BPD January 2021

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Building Products Digest

JANUARY 2021

THE VOICE OF THE LBM SUPPLY CHAIN — SINCE 1982

SIDING & TRIM SPECIAL ISSUE • BONUS BUILDS • SOUTHERN PINE GOES GLOBAL

Unleash your customers’ imaginations.

Beautifully innovative.

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Project Plans

CONTENTS

January 2021 Volume 40 n Number 1

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Special Report

Features

Departments

36 SOUTHERN PINE

10 FEATURE STORY

8 ACROSS THE BOARD 20 REVENUE GROWTH HABIT 22 TRANSFORMING TEAMS 24 LUMBER 411 34 MOVERS & SHAKERS 42 SELLING WITH KAHLE 44 NEW PRODUCTS 48 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 48 IN MEMORIAM 49 DATEBOOK 49 ADVERTISERS INDEX 50 FLASHBACK

DEEP DIVE INTO HOW THE INDUSTRY HAS

CONTINUED TO DEVELOP NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS FOR SOUTHERN PINE IN THE FACE OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

EXTERIOR PRODUCT TRENDS FOR 2021

12 INDUSTRY TRENDS

BONUS BUILDS SHED LIGHT ON HOME PRODUCT TRENDS

14 MARGIN BUILDERS BPD

VISUALIZER TOOLS HELP DEALERS CLOSE SIDING AND TRIM SALES

Building Products Digest

JANUARY 2021

THE VOICE OF THE LBM SUPPLY CHAIN — SINCE 1982

SIDING & TRIM SPECIAL ISSUE • BONUS BUILDS • SOUTHERN PINE GOES GLOBAL

Unleash your customers’ imaginations.

16 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

RENOVATION AIDS KENTUCKY DEALER

18 OLSEN ON SALES SELLING OUR OPINION

Beautifully innovative.

Add style and elegance to your outdoor projects with Outdoor Accents decorative hardware from Simpson Strong-Tie. © 2021

Simpson Strong-Tie Company Inc. OAV19D

Party Pavilion

From pavilions to pergolas to arbors, Simpson Strong-Tie has the plans and the Outdoor Accents decorative hardware to help your customers build beautiful outdoor structures. Find everything you need at go.strongtie.com/outdooraccents. ®

Project Plans

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32 THINKING AHEAD

A POSITIVE 2021 OUTLOOK

50 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

2020 LUMBER MARKETS IN REVIEW

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8/21/19 10:26 AM

ACROSS the Board

By Patrick Adams

My favorite word T

hose who Know me might think I’ve had a bit too much eggnog (okay, we’re being honest, I hate eggnog—it would be whiskey) and I’m going to start throwing off four-letter words. And no, this article is not about New Year’s resolutions and how I should moderate my foul mouth (had too many failed resolutions to try yet again)!

Instead, it’s about the year we’ve ALL been through.

We are globally united in our past year in the sense that no human on Earth was spared from some level of concern or impact of COVID-19. Our lives changed. Regardless of how OCD routine of an individual you are, or how spontaneous and adventurous you are, you had to change.

Dramatically. Not a person who likes change (some claim to—they only like good, convenient change), or is afraid of change had a choice—we all changed.

For me, there were a LOT of lessons learned. Many good—like I should spend more time creating memories with my family while I can because the more time I spent with them, the more I discovered my “best self,” and it was surprising to me. I learned even more that I have an amazing team of dedicated, talented people who have determined spirits to serve this industry and, sometimes the result is far better when I just shut up and let them do what they think is best. I was reminded even more than normal that all of our time is limited and we should take a daily accounting of how we spend it.

There were a few bad lessons along the way, too. I don’t wash my hands enough, I touch my face too often, and in trying to change that, I haven’t had even a sniffle in over a year. I learned that I have to have far more discretion about what I take as “news” and how I allow it to influence my mood and actions. I also learned as my 4-year-old son developed a fever and a sore throat that the confidence in your plan of action can crumble quicker than a house of cards as your mind races to every worst case scenario imaginable (it was just some odd 24-hour bug).

But, what I learned more than anything is something that I’ve always enjoyed and prided myself at being good at—being able to IMPROVISE. It is truly my favorite word because it is counter to most people’s nature. Yes, I’ll admit it—I used to be a “planner.” Oh, I’d plan EVERYTHING! I wish I still had some of my five-, or even 10-year plans! I heard a keynote speaker once proclaim that “business plans aren’t worth the paper they’re written on because they’re obsolete by the time they came out of the printer!” Yes! I believed I found my spirit animal that day!

Improvising doesn’t mean simply allowing yourself to

be blown by any given breeze. But think about it—EVERY business plan that was completed (late) in January was obsolete by February 15 and now would look outright ridiculous! Vacation plans? Marriage plans? Retirement plans?

Investment plans? I would argue ANY plan written as late as January is laughable, unless you just got lucky (luck isn’t a plan a wise old friend used to tell me).

So along with all of you, we improvised this past year.

We navigated a global pandemic, record unemployment, a shutdown, civil unrest, and a contentious election. We remained nimble, humble, thankful and focused on who we serve, and each other. We took time to reach out more often, and had far more quality conversations about the things that mattered without looking at the clock. We took a bit more time for family, and ourselves, under the guise of “being safe.” We were creative in making memories, rather than using the credit card to create good social media picture backdrops from exotic locales. We didn’t set sales records. Many plans were derailed, if not destroyed. And especially as I write this, the pandemic is far from over.

But, we have realized that being able to improvise in our lives has brought out more than just our survival instinct, it has brought out our focus on what’s most important, and our creativity to experience things that will truly be memorable. It has cleared away the clutter and helped us to focus on what’s most valuable—personally and professionally.

As we start this new year, I am certain that many of us will have a single word in our annual plan: IMPROVISE. Or maybe adapt. Or maybe overcome. Regardless, I hope everyone has done more to live in the moment over the holidays and starts this new year with hope and gratitude.

For me and my team, we are thankful for this industry, and grateful for the privilege to serve you.

Happy New Year!

Patrick S. Adams Publisher/President padams@526mediagroup.com

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n Building Products Digest n January 2021

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FEATURE Story

By Ben Drury

WITH WARM LIGHTING, a covered area finished with bright white Kleer trim and column wraps, and plenty of space for social distancing, this outdoor space is perfect for weathering stay-at-home orders.

Exterior product trends for 2021

How is COVID-19 shifting preferences? hen the COVID-19 pandemic first took hold last spring, many builders, dealers, and manufacturers faced enormous uncertainties about whether they would be able to work and whether it would grind housing construction to a halt. But rather than devastate the industry, the pandemic had nearly the opposite effect, fueling home improvement projects as well as new- and existing-home purchases as homeowners sought out more space or more property.

Here’s a look at some of the exterior product considerations tied to the pandemic—as well as some trends that remain on top.

W

Stay-at-Home Additions

• Easy upgrades: The downtime during the pandemic has seen many homeowners tackling their to-do lists. Simple updates to the exterior, such as replacing aging siding, add-

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n Building Products Digest n January 2021

ing gable vents or decorative mounting blocks, or installing decorative trim, can go a long way to improving curb appeal while still remaining affordable and in reach of DIYers.

• Outdoor living elevated: Outdoor living has been trending for years, so much so that it’s hardly worth the label, but the need for great exterior space is stronger than ever with the pandemic. For homeowners stuck in the house, the outdoors have become a much-needed place of respite.

Making outdoor living areas even more inviting—with everything from integrated seating to warm lighting to a flashier grill—has become even more desirable.

Along with the deck and patio surfaces, your customers should consider how the surrounding façade looks, adding trim and other accents to make the space feel more refined and complete.

Awnings and overhead coverings, as well as fire pits and outdoor heaters, also are helping to extend the usability of Building-Products.com

those outdoor spaces during colder temperatures.

• Elevate the workspace: Exterior siding products make a perfect decorative element on the interior. With more workers logging in remotely, creating home offices that are welcoming and well-designed is top of mind. Shiplap siding or panelized stone siding is an easy way to add an accent wall to elevate a guest bedroom into a cozy home office.

• Window options and placement: More time at home means even more need for better indoor air quality and comfort. For windows, this means paying attention to placement to maximize both daylighting and cross-ventilation. Sound control options also should be considered to minimize disruptions during the work day.

Enduring Design Trends

The pandemic hasn’t held back some of the ongoing design trends—in fact, as homeowners look to make their homes their sanctuary, optimizing aesthetics is just as important as preserving practicality.

• Authenticity: Authentic siding and trim profiles offer the nostalgia of tradition and the comfort of the tried-and-

BOARD-AND-BATTEN looks, such as this façade created with TruExterior poly-ash trim, are trending for home exteriors.

Building-Products.com

A SHIPLAP WALL made with TruExterior poly-ash siding dresses up this office space.

true, fueling a greater sense of normalcy in a world that is anything but.

• Multi-textured facades: Multi-textured facades continue to be in demand over more one-note exteriors. Blending multiple cladding types, such as a stone siding half wall with vinyl or poly-ash siding above, and incorporating shingles or vertical accents on gables and bump-outs helps distinguish homes along the streetscape and adds warmth and curb appeal.

• Vertical and board-and-batten siding: Vertical and board-and-batten siding are ideal ways to add dimension and visual interest to the home exterior, particularly as homeowners clamor for multi-textured façades and Modern Farmhouse looks. Vertical applications also can help spice up accent areas, such as gables.

Even after the restrictions of COVID-19 fade into memory, the idea of the home as a place of escape and sanctuary is likely to remain for some time. Simple touches can add physical and aesthetic comfort to secure the feeling of home.

– Ben Drury is brand manager for Boral Building Products, manufacturer of exterior building materials with 11 product brands including Foundry Siding, Kleer Lumber, TruExterior Siding & Trim, and Versetta Stone siding. For more information, visit www. boralbuildingproducts.com.

January 2021 n Building Products Digest n

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INDUSTRY Trends

By Deb Lechner & Jim Horn

Bonus builds shed light on home project trends or the residential building sector, the COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the old adage that a homeowner’s work is never done.

People across the country have spent extra time at home tending to projects they have been putting off for weeks, months and maybe even years.

For some homeowners, the pandemic has led them to think about projects beyond the four walls of their home. Whether you call them bonus

F

builds, accessory dwelling units, she sheds, or casitas, these extra-on property spaces have been growing in popularity for the past few years.

In fact, according to a recent study by mortgage loan company Freddie Mac, there are over 1.4 million spaces of this nature across the country. As people spend more time at home with their entire family, the thought of having an additional space on their property is even more appealing.

With a growing interest in bonus builds, building material retailers have an opportunity to not only provide their expert insights, but also showcase a wide range of product offerings. To begin, ensure your customers have done their homework in terms of homeowner association or local and state regulations before diving into this type of project.

Once that is confirmed, it is time to talk products. What is needed for a bonus build will vary according to the purpose it is serving, i.e., a guest house vs. a home office, but there are a few items that will be standard throughout.

Windows

Unless the homeowner wants their space to be completely void of sunlight, windows will be a key component of the project. What is great about bonus builds is that they are an opportunity for people to think about new types of products, beyond what is currently being used in their primary living spaces.

This is a chance for homeowners to think about more energy efficient windows and even windows in different colors, shapes, styles and grill patterns, so consider the full range of window products at your retail location. Some homeowners may even prefer a more trendy or customized look for their windows, with different colors on the interior and exterior.

Doors DUE TO COVID-19, homes are now serving as space for remote work, virtual school, fitness, hobbies, entertainment and more. Some homeowners are adding additional, detached bonus build structures to their property to meet their needs. (Photos by Cornerstone Building Brands)

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Homeowners need a way to get into their bonus builds, but do they want to go the traditional front door route, or might they consider a patio door for Building-Products.com

ON THIS COASTAL Virginia property, the primary residence features a shingled roof and white exterior windows, but the bonus build, designed to complement the home, is modernized with a metal roof and black Mira windows.

their new space? Sliding, swinging, pocket or French patio doors can open a world of possibilities for a bonus build and complement any design style.

Beyond aesthetics, how does the homeowner need the door to perform? Do they want the look of a traditional wood door minus the maintenance? Aluminum-clad wood or wood composite doors will do the trick. Superior energy efficiency can be achieved with vinyl doors, while aluminum doors offer strength and a narrow frame for more natural light.

Additionally, with hand hygiene top of mind today, another area to consider for doors is remote control functionality and keyless door locks.

