BPD Nov 2013

BPD

DECKING TRENDS яБо SELLING PRESSURE TREATED WOOD IN THE WINTER NOVEMBER 2013

Building Products Digest

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

BPD Special Features

November 2013

Building Products Digest

In Every Issue

9 FEATURE STORY

DECK SALES STRATEGIES

10 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

THE GREEN SIDE OF COMPOSITES

12 INDUSTRY TRENDS

MOVING TREATED WOOD IN WINTER

14 MARGIN BUILDERS

KNOTTY CEDAR DECKING SALES HELP

16 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

REENGINEERED BAMBOO DECKING

47 PHOTO RECAP: DECK EXPO

 Volume 32  Number 9

6 TOTALLY RANDOM 18 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE 20 OLSEN ON SALES 32 APP WATCH 34 IN MEMORIAM 36 MOVERS & SHAKERS 38 FAMILY BUSINESS 44 NEW PRODUCTS 51 ASSOCIATION UPDATE

52 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 53 DATE BOOK 54 IDEA FILE 54 ADVERTISERS INDEX

Online BPD DIGITAL VERSION, BREAKING INDUSTRY NEWS & PHOTOS BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM

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Building-Products.com

TOTALLY Random

By Alan Oakes

BPD

Building Products Digest www.building-products.com

A publication of Cutler Publishing

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

Exciting news from BPD and NAWLA – the North American Wholesale Lumber Association

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CTOBER HAS BEEN an exciting month at Building Products Digest and sister publication The Merchant Magazine as we see the industry evolving and regenerating after one of the longest downturns in history. Capping what has clearly been a better year for all of us, our last issue—ramping up to the NAWLA Traders Market—was our largest in five years, as companies began promoting themselves again in a very different marketplace than at the start of the downturn in 2006/2007. All businesses will continue to face challenges as it will not be smooth sailing and there will be speed bumps along the way.

We have noticed over the last five years that the thirst for industry news has intensified and education has come to the forefront. Knowledge has always been powerful and one of our longtime association partners, NAWLA–the North American Wholesale Lumber Association, whose wholesaler and manufacturer members account for a large part of our readership, has taken a lead in education of its members and partners. For many years, we have supported The NAWLA Traders Market with a special issue each October. A few years ago we launched a special section centered on NAWLA in our May issues. Based on that success, I am now pleased to say that we have made a mutual decision to take our long-term partnership a logical one step further.

I am excited to announce that Cutler Publishing and NAWLA have signed a joint publishing agreement for The Merchant Magazine and BPD to become official publications for NAWLA and a voice to NAWLA members—an extension to the community we have served since 1922.

To that end, in the future you will see articles and news direct from NAWLA that will be timely, interesting, authoritative and educational, targeted to both members and non-members, wholesalers, manufacturers and retailers.

We are also determined that every NAWLA member receives one or both publications, so please let us know if we have missed you.

Our goal has always been to inform and educate our readership. To that end we work with many fine industry associations. We are delighted that this new relationship with NAWLA will support the channel that supports their members, as well.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving in a few weeks, this new relationship is perhaps timely to recognize, finally, the industry upturn. Yes, not where we would all want it, but we have seen the turn of a very deep “U” shape depression curve and are positioned to start the growth that we all have been waiting for. It’s good to once again see smiling faces and people getting out to meetings.

Next year looks to be heading even further north.

While the industry will still have its ups and downs and growth will bring its own issues, a much better place. But—shhhhh—let’s enjoy it again regardless.

We, as a leader in the industry, will continue to bring you the most news, latest product announcements, and some of the best editorial in the business, all to help you and your companies become even more successful.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.

Alan Oakes, Publisher ajoakes@aol.com

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

How to Advertise

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

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

How to Subscribe

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

SINGLE COPIES $4 + shipping BACK ISSUES $5 + shipping BUILDING PRODUCTS DIGEST is published monthly at 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660-1872, (949) 852-1990, Fax 949-852-0231, www.buildingproducts.com, by Cutler Publishing, Inc. (a California Corporation). It is an independently owned publication for building products retailers and wholesale distributors in 37 states East of the Rockies. Copyright®2013 by Cutler Publishing, Inc. Cover and entire contents are fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission. All Rights Reserved. BPD reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it.

Building-Products.com

FEATURE Story

By J.C. Rentschler, Weyerhaeuser

6 strategies to strengthen deck sales COMFY OUTDOOR entertainment areas, such as the Tamko EverGrain deck shown here, are in high demand as consumers push their living space boundaries to the exterior.

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has yet to come to a close, the next spring selling season is closer than you think. And along with warmer temps will come homeowners looking to get back outdoors—dining and entertaining on a new deck.

But making the sale—whether to builders or d-i-yers—requires more than just warm weather. The wide array of materials, components and accessories available in today’s deck market requires that dealers have sharp selling skills and the ability to navigate broadening inventories and constant price pressures.

Here are strategies to help sell decking more effectively and efficiently: • Create an inspiring display.

Sample boards can help buyers select a color, but nothing beats a partial- or full-size deck on site to draw homeowners in and help them visualize how they’ll feel after their own deck is installed. Dealers with a deck display tend to sell more, so the cost of materials to build it can be recouped quickly. Your distributor may even provide assistance with materials and labor.

HOUGH THE YEAR

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• Diversify your offerings. Don’t just bring in a SKU or two you think might sell. Successful deck dealers create more sales by carrying a full array of deck lines and, most importantly, offering a complete solution.

• Don’t neglect details. If you have the deck boards, make sure you also carry the coordinating accessories, matching railings, matching face fasteners, and the manufacturer’s approved hidden fastening system.

