Building Products Digest - January 2012

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WHAT’S NEXT IN SOUTHERN PINE WESTERN WOODS HIGH-TECH LUMBERYARDS

Building Products Digest

JANUARY 2012

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

economical invest in stainless steel – it’s worth it

When evaluating the cost of upgrading to stainless-steel fasteners, “economical” is probably not the first word that comes to mind. However when compared to the overall job, the small additional cost of stainless steel is inexpensive insurance against corrosion and unattractive staining that can occur with other fasteners. Stainless-steel fasteners are reliable and long lasting, and reduce costly callbacks, which means happier customers and repeat business. And by choosing Simpson Strong-Tie ® fasteners you receive our commitment to quality, performance and service. scan this code with your smartphone to easily find the right fastener for your job

©2012

For outdoor construction, make sure your fastener is stainless steel. It’s worth it.

Download the new comprehensive Fastening Systems catalog and check out our online Fastener Finder tool by visiting www.strongtie.com/fasten or calling (800) 999-5099.

Simpson Strong-Tie Company Inc. SSFASTEN11-EC

BPD

January 2012

Volume 30 Number 11

Building Products Digest

Special Features

In Every Issue

8 FEATURE STORY TABLET COMPUTERS READY TO BREAK INTO THE LUMBER BUSINESS

9 GREEN RETAILING GUIDING LIGHTS TO GREEN IN 2012

10 INDUSTRY TRENDS NEW YEAR’S FORECAST CALLS FOR CLOUDS INSTEAD OF PCS

12 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: SOUTHERN PINE CAPITALIZE ON LATEST TRENDS, MARKETING AIDS TO SELL MORE SYP

16 FIRST PERSON THE TRUTH ABOUT CEDAR SHAKES

24 SPECIAL FOCUS: WESTERN WOODS • CONSIDERING NEW DESIGN VALUES • WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE RULES • LOG PRICES UNSUSTAINABLE • EXPORT OUTLOOK

6 TOTALLY RANDOM 18 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE 20 OLSEN ON SALES 32 MOVERS & SHAKERS 34 NEW PRODUCTS 40 FAMILY BUSINESS 41 IN MEMORIAM 42 ASSOCIATION UPDATE 43 TALK BACK 43 BUSINESS CARD ADS 44 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 45 DATE BOOK 46 IDEA FILE 46 ADVERTISERS INDEX

Online

BREAKING INDUSTRY NEWS & INDUSTRY PHOTO DOWNLOADS BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM (FOLLOW LINK FOR PHOTOS)

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Building Products Digest January 2012

BPD: DIGITAL VERSION THE LATEST ISSUE CAN NOW BE VIEWED AT BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM Building-Products.com

TOTALLY Random

By Alan Oakes

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Here’s hoping!

IRST, A HAPPY

belated New Year and I hope that you had time with family and friends and have been able to recharge your batteries for the year to come. As we enter our fifth or even sixth year of recession (for those of you who do not believe it is over), let’s hope that we start to see a turn round sometime in 2012. As I wrote last month, I am seeing and hearing some guarded optimism for a better year. Certainly 2011 was very disappointing and I know difficult for many. Let’s hope for calmer waters and sunnier skies and especially better Spring weather that we so badly missed this year!

As I write this column midway between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I think back to all the things that happen throughout a year and especially when it is a not so good one, it is easy to feel down or question your judgment as to whether you made the right decisions or business moves. I think though that we can be often too hard on ourselves and while I believe in introspection, let’s look at the bright side of life if only for a few minutes. Much of what we have dealt with has been outside of our control and we have had to invent new ways to do business or stay in business, unlike perhaps never before in our business lifetime.

First, if you are reading this column, for 99+% of you, you are still in business. No mean feat let me say when you consider how this industry has been decimated. The business you own or work for has gone through the most traumatic time in the recent eras. Your company is still providing jobs and income for everyone seated around you and also for many of your customers and their customers. With all the businesses— many decades old—that have shut shop, you should be thankful that you have survived. Yes, it has not been easy, but you have achieved what many could not.

Second, be thankful for those customers who have stayed with you through thick and thin. Customer loyalty is what we all strive for and it was certainly easier a few years back. But we should be thankful for those that have stuck with us. If it was not for them, then your company might also be one of the casualties.

Third, thank your staff. No business owner can do it on their own (although many think they can). Employees have had to buy into a whole new agenda, accept swirling change and a lot of uncertainty. Yes, it’s true some might have wanted to leave but couldn’t because there were not many jobs out there. But think about how much fun it has been coming into work each and every day in this environment. With often stagnant wages, lost commissions and bonuses, cut benefits, covering what two people did. Yes, you get the picture. The pressure has been no fun and yet everyday most go overboard without an awful lot of praise or reward to help keep the lights on and serve customers to the best of their ability.

Fourth, thank the people who supply or support your business. Like you, they have wrestled with many of the same problems. Sometimes they have had to support you or take a chance on you in some way. When you read how badly banks have acted to this industry, what about thanking those that really stood by their promise of being with you in the good and the bad times (hopefully there are some). To those that gave you some extended terms when you needed it, to those who got you that shipment ahead of the queue. We often take them for granted.

Last of all, many of us have people at home who support us through thick and thin. Those who have to live with our insecurities and worries, have to put up without travels and craziness at times, but love us anyway. None of us can do what we do without the family behind us in every way.

Even in the dark days we have still much to be thankful for. We are still lucky to live in this country, even with all its frailties at this time.

It is still the country where everyone wants to come and live and work.

Again, my best wishes to all our readers for 2012. Let’s get going!

Alan Oakes, Publisher ajoakes@aol.com

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Building Products Digest January 2012

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Building Products Digest www.building-products.com

A publication of Cutler Publishing

4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, CA 92660

Publisher Alan Oakes ajoakes@aol.com Publisher Emeritus David Cutler Director of Editorial & Production David Koenig dkoenig@building-products.com Editor Karen Debats kdebats@building-products.com Contributing Editors Carla Waldemar, James Olsen, Jay Tompt Advertising Sales Manager Chuck Casey ccasey@building-products.com Administration Director/Secretary Marie Oakes mfpoakes@aol.com Circulation Manager Heather Kelly hkelly@building-products.com

How to Advertise

Chuck Casey Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 ccasey@building-products.com Alan Oakes www.building-products.com Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 ajoakes@aol.com.

CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE David Koenig Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 dkoenig@building-products.com

How to Subscribe

SUBSCRIPTIONS Heather Kelly Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 hkelly@building-products.com or send a check to 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, CA 92660 U.S.A.: One year (12 issues), $24 Two years, $39 Three years, $54 FOREIGN (Per year, paid in advance in US funds): Surface-Canada or Mexico, $49 Other countries, $65 Air rates also available.

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BUILDING PRODUCTS DIGEST is published monthly at 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660-1872, (949) 852-1990, Fax 949-852-0231, www.buildingproducts.com, by Cutler Publishing, 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®2012 by Cutler Publishing, 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.

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FEATURE Story Technology Trends

Tablet computers make a run at the lumber business

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such as the iPad have taken the consumer world by storm and now have their sights on the business world, including the lumber and building materials industry.

According to Gartner Inc., tablet sales worldwide rose from 17.6 million in 2010 to 63.6 million units in 2011—a 261.4% jump. Tablet sales are forecast to reach 326.3 million by the end of 2015.

Tablets offer most of the best business advantages of both a smartphone (touchscreen functionality, electronic communications, social media marketing) and a laptop (larger online viewing screen, business process and ABLET COMPUTERS

intelligence software).

Yet, as a hybrid between the two devices, tablets do something more.

They can basically act as a mobile point of sale. Tablets conceivably can bring all facets of the sales process directly to the customers—whether they’re working in their office, walking a trade-show hall or a construction site, or even waiting, parked, in your drive-thru lumberyard.

Equipped with a tablet, salespeople can…

• …help customers quickly search for and select products using vendor websites, interactive catalogues, and inventory lists (with instant access to specs and prices). Never again need

TOMORROW’S lumberyard may use a tablet computer to bring the point-of-sale to the customer.

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Building Products Digest January 2012

your sales force say, “I’ll need to get back to you on that….”

• …deliver elaborate sales presentations and product demonstrations, all on the go.

• …input and retrieve customer account data. Tablets can remotely and securely access a business’s primary account information.

• …arrange delivery, financing and payment. A receipt can be emailed to the customer or printed out via wireless signal.

• …review or track past orders.

Although there have been no reports thus far of LBM businesses incorporating tablet computers into their POS processes, Epicor (formerly Activant) is among the industry software vendors that recently introduced a tablet-compatible POS app.

“We’ve experienced an incredible amount of interest from more than 30 retailers who are anxious to mobilize their Epicor Retail deployments—in particular to iPad and iPod devices,” said Ian Rawlins, v.p.-retail product marketing. “We’re having conversations with a great number of retailers who are anxious to leverage the power and performance of these new devices to drive transaction efficiencies, improve operational visibility, and customer engagement.”

In the meantime, LBM businesses will discover that serving customers in other ways with a tablet computer should give at least their image a high-tech upgrade.

Building-Products.com

GREEN Retailing

By Jay Tompt

Two guiding lights to green in 2012

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T’S JANUARY, a time when we’re all staring into the headlights of an oncoming new year bearing down and wondering how it’s all going to turn out. Perhaps you’ve had the same premonitions I’ve had about 2012. Clearly, there are going to be some rough patches. It’s an election year and the electorate seems in a bad mood. The economy seems in a bad mood, too, with high unemployment, rising foreclosures, and little building activity.

Some dealers will do well and some won’t—it’s going to be a mixed bag. So what can you do to put yourself in the former category? It all depends, of course. Do you serve mostly pros or consumers? Are you are a chain or a locally-owned independent? There is no one size fits all strategy.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, green dealers seem more buoyant, more resilient. But I think this year’s going to take a little more effort. What’s my advice for taking your green strategy to the next level? Two things: energy efficiency and community.

First and foremost, make energy efficiency job one. If you’re a dealer in this channel, this needs to be top of mind for everything you do. I’m talking about the whole picture—operations, products, merchandising. If you can find a way to pay for it, do a lighting retrofit, install solar panels, and insulate every building you’re heating.

This is going to reduce your operating expenses and demonstrate your leadership.

Stock products that will save money for your customers: insulation products that meet LEED or other green building program criteria, triple-glazed windows, insulated doors, LED lighting. Finally, do your homework on rebates and other incentives and plaster the information everywhere.

Label products that are energy efficient and can reduce bills. Stocking the right products and merchandising them effectively will help maximize your sales. (Besides, if you don’t, who will, Best Buy? Yes, apparently. They’re piloting a new home energy retail concept.)

Secondly, do everything you can to get closer to your community—customers and other stakeholders, too.

Whether you’re primarily serving pros or consumers, be

Building-Products.com

energetic in learning about your customers’ needs and finding ways to serve them. Who is building houses? Who is remodeling?

What are homeowners doing on their own?

Host events in your store that bring your buyers and customers together and get them talking. Walk the aisles and the yard with your customers and listen carefully to their feedback. If you’re getting this information from manufacturer reps, you are listening to the wrong people.

Don’t be afraid to leave the comfy confines or your store, either. Attend local USGBC meetings. If your community has a “shop local” campaign or a business alliance, such as a chapter of Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, for example, join it.

And don’t forget other groups that are active in your community. Forging these links may make all the difference this year.

It will keep you from stocking useless inventory and will identify the products and materials your customers need.

Energy and community. It’s simple and clear. It provides a solid mission for your staff that’s imbued with optimism. It can provide the basis for a marketing campaign.

And if you follow through, if these are truly priorities for your organization, you will be doing all the right things to appeal to green builders and remodelers, homeowners and d-iyers. Certainly, you’ll learn about other needs, products and opportunities along the way, too.

And whatever turmoil the year may have in store, I believe you’ll find that energy and community will see you through.

Jay Tompt Managing Partner William Verde & Associates (415) 321-0848 info@williamverde.com

January 2012 Building Products Digest

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INDUSTRY Trends

By John Barco Sr., NComputing

New year’s forecast calls for clouds, no PCs

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the New Year, businesses are taking stock of their IT assets and wondering, is it time to upgrade those computers that still use an obsolete version of Windows? Is it time to replace all those nasty keyboards filled with dust and coffee stains and monitors that are way too big for the desk?

Setting up or even updating an office often means expensive computing equipment and hardware. However, while the right IT can make a difference in a business’ bottom line, replacing aging PCs is often enough to put you in perpetual sticker shock. For instance, if you run a business that requires 20 PCs, that can easily run you over $20,000.

And that doesn’t even include the software license upgrades or the keyboards and monitors.

But that is the price of doing business, right? Well, not necessarily. What if you could set up or upgrade your office by replacing all of your PCs, keyboards, monitors and servers, as well as install new software and operating systems, at half the cost? What if you only had to purchase one or two PCs and servers, but could still outfit your entire staff with their own desktops? What if you could save on energy, train new employees quickly, and basically run OW DAYS INTO

your IT for a fraction of the cost?

No, we are not talking about buying refurbished PCs. There is actually a technology called Desktop Virtualization Infrastructure, or VDI, and it is changing the PC industry as we know it.

Today, IT administrators are working hard to do more with less as they become overwhelmed by the number of desktop PCs they must maintain. While there might be 50 to 100 desktop PCs in an office, IT administrators recognize that their employees typically utilize only 5% of the capacity of a typical computer. Nowadays, there are opportunities to better address a business owner’s needs and to deliver inexpensive PC computing power to more employees than ever, while simultaneously driving down typical operational expenses such as desktop PC hardware, maintenance, and support costs.

The solution lies in transitioning a desktop PC environment from a physical machine into a “client/server computing experience.” That is, a user’s desktop is hosted remotely by a server or another PC and accessed via a small device that sits on an employee’s desk. In other words, an office worker no longer has a physical PC, but instead has

IN A DESKTOP virtualization system, all software and files are held in one master server— like a cloud—and can be accessed by 100 or more workers, using their own access device, monitor and keyboard.

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Building Products Digest January 2012

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an access device that is connected to one server, plus virtual desktop management software, a monitor, and a keyboard. The good news is that their computing experience would be similar to the PC experience they know—minus a lot of expensive hardware.