Siding

When it comes to the exterior of the bonus build, does the homeowner want this space to be an extension of their home with similar coloring and aesthetics or do they want to pursue an alternate style? Do they have any specific requirements for the space? For example, some homeowners may require soundproofing to keep out as much noise as possible, and for those customers you will want to share information about siding (and window) products that have been designed to reduce the transfer of outdoor noise.

Additionally, consider the location of the home. Bonus builds in hurricane prone areas or extreme temperatures, for example, will require more from their siding products and windows, so homeowners will benefit from learning the features and benefits of those specialty products relative to other offerings on the market.

Building-Products.com

PLY GEM MaxView multi-slide patio doors can bring outdoor spaces in with a touch of a button. A motorized automation option is available with a wall mounted touch pad and remote control.

These are just a few of the topics to consider as customers approach you for help with a bonus build project. As with other home design projects, the important thing to keep in mind will be what the homeowner wants from their new space. From there, the opportunities are endless. – Deb Lechner is vice president of marketing for Ply Gem Siding and Jim Horn is director of channel marketing for U.S. windows at parent Cornerstone Building Brands. For more information, visit www.cornerstonebuildingbrands.com.

January 2021 n Building Products Digest n

13

MARGIN Builders

By David Koenig

Visualizer tools help dealers close siding sales UstoMers no longer have to be encouraged to “just imagine how great” new siding and trim will look.

Color visualizers let them see for themselves.

Interactive exterior house color visualizers let individuals experiment with different siding and trim options with the click of a button. The tools generate a near lifelike image of the unique selections—often placed right on a picture of the actual home—creating a virtual depiction of the finished project before a single product is purchased or installed.

Visualizers provide much more than basic color comparisons—trim sizes, shingle shapes, surface textures, and more, can all be individually colored.

C

Get the Most Out of Visualizers Allura offers advice on maximizing the value of home exterior visualization tools:

1. Experiment with color combos.

Already set on a two-tone color palette? Think again! This is your chance to play with different color combinations and explore the options. Consider a three-tone composition, or try an alternative color for the soffit and eaves.

2. Try something unexpected.

Have you considered vertical siding panels? What about a traditional lap instead of smooth? Apply an option you have never considered before, just for the sake of experimentation.

3. Experiment with surface texture.

Changing the surface texture can be an exciting way to switch up a home’s exterior and achieve an altogether new look. For example, swapping a traditional lap for a stucco paneling might be the refreshment that your home needs.

4. Customize the visual options.

A color visualizer provides a wide variety of different home styles to play with, and sometimes have an advanced upload option that can bring your ideas to life with more precision.

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Often, what we imagine is slightly different than the final result. By taking out the guesswork, the exterior visualizer can save homeowners an incredible amount of time, money and worry. They will know precisely what the home will look like before it is complete.

This also gives homeowners the freedom to experiment with their ideas without a lot of risks. They may find that their fourth or even fifth idea turns out as the clear winner during the design process—without the expense of physically installing the first, second, and third attempts.

For dealers, visualizers remove one of the biggest impediments to closing a big sale: customer uncertainty.

Tando recently rolled out My Tando Home Creator. The free online tool has been invaluable to Castle Masstown Hardware in Nova Scotia. “With My Tando Home Creator, we can help contractors narrow down product selection and close the sale with homeowners with minimal physical contact,” explained store manager Nick Redden. “And, we can assist customers with seeing what they’ve dreamed up as far as colors, textures, and mixed materials. It lets customers get a picture of what they can’t see in their mind’s eye—such as how the Tando products will look when installed.”

The most obvious benefit of using a visualizer is seeing how different colors will interact with surrounding elements.

Choosing an exterior house color is much more complicated than picking out a pretty hue. Siding colors should coordinate with other parts of the home’s exterior, like the soffit, roofing, door, and shutters. Still, it should also fit with the rest of the home’s surrounding setting, like the driveway color, architectural design, and landscaping.

Finally, in the age of COVID, online tools are a safe substitute for in-person consultations—a primary driver behind Renoworks Software being asked to help create James Hardie’s new Remote Measurement & Visualization Tool.

According to Renoworks’ Doug Vickerson, “Whether the challenge is social-distancing or increasing demand for convenient, fully-digital experiences to book remodeling projects, the visualization tool will serve contractors well, now and into the future.”

Building-Products.com

COMPETITIVE Intelligence

By Carla Waldemar

Renovation a Boone

oone Kenton Lumber & Building Supply Co., of Erlander—in business for 101 years—is the oldest enterprise in the Kentucky town and the third-oldest lumberyard in the entire state.

That, and a couple of bucks, will get you a cup of coffee at the local diner. Good for braggin’ rights. But does it make Erlander’s 75,000 citizens brake for the driveway on their way to Menards, Lowe’s and Home Depot, all just five miles down the road? This might, though: Boone Kenton’s revenue jumped from $1.7 million in 2018—the year 40-year-old Gene Works took over ownership from his dad, Herb—to $2.5 million today. Clearly, they’re still doing something right.

Part of the credit goes to that realtors’ mantra, locationlocation-location. The town, it seems, had the good sense to build the airport that serves everyone flying into nearby Lexington, Ky.; Dayton, Oh.; and Cincinnati—all of which receive Boone Kenton deliveries on a daily basis.

Erlanger itself arose around the lumberyard. Herb Works bought it, with a partner, for its prime site smack at the end of the railroad line from Cincinnati. His son Gene recognizes the wisdom in staking his bet on the town’s future: “Kentucky is growing at an unbelievable rate,” he attests, “and our town is filled with lots of old, Victorian houses, now being converted into four-family apartments.

“Remodeling work, like that, is our bread and butter.

We do lots of renovations, using our custom millwork

B

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n Building Products Digest n January 2021

operation and extensive line of rare hardwoods. We’ve made a name for ourselves on the premier hardwoods and our promise to keep them in stock.” Plus, he adds, Churchill Downs racetrack has nearby expansion plans on its radar the moment the economy allows.

All of which are armor against the likes of Depot.

“We never (never!) carry any brands the big boxes have.

Ours will be better, cost a little more, whether it’s 2x4s or decking or our railings, which accounts for close to 15% of our sales. We buy them by the container load. Plus our service is tops: If we get them in once, they’ll be back,” Gene guarantees.

“The way our store works,” he continues, “is that I, my wife Crystal, and my manager Paul focus on our (8,000sq. ft.) showroom; we keep everything in stock and do it all ourselves. Our hires are mostly in the yard, where the qualifications for working here are: pass the drug test and present a truck driving license. It’s a bonus if they’re good with a forklift or have worked around lumber in the past— even better if they’re familiar with the different types of wood. Also,” Gene notes, “my brother works three hours daily, starting at 7 a.m. You couldn’t catch me out here that early,” he laughs, “so I delegate that to him!”

Crystal is responsible for the books and for interior inventory as well as the new computer system installed last year (replacing the antique model from 1988). “She trained herself, then the rest of us, and it revitalized our bottom line. Minimized our waste. The biggest thing was, orders no longer come up by job number, so we can now retrieve them five years down the road if need be. It really helps to get the books squared away, especially on inventory. In the lumber business, you can get caught short real quick, and there’s a lumber shortage right now.” But no longer any surprises, thanks to the technology update.

“When I came aboard, I noticed in Accounts Receivable, we were carrying some bad debt. Because credit had been available, things had gotten a bit sloppy. We needed to get rid of our antiquated ways because custom orders cannot be returned; now, if you order a door, you pay for it upfront.

“Our number-one challenge is competing with the boxes, which have more buying power.” To counteract that, “I massage my relationships with our vendors, who are now entering a new, younger generation. I specialize in hardwood. Specialty cuts. Without those specialty items, such as cuts for a coffin company (1,800 cuts of OSB), we could be out of business. Those contracts can help us get through the slow time in winter, plus give us solid numbers to look for, coming up.

“That was my number-one change. Number two? To service our existing customers and keep them coming back.

Building-Products.com

RECENT REMODEL brought more and improved displays, including a fully built in-store deck and endcaps for new additions like SPAX screws.

I started attending meetings of the Kentucky Building Materials Association, the Rotary, Kiwanis: If you’re out there, making friends, they’ll remember you,” Gene finds.

Before returning to Kentucky—which he swore he’d never do—Gene had worked in New York, Chicago and elsewhere—bartending and whatnot—including a stint at Carter Lumber in South Carolina. “The manager there taught me, in approaching a potential builder client, to learn what he needs. If he has an alliance with another dealer, someday there’ll be an item that yard can’t supply. Bid for it, deliver it, and service it, and you’ll get his business. If it’s promised by a certain date, stand by it. (We’re only as strong as our vendors make us,” Gene adds as a heads-up caution.) “When you hear, ‘It used to take two weeks at x, but you got it for me in two days,’ well, that’s how you grow your bottom line. It may not be a big product, but if you sell more of it, that’s profit in the future.”

Yet, there remained a bigger hurdle to doing more business, and at last Gene faced that elephant in the showroom: The property itself, which had undergone two fires, had not been remodeled in almost 40 years.

Eight months ago, Gene and Crystal decided it was high time, after a woman tripped over a loose floor tile in an aisle. “Right away, we started stripping that tile like mad, working till 4 a.m.—which led to more than we were prepared for: bad underpinnings beneath the showroom floor.

“We rented a machine and ground the concrete down to stone, doing a patch at a time, moving the fixtures back and forth and keeping the dust out. It took two months, and we stayed open for business the entire time. We did it all ourselves. “Crystal found some Rustoleum garage floor paint and did the whole floor (‘Stay outta my way!’) herself; she paints far better than I do. A Kmart down the road went out of business, so we bought their gondolas, which Crystal painted black and hauled on over.

“Also, we installed more lighting and created a new display area in the front of the store in former dead space.

We opened a walled-off area that had not been used in 30 years. We painted it and use it like Costco does—a place for discounted over-stocks and pallets, maybe windows and doors.

Building-Products.com

“The best thing about the project is, we built a deck inside. Every five boards it changes color. We put a rail around it, sided it, and attached a Masonite door; through that door are our kitchen cabinets. At the end of the whole renovation project, I will say this: It was such an endeavor!

We did it all ourselves, and we are NOT professionals.”

Customers became cheerleaders, monitoring the daily progress as they shopped (“Gonna ever finish?” “Looking great!”) Now, they love the open spaces and increased light.

It’s also far easier to clean, which “the ladies appreciate.”

It’s brought in scores of new customers as well. As Gene reports, “My dad said to me the other day, ‘Look around!

For the first time in 60 years, people are shopping, not just in-and-out. They’re browsing the aisles.” Plus, people here like to shop small, shop local. Our staff knows them by name; they greet each other with a COVID-style elbow bump.” The renovation also won the company an award as the Best Lumberyard in Northern Kentucky by the prestigious Cincinnati Inquirer newspaper poll.

Never mind that Boone Kenton prices are a bit higher than those at the competitors’ boxes. “We handle good quality, and people know it, and that protects me. The other day, a man told me he’d picked up some exotic plywood at Menards because it was $10 cheaper. ‘I sanded the stuff and it all came apart,’ he told me. ‘It was too cheap.’”)

Bucking the trend in many a yard across the country, Boone Kenton’s walk-in customers outnumber the ranks of pros. (The company does keep a roster of reliable contractors to recommend to these homeowners, upon request. And, of course, those pros know where to shop.)

“We keep composite decking in stock, buying it by the truckload for a better price, and it gets people in here.

Then,” Gene laughs, “they end up buying a nicer grade.

We’re able to upsell, especially if their wives are along.

Plus Crystal knows so many people because she came from the hospitality industry, so that’s brought us a whole new customer base.”

Railing is unique niche that’s grown to account for close to 15% of sales. “I sell three types—two aluminum and one iron,” Gene notes. “My philosophy is, find a niche and then make money on it.”

Gene’s marketing efforts, he explains, are “all digital.

And it works! For example, we advertised on Digital Dashboard for a small product we’d never sold before: an oscillating blade. When I checked the shelves to see how it was doing, all I found was an empty box. It sold out before it even hit the shelves! Marketing like this can turn us into a 24/7 business, which I’d like to happen down the road.

We might have to hire a second shift, to ship across the country.”

Sounds like Gene, 40, is hooked for life. But you couldn’t have told him that at 18. “I went to college to get away from the business. After many jobs in many cities, I ended up at Carter Lumber. But soon, I thought, ‘This is crazy, working for someone else’s lumberyard.’

Then Dad called to say he was selling the business.”

You know how the story ends….