• Understand your products. The growth of composite decking has added thousands of new SKUs to the market. Help customers wade through the offerings by developing a deep understanding of your lines. Know the differences not only between wood and composite, but classic composites vs. capstocks. Understand installation best practices, fastener compatibility, and long-term maintenance strategies.

Consult with your distributor reps; they can help bolster the sales staff via product knowledge sessions and assist during open houses, how-to workshops, deck fairs, and trade shows.

• Communicate the value. Part of the sale is quantifying to buyers what the entire deck will cost and what the advantages are of up-selling the project. For example, while a composite deck might cost more than lumber, it has more color options with no need for stain and is lower maintenance.

Similarly, cedar decking costs more than pressure-treated, but offers a look homeowners love. Some materials carry longer warranties or distinctive guarantees that also differentiate them from other brands and price points.

• Keep an eye on the competition.

Take note of what your competitors stock and be prepared to explain how your offerings are different and deliver more ROI. The same goes for pricing.

Know how much your decking costs in relation to theirs so you aren’t blindsided by a competitor’s lowball.

Ensure you’re taking advantage of the boom in outdoor living by offering complete solutions, inspiring displays, and deep product knowledge.

– J.C. Rentschler is a dealer sales representative for Weyerhaeuser Distribution (www.woodbywy.com).

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PRODUCT Spotlight

By Edie Kelso Wilson, Fiberon

A green look at composite decking

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composite decking products that look beautiful and are extremely durable, leading composite decking manufacturers have made significant investments into sustainable environmental practices. Cutting-edge processes start with the sourcing of raw material through delivering products that last long past their warranties.

Today’s composite decking products are demonstrably green. Here are a few of the environmentally friendly highlights you can pass on to inquiring customers.

N ADDITION TO MAKING

Recycled Materials

This is the most intuitive component of composite decking’s “green” story. Most composite materials are made from a combination of plastic and wood fiber—roughly half wood, half plastic, give or take 10%. Leading composite manufacturers are using massive amounts of recycled materials in their products. In some instances,

up to 95% of recycled material is used in composites. This recycled material originates mostly from post-consumer plastic and pre-consumer recycled wood.

Post-consumer content consists of recycled containers discarded by consumers, usually collected curbside, or at a recycle center or collection bin.

Post-consumer plastics come in two varieties: high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Both are used by manufacturers of composite decking products.

HDPE includes recycled plastics made of thicker materials such as milk cartons, laundry detergent and shampoo bottles. LDPE comes from thinner materials such as dry cleaning bags and plastic grocery bags.

Pre-consumer or post-industrial content are manufacturer overruns of product not sold, or scrap materials used in the manufacture of goods that are resold to other manufacturers. Preconsumer wood used in composites

are sourced from shavings and scraps from cabinet, door and window manufacturers.

Reclaimed content is manufacturing scrap that can be put back in the manufacturing process. Most composite manufacturers are able to plow 100% of their manufacturing excess back into production. These are practices used by most manufacturers.

Technically, reclaimed content is not considered recycled content.

Manufacturers have become very proactive in sourcing recycled materials. Some have set up drop-off centers at convenient locations around the country to turn discarded consumer plastics into long-lasting outdoor living products—from composite decking to park benches. Companies adhere to strict policies governing the sourcing of recycled content, obtaining materials within a predetermined distance from their manufacturing facilities and only choosing raw materials that have a proven chain of custody to ensure quality and source of the materials. Raw materials have to be specified and are meticulously inspected to ensure consistency.

As a whole, the composite decking manufacturing industry diverts millions of pounds of plastic and wood scrap from landfills. Keeping reusable materials out of a landfill is a win for everyone.

Manufacturing Efficiencies & Sustainability

RECLAIMED wood fibers and recycled plastic pellets are key ingredients of composite decking.

Photos courtesy Fiberon

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Modern techniques for manufacturing composite decking are second to none. The industry has developed state-of-the-art processes that minimize energy usage, lower plant emissions, and eliminate the discharge of Building-Products.com

waste water into the environment.

Advanced green technologies and a sincere desire to deliver truly environmentally friendly products have made the composite decking industry a leader in sustainable practices.

Shipment of Product

As both a cost- and energy-saving strategy, two top composite decking and railing manufacturers have invested in manufacturing facilities on both coasts. This investment reduces the hidden waste—time, energy and vehicle emissions—of shipping composite decking across the country.

In addition, shipping product by rail whenever feasible reduces fuel costs and carbon emissions. In fact, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration and its Annual Energy Outlook 2013 report, shipping freight via rail saves 92% in carbon emissions (converted from petroleum consumption) compared to shipping via truck.

A Sustainable Replacement

While obvious, it is important to remind customers that building with composite decking materials saves trees. Wood decks deteriorate in 10 to 12 years if not properly maintained.

Boards will twist, splinter, split and rot over time and will require replacement even when maintained properly.

And for wood to achieve any longevity, it requires regular staining or painting to withstand Mother Nature’s harsh conditions.

On the other hand, composite decks are made to last 30, 40 or 50 years or more without splintering, twisting or rotting. Decks made from composite materials don’t require chemical stains or sealers. Bottom line, composites are designed to last for decades, while wood degrades much more quickly, necessitating more frequent replacement and use of resources.

For both residential and commercial builders, composite decking provides the added benefit of contributing points to green buildings. Points are awarded for post-consumer recycled material used, amount of sourced materials within a 500-mile proximity of the jobsite, and other resource efficiencies, such as termite-resistant materials.

The U.S. Green Building Council LEED program and the NAHB Green Building Program provide guidelines for sustainable construction that incorporate environmental considerations and resource efficiencies into every

step of residential or commercial construction to minimize environmental impact. Plus, there are many other regional green building programs around the country that focus on providing homeowners with high-performance homes.