The new VDI system literally disrupts the economics by changing the typical structure from one operating system, one user, to one virtual or physical host, one operating system, and 100 users.

Depending on the size and scale, a desktop virtualization deployment can pay for itself from day one. Initial acquisition costs are often 50+% lower than traditional PCs; the cost of ongoing maintenance and support are 75% lower, and energy costs are typically 90% lower.

There are additional strategic benefits in the form of business agility and productivity. For example, if you have a new employee come on board and you need to provision a new desktop, it can take minutes rather than hours to get them up and running.

In addition, implementing VDI automatically turns your business green. Get this: over 850 million PCs are turned on every day. According to a recent study, if virtualized desktop systems were used at a ratio of six virtual desktop devices to each PC: • Energy use would decline by over 120 billion kilowatt hours per year • CO2 emissions would decrease by 96 million metric tons (like planting 460 million trees) • E-waste would be reduced by 6.7 million metric tons What this comes down to is that desktop virtualization allows organizations to reduce the amount of hardware they purchase (which in turn reduces e-waste), minimize energy consumption, diminish costs, improve data integrity, simplify desktop maintenance, increase security, and extend PC refresh cycles. Many technology companies are continuing to innovate on VDI technology to ensure the experience is user-friendly and can perform the same functions as a traditional PC. Small and mid-sized businesses are starting to adopt VDI in serious numbers, and many vendors will work with your IT administrator to design an infrastructure that is right for your organization.

– John Barco Sr. is vice president of product marketing for NComputing. Reach him via www.ncomputing.com.

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January 2012 Building Products Digest

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PRODUCT Spotlight Southern Pine

Southern pine industry weathers tough market

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may have declared the economic recession technically over, but the country’s rough downturn continues for construction markets. Until some meaningful recovery is in on the horizon, resourceful LBM dealers are finding the means to stay ahead in a very OME BUSINESS EXPERTS

depressed market.

During times like these, it pays to remember that the best products are not necessarily the newest. Southern pine lumber has been a building staple since settlers first milled logs for homes and shipbuilding in Jamestown, Virginia, 400 years ago. In fact, histor-

On the Horizon: New SP Design Values

Last October, new design values for visually graded southern pine dimension lumber were submitted by the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau to the American Lumber Standard Committee Board of Review. SPIB is the first ruleswriting agency to submit new values.

Rules-writing agencies responsible for other lumber species are in different stages for evaluating design values.

The last major change for visually graded dimension lumber occurred in 1991, when design values for southern pine and other North American species were published based on in-grade testing of full-size samples of commercially produced lumber.

Since 1994, SPIB has conducted an annual resource monitoring program developed in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory. Although the level established to trigger additional testing was never reached, overall trends in the annual test data suggested a possible shift in the resource mix.

These trends, along with anecdotal external information, prompted SPIB to conduct a year-long program of testing and data review.

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Building Products Digest January 2012

As a service to the industry, SFPA has posted SPIB’s proposed design values on SouthernPine.com. A link from the homepage takes visitors directly to its new landing page for all information related to this much-discussed topic.

“SFPA is providing this information to all levels of the southern pine lumber manufacturing and supply chain, as a service to our members and their customers,” said SFPA president Adrian Blocker. “These proposed design values from SPIB will help the dialogue progress to a better understanding of the process, the data, and the impacts on our industry.”

Also from this new landing page, visitors can review a collection of news releases with comprehensive background information and the latest updates, plus answers to the 30 most frequently asked questions explaining the process and impacts of the SPIB proposal. Current design values that remain effective until SPIB publishes new design values remain on this site, as well.

ical accounts show that sawmilling specialists were among the earliest recruits sought by the founders of Jamestown.

The inherent features that made southern pine a key player in our nation’s colonial days continue to make it a wise choice today. Southern Pine is plentiful, durable and renewable, making it one of the most sensible, environmentally friendly building products available today. Customers want what southern pine lumber has to offer: strength, treatability, and beauty, not to mention outstanding value.

Some 68 billion bd. ft. of southern pine lumber was produced over the last five years. Nearly half goes to treated lumber markets for residential applications like decks, fences and gazebos and aquatic and marine structures. Untreated lumber used in structural applications—framing and trusses—calls for another third of total annual production. What remains is used for flooring, specialty patterns, and industrial applications like pallets and crates.

The Southern Forest Products Association stands ready and able to help lumber dealers with the tools and information they need to sell more southern pine. For nearly 100 years, SFPA has conducted a wide range of promotional programs and weathered every market downturn.

Southern pine manufacturers are responding to today’s challenging market, delivering framing lumber in a wide range of grades and sizes, the newest preservative treatments, plus the most popular items in flooring, Building-Products.com

siding, ceiling and paneling patterns.

With mill operations in close proximity to major markets, special-order items are processed quickly in most cases.

A Grade for Every Job

When it comes to residential construction, southern pine can be used for everything from building concrete forms to creating beautiful interior floors and ceilings. Lower grades may be appropriate for certain uses where appearance is not a priority. But when a customer’s home is involved, both the contractor and the homeowner may be better satisfied with highergrade lumber for many applications.

Most important, the proper grade counts when using southern pine in any application. The Southern Forest Products Association offers a number of tools to help dealers, architects, specifiers, contractors and other professionals make sure they have the right grade for the job. The place to start is the “Southern Pine Use Guide,” which includes grade descriptions, standard sizes, seasoning requirements, design values, and span tables. Separate publications are also available listing maximum spans for joists & rafters, plus headers and beams. SFPA’s pocket span card remains a popular item for builders in the field. All titles are available as free PDF downloads in the publications section of SouthernPine.com.

maintenance tips for interior patterns can help dealers sell more product.

SFPA offers comprehensive guides for both interior flooring and exterior porch flooring. Printed copies are available as a free PDF download from SouthernPine.com. A two-part DVD program covers installation of both materials from start to finish.

Dealers can order a copy for their next employee training session by visiting the publications store at SouthernPine.com (request AV80).

They can watch both instructional programs on the site, too, right at their desktop. SFPA also has three staff members, certified as installers by the National Wood Flooring Association, to answer any questions dealers might encounter with customers (email questions to help@southernpine.com).

Top Pick: Treated Lumber

Treated southern pine remains very popular for outdoor living applications such as decks and gazebos, plus marine applications such as fishing piers, bridges and walkways. And, of

course, it’s perfect for framing homes and other structures in areas of the country where decay and termites create problems. The unique cellular structure of southern pine permits deep, uniform penetration of preservatives without incising, making it a preferred species for pressure treatment.

In fact, about 90% of all pressure treated wood produced in the U.S. is southern pine.

Thanks to progress in wood preservation technology, new “earth-friendly” formulations are now available to address green building concerns. New code-approved preservatives include several micronized (or dispersed) copper formulations, which reduce impact on aquatic or terrestrial environments and are less corrosive to fasteners. For the end-user, paints and stains look better on these materials, too. Borates are finding popularity for wall plates and interior applications not exposed to continual moisture.

SFPA offers a number of technical guides for choosing and using pressure treated southern pine. Available as a

Inspiration for Remodelers

Southern pine products are ideally suited for projects all around the home. Repair and remodeling activity is generating some demand for building materials in this depressed market.

Homeowners are discovering that a wood floor adds comfort and value, not to mention being a healthier, allergy-free alternative to carpeting. No matter the décor, southern pine flooring, in a range of widths, grades and finishes, can enhance the look of any indoor space.

The look of real wood for wall paneling and ceilings adds a dramatic flair to all rooms of the home while contributing to energy efficiency.

Southern pine patterns are readily available in long lengths to reduce splicing. Clear or semi-transparent finishes draw attention to southern pine’s distinctive grain. In addition, wood is a natural insulator, contributing to the energy efficiency of a home.

Knowing proper installation and Building-Products.com

INDOORS, southern pine flooring, paneling and trim add warmth and distinctive beauty to any décor.

January 2012 Building Products Digest

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free PDF download at SouthernPine. com, these helpful booklets include the comprehensive specification guides Pressure Treated Southern Pine and Aquatic & Wetland Structures. The treated wood booklet features a table listing the commercial trade name under which each preservative is marketed and a corresponding product website for those who want additional information. Following an explanation of available southern pine grades and sizes, the aquatic guide provides detailed specifications for treated lumber used in salt and fresh water. Decking specifications, fastener recommendations, and special grades for marine service are also included.

Treated Decks & Porches

The newest addition to SFPA’s Lumber Library is a helpful construction guide that dealers can offer to professional deck builders and advanced do-it-yourselfers. Southern Pine Decks and Porches highlights the beauty, durability, comfort and value that pressure treated southern pine materials bring to outdoor structures.

This 12-page, full-color booklet covers the deck and porch building process from start to finish.

Sections cover product selection, illustrated construction steps for building both freestanding decks and decks attached to a house, and helpful tables listing joist and beam spans. Porch construction details are provided as well, with tips on fasteners, finishes, and proper maintenance. Handy tips are included to enhance the building process. Impressive deck and porch projects are pictured throughout the

booklet.

“This publication compiles the latest information for the proper specification and use of treated southern pine materials for code-compliant decks and porches,” says SFPA’s Russell Richardson. “Dealers and professionals already familiar with treated lumber can use this booklet as a refresher course in building techniques, or to acquaint a customer with the versatility and value of using real wood products for their new deck or porch,” he adds. A free PDF download is available at SouthernPine.com.

Dealers are encouraged to use SFPA’s new site—SouthernPineDecks.com—as a ready reference to answer questions about outdoor construction. The site includes much of the information contained in the new construction guide. The site’s content generously refers to the Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide, from the American Wood Council. This publication provides code-compliant details for single-level residential wood decks.

Raising the Floor

For more than a decade, SFPA has devoted resources to educating building professionals and consumers about the merits of building on raised wood floor systems rather than concrete slabs. Working with universities and other industry organizations, the campaign has included demonstration homes, training seminars, and research.

Certainly, raised floors make sense in flood-prone areas. A raised floor system may also be the right approach

in areas that have problems with poor soils, since this type of foundation is easier and less expensive to level than a concrete slab if shifting or subsidence occurs.

Developers are finding that a raised wood floor foundation is the versatile solution for utilizing lots in a subdivision that require large amounts of fill.

Room additions, remodeling projects, and under-floor repairs are easier to handle with a raised floor foundation.

Lumber dealers are winners, too, as raised floor systems can add up to a third more lumber to the typical framing package.

Moisture Management

Proper insulation and moisture management within a raised wood floor foundation are the two topics of most interest among building professionals. LBM dealers can be equipped with authoritative answers by referring to the new, 12-page Insulating Raised Floors in Hot, Humid Climates. Here, research findings on moisture management in raised floor homes are summarized, based on the study of a dozen homes monitored over a one-year period. The research was jointly conducted by the USDA Forest Products Laboratory and LSU AgCenter, supported by SFPA and APA. The booklet addresses different crawlspace types, how insulation affects moisture levels, and how underfloor areas perform through seasonal changes. The houses include six different insulation systems: rigid foilfaced foam, kraft-faced fiberglass batts, closed-cell sprayed foam, and open-cell sprayed foam with different variations. Also studied were water vapor movement and the effects of air conditioning and interior floor finishes.

“This publication is very useful in educating building professionals and homeowners about the importance of keeping the moisture content of subfloors at acceptable levels by installing proper underfloor insulation,” says Cathy Kaake, SFPA’s senior director of engineered and framing markets. A free PDF download is available at SouthernPine.com.

Thinking Green?

Think Wood

A RAISED WOOD floor foundation system is the cost-efficient solution to building in poor soils or on lots requiring large amounts of fill.

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Building Products Digest January 2012

Many alternative products make a claim to be the “greenest,” but wood still stands on top. America has some of the best-managed public and privately owned forests in the world.

Every day, the forest products industry Building-Products.com

is responsible for planting more than four million trees across the country.

When doing a true environmental assessment of building products, life cycle analysis must be considered.

Trees are renewable and studies have shown that wood outperforms other products when compared over a complete life cycle. In a green world, wood wins. Wood is reusable, recyclable and biodegradable. Inorganic materials not only require excessive energy to produce, but also to recycle or dispose of when their service life is expended. And, of course, the proper use of wood building products—particularly pressure treated southern pine when warranted—helps ensure that structures built with wood enjoy an extremely long service life, reducing demands on America’s valuable forest resources. Dealers wanting to explain the life cycle of wood products to their customers or sales staff can download SFPA’s helpful fact sheet at SouthernPine.com.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative program manages the largest single forest certification standard in the world. More than 180 million acres of southern forests are certified to the SFI standard. In addition, millions of acres managed by more than 31,000 family forest landowners are certified to the American Tree Farm standard.

SFI recognizes American Tree Farm; the Forest Stewardship Council does not. Without the Tree Farm timberlands across the South, it would be very difficult for southern pine manufacturers to deliver certified lumber.

Dealers can source suppliers of certified lumber on SFPA’s Product Locator at SouthernPine.com.

Lumber producers are encouraged to see programs such as LEED beginning to consider other forest certification standards in addition to FSC. But the fact remains that LEED requires no certification for steel or concrete… why only wood?

Dealers’ Top Tool

Today, SouthernPine.com is a dealer’s top resource for answers to customers’ questions, training salespeople, and for locating product suppliers.

Sourcing hard-to-find items can be just a few mouse clicks away. SFPA can send customers to dealers stocking southern pine products if those dealers are listed among the hundreds already within its online Product Locator.

Signing up is free for dealers.

“A dealer’s free listing on the Building-Products.com

SFPA provides helpful fact sheets and construction guides dealers can use to educate their customers and sales team. PDF downloads are available at SouthernPine.com.

Product Locator is a good first step to expanding a base of customers,” notes SFPA’s Russell Richardson, director of treated and industrial markets.

According to Richardson, “The most-viewed dealer listed on the Product Locator recorded over 40,000 visits during 2011. This company has entered multiple locations and keeps their products updated regularly.

Simply by being listed on the Southern Pine Product Locator, a lumber dealer can gain significant exposure and benefit from all of SFPA’s marketing activities.”

