BPD July 2016

JULY 2016

BPD

Building Products Digest

INDUSTRY NEWS & MONEY-MAKING STRATEGIES FOR LUMBER & BUILDING MATERIAL DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS

MATERIAL HANDLING SECRETS • TREATED WOOD • APA ON ENGINEERED WOOD

HAVE IT ALL IN ONE HAUL. One shipment from Great Southern Wood gets you so much more than

YellaWood® brand pressure treated pine. Contact your YellaWood® representative to see which brands are available in your area.*

YellaWood® brand pressure treated products are treated with preservatives (the “Preservatives”) and preservative methods, systems, and technologies of unrelated third parties. For details regarding the Preservatives, methods, systems, and technologies used by Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated, see www.yellawood.com/preservative or write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310. Ask dealer for warranty details. For warranty or for important handling and other information concerning our products including the appropriate Safety Data Sheet (SDS), please visit us at www.yellawood.com/warranties or write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310. YellaWood® and the yellow tag are federally registered trademarks of Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are used with their permission. *Availability varies by region. YellaWood® available in all markets.

YellaWood.com/ForDealers

July 2016

BPD

n Volume 35 n Number 5

Building Products Digest

BPD Building Products Digest www.building-products.com A publication of 526 Media Group, Inc. 151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. D200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

President/Publisher Patrick Adams padams@building-products.com Vice President, Marketing & Circulation Shelly Smith Adams sadams@building-products.com Publishers Emeritus Alan Oakes David Cutler Managing Editor David Koenig david@building-products.com Editor Stephanie Ornelas sornelas@building-products.com Contributing Editors Carla Waldemar, James Olsen, Alex Goldfayn

Special Features 9 FEATURE STORY

SECRET TO A SUCCESSFUL YARD LAYOUT

In Every Issue

Director of Sales Chuck Casey chuck@building-products.com

6 ACROSS THE BOARD

How to Advertise

14 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

10 MANAGEMENT TIPS

CONDUCTING A RACK INSPECTION

16 OLSEN ON SALES

12 INDUSTRY TRENDS

18 EVANGELIST MARKETING

NEW TREATED WOOD STANDARD PROCEEDS DESPITE APPEAL

42 MOVERS & SHAKERS

24 NAWLA: THINKING AHEAD

3 WAYS TO TRANSFORM A SALES TEAM

43 NEW PRODUCTS

26 SPECIAL FOCUS:

APA ON ENGINEERED WOOD

• EWP FORECAST • TAKEAWAYS FROM TEXAS TORNADOES • RAISED-HEEL TRUSSES • PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE TRAINING • GLULAMS FOR GARAGE DOOR HEADERS • SAFEST EWP MILLS

46 INDUSTRY TRENDS

MARKET NEEDS DICTATE COMPOSITE DECKING INNOVATIONS

51 ASSOCIATION UPDATE 52 IN MEMORIAM 52 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 53 ADVERTISERS INDEX 53 DATE BOOK

48 EVENT RECAP: DO IT BEST MARKET

54 FLASHBACK

Online BREAKING INDUSTRY NEWS, EVENT PHOTOS, & VIDEO

BPD DIGITAL VERSION

THIS MONTH’S EDITION AS WELL BACK ISSUES OF BPD CAN BE VIEWED DIGITALLY AT BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM

BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM

AS

FOLLOW ON TWITTER

TWITTER.COM/BLDGPRODUCTS

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PRINT or ONLINE Chuck Casey Phone (714) 486-2735 Fax 714-486-2745 chuck@building-products.com Patrick Adams Phone (714) 486-2735 Fax 714-486-2745 padams@building-products.com CLASSIFIED – David Koenig Phone (714) 486-2735 Fax 714-486-2745 david@building-products.com

How to Subscribe SUBSCRIPTIONS Phone (714) 486-2735 Fax 714-486-2745 sadams@building-products.com or send a check to 151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. D200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 U.S.A.: One year (12 issues), $24 Two years, $39 Three years, $54 SINGLE COPIES $4 + shipping BACK ISSUES $5 + shipping FOREIGN (Contact sadams@building-products.com for surface and air rates, including to Canada) BUILDING PRODUCTS DIGEST is published monthly at 151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. D200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, (714) 486-2735, Fax 714-486-2745, www.building-products.com, by 526 Media Group, Inc. (a California Corporation). It is an independently owned publication for building products retailers and wholesale distributors in 37 states East of the Rockies. Copyright®2016 by 526 Media Group, Inc. Cover and entire contents are fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission. All Rights Reserved. BPD reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it.

Building-Products.com

ACROSS the Board

By Patrick Adams

History repeats itself

I

’VE GOT TO call Guinness Book of World Records because surely my daughter has set some mark for the most questions of “why” in just five years! I must admit I enjoy her asking these questions. It makes me stop and question the answers to things so seemingly obvious that by now, I may have forgotten.

We were getting ready and making plans for the July 4th holiday weekend when she asked, “Daddy, why do we only put out that flag on special occasions?” I started to try to explain how important our flag is, what it means and why Independence Day is so important. I saw the very confused look on her face when I then just reminded her, “It’s the day that we watch fireworks.”

I remember I wasn’t all that interested in history in school when I was young. Just about everything in school had me wonder why on Earth did I need to learn this, and history was at the top of that list. In my teens, though, I found it beyond belief what it took to form this great nation of ours. Now when you search online for “Independence Day,” the first four pages of results show that apparently Will Smith played a large role in the freedoms we currently enjoy! What do our children think when they hear Independence Day or see our flag?

Did you know that for the first two decades or so, nobody really celebrated this grand event of our independence? In fact by 1790, politics had become very partisan. The Democratic-Republican party admired Jefferson and the Declaration, while the Federalist party thought it was too anti-British, which went against their current policies. There were many questions on whether our new government would even last and by 1817, John Adams complained in a letter

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that America seemed uninterested in its past. Sounds familiar.

One of the first versions of the Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson as Britain’s army was on its way to New York Harbor. That was 240 years ago!

There were only about 2.5 million people in America then. I often think about all that has happened since. All of the “easy” ways out of challenges that stood in front of this country’s path forward and yet we made it through. Many of this industry’s companies have also weathered those challenges, tough times, and changes, and are still standing and even thriving. As they tell me their stories, the tough times now don’t seem so tough and the bulk of the story focuses on good times, family and loyal employees.

In my years, many elders have shared wisdom with me and almost all have offered that I should study history because it gives a glimpse into where we have been, where we are, and especially where we are going.

Each generation offers that “things were different when I was young” and indeed they are correct. But some things don’t change. Just as some of the most intense arguments can be witnessed within family, our country too can have its moments when you question whether things will ever be in harmony again.

Here’s what I know. This country is bigger than any one of us or our individual preferences for how things should be. More than our surname, our address, our political affiliation, or income bracket, we are Americans

July 2016

first. Engrained in all of our DNA is the struggle that came before us for a life that is better and the quest to do whatever it takes to provide for our family, serve our community, and help our neighbor.

This is our guiding principle that has led us through indescribably challenging times and will carry us through whatever lies ahead. Like this industry, our faith in a higher power and a cause that is greater than us is what gives us purpose, happiness and pride in a job well done. I see this every day in our industry and I try to demonstrate it in my community and as an example to today’s youth.

As we enjoy our summer and celebrate Independence Day, I hope you take a moment to reflect on all that has been given for what we enjoy today and take pride in all that you have done to make a better tomorrow for our children.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve all of you and wish you and your families the very best!

“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total; of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.” ~ John F. Kennedy

Patrick S. Adams Publisher/President

Building-Products.com

FEATURE Story

By Ron Johnson, Johnson Design Services

The secret to a successful yard layout “W

E ARE ALL in a race, a race to become the lowest cost distributor of lumber and building materials in our market.”

This was the observation of a newspaper turnaround specialist who was hired to serve as CEO of an independent lumber chain that had been purchased by an investor group. Once all of that sinks in, you have to appreciate such an astute observation of an individual who had no experience in our industry.

The mission was to make their three locations as profitable and efficient as possible. On the retail side, that means increasing sales, margins and turns. That is done with a layout that places the right mix of products, in the right location in the store and at the right price. Studies have shown exactly what that looks like.

In the yard and warehouse the key is minimal handling, minimal forklift drive time to assemble a load, and minimal effort to load delivery trucks.

Where products are located determine the labor time it takes to pull the order and place it in the out-going staging area.

Starting with receiving, the unload area must be close to the product home locations, with the highest volume product adjacent, the slowest moving products furthest away. The next filter is the way it is sold, full unit or by the piece. Obviously if sold by the piece it will have far more forklift trips to its location so it should be closer to the loading area.

The important filter “What does it frequently ship with” is the key! A word to describe the process is “clustering,” placing all of the products that ship together in the same area. For example, the initial shipment to start a

Building-Products.com

house; studs, treated sill, sheathing and underlayment would be located in one area.

Other clusters would include roofing, felt, flashing and nails; insulation, siding and wraps; Sheetrock, tape and joint compound; and so on.

In order to reduce the geography you must go up with the products that lend themselves to multi-level picking.

Strategic use of racking, both cantilever and pallet racking enables you to increase the number of skus surrounding the clusters. The high volume product is ground stacked; the slower movers are in racks.

In two of their yards, a drive-thru warehouse was added as they each had a high level of customer pick up activity. The third yard was nearly all delivery so that investment was not necessary.

Why a drive-thru? In the clustering

approach, products are intermixed and it would be confusing to customers trying to pick their own material.

However, it is the intermixing that profoundly reduces pick time. It also expedites the process if customers are isolated in one area. Most experience a 20 to 30% reduction in operating costs, one client reported a 70% reduction!

If you have a storage problem, a racking company will do an excellent job. If you have a profit problem, you need to go through the process that will accomplish the dramatic savings you can expect from these concepts.

After all, don’t you want to win the race?

– Ron Johnson is the founder of Johnson Design Services, Portland, Me., handling new site developments and renovations for 800 stores and 300 lumberyards since 1991. Reach him at rjohnso9@maine.rr.com or (800) 862-5552.

DRIVE-THRU warehouses support the key to successful operations: minimal handling.

(Photo by Hartville Hardware, Hartville, Oh.) July 2016

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MANAGEMENT Tips

By Lauren Resiak, Storage Solutions, Inc.

Rack safe

What to look for in an inspection loaded, the beams will deflect or bend.

If this deflection does not go away when the product is unloaded then the beams need to be replaced, and the weight of your pallets reevaluated.

It is important that all beams are installed level. If one end is higher than the other, making the beam sit diagonally, it needs to be reinstalled properly.

Beams are held in place with safety clips. If a clip is loose or missing, it needs to be replaced immediately.

Plum and Level

PREVENT rack failures by identifying problems early through regular inspections.

Y

storage system is a vital part to the success of your warehouse operation. When this system becomes damaged or is installed incorrectly, it can be extremely dangerous.

Regular rack inspections will help identify problems before they escalate into a failed pallet racking system.

What should you be looking for?

Here are three major signs your pallet rack might need to be repaired or replaced.

OUR PALLET RACK

Uprights Uprights can twist, bend or even break at the welds due to impact from lift equipment. An upright with damage only at the bottom can often times be replaced with a repair kit that is spliced into the existing upright, or if the damage is extensive the upright should be replaced completely.

Replacing an upright can be difficult, especially if it is located in the middle of a row of rack. An experienced professional can help you determine the

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best option for your facility.

Current Rack Manufacturer’s Institute code states that every footplate on every upright should be appropriately anchored to the building floor slab to provide the necessary stability for a pallet rack system. If anchors are missing or broken off from impact with lift equipment or pallets, this should be addressed and new anchors should be installed. If the footplates are sheared off, or if the welds are broken from forklift impact and are no longer attached to the upright, column repair or replacement of the upright should take place.

Beams Beams play a crucial role in withstanding the load of your inventory.

Damage to them should never be ignored. Any bend, beyond a small dent, in the body, of the beam should be identified as damaged and replaced immediately with a new or undamaged used beam.

When your pallet rack is overJuly 2016

When pallet rack is installed in areas where the foundation or floor is uneven, collisions with forklifts may have greater impact and cause a rack collapse. Shims should be used to make sure the rack is level at the time of install. If you see crooked rows or vertical leaning it is time to unload the pallet rack and contact a material handling professional.