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net January 2021 n Building Products Digest n

17

OLSEN on Sales

By James Olsen

Selling our opinion ne of the things that makes selling in the lumber market more interesting than just selling a product, is that the market moves, sometimes dramatically. This movement creates hazards to be avoided and opportunities to be taken advantage of for those with enough moxie and risk tolerance to do so.

Because sellers have so much pressure to perform, many lose sight of the long-term goal of creating a partnership relationship with clients we can count on and who count on us. Most sellers: • Present product and wait for the customer to buy.

• Don’t ask for the order.

• Don’t overcome objections.

• Don’t tell the customer why the product is a good deal for the customer.

• Don’t ask questions about the customer or customer’s business!

• Don’t give market information or advice that will help the customer.

All of these don’ts send a crystal-clear message: “I don’t care about you or your business. I’m just here for the order.”

O

Sell Our Opinion

Part of bringing value to our customer is giving them our opinion on the market direction. We can hustle and be a shopping service for our customers; there is value in that.

But in most cases, we will be able to save them some money with hustle, but we can save and make them a lot of money by helping them navigate the market.

Most sellers are so afraid of being pushy that they don’t ask for the order at all. These same sellers are also so afraid of being wrong that they will never give their opinion of the markets and strategies to navigate them.

Develop Our Opinion

We develop our market opinion by: • Asking our customers lots of questions about their sales, their inventory turns, what they are paying out of distribution, what are they being offered.

• Doing the same with our suppliers.

• Listening to the best sellers in our office.

• Reading. There’s a mountain of detailed information about the lumber market online—get curious and read.

Delivering Our Opinion

Write out bullet points of the reasons we think the market is going to continue to be strong: • Interest rates at all-time low. Great time to borrow and build.

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n Building Products Digest n January 2021

• Housing starts at 1.545 million. Ten-year high.

• Stock market at all-time high. Even with COVID-19, smart money is betting on the future.

• Holiday and COVID-19 production shut-downs.

• Trucks are tight.

• Imports are tight.

• Inventories nationwide in all sectors of the lumber industry—mills, office wholesalers, distributors, retailers and manufacturers—are low and all segments are busy.

Then we write it out and practice it until it sounds natural.

Then we deliver it.

Us (after the greeting and small talk): “Sara, I’ve got two great deals for you, but before we get into those, let’s talk about the next six weeks. I know it’s winter and all and normally there would be a buying opportunity somewhere between now and March 1, but let me tell you why just the opposite is going to happen. Housing starts are driving this market. We are at 1.545 million housing starts which is the highest it’s been in 10 years. Interest rates are so low the money’s almost free, so it’s a great time to borrow and build and that is happening in single and multi-family. Home Depot’s sales are up 7% over 2019 and they had a fantastic 2019. Have you gone to a Lowe’s or Home Depot on the weekend? You’d think the Rolling Stones were playing it’s so crowded. We are going to have holiday shutdowns and possible shutdowns because of the virus. But even without those shutdowns inventories are low in all segments of our industry. My advice is that we look at whatever we’re going to need before March 15, and we buy it now.”

What If We’re Wrong?

Most of the lumber sellers I know who sell their opinion are wrong about 13% of the time. That means they are right 87% of the time, which brings huge value to their clients. Their customers appreciate and will pay for this expertise.

In addition, and almost more importantly, it sets them apart from the crowd. They are an expert that uses their expertise to help their customers make important decisions.

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

THE REVENUE Growth Habit

By Alex Goldfayn

The power of gratitude in the selling profession how much success we have. Want to have a better year?

Communicate with customers and prospects more. Pick up the phone. Tell people how you can help them. Nobody else has this kind of direct and immediate impact on their success except we who sell.

The Power of Gratitude

t has been a difficult and, at times, borderline impossible year. But for those of us who sell for a living, there is so much to be grateful for.

Gratitude is the feeling of conscious appreciation for what we have (our customers), what we get to try acquire (prospects and new business), and even what we do not have (customers who have rejected us, or those who do not even know us yet).

I believe being grateful for what we don’t have is more powerful than gratitude for what we do have.

Let us be grateful for the customers who have told us no, because they’ve taught us that perseverance in sales is the most important thing. And a good number of those who reject us today become our customers tomorrow!

Let us be grateful for the customers we do not yet have, because one day, we will get to help them also, and that’s a pretty wonderful thought.

Let us give thanks that we have so many products and services to offer our customers and prospects, which they do not yet buy. There is so much value left to provide!

Let’s give thanks for the amazing ways we get to help people. How lucky are we to be spreading this kind of good in the world?!

Let’s be grateful for our family—who are the reason for our work. We sell for them. We spend more time working than with our family, and still they support us. We go on the road, and still they support us. The point to all of this is to take care of them. Our family deserves all the good things that more money can buy. They deserve our hard work.

They deserve our gratitude.

Let us appreciate that we work in the only profession in which we are in direct control of our future. People who sell are the only ones who determine how well we do, or

I

20

n Building Products Digest n January 2021

In his wonderful book, The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Achor writes that “Few things in life are as integral to our well-being [as gratitude]. Countless studies have shown that consistently grateful people are more energetic, emotionally intelligent, forgiving, and less likely to be depressed, anxious, or lonely. And it’s not that people are only grateful because they are happier, either; gratitude has proven to be a significant cause of positive outcomes.”

How powerful is that?!

He is saying gratitude causes success. Pause here for a moment to internalize this wildly important fact.

Also, how do you think having more energy and being more emotionally intelligent and forgiving will affect your sales?!

What do you think happens to our sales results when we are less depressed, anxious, or lonely?

That is the immense power of gratitude.

Actively Seek Out Gratitude

I think one of the keys to selling more is to actively seek out areas to appreciate in our lives and work.

Find gratitude, even when it may not be obvious.

Defend your gratitude even when people and events seem to conspire to rip it away.

You are in charge of your gratitude.

And you are in charge of your success.

Nobody does these things to you.

You get to create it.

Unlike most people, you get to create it, and enjoy it.

And that is something to be very grateful about.

Alex Goldfayn Revenue Growth Consultancy alex@evangelistmktg.com (847) 459-6322 Building-Products.com

TRANSFORMING Teams

By Paige McAllister

What to expect in HR in 2021 long with a new year, January 1, 2021, will bring many employers new regulations to follow. Affinity HR Group is tracking legislative updates in your state so we are ready to advise you on what it means for you and what to do next.

Some changes include: • Employers in Colorado, Maine, and New York will be required to offer employees paid time off. California employers will need to expand the permissible reasons for using sick time.

• Mississippi and South Dakota approved medical marijuana laws, so 36 states and Washington D.C. will now recognize some forms of medical marijuana. Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota passed measures legalizing some form of recreational marijuana use, increasing this to 15 states and Washington, D.C. • Florida is expanding their e-verify requirements to include certain private employers, increasing the number of states mandating some or most private employers to use e-verify to 20.

• Hawaii and Missouri will further restrict the consideration of an applicant’s or employee’s criminal history in employment decisions.

• Iowa, Minnesota and Virginia will implement new classification requirements for independent contractors.

Below is a compilation of some other significant legal changes being implemented in several states.

California: • CFRA expanded to cover all businesses with five or more employees, removes the 75-mile radius criteria, and adds categories for qualifying reasons.

• Family Temporary Disability Insurance (FTDI) expanded to include absences due to a family member’s military service.

• Protected time off for crime victims expanded to include leave for any crime that caused physical injury or mental injury with threat of physical injury.

• HR professionals who work for businesses with five or more employees which employee minors will be designated as mandated child abuse reporters.

Colorado: • Mandates employers with 16 or more employees provide all employees with paid sick leave (accrued at one

A

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n Building Products Digest n January 2021

hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked up to 48 hours per year) (applies to all employers as of January 1, 2022).

• Mandates employers provide up to two weeks/80 hours of paid leave to supplement an employee’s available sick time during a public health emergency for use for covered reasons.

• Equal Pay for Equal Work law: (a) prohibits wage discrimination based on sex and gender identity and (b) requires wage transparency by prohibiting employers from seeking salary history from applicants and preventing employees from discussing their wages and requiring all employers (including those located outside of Colorado) to include compensation and benefit information in postings for all jobs in Colorado.

Connecticut: Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) payroll deductions (0.5%) begin with first quarterly payment for Paid Family and Medical Leave due March 31, 2021 (leave available as of January 1, 2022).

Illinois: All employers must deliver sexual harassment prevention training to all employees no later than December 31, 2020, and each year thereafter.

Maryland, Montgomery County: Employers must provide a minimum 30-hour work week for certain employees including janitors, building cleaners, security officers, concierges, doorpersons, handypersons, and building superintendents who perform janitorial services for office buildings 350,000 sq. ft. or larger.

Building-Products.com

Maine: Most employers must offer eligible employees up to 26 weeks of Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) for a qualifying reason (paid through 0.75% payroll deductions that went into effect October 1, 2019).

Virginia: Handheld use of a cell phone or smartphone while driving is prohibited with few exceptions such as to report an emergency.

Increased State Hourly Minimum Wage Rates as of Jan. 1, 2021: Certain cities and counties may have higher wage rates, including some in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, and Washington where minimum wage rates will increase in 2021.

State

New Minimum Hourly Rate

New Hourly Tip Credit Rate

(as of January 1, 2021—unless otherwise noted)

Alaska Arizona Arkansas California

$10.34 $12.15 $11.00 $14.00

prohibited no change $8.37 prohibited

California

$13.00

prohibited

Colorado Connecticut

$12.32 $13.00

no change $6.62/$4.77

Florida Florida

$8.65 $10.00

no change no change

Illinois Maine Maryland

$11.00 $12.15 $11.75

$4.40 $6.07 $8.12

Maryland

$11.60

$7.97

(employers with 26+ employees) (25 or fewer employees)

(Aug. 1, 2021)

(Sept. 30, 2021)

(15+ employees)

(14 or fewer employees)

Massachusetts $13.50 Michigan $9.87 Minnesota $10.08

$7.95 $6.12 prohibited

Minnesota

$8.21

prohibited

Missouri Montana Nevada

$10.30 $8.75 $9.75

$5.15 prohibited prohibited

(employers that gross $500,000 or more)

(employers that gross less than $500,000 and certain industries)

(no health benefits offered)

New York

$14.00

New York

$12.50

New York

$14.50

New York

$15.00

Ohio Oregon

$8.80 $12.75

$4.40 prohibited

Oregon

$14.00

prohibited

Oregon

$12.00

prohibited

South Dakota Vermont Virginia

$9.45 $11.75 $9.50

$4.725 $5.87 $7.37

(Nassau, Suffolk & Westchester counties, Dec. 31, 2020) (rest of state, Dec. 31, 2020) (non-NYC fast food, Dec. 31, 2020) (non-NYC fast food, July 1, 2021)

(general, July 1, 2021)

(urban areas, July 1, 2021) (non-urban areas, July 1, 2021)

(May 1, 2021)

Washington $13.69 Washington, D.C. TBD

prohibited TBD

(July 1, 2021)

State Minimum Salary Threshold for Executive, Administrative & Professional Exemptions as of Jan. 1: While the FLSA salary threshold for exempt employees will remain at $684 per week, some states set a higher minimum salary threshold that must be met for white-collar (executive, administrative, and professional) employees to be classified exempt.

State Minimum Weekly Salary

Minimum Annual Salary

Alaska California

$827.20 $1,120

$43,014.40 $58,240

California

$1,040

$54,080

Colorado Maine New York

$778.85 $700.97 $1,050

$40,500.20 $36,451 $54,600

(employers with 26+ employees) (25 or fewer employees)

(Nassau, Suffolk & Westchester counties)

New York (rest) $937.50 Pennsylvania $780

$48,750 $40,560

Washington

$821.40

$42,721.80

Washington

$958.30

$49,831.60

(Oct. 3, 2021)

(50 or fewer employees) (51+ employees)

Nevada

$8.75

prohibited

New Jersey

$12.00

no change

New Jersey

$11.10

no change

New Jersey

$10.30

New Jersey

$15.00

As always, Affinity HR Group is here to help you navigate any regulatory changes that impact you and your business. We also offer two plans (HR Support and Regulatory Updates) to help you stay up-to-date on regulatory changes.

New Mexico

$10.50

$7.95

Paige McAllister, SPHR Affinity HR Group contact@affinityhrgroup.com

(health benefits offered) (general)

(small or seasonal employers) (farm or piece rate)

(long-term care facility direct care staff)

Building-Products.com

January 2021 n Building Products Digest n

23

LUMBER 411

A Special Series from Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association

By Jeff Easterling

Choosing wood in commercial construction hen it coMes to commercial building, contractors often turn to steel, concrete, and other alternate materials. The misconception that wood isn’t for commercial use is a strong one… and it’s also a wrong one.