Help On Call

In addition to its strength, beauty, environmental-friendliness and availability, southern pine products remain attractive values when compared to many alternative building materials.

Until the economy and construction market fully recover, lumber dealers can invest in their future success by visiting SouthernPine.com to see what’s available to help them and their customers learn more about versatile, durable southern pine.

Copies of SFPA’s technical and reference publications can also be downloaded from the site or visitors can order a “Lumber Library” CD that

contains all SFPA publications.

If dealers, distributors or end-users have a question not answered online or in print, SFPA also offers a Help Desk that can be reached via email (help@southernpine.com) or phone, (504) 443-4464.

Complete information about SFPA and its programs and services available to the industry are presented online at the association’s newly remodeled site, SFPA.org. Here, dealers can review the latest updates on industry issues and explore details of SFPA marketing efforts. The site now offers numerous links to existing services offered at SouthernPine.com, including the Product Locator and Media Center. Links to SFPA’s marketing sites covering decks, raised wood floors, and international markets are available from the home page.

SFPA has expanded its social media reach, too. Dealers can follow SFPA on Twitter, @Southern_Pine, receiving regular news updates.

SFPA’s flagship website, SouthernPine.com, now provides an RSS feed that streams the latest content posted to the site to interested subscribers.

Dealers can also visit SFPA’s YouTube channel and review more program updates in a video format.

January 2012 Building Products Digest

15

FIRST Person

By Randy Engh, British Columbia Shake & Shingle Association

Real cedar shakes and shingles

Facts vs. fiction

I

REAL WESTERN CEDAR shakes and shingles are—for good reason—among the most imitated materials for roofing.

T’S INTERESTING TO WATCH the current truck ads on television, with the year end approaching and the big push to clear out this year’s models.

Each of the manufacturers exalt their advantages, such as horsepower, torque, towing and payload capacity.

All this promotion is very professionally accomplished without any negative slurs or misleading information about the competitor’s pickup.

Unfortunately, this is not the case with the roofing products industry.

Never has there been such an effort to emulate the beauty and performance of real, natural cedar roofing, even up to trademarking our product names,

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Building Products Digest January 2012

while at the same time presenting negative misleading information about cedar shakes and shingles. This paradox helps confirm that real cedar shakes and shingles are indeed the finest and most sought after roofing product available.

While imitation may be the best form of flattery, misleading information is not. The misinformation tends to flow through the industry and get repeated enough to become thought of as general fact. So, once again, the cedar shake and shingle industry is pleased to identify the myths and clarify the facts about real cedar shakes and shingles.

Factory pressure fire retardant treatment has been available for over 40 years. Time tested and accepted by national building codes, cedar shakes and shingles must pass more rigorous fire testing than any other roofing product, are permanently treated and warrantied, and available in Class C, Class B, and even Class A systems.

The fear factor used by our competitors of those “old fire hazard shakes,” to steer homeowners away from re roofing with real fire treated cedar shakes is a deceptive and misleading myth.

Factory pressure preservative treatment has also been available for over 40 years. The process and preservative used are so successful that there has never been a warranty claim or failure of pressure preservative treated shakes or shingles to date! With pressure preservative treated shakes and shingles the so-called “constant upkeep” claim is just another myth. In any case, real cedar roofing stands up to the rigors of walking on it with broom and hose to clean it better than most other roofing materials if occasional cleaning is required. (See our care-and-maintenance video on our website for instructions explaining our easy, effective recommendations.)

Another myth put forward is the claim that our industry is now using inferior second growth cedar because the old growth is all gone. Cedar’s growth rings are easy to see on the butt end of the shake. Most often they are so close together that the annual growth rings can’t be counted! So much for the second growth claim and the misleading statement that “you Building-Products.com

just can’t get old growth cedar anymore.”

A myth that is easy to bust is the claim that “the quality of cedar shakes has gone down and you can’t get good product anymore.” The labels on the bundle should indicate the International Code Council-Evaluation Service report number, the thirdparty inspection service that monitors the grading of the shakes, and if that inspection service subscribes to the ICC-ES program. This information on the label is easy to locate and provides the assurance of proper grading and adherence to the UBC grading and quality standards. Simply demand ICC-ES third-party-graded product.

“There are no installation instructions for shakes available” also isn’t true. The B.C. Shake and Shingle Association has produced the “Installation Instructions for Western Red Cedar Shakes & Shingles,” in English as well as Spanish. This training tool is on our website along with our other videos, and also available through your distributor, free for the asking.

“Using cedar shakes isn’t good for the environment” is a myth that has been answered by nature itself, as the

UNLIKE MYTHS perpetuated by the competition, cedar shakes and shingles are plentiful, easy to maintain, superior in quality, and inherently “green.”

original logging in areas where cedar grows has been naturally regenerated into beautiful forests again. While other roofing products are produced by permanently extracting natural resources, our world-recognized forestry stewardship ensures true sustainability. Production of real cedar shakes and shingles uses the lowest amount of energy and emits less pollution than any roofing product.

While other imitations, including the “recycled” ones, are adding to greenhouse gas and pollution during production, our replanted forests are busy consuming carbon! Because cedar has

a superior insulating value compared to other imitations, it keeps homes warmer in winter and cooler in summer, saving money and energy consumption.

“Cedar isn’t available in our area anymore” is a myth. Cedar shake and shingle factories are ready, willing, and able to deliver less than truckload quantities anywhere in the world!

Your distributor does have access to “just in time” supply, from one roof quantity to full truckload, with price points that are very competitive, only a phone call away!

Cedar shakes and shingles, proven for over a century, still make the finest roof available. That’s why there are so many imitations out there trying, but unable, to duplicate the beauty, benefits, and performance of real, natural cedar. Next time you see an ad putting down real cedar shakes and shingles, or hear a misinformed comment about cedar, you will be able to separate the myths from the facts.

– Randy Engh is manager of the British Columbia Shake and Shingle Association. More factual product info, including four video presentations, is available at www.bcshakeshingle.com.

Look Who’s Back in Town!

Manufactured exclusively for the Pro’s PO BOX 1328, MORTON, WASHINGTON 98356 Phone (360) 496-6777

Building-Products.com

January 2012 Building Products Digest

17

COMPETITIVE Intelligence

By Carla Waldemar

Competitors join forces

L

silver bullet to success? Heck, to survival?

Here’s a key: right-sizing.

For several operations I’ve brought to your attention lately, that’s meant seizing a golden opportunity to expand in order to outwit a queasy economy.

For the outfit we’ll talk about this month, the opposite direction was the savvy one. Consolidation—right-sizing—proved the right decision.

It’s working perfectly for Ken Grause, of Bellevue, Ky., who took over Pilot Lumber in the late ’70s from his dad. And it’s working out equally well for Bruce Moore, owner of Moore’s Home Improvement in OOKING FOR THE

nearby Fort Thomas. The once archrivals are now business partners in the blended operation renamed Pilot Lumber and Moore! (Yes, that exclamation point is part of the new logo— more on that later.)

Right-sizing seems to be the takeaway lesson throughout the Grauses’ business run. In 1971, Fred Grause, Ken’s dad, who owned a tile company here in Bellevue, took over Peters Coal—built as a railroad depot in 1919, later slammed by first, a devastating flood, and then, a series of fires that knocked the wind from its aging owners. Fred planned it as depository for distributing the sand, cement and

FORMER COMPETITORS Ken Grause (left) and Bruce Moore have merged their operations.

(Photo by Michael E. Keating. Published courtesy of The Cincinnati Enquirer.)

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Building Products Digest January 2012

what-all needed for his tile business, but soon a fellow walked in from the town’s recently shuttered hardware store, suggesting Fred add that line of merchandise—and, ahem, him. Which he did.

Fred loved the business—but lumber, not so much. So it became his young son Ken’s domain (never mind that the kid was still in high school.)

He worked full-time while devoting his evenings to earning the college degree that would be his passport to another, better life. (For back then, Ken, too, professed “no interest” in the lumberyard.)

But that was in the scary finale to the ’70s, a recession called “the big one”—until now. “I was worried; times were really tough,” recalls Ken, who not only remained on the job, but bought his dad out before the end of that dismal decade. By 1982, Ken’s new addition doubled retail space. Not long after, he completely overhauled the lumberyard, adding a new main shed, cantilevered outside racking, and concrete pavement. Fast forward to 1998, when Ken bought a second store—the former Hess & Racke in Alexandria, Ky.—as a second location.

Sounds slick and painless. But that’s the Hollywood version, not the real-life story. Ken is the first to admit he had his share of learning bumps, starting back in 1974, “a terrible time for the construction industry,” as he remembers all too clearly. An oldtimer in the yard, convinced of his moral duty, lectured the young man: “If you haven’t money in the bank, you can’t buy anything.”

But Ken saw bigger reasons to worry by standing still. “When your A line gets cleaned out and you’re left with only the Cs and Ds, who wants to shop there? So, we had a difficult discussion, which ended with (the oldBuilding-Products.com

timer) saying, ‘Okay, smart college kid: YOU do it!’”

And Ken did. But still, there was the occasional stumble.

“I was hard-nosed, made everybody pay—didn’t extend credit, just when banks were pushing builders out of business. So I lost a lot of contractors’ business. Instead of thinking, ‘What can I do to help?’ I was thinking, ‘I can’t believe they cannot pay their debts!’” Welcome to reality, and a kinder, gentler way of doing business.

“Then, the whole d-i-y thing was just getting started.”

And this time, Ken was in the vanguard. “I doubled the square footage of the store and moved product from the back room, where sales staff had pulled contractors’ orders, and set up shelves, supermarket-style, so customers could wander, pick things off the shelves themselves. It was very consumer-friendly, and business grew steadily.” In fact, “It was a blast! We had fun.”

But he overlooked one thing: Those d-i-yers generally were away at work each weekday. “So, Saturdays, we got slammed. We learned to adjust our hours,” he says with a laugh.

Buying the Alexandria store was a boon, but also presented another learning curve. “The stores were only 20 miles apart, but the customers were completely different,” Ken quickly discovered. “Unbelievable! Retail and remodel-oriented vs. new construction. And serving farmers, who provide steady business, good times or bad.”

Pilot’s Design Center, launched in 2004 to overcome the perception that it was solely a lumber operation (although it already carried the usual K&B inventory), also presented unforeseen obstacles. It had been planned as a boon for Pilot’s many pros, who could now have card-key access 24/7 in order to assist their own customers—which, turns out, was not what these contractors wanted, after all. “They never used it! Instead, they wanted us to be there.”

The builders made it clear they expected Pilot’s own people to be front-and-center at all times, to do the comparisons and explaining to homeowners. And that took staff Pilot couldn’t supply. The project ended up with a part-time staffer arranged on demand, called away from other duties.

Not ideal. For the past five years, its business was up and down.

So was business as a whole, as it’s been for every one of us. Looking for a solution, Ken cast his eye way outside the box, gritted his teeth, and picked up the phone. He telephoned his longtime arch rival, Bruce Moore in Fort Thomas, saying, “There’s not room for both of us. Let’s talk.”

Bruce Moore, his “fierce competitor,” agreed that their combined three locations now represented one too many.

The wisest solution was to shutter Moore’s, in the middle, and join forces in Bellevue and Alexandria as Pilot Lumber and Moore’s! That exclamation point deliberately signified the excitement of growing stronger, better, by the move, which incorporated all five of Bruce’s staff, as well as his unique product lines and discrete customer base, where the two discovered very little duplication.

“Only two builders overlapped,” says Ken. “And one of them, for 25 years, had been shopping both of us for price.

He bought his lumber from Moore, then the fill-in from us.

That way, the builder was the real winner. It used to drive us crazy! And Bruce’s outside salesman loves the new arrangement—no more competing with us. Now, it’s scary, it’s so good. This merger is the most exciting thing we’ve done in five years,” Ken declares.

Pilot, with hardware, electrical, and plumbing, had more Building-Products.com

retail business, while Moore had concentrated on selling decks and rails to pro builders, developing an enviable loyalty—“and this business is strongly based on loyalty,” Ken reminds us. “Bruce is definitely a ‘people person’ and enjoys chatting, giving help, while I’m more of an IT guy.

He’s just the opposite—has trouble getting his email up,” his new partner laughs.

While both operations were strong on composite decking, incorporating Moore’s line with the three that Pilot carries, creating an even stronger showing. Result: “Business has been so good, it’s absolutely crazy! It’s really a help in this economy: a good problem to have,” Ken agrees, noting that builders who wouldn’t deign to touch a deck addition in the past are now more than eager to take on that bit of business. “We’ve added two phone lines,” Ken notes.

And brought in-house such facets as HVAC, insurance, and property maintenance. Other savings: “Our two yards are doing as much business as the three used to, and we can operate with the same trucks, no additional racking, etc. We made sure we have all the products our customers expected to see at Moore, adding ‘their’ brand of caulking or whatever. And because we have more room, there’s the Wow! factor.”

The potentially problematical aspect of merging employees was not difficult at all, thanks to careful advance planning. “We were very sensitive and did a nice job integrating, by announcing the merger to both at the very same time,” Ken stresses. “My people were pumped up—a chance to expand.” And adding that exclamation point to the logo—Pilot Lumber and Moore!—shows the folks from Fort Thomas how much they’re valued, too.

Now, back to that flagging, on again, off again, design center. “We opened it up full-steam again when we merged with Moore and brought in their displays, and we’re very pleased. Sales are up, even with no advertising nor a grand opening yet. It’s such a positive change, and our customers really love it.”

In other words, call the merger a win-win. Best of both.

The biggest obstacle was integrating two computer systems. “We worked hard on that,” Ken acknowledges.

“Also, to blend customers, we made the credit application much easier,” he adds.

“It’s working out perfectly,” Ken declares once again. In fact, the outfit is growing even stronger in serving outlying areas such as Dayton, Louisville, Lexington, even Cincinnati. “Our builders are branching out there now. We have the products, the knowledge, and super selection of composite decks. We can explain the various differences and features between the lines, and we’ve added displays, not only little color patches, so folks can see the real deal, not just a sample. “ What’s next? “Our advisors are telling us, ‘You really need to duplicate this move. How can you do it again?’