Over the past two decades, composite decking materials have become more beautiful and more natural looking. Consumers have demanded realistic-looking deck boards that are stainand fade-resistant, durable and easier to maintain than wood. Even exotic hardwoods turn gray within a year or two and require effort to maintain their beauty. Composites provide a beautiful solution that does not require staining or painting.

Builders and consumers can compare the long-term costs of wood versus composites by using the EPA’s Greenscapes workbook (www.epa. gov/wastes/conserve/tools/greenscapes/tools/). This workbook allows users to input current costs in local areas, comparing composites with PVC decking, pressure treated lumber, and hardwoods.

– Edie Kello Wilson is director of marketing communications for Fiberon, New London, N.C. She can be reached at (704) 463-2971 or ediek@fiberondecking.com.

FINISHED PRODUCT is beautiful and durable, in addition to environmentally friendly.

Building-Products.com

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INDUSTRY Trends Pressure Treated Wood

The off-season is prime time to sell outdoor projects

THE COMING of fall and winter should signal more, not fewer, decking sales.

(Photo of Ecolife deck courtesy of Viance)

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HERE’S NO TIME like the present.

Like Archadeck Outdoor Living, a nationwide network of outdoor living contractors, dealers should encourage their customers not to hold off until next spring to construct an outdoor project, citing a number of advantages of a fall or winter build.

With over 100,000 projects built worldwide since 1980, Archadeck is no stranger to the typical building cycle. And, energized by an upturn in home improvement spending, the company sees homeowners continuing to add decks and other outdoor structures through the cooler months, where historically there has been a decline.

“The fall and winter months can bring many advantages to the outdoor

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building process,” says Rob Haislip, Archadeck vice president. “Not only are contractors typically more available during the winter months, but the cooler conditions can minimize damage to the surrounding landscape as most plants and grasses are dormant in the winter.”

A winter project will also cause less lifestyle interruption, because homeowners typically spend less time outdoors and less time participating in outdoor activities during the colder months of the year.

The nature of the materials also makes the “off season” the prime time to build a deck. Although the deck boards may be wood, PVC or composite, the foundations are almost always pressure treated wood. And, says November 2013

Haislip, “pressure treated wood will dry and stabilize more evenly in the winter due to reduced humidity.”

Michael Reeder, owner of the Archadeck franchise in Columbus, Oh., calls it the “give and take” of the project. “The give refers to the wood’s expansion and the take refers to the wood’s contraction, which is caused by the effects of varying outdoor temperatures on the wood itself,” he says.

Conversely, Reeder says, “a summer deck construction exposes the pressure treated wood to higher humidity conditions. When drying in the hot sun, treated wood will undergo expansion and contraction that can cause cracking, warping and other damage to the wood itself. Due to the orientation of the sun during the winter months, the sun doesn’t beat down on your deck, and the treated wood that holds the key to your project’s structural integrity will not undergo these negative effects.”

Archadeck has seen huge growth in the hardscapes project category, with outdoor kitchen projects, patios and fire pits gaining in popularity. “People are finding new ways to enhance the use of their outdoor spaces, and we’re seeing fire pits and retaining walls being incorporated into deck and patio designs more often,” says Haislip.

“Adding a fire pit is the perfect way to extend enjoyment of the outdoors as the weather gets cooler.”

The Archadeck team believes that one of the biggest benefits of a fall or winter project is the immediate enjoyment it will bring the following spring.

Rather than pursuing a contractor and building a project, the homeowner’s outdoor living space is ready to enjoy when they are.

Building-Products.com

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MARGIN Builders Knotty Cedar Decking

Why you should be selling knotty cedar decking

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N A GROWING remodeling market dominated by materials with large marketing budgets, it’s understandable why many consumers may be under the misconception that there are only a few popular decking choices available— those being primarily of the composite variety.

That being said, there’s one material that may come as a surprise to consumers (and some retailers) that’s quietly growing in popularity, and for all the right reasons: knotty western red cedar.

The green, sustainable characteristics of western red cedar are a well-known story, so we won’t repeat ourselves.

But here are seven top reasons why you may want to stock up on knotty western red cedar decking.

1. Lower price point

Comparatively speaking, even clear cedar is an affordable product, but knotty western red cedar, which is milled from younger trees and is more readily available than other grades, is available at an even lower price point, making it very cost effective to build with. A quick square-footage cost comparison between knotty and other decking materials is often all it takes for most consumers to choose knotty.

2. High performance

Knotty western red cedar, or thuja plicata, is probably the ideal building material for outdoor R&R projects, and even more so in high-moisture conditions. Naturally occurring phenols in the species prevent decay, rot and insects.

Cedar’s dense cell structure (about a million cells per cubic inch) minimizes shrinking and swelling, so it stays flat and is structurally solid. Also worth noting is the misconception that the knots will fall out over time. Knots are from live branches and are inter-grown into the deck board, so they will remain sound and tight through the life of the deck.

3. Different grades, different looks

The condition or character of the knots in the wood determines the grade of knotty western red cedar, and ultimately gives the consumer a wide range of looks from which to choose: from urbane and elegant to rustic and charming. Grades such as Architect Knotty and Custom Knotty, which have sound, tight knots and are popular

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choices with homebuilders, are proprietary grades to Western Red Cedar Lumber Association members.

4. Hard-to-beat versatility

Knotty cedar is light and easy to work with, but the variety of looks and finishes that can be created is what really make its versatility unparalleled. Cedar (knotty or otherwise) is pitch- and resinfree and perfectly suited to take virtually any stain, finish or bleaching oil, giving the homeowner or builder myriad choices on the final look. Knotty cedar is also available in a variety of dimensions (although 2x4 and 2x6 are most common for decks).