The team at Main Line Fence in Cumberland, Me., knew they had a problem: Their existing 1970sera workshop, originally built as a warehouse for industrial chain link fittings and where much of their fence-building takes place, wasn’t working. The building was too small, it was metal, uninsulated, and there was zero room for expansion.

During the mild Maine summers, temperatures inside the workshop would frequently top out at 15 degrees hotter than the actual temperature. Wintertime would see the inside reach levels of cold in which building became impossible (unless you were an Arctic puffin.)

Ryan Cianchette, project manager, Main Line Fence, realized it was time for a change. The solution? A brand-new building, designed specifically for their needs, offering room to grow, and with an unmatched level of energy efficiency.

The new building offers 4,000 sq. ft. of workshop space primarily used for fence construction teams.

Of special note: interior and exterior sheathing was provided by 1x10 rough-sawn eastern pine boards.

W

Why Eastern White Pine?

“Bottom line: it’s locally grown, it’s energy efficient, and it insulates incredibly well,” says build-

24

er Bob Vail, owner of Vail General Contracting, Cumberland Center, Me. “I love it, and work with it every chance I get!” Vail’s company was called upon by Cianchette to help solve their growth challenges.

While the interior of the building features pine boards installed in the traditional horizontal method, it’s the exterior that caught everyone’s attention: the 1x10 rough-sawn eastern white pine boards were installed shiplapped, on the diagonal. Vail chose the diagonal exterior installation because it results in a much stronger, more energy-efficient structure. Among the results he’s experienced over the years: Wall rigidity starts at the sill plate, lending greater strength to the walls, and the entire structure stands up to weather better because of the natural insulating nature of the wood.

The eastern white pine boards are twice as thick as OSB, the traditional sheathing choice, which results in greater abilities to cool and heat the interior of the structure. This equals less heating and cooling costs for the budget-conscious company.

“One of the biggest problems with the old building was we didn’t have a workable interior,” said Cianchette. “All we had to work with was the metal framing of the building and the backside of the exterior metal wall sheathing. We needed something different and useful for the new building. You can’t lean anything up against drywall without causing damage. We needed something strong, durable, and natural. The EWP is so strong—we

n Building Products Digest n January 2021

can hang things on it, and it stands up to the sections of wood frequently leaned against it as we’re building fences.”

Another reason Vail chooses eastern pine? Sustainability. “In Maine, eastern white pine is locally grown and easily available,” continues Vail. “It’s been a traditional building product in New England since Columbus came over, and it lasts for hundreds of years. Bottom line: you can’t get any greener than a renewable wood board.”

Using natural, easy-to-work-with wood will allow Main Line Fence to grow over time; as the company grows, the building can be adapted and expanded easily to grow with it.

Traditionally, eastern white pine is used in residential applications: flooring, paneling and the like—your typical appearance-grade opportunities. For the product to be used in a commercial build with such overwhelming success is not only exciting, it opens up a whole new world for builders.

“We’ve been in business since 1948 and have continuously adapted to the times and the market— when the original metal building was built, we never thought we would be building residential wood fences,” concluded Cianchette. “Who knows what we’ll be doing in another 30-40 years; but now we have a building that can adapt right along with us.

There’s nowhere to go but up.”

– Jeff Easterling is president of Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. Reach him at info@nelma.org.

Building-Products.com

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Visit DMSi.com

BMC to Acquire TW Perry

BMC Stock Holdings has agreed to acquire TW Perry parent company TWP Enterprises, Gaithersburg, Md. Founded in 1911, TW Perry operates six lumberyards in Virginia and Maryland, as well as retail stores, a design studio, custom millwork operation, and truss plant.

“We are impressed with their pro remodel business, highly diverse customer base and value-added product mix, which is aligned with BMC’s core strategy. This addition will expand our portfolio in the growing Northern Virginia, Maryland and D.C. markets,” said Dave Flitman, president and CEO of BMC.

IFG Plans Mississippi Sawmill

Idaho Forest Group, Coeur d’Alene, Id., announced plans to build a new sawmill in Mississippi—the company’s first greenfield location.

Marc Brinkmeyer, CEO, said the $120-million facility in Lumberton, Ms., will produce a variety of wood products and create up to 135 jobs.

US Lumber Buys Mid-State

U.S. Lumber Group, Atlanta, Ga., has agreed to acquire Mid-State Lumber Corp., Branchburg, N.J. Jeff McLendon, president and CEO of US Lumber parent Specialty Building Products, said, “Mid-State Lumber is a terrific addition to U.S. Lumber. It is the leading specialty products distributor in its markets, with a loyal following of customers built over multiple generations of family ownership. The Bernstein family, and all of their employees, have built a fantastic business and we are thrilled that they will be joining the U.S. Lumber family. Together we will continue to deliver reliable products and first-class service for customers and suppliers in their markets and across our entire footprint.”

Mid-State Lumber’s ownership group, including Ken, David and Gary Bernstein, added, “Since our father Bernie Bernstein founded Mid-State Lumber in 1972, we have built a business based on family values and the simple desire to bring great products to great customers adding value through great service and relationships. This partnership provides an opportunity to build on Mid-State’s impressive legacy and provides a foundation for the long-term success of our employees, customers and vendors.”

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Mid-State Lumber will continue to operate under its existing brand under current leadership from its operations i n B r a n c h b u rg ; K i n g s t o n , P a . ; Warwick, N.Y; and Marlborough, Ma. U.S. Lumber operates nine distribution centers, Minnesota distributor Midwest Lumber, and five Alexandria Moulding manufacturing/ distribution facilities.

UFP Buying PalletOne/Sunbelt

UFP Industries, Grand Rapids, Mi., has agreed to purchase 100% of the equity in Sunbelt Forest Products owner PalletOne, Bartow, Fl., for $232 million through its UFP Industrial division.

Sunbelt operates five pressuretreating plants in the Southeast.

PalletOne also has 17 pallet manufacturing facilities in the southern and eastern regions, and supplies other specialized industrial packaging, including custom bins and crates.

UFP also agreed to pay $18 million for PalletOne’s recent capital expenditures. The deal was set to close on Dec. 28, 2020.

Current PalletOne management, including president Howe Wallace, will continue to lead the company.

DEALER Briefs Lumbery, Cape Elizabeth, Me., is a new dealer specially is regionally sourced lumber. Co-owners are CEO Michael Friedland, Ryan Holland, Alex Bettigole, and Jennifer Stora.

Gillman Do it Best Home Centers has added a 25,000-sq. ft. home center with outdoor cover lumberyard in Gas City, In.—its 13th location.

Horizon Ace Hardware , North Fort Myers, Fl., has been opened by Adeel Arshed.

True Value Hardware , Crookston, Mn., has been purchased from Sheryl and Dean Adams by Scott Maves, who is renaming the business Scott’s True Value.

Westlake Ace Hardware

expects a mid-March opening for its new 16,800-sq. ft. store in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Ace Hardware , Greensburg, Pa., permanently closed after a decade due to the pandemic.

Hatchet Hardware opened its fifth Ace Hardware store in Niskayuna, N.Y., and is renovating its location in Waterford, N.Y. Ace Hardware opened an 18,000-sq. ft. branch in Parma, Oh.

LARGER DC in Minnesota will provide customers in the region with faster product delivery and Will Call access.

Simpson Strong-Tie Steps Up Service in Minnesota

Simpson Strong-Tie has relocated its warehouse facility in Eagan, Mn., to a significantly larger facility in Inver Grove Heights, Mn. The new building is 46,500 sq. ft. larger than the previous facility, and all 19 employees in Eagan have transferred to the new location.

The company invested in the move as a commitment to future growth and to better serve customers with faster product delivery and Will Call access.

The new location provides more dock and office space, a larger training center, more efficient order picking and enhanced warehouse safety.

n Building Products Digest n January 2021

Riverton Ace Hardware is opening next month in New Richmond, Oh. The 8,000-sq. ft. business is owned by Lance Sizemore.

PaulB will open its third hardware store next fall—a 25,000-sq. ft. branch in Mechanicsburg, Pa. Menards reportedly has a site secured in Carbon Glen, Il., for a 2023 store opening.

ABC Supply Co. has added a new location in Quincy, Ma. (Joe Camara, mgr.).

LP Building Solutions

was presented BMC’s Commodity Product Group Award for OSB Supplier of the Year.

Building-Products.com

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Pleasant River Expands to Retail

Pleasant River Lumber Co., Dover-Foxcroft, Me., has entered the retail business with its acquisition of three-unit Ware-Butler Inc., Waterville, Me. Founded in the early 1920s, Ware-Butler operates retail yards in Waterville, Madison and Livermore Falls, Me. “We are thrilled to work with the Brochu family to transition into this exciting new phase of Ware-Butler Inc.,” said Ware-Butler president Richard Giguere. “Our management team and I will be working jointly with the PRL team to continue to increase the value of what we already offer to our loyal customers.”

Ware-Butler will continue to operate as a stand-alone company under Pleasant River.

Pleasant River co-president Jason Brochu said the firm has wanted to expand into retail for several years.

It currently operates lumber mills in Dover-Foxcroft, Jackman, Enfield, Hancock and Sanford, Me.; trucking company Chaffee Transport, Clinton; saw filing/supply firm Quality Saw Sales & Service; and logging division A&A Brochu Logging, Enfield.

Binderholz Buys Second Idled Klausner Sawmill in Southeast

Four months after purchasing the assets of Florida’s Klausner Lumber One, the Austrian Binderholz Group similarly acquired at auction the sister mill in North Carolina, Klausner Lumber Two. Binderholz submitted the high bid of $83.4 million at a virtual auction held Dec. 10. The transaction is expected to close this month.

With the acquisition, Binderholz becomes the largest European producer of sawn timber. It owns seven sawmills in Austria, Germany and Finland, in addition now to the two in the U.S. Both former Klausner SYP mills have similar technical equipment and performance.

“The acquisition of Klausner Lumber Two in Enfield, N.C., is the logical complement to the Klausner Lumber One plant in Live Oak, Fl., which we acquired in August,” said CEO Reinhard Binder. “This step will significantly improve availability for our customers. With this acquisition accomplished, the foundation has been laid for further investments in the depth of value creation.”

U.S. production is expected to start at the end of 2021.

US LBM Adds On in Connecticut

US LBM has acquired dealer Ridgefield Supply Co., Ridgefield, Ct. Founded in 1883, Ridgefield Supply operates a stateof-the-art 89,000-sq. ft. facility in Ridgefield, which is comprised of a lumberyard, warehouses, a hardware and paint store, window and millwork showrooms and an employee-training center. Glen Albee will continue to lead the location’s day-to-day operations as president.

“US LBM has a reputation for excellence with a culture that puts people and customers first, and we’re excited for Ridgefield Supply’s next chapter,” said Albee. “With US LBM, our customers will be able to continue to rely on the same team they know and trust while having access to a wider range of specialty products and brands.”

In addition to Ridgefield Supply, US LBM’s operating divisions in the New York tristate area include East Haven Builders Supply, Feldman Lumber, Direct Cabinet Sales and Universal Supply.

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n Building Products Digest n January 2021

NEWS Briefs Hankins Lumber, Elliott, Ms., is updating the scanning and optimization on its double length infeed system, adding USNR’s BioLuma 3900L lineal scanning technology.

Koppers Performance Chemicals has purchased land next to its Rock Hill, S.C., plant to expand its production capacity for wood preservatives.

Manufacturers Reserve Supply, Irvington, N.J., is now distributing the full line of Waska products, including its prefinished eastern white cedar shingles, in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, and Connecticut.

K&K Industries, Montgomery, In., is now exclusive distributor of Arcitell’s Qora panelized, stone-like cladding to dealers in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Illinois.

Sierra Pacific Windows will start up wood and vinyl window and door production as early as March at its 275,000-sq. ft. facility in Merrill, Wi., purchased last year from Semco Windows. It will also add a 40,000-sq. ft. glass production unit and about 100 jobs.

Wincore Window Co. will build a 100,000-sq. ft. vinyl window and door plant next to its two-year-old, 75,000sq. ft. facility in Swainsboro, Ga. Q-railing this month is adding a Southeast regional office and warehouse in Orlando, Fl. Fortune Brands Home & Security completed the acquisition of Larson Manufacturing, Brookings, S.D., incorporating it into its Outdoors & Security segment.

Flexpak is now making more recyclable lumber bags. A new patented design makes the woven bags more recyclable for the end-user.