To sum it up, be on the lookout for: • Twisted, bent or broken welds in the upright columns and support braces • Missing or broken anchors or upright footplates • Bent beams • Improperly installed beam levels • Overloaded beams • Incorrect/missing beam hardware • Pallet rack that is not properly leveled with the floor There is no substitute for good safety practices when working in or around pallet rack systems. Paying attention and regular inspections will help keep your operation running as smoothly and as safely as possible.

– Lauren Resiak is project coordinator for Storage Solutions, Inc., Westfield, In. Reach her via www.storage-solutions.com or at (317) 399-2103.

Building-Products.com

INDUSTRY Trends

By David Koenig

New AWPA standard proceeds despite treater’s appeal F

calm spring meeting of the American Wood Protection Association, one might have concluded that the drama surrounding the revision of the U1 treated wood use standard had subsided (see April BPD, “Treated Wood Industry Adjusts to Revised Decking Standards,” p. 8-16).

During the early May meeting in Puerto Rico, two sets of proposals—one urging the creation of a new U1 sub-category that would more exactingly spell out uses for its certain above-ground treatments, another that could have jeopardized the use of western species in treated decking—were quickly voted down or withdrawn.

But four weeks after the meeting’s final session, treater Sunbelt Forest Products, Bartow, Fl., announced plans to appeal the U1 standard revisions to the AWPA executive committee and request that they be rescinded.

Nonetheless, many dealers, distributors and treaters continue transitioning their treated wood decking inventories to contain either a greater percentage of or, in some cases, OLLOWING A RELATIVELY

The New Treated Wood Standard The AWPA Standard change establishes new guidelines for when wood should be treated to the UC4A Ground Contact General Use category. First, it directs use of ground contact treated wood in situations that simulate ground contact, such as: • when there is a reasonable expectation that soil, vegetation, leaf litter, or other debris may build up and remain in contact with the component • when the construction itself, other structures or anticipated vegetation growth will not allow air flow to circulate underneath the construction and between decking boards • when components are installed less than 6 inches above ground (final grade after landscaping) and supported on permeable building materials (e.g. treated wood or concrete) • when components are in direct contact with non-durable untreated wood, or construction with any evidence of decay • when components are wetted on a frequent/reoccurring basis (e.g., on a freshwater dock or by a watering system) • when components are used in tropical climates In addition, above ground wood components, including joists and beams for decks and fresh water docks, shall be treated to Ground Contact UC4A when they would be: • difficult to maintain, repair or replace; and • critical to the performance and safety of the system

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nothing but ground-contact materials in response to the new requirements.

Sunbelt had asked that the revisions be withdrawn immediately, prior to official printing, and ICC and IBC be notified. At press time, AWPA said its 2016 Book of Standards was at the printers and is being published as scheduled. Its executive committee would weigh Sunbelt’s appeal at its next meeting in mid-August and respond within 30 days thereafter, in accordance with AWPA procedures.

Sunbelt president Ken DelleDonne claims the issue is urgent because the revisions have caused price increases, confusion in the industry, and potential harm to the environment, since heavier retentions contain more copper than above-ground formulations.

“Some retailers and wood treatment companies appear to be under the mistaken impression that all treated wood used in outdoor applications must meet ground contact standards. But this is not the case,” he said, suggesting that some treaters are “forcing” their customers to convert their inventories to all ground contact.

Competing preservative manufacturer Koppers Performance Chemicals disputed Sunbelt’s claims, insisting the new standard is not confusing or hard to apply. Koppers is unaware of any wood treaters or other suppliers that have “forced” dealers to do anything about the new revision.

“However,” Koppers noted, “we are aware that many home centers and lumberyards throughout the U.S. are converting specific dimension lumber sizes commonly used for deck and dock joists and beams to ground contact preservative retention levels in light of the new application standard.”

Sunbelt’s appeal, filed June 3, was based on its contention that important technical data on product performance was omitted during the presentation on the proposed change. The company believes that supporters of the change claimed widespread strutural failures associated with above-ground treated wood, but did not produce actual statistical data, which it purports is required by Section 5.5 of AWPA technical committee regulations.

At least until the executive hears the appeal next month, the revisions stand.

As for the other proposals that failed to reach two-thirds approval or were withdrawn during the AWPA meeting, the sponsors have not revealed whether they will drop the matters, re-submit the identical proposals in the fall, or submit a revised set of proposals. New proposals must be submitted by June 29 to be considered at the fall meeting in November.

Building-Products.com

COMPETITIVE Intelligence

By Carla Waldemar

Long and strong H

family-owned lumberyards make it to the fourth generation? (Put away your calculators; you can count ’em on your fingers.) But not only is Marcus Lumber, in Marcus, Ia., a rare survivor, it’s thriving robustly in a farm town of (gulp!)

1,200.

Thanks go to third-generation principal Bob Leavitt, succeeding his father, John, 88, who still brings in the mail. Bob has kept the 96-year-old operation up and running smoothly.

Even better, he’s had the smarts— and heart—to hire on a couple of young whippersnappers to focus on the future. That would be Clay, who drives sales, and his year-younger brother, Grant, heading marketing, HR and more.

They’re Bob’s sons, and they’re the way forward. Grant, now 30 and a new father, himself (think: Generation Five), based his career choice on his role models, he says. “Growing up, I OW MANY

hung around my father, his brother, and his cousin, having business conversations. I respected and admired them.”

After securing a business degree in college, Grant interned for a wholesale lumber dealer selling sticks (even, turns out, selling to his folks at Marcus). But when an opportunity arose, “I came back, eager to be part of the family business—a team operation, very progressive, looking to grow. Open to new ideas.”

Change had already been thrust upon Marcus in 2004, while Grant was still a high-school kid, when a devastating fire leveled much of the operation. “We lost dollars and buildings— a primary lumber shed, seven delivery vehicles, and lots of inventory.” It caused the family to seize on a recipe for lemonade, however. At the time, they had been planning an addition across the street. “Now,” Grant recalls, “we had a chance to analyze

LUXURIOUS new showroom has become a customer magnet for Iowa building material retailer.

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what we could do, and do it better” They ended up bumping the size of the main building, formerly 18,000 sq. ft., to 25,000 sq. ft.—offices, retail, and—ta da!—a snazzy new showroom. The showroom was designed not only with the town of 1,200 in mind, but to compete with the big boxes and a couple of healthy indies within a 60-mile radius. This showroom—which morphed from a blink to a destination—now carries 25 window displays, 40 different doors, cabinets, flooring, siding, closet materials and more. And Marsh has just hired its first full-time interior designer to guide its customers.

The new showroom goes well beyond “pretty.” Consider it a robust marketing tool, Grant suggests: “There are so many new products out there, and people want to touch and feel them.” Consider it, too, a savior of employees’ valuable time: It expedites the sales process, which pushes an increase in return on investment, because employees can now utilize freed-up time to pursue extra sales, he explains.

How to get the word out? Circulars, sure. Radio and TV, of course. But much more effective—and fun for the whole community—is Grant’s focus on event-style marketing: Ladies’ Night (which drew 500 women); seminars to target women; a spring deck event; annual sales; Contractors’ Appreciation Night; and promos like a recent offer: Buy a vanity and top and get a faucet thrown in, free.

He’s also put Marcus’s website to work via a program called re-targeting: So, imagine that someone within a 45-mile radius Googles generic cabinet info. “Then our ad pops up!” Grant explains. And once those prospects stop in, Marcus is prepared: “We wow ’em with service. The store is clean Building-Products.com

LADIES’ NIGHT drew 500 woman to the small town lumberyard.

and bright to appeal to female customers, the decision-makers.” To whet their interest, Marcus has also added housewares, a wedding registry, and Handy Ma’am classes.

Grant has further harnessed his computer-as-free salesman via email blasts; text messages to contractors; and social media platforms. “We’re most invested in Facebook—we have 1,500 ‘likes’—but also Twitter. And Pinterest offers high value, too,” he’s found, “because potential customers are already using it, without a doubt— so even though they may not yet know our name, they can find us on social media.

“Actually, the company has always been pretty techsavvy,” Grant recounts. “When I returned in 2004, we’d instituted an electronic POS system to scan and capture notes on every ticket, in order to maximize accuracy and customer satisfaction. Say that a builder phoned in with ‘Where’s my delivery???’ We could give him the exact time and location.

“Right now,” he continues, ”we’re working on improving inventory management through auto-notification when products run low—also, including notes on how to sell a specific product—say, by the bundle or by the foot. It’s all about instant communication.”

He’s also harnessing technology to handle special orders (“items arrive almost daily”) that previously had been hard to find outside. “Now,” Grant says, “we store them in a cantilevered warehouse, with a location indicator—like a parking ramp, such as ‘Level 3, Post 5’—so we know exactly where an item is and can find and deliver it quicker and more accurately.”

It’s all part of Marcus’s overriding mission to adapt to changing times. “We’re not carrying the same items as 50 years ago—no way. Our typical customer back then was male, and most likely a farmer. Now, females are making the buying decisions and they’re younger, more city-like: quite a bit different.”

No more eggs in one basket, either. Nowadays Grant tracks sales in four different channels: heating and plumbing, served by an in-house technician; hardware, accounting for 15% of sales; agriculture, gleaning 12% (“corn and soybeans are at an all-time high,” and nicely immune to economic ups and downs); and residential, driven by Building-Products.com

Marcus’s contractor customers. They’re all served by a staff of 35 (rewarded for hard work, and happy to be working in a strong family-forward environment—one that can boast not a single layoff or reduction in all its 96 years).

They’re abetted by a ten-truck delivery fleet.

“We’ve got a good team,” Grant can boast. Even better, they’re each experts in their particular domain. “We’re able to identify and make use of everyone’s expertise—maybe windows, maybe plumbing and heating or interior design.”

They’re kept up to speed at monthly Lunch & Learn sessions focusing on product knowledge and staff meetings that stress customer service and techniques for marketing the brand. Both employees and contractors receive monthly newsletters as well.

The lumberyard may be the only act in town, but not in the surrounding county, where competition is a fact of life.

Ask Grant how Marcus outshines other players, and he responds, “First off: our showroom. It gives us a humungous advantage. Also, the experience level of our employees. And the quality of our products—items we’d use in our own homes. Plus, our delivery service is second to none, and it’s free; we’ll run out 25 miles with a box of nails if a customer needs it—but it’s designed to be both nimble and efficient. It’s just part of our attention to service: That’s our top priority.”

And it’s paid off. Through these combined efforts, sales have escalated 30% since 2013. And staff hires also are on the rise. It’s all in line with Grant’s vision of what it takes to grow bigger and better: “Taking care of customers as their demands grow higher and faster all the time.”

Okay, gotta ask: Did that business degree make a difference? “College prepared me well,” Grant testifies. “I learned how to learn.” And he’s still at it.

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net July 2016

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OLSEN On Sales

By James Olsen

The music of silence conversational highway without any idea of what the customer is thinking or feeling.

We like the product. Some of us are into the product we sell. In many cases, the customer is just as excited— okay, let them tell us about it. We use questions to lead the customer where we want them to go.

We like to hear ourselves talk. I can tell you from personal experience that this is a tough one to be honest about.

We should talk about 30% of the time. If we hear ourselves talking for three sentences in a row, ask a question!

A Steaming Cup of Shut Up

T

HE FIRST SIGN of the 0 as we know it occurred in India around 500 B.C. The Persians, Babylonians, Chinese, Mayans, Incans and others also contributed to the “invention” and use of the zero. The idea of zero as a decimal place holder is attributed to India around the 5th century.

Before the advent of the zero calculations were cumbersome. You couldn’t write 900, you had to write, IIIIIIIII IIIIIIIII IIIIIIIII IIIIIIIII IIIIIIIII IIIIIIIII IIIIIIIII IIIIIIIII IIIIIIIII IIIIIIIII The zero made it easier to do business and to communicate about numbers. Through commerce between India, Arabia and Europe, the zero was introduced into everyday life. In 1250, Franco of Cologne, a German music theorist, wrote Ars Cantus Mensurabilis – The Art of the Measurable Song, in which he gave each individual note a duration and introduced the idea of the rest.

Why Are We Talking?

Silence in sales is just as important as it is in math and music. Too many of us talk too much at the wrong time.