5. It’s the rising star of deck materials

Although cedar has been around for a long time (First Nations and Native Americans have been building with it for centuries), knotty western red cedar as a decking material is making a comeback in a composite dominated market.

Growing environmental awareness has certainly pushed its popularity, as has a trend to extend outdoor living spaces to blend in with and complement outdoor areas and natural landscaping. Louder calls for a possible land-fill tax to be added to the sale of composite materials may be helping as well.

6. Great for grilling burgers, not your feet

Whereas composite materials can heat up and actually burn bare feet in the summer, western red cedar stays cool under foot, even in the hottest weather, so it’s always comfortable to walk on. Additionally, there’s no risk of the surface softening due to heat, nor being marked from moving patio furniture or the like.

7. Knotty cedar just looks great

Despite the other reasons for choosing knotty western red cedar, the fact that it looks so good is likely the single biggest factor in its growing popularity. With natural colors ranging from honey-yellow to cinnamon-red to deep-sienna, and its rich, deep lustre, the natural warmth and beauty found in real cedar is matchless.

– For more on knotty western red cedar, visit realcedar.com.

Building-Products.com

PRODUCT Spotlight Bamboo Decking

New bamboo decking rivals exotic hardwoods

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NEW CATEGORY of decking combines the sustainability of bamboo with the beauty and durability of exotic hardwoods.

Dasso XTR is manufactured with strand woven technology—a patented process in China, Australia and Russia, and patent-pending in the U.S.—that fuses carbonized bamboo to make it suitable for exterior use.

“Unlike the process used to create strand-woven bamboo flooring, our process incorporates several proprietary steps that make our product exterior grade,” says president Brett Kelly, who is based in Pennsauken, N.J. Another difference is that Dasso XTR is 87% bamboo and 13% phenolic resin, not a composite of reclaimed bamboo fibers and recycled plastics, as can be the case with other brands.

The reversible boards can be installed smooth side up or reeded side up—or a combination of the two, for

unique designs. Each 6-ft. board is side-grooved for hidden fastening and end-matched for installation on joists, 12” or 16” on center. Double- and single-grooved profiles are also available.

The company also offers residential deck tiles that click together for easy installation on any flat, level surface.

Other divisions produce siding, lumber, veneer and panels, and flooring— all constructed of fused bamboo.

“We just had our first head-to-head with ipé on a specification and came out on top,” says Kelly. “The project is replacement of the deck of the village band shell in Lake Placid, N.Y.” In Atlanta, Ga., 1,800 sq. ft. of the decking was installed at the new residence/office/studio of TAC Studios— which helped the project earn the LEED silver rating for environmental sustainability. The project was also featured in the city’s annual Parade of Homes, for two years in a row.

HIGH PERFORMANCE BAMBOO decking is an integral part of TAC Studio’s new office/residence in Atlanta, Ga. Photos courtesy Dasso XTR

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DECK TILES add drama to recreation areas.

According to Kelly, Dasso XTR is a unique product that looks and acts like premium tropical hardwood decking, but: • is more stable • is Class A fire-rated • is environmentally friendly • is available prefinished with a natural oil or can be stained onsite The product is also very durable. In China, where the company is based, Dasso XTR was used to construct a two-mile walkway in the Houtan Park Expo in Shanghai. “The expo saw traffic of more than 70 million people during the fair,” says Kelly. “Yet three years later, all original boards are still down and there have been no notable issues with the product.”

For the Wuxi Theater in Jiangsu, China—which was designed by Finnish architect Pekka Salminen to rival Australia’s Sydney Opera House—Dasso supplied 802,000 sq. ft. of its bamboo products: exterior decking and architectural-grade bamboo panels specially constructed for the entire interior.

Building-Products.com

COMPETITIVE Intelligence

By Carla Waldemar

Maine reason for success? Diversify.

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American dream! In 1937, Wolf Eldredge, a gentleman of southern Maine, took it in his head to peddle the lumber he planned to salvage from a massive 19th Century summer resort. Today, Wolf’s grandson, Scott, runs Eldredge Lumber & Hardware, consisting of three locations, a couple of design showrooms, and a whole lot more.

Wolf, the enterprising founder, expanded his York Beach sawmill to include fabrication of custom millwork.

After a fire in 1957, he moved the operation to Cape Neddick, where it quickly morphed into a lumberyard and ALK ABOUT THE

hardware operation.

Scott, on board since a kid, took the helm in the ’80s and transplanted the operation to York, headquarters today—the company’s mothership, which boasts a full-service lumberyard with plenty of bells and whistles. For folks in southern Maine, it’s become a destination. As has the hardware store in Kittery, 10 miles way, launched in 2000, and the newest lumber-cum-everything outpost 45 miles north in urban Portland, which debuted in 2011.

“York is very much a retail store, with a large homeowner clientele,” says general manager Dan Remick, an

MAINE DEALER has built its brand primarily with unparalleled customer service, word of mouth, and stocking a varied range of products.

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Eldredge vet of 22 years and counting. “We also have a large contractor base,” he’s quick to add—pros who are served in their own sales area by a dedicated staff. Oh, and there’s the commercial business, too, garnered by an outside salesperson, snagging accounts that range from an auto repair shop to a mall site to a dentist’s office and more.

Marketing is pretty low-tech, the way folks operate in Maine. “We’ve been here a long time, we’re well known,” says Dan, “so it’s mostly word of mouth.” And what are those mouths endorsing? “A really good, experienced staff and a product selection that’s second to none.” And the competition? “They can’t do what we do—personal service. We take care of customers the old-fashioned way.

Because we’re family-owned, we don’t have to ‘check with corporate.’ No fancy rules to follow. It’s all hands-on.

Scott Eldredge trolls the floors seven days a week,” reports his G.M. “We collaborate really well.”