Arauco has become the world’s first forestry company to be certified as carbon neutral.

Price Waterhouse Coopers audited the calculation process of the carbon capture by forests and its storage in forest products. Deloitte then developed a neutrality protocol, which was applied to verify Arauco’s global operation and that other businesses and industries can also apply.

Deceuninck North America’s Revolution XL Picture Window achieved the North American Fenestration Standard/Specification’s AW100 rating—the most stringent requirements established for the AW Performance Class commonly used in high-rise and mid-rise buildings.

AZEK Co. was presented the Vinyl Sustainability Council’s 2020 Vinyl Recycling Award.

Sunbelt Forest Products, Bartow, Fl., has been named Lowe’s 2020 Vendor Partner of the Year for its lumber division.

MFM Building Products , Coshocton, Oh., is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2021.

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The Virtual Experience March 16-17, 2021

Learn more or register at NAWLA.org

Gulf Coast Chain Buys into Alabama

Fulcrum Building Group, Destin, Fl., acquired a majority interest in Ford Lumber & Millwork Co., Mobile, Al. Fulcrum was launched in July 2019 through a partnership formed by South Bay Lumber, Santa Rosa Beach, Fl.; Navarre Lumber, Navarre, Fl.; and private equity investment firm Silver Canyon Group, San Diego, Ca. Ford Lumber ’s pro lumberyards in Mobile and Robertsdale, Al., and millwork production plant in Daphne, Al., will continue to operate under the Ford name.

Keith Wesley, a 13-year member of the Ford management team, has been named vice president, Ford Lumber, and will oversee operations.

Westlake Ace Expands in Nebraska

Westlake Ace Hardware will acquire four additional Q.P. Ace Hardware stores in Lincoln, Ne. In 2017, Westlake purchased two Q.P. Ace stores in Omaha and Ralston.

The deal was set to close Dec. 28, 2020.

The Lincoln Q.P. Ace stores will be re-branded as Westlake Ace but will retain management, store personnel, and the current product mix.

“It has been our sincere pleasure to serve the Lincoln community for the last 53 years. Most of all, we are proud of the dedicated employees who have represented Q.P. Ace with the highest level of professionalism through the years,” said Doug and Lisa Long, owners of Q.P. Ace. “We are confident Westlake Ace will continue to provide employment opportunities for our staff and maintain our tradition of outstanding customer service.”

Home Depot Expands in Perth Amboy

Home Depot will open two new distribution centers in Perth Amboy, N.J., over the next 12 months to support the growing demand for flexible customer delivery options.

The chain already operates six distribution centers across New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.

“Our customers have varying needs—from DIYers renovating a room in their home to professional contractors on job sites to institutional business customers overseeing maintenance and repair operations,” said Kyle Dennis, VP of supply chain development. “Ongoing investments to our supply chain network help us deliver on our Pro and DIY customers’ changing expectations.”

The newest facility is a 333,000-sq. ft. flatbed delivery center that will offer same-day and next-day flatbed delivery of bulk and oversized orders to customers and stores in the tri-state market. In addition, Home Depot plans to open an order fulfillment center in Perth Amboy in 2021.

The chain is also expanding appliance delivery options in New York and recently opened new delivery locations in Cheektowaga and Schenectady. Another appliance delivery operation is planned for later this year in Hicksville, N.Y.

Boral Launches New Brand for Outdoor Kitchens, Fire Features

Boral North America has launched Kindred Outdoors and Surrounds, an outdoor living products brand featuring a collection of outdoor kitchens and fireplaces, artisan fire bowls, and indoor fireplace surrounds.

Kindred product profiles range from traditional to contemporary designs, while their easy-to-install solutions allow builders, landscape architects or homeowners to customize, create and transform an outdoor living space within hours.

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n Building Products Digest n January 2021

BORAL has added a new division, Kindred Outdoors and Surrounds, to offer outdoor kitchens and fire features.

“Over the course of several years, our team has collaborated with landscape designers, builders, architects and interior designers to create pieces that would enrich homeowners’ experiences in indoor and outdoor living areas for all seasons,” said Sarah Lograsso, director of marketing. “Each piece transforms its surroundings and allows specifiers to create an elevated environment for gathering spaces with customizable modular components and unique fire features to fit every style.”

Rugby Acquires Millwork Distributor

Hardwoods Distribution Inc.’s Rugby Architectural Building Products subsidiary has acquired River City Millwork, Rockford, Il. The Rockford facility will continue operations under the River City brand, as part of the Rugby Midwest Division.

Stora Enso OK’ed to Sell CLT into US

Stora Enso has received approval for producing and delivering CLT (cross-laminated timber) panels to the U.S. in accordance to the International Building Code and certified in compliance with the North American CLT standard ANSI/APA PRG 320-2019, Standard for Performance-Rated Cross-Laminated Timber.

The changes in the 2021 issue of the code now allow to construct buildings from mass timber of up to 18 stories, compared with just five before.

Stora Enso’s CLT will be manufactured in its biggest mill, at Ybbs in Austria. The firm is also pursuing the same certification for Zdirec mill in the Czech Republic, which is currently adding a fourth production line. The CLT panels can be produced up to 9.68 ft. wide and up to 52.5 ft. wide.

Steve Lieberman, business development manager for North America, said, “Previously, we have been restricted to buildings no taller than five stories or special one-off assignments, so this is a real game changer for us. It took some months to get it, but now we have the ‘license to operate,’ and this is very exciting news for the North American market.”

The ESR-4381 certification makes the CLT panels compliant with the 2018, 2015, 2012 and 2009 IBC, making Stora Enso CLT panels acceptable for structural use in the U.S. The ESL-1170 report states compliance with the National Building Code of Canada 2015.

In addition, Stora Enso has completed the ICC-ES Evaluation Report ESR-4381 supplements for the State of California and the city of Los Angeles.

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Vermont Mill Vows to Return from Ashes

Cyr Lumber, Milton, Vt., hopes to rebuild its sawmill, which was destroyed in a Nov. 23 fire. The 50-year-old, family-owned mill was determined to be “a total loss.”

The planer mill and dry kilns were spared and continue to operate.

Investigators said the blaze was sparked by an equipment malfunction. They linked its origin to a motor that overheated on the carriage, which runs the logs back and forth through the sawmill.

Interstate 75 between Arcadia and Immokalee.

“After much thought, we have decided to start the process of locating land suitable for a two- or threeline production plant that will serve the West Coast of Florida and supply concrete roof tile to our new Palm Beach stocking yard,” said John Campbell, VP of sales & marketing. “Our ability to re-commission dormant production equipment from our California facilities ensures that our second plant could be fully operational within 12 months.”

Universal Supply Grows in Northeast

Katahdin Buys Replacement Cedar Mill

US LBM’s Universal Supply division has opened a new roofing and siding location in Yeadon, Pa., and also purchased New Jersey’s Tri-County Building Supplies.

Founded in 1964, Tri-County operates five locations in southern New Jersey—its 14-acre flagship location in Pleasantville, two yards in Cape May Court House, a millwork shop in Pleasantville, and Island Kitchen & Bath in Surf City.

The new Yeadon location is US LBM’s tenth new roofing and siding focused greenfield to open since 2018 and fifth this year. It added a similar facility in 2019 in nearby Kimberton, Pa., and plans to open an additional roofing and siding location in New Castle, De., early this year.

Less than three months after seeing one of its key cedar mills destroyed by fire, Katahdin Forest Products, Oakfield, Me., is back in business—by purchasing a nearby cedar mill that was for sale.

Katahdin has multiple mills on its Oakfield site, but the one that it lost Sept. 17 was where it produced most of its fencing products.

By happenstance, Walpole Woodworkers had been looking for a buyer for its cedar mill in Chester, Me. A deal was quickly made and, according to Katahdin CEO Dave Gordon, the company was able “to pick up the production immediately.”

Eagle Roofing Spreads Wings in Florida

An early morning fire Dec. 9 at Siwek Lumber, Jordan, Mn., destroyed the operation’s truck/maintenance shop.

Also lost were its contents—a big loader, forklift and inventory. Delivery trucks sustained some smoke damage.

Officials are investigating the cause, although they do not suspect criminal activity.

Eagle Roofing Products will expand its footprint in Florida, adding a second manufacturing plant for its subsidiary, Eagle Roofing Products Florida LLC. The company has engaged a national commercial real estate firm to locate the ideal property, ideally near

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Blaze Strikes Minnesota Dealer

January 2021 n Building Products Digest n

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THINKING Ahead

By Tom Le Vere

A positive 2021 outlook t the end of 2020, I had the privilege of moderating a virtual panel discussion with industry-leading executives for NAWLA Exchange, and hearing their lessons learned during the many disruptions of 2020. While many of us, myself included, have a playbook for downturns and other challenges, last year presented new conditions that none of us had previously experienced.

These new operating “curve balls” required us to adjust and innovate in new ways. The panel also shared their thoughts on what lies ahead for our industry for 2021.

Our panelists included Don Kayne, CEO, Canfor Corp. and Canfor Pulp; Craig Johnston, president and CEO, Forest City Trading Group; Grady Mulbery, president and CEO, Roseburg; Jim Enright, CEO, Pacific Woodtech; and Matthew J. Missad, CEO, UFP Industries.

There was great consistency in the panelists’ thoughts on how COVID changed the way they served their customers and maintained continuity in their operations. The top priority was employee safety, especially in the early days of the pandemic, when much was still unknown and the responses from state and local authorities were inconsistent.

All employees who could work remotely were doing so by early March, and those who were still in factories or other shared workspaces were following the appropriate protocols. This was made possible through a combination of foresight early in the year and investment in technology

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platforms in the years prior. While strategic initiatives and investments were put on hold out of a desire to hold on to cash in 2020, companies reaped the benefits of those activities from prior years. COVID has certainly pointed out the need for our companies to stay current with technology, especially technology that links us closer with our employees, our vendors and our customers!

Their second area of emphasis, which will continue to be a focus for these leaders in 2021, is delivering outstanding customer service.

Because their businesses and differing roles in the supply chain, responses here were more diverse.

Successful approaches included proactive efforts to ensure their businesses were deemed essential (which was ultimately the case in most U.S. states), adoption of new supply chain management technologies, increasing capacity to dispatching teams, and leveraging redundant production facilities or different products from other regions.

They credit their teams for flexibility and creativity in serving customers

n Building Products Digest n January 2021

who could not get product.

For both groups—employees and customers – the importance of communication was the key takeaway.

Transparent, frequent and accurate communications were implemented by each of these organizations.

Effective communications helped address areas of uncertainty and ensure the desired levels of service and safety were achieved.

For those on our panel with staff members who thrive on interpersonal relationships and businesses driven by those one-on-one relationships, a fundamental shift in communications was necessitated by the pandemic.

As the ability to go onsite to a customer and identify solutions through observing a customer’s operations ceased, new communication channels and processes were implemented to help identify and meet customer needs.

While each of these measures were critical based on the circumstances that were encountered in 2020, the consensus is that they are temporary solutions, not “forever ones.” Our businesses thrive

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A Special Series from North American Wholesale Lumber Association

About NAWLA North American Wholesale Lumber Association is the association that delivers unparalleled access to relationships and resources that improve business strategy and performance through sales growth, cost savings, and operational efficiencies for wholesalers and manufacturers of forest products and other building materials that conduct business in North America. Learn more about how NAWLA can help your business at nawla.org.

with someone physically answering the telephone, and when in-person interactions occur between customers and employees and between employee groups.

We acknowledged that it will be difficult to completely eliminate remote work after this lengthy time that our employees have proven their ability to work remotely.

Each of us has heard from employees who are finding great satisfaction with the remote work environment, but have equal numbers of team members who have expressed dissatisfaction with the current situation and an eagerness to return to an office environment. Even with the rapid transition to remote work in early 2020, many company leaders communicated the temporary nature of those changes and have continued to express that expectation, making this an issue that requires further consideration in 2021.

In looking back at the year with the benefit of hindsight, these leaders were pleasantly surprised, as was I, that the forecasted recession didn’t materialize, and customer demand and company performance remained so strong throughout last year. They credit factors such as the government stimulus; a shift back to suburban, single-family homes from urban areas; surges in home improvements resulting from stay-at-home orders; low interest rates; and Millennials being in the position to buy their first homes for the positive outcomes they saw.

Unfortunately most of those circumstances cannot be influenced by our companies.