Why do we talk too much?

We are nervous. Many are nervous talking to strangers—new clients. Some of us are afraid we are going to forget what we have to say so we try to get it out quickly. Some sellers tell me, “I have to get the pitch out before they say no.”

Silence makes us uneasy. Related to the above but different. Some people, no matter how confident, don’t like silence. Don’t be one of those people. Silence is a note.

Listen to it! “But my customer won’t say anything.”

Yes........... they will........... if we wait...........

Buck Fever. Buck Fever hits hunters when, after hours, days of stalking their prey they have it in their sights and discover it’s hard to hold that rifle steady. Some of us get that same feeling when we get close to an order. Our adrenaline rises and before we know it we are hurtling down the

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Here are the most common situations for us to use our “No Talk” voice: 1. When we ask for the order. When we ask for the order it is the customer’s turn to speak. It is rude and bad for business to speak after we have asked for the order.

Make sure you ask for the order directly and then…

2. When the customer interrupts. Customers interrupt because they are excited; they can’t control themselves. If they’re that excited, let them speak.

3. When the customer makes a noise. Many people will “percolate” before they talk. If a customer makes any noise, stop and let them get it out. If we interrupt an objection, it’s still there, just unspoken and thus un-over-comable!

4. When the customer objects. When the customer objects, don’t make a sound. Don’t “okay” them. This “okaying” of customers during an objection is not active listening, it is an abdication. What you are really saying is “Okay, you’re right, I give up.” Don’t say that! Please.

When we remain silent during a customer’s objection, they will often continue and about 50% of the time they will give us positive statements we can use to close them!

For example: Customer: “There’s no way I can pay that price! That’s outrageous!”

Master seller: ………

Customer: “But I guess I’m going to have to. There’s no stock anywhere.

Can’t you do it for a little less?”

Master seller: “Thanks for the order, John. I’d love to help you, but this is already a great price and it’s the only one we have.”

If a picture paints a thousand words then silence brings a thousand orders. Use it.

James Olsen Reality Sales Training (503) 544-3572 james@realitysalestraining.com Building-Products.com

EVANGELIST Marketing

By Alex Goldfayn

How to create change in your company M

clients creates dramatic revenue growth by making some basic organizational changes. But change can also be implementing new marketing, using a new CRM system, altering your hiring process, or simply introducing new product lines.

In all of these changes, we want managers and staff to do something new. The problem is most people don’t like doing new things. Change is uncomfortable. As a general rule, people are wired to resist change.

In fact, you might hear the following resistance: “This is just another flavor of the of the month.” (Or, “This too shall pass!”)

“We don’t need to do this.”

“This won’t work for us.”

“We’re good without this new stuff. Everything’s good.”

Y WORK WITH

In all of these, the main issue is fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of having to learn something new. Fear of working harder. Fear of working more. Fear of the implication that the status quo has not been enough. Fear of the discomfort this new work might cause.

But the good news is we can overcome this resistance and implement organizational change effectively. This is how: Change must come from the top. If it’s not important to the owner, or the CEO, it’s not going to be important to the managers, or the frontline people. Change which starts in the middle levels of your company is nearly impossible to implement because it doesn’t have the energy of top leadership, nor the commitment of the staff. Staff must know that the important change is critical to leadership.

Accountability is required. In fact, there must be systems for accountability. Tools for planning and measuring the new behaviors should be created and used. Further, managers’ feedback should be systematic and consistent. The new effort must be communicated and discussed actively.

In meetings, on the phone, and also by email. In fact, a reg-

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ular flow of communication about the new initiative is one of the keys to implementing it successfully.

Long-term change must be focused on long-term. If you concentrate on it for two months, then your people will look away as soon as you do. Think of yourself as the personal trainer for this initiative. Because corporate change is like a new exercise program. Many times, when people miss the first workout, the entire program ends. They simply don’t return. Diets are the same way. One bad meal, or weekend, often kills a diet. Don’t let one bad meal kill your company’s new initiative. Keep it in front of the staff, regularly and consistently, and for a long time.

Recognize the successes—publicly. Studies find that recognition among peers is a far more effective motivator than financial compensation. That is, one proactive company-wide compliment is more powerful encouragement than a $1,000 bonus, or even a $10,000 bonus. Why? Because it’s public, and it makes the recipient proud.

It also allows peers to witness and learn from the person’s successes. And those same peers will now aspire to be recognized next. So we benefit from the psychology of people not wanting to miss out on the next opportunity for recognition.

Finally, a steady stream of positivity flies around your company when you recognize success regularly. This is tremendously useful for behavior change. It makes people want to participate which is far more effective than change which is demanded.

Recognize those lagging behind—publicly. That’s right, along with complimenting proactively, don’t be afraid to call people out who are simply choosing not to participate.

Of course, speak to them privately first, but if that doesn’t help, do it in a meeting or by email. The key is that this occurs in the same communication where you address the successful implementers.

Usually being mentioned like this once is enough. People will do everything they can to never be in the “lagging” group again.

Rolling out a new company-wide effort needs to come from the top; it must be accompanied by a system of accountability; it must be discussed on long-term; and public recognition should be used to identify overachievers and underachievers.

Alex Goldfayn, CEO Revenue Growth Consultancy alex@evangelistmktg.com Building-Products.com

UFPI Buys 5 Robbins Plants Universal Forest Products, Grand Rapids, Mi., signed a letter of intent to buy five treating plants in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina from Robbins Manufacturing, Tampa, Fl. Set to close in August, the deal includes the assets of Robbins’ Dealer and Wholesale bright and non-CCA pressure treated lumber business. Not included are real estate, round stock business, and corporate assets. Robbins will retain and continue to operate its CCA plant in Tarrytown, Fl., manufacturing and distributing marine, agri-

cultural and utility products as part of Robins Manufacturing Co. The names Robbins Treating & Manufacturing and Robbins Lumber wholesale division will not be retained.

Novik Buys Siding Maker Composite siding manufacturer Exteria Building Products, Miami, Fl., has been acquired by Quebec Citybased Novik, producer of injectionmolded stone, shakes and accessories.

Novik will retain both the Novik and Exteria manufacturing plants, brands and sales teams.

DEALER Briefs Fritz Lumber Co., Berwyn, Pa., is closing this fall after 153 years, with the retirement of owner Bill Fritz III. His son, 62-year-old William Fritz IV, will take some time off and write a book about the business.

US LBM Holdings has acquired five-unit Raymond Building Supply, North Fort Myers, Fl. CNRG shuttered the underperformMarvin’s Building Materials & Home Center in Decatur, Al., July

ing

2 and converted the Hattiesburg, Ms., unit to a Buck’s Bargain Center.

JP Hart Lumber, San Antonio, Tx., is building a new facility in Sherman, Tx. M&M Lumber , Pearland, Tx., was destroyed by a suspicious middleof-the-night fire May 25.

84 Lumber Co. started up the former Trussway truss and wall panel plant in Franklin, In. True Value of New Paltz, N.Y., held a grand re-opening celebration June 17-19 to show off its renovation into the Destination True Value format.

Haberman’s Hardware, Holyoke, Ma., will be closing by Aug. 31 after 89 years, with the retirement of third-generation owner Hal Haberman.

Valley Supply Ace Hardware, Rising Sun, In., was destroyed by fire May 23. Two men have been arrested on suspicion of arson.

JR’s Waupaca True Value Hardware, Waupaca, Wi., will close at the end of the summer, after owners Roger and Gloria Coenen could not find a buyer for the last 14 months.

Gamble’s Do-It-Best Hardware , Caro, Mi., recently expanded into the 12,000-sq. ft. space next door.

Pope’s True Value , Durham, N.C., is closing after 40 years.

Anniversaries: Burney True Value , Aberdeen, N.C., 95th …

Action Lumber, Port Lavaca, Tx., 60th … Charlies Ace Hardware, Plymouth, Ma., 50th … Washington Lumber & Supply , Washington, Mo., 50th … TradeTec Computer Systems, Wilmington De., 30th.

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Stock Yards Switch to BMC BMC Stock Holdings, Atlanta, Ga., is consolidating its regional operations and names under the BMC brand.

All locations of Stock Building Supply, which late last year merged its 68 locations with BMC’s 81 facilities, have been renamed BMC, with signage and other details to be changed over by the end of the year.

As part of the brand unification, BMC is going to a single logo and new NASDAQ ticker symbol (BMCH).

Sunbelt Adds 4th Treating Plant Sunbelt Forest Products, Bartow, Fl., is buying Georgia-Pacific’s treating facility in Athens, Al. Along with Sunbelt’s purchase last year of two plants from Southeast Wood Treating, the deal will increase the company’s annual treating capabilities to over 600 million bd. ft.

Eastern Engineered Wood Expands Nationwide Eastern Engineered Wood Products, Bethlehem, Pa., has formed a new business unit, eWood-LINK, focused on turning the Northeastern wholesaler into a national distributor. eWood-LINK will sell EEWP’s StructurePRO and other national brands of engineered wood and related products, with sales efforts headed by Brian Pershyn, longtime EEWP rep.

Westlake Buys 2 More Stores Westlake Ace Hardware is taking over hardware stores in Seagoville, Tx., and Overland Park, Ks. In Texas, Westlake acquired

13,000-sq. ft. Seagoville Ace Hardware and made Carla Gill the GM. In Overland Park, Westlake has signed a lease to take possession of Dobbels True Value Hardware’s 15,500-sq. ft. building on July 29. The store is currently having a going-outof-business sale, will close, and then reopen as a Westlake Ace in the fall.

Guardian Opens Nashville DC Guardian Building Products has opened a new distribution center in Lebanon, Tn., consolidating smaller operations in Pullman, Al., and Knoxville, Tn. The new location, with 65,000 sq. ft. of storage under roof plus two more acres outdoors, serves as far north as Louisville, Ky., east to Knoxville, and south to Birmingham, Al.

CertainTeed Starts Up Midwest Roofing Production CertainTeed Roofing held a June 7 grand opening to show off its new 60,000-sq. ft. asphalt shingle manufacturing facility in Jonesburg, Mo. The plant is the final phase of a three-year, $100 million construction project, following unveiling of a 150,000-sq. ft. roofing product warehouse that opened in 2014.

NY Hardwood Mill Grows Johnson Brothers Lumber Co., Cazenovia, N.Y., completed construction of a 20,000-sq. ft. hardwood manufacturing plant in Canastota, N.Y. The new facility, which includes about 3,700 sq. ft. of dry kilns, should help up production by more than 50%.

SUPPLIER Briefs Hardwoods of Morganton , Morganton, N.C., is closing at the end of July after 59 years, after the death of owner C.F. Hopkins (see p. 52).

Gregory Lumber is expanding its Java, Va., sawmill, adding an automated lumber sorting system to increase production by 50%.

MiTek has expanded its Houston, Tx., warehouse, allowing same-day or next-day service to Tx., La., Al., Ok., Ar., Ne., and Mo. Jordan Forest Products , Barnesville, Ga., is installing a BioVision green mill grading system.

Kuhns Lumber Co., Lewisburg, Pa., lost a storage building in an earlymorning fire June 15.

CertainTeed, Malvern, Pa., purchased the Matterhorn metal roofing brand from Quality Edge , Grand Rapids, Mi. AmesburyTruth parent Tyman PLC agreed to buy access products maker BILCO Co., New Haven, Ct. Huber Engineered Woods struck a deal to produce ZIP System sheathing at Arbec’s mill in Quebec.

USA Insulation opened an injection foam plant in Cleveland, Oh. Funch Lumber, Cincinnati, Oh., now distributes Thermory thermally modified decking, cladding and porch flooring in Oh., In., and Ky. US Lumber, Atlanta, Ga., now stocks Wild Hog Railing at its eight Southeast and mid-Atlantic DCs. Sherwood Lumber is now distributing the full line of LP SolidStart EWPs from its DCs in Holtsville, N.Y.; North Bergen, N.J.; and Palmer, Ma. Deckorators, Grand Rapids, Mi., has redesigned Deckorators.com with a fresh look, easier navigation, and a wealth of new tools.

ClipStone mortarless stone veneer is now being distributed by Guardian Building Products’ branches in Baltimore, Md.; Cincinnati, Oh.; Dallas, Houston, Lubbock and San Antonio, Tx.; and Charlotte and Rocky Mount, N.C.