Both agree that the customer is boss. Contractors can count on free delivery with no minimum (forklift services when necessary, too). “We don’t argue with them, we just take care of them. Customer service is Number One.” It’s delivered by a staff cherry-picked for their ability to understand retail and who enjoy being around people. When Dan signed on 22 years ago, the personnel count numbered 15; today, it’s nudging 120.

Dan and Scott subscribe to the “just get the customer in the door” school of marketing. Once lured, they’ll look around and like what they see. And what they see is a complete one-stop shopping opp: Come in for a screwdriver, walk out with trendy Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning products. Stop by for some coffee filters and leave with a plan for remodeling the kitchen.

That’s the reasoning behind—what’s this?—animal feed. What’s pet food doing next to the 2x4s? Drawing clientele, that’s what. “Lots of people have animals around here,” Dan explains. “It’s a good market and a great customer base. They need feed; we’ve got stuff. So we sell them as much other stuff as we can. People thought we were crazy to sell $3 chicks—‘You can’t make any money on those!’ –Well, you can if you also sell them the coops and the feed. The store is busy, and that’s what matters.”

That’s also why there’s an Eldredge Bros. Fly Shop at a smaller Cape Neddick location. “It opened 20 years ago in a small, little yard where the manager was asking, ‘How can I get customers in my store?’ His fishing buddy had the answer. “It opened up the yard to a whole lot more people,” Dan testifies.

So does the Atlantic Design Center, a 5,000-sq.-ft. showroom launched on the York site eight years ago that serves as a mega-arena for kitchen, bath and flooring, displayed in complete, full-room vignettes. “It’s big,” Dan attests. “There’s nothing like it around. Formerly, we didn’t have a good place to display kitchens for our customers; they deserved better. Now it’s become a destination.”

The design center is served by close to a dozen design consultants who add value to their services by hosting a “huge variety” of free seminars, ranging from landscaping to contemporary gilding to replacing windows. “But they’re not always design-focused,” Dan adds. “We hosted the Antiques Road Show and drew 150 people.” Eldredge also offers accredited AIA classes, led by vendors, for local architects. It also offers free cookouts for passersby in summer months.

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Atlantic has proven so successful that, when Marvin Corporation approached the company to launch a similar gallery in Portland, it was a no-brainer. “There’s nothing like it around,” swears Dan, “over 50 displays. You leave with no questions unanswered.”

Well, why Portland, anyway—and why, during the doldrums of 2011, enter a major city market? “We don’t have a growth plan,” Dan allows. “We just seized the opportunity. There was an old, vacated wholesale lumberyard, so when Marvin approached us, we decided within minutes.”

And came through the recession relatively unbloodied.

“Sure, things slowed up, but we managed because of diversity of product selection; we didn’t rely on new building alone. We kept the shelves full, the store staffed, and smiles on our faces. Now,” he’s happy to report, “conditions are definitely improving. South Maine is very fortunate—lots of homes, and second homes, along the coast. Commercial, too. We cater to the builders who specialize in that.”

So, thanks to a “wonderful staff and great group of customers,” looks like Dan is stuck here for another 22 years, selling everything from baby chicks to coffee filters to custom homes.

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net

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OLSEN On Sales

By James Olsen

Hard work?

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were raised on work hard.

But pushing a button that doesn’t produce is frustrating. It can kill a salesperson or an organization. Below are three areas to work on that will produce sales results.

OST OF US

Account Management

No matter our skill level as a salesperson, we are not going to squeeze an A+ sales life out of a B- account box.

Working hard, calling the same accounts more often, will not bring better results.

Some sellers hang on to C- accounts because “they aren’t that much work.” The problem with this strategy is that we wake up one day with a whole account box of Crelationships. C- accounts cloud our vision and time much more than we realize. They keep us from developing more B+ and A+ relationships.

Our accounts must be viewed as a whole. We don’t just look at our top three accounts and say, “I’m a master seller.

A, B and C love me and do a lot of business with me, so I must be great.” This analysis is a false friend that creates false confidence and results.

Take our revenue for the last 12 months. Divide that number by our total number of business relationships (all customers and suppliers). Divide by 12. That will give us the total value of each of our relationships—the value they bring to us and the value we bring to them on a monthly basis. Master sellers do not waste time on C- relationships.

Rapport Building

Popeye the cartoon sailor says, “I y’am what I y’am and that’s all that I y’am!” I call this the Popeye Syndrome.

We are not a cartoon. We do not have the luxury of just “being ourselves.” We must work on our “personal charisma.” We must work hard at being charming.

About 95% of the time in B-to-B sales, the customer knows as much or more than we do, so: • Slow down on the product knowledge and get to know the customer.

• Be charming.

• Smile—master sellers do and most sellers don’t! I am shocked at the number of salespeople who do not “whistle while they work.” No one wants to jump off a cliff with you, so cheer up.

• Listen. Ask interested and interesting follow-up questions.

• Laugh at people’s jokes.

• Joke.

• Ask about their hometown.

• Ask about their kids.

• Give a darn in general.

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• Read How to Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Charm is learnable, Popeye!

Bold Is Gold

Master sellers are bold. Timid sellers do not sell. The common misconception is that bold is loud or pushy. This is not the case.

Bold expects an answer. Our first moment of truth with our potential account is the first time they side-step one of our questions. I call it a “non-answer answer.”

Seller: How much of that do you use per month?

Potential customer: We use a fair amount.

Most sellers let this go. This is a mistake. This communicates to the customer that it is okay not to answer our questions, and it is not okay. If we let customers off the hook on the simple questions, we train them to side-step us, and they will, right up to the moment they give the order to someone else. When a customer obfuscates on even the simplest questions, we must work hard, circle back, and ask our question again. We can do it in a nice way, but we must do it.