But,” Ken insists, “after the last five years, being together since August has been really enjoyable, but I don’t wish to grow. I’d really enjoyed working with a staff of 18, not 45. But,” he ponders, “now we’re 23. And that’s okay, too! It’s been a very interesting challenge.”

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net

January 2012 Building Products Digest

19

OLSEN On Sales

By James Olsen

W.S.I.B.F.U.?

W

the computer at information dispensing. We do have an advantage—if we choose to use it –in the inspiration business. We must first accept that we are in the inspiration business, and then we will have to commit to more inspirational speech.

If a young man is being paid to make pizza and he spends his whole shift cleaning up the parking lot, he may be working hard, but he is working hard on the wrong thing.

Many sellers are working hard at information dispensing while ignoring the persuasive and inspirational arts.

E CANNOT BEAT

I’m happy with my current supplier

Goals: (1) Get the customer to relax.

(2) Keep the conversation going. Uh, uh, well, uh won’t get it done. (3) Get permission to continue calling.

The secondary supplier strategy. We don’t challenge the customer. Any kind of “I-can-do-it-better-or-cheaper-than-whoyou-are-buying-from-now” direct challenge will raise our potential customer’s defenses and will make it difficult to get permission to continue calling.

“John, I don’t want to get in the way of the business you are already doing. What I would like is to find out more about you and your business and become a secondary supplier to you. That way, you can get to know the quality of my service and products and, if anything does happen with your current supply, we will already have a working relationship and we will continue to supply you without interrupting the smooth running of your business.”

The challenge strategy. To get some customers out of their current habits (buying from others), we will have to challenge their view of the world. This is delicate; it can backfire and blow up, so use with care.

Customer: “I’ve been buying from Susie Smithers for 20 years. She has been with me through thick and thin, so I owe her. In our current market, I can barely keep her happy, much less take on a new supplier.”

Bold Seller: “It’s great that you are loyal. But changing times call for changing strategies. In shifting times, only the crafty, flexible and open-minded survive. I bring new and different ideas to my customers that help them make money in these dynamic times. Why don’t we open a dialogue?”

W.S.I.B.F.U.?

The real objection behind all objections is, “Why Should I Buy from You?” About 95% of the sellers you compete

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Building Products Digest January 2012

against every day cannot answer this question in an inspirational way. That 95% wing it so they all sound the same.

Here’s how to write a great WSIBFU?: • No more than four sentences.

• What’s in it for the customer? Saying you are the biggest and baddest and that you have been in business for 1,000 years means nothing to the customer. They do not care. Telling them you are currently helping people just like them to make money and buy better products will resonate.

• Something about ourselves. If we go to the psychologist and she says, “Tell me about your family,” and we spend the hour talking about everyone but our father, the psychologist surmises issues with our father, by omission.

Sellers who only talk about how great their company is without mentioning something about themselves—the thing they most want to communicate—“I am a man you can trust,” “I make a great partner,” “I treat your needs as mine,” “I am passionate about creating profit for my customers,” “I’m fun to do business with”—sends the message that they don’t believe in themselves, by omission.

Our customers want to buy from people who are confident. Say something good about yourself; don’t go overboard, but we must say something about the value we bring.

• Tailored to personality.

Everyone is different. Communicate with customers in their language. We approach the aggressive buyer differently than the laid back buyer, for example.

The most important thing is to have a well-planned, inspirational answer you believe in.

“You should buy from me because I will bring you value. There are all kinds of suppliers in this market. Direct suppliers, wholesale suppliers, distribution suppliers. I am a customer needs supplier.

What my customers need, I supply them. I am a profit-making partner. That’s why my customers buy from me and that’s why you, too, will love doing business with me.”

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

Building-Products.com

DEALER Briefs

Private equity firm Gores Group, Los Angeles, Ca., has acquired the remaining 49% of Stock Building Supply , Raleigh, N.C., from Wolseley Plc. Soon after, Stock closed its lumberyards in N. Little Rock, Conway, and Fort Smith, Ar., Dec. 16. All were former National Home Center locations.

Nuttle Lumber Co. closed its Denton, Md., yard Dec. 31, with the retirement of president J.D. Neal after nearly 45 years.

Operations have been consolidated at its Rehoboth Beach, De., location, under v.p. Jamie Neal.

St. James Lumber, St. James, N.Y., and its 2-acre property have been listed for sale at $1.8 million.

Carter Lumber has closed its store in Centerville, In., after more than 40 years.

Hughes Lumber, Catoosa, Ok., relocated its store in Fairland, Ok.

ProBuild shuttered its lumber, millwork and components manufacturing businesses in Smyrna, Tn., Dec. 16.

Carter Buys Hall & House

US LBM, Green Bay, Wi., has exited the Indianapolis market and sold the assets of Hall & House Lumber Co., Westfield, In., to Carter Lumber, Kent, Oh. Hall & House had been part of Edward Hines Lumber, which US LBM purchased two years ago.

Floridaʼs Parker Shuts Down

After 77 years in Maitland, Fl., Parker Lumber Co. held a going out of business sale and closed to make way for a new commuter rail station.

“We kid everybody that we are an antique, and everybody who works here is an antique,” said Larry Parker, 61, who owned the business with his brothers, David and Steve. Their 83year-old father also worked at the store, on Mondays and Saturdays.

The business boomed during the 1970s and 1980s, after Walt Disney World opened. The arrival of big box stores was a problem for independents like Parker Lumber, which evolved into a higher-end operation in order to compete.

After several years of recession, the Parkers were glad to sell two acres of the property to Florida’s Department

of Transportation.

“We were able to sit back and take our pride off the table, and once you look at it in a business light, it made sense to shut it down,” said Larry Parker.

Wheelerʼs Sells Millwork Unit

Wheeler’s Building Materials, Rome, Ga., has auctioned off the assets of its window and door divisions, but retained its truss operation.

“Back in the day, all of our door and window manufacturing was to sell through our own distribution network,” said president Jim Manis. “Our store count has dwindled to one, and we just don’t need all that infrastructure and inventory and equipment.”

Bidders purchased 965 pieces of equipment in individual lots, earning Wheeler’s more than $500,000. The auction did not include either the 140,000-sq. ft. window plant or the door facility, which sits next to Wheeler’s still-active truss plant.

Manis said the truss division continues to be a bright spot: “We’re shipping out of state. We are fortunate in that trusses are a product you can haul longer distances, 150 miles, and still come out on the proposition.”

Randy’s Do It Best Hardware opened its 3rd location, in

Bridgewater, Va. (Christian Herrick, store mgr.).

Lund’s Hardware, River Falls, Wi., closed Nov. 17 after 138 years.

Frattallone’s Ace Hardware

is doubling the size of its store in Woodbury, Mn.

True Value Hardware , Brandon, S.D., has been sold by Erik Burkman to Jason Melcher and John Niederauer, who have converted the business to Ace Hardware.

Melcher will run the Brandon store, while Niederauer oversees four other S.D. locations.

Habitat for Humanity opened a 17,000-sq. ft. ReStore discount LBM outlet in Cheviot, Oh., and moved its ReStores in Dover, De., and Des Moines, Ia., to larger facilities.

Building-Products.com

January 2012 Building Products Digest

21

Historic Maryland Dealer Closes

Mizell Lumber & Hardware, Kensington, Md., closed Dec. 16, after 90 years of business.

Located in the town’s historic district, the business specialized in the hardwood and specialty lumber often used in historic remodeling projects. It even made deliveries to the White House, according to Jeannine Mizell, who owned the business along with her brothers, Don and Mick.

More than a decade ago, before Home Depot moved in and the economy worsened, the company employed 19 people. By 2011, only six remained. The family plans to sell the 1.3-acre property.

Plastic Producer Picks Up in Lumber

Poly-Wood, Syracuse, In., is expanding the manufacturing and sustainability capabilities of its plastic lumber division.

“Our goal is to better serve our current markets, as well as increase our ability to explore additional segments and opportunities for plastic lumber,” said Tim Pletcher, head of sales.

The company currently manufactures outdoor furniture and accessories, but wants to expand into applications for farming, marine, golf, landscaping, industry, and general construction. Raw material for the lumber is derived from post-consumer bottle waste, such as milk and detergent bottles or other HDPE post-industrial materials.

“Within our manufacturing process, we have incorporated practices that are unique to our operation,” said Pletcher.

“The product itself can be reground and melted into new products infinitely when the current product reaches the end of its usable life.”

Fulton, Mississippi • www.homanindustries.com (662) 862-2125 • Fax 662-862-4900

Your Southern Pine Specialty Remanufacturer What Do You Need?

Superior Service at Competitive Rates Made the Way You Want It

True 2&Btr. with # 1 Stamped ___________________ Lumber Protected against Sapstain, Mold, Fungi with AntiBlu ___________________

Treatments • Wolmanized CA-C Good Housekeeping Seal SCS Certified Environmentally Preferable NAHB Research Center Green Approved

• CCA ___________________ Sourced from

SFI Certified Forests 22

Building Products Digest January 2012

SUPPLIER Briefs

Jim Gillies Lumber, Gray, Mi., has been acquired by Britton Lumber, Ely, Vit., with the retirement of Jim Gillies, after 45 years in the industry.

Guardian Building Products has shuttered its fiberglass insulation plant in Winnsboro, S.C.

East Anderson Hardwoods, Eubank, Ky., lost a lumber warehouse and suffered $800,000 in damages in an early morning fire Dec. 20.

American Woodmark, Winchester, Va., is shuttering its lumber mill in Hazard, Ky., and cabinet manufacturing facility in Moorefield, W.V., while placing an idled assembly plant in Oklahoma up for sale.

Cedar Siding Inc., Rochelle, Il., now distributes MaxiTile fiber cement siding, trim, panels, soffits, and accessories.

DW Distribution, DeSoto, Tx., has selected Buffelen Woodworking Co., Tacoma, Wa., as its primary fir door

supplier.

Boral Roofing’s BoralPure concrete roof tiles are now

available nationwide.

Deckorators, Grand Rapids, Mi., will offer its classic baluster in copper and matte black.

Westervelt Co., Tuscaloosa, Al., has achieved FSC certification for its nearly 500,000 acres in central Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Collins Cos.’ Collins Hardwood mill in Richwood, W.V., received Forest Stewardship Council chain-of-custody certification.

WOLF, York, Pa., received code compliance approval for its WOLF PVC decking.

Hycrete , Carlstadt, N.J., earned Cradle to Cradle Certified Gold status for its liquid admixture products.

Marvin Window & Doors now offers its Ultimate glid-

er window in an all-wood version.

TimberTech, Wilmington, Oh., added two new colors to its Radiance Rail Express line: classic black and traditional walnut.

Simpson Strong-Tie has introduced an online Fastener Finder tool, making it easy for customers to find the fastener products they need to compare, specify or buy.

Arch Chemicals, Norwalk, Ct., was recognized as a Ace Hardware Corp., along with DeWalt Power Tools, Towson, Md.; WJ Dennis, Elgin, Il.; Ace Paint, Oak Brook, Il.; Wayne Water Systems, Harrison, Oh., and Kaytee, Chilton, Wi. Vendor of the Year by

Anniversaries: Progressive Affiliated Lumbermen, Grand Rapids, Mi., 75th …

Building-Products.com

Potomac Shutters Mills

Potomac Supply Corp. is permanently closing most of its sawmill and planer mill operations in Kinsale, Va., eliminating 57 positions.

William T. Carden Jr., c.e.o., said the treated lumber division, landscape tie mill, fencing and decking and bioenergy divisions will continue.

SST Buys Truss Plate Maker

Simpson Strong-Tie agreed to buy the assets of truss-connector plate manufacturer Automatic Stamping, Edenton, N.C. The $40+-million deal was expected to close this month or near the end of December 2011.

Automatic Stamping was formed

by William Black Jr. in 2007.

Temple Inland, IP Proceed Patiently with Merger

Stockholders for Temple-Inland, Diboll, Tx., have approved a merger with International Paper, although the two companies agreed with the Department of Justice to extend the review period for the pending merger until Jan. 27 and push back the outside

Building-Products.com

date of their merger agreement from June 6 to June 28.

In September, IP said it would buy Temple-Inland for $32 per share in cash and assumption of $600 million of debt, for a total of $4.3 billion.

Particleboard Plants Close

After 48 years of particleboard production, Hambro Forest Products has closed its particleboard facilities in Lenoir, N.C., and Crescent City and Arcata, Ca. The plants in Lenoir and Arcata are up for sale, while the Crescent City operation will be mothballed, in hopes of restarting should market conditions improve.

Kleer Lumber Grows

Kleer Lumber, Westfield, Ma., boosted its manufacturing capacity with new plastic-processing equipment from Milacron LLC, Cincinnati, Oh. “Despite market conditions, Kleer has seen tremendous growth across multiple product lines, including PVC moulding, sheets, and trimboard,” said president Walt Valentine.

DEALER Briefs

Geneva Ace Hardware , Geneva, Il., was opened Jan. 4 by George and Lynn Havlicek at the former quarters of Geneva Hardware.

Dykes Lumber , Manhattan, N.Y., has installed solar arrays from EnterSolar at its locations in Aberdeen and Weehaken, N.J.

Puhlmann Lumber, New Ulm, Mn., and Design Home Center, New Ulm, shared the local Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year Award.

Red River Lumber, Texarkana, Tx., has joined 360-member buying group Lumbermens Merchandising Corp., Wayne, Pa.

Curtis Lumber , Malta, N.Y., partnered with workwear manufacturer Carhartt to distribute more than 8,000 pieces of apparel to residents affected by flooding after Hurricane Irene.

January 2012 Building Products Digest

23

SPECIAL Focus Western Woods

Photo by Bear Creek Lumber

Cooperation marks monitoring of western lumber design values

A

GREAT DEAL of attention has been focused on the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau’s recent American Lumber Standard Committee proposal to reduce southern pine lumber design values.

Western lumber producers have taken notice and affirmed their responsibility to ensure the products they sell can be used with confidence.