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Building-Products.com

THINKING Ahead

By Nick Fitzgerald, BPI-Lumber & Engineered Wood

From order-taker to sales consultant 3 ways to transform your team S

in a crowded, hotly competitive field is never easy— regardless of the field. When your business is selling to lumberyards, differentiating your sales effort can be even tougher.

Typically, lumber yards make their purchasing decisions based on price. Most of them will call around to five or six different wholesalers and go with the lowest number.

So what can your sales team do to stand out? How can you kick your organization’s sales efforts into high gear and turn order-takers into true sales consultants?

Here are three ideas: TANDING OUT

a quote. Have your sales team memorize a few key phrases that help get the conversation flowing.

You can take this concept even

2. Be more analytical

1. Start a conversation Sometimes all it takes to move the needle on a sale is the beginning of a conversation. If an email, call or text comes in from a lumber yard looking for a quote, start by training your team to not just respond to the quote with a number.

Anyone can quote a price—even an app can do that. A simple followup question (“How does that price look to you?” or “How do I compare to other quotes you’re seeing?”) might mean be enough to catch the attention of the person shopping for

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expectations: In addition to quoting a price, maybe prompt your sales team to offer expedited delivery by first thing the following day, or whatever might make your response stand out in the minds of the buyer.

Even if your price is a little bit higher, your willingness to go the extra mile in terms of customer service might make all the difference.

one step further by emphasizing how your organization can go the extra mile in meeting—or, better yet, exceeding—a customer’s

July 2016

Selling is about more than just responding to a potential customer’s question with a price, and hoping they bite. Your company’s sales professionals need to look in-depth at a quote, and work to understand what the customer is trying to accomplish. If the salesperson understands the application of the product, maybe he or she also can suggest some alternative solutions.

This is really the definition of consultative selling. When a potential customer calls looking for a price on a particular lumber item, your sales pros should respond by asking why the customer needs the product and how it’s going to be used. Maybe that simple query will spark a thought about a new product

Building-Products.com

A Special Series from North American Wholesale Lumber Association

you just got in last week that other customers are using for the same application. Here again, just opening a dialog that extends the interaction beyond a transactional exchange about price can go a long way in helping to engage the customer and close the sale.

Analyzing the customer’s specific application can also help your sales team “value-engineer” a solution. Maybe there’s an opportunity to suggest the combination of a few different products to address a customer’s unique challenge, and your insight can help the customer engineer a solution out of products they may not have heard of before. All of this enhances the value of what your company is selling, and solidifies your organization’s reputation as a problem-solver.

But to truly be able to understand and analyze an application, your sales team has to ask questions. If a

About NAWLA NAWLA (North American Wholesale Lumber Association) is the association that delivers unparalleled access to relationships and resources that improve business strategy and performance through sales growth, cost savings, and operational efficiencies for wholesalers and manufacturers of forest products and other building materials that conduct business in North America.

Learn more about how NAWLA can help your business at www.nawla.org.

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lumberyard calls and asks for a quote on engineered wood products and your salesperson simply quotes a price, he or she is missing a prime opportunity to engage and be a true sales consultant.

Build Negotiation & Memory Skills at Wood Masters At NAWLA’s Wood Masters course, Oct. 25-26, immediately prior to the Traders Market in Las Vegas, you will learn more about program selling, memory training and advanced negotiation skills—essential skills for sales professionals.

Wood Masters is intended for professionals with three or more years of experience or those who have successfully completed the Wood Basics program.

View the agenda or register now at www.nawla.org.

3. Take the team approach Another key way to transform your sales effort from order-taking to consultative selling is to team sell. Team selling—also known as system selling—means bringing in an expert who can add another layer of intelligence and analytics to the conversation.

The whole conversation changes when a salesperson takes an engineer—or someone else who’s an expert in what the customer is trying to do—in to a sales call. The selling ends, and the exchange becomes more about an expert giving advice to the customer. It doesn’t come off as though you’re trying to sell something, but rather as sincere advice. This approach can change the whole dynamic. Salespeople can learn from this approach, too, and eventually become experts themselves.

The unifying characteristic for all of these approaches is doing something extra to stand out. In an era when a request for a quote might be a simple email or even a text message, wholesalers have to take steps to differentiate their responses.

So are these the kinds of skills that can be learned, or are they innate? It’s most likely a little of both.

Let’s say you’re learning basketball: There are some people who have to keep training and training and training to get better, and there

are some people who have natural talent. It’s up to you to evaluate the skills of your team so you can provide them with the right level of leadership and guidance to put these tactics into practice. Some people might need to be reminded over and over to ask questions and drill down to get more information, and for others it might come naturally.

The goal of your sales team should be to become the market experts that your customers want to speak to not only first, but also last.

You want your team to be the only option the customer remembers.

– Nick Fitzgerald is Council Bluffs, Ia., branch manager for Midwest wholesaler BPI-Lumber & Engineered Wood, Watertown, S.D. (www.bpi.build).

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SPECIAL Focus APA – The Engineered Wood Association

By Joe Elling, APA Market Research Director

APA market outlook for 2016 and beyond C

ONSTRUCTION OF new single-family homes in the first quarter of 2016 was up almost 5% from the pace of the fourth quarter of 2015 on a seasonally adjusted basis, running at a rate of 792,000 units. This marked the highest quarterly starts rate since the fourth quarter of 2007.

In contrast, and coming as somewhat of a surprise, multifamily starts were down 10% from the fourth quarter, running at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 341,000 units.

Consequently, total housing starts were essentially unchanged from the fourth quarter of 2015 at a rate of 1.13 million units.

Demand for new housing units is no longer a primary concern in thinking about the outlook for residential construction. Driven by healthy employment gains over the last three years, annual household growth in the U.S. is back to the 1.2 million level, according to Census Bureau estimates. Accounting for other factors that drive the need for new housing units, it appears that demand is back to the 1.5-1.6 million unit level.

Despite the expectations coming into 2016 that the Federal Reserve would follow its December 2015 increase in the target range for the federal funds rate with four more increases over the course of 2016, it has yet to move. In addition, concerns have driven investors to seek haven in less risky investments, helping to keep long-term interest

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rates lower than early-2016 expectations. Therefore, the rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is expected to run below 4% for most, if not all, of 2016. This is good news for the single-family home market.

The primary concern for the rest of 2016 and for the next several years is the ability of the supply-side forces to respond to the improvement in demand. Home builders report the lack of developed lots and skilled construction labor is severely constraining their ability to respond to the improvement in demand. It is difficult to get a good measure of the lot supply to support their claim. However, in a survey of home builders conducted by an industry consultant, it is clear that more demands imposed on builders by municipalities have added to the costs of lot development.

It also appears that lending standards for land acquisition and development have not materially eased following the tightening that took place after the bursting of the real estate bubble.

Compounding the problem is that municipalities have been slow to rebuild their staffs to support the permitting process for construction activity of any type, which is adding to the cost of construction, either in tying up capital or unpredictable delays.

On the labor front, the unemployment rate in the construction industry is back to where it was during the height

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of the housing bubble of the previous decade, according to estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The same thing can be said about the economy in general, as the unemployment rate in total averaged 4.9% in the first quarter of 2016. Due to the challenges of finding jobs in the construction industry for much of the last decade, the Millennials have shied away from the industry.

Therefore, in order to attract people into construction, wage gains are going to have to run ahead of those in other industries. In addition, home builders and contractors will also have to devote more resources into training less experienced workers, further adding to their cost structure.

Taking into account these supply-side constraints, the APA forecast calls for housing starts to total 1.23 million units in 2016, up 11% from 2015. Beyond that, APA expects it will be a gradual climb, reaching 1.5 million starts in 2019-20. The Federal Reserve is expected to take measured steps to raise interest rates through the rest of the decade, so it’s likely that the rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage will return to the 5% range in the 2018-20 time frame, which will tend to add to the affordability challenge faced by young adults are looking to become homeowners.

This suggests that multifamily will continue to account for roughly 35% of the housing starts through the rest of the decade, and it remains unlikely that single-family starts will return to the 1 million level by 2020 (see graph).

Repair and remodeling of existing single-family homes is likely to follow the growth path of the economy, growing at a rate of about 2% on an annual basis. Home prices have been on the rise and in some markets are at levels exceeding the peak during the housing bubble, so equity in the housing stock has been recovering. However, homeowners

Building-Products.com

APA – The Engineered Wood Association forecasts housing starts to total 1.23 million units in 2016, up 11% from 2015. After a gradual climb, APA estimates it will reach 1.5 million starts in the 2019-20 time frame.

are taking a more cautious stance with respect to extracting equity to finance a major remodel relative to what was taking place 10 years ago.

The recovery in construction activity will support increased demand for building materials of all types through the rest of the decade. With the expectations of less experienced workers making up a growing share of the construction workforce, building materials distributors may have to provide more services to their prospective customers and those who can do so more effectively than their competition should be able to enjoy market share gains in an expanding market.

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SPECIAL Focus APA – The Engineered Wood Association

Takeaways from 2015 Texas tornadoes O

DECEMBER 26, 2015, the first EF4 or stronger tornado ever recorded in December in Texas made landfall in Garland and Rowlett, suburban towns near Dallas.

APA sent a damage assessment team to the area immediately following the storm. The damage assessment team found numerous examples of severe damage, not just in the area most intensely affected by the storm, but also in areas where the tornado winds were not as intense, with damage indicators pointing to wind speeds well below the EF4 rating.

Building failures were attributed to N

several common structural weaknesses, including poor performance of laminated-fiber sheathing, missing metal connectors, and poor attachment of wall systems to both the roof and the foundation. “We saw numerous examples of inadequate connections and weak wall systems,” said team member and APA EWP specialist Asma Momin, PE. “We found many homes had sustained a great deal of damage, even in weaker areas of the storm, due to these factors.”

While it is challenging to design homes to withstand the most intense tornadoes, there are cost-effective

design details that builders and designers can implement to significantly mitigate storm damage in less powerful winds. By continuously sheathing walls with plywood or OSB and paying close attention to all connection details, builders can significantly increase the strength and resilience of their homes.

Weaknesses in common In most cases, engineers can point to one of several common weak links as the cause of structural failure and damage in this event. Observations of the tornado damage found that

FAILURE of brick veneer was a common occurrence in relatively low winds, as evidenced by the intact asphalt shingles on the roof above.

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system, not through the veneer,” explained Momin. “Brick is a brittle material that requires a more rigid wall system. I saw several instances of large cracking, not only in the mortar, but also through the brick in houses located in the lower wind zones.”

Relatively flexible walls sheathed with laminated fiber were found to be largely incompatible with the rigid brick veneer. In many cases, brick veneer walls were observed to have been damaged due to excessive out-of-plane (transverse) or in-plane deformation, which was exacerbated by poor installation of brick ties. Falling brick from veneered walls, columns, and chimneys, a considerable threat to life safety, was observed in many cases in the impacted areas across a wide range of wind speeds.

Missing metal connectors

RELATIVELY LOW wind speeds don’t account for the loss of brick veneer at the gable end nor the cracking of the veneer at the corners on this tornado-struck home built in 2015. Damage likely resulted from the flexible foam wall sheathing system’s movement in winds meeting with the inflexibility of the brick veneer.

structural failure was often due to the lack of adequate connections.

A continuous load path, the flow of forces through a structure and the connections from the roof coverings and siding (exterior cladding) to the framing and to the foundation, must be provided for reliable building performance.

Most of the observed failures were a result of poor continuity along the structural load path, often due to improper connections.

There were several commonly observed reasons for failure: these included poor structural performance of laminate-fiber wall sheathing products, using toenails without metal connectors for the roof-to-wall connection, using pins without anchor bolts to attach walls to the foundation, and breaches due to failure of windows, garage doors, or cladding/wall systems that resulted in catastrophic failure.

Performance of laminated-fiber sheathing Most of the homes observed were sheathed on exterior walls with a laminated-fiber (i.e., paper) product that measured approximately 1/8 inch thick. Common problems in the strength of walls sheathed with laminated fiber included poor load path continuity of framing within wall systems, especially at wall corners, and poor load path continuity within wall systems stacked vertically between stories.