Bold is assumptive. Master sellers work hard at speaking and carrying themselves as if they expect others to buy from them. Do they lose business? Yes. But their demeanor does not change in the face of rejection. They also go into the next call assuming they will sell. This is the “virtuous cycle” of the bold seller that stops slumps and builds momentum.

Bold is forthright. Just ask for the order already! I have worked with sellers who have doubled their sales in less than a year without changing anything, except asking for the order!

Our time, our energy, and our focus are finite. We cannot waste them on deadends.

Working hard at account management, rapport building, and being a bit bolder will help us achieve our sales goals.

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

ard Reopens A ter

ears

Bliffert Lumber, Milwaukee, Wi., is opening its seventh lumberyard at the former Wolohan Lumber/Stock Lumber in Sturtevant, Wi. Stock closed the 12,000-sq. ft. store on nine acres five years ago. “We looked at it soon after it closed,” said v.p. Eli Bliffert. “We just decided the timing wasn’t right to come back into that market. (Now) we think the timing’s right.”

Although they reopened to the public Oct. 10, the yard and store will be stocked slowly and may not be fully stocked until spring, according to store manager Ray Weisenbeck.

He is one of several of the store’s 12 employees who used to work for Stock/Wolohan. Bliffert estimates the employee count will eventually double.

In estors Bu

io ard

Granville Lumber Co., Granville, Oh., has been acquired by Ambassador Enterprises, Fort Wayne, In. Granville will become part of Ambassador’s building products manufacturing and distribution business, which includes Ambassador’s Mike Erler is now president of Granville, succeeding David Rutledge, who is now general manager. Tom Lawyer continues as sales manager.

“The combination of our current business, along with the capital and operating support from Ambassador, will allow us to grow as the housing economy recovers. We want to continue to give the personal and friendly

customer service that we are known for and support the community that we have been a part of for 63 years,” said Rutledge.

eeland Adding in Indiana

Zeeland Lumber & Supply, Zeeland, Mi., will spend nearly $1.6 million to purchase and open a new office, distribution center, lumberyard, and truss-manufacturing facility in Elkhart, In., by early next year.

“We believe that this move will allow us to better serve our existing Indiana clients from their own backyards,“ said president and c.e.o. Mike Dykstra. “The added addition of a manufacturing facility will also help us expand our client base in, and around, Elkhart County. “ The 66-year-old company also has locations in Kalamazoo, Zeeland, Comstock Park, Hamilton and Mishawaka, In.

G at

tarts ase pgrade ort arolina Mill

Georgia-Pacific will initially invest $9 million at its Dudley, N.C., lumber mill as part of a multi-phase increase in its production capacity and supporting infrastructure.

Most of the money will go toward building a new continuous dry kiln that will double the mill’s drying capacity and create about 20 new jobs.

Construction is underway and expected to be completed by second quarter 2014.

G-P is also evaluating other projects for the mill, which could cost up to $90 million.

DEALER Briefs Gabriel Building Supply , Ponchatoula, La., has added a 50,000sq. ft. location in Amite, La. Owner Bob Gabriel’s daughters, Devin Gabriel and Jasmine Sziber, are managers.

Ivey’s Building Materials Center, Mansfield, La., is targeting an

early December opening for a new store in Haughton, La.

Building Solutions Inc. , Tulsa, Ok., has opened a 5.5-acre lumberyard on the former site of E.A. Nielson, Kansas City, Mo.—its first location outside Oklahoma (Shannon Williams, K.C. market mgr.).

Higginbotham Brothers

opened its 25th True Value Hardware store in Cisco, Tx. (Justin Anderson, mgr.)

Malcom Lumber & Hardware, Grinnell, Ia., was damaged by a

late-night fire Oct. 16.

Deering Lumber & Masonry Supply, Melrose, Ma., is considering

sale of its 1.5-acre property to the developer of an assisted living facility.

Neighborhood Pro Hardware, Birmingham,, Mi., has closed after 60 years. Co-founder Roger Reynolds has sold the property and retired.

Circle Hardware Supply , Waco, Tx., recently held a grand reopening to celebrate its recent remodel.

Ace Hardware, Ithaca, N.Y., has been opened by John Nosewicz, exCayuga Lumber.

Ace Hardware, North Port, Fl., has been purchased from Maurice and Patricia Dalton by Babe’s Hardware, Venice, Fl. Boyle’s Bandera Hardware, Bandera, Tx., held a grand reopening celebration to show off its new expansion and remodel.

Bill Chapman Hardware , Buffalo, Mo., has been acquired by Tim and Lindsey Jasper from Bill Chapman, who is retiring as he turns 80 this month.

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Building-Products.com

DEALER Briefs Carter Lumber is converting its Canal Fulton, Oh., store into a clearance center.

Building Materials Inc., Fall River, Ma., closed Oct. 31 after 175 years and placed its 2.5-acre property up for sale.

Medina Lumber, Medina, N.Y., held a grand reopening Oct. 25 to show off its expanded sales floor.

Leatherman Hardware, Wyoming, Mi., has closed

after 62 years.

Argo Hardware, Trussville, Al., has been opened by

John O’Rear.

Brinkmann True Value Hardware, Sayville, N.Y., is seeking a zoning change that would allow construction of a larger 17,000-sq. ft. store with 3,000-sq. ft., second-story office.

ABC Supply added a branch in Pleasant Gap, Pa.

(Chad Arndt, mgr.).

Ace Hardware is opening a 10,000-sq. ft. store in Champaign, Il., in the spring.

John Jr. True Value, Oglesby, Il., was opened Oct. 14

by John Senica Jr.

Parker-Astin Hardware, Bryan, Tx., is closing this

month after 102 years.