For the past year, western lumber rules writing and grading agencies have pursued a consensus approach to monitoring western lumber design values. A coalition of western agencies (Western Wood Products Association, West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau, Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau, Redwood Inspection Services, and Timber Products Inspection) are working together on a monitoring program to

24

Building Products Digest January 2012

sample and test western lumber species. According to Dr. Kevin Cheung, WWPA’s chief engineer, participating agencies are shouldering equal responsibilities to insure the successful outcome of the design value monitoring program.

A Western Lumber Sampling and Testing Plan for Monitoring Western Lumber Design Values prepared by the coalition was reviewed by the USDA Forest Products Laboratory and approved by the American Lumber Standard Committee’s board of review on October 20, 2011. The plan calls for destructive testing of lumber samples representative of production—360 lumber pieces in bending and 360 pieces in tension.

Working with statistical support from Portland State University, a total of 36 mills were randomly selected

for sample collection. This lumber sample represents the Douglas FirLarch lumber being produced for the marketplace. At the time of this writing, western lumber agencies are collecting samples (No. 2 grade Douglas Fir-Larch 2x4 lumber) for testing.

The testing of Douglas Fir-Larch will be conducted according to applicable ASTM consensus standards and will be completed in the spring of 2012.

The test data analysis will be performed by the cooperating western lumber agencies. The test results will then be reported to the ALSC board of review.

Western agencies will review preliminary test results and discuss appropriate actions, if required, with their respective companies. WWPA staff will review preliminary test results and discuss appropriate actions, if any are needed, with WWPA membership at their spring 2012 meeting in Portland, Or. The monitoring program is designed to detect any significant population shift in structural lumber properties impacting the published design values. Should the test results indicate a need for an expanded testing program, the lumber agencies will cooperate for additional sampling and testing in a timely manner.

Following the evaluation of Douglas Fir-Larch, other western species such as Hem-Fir and SPFs will be sampled and tested. This monitoring program will provide for periodic testing of western lumber in the future. The goal of the lumber monitoring program is to maintain customer confidence in the performance of western lumber products.

Building-Products.com

SPECIAL Focus Western Woods

California fire marshal mandates new exterior wood product rules

N

EW

PRODUCT

REGISTRATION

requirements are now in effect for exterior wood siding and decking products used in California’s Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas. Gone is the State Fire Marshal’s (OSFM) generic recognition of many solid wood siding and decking products used in WUI areas made possible by the American Wood Council (AWC) and western lumber industry sponsored fire testing.

In its place, are new OSFM product registration requirements, which recognize AWC as the listing manufacturer for the compliant generic wood products. Each manufacturer must now register their products in OSFM’s Building Material Listing program and have the required third-party certifica-

tion in order to use the AWC registration for product recognition.

Beginning in 2008, California implemented a new compliance program to meet the Wildland Urban Interface fire performance requirements of Chapter 7A of the California Building Code. Testing procedures were also put into place for exterior building products to determine compliance. The California Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is responsible for enforcing these provisions in State Responsibility Areas. Many local jurisdictions followed suit while others implemented more stringent requirements.

In response to the new WUI regulations, western lumber agencies and producers formed a task group under

BML Listings of Generic Wood Products

Generic Wood Product Category

AWC BML Listing Number

Tongued & Grooved, Shiplap, Channel Shiplap, V Shiplap, Log Cabin, 1x6, horizontal and vertical applications

8140-2041-0002

Wood Decking, 5/4x6

8110-2041-0001

Tongued & Grooved, Shiplap, V Shiplap (Edge V One Side), 1x4, , horizontal and vertical applications

8140-2041-0003

Board and Batten, 1x8 boards, 1.25” thick battens

8140-2041-0005

Rabbeted Bevel, 1x6

Board on Board, 1x8, ¾” plywood inserts

26

Building Products Digest January 2012

8140-2041-0004 8140-20141-0006

the American Wood Council to conduct fire tests on exterior wood siding and decking products to determine compliant products.

To facilitate the transition to the new requirements, OSFM developed a WUI Product Handbook that provides a list of compliant products. OSFM envisioned this handbook as a listing of products by individual manufacturer, but agreed to a wood industry request for a “generic” listing of compliant wood products under “Various Manufacturers.” The listings served as a convenient tool for builders and designers to determine which exterior wood siding and decking products could be used in Wildland Urban Interface areas. However, inclusion of the generic listings of wood products in the WUI Product Handbook was only intended as a transition step.

In 2011, OSFM announced they were planning to move all products in the WUI Product Handbook, including generic wood products, to their Building Materials Listing Program (BML). Unlike the WUI Product Handbook, which only requires selfcertification to qualify as a compliant product, BML requires third-party certification and the application of the OSFM logo on certified products.

Given the substantial change in the method of enforcement, OSFM agreed to meet with AWC representatives to discuss implementation details.

In October 2011, AWC met with senior state fire marshal representatives and reviewed the BML listing requirements. The meeting resulted in an agreement, which allowed AWC, while not a manufacturer, to carry Building-Products.com

BML listings without the need for a third-party certifier. Manufacturers of compliant wood products are then able to copy one or more of the AWC listings (see chart on previous page) as their own, provided they have an agreement with a Cal Fire approved third- party certifier. Western Wood Products Association and others have registered with Cal Fire and become approved certifiers. Interested manufacturers can contact WWPA or an OSFM approved third-party inspection agency for more information.

The WUI Product Handbook will be continued with two key changes.

First, a BML listing will be a prerequisite to be included in the WUI Handbook, and each WUI Handbook listing would carry a reference to its BML twin. Second, generic wood products previously listed under “Various Manufacturers” will be replaced by a list of manufacturers that will include AWC and other manufacturers that have applied to copy the respective listing in BML.

Delivering the Most Beautiful Building Materials to the World

Western Wood Confab

Western lumber producers return to Portland, Or., this spring for Western Wood Products Association’s annual meeting. WWPA’s annual meeting will be held March 11-12 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Portland.

Attendees will have two opportunities to network, first at the Sunday evening welcoming reception. The second opportunity to meet industry peers will be at the chairman's reception Monday evening. Both receptions feature WWPA’s Exchange Show, where service affiliates exhibit industry leading services and products.

Monday’s morning sessions kick off with WWPA’s lumber forecast breakfast, followed by business meetings and an industry luncheon. The afternoon features guest speakers on topics of key interest to western lumber producers. The day will close with the chairman's reception, which offers many opportunities to network with other industry professionals.

Registration is $300 for WWPA members, $350 for WWPA associates, and $425 for all others. For those who would like to just network with industry professionals, WWPA is offering a special registration for the welcoming and chairman’s receptions only for $100 each event.

Building-Products.com

Interfor is a leading global supplier, with one of the most diverse lines of lumber products in the world.

From high quality, fine grain appearance consumer products to quality structural components, Interfor provides the exacting standards required for wood based building systems.

Interfor.com

January 2012 Building Products Digest

27

SPECIAL Focus Western Woods

By Bob Berg, RISI

Current West Coast log prices are not sustainable

M

ARKET SUPPORT for log prices in the West Coast region of the U.S. has started to erode and prices

28

Building Products Digest January 2012

are expected to move lower well into 2012. Initially strong demand for logs in the export market pushed prices up

in late 2010 and well into 2011, to levels well above those in the South, severely damaging the competitive position of the lumber and plywood producers in the Coast region. In turn, these high prices tripped off a series of market responses that will erode support for log prices in the Coast.

The damage done to lumber and plywood producers in the Coast is clearly illustrated in the chart at lower right, which contains the log costs at the mill in both the West Coast and the South. While these costs have languished at cyclical lows in the South, costs for Douglas-fir logs at the mill have increase 61% from the third quarter of 2009 to the third quarter of 2011, which moved them from near parity to a 66% premium compared to these same costs in the South.

These higher wood costs in the Coast damaged the competitive position of the region’s converters in the U.S. domestic market. In the case of lumber, growth in offshore exports dampened the impact of high log costs. And the growth in offshore lumber export markets kept lumber prices in the Coast high relative to comparable items in the South.

In turn, the higher prices for coastal lumber have driven the Coast’s share of the U.S. domestic market lower. In the first half of 2011, shipments from the Coast were up 4.5% from the year-earlier pace, but after netting out exports, the shipments into the U.S. market were up a more modest 2.7%. Over this same period, softwood lumber shipments from the South, net of exports, were up 11.1%. So, the Coast’s share of the U.S. market stalled at 20%, while the South’s share increased from 36% to 39%.

Consider that the gains were made at the expense of Canadian lumber producers, so this was a missed Building-Products.com

opportunity to capture share of the U.S. market.

As long as the spread for wood costs between the South and West stays high, converters in the region will continue to lose share of the U.S. domestic market. This means that log prices in the Coast region will be increasingly dependent on the growth of lumber and log export demand to maintain current levels—not the level of exports, but the growth, because it will have to continue to expand and fill in the void left by continuing erosion in demand in the U.S. market.

Here lies the rub. Growth in lumber and log exports has stalled and evidence is pointing to a setback in both of these markets. The Chinese government’s efforts to rein in the housing market through reducing credit availability have taken hold with floor space under construction down 2.7% in October and floor space sold down 9.9%, with smaller cities retreating faster than the major cities, according to Dragonomics.

And in the wood supply chain, this tightening has been manifest in buyers’ inability to secure letters of credit (LCs) for lumber and log purchases. We have also heard stories of LCs not being honored after the wood is delivered and being pulled when it is in route. Finally, log and lumber inventories continue to back up at the ports as demand slumps. We expect exports to move lower through the end of this year and the first half of 2012, reflecting these recent developments. This is in line with the more tempered outlook for export demand in our forecasts in 2011.

One part of the equation not addressed here is the timber supply response. When growth in log supply first stalled and log prices started to erode, private log owners were quick to throttle back timber sales and support log prices.

Through the end of the year and well into 2012, these sales will have to be even lower to offset the anticipated slump in offshore exports and this has to be done in lockstep with the drop in demand. This typically does not happen as supply responses usually lag behind any setback in demand.

Consequently, downward pressure on the wood costs in the Coast region is expected to mount and log prices are expected to move lower.

– Bob Berg is RISI’s principal economist for lumber and author of its monthly Lumber Commentary and its Five-Year and 15-Year North American Lumber Forecasts. He can be reached at (781) 734-8914 or bberg@risi.com.

Delivered Wood Costs in the U.S. West Coast and South $5/MBF, Scribner (Quarterly)

Building-Products.com

January 2012 Building Products Digest

29

SPECIAL Focus Western Woods

By Craig Larsen, Softwood Lumber Export Council

International outlook for western softwood lumber

T

exports overseas.

In 2011, regional markets for U.S. softwoods included the Caribbean ($128 million), Southeast Asia ($38 million), and the European Union ($30 million). Southern Asia, including India and Pakistan, and the South Pacific, including Australia and the French Pacific Islands, combined for another $36 million in exports. Central and South America combined for over $5 million in shipments in 2011.

Western species have done well.

Douglas fir has climbed from $58 million in 2005 to $256 million (29% of all softwood exports) in 2011, and hemlock has risen from $11 million to $145 million during the same period.

Ponderosa pine has maintained a steady market, at about $26 million for the past two years. Southern pine shipments are at approximately $150 million in 2011.

HE NUMBERS :

The international marketplace for U.S.-produced softwood lumber is one of the few lumber markets that have continued to grow and provide added market demand over the past few years. In 2005 during the peak of the U.S. housing boom, international markets dropped to $449 million and 76,424,000 bd. ft. By 2008, the market had climbed to $584 million ($372 million from western species) and 86.8 million bd. ft. Exports for 2010 finished 51% ahead of 2009 at more than $843 million and 1.3 billion ft.

And then there was 2011. The numbers for the first 10 months indicate that this will be a $1 billion export year, with more than 1.5 billion bd. ft. shipped overseas. China entered the market in a big way, pushing to the number one spot with an estimated $225 million and 375 million bd. ft.

Japan continued to improve, with approximately $140 million and 165 million bd. ft. imported in 2011. Two other $100 million markets were Mexico and Canada, which include reRegion

North America East Asia

Countries

Canada, Mexico

Japan, China, Taiwan

DR, Jamaica, Bahamas

Europe

Italy, Spain, UK, Germany

World

30

In the global lumber market, U.S. softwood producers are still relatively small suppliers. Europe, Canada,

2011 Softwood Lumber Exports

Caribbean SE Asia

Markets

Philippines, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Pakistan

Value

$300.824 million

$395 million

$128 million

$59.736 million $32.114 million

$1 billion

Building Products Digest January 2012

Percent 30%

2010/2011 increase

55% / 2%

44%

76% / 77%

7%

-22% / 17%

3%

36% / 1%

12%

100%

46% / 3%

51% / 28%

Chile, New Zealand, and Russia are the major exporting regions or countries for softwood lumber products.

International market requirements and product uses vary widely by species, size, grade, and material end use. Traditional U.S. structural species, such as Douglas fir and hemlock, are found in many non-structural products. Lower grades of all species, which are of limited value in structural applications, find a home in crating, pallets, and packaging. Additionally, they are used in many remanufacturing and gluing facilities in parts of the world with much lower labor rates for furniture and millwork components.

Wood frame residential construction is mostly limited to North America, Japan, and parts of Oceania.

Even in those markets, North American framing systems using 38mm x 89mm (2x4) structural members is limited. The U.S., Canada, and a small segment in Japan are the only countries that utilize 2x4 construction.

Japan is the second largest wood frame building market in the world, but of the almost 500,000 wood frame units in Japan this year, only 98,000 were 2x4 based. The vast majority were traditional Japanese metric post and beam timber construction using metric sizes. Structural framing sizes in Australia and New Zealand use 35mm and 45mm by 90mm and 100mm sizes. U.S. softwood producers successful in these markets are providing metric-sized lumber to compete with other imported products, mainly from Europe and Canada.

International Wood Uses

Most of the U.S. softwood exported is for non-structural uses. Interior applications, such as doors, windows, frames, mouldings, flooring, paneling, and other millwork, are prime destinaBuilding-Products.com

tions for both pine and fir species.

Furniture parts and glued panels are also an end use for softwood lumber.