These walls also performed poorly in resisting racking forces from lateral wind loads. (Independent laboratory shear wall performance tests of laminate-fiber sheathing showed the product underperformed manufacturer design value claims. For detailed test results, see APA’s Product Advisory SP-1172: Laboratory Tests Evaluate Design Values of Thermo-Ply Red.) These walls were either completely or mostly clad with brick veneer on the exterior. “Wind loads acting on the roof of a structure transfer force through the underlying wall

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Failures were often located at the roof-to-wall intersection. Most of the roof-rafter-to-wall connections in this area were made using toenails through the roof framing into the top plate of the exterior walls. These toenail connections are weak because they rely upon the limited withdrawal capacity of nails. Commonly available light-gauge metal connectors provide superior performance; with these, the load is resisted in directions perpendicular to the nail shank rather than acting to pull the nail straight out. Use of these metal connectors was only observed in one case among the homes where loss of the roof structure occurred.

Poor attachment to foundation Another common observation across a wide range of wind severity was the loss of exterior walls due to poor attachment to the foundation. In many of these cases, powder-actuated pins of varying lengths were used to attach the bottom of support walls to the concrete-slab foundations.

“We saw many cases where the penetration of anchor pins into the foundation was minimal, 1/2 inch or less. These anchors barely bruised the concrete and appeared to be ineffective in holding down the walls,” said Momin.

Although equivalent systems are allowed to be substituted, modern building codes generally specify deformed steel anchor bolts to be embedded into reinforced concrete foundations for attachment of wood framing.

Misconceptions about tornado strength A common myth is that all tornadoes are so powerful that structural failure is unavoidable no matter how well a building is constructed. The fact is, when builders use specific structural products and details and give adequate attention to the installation details, homes can be built to withstand the forces of many high wind events. Weaker tornadoes rated as EF0, EF1, and EF2 comprise 95% of all tornadoes. These smaller, less-violent tornadoes produce winds which a carefully constructed home can be expected to withstand. Stronger building components combined with more intentionally constructed connections can mean the difference between homes that withstand tornadoes and those that don’t.

A house constructed with a wind-resistant shell that can protect the building and contents against catastrophic loss is the first line of defense against high wind events.

APA’s Building for High Wind Resistance in Light-Frame Wood Construction, Form M310, contains guidelines for wind-resistant building. For the entire report on the 2015 Texas tornado damage, see Texas Tornado Damage Assessment Report, Form SP-1177.

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PO Box 2140, Jasper, OR 97438

541-988-1127

www.jasper-wood-products.com RMcDougal@jasperwp.com

Natron & Jasper Wood Products is an independent plywood producer and has also been custom-treating industrial LVL and plywood for more than 20 years. We strive to meet the evolving needs of our customers.

4x10 4x8

Our dedication to environmental responsibility is evident throughout our manufacturing process. We are proud members of the APA. Our goal is to provide high-quality products on time and at competitive prices, including: • High Density Overlay (HDO) Plywood • Medium Density Overlay (MDO) Plywood • Medium Density Overlay - Hi-Flo® • Marine Plywood • Sanded Plywood • Sheathing Plywood 4x8 — 4x10 Plywood

SPECIAL Focus APA – The Engineered Wood Association

Raised-heel trusses increase energy, structural performance W

HEN HOME DESIGNERS and builders are working to achieve higher energy ratings for their homes, one of the trickiest places to address in the structure’s design is the angled point of the truss-to-wall connection. APA – The Engineered Wood Association recently published new recommendations that provide a simple, low-cost solution to avoid pinched insulation and reduced R-values in this common attic space. The solution is a raised-heel truss.

While the concept for raised-heel trusses is not new, the trend to more energy-efficient construction has prompted builders and designers to take a second look at this system that addresses one place in a home where increased energy efficiency can be achieved in a cost-effective manner.

A raised-heel truss is identical to a conventional truss except that it is raised higher, with a “heel” that extends up from the top of the wall and elevates the truss at the building’s edges. Raising the truss higher has two big advantages over typical truss construction: it simplifies attic ventilation and it leaves ample room for insulation above exterior wall top plates. With the added space, the truss doesn’t compress attic insulation over the top plate and compromise its insulation value, a common weakness of conventional truss systems. The raised heel design preserves the structural integrity of the truss. (Lateral bracing is often required with raised-heel trusses.)

The energy code allows for use of less insulation for the entire ceiling system when a raised-heel truss system is used, allowing builders to reduce material costs while increasing energy efficiency. Home Energy Rating (HERS) studies also indicate that with consistent-depth ceiling insulation, the home maintains a more stable interior tempera-

ENERGY-EFFICIENT construction comes down to the details, and one of the best techniques builders can implement to boost energy performance in a home is the raised-heel truss.

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RAISING the truss higher has two big advantages over typical truss construction: it greatly simplifies attic ventilation, and it leaves ample room for insulation above exterior wall top plates.

ture that results in a noticeably more comfortable home, as well as lower utility bills.

The net energy effect of raised-heel trusses is simple to measure: For example, insulation batts that are rated at R30 will maintain that R-value through the entire run of the batt, and not be squeezed down to R-4 to R-6 where the truss sits on the top of the wall.

The system also features structural advantages, according to APA. “Wall systems that combine raised-heel trusses with overlapping continuous plywood or oriented strand board sheathing have better resistance to lateral forces than those fastened with conventional wall-to-truss connections,” explained APA field services director Tom Kositzky. “In recognition of that, the International Residential Code permits the overlapping structural sheathing to replace blocking between the trusses at wall bracing locations.”

Kositzky noted that with the combination of energy and structural benefits, a building with raised-heel trusses results in both savings for the builder and an energy-efficient, structurally superior residence for the homeowner.

Key components of the raised-heel truss system are described in the new guide from APA, Raised-Heel Trusses for Efficient, Cost Effective, Comfortable Homes, Form R330. The guide is available for free download from the APA website at www.apawood.org/raised-heel-trusses.

Printed copies of the guide are also available for $2 per copy and can be ordered through the website.

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Sales Manager Francis Powell • Asst. Sales Manager Charlie Doby

334-636-4424 • 800-936-4424 • www.scotchplywood.com

Fulton, Alabama

Since 1965

With Direct Service to the NS, CSXT & BNSF

Continuing Over 50 Years of Independently Serving the Forest Products Industry

SCOTCH PLYWOOD

Quality Dependability On Time Deliveries

SPECIAL Focus APA – The Engineered Wood Association

4 tips to prevent common field mistakes W

ITH AN EVER-APPARENT shortage of trained labor in the market, it’s more crucial than ever for building material dealers and distributors to differentiate themselves

with product and installation knowledge that will help their customers eliminate common framing errors and build with quality. It’s a challenge to build good construction knowledge with a sales team, but there are many good tools and resources that make it easier to train new employees and build the expertise and skills that will help you stand out in the marketplace.

APA – The Engineered Wood Association offers a vast selection of training materials on the web, such as printable PDFs and professional YouTube videos. The following tips are pulled from APA’s Back to Basics initiative. Pass along these tips to help your customers succeed and elevate your company as experts and partners.

Prevent Panel Buckling

ORIENTED STRAN BOARD is made of wood strands, so you can expect some swelling and shrinking. The only real concern is that abutting OSB panels in a sheathed wall or subfloor can buckle, if they are not properly gapped during installation. Always maintain 1/8” between panels, including T&G subfloor.

(All illustrations courtesy APA)

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Plywood and OSB are highly regarded for their timetested dimensional stability. For OSB, that stability is achieved because the wood strands that make up OSB panels are arranged crosswise and adjacent to one another during the manufacturing process. Plywood achieves its stability in much the same way: the plies are cross-layered during manufacturing. However, both OSB and plywood are made of wood strands and wood veneers, respectively, and even panels made to the highest standards are subject to swelling in the presence of moisture, humidity, or liquid water.

The swelling of plywood and OSB due to moisture will partially reverse when the panels dry. This process does not weaken the panels. The only real concern with swelling panels is when the panels are placed tightly together in a wall, roof, or subfloor. If plywood or OSB panels are installed without an appropriate gap between them, they can buckle. The buckling can manifest itself through siding, roofing, or through a finished floor, and can also lead to squeaky floors. The dimensional changes in installed plywood and OSB panels must be accommodated by proper gapping. Installers should always space panels with a 1/8 inch gap along all panel edges and ends. It’s simple to do using a 10d box nail to gauge the 1/8 inch spacing.

Check out the illustrated APA Builder Tip “Prevent Buckling With Proper Spacing” (M300). It’s easy to print out and distribute. You can also send along the link to Building-Products.com

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APA’s YouTube training video via email for easy desktop or mobile viewing.

Orient Strength Axis Correctly Most APA-trademarked wood structural panels are manufactured with the strength axis parallel to the long panel dimension. However, some producers manufacture a “cross-face” panel, with the strength axis perpendicular to the long panel dimension.

These cross-faced panels can be advantageous in some wall sheathing and commercial roof applications. It’s important to be mindful of the strength axis when determining spans in the framing and installing panels.

Plywood’s strength axis is parallel to the grain of the face and back plies.

The strength axis of oriented strand board is parallel to the orientation of the strands of the outer layers.

Typically, the face and back plies or outer layer strands are parallel to the long panel dimension. In cross-face panels, the grain or orientation of the outer layer strands is perpendicular to the long panel dimension. Manufacturers stamp an arrow or other mark on panels to indicate the strength axis direction. This is typically found in the lower portion of the APA trademark stamp.

Cross-face panels let designers take greater advantage of the strength and stiffness of APA panels when framing must be oriented parallel to the long panel direction. In panelized wood roof systems or in wall framing, cross-face panels provide strength and stiffness greater than regular panels of the same thickness and Span Rating, and require no modification in framing design. This can be a great attribute, but when extra sheathing panels are misapplied in another application on the job, such as on the roof, with the strength axis in the wrong direction, it can be an issue for the builder.

The strength axis of the panels is always an important factor when considering the appropriate spans for framing. The trademarked span for Wall-16 and Wall-24 applies to the 4-foot direction, while the trademarked spans for roofs, subfloors, and Sturd-I-Floor apply to the strength axis of the panel, which is normally in the long panel axis, except for the cross-faced panels.

Prevent Squeaky Floors Squeaky floors often occur due to differential movement in the floor system. The first step to avoiding squeaks

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WHEN BUILDERS implement simple preventative measures now, they can proactively prevent squeaky floors down the road.

is to use dry material for the joists and subfloor, as dry lumber is more dimensionally stable than green lumber. If framers install green or wet lumber and panels, it’s possible that they will see nail pops as the wood dries out.

It’s not difficult to obtain dry lumber. All engineered wood is dried during manufacture, so it is a good choice to avoid squeaks and nail-pops. As mentioned above, when installing subfloor, be sure to space panels 1/8 inch apart to prevent buckling. That 1/8inch gap should be used in T&G subfloor applications as well.

The next step to stop squeaky floors is to check APA guidelines to determine the subfloor’s thickness and grade. To make the right choice, contractors need to know the applied load, joist spacing, finish flooring and floor system. By following these guidelines, they eliminate the risk of under-sizing the subfloor.

Finally, when installing the subfloor, “glue and nail” it into place, after cleaning the joists and panels of dirt and debris. During installation, installers should not glue too far ahead of the framers. Here’s why: The glue can dry out quickly or develop a skin that effects the bond between the joists and the subfloor. As a general rule, lay down a 1/4-inch-diameter bead, and glue just two panels ahead of framers.

It is imperative that you apply glue July 2016

to the T&G. To avoid excessive squeeze-out, a thinner line of glue (approximately 1/8 inch) is applied to the groove side. For more information, download APA’s Builder Tip “Construct a Solid, Squeak-Free Floor System” (Q300), which can be found on the APA website.

Edge Spacing of Nails After proper gapping has been achieved when installing plywood and OSB panels, think about the fastener schedule. All fasteners should fully penetrate their framing supports, and fasteners should be 3/8 inch from panel edges and ends. If nails run too close to the edge, it risks tear-out under stress or shear. If nails are placed too far away from the edges, the panel edges can lift from the framing and cause an appearance of unevenness. For ordinary sheathing applications, space nails at 6 inches o.c. along all supported edges and 12 inches o.c. at intermediate supports.