However, when looking ahead, we all believe that 2021 provides similar reasons for cautious optimism, with the potential for additional government stimulus, a safe and effective vaccine, sustained low interest rates, continued repair and remodeling as homeowners continue to spend more time in their homes, and the return of more people to work as the economy improves.

All that being said, volatility is expected to accompany growth and accelerated demand this coming year as well. While some may be seeking ways to improve supply and/or production, even through government action, the sentiment is that there is not great opportunity to do so, especially after forest fires and beetle infestation issues plaguing the U.S. and Canada have impacted production and wood fiber availability, especially on the west coast of both countries.

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It is anticipated that suppliers in North America will prioritize opportunities and untapped markets domestically at the expense of international exports to help address current shortages. An overall increased focus on portfolio management so that companies are ensuring they’re making the right products to meet current demand will continue well into 2021. This will be offset by greater challenges on the import side of the business making it more difficult and less cost-effective to bring products into the U.S. from abroad.

Challenges in the areas of transportation and qualified labor shortages are also expected to persist and be made worse by the pandemic this year. Until schoolchildren can fully return to in-person learning and their parents return to the workforce, there is little that can be done to help mitigate those challenges.

With a number of more severe crises averted and this more positive outlook for the year ahead, panelists indicated they would revisit strategic plans and corporate initiatives that had been placed on hold last year. A shared area of focus and investment will be improvements across the supply chain and the customer experience.

Ensuring the tools are in place to give customers the service they deserve through software and logistics systems upgrades or better utilization of new systems were top of the list. By providing greater access to real-time information and analytics that increase efficiencies and reduce time and costs or allow customers to be better suppliers to the end market, these companies will demonstrate their reliability and commitment to their customers in new ways.

I left our panel discussion with a renewed excitement about 2021, and the opportunities that will present themselves. As noted by our panelists, many of the factors that supported our success in 2020 are expected to remain in play this coming year. Personally, I am also hopeful about the recent advancements in COVID-19 vaccine development and government approvals, and eagerly await widespread distribution to help bring us greater safety and comfort across the globe. There is much to look forward to in 2021!

In closing I’d like to thank each and every one of you, for your comradery and support over a very difficult and challenging period in our history.

You are a testimonial to the vibrance and resilience of our industry. Thank you for your encouragement, your steadfast support and friendship.

Here’s wishing each of you continued success in the New Year!

– Tom Le Vere is president/shareholder of Weekes Forest Products, St. Paul, Mn., and 2020 NAWLA board chairman.

January 2021 n Building Products Digest n

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MOVERS & Shakers Kari Gaviria has been promoted to vice president of sales at Madison Wood, Madison, Va.

Cody Tarvestad, ex-Building Products Inc., has joined the outside sales team at Beacon Building Products, Des Moines, Ia.

Corey Chapman and Jake Goodin have joined the lumber sales team at Westervelt Lumber, Tuscaloosa, Al.

Paul Corallo, ex-Buck Lumber & Building Supply, is new to Cameron Ashley Building Products, Greenville, S.C., as a direct sales specialist.

Justin Chandler, ex-UFP Industries, is new to sales at Edgewater Lumber Co., Valdosta, Ga.

Eric Stier, ex-Lowe’s, is new to inside sales at North Georgia Building Supply, Buford, Ga.

Mike Reasons, ex-Boise Cascade, has been named national sales mgr. of outdoor living for BlueLinx, Marietta, Ga.

Rudy Buel, ex-PrimeSource, is now Nashville, Tn., regional distribution center mgr. for Wausau Supply Co., overseeing six DCs serving nine states.

James Dewey, ex-Country Lumber, is now an account mgr. with Oxford Lumber & Building Materials, Oxford, Ct. Shane Soule has been named president of Protec Panel & Truss, Bremen, In. Wyatt Rivers is new to 84 Lumber, Greenville, S.C., as management trainee.

Jeffrey Snider has been appointed store mgr. of McCoy’s Building Supply, Cleburne, Tx. Benjamin Guilmette, ex-Curtis Lumber, is new to Marvin, as South Burlington, Vt.-based associate territory mgr.

Robert Hudgins has joined Palmer-Donavin, Columbus, Oh., as VP of finance. He succeeds former CFO Robyn Pollina, who was named CEO earlier this year.

Keith Belfanti, ex-LP, is now Marietta, Ga.-based Southeast regional mgr. for Nichiha USA. Aldo DeLuca has been promoted to president of Northeast Building Products, Philadelphia, Pa.

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Haley Holty, ex-Metrie, is new to MacDonald & Owen Lumber Co., West Salem, Wi., as media mgr.

Russ Taylor, ex-Wood Markets Group, has launched Russ Taylor Global, Vancouver, B.C. Russ Kathrein, ex-Alexander Lumber, has joined Do it Best Corp., Fort Wayne, In., as an LBM business development mgr. Coley Arnold has been promoted to sales support mgr. New to the co-op are Lyndsey Lockridge, lumber sales support coordinator; Tegan Nilles, category management planner; and Kassie Staubach-Ross, demand forecasting analyst.

Matt Gabler, outgoing State Representative, has been named executive director of the Pennsylvania Forest Products Association.

Igor Tistical is the new social media director for MungusFungus Forest Products, report co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

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Download or order educational materials, brochures, and design tools that can help your sales team sell more Eastern White Pine and SPFs wood products.

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PRODUCT Spotlight

By Julia Milrod

Developing southern pine markets through COVID-19

et’s face it, this past year has been crazy. Toilet paper panic, quarantine, shutdowns, layoffs, working from home, distance learning, we’ve really been through it all.

COVID-19 has affected just about every facet of society in some way, and we have all had to adjust our game plan and use a little bit of creativity over the past year to try and con-

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tinue with business as usual as best as we can. One group that has shown incredible resolve to continue operations with a little bit of ingenuity throughout the pandemic is the Southern Forest Products Association.

The Southern Forest Products Association is America’s first and oldest southern pine trade association. Since 1915,

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SFPA has been dedicated to advancing the southern pine lumber industry, promoting the use of member products in domestic and international markets, and facilitating the exchange of information and ideas. SFPA boasts an impressive membership roster that represents 45% of industry capacity for southern pine, and more that 100 associate member companies who provide products and services to the industry.

A prominent part of SFPA’s activities involves maintaining a robust schedule of in-person international educational seminars and trade missions aimed at developing the market for southern pine lumber in key areas around the world.

These international events are integral to how SFPA serves both members and the industry as a whole, but with COVID travel restrictions and concerns about social distancing, they simply couldn’t take place as planned. Without missing a beat, SFPA staff successfully restructured their international educational seminars into a virtual format using Zoom. Reorganizing the events into a webinar format was hardly straight forward considering the need for multiple presenters, PowerPoints, and interpreters, but SFPA managed to make the transition seamless and has held successful international webinars in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Dominica and the British Virgin Islands, and Antigua and Curaçao.

The seminars are tailored for a wide range of industry professionals, from dealers and contractors to architects, and address relevant topics depending on the needs of each country. Just a few examples of presentation topics include, sustainability of U.S. softwoods,

E-SUMMIT: On Dec. 8, 2020, SFPA presented the SFPA Summit, a first-time virtual event that was free and open to the public.

choosing and applying pressure-treated lumber for use in construction, and properly choosing lumber grades for structural use.

The Dominican Republic and Jamaica

In late June 2020, SFPA conducted its first webinars—a pair of training seminars targeting lumber traders and construction professionals in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. These two areas are currently the two largest markets for southern pine lumber in the Caribbean. Although U.S. softwoods have long held a dominant share in these markets, their market share is being threatened by alternatives like concrete and steel, so continuous educational efforts are necessary in the region to maintain market share and ensure that wood is specified and applied correctly.

The seminars reached 43 traders and construction professionals across both countries. Exit surveys show that the seminars were successful in increasing attendee understanding of U.S. softwoods and intent to increase purchases.

Costa Rica

Education and promotional efforts continued in July 2020 with a training webinar in Costa Rica. Costa Rica shows strong potential for U.S. softwoods, yet export volumes have been tiny relative to other markets in the region mainly due to a lack of knowledge of U.S. softwoods. To remedy this knowledge gap, the Costa Rica lumber training focused on technical aspects of proper selection and use of U.S. softwood lumber.

Exit surveys from the webinar’s 42 attendees indicate an interest in future training efforts in the area.

Dominica and the British Virgin Islands

Efforts continued in mid-September with an educational webinar in the British Virgin Islands and Dominica. This webinar was particularly significant, as it was the first time in over a decade that SFPA has addressed these markets.

While the U.S. had a dominant share of the market in the Leeward Islands— which encompasses the British Virgin Islands and Dominica—there is

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January 2021 n Building Products Digest n

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competition from alternative building materials such as concrete and steel. Continuous efforts are needed in the area to ensure correct structural application of wood products as there remains some misunderstanding of wood-frame construction practices and selecting the proper grades and sizes for the application. To that end, September’s webinar focused on proper selection and use of U.S. softwood lumber and was largely attended by lumber traders and construction professionals.

Antigua and Curacao

SFPA wrapped up last year’s schedule of webinars with Antigua and Curaçao in late October. Like elsewhere in the Caribbean, the U.S. has a dominant share of these markets but faces competition from alternative building materials such as concrete and steel. As seen throughout the Caribbean, the driving force behind this competition stems from a general misunderstanding of wood-frame construction practices and selecting the proper grades and sizes for the application. The webinar sought to remedy some of these misunderstandings, and the 23 professionals who attended indicated that they were likely to increase purchases of U.S. softwoods following the event.

Altogether, the seminars have reached well over 100 individuals, and SFPA’s message was heard loud and clear. Exit surveys indicate that the overwhelming majority of attendees left the events more confident in their knowledge and are more likely to purchase and import southern pine lumber.

While SFPA shares the general details of their international activities with the public, you’ll have to become a member if you want to know more. Detailed trip reports, survey results, and contact lists from each seminar are convenient-

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DESPITE COVID-19 restrictions, SFPA has been able to continue its international educational efforts with Zoom seminars.

ly posted to SFPA’s online Members Only portal, allowing members to log in and access reports as far back as 2012.

Fully embracing the virtual event trend, SFPA also presented a free virtual summit on Dec. 8, 2020. This event was a first for SFPA and featured presentations and live Q&A sessions with industry experts. Topics addressed covered the current climate of the southern pine lumber industry, what to expect down the road, and provide insights valuable to everybody in the wood products industry. The Summit was well attended, and speakers included Jim Dudley (Culpeper Wood Preservers), Deb Calvert (People First Productivity Solutions), Paul Jannke (Forest Economic Advisors), Jeff Miller (Treated Wood Council), and Ryan Flom (Softwood Lumber Board).

You can learn more about these activities, find out how to become an SFPA member, and more at SFPA.org.

– Julia Milrod is communications manager for the Southern Forest Products Association (www.sfpa.org).

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PRODUCT Spotlight

By Kevin Cheung

WESTERN LUMBER shipments surpassed last year’s robust levels, despite myriad challenges.

2020 in review Western lumber production remains busy

he year 2020 started with a strong U.S. economy with record low unemployment. Little did we realize what lie ahead.

Here are the biggest headlines from last year, from COVID-19 to conflagrations—and how they will impact lumber markets in the year ahead.

T

COVID-19 & Western Wildfires

In mid-March, the COVID-19 pandemic locked down the nation except for the essential services which included building materials distribution and manufacturing (lumber, plywood, OSB, engineered wood products). The industry was challenged, and mills implemented protocols to keep

Western Lumber Resources at Your Fingertips

INTUITIVE filtering system allows Resource Library visitors to easily find exactly what they’re looking for.

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n Building Products Digest n January 2021

A treasure trove of informative WWPA publications is available to industry professionals to support the efficient and proper uses of western softwood lumber. These publications have long been a valuable resource for architects, engineers and builders that require technical support for their projects as well as retailers for their customers. WWPA provides over 60 publications covering multiple topics on western lumber including, grading, species, design values, span tables, patterns and storage, to name a few.

The WWPA website’s Resource Library provides access to download and print this vast collection of western lumber product and technical information. Millions of visitors have downloaded hundreds of thousands of publications to assist with their projects.

The library has an intuitive filtering system that allows site visitors to easily find their publication by topic, product or species. The library filtering system uses four major categories (Usage, Topic, Product and Species) with over 50 subcategories to choose from.

Visitors can choose multiple categories at once to narrow down the subject matter so only publications of interest are displayed.

The top 10 filtered content from the library are design values, dimensional lumber, structural lumber, Douglas fir, hem-fir, grade stamps, spans, appearance lumber, decking and MSR. Out of the

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employees safe from COVID-19.