In Europe, western species such as Douglas fir and hemlock in the clear and other upper grades are prized for wooden window and door parts and frames. Ponderosa and other western pines are used in rustic pine furniture and for upholstery frames in Mexico, China, and Vietnam. U.S. producers are selling both metric and imperial sizes into these markets because much of the stock is ripped and resawn to provide “finished” metric sizes for the local markets.

A large portion of exported lower softwood grades are used in concrete forming for forming, wailers, and support posts. Much of the structural construction around the world is based on the use of concrete, so there are a large demand for formwork materials at all levels. Some world markets require structurally graded materials; some cultures use the material repeatedly, while others see wood as a single use material and aim for a cost competitive disposable supply with the remains for fuel or local d-i-y projects.

hem-fir were second at $2.7 million.

Other notable species include redwood, western red and yellow cedar, and ponderosa pine. For all of 2011, exports were expected to increase by more than 6% over 2010 levels.

Mexico is the second largest market for all western species. Its imports have followed the U.S. economy downward from $102 million in 2006 to $83 million in 2009. Last year brought a turnaround running at 27% over 2009. 2011 should top out with a market value of $120 million. Mexico is a low-grade pine market with ponderosa pine the leading known species imported, behind “other softwoods.”

Uses include furniture components, concrete forming, pallets, crating, and millwork. Douglas fir is also imported for some structural applications along the border. The major competition is radiata pine from Chile.

Canada is a perennial top destination for U.S. softwood species, but there is limited data as to how much is transshipped to the Pacific Rim via Vancouver and to Europe via the St. Lawrence, although anecdotal data points to a large percentage. Western species such as Douglas fir are used in housing construction and remanufacturing and components throughout Canada.

Western Species Markets

Western softwood species have found distinct foreign markets based on species and size. For strength, long lengths, and large sections of solid lumber, or for tight close grain materials, the U.S. West is the place to go.

The Pacific Rim is the leading market for western species and China is the leading destination. China has grown by a factor of 10. In 2005, exports to China were $23 million (33,072,000 bd. ft.), which rose to $225 million (375,000,000 bd. ft.) in 2011. When Russia raised its export taxes in 2009, China looked to the West for increased supply for raw materials and low cost remanufacturing stock. Hemlock was the leading U.S. species imported into China in 2011 at $24.3 million, which was 36% of all hemlock exported worldwide.

Douglas fir had a value of $6.67 million, and other major western species, including cedar, hem-fir, and ponderosa pine, were over $2 million each.

Japan is the second largest export market for U.S.-produced Douglas fir.

In 2011, Japan imported over $102 million, which was 56% of all Douglas fir exported that year. The vast majority of the product is in metric sizes and lengths for post and beam construction. Western hemlock and Building-Products.com

January 2012 Building Products Digest

31

MOVERS & Shakers

Fred Langguth has joined the contractor sales team at Graves Lumber, Copley, Oh. Greg Tart, ex-BlueLinx, is new to outside sales at Boise Cascade, serving Raleigh-Durham and eastern N.C. Steve Hickman is the new branch general mgr. for Cedar Creek, Carrollton, Tx. Jared Averitt is now branch general mgr. in Little Rock, Ar. Phillip Manly, ex-Woodford Plywood and Case Engineered Lumber, has joined the sales team at Wholesale Wood Products, Birmingham, Al., specializing in engineered wood.

Clete Boothby, ex-Shagbark Lumber, is new to outside sales at Lyon & Billard Lumber Co., Middletown, Ct. Nick Ausman, ex-Stimson Lumber, has been named general mgr. of Coastal Forest Products Co., Chapman, Al. Ralph Van Winkle has been named general mgr. of Builder’s Surplus, Garland, Tx.

32

Building Products Digest January 2012

Keith McGregor has been named v.p.-operations for Canfor-New South, Myrtle Beach, S.C., taking over for c.o.o. Don Olson, who has retired.

Meagan McCoy Jones has been promoted to v.p. of field support for McCoy’s Building Supply, San Marcos, Tx. Andrew Schlupp, ex-Home Guard Insulation, is a new sales rep at Wurth Wood Group, Atlanta, Ga. Bruce Dahn, ex-Goodfellow, is a new hardwood lumber specialist at Kearns Plywood, Londonderry, N.H. Chris Lazere, Minneapolis, Mn., has been promoted to senior channel mgr. for LP Building Products’ Central region. Paul Sowacke, Chicago, Il., is now channel mgr. covering Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and eastern Missouri.

Tony Cain, ex-Hall & House Lumber, is new to sales at Carter Lumber, Noblesville, In. Edan Dayan is a new kitchen & bath designer at Botello Lumber, Mashpee, Ma.

Mark Ellsworth has been named corporate director of research & development at T AMKO , Joplin, Mo. Joel Osterloh has been named director of International Forest Product’s new office in Atlanta, Ga., joined by Mel Lundberg and Nirian Ordonez as sales mgrs.

Ashley Boeckholt, ex-Bloch/Sherwood Lumber, is now director of lumber at Koch Pulp & Paper Trading, Houston, Tx. Margaret McCray is the new mgr. of Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore in Gaston, N.C. Chad Yordy has been promoted to v.p.-sales & marketing for PolyWood, Syracuse, In. Lewis Byers has joined Nissan Forklift Corp., Marengo, Il., as business development manager for the East region. He is based in Jacksonville, Fl. Stephen R. Hildebrand is new to the Door & Hardware Institute, Chantilly, Va., as director of business development.

Rich Lynch has been named retail marketing director for Do it Best Corp., Fort Wayne, In. Scott Liggett has been promoted to application development mgr. in Do it Best’s IT division. Steve Rose is new as safety director.

Kay Sachs is a new national account mgr. at HD Supply, Austin, Tx. Rick C. Welker, Beacon Roofing Supply, Peabody, Ma., has been appointed v.p. and chief accounting officer.

Rick Griffith is a new sales coordinator at 84 Lumber, San Antonio, Tx. Ishita Sinha has joined Home Depot, Atlanta, Ga., as marketing mgr.CRM loyalty.

John Venhuizen has been promoted to chief operating officer at Ace Hardware Corp., Oak Brook, Il. Blake Fohl has been named v.p.-marketing and chief customer officer for True Value Co., Chicago, Il., replacing Carol Wentworth, who has left the company.

Robert Lynch has been promoted to c.e.o. of Lumber Liquidators, Toano, Va., succeeding, Jeffrey Griffiths, who has retired.

Larry Boese has been appointed v.p.logistics & sourcing for Evermark/ LNL Building Products, Suwanee, Ga. Building-Products.com

David Cox has been named e-commerce coordinator for Modern Builders Supply, Toledo, Oh. Richard O’Reagan has been promoted to president of Delta Faucet Co., Indianapolis, In., succeeding Keith Allman, who is now group president of parent Masco. Jon Dartt replaces O’Reagan as v.p.sales at Delta. Ken Roberts is now v.p.-trade sales.

Nick Hartnett is new to sales at CertainTeed Corp., Indianapolis, In. Kim Constantino, ex-Boral, is now senior territory mgr., based in Columbus, Oh. Michael J. Clarke was named c.e.o. and president of Nortek, Providence, R.I. He succeeds Richard Bready, who retired in June.

Interim c.e.o. J. David Smith returns to his role as a director.

Building-Products.com

John Kufner has been named v.p.global sourcing at Masonite Corp., Charlotte, N.C. MaryJo Salzburg, ex-Johnson Controls, has rejoined lumber industry provider Member Insurance Agency, Barrington, Il., as v.p. of marketing.

Todd Shumate was promoted to v.p. of sales-North America for KNIPEX Tools LP, Arlington Heights, Il. Brad Fulkerson, ex-Avalon Flooring, has been named managing director of Laticrete Supercap, Bethany, Ct. Jim Dunn, chairman, Mill Creek Lumber Supply Co., Tulsa, Ok., was reappointed to the board and designated chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

Cary Anderson is managing LBM operations for Epicor Software

Corp., Livermore, Ca., including product development, professional services, and support. Bob Chamberlain, ex-Hope Lumber & Supply, is now running the Epicor LBM sales organization.

Lindsay LaRuffa, director of sales & operations-Central N.Y. division, Curtis Lumber, Hamilton, N.Y., was elected to the board of the Hamilton Business Alliance.

Freda Jones, Raymond Building Supply Corp., N. Fort Myers, Fl., has been elected treasurer of Special Equestrians, a nonprofit providing therapeutic horseback riding to the disabled.

Skip N. Wayne is a newly certified grader at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

January 2012 Building Products Digest

33

Paint Color Trends Draw on Outdoors

Wondering about the hot paint colors for next year? Wonder no more.

The 2012 paint palette will draw heavily upon natural colors from the American landscape, according to Debbie Zimmer, color expert at the Paint Quality Institute.

“Native plants and flowers, oceans and lakes, and rocks and minerals are the sources of inspiration for the paint colors that will be ‘in’ next year,” Zimmer says. “If you’re thinking about repainting your home interior, look to the great American outdoors.”

Here are some highlights:

Blue, the Jewel of the Sea Blues gained popularity in 2011 and continue to be red hot in 2012.

“From sparkling sea-glass blue to colonial blue-gray, blues are suitable for all living spaces, being a naturally soothing color that is loved—in one iteration or another—by almost everyone,” says Zimmer.

Green, From Farm to Forest Greens, ranging from celery and asparagus to fir and fern, allow homeowners to bring the comforting feelings of the world outside into the

34

Building Products Digest January 2012

world within. According to Zimmer, dining rooms and kitchens are the “natural” spots for in vogue greens, but the hue is also at home in family rooms and bedrooms.

Violet, Majestic Purple Mountains “A harmonious combination of patriotic blue and red hues, violet can add ‘punch’ to any room when used as an accent color, or serve as the dominant color in a bedroom,” says Zimmer.

But natural hues aren’t the only news for 2012. Zimmer predicts that three paint and decorating trends will gain prominence next year:

Patterns In 2012, patterned paint will take center stage, with increased interest in hound’s-tooth finishes, lacy designs, and bold color blocking techniques.

“In some cases, pattern will be the main decorating feature in a room; in others, it will provide a subtle, textured backdrop for fine furnishings and artwork,” says Zimmer.

Black and White The classic combination of black

and white isn’t just for Cape Cods any more. You’ll see much more of it in all sorts of settings, from contemporary apartments to historic homes, says Zimmer. “The pairing is a great way to freshen an interior with something smart and stylish,” she says.

Exterior Paint Combinations On the home exterior, shutters colors will begin to shift away from the traditional look of high-contrast green, red, or black to a more monochromatic palette. “You’ll see more shutters that are painted just a shade darker than the siding,” says Zimmer.

“Owners of homes with stone exteriors can get in on things by matching the shutter color to the dominant color of the stone.”

Despite all the new colors and trends, Zimmer says some things in the paint world will remain the same in 2012: “Top quality 100% acrylic latex paint will continue to provide the best performance and the best value to budget-conscious homeowners,” she says.

And, since paints are locally produced, consumers can easily support the growing “Made in America” decorating trend.

ProBuild Alumni Form New Building Products Distributor

Several former ProBuild Holdings executives have started a building materials distribution company called Kodiak Building Partners, based— like ProBuild—in Denver, Co. Kodiak plans to invest in building products companies serving new residential, repair and remodeling, and commercial construction markets across the U.S. Kodiak will provide capital and strategic support to allow its operating partners to make decisions locally, reflecting conditions in their individual markets.

“We believe the time is right to acquire assets in this space,” said Paul Hylbert, Kodiak c.e.o. and chairman and ProBuild’s former c.e.o. “While construction activity in general remains very weak, we believe that this business will recover and are looking to partner with strong management teams to participate in the upturn.”

Steve Swinney, formerly vice president of finance at ProBuild, will serve as president and chief operating officer. Brian Cleveringa, Kyle Barker, and Eric Miller, who worked in ProBuild’s financial division, will be managing directors.

In July, Kodiak purchased Barton Building-Products.com

Supply, a Colorado-based fabricator and distributor of structural and reinforcing steel products and accessories.

Beacon Acquires Fowler & Peth

Beacon Roofing Supply, Peabody, Ma., acquired nineunit roofing distributor Fowler & Peth, Denver, Co. Founded in 1948, Fowler & Peth has six locations in Colorado, two in Wyoming, and one in Nebraska, with annual sales of approximately $60 million. Co-owners Eric “Ric” Peth and Kurt Peth said the sale will facilitate quicker growth for the company and greater career growth opportunities for employees.

“Fowler & Peth is an industry leader and allows Beacon to expand our presence in the very important Denver market beyond our existing Denver branch and to serve customers in the surrounding states,” said Beacon c.e.o. Paul Isabella. “Fowler & Peth is a key component to Beacon’s westward expansion plans and will be a gateway to further geographic growth for our company.”

Although the implementation date for the standard had been in flux for some time (it was originally to go into effect in July 2007), the January 2012 implementation date appeared to be a hard deadline for most EU countries (the U.K. deadline is July 2013). At this point, the requirement applies only to structural lumber.

CE marking has been used throughout Europe since 1993 to indicate that products have met legal requirements.

In order to attain CE marking capability, producers must subscribe to an approved inspection agency.

Robbers Hit Wisconsin Lumberyard

Hartje Lumber, La Valle, Wi., suffered a Nov 29 robbery.

When police arrived, they discovered that several buildings had been broken into, including one lumber shed with stored trucks and the office and retail sales building.

“While the person or persons were in the office, they did extensive damage while trying to take the safe,” said sheriff Chip Meister. He said that a number of power tools were also taken from the business, along with a 2000 GMC truck. The cost of the thefts and damage were estimated to be greater than $10,000, excluding the truck.

New Rule Arrives for Exports to EU

As of Jan. 1, most European Union countries reportedly now require structural lumber sold in those countries to bear a CE mark, reflecting that the product meets the standards outlined in the European structural timber standard, EN 14081-1.

Producers who export structurally graded lumber to Europe will need to have been issued CE grademarks or risk having their products turned back at the port of entry.

Building-Products.com

Swanson Bros. Lumber Co., Noti, Or. A Quality-Oriented Dougas Fir Cutting Mill Specializing in cutting high quality timbers, beams and stringers for exposed applications.

Timbers for general construction also available.