More information about fastener schedules can be found in APA’s Engineered Wood Construction Guide, Form E30.

Finally, visit APAwood.org for these and additional resourceful training information for dealers and builder customers. By going back to the basics, you can be your customer’s one-stop-shop for quality products and building expertise.

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SPECIAL Focus APA – The Engineered Wood Association

Glulam beams offer simple solution for garage door headers W

to span long distances and impressive dimensional stability, glulam beams are an ideal option for garage door headers, particularly for larger twoand three-car openings. In fact, garage door headers are one of the most popular applications for stock glulam beams in residential framing.

ITH THE ABILITY

Garage Door Header Benefits When selling glulam for garage framing installations, it’s helpful to remember several key points: Glulam headers come as a single piece, eliminating any need to nail together header materials. These headers are dry, straight, and dimensionally stable. Because glulam headers won’t warp or twist, it’s easy to frame a straight garage door opening.

Glulam is manufactured under strict industry-wide quality control standards. Because of this, every piece performs as intended.

Glulam headers are stronger than lumber headers, allowing wider openings with smaller members.

Glulam can be supplied in long lengths, so it’s simple to extend the header over narrow end walls to gain added lateral strength at little additional cost.

One feature that is a time-saver for builders is that stock glulam is available in widths that match standard 2x4 and 2x6 wall construction, so there’s no need for furring when you connect headers to end wall. A common width of glulam garage door headers is 3-1/2 inches, which fits conventional 2x4 wall construction. For 2x6 wall construction, a 5-1/2-inch-wide glulam beam provides the perfect fit.

Connections with Other Building Components APA-trademarked glulams are supplied with either zero camber or a very flat factory built-in camber, ensuring a level garage door opening with no sag. This makes it easy to connect glulam with other wood frame components.

Notching and Drilling Since glulam timbers are highly engineered components made from specially selected and positioned lumber laminations, an improperly cut notch or a hole drilled in the wrong place can seriously affect the load-carrying capacity of the member. Only holes, notches, and tapered cuts approved by a design professional of record and detailed on shop drawings should be made in a glulam member.

Field notching, cutting or drilling of a glulam beam, particularly on the tension side of the member, should be

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GLULAM is a strong, stable, and economical option for garage door headers. Dealers who understand the features and benefits of using glulam for this application can help their customers implement a cost-effective solution, while positioning themselves as experts in the market.

avoided. Field conditions may require making a cut, notch, or hole that was not originally anticipated. In some instances, these can be made in areas of the glulam that are not highly stressed and thus have minimal effect on the structural capacity of the member.

Narrow Walls For the narrow wall adjacent to the garage door opening, often one of the most challenging areas of the wood-frame design, APA has developed the Narrow Wall Bracing Method. In the Narrow Wall Bracing Method, the glulam header typically extends over the top of the narrow wall segment next to the garage opening. Glulam beams are readily available in the long lengths that are needed to extend the header over the adjacent narrow walls. The wood structural panel sheathing in the wall segment overlaps the glulam header and is attached with nails in a specified grid pattern.

At the base of the wall, a hold-down connector attaches the wall segment to the foundation. These two momentresisting connections—combined with the bending capacity of the vertical segment and glulam header—provide the lateral resistance normally facilitated by shear walls or braced wall sections of a substantially greater width.

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SPECIAL Focus APA – The Engineered Wood Association

Safest EWP mills feted A

PA – T HE E NGINEERED Wood Association recently announced the winners of its 2015 Safety & Health Awards, a program that encourages and recognizes safety and operational excellence in the North American structural panel and engineered wood industry.

Resolute-LP Engineered Wood and LP won Safest Company Awards in their respective categories, while the coveted Innovation in Safety Award went to two winners: LP of Jasper, Tx., for the Equipment-Based Innovation Award, and Boise Cascade of Kettle Falls, Wa., for the Jeff Wagner Process-Based Innovation Award.

LP earned top honors among companies with four or more mills, with a 2015 average Weighted Incident Rate (WIR) of 2.27. Resolute-LP Engineered Wood, which produces Ijoists at mills in Larouche and St. Prime, Quebec, won its award in the category for companies with three or fewer mills. The company posted a perfect 0.00 WIR for 2015.

The Jasper LP mill’s original Secure Clamp for Saw Chain Lifting equipment innovation and the Kettle Falls Boise Cascade mill’s Safety Performance Recognition Program took top honors out of 23 Innovation in Safety Award entries. The idea for LP’s clamp came from a millwright who witnessed a lifting sling break during changeout of crosscut saw chains. He fabricated a device that clamps securely to the chain and provides a proper connecting point for the lifting sling, making changing chains safer and faster, too.

Boise Cascade’s entry was a new initiative that ties safety reporting to charitable contributions. The company agreed to donate 25 cents to a local charity for every quality safety observation form (“All-in-One” card) submitted by employees. The program proved to be both popular with employees and successful in achieving its goals. Employee participation in safety reporting more than doubled for the year, and the mill had a good safety record for 2015, reporting the second-lowest incident rate in 10 years. The community at large also benefitted from the program, with Boise Cascade distributing $5,300 in donations to charities in 2015.

Started in 1982, the APA awards program honors the managements and employees of companies and mills with the lowest WIR, which is calculated using the number and severity of recordable incidents reported on the mill’s annu-

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al OSHA report. Since 2008 was the first year that WIR was used, awards and reports for 2009 through 2015 continue to also show Total Incident Rate (TIR), the measure used in previous years.

Seventy-one APA-member structural wood panel and engineered wood product facilities in the U.S., Canada, and abroad participated in the 2015 program. A total of 23 facilities representing eight APA member companies—ResoluteLP Engineered Wood, Anthony Forest Products Co., Boise Cascade Company, Louisiana-Pacific Canada Ltd., LP, Norbord, Potlatch, and RoyOMartin— earned awards in various competition categories. Some of the mills were multiple award winners.

In addition to the Safest Company and Innovation awards, other competition categories include Safety Improvement, Annual Safety and Health Honor Roll, Three-Year Safety Award, and Incident Free Honor Society. Sixteen mills achieved a zero incident rate for the year and thus were named to the Incident Free Honor Society. The annual honor roll, three-year average, and safety improvement categories are divided into three divisions based on the type of product manufactured at the mill.

While the awards are limited to APA members, data is collected from both member and non-member mills in order to provide a broad-based industry performance benchmark. Among the 71 mills reporting data for 2015, the industry Total Incident and Weighted Incident Rates were 2.34 and 11.25, respectively.

The winning facilities and companies will be recognized and their safety accomplishments celebrated during the Chairman’s Dinner at APA’s annual meeting in October in Bonita Springs, Fl. Award plaques also will be presented to the winning mills by senior APA management.

The 2015 Safety and Health Awards program was the eighth year of the program under a revitalized safety effort spearheaded by an APA Safety & Health Advisory Committee, comprised of several APA member company safety professionals. Under the committee’s guidance, three main goals were established: make the APA program the premier safety awards program in the industry, encourage the sharing of best practices as a means to improve the industry’s safety culture and programs, and, most importantly, improve the industry’s overall safety performance.

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APA Award Winners

SAFETY IMPROVEMENT AWARD (2013–2015)

SAFEST COMPANY AWARDS Average WIR

Average TIR

Companies with 3 or fewer mills Resolute-LP

0.00

0.00

Companies with 4 or more mills LP

2.27

0.56

WIR/TIR 2013 2014 Division I (Plywood) Boise Cascade – Elgin, OR (56% improvement) 27.45/4.33 19.42/5.55

2015

11.82/1.42

Division II (OSB) Norbord – Joanna, SC (100% improvement) 10.01/1.88 6.76/1.23

0.00/0.00

ANNUAL SAFETY & HEALTH HONOR ROLL WIR Division I (Plywood) RoyOMartin – Chopin, LA (1st) 3.70 Potlatch – St. Maries, ID (2nd) 6.65

0.69 1.85

Division II (OSB) Norbord – Cordele, GA 0.00 LP Brasil – Ponta Grossa, Brazil 0.00

INNOVATION IN SAFETY AWARD Equipment-Based Innovation Winner LP – Jasper, TX: Secure Clamp for Saw Chain Lifting

0.00 0.00

Division III (Glulam, I-Joist, and SCL) LP – Houlton, ME 0.00 LP – Red Bluff, CA 0.00

Jeff Wagner Process-Based Innovation Winner Boise Cascade – Kettle Falls, WA: Safety Performance Recognition Program

0.00 0.00

THREE-YEAR SAFETY AWARD (2013–2015) Average WIR Division I (Under 400,000 Hours) RoyOMartin – Chopin, LA 3.68 Division II (OSB) LP – Sagola, MI

TIR

Average TIR 0.83

0.00

0.00

Division III (Glulam, I-Joist, and SCL) LP – Wilmington, NC 0.00

0.00

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Division III (Glulam, I-Joist, and SCL) No mill qualified for award

INCIDENT FREE HONOR SOCIETY Anthony Forest Products – Washington, GA (Glulam) Boise Cascade – St-Jacques, NB (IJ) LP Canada – Dawson Creek, BC (OSB); Maniwaki, PQ (OSB) LP – Carthage, TX (OSB); Houlton (SCL); Panguipulli, Chile (OSB); Red Bluff (IJ); Thomasville, AL (OSB); Tomahawk, WI (OSB) LP Brasil – Ponta Grossa, PR, Brazil (OSB) Norbord – Cordele (OSB); Guntown, MS (OSB); Jefferson, TX (OSB); Joanna (OSB) Resolute-LP – Larouche, PQ (IJ); Saint Prime, PQ (IJ)

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MOVERS & Shakers Bob Mistick, ex-American Lumber, has joined the inside sales team at Russin Lumber, Montgomery, N.Y. New to outside sales are Mike Mellor, ex-American Lumber, covering the lower Hudson Valley and Catskills, and Tim Fatta, ex-A.H. Harris & Sons, serving western New York.

Bob Grandas, ex-Weyerhaeuser, has joined Weekes Forest Products, St. Paul, Mn., as national accounts mgr.

Destry Brink has been named general mgr. of Consolidated Lumber’s Arrow Building Center in Kasson, Mn. Joseph White is now in sales with Ray White Lumber, Sparkman, Ar. Blake Summers has joined the inside sales team at TLC Mouldings, Willacoochee, Ga. Craig Young has added responsibilities of territory mgr. for the Eastern Seaboard including Florida for TLC Mouldings and Langboard MDF. Dave Earhart is new to inside sales at Dixie Plywood & Lumber, Tampa, Fl.

Aaron Whitten, ex-PrimeSource Building Products, is new to sales at Cedar Creek, Nashville, Tn. Kelly Adams joined the sales force at Tull Sales, Orange Beach, Al. Gary Jordan, McCoy’s Building Supply, North Corpus Christi, Tx., transferred to manage the San Benito, Tx., location. Cynthia Mungia is the new store mgr. in South Corpus Christi, Tx. Eric Erickson was named general mgr. of the Cedar Creek Summit Paint Technology Center, St. Louis, Mo. Kevin Brockmyre, ex-Pine River Group, is new to National Nail Corp., as market development mgr. for New England.

Jordan and Joel Lopez have been running Action Lumber, Port Lavaca, Tx., assisted by Jordan’s father, Shawn Buehring, while owner Eddie Buehring recovers from hip replacement surgery.

Matthew Bendig, ex-Allied Building Products, is now GM of Henrietta Building Supplies branches in Erie, Pa.; Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y.

Sean Nuedling, ex-DixiePly, is now senior EWP outside sales rep with Boise Cascade, Atlanta, Ga. Mike Feinman, ex-Randolph-Bundy, is a new account mgr. for Southern Pacific Supply, Jessup, Md. Steve Garner has been promoted to vendor and product mgr. at Horizon Forest Products, Raleigh, N.C. J.D. Ziegelhofer is now sales mgr., and Scott Klenke replaces Ziegelhofer as branch mgr. in Greensboro, N.C. Dan Ross, sales mgr., Masonite Components, Marshfield, Wi., retired after 40 years in the industry.

Nick Quercetti joined Keene Building Products, Mayfield Heights, Oh., as technical consultant.

Dan Plotnick, ex-Guardian Industries, has been appointed director of Southeast Florida and international sales for PGT Custom Windows & Doors, North Venice, Fl. Mark Edinger has joined Dur-AFlex, East Hartford, Ct., as business development mgr. for the South.