As well, the western wildfires added log supply uncertainty for some western lumber mills.

High Demand, Higher Prices

Western lumber production in 2020 stayed strong at levels similar to 2019.

Low interest rates supported housing.

Construction continued during the pandemic and home building was strong.

With more people staying at home, DIY projects took off yielding strong demand for building materials. This created a situation of high demand for lumber and translated to higher lumber prices. We heard builders saying in October “lumber prices have doubled.”

solid lumber products. Western lumber production looks to continue being busy in 2021.

With safety in mind, WWPA decided to cancel the 2021 annual meeting. We look forward to seeing our members

and industry friends in person at the 2022 WWPA annual meeting.

– Kevin Cheung, Ph.D., is chief engineer for the Western Wood Products Association, Portland, Or. (www.wwwpa.org).

A Busy Year

Mills learned to cope with COVID-19, took little downtime, and had a great year in 2020! As of early December 2020, we see some seasonal slowdown in demand for building materials, yet housing continues strong, rising home prices, low interest rates, and a depleted inventory of homes for sale due to pent-up demand.

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What Does 2021 Hold?

We are all awaiting the COVID-19 vaccine and a return to a more normal times. A continuation of low interest rates supporting new housing construction and the expectation of increased production of mass timber in North America will continue to consume many publications offered, the Western Lumber Span Tables and the Western Lumber Product Use Manual are the most accessed. About 33% of all visitors access the Span Tables book and 30% of all visitors access the Product Use Manual.

Other popular Resource Library publications are the WWPA species books, Douglas Fir and Western Larch, Hem-Fir Species Facts, and Ponderosa Pine Species Facts.

Latest additions to the library are a series of redwood technical publications, including Redwood Lumber Grades & Uses, Architectural Guide, Deck Construction and Lumber Patterns.

For those who need easy access from phones or computers, Western Lumber Grading Rules is available for download on Kindle and iBooks.

Access to the Resource Library at www.wwpa.org is free with registration.

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January 2021 n Building Products Digest n

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SELLING WITH Kahle

By Dave Kahle

The Ultimate Business Survival Skill e are living in incredibly turbulent times. The wellspring of this uncertainty lies in one of the unique characteristics of the times in which we live—rapid change.

The pace of change in our economy, in our culture, in our institutions, and in our industries and businesses is unprecedented in human history. There has never been a time in which the world around us has changed as rapidly as it does today.

Driving this unprecedented pace of change is the expansion in the amount of information we create. Consider this: In 1900, the total amount of knowledge available to mankind was doubling about every 500 years. By 2000, it was doubling about every two years. Today, according to some, the rate of change is doubling every 30 days!

That incredibly rapid pace of new knowledge is driving the forces of change at an unprecedented rate and is continuing to accelerate. The effect of that snowballing rate of change on our businesses and our jobs can be cataclysmic.

It’s almost as if a malevolent spirit were stalking our economy, rendering all the wisdom of the past useless, and casting a spell of confusion and uncertainty over the land.

The insightful person will accept that rapid change is now a defining characteristic of our economy and plan to deal with it effectively on an on-going basis. Our ability to change ourselves and our organizations at least as rapidly as the world is changing around us will be single greatest challenge of our professional careers.

Instead of thinking we should just persevere until it’s behind us, we should prepare for rapid change to be a way of life. What’s the best way to go forward in the light of this rapid change? What mindsets, disciplines and skills do we need to survive and prosper in turbulent times?

W

The solution

I believe there is one core skill which will define the most successful individuals and organizations. It’s the ability and propensity to engage in purposeful, self-directed learning. The only sustainable effective response to a rapidly changing world is cultivating the ability to positively transform ourselves and our organizations. That’s the function of purposeful, self-directed learning.

Here are six disciplines for the purposeful learner:

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n Building Products Digest n January 2021

1.

Set aside dedicated time for learning Understand that your future is dependent on your ability to learn and grow at least as rapidly as the world is changing around you. That isn’t going to happen haphazardly.

There was a slower, less stressful time when you could count on that. Today, you must learn better than ever.

Nothing worthwhile is learned without intentionality, purpose and dedication. If, for example, you decided to be a golf professional, you’d sign up for lessons with the best coach you could afford, and spend hours everyday practicing and studying the game.

So too with any competency. If you’re are going to improve yourself and perhaps your organization, you must dedicate time to the task. I recommend a one-hour block of time every week, dedicated specifically and exclusively to learning, as a starting point.

Expose yourself to differing ideas One of the surest ways to plateau is to limit your input to only those ideas you agree with, and the people who agree with you. Stretch outside of the box and encounter those ideas and people who have a different point of view.

It is amazing what a bit of exposure to the other guy’s point of view will do to broaden your horizons and impact your attitude. If your attitudes and ideas are solid and well-supported they will withstand the assault of opposing ideas. And your exposure to differing ideas will provide you with wisdom, empathy and a self-confidence that will serve you well in the long run.

2.

3.

Ask questions A well-phrased question is one of mankind’s greatest thinking tools. A good question is a salesperson’s most powerful sales tool. When we ask a question, the other person thinks of the answers. That means that we can influence, shape and stimulate thought processes in the other person.

And that is just as true for ourselves. When we ask ourselves a good question, it stimulates our thinking.

If you want to find better ways of doing things, if you want to improve your competency and skills, continually ask yourself questions. Write them down, seek the answers, and write those down as well.

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4.

Take a risk—a project that’s outside your comfort zone One sure way to learn and grow is to put yourself in a situation where you must stretch yourself and gain new competencies and skills in order to succeed or just survive.

Reflect, consolidate and commit “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” We’ve all heard that bit of sound-bite wisdom. It is only partially true. For difficult circumstances to make us stronger, we must learn from them. Not everyone does.

My wife is a crisis counselor. You would think that a crisis would be a one-off event. Once resolved, the person in crisis would rise up stronger and more capable than before. Alas, not true. The same people find themselves in one crisis after another. They resolve a crisis but never learn—they never change their behavior.

For adversity to make us stronger, we must be active participants in the learning process. That means pausing and reflecting on the experience—asking ourselves, “What did we do to contribute to this?” And then writing down the answers. Once we have clearly identified our behavior, we then commit to changing that behavior so that we can learn from the experience and become stronger.

5.

6.

Include your employees, family, and those you influence If you find yourself in a position of influence, there are those around you who look to you for leadership. One of the greatest leadership strategies in today’s fast-changing environment is to initiate purposeful learning among them.

In order to instill this learning in your people: (1) Wipe the slate clean. Imagine that you have written the history of your company or your career on a blackboard. You have every decision, every strategy, every success, and every failure noted in detail. The sum of this experience provides the rationale for why and how you do everything that you now do.

Now, take a wet towel. Wipe the board clean. Erase the past. As you do so, you eliminate the unspoken acceptance of the way things are and replace it with the new understanding that things may not be the way they should be. Just because something is, doesn’t mean it should be. The reason you started doing something may no longer exist.

Building-Products.com

This exercise provides a mental image for a change in thinking that needs to take place if you’re going to become a learning organization. You must begin to think about things that you do, not on the basis of the past, but rather on the basis of the present and the future. It’s a way of eliminating one of the biggest barriers to learning and changing.

(2) Give purposeful learning a strategic emphasis. Build in the need to become a learning organization in the most fundamental building blocks of your business. Write it into your mission statement. Display it in your personnel manual. Talk about it at

employee meetings. And, begin to model learning behavior yourself.

(3) Make purposeful, self-directed learning a part of everyone’s job description. Begin to create learning expectations for yourself and all your employees. Talk about their need to learn and grow. Include it as an item on every job description. Then encourage, develop and support learning opportunities throughout your organization.

– Dave Kahle is a high-content consultant, instructor and author of 12 books, including the best-selling How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime. Reach him at dave@davekahle.com.

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January 2021 n Building Products Digest n

43

NEW Products

Longer, Groovier Decking Deflector Screws

Simpson Strong-Tie’s Strong-Drive SDPW Deflector screw line of fasteners is designed to connect non-load-bearing, full-height partition wall top plates to trusses or joists while allowing for vertical movement.

Not only does single-screw installation make the SDPW Deflector screw an efficient fastener, but the polymer sleeve also allows for sliding during deflection, eliminating costly callbacks often associated with squeaks from metal-on-metal connections between walls, top plates and joists. n STRONGTIE.COM (800) 999-5099

Expanding its popular Ridge Premium collection to meet market demand, Envision has added a new 20-ft. length square edge board and 16- and 20-ft. grooved edge boards. Square edge boards were already offered in 12- and 16-ft. lengths.

Crafted using proprietary Compress Technology, Ridge Premium’s high-density cap and EverGrain Core are physically bonded together with tremendous heat and pressure to squeeze out air pockets and create a deeper grain.

The line is available in three softly blended colors: Black Walnut, Gunstock and Vintage Oak. n ENVISIONDECKING.COM (800) 253-1401

Exterior Twosome

Deckorators has introduced three new aluminum deck railing accessories for the 2021 deck building season.

ALX post extensions for hanging string lights, ALX Contemporary aluminum deck gate solutions, and ALX Contemporary continuous top rail brackets help deck builders and homeowners create personalized outdoor living spaces.

All three new accessories are easy to install and perfectly complement the sleek, simplified look of Deckorators ALX aluminum railing systems.

AZEK is adding two new exterior products that combine the natural aesthetics of premium wood with the long lasting, low-maintenance durability of PVC. AZEK Shingle Siding with PaintPro Technology features vertical woodgrain texture, varied-width shingle tabs, and true varied-width keyways, giving it the most natural look with a panelized shingle siding product on the market. It comes with straight or staggered edge. The panels are moisture-resistant, accept paint easier and dry faster than ever before.

AZEK Capped Polymer Cladding provides the look of contemporary wood cladding minus the maintenance. It is available in open-joint square shoulder boards and closed-joint tongue and groove profiles.

n DECKORATORS.COM (800) 556-8449

n AZEKCO.COM (877) 275-2935

Aluminum Railing Accessories

44

n Building Products Digest n January 2021

Building-Products.com

Entry First TruStile has introduced its first entry door collection. The Wood Entry Door Systems encompass a wide selection of door, sidelite and transom combinations, including modern, traditional, coastal or craftsman styles.

Homeowners can also build a custom entry system around one of TruStile’s 500 door styles now available as entry doors. Developed over two years in partnership with Marvin, the doors include innovative materials, including Tricoya exterior-grade MDF. n TRUSTILE.COM/ENTRY-SYSTEMS (877) 283-4511

Roasted Hue MoistureShield, has introduced Cold Brew, a warm and inviting medium-roast brown with subtle color variegation, to its Vision capped composite decking line.

An on-trend natural color with the look of a rich, roasted coffee blend, its distinctive variegated design strongly resembles the beauty of interior hardwoods.

It joins five other colors: Smokey Gray, Spanish Leather, Sandstone, Cathedral Stone, and Mochaccino. The boards come in non-grooved square edge boards and grooved profiles for hidden fasteners, in 12-, 16- and 20-ft. lengths with fascia boards in 12-ft. lengths. n MOISTURESHIELD.COM (866) 729-2378

Lights Up With a 33% lumen increase over the original model, Milwaukee Tool’s new flood light is designed to fill large indoor and outdoor areas with 4,000 lumens of TrueView High Definition Light Output.

The second generation M18 Rover Dual Power Flood Light features three different lighting modes and easily lights up a workspace for up to 12 hours at a time. For all-day performance, users can utilize an AC port to power the flood light with a 120V extension cord. For maximum versatility, the light head rotates 120° to direct light in multiple orientations.

Built to go anywhere and withstand tough jobsite conditions, its compact size and integrated handle allow for easy transport or storage. It also has integrated keyholes for hanging on overhead surfaces. n MILWAUKEETOOL.COM (800) 729-3878 Building-Products.com

Brushless Drill/Driver Ryobi’s new 18V ONE+ HP Brushless 1/2” Drill/ Driver features a brushless motor to deliver up to 20% faster drilling and up to 50% more torque saving time and energy per application.

A powerful 750 in.-lbs. of torque maximizes output power when drilling through tough materials.

Designed with the user in mind the two-speed gearbox and a 24-position clutch provide ultimate control while drilling and driving. n RYOBITOOLS.COM (877) 634-5704

January 2021 n Building Products Digest n

45

More Power

Wear the Heat Bosch Power Tools is rolling out its newest heated gear additions—the GHJ12V Heated Jacket and GHH12V-20 Heated Hoodie.