Rough sizes up to 24x24, S4S up to 8x14, Lengths to 32’ 2” and 4” dimension up to 32’

We would like to earn your business.

Sales (541) 935-7799 Jay Christiansen

Sam Bacogiannis

j.bird@swansonbros.com

sam@swansonbros.com

www.swansonbros.com

January 2012 Building Products Digest

35

NEW Products

Alternative Decking Fasteners

Tiger Deck’s hidden deck fasteners can now be used with grooved composite and plastic decking.

The universal design is compatible with most grooved deck boards, for faster installation, consistent space, and freedom from unsightly screws.

TIGERDECK.COM (503) 625-1747

Solar System for Shingles

CertainTeed’s Apollo solar system integrates with roof shingles for a clean, seamless appearance in both new and retrofit applications.

Each slim, 12-lb. module has 14 polycrystalline silicon solar cells that absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity.

Its lightweight design doesn’t require structural reinforcement, yet resists wind uplift.

CERTAINTEEDSOLAR.COM (877) 596-0471

Recycled Insulation

Wood-like Tiles

MRINSULATE.NET

MEDITERRANEA-USA.COM

Applegate’s Cotton Armor insulation is made from 85% recycled denim and cotton fibers.

The environmentally friendly product is available in three R-values—R-13, R-19, and R-21—that also limit sound transmission.

(855) 626-8866

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Building Products Digest January 2012

Mountain Timber glazed porcelain tiles from Mediterranea use Dynamic HD imaging to replicate the look and appeal of fossilized wood.

Three colors come in 6’x24” and 12’x24” sizes, with 2”x2” mesh-backed mosaics.

(305) 718-5091

Building-Products.com

Fine Hardwood Windows

Versatile Column Wrap

WOODGRAIN.COM

VERSATEX.COM

Pinnacle Select windows are crafted with select pine, alder, or Douglas fir by Windsor Windows & Doors.

A thicker sash, wider stiles and rails, and mortise and tenon sash joints distinguish the line.

Styles include vented and fixed casements, picture, transom, and awning windows.

(800) 452-3801

Building-Products.com

Versatex now offers VersaWrap column cladding in a 4”x6” version.

The matte-finished PVC product reduces field cutting and eliminates mitering for perfectly aligned corners on every column.

Friction-fit closures ensure a tight, professional fit over roughsawn structural posts.

(724) 857-1111

Stunning Steel Siding

The industry’s first, fabricated, insulated steel siding panel is the newest offering from Rollex.

Therman Pro is made from 29-gauge galvanized steel with a 4-mil-thick PVC finish and an insulating backer of solid, expanded polystyrene.

The product comes in six colors and three profiles—double 4”, double 5”, and double 5” Dutch lap—with R-values ranging from 2.20 to 2.63.

ROLLEX.COM (800) 251-3300

January 2012 Building Products Digest

37

Bamboo Flooring, In a Snap

Cali Bamboo’s engineered wood flooring snaps together without glue or nails.

Able to withstand nearly 5,300 lbs., the bamboo panels come in three colors (natural, marbled, java).

CALIBAMBOO.COM (888) 788-2254

Roof Sealant

GacoSeamSeal from Gaco Western is a silicone-based, solvent-free sealant for roofs that can be applied with a brush, trowel, roller, or piping bag.

Instead of kneeling down to apply tape, installers can use the seal to prepare roofs for a silicone coating.

GACO.COM

(877) 699-4226

Crystal-Clear Views

Evolution aluminum windows from Crystal Window & Door allow large, unobstructed views in new construction and replacement applications.

Series 9000 tilts at the top and is hinged on the side to swing in.

Series 9100 is a fixed picture window. Multiple units can be combined with a continuous master-frame or zero-mullion system.

CRYSTALWINDOWS.COM (718) 961-7300

38

Building Products Digest January 2012

Reconfigured Deck Fasteners

TopLoc stainless steel deck fasteners from TimberTech have a tri-lobular design that reduces compression, mushrooming, spinout, and end-splitting.

The collection comes in five colors—cedar, grey, rosewood, teak, and walnut—to match TimberTech’s deck offerings.

TIMBERTECH.COM (800) 307-7780

Building-Products.com

Natural Cedar Deck

Siding Insulation

Progressive Foam Technologies offers insulation for fiber cement, composite wood, and steel siding.

Fullback FC works with plank-style fiber-cement sidings, while Fullback CW is designed for composite-wood siding.

Fullback S complements steel siding.

Installed between siding and sheathing or housewrap, the insulation can add up to R-3.0 to wall systems and counteract thermal bridging.

Cascadia cedar decking from Terminal Forest Products offers low maintenance and natural beauty.

Made from 100% renewable North American cedar, the product is environmentally friendly and resistant to decay and insects.

TERMINALFOREST.COM (604) 717-1200

FULLBACKFC.COM (800) 860-3626

Low-Temp Roofing Underlayment

Blueskin roofing underlayment has been designed

by Henry Co. for installation and performance in cold weather.

Unlike traditional underlayments that reportedly must be installed when temperatures are above 40째, Blueskin can be used at temperatures as low as 14째.

HENRY.COM

(800) 486-1278

Building-Products.com

Energy-Efficient Windows

EnergyCore fusion-insulated windows from Quanex Building Products are available in a wide range of profiles and frames.

New options include horizontal slider, tilt single-hung, sideload single-hung, and picture window designs for remodeling projects, tear-outs, and new constuction.

QUANEX.COM (713) 961-4600

January 2012 Building Products Digest

39

FAMILY Business

By James Olan Hutcheson

Resolving family business conflicts

T

OO OFTEN , SWEEPING potential conflict under the rug is what happens in family enterprises. Rather than respectfully addressing problems that could cause strife, they are ignored and allowed to fester until some combination of events makes them impossible to overlook. By then, the conflict may be so intense and deep-rooted, or the business may be in such a delicate and precarious position, that resolution is much more difficult.

Any method of conflict resolution is probably okay as long as the solution you choose doesn’t belittle or demean anyone or force a winnerand-loser outcome. There is one simple, widely used method to resolve common conflict that goes by the acronym DESC: Describe, Express, Specify, and Consequences. Here’s a scenario that shows how you can apply DESC to resolve a simple conflict within your family enterprise.

A family business member has consistently arrived late to meetings.

Other family members are annoyed with the behavior, teamwork is deteriorating, and important decisions are being delayed. As the leader of the business, you are expected to do something about it. In fact, given what you know about the risk of delaying resolution, you really want to do something about it and move on.

How can you best correct the situation?

Describe. Arrange a private meeting with the guilty party and start by describing the other person’s actions and/or behavior objectively.

Try to quantify the concerns and avoid judgmental, absolute terms such as, “You always…” and “You are 40

Building Products Digest January 2012

never…” For example, do not say, “You are always late to the meeting.”

Instead say something like, “You were 30 minutes late to last week’s board meeting. That was the fourth time this year.”

Express. Express your concern about the consequences of the behavior on the business and family. Keep it simple, and keep it believable.

Don’t say, “You are destroying the company.” Instead, say “The problem with you coming in late is that it reduces the amount of time we can spend on important decisions, and it conveys to other board members the message that the meetings aren’t important.”

Prior to attempting to solve any conflict, it is critical that you listen first to fully understand the situation.

Then structure your message into a DESC format. Don’t just blast away because someone came late again to the board meeting. First, ask why the person was late. It’s always a good idea when there’s conflict to take a deep breath, rehearse what you need to do, and then gather information.

At times like this, I like to recall Aristotle’s comment on anger: “Anybody can become angry, that is easy. But to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose and in the right way, that is not within everybody’s power. That is not easy.”

You’ll be better at conflict resolution if you pay close attention to your own state of mind. When you are in an extreme mood, avoid making any promises or even making phone calls, writing letters, or sending emails.

Specify. Specify the behavior you want. Be as specific as possible.

Example: “It is critical that you be here on time when we call a family board meeting.”

Consequences. Cite the consequences that will occur when the behavior is changed. Emphasize the opportunities or benefits that might otherwise be lost. Also cite positive consequences. For example: “When you show up on time, we will get through the meeting on time, resulting in a more productive team-building and morale-enhancing experience. If you continue to be late, people will believe that it’s not important enough for them to be there, or that they’re only there because they have to be.”

In real life, your conflict resolution may not go as smoothly as this. You shouldn’t attempt to run a DESC script when people are screaming and yelling, although you can still adhere to the same principles. Just wait until things cool off, and then try it.

Often, when you are angry, it’s tempting to pen a stinging message. That’s the worst time to do that. Instead stop, pay attention to your own emotions, gather information, and run a DESC script. Good luck!

– James Olan Hutcheson is managing partner and founder of ReGeneration Partners, a family business consulting firm headquartered in Dallas, Tx. From 1976 to 1995, he worked at Olan Mills Inc., a company started by his grandfather. He can be reached at (800) 4061112 or www.regeneration-partners.com.

Reprinted with permission of ReGeneration Partners. No portion of this article may be reproduced without its permission.

Building-Products.com

IN Memoriam

Gary Clark Elwell, 53, lumber buyer for Universal Forest Products, Grandview, Tx., died Nov. 11 in Austin, Tx. He had worked at Universal for more than nine years.

Clarence Bernard Zoller Jr., 84, owner and president of Du Quoin Home Lumber, Du Quoin, Il., died Nov. 22 in Cape Giraudeau, Mo. Mr. Zoller served with the U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II. He started the business in 1947 and retired in 1963.

Josiane “Josie” Therese Serra, 57, owner and manager of Surplus Depot, Elkton, Md., died of cancer Dec. 14.

Previously, she co-owned J&J Home Improvement Center, Elkton.

Jeffrey Robert Bleile, 50, president of American Timber & Steel, Norwalk, Oh., and Midwest Treating, Norwalk, died Nov. 7.

After attending Bowling Green State University, he joined the family construction firm, Paul E. Bleile Co., Norwalk. In 1983, he launched his own wood treating, manufacturing and wholesaling companies. He also owned Railway Siding Corp., Norwalk.

His son, Rob Bleile, succeeds him as president of American Timber.

Donald L. Bleile, 74, founder of Bleile Supply Co., Norwalk, Oh., died

Oct. 28 in Norwalk after a brief illness.

After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he worked for Paul E. Bleile Co., Norwalk, before starting his own building supply business. He then launched Lake Erie Construction Co., Norwalk, where he worked until his death.

John R. Wing, 64, former coowner of Sancona Building Supply, Sandy Creek, N.Y., was killed Dec. 1 when his experimental single-engine plane crashed in Fulton, N.Y. He operated Sancona Building Supply with his brother and sister until retiring in February 2010.

Marilee Rowlett Pierce, 87, cofounder of Paris Building Supply, Paris, Tn., died Nov. 29 in Paris.

She formed the company with her husband, Charles Pierce, in 1966.

Oscar L. “Lee” Watson Jr., 88, longtime executive with Cain’s Builders Supply, Fort Worth, Tx., died Dec. 4 in Bedford, Tx. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he graduated from Texas Wesleyan College.

Ambrose Berry, 56, owner of Old Saw LLC, Scarborough, Me, died Dec. 11 in Scarborough.

He spent 33 years in the wood products industry, starting at Kingfield Wood Products Co., Kingfield, Me., as assistant manager and later as

director of marketing and finance. In 1984, he joined the sales team at H. A. Stiles Co., Westbrook, Me., and later was promoted to v.p./general manager.

He started his own wood products brokerage, Old Saw, in 2009.

James R. “Jim” Craig, 88, former owner of Pendleton Lumber Co., Pendleton, In., died Dec. 9 in Indianapolis In. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps on Iwo Jima during World War II, he owned and managed the lumberyard from 1947 to 1960.

Mary A. Salamone, 79, former co-owner of Northgate True Value Hardware, Little Falls, N.Y., died Dec. 4.

She had operated the store with her late husband, Sam. William Joseph “Bill” Trombley Sr., 69, owner and operator of William Trombley Forest Products, Gladstone, Mi., died Dec. 15 in Escanaba, Mi. He also owned William Trombley Trucking, Gladstone.

Colleen Marie Davis, 80, retired office manager, bookkeeper, and store clerk at Cline Lumber, Kendallville and Wolcottville, In., died Nov. 10 in Kendallville.

Along with her husband, who was the company manager, they operated the yards for almost 45 years.

Sparkman, Arkansas

Phone: (870) 226-6850 • (870) 678-2277 • Fax: (870) 678-2522 The White Family – Serving the Lumber Industry for Four Generations

High Quality Arkansas Southern Yellow Pine Boards, Pattern Stock and 5/4 Square Edge, Flooring, Beaded Ceiling, 105, 116, 117, 119, 122, 131, 139, 5/4x12 Nosing.

Building-Products.com

January 2012 Building Products Digest

41

ASSOCIATION Update

Northwestern Lumber Association executive David Rosenmeier retired Dec. 30, after 28 years with the association.

A project-estimating seminar in Wausau, Wi., with instructor Gary Thompson will be Feb. 3. Future Lumber Leaders will meet Feb. 3 at Manions Distribution Center, St. Cloud, Mn., and Feb. 17 at Holiday Inn Express, Lincoln, Ne. The annual Wisconsin Lumber Dealers Convention will be Feb. 8-9 at Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells. Feb. 14-15 is the South Dakota Lumber Convention in Sioux Falls. Feb. 23-24 are the dates for the Iowa Lumber Convention at Sheraton West, West Des Moines. The Nebraska Lumber Dealers Convention is March 8 at Embassy Suites Omaha-La Vista Hotel & Convention Center, La Vista.

On Feb. 18, members will trek to the Viaero Event Center, Kearny, Ne., to enjoy ice hockey featuring the Lincoln Stars vs. Tri-City Storm.

Northeastern Retail Lumber Association has lined up exceptional speakers for its annual expo Jan. 2527 at MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Ct. Bob Berg, RISI’s economic advisor for wood products, will explore the two-year outlook for North American panel and softwood lumber markets. Author George Lucas will offer tips on becoming a better leader

and negotiator. Researcher Lindsey Pollak will discuss how to manage generational differences, and author Shawn McCadden will look at trends in the remodeling industry.