Kristin Grunder, president and coowner, Rome Ace Hardware, Rome, N.Y., was elected to the board of Ace Hardware Corp., Oak Brook, Il. Stewart Elliott Jr., president of four-unit Elliott Ace Hardware, Milwaukee, Wi., was re-elected to a second term.

Peter Bauer, American Gypsum Co., Allen, Tx., was elected chair of the Gypsum Association, succeeding Ryan Lucchetti, PABCO Building Products, Rancho Cordova, Ca. Charles R. Harrison, GeorgiaPacific Gypsum, Atlanta, Ga., is now vice-chair and Timothy Power, Continental Building Products, Herndon, Va., treasurer.

Roman Charges is new to phone sales at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

Plane Crashes into Parking Lot of Texas Ace Hardware Three people were killed when a small plane crashed in the parking lot of Gateway Ace Hardware & Rental June 9, about a mile short of Houston Hobby Airport.

Witnesses said the craft barely missed a large propane tank and the store, which was full of customers and staff at the time, smashing into a car belonging to a store employee.

Killed were pilot Dana Gray, her husband, and his brother.

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NEW Products

Refreshing TFL Panel Texture

Cladding with High Performance

Roseburg’s introduction of Cambium Deep Texture is designed to provide a fresh take on thermally fused laminate panel texture that adds tactile realism.

Part of Roseburg’s Relevance Collection and Linea designs, the new texture is available in 10 designs, including neutral and warm colors that complement a wide palette of hues and patterns. Matching edgebanding is available through Doellken-Woodtape.

StoTherm ci Lotusan is a high-performance, energy efficient wall cladding that integrates numerous proven components—StoGuard insulation, waterproof air barrier, StoTherm insulated cladding and drainage, and StoLit Lotusan, a textured finish with self-cleaning properties.

It is Sto’s best continuous insulation wall system.

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800-547-4209 sales@disdero.com www.disdero.com Disdero Lumber Stocks & Manufactures the Most Complete Line of Specialty Lumber Products in the West Building-Products.com

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Vibrant Prestain for Wood Fencing

Powerful Multi-Tools

The Right Bag for the Job

Eco Chemical has developed a new prestain for wood fencing that delivers an oil-based finish in a waterborne formula.

Eco Chemical Fence Stain provides exceptional overall appearance and color quality with superior weather and fade resistance in a safe and ecofriendly formula.

The stain allows for easy water cleanup and comes with a four-year guarantee for a broad spectrum of available colors.

The GOP40-30 StarlockPLUS oscillating multi-tool for heavyduty applications by Bosch weighs just 3.3 lbs. and features Constant Response circuitry, a 3Ëš oscillating arc, variable speed settings, and LED lighting.

The tool offers 4-amp power with reinforced metal gearing for optimal force transmission and works with both the Starlock and StarlockPLUS heavy-duty accessory range.

The Milwaukee Tool Jobsite Tech Bag is designed to address the needs of professionals who need a secure place to store and transport their tools, as well as their technology, while on the jobsite.

Made of 1680D ballistic material and heavy-duty zippers for maximum durability, the bag also features a hard molded base for up to five times durability.

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(800) 729-3878

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Railing with Results

Tape You Can Trust

DuraLife’s new Railways Cable-Ready Railing Component System saves time and removes the hassles that come with cable railing installations. The system consists of factory drilled post sleeves and balusters manufactured to accommodate top and bottom rail applications.

The system is designed with PVC/hardwood composite materials to ensure long-lasting results and is available in eight separate colors including black, burnt walnut, cedar, driftwood, golden oak, mahogany, pebble and white.

The system itself comes in four separate o p t i o n s — Intermediate Post Sleeve, End Post Sleeve, Corner Post Sleeve and, Intermediate Baluster Kit, and works with most third-party cable railing systems.

Project Vision Dynamics is promoting 3M VHB structural glazing tapes into the U.S. glazing market.

The tape bonds glass to aluminum framing without expensive equipment or extended cure times.

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(612) 342-9863

n DURALIFEDECKING.COM (800) 866-8101

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INDUSTRY Trends

By David Koenig

Decking innovations respond to needs of market A

LEADING COMPOSITE decking manufacturer is intent on revolutionizing the industry—in response to specific customer demands.

Rather than base its innovations on what new technology it can create, MoistureShield manufacturer AERT, Springdale, Ar., instead is constantly querying builders, contractors, homeowners, dealers and distributors to decipher what the marketplace needs and wants—and then goes about trying to create new technologies that meet those desires.

For example, composite industry introductions seem to disproportionately focus on the look of the deck,

NEWLY FORMULATED capstock boards roll off the line at MoistureShield plant in Springdale, Ar.

Complete Wood Protection BoraSol MC™ for Surface MOLD & MILDEW … Long Lasting

BoraSol WP® for Wood Boring Insects & Interior Wood Rot … Permanently

SEE the Advantages Safe Effective Economical ®

www.qualityborate.com 46

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3690 Orange Place • Suite 495 • Cleveland, OH 44122 Toll-Free 866-BORATES (267-2837) • Fax 216-464-8619

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such as adding new colors or making it look even more like real wood. But, shares AERT president Randy Gottlieb, “research told us that aesthetics are a primary concern until the point where you’re ‘good enough.’”

What wasn’t being addressed by the industry—at least according to parents concerned about their children burning their feet on a 100+˚ deck— was heat retention.

He says, “In surveys, the surface temperature of the deck skewed so important. About 21% said they would switch to a product that provided heat protection—that’s 21% of an $800-million market.”

AERT’s R&D team went to work and this month the company is softlaunching a coextruded decking line featuring CoolDeck technology, which optimizes heat reflection and minimizes heat absorption. Boards are said to remain up to 35% cooler than competing composites in similar colors.

Interestingly, what installers have been most clamoring for MoistureShield had initially resisted. The hottest trend in composite decking over the last few years has been capstock, which places a protective shell around the composite core to keep moisture out. Other brands were experiencing product failures from moisture penetration, explains Gottlieb,

“so they put a raincoat over the top.

But in 27 years of making a woodplastic composite product, we are the only major company to experience no product failures.”

It attributes its flawless track record to its unique, high-tech production methods—utilizing a specialized mix of different types of plastic, scientifically removing all traces of paper, waxes, tannins, lignins and oils, eliminating all voids, mixing in special additives, air drying following extrusion, and other patented manufacturing processes. Consequently, AERT never saw a need for capstocking its decking. Nonetheless homeowners and builders continued demanding a capstock product, so MoistureShield dealers and distributors wanted one to sell.

So this summer, AERT is unveiling a new capstock product—its proprietary moisture-resistant core with an extra layer of protection. The integrated cap also provides beauty, natural coloring, and superior slip-, scratch-, fade- and stain-resistance.

AERT is also applying the finishing touches to several other gamechanging new products, with plans to unveil them at next year’s International Builders Show in Orlando, Fl.

UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY makes composite boards significantly cooler than conventional capped composites in similar colors.

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DO IT BEST Photos by BPD

DOING IT BEST: Do it Best Corp. hosted its spring market May 20-23 in Indianapolis, In. The company welcomed its new president and CEO Dan Starr, as he shared his vision for the future. [1] Bradley Marks, Danny Knapp, Nick Olney, Joe Woodward. [2] Bryan Hoexum, Tim Pappas, Don James. [3] John Bonnot, Larry Gray, Pete Meichtry, Joe Araiza. [4] Kelley Jenison, Chris Byington. [5] Matt Carney, Tyler Martin.

[6] Jeff Frazier, Jordan Collins. [7] Dan Bogner, Randy Monahan. [8]

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David Lawson, Allan Pantig. [9] Jack Bose, Veronica Angel. [10] Dan Semsak, J.D. Dombek. [11] Bob Dodson, Mike Berkel. [12] Bill Nelli, Thomas Cooke, Lance Cook. [13] Ben Capp, Eric Rodgers, Brian Ponder. [14] Christi Vaughn, Evan McBroom. [15] Amanda Schroeder, Paul Kinney, Samantha Williams. [16] Steve Vanlwaarden, Jeff Rizzo.

[17] Jess Lohse, David Lohse.

(More photos on next 2 pages) Building-Products.com

DO IT BEST Photos by BPD

CO-OP MARKET attendees (continued from previous page): [18] Sue Ridge, Donna Plummer. [19] Leo Bryant, Jake Sedelbauer, Casey Zigray. [20] Do it Best mascot Mr. Friendly. [21] Scott Handley, Christi Passmore, Tim Williams. [22] Eric Mayfield, Mary Price, Dale Minks,

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Dave Heine. [23] Carl Petty, Larry Petty. [24] Bill Merlock, Beverly Parish. [25] Rick Kost, Ryan Kremer. [26] Ron & Gerrie Hubbs. [27] Lisa Prestifilippo, Jeff Davis.

(More photos on next page)

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DO IT BEST Photos by BPD

DO IT BEST (cont.): [28] Armando Avalos, Cyndi Chandler. [29] Jim Davis, Tom Thomas.

[30] Vince Slack, Mike Ter Molen. [31] Brad McDaniel, Randy Rusk.

[32] Dave Knific, Sam Webber. [33] Ryan Stopher, Stacy Davis.

[34] Lauren Williamson, Will Augenbraun, Jade Brownfield, Casey Weems. [35] Jim Caldwell, Pat & Barb Rakowski, Susan George. [36] Earl Cooper, Shelley Legal. [37] Kairrie Noel, Jennifer Wilcox. [38] Marshall Ward, Johannah Niles, Ken Smyth, Tim Roach. [39] David Niehaus, John Maiuri, Tom Freund, Ben Niehaus. [40] Chuck Casey, Rick Stout. [41] Len Kasperski, Fred Knox. [42] Michael Boone, Nick Nobbe. [43] Randy Stricker, Pat Thorne. [44] Steve Rux, Rick Friesen, Rich Wilcox, Dale Rife, Bo Bryant, Phil Lail. [45] Matthew Hawk, Jim Gorsuch. [46] Mike Gorsuch, Brian Elkins, Bill Gorsuch.

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AssociAtion Update Northeastern Retail Lumber Association has assembled a package of materials to assist its members in finding summer help for their locations. The recruitment toolkit will help members better connect with vocation and high schools in the area. Available for download, it includes a list of vocational schools throughout the Northeast, a template letter to introduce yourself and connect with schools, a customizable marketing flyer and pamphlet (which can be customized with company logos, history and current openings), and job description templates.

Among NRLA affiliates, Central New York Retail Lumber Dealers Association is hosting a Day at the Races July 17 at Oswego Speedway, Oswego, and New York & Long Island Lumber Association is going to the Mets game Aug. 2 at Citi Field. Golf outings are being organized

by New Hampshire Retail Lumber Association July 14 at Lake Sunapee Country Club, New London; Mid-Houston Lumber Dealers Association July 18 at Powelton Country Club, Newburgh, N.Y.; Massachusetts Retail Lumber Association Aug. 1 at Pinehills Golf Club, Plymouth; and Rhode Island Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association July 13 at Green Valley Country Club, Portsmouth, followed by a clambake at Kempenaar’s Clambake Club in Middleton, R.I. Northwestern Lumber Association is moving into new offices July 5, at 701 Decatur Ave, Ste. 105, Golden Valley, Mn. 55427.

NLA is also looking forward to its Wisconsin golf outing July 18 at Mascoutin Golf Course, Berlin, Wi.; a fall board meeting Aug. 15-17 in Rochester, Mn.; and Colorado mill tour Sept. 25-30. Stops include Owens Corning, Alpine Lumber Truss, Sashco, Milgard Windows & Doors, and Sunset Stone.

Construction Suppliers Association is hosting concurrent pre-show workshops Sept. 13-14 at Golden Nugget, Biloxi, Ms. The workshops—on blueprint reading & material take-offs and on yard & delivery management—will lead into CSA’s annual conference and expo Sept. 14-16.

