgr.); April 26 in Salina, Ks. (Eric Mikkelson, general mgr.), and April 19 in E. Wichita, Ks. (Kevin Harris, general mgr.).

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Cowls Packs Up Equipment

W.D. Cowls sold the equipment from its idled sawmill in Amherst, Ma., at auction to a company that will use it to process hurricane-felled hardwoods in Nicaragua.

Cinda Jones, president of W.D. Cowls, said the mill was closed in late 2009, so she could focus her energy on Cowls Building Supply retail stores and management of the company's timberlands.

Gail Hopper, owner of Big 3 Timber, paid $400,000 for the machinery. "The only way we can harvest it is because of the reforestation after Hurricane Felix," he said. "The reason we were interested in this mill is that it is a very heavy built mill."

After the equipment is dismantled, it will be was packed into containers and shipped to Honduras. From there, it will travel overland to La Rosarita, Nicaragua, where it will take Hopper's sons about 90 to 120 days to reassemble the mill and get it working.

Once the crew finishes in Amherst, they will repeat the process at a mill in Maine. Hopper said that he wants to purchase and move mill equipment from at least a dozen U.S. mills to Nicaragua.

LCA Gives Thumbs Up to GA

A new cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment shows Wolmanized Outdoor wood treated with copper azole offers substantial environmental benefits over composite decking.

Conducted for Arch Treatment Technologies, Atlanta, Ga., by AquAeTer. Nashville. Tn.. the LCA indicates that composites requires 15 to 17 times (depending on preservative formulation) more fossil fuel and 2.4 times more water than Wolmanized Outdoor wood, while resulting in emissions with potential to cause 2.9 to 3.0 times more greenhouse gas and 5.0 to 6.5 times more acid rain.

LCAs have been done on wood, treated wood, and micronized copper processes, but this is the first cradleto-grave LCA on wood protected by micronized copper azole.

"Because our base product is wood," said Kirk Hammond, Arch sales manager, "we have long believed that preserved lumber offered environmental benefits. This study proves that our beliefs were well-founded."

Ohio Police Nab Messy Thief

A trail of $5 bills led police to a man accused of breaking into Handyman Hardware, Bazetta, Oh.

When police arrived at the store May 6, they found a side door forced open. Inside, money drawers were lying on the floor beside a hammer and a pair of bolt cutters. Outside, they found a trail of money that police dogs followed to the home of the suspect's mother, a mile away, whose cellphone was left at the scene of the crime.

Hargus Hall, who had recently been released from prison after serving time for burglary, pleaded not guilty.

JB Lumber Sales has retocated to a larger facility in Old Bridge, N.J.the 9-acre site with sales office and 20,000-sq. ft. warehouse formerly occupied byA.H. Harris Supply Co.

The wholesaler also has launched JB Reload Services, providing loading, sorting and trucking services.

Cersosimo Lumber. Bratfleboro, Vt., is overhauling its dry kilns.

J.D. lrving Forest Products has installed a new edger at its white pine mill in Dixfield, Me,, and a new planer at its mill in St. Leonard, N.B.

Northern Forest Lumber. Horton, Mi., suffered $20,000 in damage from a May 16 fire caused by welding sparks reaching sawdust and oil.

Barrette Outdoor Living, Middleburg Heights, Oh., acquired aluminum fencinq/railino maker Satellite Manufactuiing, Fendergrass, ca..

Dixie Plywood & Lumber's five branches in Florida are now distributing Swan Corp.'s Swanstone solid surface products in the state,

Parksite now distributes CAMO Hidden Deck Fasteners from DCs in lllinois, Maryland, Connecticut, New Jersery, and Florida.

Cedar Siding Inc., Rochele, 1., is now a fullline distributor of MaxiTile fiber cement siding and trim.

Cedar Siding has begun offering a 2l-year wan_alty on its coating of fiber cement and LP SmartSide sidings.

ENAP, New Windsor, N.Y., feted Vendors of the Year Boston Cedar in the millwork division, GAF for commodities, United Pipe & Steel tor specialties, and Masterbrand Cabinets for kitchen and bath.

Laticrete, Bethanv, Pa., acquired Drytek Flooring- Soluti6ns, Portsmouth, N.H., manufacturer of selfleveling cements and concrete toppings, to fold into its specialty products division.

Former Drytek sales reps Jim Baratta and Tom Leahy will stay on to cover metro N.Y. and Dennis McHugh will continue serving the Mid-Atlantic. Former Dytek owner Terry Cotton and ex-director of operations Aaron Abbott will serve as consultants.

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