Best practices for storing l-ioists and LVL

IffrrH BEAMS coMMoNLY sold in V Y lengths of up to 66 ft., safely handling and storing l-joists, LVL and other engineered wood products around the yard can be a challenge.

APA-The Engineered Wood Association provides some tips:

1. N"u.. walk on EWP. Stacks of I-ioists and LVL can be unstable, and bundle wrap can be slippery, especially when wet.

2.t<".p EWP wrapped to protect them from weather and dirt. Don't unwrap bundles until they're ready to be installed or cut up for delivery.

3. Ur" stickers to separate bundles, placing them vertically every 8 ft.

4. Al*uyr store, stack and handle I-joists vertically and level-never flatwise.

5. Sto.. longest material closest to the ground.

6. N"u"r store I-joists and LVL in direct contact with the ground. In fact, try to keep EWP at least l2 inches up from the ground.

7. Follo* good forklift safety procedures, use wide forklifts to handle long-length material, and avoid forklift damage. If the ground is uneven, reduce forklift speed to avoid bouncing the load.

8. Wh"n handling with a crane, pick up the load using a spreader, if needed to minimize stresses. Keeo Ijoists vertical.

9. oo not lift I-joists by top flange.

L0. Port and follow load limits of storage racks. Maintain safe stack heights. Do not stack other material on top of I-joists or LVL.

Marketing Class Lets Dealers Instruct Pro Customers

Lumberyards and distribution centers now have a new tool to help pro customers increase their sales.

Versatex Building Products,

Pittsburgh, Pa., has teamed with deckbuilder Bobby Parks to develop a course in marketing and lead generation for contractors and remodelers.

"Creating Separation," a concentrated 60-minute presentation, was a big hit in its debut at the recent Remodeling Show and Deck Expo in Baltimore, Md.

The class was led by Parks, founder of Peachtree Decks & Porches, Alpharetta, Ga. After seven years of rapid business growth, he recently sold the business and is now traveling the country to share advice on converting prospects into customers.

"It's like a boot camp designed to show contractors how they can separate or differentiate their businessesreally make them stand out-from the pack of competitors," Parks said. "The class introduces topics like business philosophies, messaging and effective use of photos, plus easy website tactics he says reduced his marketing costs by 907o."

"By working with Versatex distributors and local lumberyards, we can bring this business-building opportunity directly to contractors, in a casual breakfast or lunchtime format, free of charge," Parks added.

LBM dealers and wholesale distributors can contact Versatex to schedule a class.

Blue Book Expands Online

Lumber Blue Book has introduced several new features to its Blue Book Online Services.

Enhanced notes allow members to better track and share information with colleagues.

Improved watchdog groups let users quickly assign and display custom flags on specific companies.

New custom data fields let users combine Blue Book information with their custom data.

With over $l billion of industryspecific accounts receivable data collected each month, Lumber Blue Book has more than doubled the number of companies it rates with a pay indicator since January.