With modern designs and light, durable materials, the jacket and hoodie feature three temperature settings for enhanced control and comfort. Strategically placed heat zones are in the chest and lower back.

Both come packaged with the Bosch GAA12V-21 12V Max Portable Power Adapter, enabling users to take full advantage of their Bosch 12V Max Battery, delivering heat as well as 2.1 amps of accessory power for mobile devices, phones, tablets and more.

DeWalt has integrated FlexVolt Advantage Technology into four new 20V MAX* Brushless Tools—a 7-1/4” circular saw, 1/2” hammer drill/driver, reciprocating saw, and 4-1/2”-5” cordless grinder.

The tools have the ability to recognize FlexVolt Batteries and adjust, providing a new threshold of power and performance. n DEWALT.COM (800) 433-9258

n BOSCHTOOLS.COM (877) 267-2499

FRTW Subfloor Screw

Shurtape Technologies’ new T-Rex Double Sided Super Glue Tape is a mess-free replacement for traditional liquid glues and instantly adheres to surfaces without staining them.

It won’t bond to skin, making it a great addition to any toolbox for quick fixes on the job.

Simpson Strong-Tie has introduced the StrongDrive WSVF subfloor screw approved for use with fire-retardant-treated lumber, joining the WSV family of collated screws for fastening subfloor sheathing using the Quik Drive auto-feed driving system.

Featuring a fire-retardant coating, the WSVF provides corrosion resistance for use with FRTW and wood-based materials that might otherwise compromise the performance of carbon-steel fasteners. It provides a no-squeak, efficient subfloor connector for repair and replacement projects.

A redesigned tip and thread pattern provide easy starts, up to 25% lower driving torque, and 20% faster overall driving.

n TREXTAPE.COM (888) 442-8273

n STRONGTIE.COM/WSV (800) 999-5099

Super Glue Tape

46

n Building Products Digest n January 2021

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IN Memoriam David C. Wanmer, 45, longtime outside salesman with Curtis Lumber, Ballston Spa, N.Y., died suddenly while hunting in the Adirondacks.

Although his death appeared to be of natural causes, police are investigating because he had been alone.

Ford A. Frick, 80, president of Frick Lumber Co., Brimfield, Ma., died Nov. 19.

After graduating from the National Hardwood Lumber Association Inspectors School in 1958, he joined his father’s lumber company as a lumber grader, several years later working his way up to president.

Sam J. Emmert, 82, founder of Timberland Lumber Co., Brazil, In., passed away Nov. 27 in Terre Haute, In., following complications from COVID-19.

After attending Indiana State University, he joined his father in the lumber business. In 1969, Sam opened his own company, Timberland, which today is led by his son Brad Emmert and daughter Kim Emmert O’Dell.

Sam served on the board of directors for Progressive Affiliated Lumbermen (PAL) and the Indiana Lumber & Builders’ Supply Association).

Noren M. Meland, 91, former owner of Meland Lumber Co., Northland, N.D., died Dec. 12 in Northwood.

He attended Bemidji College and enlisted in the Air Force in 1948, achieving the rank of sergeant. In 1951,

48

he moved to Northwood to help his dad in his business, Meland Lumber.

After taking over, he and his brothers expanded the company to Larimore and Cooperstown, N.D. In 1982, Noren and his wife Audrey turned the business over to their sons Randy and Ricki.

Noren served as president of the Northwestern Lumber Association and the North Dakota Retail Lumber Dealers Association, which honored him as North Dakota Retailer of the Year.

Robert Thomas Sullivan, 72, former co-owner of Valentine Lumber Co., Springfield, Ma., died Dec. 6.

After serving in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, he earned a business degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. He became a millwork estimator and partner in Valentine Lumber, then joined A. Boilard & Sons, Springfield, until his retirement in 2007.

Pete Capaldini, Jr., former general manager and partner at Bailey Lumber Co., Pearisburg, Va., passed away Nov. 18. He was 92.

A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, he spent more than three decades with Bailey, before “retiring” and becoming a full-time contractor.

Kenneth Leroy “Ken” Brewer, 62, former owner and president of Jet Lumber Co., Jet, Ok., passed away unexpectedly on Nov. 20.

After receiving associate degrees in forestry from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College and in building

n Building Products Digest n January 2021

materials and management from State Fair Community College in Sedalia, he returned to his hometown in Jet to manage the family lumberyard. He spent 25 years running the business.

Leo Ward Craver, 96, retired coowner of Craver Lumber, Centerville, Ia., died Nov. 23 in Centerville.

Out of high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force in 1943, and fought in World War II, serving as a medic in the Galapagos Islands. After his discharge in 1946, he joined his father and brothers, Harlan and Ralph, at the lumberyard, where he worked until retirement.

Donald Keith Jensen, 98, former owner of Farquhar Lumber, Springfield, Mo., passed away Nov. 27.

He served as a corporal in the Army during World War II, working in the Air Corps as an instructor. After attending Draughon’s Business College, he worked for Campbell Street Lumber Co., Springfield, Mo. He purchased Farquhar in 1963, brokering lumber until 1981.

Samuel Bryce Griffis, 90, retired president of Sturgis Lumber Co. and Sturgis Timber Co., Sturgis, Ms., passed away on Dec. 9 due to COVID-19 complications.

After active duty in the National Guard during the Korean War, he attended Delta State University, graduating with a degree in business administration in 1954. He then began his 63-year career in the lumber industry.

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b-300Fv-2.1E r installation - 3 1/2” and 5 1/2” s Timber wood framing systems Initiative (SFI®) Certified nce Page uperior strength e MSR Lumber 39 strength solution for ral applications

800.221. B E A M

ADVERTISERS Index

|

Cover II

W W W. A N T H O N Y FO R E S T. CO M

Anthony Forest Products www.anthonyforest.com Anthony Forest Products is part of the Canfor Group of Companies ©

BC Wood www.bcwood.com

Anthony Forest Products Company, LLC

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

Peak Auctioneering – Jan. 7-9, Kansas City online LBM auction; www.peakauction.com.

United Hardware Distributing Co. – Jan. 11-17, virtual buying market; www.unitedhardware.com.

34

Crumpler Plastic Pipe www.cpp-pipe.com

43

CT Darnell www.ct-darnell.com

25

DMSi www.dmsi.com

15

Do it Best Corp. www.doitbestcorp.com

19

Everwood Treatment Co. www.everwoodtreatment.com

47

526 Media Group www.building-products.com

7

Manufacturers Reserve Supply www.mrslumber.com

3

Maze Nails www.mazenails.com

5

Norbord www.norbord.com

29

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. www.nawla.org

35

Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. www.nelma.org

9

Pacific Woodtech www.pacificwoodtech.com

41

PotlatchDeltic Corp. www.potlatchdeltic.com

37

Ray White Lumber Co. www.raywhitelumber.com

Baltimore Remodeling Expo – Feb. 14-16, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Md.; www.homecentershow.com.

27, Cover IV

Redwood Empire www.buyredwood.com

Mid-America Lumbermens Association – Feb. 17, sales seminars, Brentwood, Mo.; Feb. 18, Kansas City, Mo.; www.themla.com.

Cover I

Simpson Strong-Tie www.strongtie.com

11

Snider Industries www.sniderindustries.com

36

Southern Forest Products Association www.sfpa.org

34

Southern Pine Inspection Bureau www.spib.org

21

Swanson Group Sales Co. www.swansongroup.biz

12/17/18 1:25 PM

31

Timber Products Co. www.timberproducts.com

Cover III

Versatex www.versatex.com

38

Westervelt Lumber www.westerveltlumber.com

Building-Products.com

Appalachian Lumbermen’s Club – Jan. 12, meeting, Asheville, N.C.; www.lumberclub.org.

National Retail Federation – Jan. 12-14, virtual show; www.nrf.com.

Lake States Lumber Association – Jan. 13, virtual trade show; www. lsla.com.

Mid-America Lumbermens Assn. – Jan. 19, estimating seminar, Kansas City, Ks.; www.themla.com.

BC Wood – Jan. 25-29, virtual Global Buyers Mission & trade show; www.bcwood.com.

Cameron Ashley Building Products – Jan. 25-29, virtual Dealer Show 2.0; www.cameronashleybp.com.

House-Hasson Hardware Co. – Jan. 27-29, Fresh Start virtual dealers market; www.househasson.com Northwestern Lumber Association and Mid-America Lumbermens Association – Feb. 2-3, World Discovery digital conference; www. nlassn.org.

Illinois Lumber & Material Dealers Association – Feb. 4-5, online expo; www.ilmda.com.

Orgill – Feb. 8-19, virtual spring market; www.orgill.com.

International Builder’s Show – Feb. 9-11, sponsored by National Association of Home Builders, virtual IBS; www.buildersshow.com.

Kitchen & Bath Industry Show – Feb. 9-11, virtual KBIS; www.kbis. com.

Peak Auctioneering – Feb. 11-13, Kansas City online LBM auction; www.peakauction.com.

Monroe Hardware Co. – Feb. 12-13, spring market, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; www.monroehardware.com.

Pittsburgh Remodeling Expo – Feb. 12-14, Heinz Field-UPMC Club Lounge, Pittsburgh, Pa.; www.homecentershow.com.

True Value Co. – Feb. 19-20, 2021 Spring V-union virtual show; www. truevaluecompany.com.

LBM Advantage – Feb. 22-24, virtual annual buying show & shareholders meeting; www.lbmadvantage.com.

FenceTech – Feb. 23-26, Music City Center, Nashville, Tn.; www. americanfenceassociation.

Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers – Feb. 24-28, annual meeting, Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, Ponte Vedra, Fl.; www. appalachianhardwood.org.

Oklahoma City Spring Remodel & Landscape Show – Feb. 26-28, Oklahoma City, Ok.; www.homecentershow.com.

Orlando Home & Garden Show – Feb. 26-28, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fl.; www.showtechnology.com.

Peak Auctioneering – Feb. 27, live LBM auction, Howard County Fairgrounds, Baltimore, Md.; www.peakauction.com.

Frame Building Expo – March 3-5, sponsored by National Frame Building Association, Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, Nashville, Tn.; www.nfba.org.

Do it Best – March 7-19, virtual spring market; www.doitbest.com.

January 2021 n Building Products Digest n

49

FLASHBack 57 Years Ago This Month

F

ifty-seven years ago this month, in January of 1964, BPD’s sister publication, The California Lumber Merchant, was expecting big business for building material markets, citing forecasts of 1.5 million housing starts in the new year. Interest rates were anticipated to dip, leading to a slight softening in multi-family building but explosive growth in single-family construction.

In other news: • Sixty-three years after it began manufacturing forest products, Weyerhaeuser Co. became listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Trading began with the purchase of the first 100 shares by chairman F.K. Weyerhaeuser.

Simultaneously, Weyerhaeuser shares were admitted to trading on the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange. In all, 31 million shares were listed on the two exchanges. The stock, formerly traded overt he counter, was assigned the ticker symbol WY. Listing originally had been scheduled for Nov. 25,

THE JANUARY 1964 front cover was sponsored by Rockport Redwood Co., Cloverdale, Ca., manufacturer of Rockport Redwood Bevel Siding. Owner Ralph C. “Bill” Rounds sold Rockport Redwood to Georgia-Pacific in 1968. In 1973 it became part of the spin-off Louisiana-Pacific Corp.

but was postponed because of the death of President Kennedy.

Today, there are about 745 million outstanding shares of WY. • During its 12th annual convention, the National Building Material Distributors Association voted to merge with the National Plywood Distributors Association, retaining the NBMDA name. An NBMDA Plywood Council was formed to address specific needs of the segment.

Combined the group, now known as the North American Building Material Association, boasted over 500 members.

• Dinuba Lumber, Dinuba, Ca., unveiled its revamped lumberyard and brand new 440-sq. ft. showroom at a sneak preview to 200 invited guests. The company, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, still operates on the same site, using the then-new showroom as its Ace Hardware store.

FOLD-AWAY DOOR manufacturer Artesia Door Co. snagged crooner Bing Crosby as its pitchman

50

n Building Products Digest n January 2021

• Wholesaler Marquart-Wolfe Lumber relocated its head office from the corner of Hollywood and Vine in Los Angeles to Long Beach, Ca. “We are moving to get out of the traffic complex and also the smog,” said president Horace Wolfe. “We will continue to exert every effort to maintain our standard customer service.”

Not so coincidentally, Wolfe was also buying a home near the ocean.

Building-Products.com

BPD

Building Products Digest 151 Kalmus Dr. Ste. E200 Costa Mesa, CA 92626-5959

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