Lumberman’s Association of Texas & Louisiana will hold an invitation-only membership lunch Aug. 10 at the Silo, San Antonio, Tx. Midwest Building Suppliers Association is presenting two golf tournaments to benefit the Blair F. Collings Scholarship Program. The 22nd annual Sycamore Scramble will take place on Aug. 4 at Dye’s Walk Country Club, Greenwood, In., and the White Pine Classic golf tournament will be on August 8 at Hawk Hollow Championship Golf Course, Bath, Mi. Building Material Suppliers Association holds its annual summer conference July 28-30 in Virginia Beach, Va. The event begins with a board of directors and executive committee meetings.

Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association hosts its annual convention July 7-10 at Beau Rivage Casino & Resort, Biloxi, Ms. Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association is gearing up for its annual conference July 20-24 at Belmond Charleston Place, Charleston, S.C. Building-Products.com

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in Memoriam Paul Brandon Barringer II, 85, former chairman and CEO of Coastal Lumber Co., Weldon, N.C., died May 30 on Hilton Head Island, S.C. After serving in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, he joined his father’s business, Coastal Lumber, in 1955. Four years later, he and two partners bought the company, expanding it from a single sawmill to, at its peak, 36 operations across the country.

Louis Junior Grasmick, 91, CEO, president and owner of Louis J. Grasmick Lumber, East Baltimore, Md., died May 26 from multiple organ failure.

A former pro baseball player, he transitioned into lumber sales and became so successful, the owner let him buy a part of the business. He started his own company in 1951.

Henry S. “Hank” Poler, 78, longtime former CEO of Lawrence R. McCoy & Co., Worchester, Ma., died May 14.

A graduate of Amherst College and U.S. Marine Corps officer, he spent 41 years at the company, being named CEO at age 36.

Charles Freeman “C.F.” Hopkins Jr., 60, owner and president of Hardwoods of Morganton, Morganton, N.C., died unexpectedly April 26.

After earning a degree in wood sci-

ence and technology from North Carolina State University-Raleigh in 1978, he started his career as a lumber broker with Hardwoods of Morganton, later purchasing the company.

John William “Bill” Grimm, 91, former partner in GEM Lumber Co., Hopedale, Oh., died June 2.

After serving in the U.S. Army in the Pacific Theater during World War II, he spent 20 years as a co-owner of GEM Lumber.

Herbert Lewis Freeman, 75, owner of Freeman Lumber Sales, Rocky Mount, N.C., died May 8 of natural causes.

He spent over 40 years in the lumber industry, starting with Williams Lumber Co., Rocky Mount, and later Evans Lumber Co., Nashville, N.C., before opening his own cypress sawmill in Roper, N.C., and sales office in Rocky Mount.

Richard D. “Dick” Steffen, 79, former owner of Gregory Lumber Co., Gregory, S.D., died April 27.

After managing the lumberyard at Dallas Elevator, Dallas, S.D., he purchased Gregory Lumber and operated it until he retired.

Mark Andrew Schultz, 55, longtime Greensboro, N.C., lumberman, died April 12.

cLAssiFiED Marketplace

William D. “Bill” Durgin, 85, retired finance executive for Mid-Cape Home Centers/Nickerson Lumber & Supply, Orleans, Ma., died April 13.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, he earned his accounting degree from Syracuse University, then worked as an auditor and CPA before joining Nickerson in 1966. He worked his way up to VP of finance, CFO and corporate treasurer for Mid-Cape until retiring.

Vincent John “Vinnie” Costello, 76, founder of 25-unit Costello’s Ace Hardware, Long Island, N.Y., died of cancer June 4 in Melville, N.Y. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, he operated a heating and air conditioning business until it succumbed to the 1970s recession—and he bought a small, struggling hardware store in Deer Park, N.Y., gradually building it up to 600 employees and 25 locations across New York and New Jersey.

William Thomas “Bill” Robison, 91, former American Plywood Association president, died March 22.

He then spent 41 years with APA, retiring in 1992.

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Centered copy/headline, $9 per line. Border, $9. Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished “camera-ready” (advertiser sets type), $65 if we set type.

Send ad to Fax 714-486-2745 or david@building-products.com. Checks payable to 526 Media Group. Deadline: 18th of previous month. Questions? Call (714) 486-2735.

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He and his father, John Schultz, owned and operated Westwood Forest Products, Greensboro, until selling it to Snavely Forest Products in 1999.

He initially stayed on as general manager, but then struck out on his own in lumber sales.

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TRI-STATE LUMBER CO.

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ADVERtisERs Index AGS Stainless Steel [www.agsstainless.com].............................21 Anthony Forest Products [www.anthonyforest.com] .................35 APA-The Engineered Wood Association [www.apawood.org] ..41 Arch Wood Protection [www.wolmanizedwood.com].................19 Boise Cascade [www.bcewp.com]................................................27 ClearSpan [www.clearspan.com/adbpd] ......................................45 Coastal Plywood [www.coastalplywood.com].............................26 Combilift USA [www.combilift.com] .............................................47 Cox Industries [www.coxwood.com]............................................17 Crumpler Plastic Pipe ....................................................................51 CT Darnell Construction [www.ct-darnell.com].............................3 Disdero Lumber Co. [www.disdero.com] .....................................43 Do it Best Corp. [www. www.independentsdoitbest.com]............5 Eco Chemical [www.ecochemical.com] .......................................20 Engineering Services & Products Co. [www.esapco.com] ........45 Everwood Treatment Co. [www.everwoodtreatment.com].........23 Great Southern Wood Preserving [www.yellawood.com] .Cover II International Beams [www.internationalbeams.com] .................29 Jordan Lumber [www.jordanlumber.com] ...................................22

DAtE Book Listings are often submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend.

Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association – July 7-10, annual convention, Beau Rivage Casino & Resort, Biloxi, Mi.; (601) 8568465; www.mlmalumber.com.

Rhode Island Lumber & Building Material Dealers Assn. – July 13, golf & clambake, Green Valley Country Club, Portsmouth, R.I.; www.nrla.org.

New Hampshire Retail Lumber Association – July 14, golf outing, Lake Sunapee Country Club, New London, N.H.; www.nrla.org.

Central New York Retail Lumber Dealers Assn. – July 16, day at the races, Oswego Speedway, Oswego, N.Y.; www.nrla.org.

Mid-Hudson Lumber Dealers Assn. – July 18, golf outing, Powelton Country Club, Newburgh, N.Y.; www.nrla.org.

Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association – July 20-23, conference, Belmond Charleston Place, Charleston, S.C.; (770) 631-6701; www.slma.org.

Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers – July 2225, woodworking fair, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 946-2937; www.awfsfair.org.

Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Association – July 23-26, summer meeting, The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.V.; (336) 885-8315; www.appalachianwood.org.

Eastern NY Lumber Dealers Assn. – July 28, clay shoot, Guan Ho Ha Fish & Game Club, Scotia, N.Y.; www.nrla.org.

Southeast Building Conference – July 28-29, Gaylord Palms Resort, Kissmimee, Fl.; www.sebcshow.com.

Handy Hardware– July 28-30, market, Houston, Tx.; (323) 559-1958; www.handyhardware.com Building Material Suppliers Association – July 28-31, summer conference, Wyndham Oceanfront Hotel, Virginia Beach, Va.; (704) 376-1503; www.southernbuilder.org.

Koppers [koppersperformancechemicals.com]..................Cover I

Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Assn. – Aug. 1, golf outing, Pinehills Golf Club, Plymouth, Ma.; www.nrla.org.

Matthews International [www.matthewsmarking.com]...............45

New York & Long Island Lumber Assn. – Aug. 2, Mets game, Citi Field, New York, N.Y.; www.nrla.org.

Natron Wood Products [www.jasper-wood-products.com]........31

Midwest Building Suppliers Association – Aug. 4, 22nd annual Sycamore Scramble golf tournament, Dye’s Walk Country Club, Greenwood, In.; Aug. 8, White Pine Classic, Hawk Hollow Championship Golf Course, Bath, Mi.; wwwthembsa.org.

Nordic Structures [www.nordic.ca] ..............................................42 North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. [nawla.org].....Cover III Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. [www.nelma.org]...49

New Jersey Building Materials Dealers Assn. – Aug. 8, golf outing, Neshanic Valley Golf Club, Neshanic Station, N.J.; www.nrla.org.

Novik Sales Group [www.novik.com] .............................................8

Lumbermen’s Association of Texas – Aug. 10, invitation-only lunch, San Antonio, Tx.; (800) 749-5862; www.lat.org.

Quality Borate Co. [www.qualityborate.com] ..............................46

Northwestern Lumber Association – Aug. 15-17, heritage roundtable, Rochester, Mn.; (763) 544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com]...................................7

Northeastern Young Lumber Execs – Aug. 17, summer outing, Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; www.nrla.org.

Roseburg Forest Products [www.roseburg.com] .......................37 Scotch Plywood Co. [www.scotchplywood.com]........................33

National Assn. of Women in Construction – Aug. 17-20, convention, Grand Hyatt Riverwalk, San Antonio, Tx.; www.nawic.org.

Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com]...................................11

Ace Hardware Corp. – Aug. 18-20, fall market, Chicago, Il.; (630) 990-7662; www.acehardware.com.

Swanson Group Sales Co. [www.swansongroupinc.com].........39

World Conference of Timber & Engineering – Aug. 22-25, Vienna, Austria; wcte2016@tuwien.ac.at.

Tri-State Lumber [www.homanindustries.com]...........................51

Central New York Retail Lumber Dealers Assn. – Aug. 25, clambake, The Spinning Wheel, N. Syracuse, N.Y.; www.nrla.org.

Versatex [www.versatex.com].......................................................13 Viance [www.treatedwood.com].........................................Cover IV

Orgill – Aug. 25-27, fall dealer market, Las Vegas, Nv.; (877) 6633186; www.showtechnology.com.

Woodtone Industries [www.woodtone.com]................................44

Peak Auctioneering – Aug. 29, Baltimore, Md.; (800) 245-9690; www.peakauction.com.

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FLAsHBack 60 Years Ago This Month screen made entirely by machine.

The Tru-frame window screen featured a one-piece aluminum frame with the aluminum wire cloth held under uniform tension by a metal spline.

Tru-frame screens—as well as Tru-frame windows, skylights, doors and grilles—are today manufactured by R. Lang Co., which spun off from Rudiger-Lang in 1967.

where it was becoming known as “the Persian rug of the roofing industry.”

Our intrepid reporter postulated that due to the luxurious, long-lasting quality of cedar shake roofing, “before it needs replacement, the house underneath will have outlived its usefulness.”

• The Douglas Fir Plywood Association published plans to help lumberyard customers easily construct a small sailboat for their children, using just two panels of exterior fir plywood.

The “Five-Foot Sailer” was said to be ideal “to teach youngsters how to sail,” to help parents become more comfortable and able to tackle SAN FRANCISCO Bay Area wholesaler MacBeath Hardwoods tried to capitalize on mid-1950s interior designers’ fascination for the South Sea islands by promoting bamboo poles and Treasure Island-branded Philippine mahogany.

S ixty years ago, BPD’s sister publication The California Lumber Merchant shared the biggest trend noted at the spring board meeting of the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association: the welcome arrival into management of an enthusiastic new generation of lumbermen.

NRLDA president R.A. Schaub noted that “the industry, soaked by the energy and imagination of the younger men who gradually have assumed increasingly responsible places in their companies since World War II, has developed an inspiring atmosphere of aggressiveness and efficiency.”

He concluded, “The enthusiasm of these younger men can’t be stopped! They don’t wait for business to come to them; they go out after it to an extent previously unknown in this industry.”

bigger projects, and for lumberyards to “ring up more sales of fir plywood.”

The simple plans, featuring 19 “how-to” pictures, were available to dealers for $3 per hundred or combined with full-sized patterns for 50 cents each, to retail for $1 each.

The project was also featured in a recent issue of Life Magazine and on an 18-minute segment showing its construction on NBC TV’s Panorama Pacific program.

In other July 1956 news: • Rudiger-Lang, Berkeley, Ca., began production of the window industry’s first aluminum frame

• Experts were observing that sales of handsplit red cedar shake roofs were taking off, particularly on ranch homes in California,

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ADVERTISER Calaveras Cement Co. of San Francisco introduced a new “steppedend bag with squared-off corners” said to make handling easier, take up less space, stack better, and reduce breakage. Its multiwall construction was reportedly the strongest ever achieved in a pasted bag.

Calaveras changed its named to that of sister company Lehigh Southwest Cement Co. in 2002.

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