Southern Building Material Association has scheduled its annual buying show for Feb. 1-2 at the Show Place in High Point, N.C. Educational sessions will cover a range of topics. Doug Asano, market analyst at Huber Engineered Woods, will discuss what’s ahead for the housing market. A panel discussion will look at the new realities of purchasing and inventory management.

Edsell Charles, chairman of MarketGraphics Research, will discuss relevant market research forecasts. Rick Kaglic, an economist for the Federal Reserve, will discuss economic conditions affecting construction.

New Jersey Building Materials Dealers Association has scheduled a series of member meetings through next month, including Feb. 1 in Absecon, Feb. 9 in Maywood, and Feb. 16 in West Trenton.

A roundtable dinner will be held Feb. 23 at Scarborough Fair, Wall.

North American Building Material Distribution Association has installed Paul Vella, Atlantic Plywood, as its new president.

Other new officers are presidentelect Michael Darby, Capital Lumber,

Your Eastern & Midwest Redwood Specialist

REDWOOD DECKING THE NATURAL ALTERNATIVE

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www.chicagosuburbanlumber.com

42

Building Products Digest January 2012

Phoenix, Az.; v.p. Donald Schalk, C.H. Briggs Co., Reading, Pa.; treasurer Robyn Pollina, Palmer-Donavin Mfg. Co., Columbus, Oh., and immediate past president Brian Schell, Parksite, Apex, N.C. New distributor directors are Ken Hager, Amerhart, Green Bay, Wi.; Ray Prozillo, A&M Supply, St. Petersburg, Fl.; Bill Sauter, OHARCO, Omaha, Ne., and Rick Turk, Metro Hardwoods, Osseo, Mn. New manufacturer directors are Mark Carlisle, M.L. Campbell, Cleveland, Oh.; Jeff Muller, Panolam Industries Int., Shelton, Ct.; Dan Pickett, Knape & Vogt Co., Grand Rapids, Mi.; Greg Pray, Columbia Forest Products, Winston-Salem, N.C.; Karl Ruedisser, Blum Inc., Stanley, N.C., and Chris Schlabach, VT Industries, Cleveland, Oh. Illinois Lumber & Material Dealers Association’s longtime assistant director, Mary Murphy, will retire at the end of March.

National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association will convene its annual spring meeting and legislative conference March 5-7 at Washington Marriott, Washington, D.C. North American Wholesale Lumber Association will host a Southeast regional meeting Feb. 23 at Wynfrey Hotel, Birmingham, Al. Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association will gather Feb. 89 at Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, Indianapolis, In., for its annual convention and expo.

Keynote speaker Josh Bleill will open the event. Dan Meyer and Michael Barret, editors at Hardwood Publishing, will discuss internet marketing, procurement, and market research. Exotic pests and diseases is the subject of a talk by Philip T. Marshall, forest health specialist and entomologist at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association Laboratories, Reston, Va., has welcomed Josh Hosen as its new manager of certification services.

Mike Axton is the new laboratory technologist and analytical chemist, replacing Gordon Wiggs, who was has left HPVA after 12 years to join a pharmaceutical laboratory.

Building-Products.com

TALK Back

We welcome your letters to the editor.

Send comments to Fax 949-852-0231, dkoenig@building-products.com, or BPD, 4500 Campus Dr. #480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660.

NO FSC-CERTIFIED SYP

I am writing in response to Mr. Brinkema’s letter (Oct. 2011, p. 20) about my article (“Certified Intolerance,” Aug., p. 12) on the ignorance, confusion and intolerance that exists today in the area of lumber certification. I have no desire to launch a public letter-writing campaign with Mr. Brinkema and hope

one day we can sit down together and discuss the merits of the various forest certification programs. I respect Mr. Brinkema’s duty as president to stand up for his organization. I would also like to thank him for adding credence to the point of my article that too much ignorance, confusion and intolerance exists in discussions relating to forest and lumber certification.

Mr. Brinkema states that “the Roy O. Martin Company has been selling FSC lumber, including southern pine from their FSC-certified acres in Louisiana, since 2002.” While it is true that the Roy O. Martin Company (which is a fine company and good corporate citizen, I might add) does

have several hundred thousand acres of FSC timberland in Louisiana and their panel products are FSC certified, their only southern pine sawmill is located in South Alabama and does not currently offer FSC lumber.

As the late Senator Moynihan said, “We’re entitled to our own opinions, but we aren’t entitled to our own facts.” If the leaders in the discussion are confused, just think about the poor lumber buyer who is trying to track down certified lumber.

S.M. Junkins McShan Lumber McShan, Al. smj@mcshanlumber.com

The se busi ne ss ca rd a ds i n BPD a nd The Me rcha nt Ma ga zi ne ra i se d $2, 150 for St. Jude Chi l dre n’ Re se a rch Hospi ta l , whi ch re l e ntl e ssl y pursue s cure s for ki ds wi th ca nce r a nd othe r ca ta strophi c di se a se s.

Happy New Year from…

BPD

Building Products Digest

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January 2012 Building Products Digest

43

CLASSIFIED Marketplace

Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word min.). Phone number counts as 1 word, address as 6. Centered copy or headline, $9 per line. Border, $9.

Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished “camera-ready” (advertiser sets the type), $65 if we set type. Send ad to Fax 949-8520231 or dkoenig@ building-products.com. For more info, call (949) 852-

WANTED TO BUY

WE BUY AND SELL PANEL STRIPS

Plywood, OSB, particleboard and MDF by the truckloads. Lumber Source, Phone (800) 8741953, Fax 888-576-8723, email LumberSource@hotmail.com.

WANTED TO BUY

1990. Make checks payable to Cutler Publishing. Deadline: 18th of previous month.

To reply to ads with private box numbers, send correspondence to box number shown, c/o BPD. Names of advertisers using a box number cannot be released.

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44

Building Products Digest January 2012

Building-Products.com

DATE Book

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

Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine – Jan. 12, board meeting, Lewiston, Me.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

Northwest Iowa Home & Builders Show – Jan. 13-15, Spencer, Ia.; (712) 336-0040; www.jacksonexpogroup.com.

Buttery Co. – Jan. 14-15, dealer market, Bell County Exposition Center, Belton, Tx.; (800) 880-1515; www.butterycompany.com.

New Hampshire Retail Lumber Assn. – Jan. 19, board meeting, Hooksett, N.H.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

Lakes States Lumber Association – Jan. 19-20, winter meeting, Radisson Hotel, Green Bay, Wi.; (888) 213-2397; www.lsla.com.

Mid-America Lumbermens Association – Jan. 19-20, Kansas winter meeting, Newton, Ks.; (800) 747-6529; www.themla.org.

Handy Hardware Wholesale – Jan. 19-21, market, George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, Tx.; (713) 644-1495; www.handyhardware.com.

Central Nebraska Home & Builders Show – Jan. 20-22, Grand Island, Ne.; (712) 336-0040; www.jacksonexpogroup.com.

Monroe Hardware – Jan. 21-22, market, Cabarrus Events Center, Concord, N.C.; (704) 289-3121; www.monroehardware.com.

Northeast Window & Door Assn. – Jan. 23-24, winter education meeting, Doubletree, Mt. Laurel, N.J.; (609) 799-4900; nwda.net.

Surfaces – Jan. 24-26, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nv.; (972) 536-6358; www.surfaces.com.

American Fence Association – Jan. 25-27, FenceTech/DeckTech, Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, Fl.; (800) 8224342; www.americanfenceassociation.com.

Do It Best Corp. – Jan. 25-27, winter conference, Walt Disney World Swan, Orlando, Fl.; (260) 748-5300; doitbestcorp.com.

Build, Renovate & Landscape Expo – Feb. 10-12, Louisville, Ky.; (800) 374-6463; www.homeshowcenter.com.

Florida Hardware Co. – Feb. 11-12, market, Doubletree Hotel, Orlando, Fl.; (904) 783-1650; www.floridahardware.com.

Long-Lewis Hardware – Feb. 11-12, market, Montgomery Civic Center, Montgomery, Al.; (205) 322-2561; www.long-lewis.com.

South Dakota Retail Lumberman’s Association – Feb. 14-15, annual convention, Best Western Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center, Sioux Falls, S.D.; (605) 665-5089; www.sawbucks.com.

True Value Co. – Feb. 20-22, spring market, Convention Center, Orlando, Fl.; (773) 695-5171; www.truevaluecompany.com.

WoodWorks – Feb. 21, Wood Solutions Fair, Georgia International Convention Center, College Park, Ga.; (866) 966-3448; www.woodworks.org.

National Roofing Contractors Association – Feb. 22-24, annual convention & expo, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fl.; (847) 299-9070; www.nrca.com.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association – Feb. 23, regional meeting, Wynfrey Hotel, Birmingham, Al.; (800) 5278258; www.lumber.org.

WoodWorks – Feb. 23, Wood Solutions Fair, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Md.; (866) 966-3448; www.woodworks.org.

Northwestern Lumber Association – Feb. 23-24, Iowa lumber convention, Sheraton West, Des Moines, Ia.; (763) 544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

Oklahoma City Spring Remodel & Landscape Show – Feb. 2426, Cox Convention Center, Oklahoma City, Ok.; (800) 374-6463; www.homeshowcenter.com.

National Frame Building Association – Feb. 29-March 2, frame building expo, America’s Center, St. Louis, Mo.; (800) 557-6957; www.nfba.org.

Northeastern Retail Lumber Association – Jan. 25-27, annual expo, MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Ct.; (800) 2926752; www.nrla.org.

Building/Remodeling Shows – Jan. 27-29, Atlanta, Ga.; Baltimore, Md.; Columbus, Oh.; (800) 374-6463; homeshowcenter.com.

Guardian Building Products – Jan. 29-31, market, Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 569-4262; www.guardianbp.com.

Progressive Affiliated Lumbermen Co-op – Jan. 31-Feb. 2, annual conference & buyers mart, Hilton Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fl.; (800) 748-8900; www.pal-coop.com.

Southern Building Material Association – Feb. 1-2, show, Showplace Convention Center, High Point, N.C.; (704) 376-1503; www.southernbuilder.org.

Orgill Inc. – Feb. 2-4, dealer market, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fl.; (800) 347-2860; www.orgill.com.

Material Handling Industry of America – February 6-9, annual expo, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga.; (704) 6761190; www.mhia.org.

Construction Suppliers Association – Feb. 8, insight meeting, Albany, Ga.; (678) 674-1860; www.gocsa.com.

Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association – Feb. 8-9, convention & expo, Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, Indianapolis, In.; (800) 640-4452; www.ihla.org.

Northwestern Lumber Association – Feb. 8-9, Wisconsin Lumber Dealers Convention, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells, Wi.; (763) 544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

International Builders Show – Feb. 8-11, sponsored by National Association of Home Builders, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fl.; (800) 368-5242; www.buildersshow.com.

Construction Suppliers Association – Feb. 9, insight meeting, Montgomery, Al.; (678) 674-1860; www.gocsa.com.

Building-Products.com

January 2012 Building Products Digest

45

IDEA File Playtime that Pays

ADVERTISERS Index For more information on advertisers, call them directly or visit their websites [in brackets].

Advantage Trim & Lumber [www.advantagelumber.com]....34

Anthony Forest Products [www.anthonyforest.com]..............5

Cabot [www.cabotfactoryfinish.com] ............................Cover II Capital [www.capital-lumber.com] ..........................................32

Chicago Suburban Lumber [chicagosurburban.com]...........42

Columbia Vista Corp. [www.columbiavista.com] ..................28

Crumpler Plastic Pipe [www.cpp-pipe.com] ..........................45

Distribution Management Systems Inc. [www.dmsi.com] ....33

Epicor [www.epicor.com].........................................................21

Forest2Market [www.forest2market.com] ..............................11

Idaho Forest Group [www.idahoforestgroup.com]................25

WHILE THEIR PARENTS shop at Hyde Park Lumber, kid can also handle wood products—toys to be exact—that fill the design center’s new playroom.

A new playroom

at Hyde Park Lumber’s 80,000-sq. ft. design center is filled with educational wooden toys to keep kids happy and occupied so their parents can shop. As an added bonus for busy parents, the full line of toys is also for sale.

“We’ve made a concentrated effort over the last year to attract women customers, who often have their children with them when they visit the design center,” says Mike Judy, president of Hyde Park. “What better way to entertain the kids than having their own room, filled with wooden toys made in America?”

Produced by Anatex since 1982—entirely in the U.S.—the educational toys have won numerous awards from parenting organizations. The company is perhaps best known for its wire roller coasters, longtime fixtures in many waiting rooms and doctor’s offices.

Judy says that he first encountered the line in a hospital waiting room and decided the toys would be a natural fit in the company’s design center.

“We try to make sure we have what remodelers are seeking for their projects,” he says. “By adding this line of kid’s products, we’re keeping the same standards for them that we offer to our homeowners.”

Jason Rains, a front-desk salesperson, has seen firsthand how kids react to the toys. “We have one close to the entryway to the showroom and the kids run to it,” he says. “They all love the toys, and moms love the idea that they can shop while their kids entertain themselves.

It’s a winning combination.”

46

Building Products Digest January 2012

Interfor [www.interfor.com] .....................................................27

Lumbermens Association of Texas [www.lat.org] ................23

Master Mark Plastics [www.rhinodeck.com]............................4

Nordic Engineered Wood Products [www.nordicewp.com] ...3

Potlatch [www.potlatchcorp.com]...........................................31

Ray White Lumber ....................................................................41

RoyOMartin [www.royomartin.com].............................Cover IV

Seneca Sawmill Co. [www.senecacorp.com].........................29

Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com].....................Cover I Smith Millwork [www.smithmillwork.com] .............................37

Snider Industries [www.sniderindustries.com] .....................35

Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. [slma.org]..........7

Swanson Brothers [www.swansonbros.com]........................35

TMI Forest Products [www.tubafor.com] ...............................17

Tri-State Lumber Co. [www.homanindustries.com] ..............22 Versatex [www.versatex.com].......................................Cover III

Western Red Cedar Lumber Assn. [www.wrcla.org]........38-39

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R

T R I M B O A R D

BPD

Building Products Digest

4500 Campus Dr. No. 480 Newport Beach, Ca. 92660-1872

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