Westlake Ace Hardware will not renew the lease for its store in DeSoto, Tx., and will close the unit in mid-to-late December.

DriBar Ace president Mark Driscoll submitted plans to build an Ace Hardware store in Sugar Grove, Il., hoping for a spring opening.

Price & Gannon, Centreville, Md., has switched its affiliation from True Value to Ace Hardware.

Roofing Supply Group has added branches in Jacksonville, Fl. (Kevin Crawford, branch mgr.); Canton, Oh. (Dave Reece, mgr.), and White Oak, Pa. (headed by Frank Sands, Tom Jewell, and Barry Novosel).

McCoy’s Building Supply, San Marcos, Tx., is now selling Pella windows and doors at its 85 locations.

Greenville Cash & Carry , Greenville, Al., has launched a new website at www.greenvillecashandcarry.com.

Russell Do it Centers , Alexander City, Al., has launched a new website at www.russelldoitcenter.com.

Anniversaries: New Providence Hardware , New Providence, Ia., 150th … Woodson Lumber, Caldwell, Tx., 100th … Standard Lumber, Glenview, Il., 85th …

Culpepper Lumber Co. , Thomson, Ga., 60th …

Hyland Supply, Midland Beach, N.Y., 50th …

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Building-Products.com

ome

epot

pens Mid est

Home Depot added a 1.6-million sq. ft. stocking distribution center next to its rapid deployment center in Joliet, Il. The new DC will employ about 200 and serve 340+ Depots across the Midwest.

SUPPLIER Briefs Hubert Moore Lumber Co., Alapaha, Ga., has filed to liquidate under Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Kitchens Brothers Manufacturing Co. has accepted bids for its three shuttered sawmills. Any remaining assets will be auctioned off this month.

The hardwood mills—in Utica and Hazelhurst, Ms., and Monroe, La.—shut down late last year.

Maple Land & Timber will invest $1.95 million & Timber complex near

expanding its American Land Baldwyn, Ms., with a new sawmill.

Boise Cascade completed its acquisition of Wood Resources’ Southeast operations, including Moncure Plywood , Moncure, N.C., and Chester Wood Products, Chester, S.C. Rex Lumber is installing USNR’s MyMill mobile sorter control technology at its sawmill in Brookhaven, Ms. GAF opened a polyisocyanurate rigid-board insulation plant in Gainesville, Tx. Its first ISO facility opened last year in Statesboro, Ga. Monsma Marketing, Grand Rapids, Mi., is now distributing Fiberon decking, railing and fencing throughout the Midwest.

Babcock Lumber Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., is now distributing Trex decking and railing in western and central Pennsylvania, western New York, and West Virginia.

Northeast Marketing Associates, Groton, Ct., is now distributing Benjamin Obdyke roof and wall products in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York.

Boston Cedar , Mansfield, Ma., is now distributing KOMA Building Products’ PVC trim throughout the

Northeast.

Boston Cedar is also now distributing Trex decking and railing and has become the exclusive Northeast distributor of RDI’s new Transform railing line.

Dixie Plywood & Lumber, Savannah, Ga., is now distributing Versatex cellular PVC trim in Florida, Tennessee and Georgia.

Bilco Co. , New Haven, Ct., redesigned its website,

www.bilco.com.

Architectural Testing Inc. opened a regional office in Chicago, Il., focusing on building envelope commissioning, consulting services, field quality control testing, and inspection services.

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Connect. Learn. Innovate.

At the North American Wholesale Lumber Association (NAWLA), weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been serving the lumber industry since 1893, supporting growth, building networks and spurring innovation. Recently, times have been tough for those of us working with lumber and building products. But it is a new day. As an industry, we are reinventing the way we do things and especially the way we serve our customers.

We are networking and helping each other. We are learning to innovate from experts in every part of the business.

At NAWLA, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been creating better forums for teaching each other and offering these services to the entire industry. These include: NAWLA Leadership Summit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Education, workshops, and networking opportunities abound at this world class thought leadership event.

NAWLA Regional Meetings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Local area meetings create the ideal venue to network with supply chain partners and customers.

NEF (NAWLA Education Foundation) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Collaborating with universi

experiences, and internships.

Wood Basics Course â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Taught by industry experts, this 4-day immersion class covers the entire spectrum of the forest products industry, perfect for new employees.

ready to serve you. I invite you to visit us at www.nawla.org. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on this journey together.

Gary Vitale President/CEO, NAWLA

I Bu ing out east

istri utor

Universal Forest Products has agreed to purchase assets of distributor SE Panel & Lumber Supply, South Daytona, Fl., from Wood Resources, Shelton, Wa. SE Panel distributes Wood Resources’ Olympic Panel overlay concrete forming panels and commodity lumber throughout the Southeast.

SE Panel’s Mark McBride and Calvin Dodson will join UFPI to guide and grow its concrete forming business business. SE Panel general manager Barry Hill will join Olympic Panel in a market development role.

“Universal’s national presence gives us the opportunity to grow sales of our Olympic Panel overlaid panels with an industry leader,” said Wood Resources c.e.o. Kurt Liebich.

The deal is expected to close by mid-November.

e

rader

or s or lat ee

Woodbrowser Inc., New London, N.H., has launched what it describes as the first flat-fee based lumber-trading firm to offer the advantages of a buying group to the general lumber market without the upfront costs.

Similar to the current buying process, Woodbrowser handles the transaction from determining lumber availability, purchase, credit, payment to the mill, and logistics. Yet the service removes commission-based influence and adds price transparency to every purchase. Instead of being provided only a delivered cost, Woodbrowser shows the price of the lumber, freight and flat service fee—which starts as low as $10 per 1,000 bd. ft.

Using its True Price Finder trading tool via the phone or web, mills compete for the order and offer pricing directly

to the buyer. Woodbrowser’s staff communicates with its mills daily to provide real time information, as well.

Woodbrowser also offers a listing and marketing section where mills can offer products for sale directly to the buyer. Buyers can sign up for Woodbrowser Email X, which markets inventories that mills are looking to move.

“We studied past companies that ventured into lumber sales with a web component, and learned from their results,” said Matthew Haggerty, chief operating officer.

“We do not view ourselves as a web company, more as a transparent lumber trader with online capabilities for those buyers and sellers that are ready to move in that direction.”

Woodbrowser currently offers products from 29 mills across the country. Because the company is based in the Northeast and led by president Chuck Gaede, formerly a sales and operations executive for eastern white pine manufacturer Durgin & Crowell, New London, eastern white pine has so far been the most heavily traded species. Sellers also offer SPF, southern yellow pine, and Douglas fir.

Products are boards, dimension and plywood.

The initial 39 buying accounts include East Coast retail lumberyards, manufactured building, developers, manufacturers and exporters, spanning from Florida to Maine, although the majority of the business has so far been in Pennsylvania and north.

Wholesalers can also use Woodbrowser, but, according to Haggerty, its “process really works for direct transactions, with the mill shipping direct to the end user. Our position is that if the buyers and mills wish to have more transparent transactions—with the buyer and seller being the main beneficiaries of the transaction, not the trader— our process will work.”

NATIONWIDE STOCKING DISTRIBUTORS SUPERIOR TO PAINT OR COATINGS STRONGEST FRTW WARRANTY COMPETITIVE PRICING TSO AND KDAT

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Ains ort

ers onger

B

Ainsworth Engineered, Vancouver, B.C., has reintroduced longer length OSB panels: OSB XL 9-ft. and OSB XL 10-ft. panels.

The longer length panels are available in multiple thicknesses, and even custom length, just like the company’s 8foot OSB product line.

“With the recovering housing market and the trend toward higher ceilings in building designs, the demand for longer OSB boards is very clear, and we are thrilled to offer our customers a more complete OSB product line,” said v.p.-sales Bart Bender. “With longer boards, we see a unique opportunity to offer our customers cost-avoidance on labor, since there is less cutting and installation labor required when sheathing with longer OSB boards.”

The launch of OSB XL follows Ainsworth’s re-opening of its OSB mill in High Level, Alb., after an extensive equipment upgrade and hiring of 135 new employees.

Mar in s Manager Boo ed or

et

A former manager at Marvin’s Building Materials, Decatur, Al., has been charged with allegedly stealing more than $8,000 through fraudulent merchandise returns.

Brandon Lee Drake Owens, 23, is accused of stealing the money over several months, dating back to April, in 33 separate transactions.

Mill or er

aug t in

nscram ler

A millworker at Hankins Lumber Co., Grenada, Ms., was seriously injured Oct. 10.

According to authorities, Anthony Simpson became caught in a lumber separator, which broke both his legs.

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APP Watch

Application: BUILD MY ROOF Produced by: Firestone Building Products Price: Free Platforms: iPad, Android tablets Starting from the deck and selecting additional components, contractors, sales reps, and architects can construct a virtual roof on their tablet devices, using any Firestone roofing systems.

The new Build My Roof app intuitively narrows options to only those appropriate to the selected assembly. Users can create multiple projects, save plans, and add construction notes. A convenient R-Value calculator is built in, making it easier to construct a roof that meets the necessary codes.

Download from iTunes App Store or Google Play Store

Building-Products.com

IN Memoriam Steven “Mark” Junkins, 55, vice president of sales at McShan Lumber, McShan, Al., died Oct. 2 of heart failure in McShan.

After graduating from Mississippi State University, he served in the Navy. He spent 27 years at McShan.

He also served as an officer with North American Wholesale Lumber Association, Southern Forest Products Association, and Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association.

Lisa Gale Roberts, 57, manager of technical services for National Gypsum Co., Charlotte, N.C., died Sept. 9.

She entered the building material industry in 1985 as a trader for BMA, Greenville, S.C., joining National Gypsum in 1991 at its Minneapolis, Mn., district sales office. Three years later, she relocated to Charlotte, moving up to technical sales rep in 1999 and manager in 2001.

Jordan Timothy McGuire, 56, lumber salesman at Colonial Forest Products, Crewe, Va., died Aug. 31.

After graduating from Virginia Tech, he joined 84 Lumber as a management trainee and worked at several

locations in Virginia. He joined Liesfield Lumber in 1985, McCoy Lumber in 1987, Stonewall Lumber in 1988, Woodlands Lumber in 1996, and Colonial in 2008.

Elbert Leroy Duckworth, 88, longtime North Carolina lumberman, died Sept. 22 in Morganton, N.C. During World War II, he served with the Navy in the Pacific.

During his long lumber career, he worked for Pitts Lumber, C.G. Fox Lumber, and Shook Builders Supply.

Salvatore Esposito, 62, co-owner of Canal Lumber, Staten Island, N.Y., died Oct. 9 in New York City.

He joined the family business after graduating from high school.

James R. “Jim” Allee, 76, thirdgeneration owner of Allee Lumber, Mattoon, Il., died Oct. 14 in Mattoon.

He took over the firm in 1967.

Jimmy D. Seago, 86, retired accountant for Seago & Sons Lumber, McComb, Ms., died Sept. 7.

Gerald D. “Bick” Girouard, 75, co-owner of Coastal Timbers, New Iberia, La., died Sept. 27.

He started the company in 1990 with his wife, Rita.

Laurence V. “Larry” Witt Sr., 95, retired vice president at Bruce Lumber, Laurel, Ms., died Oct. 2.

He started at Bruce Lumber at 17 and retired in 1977. He was then recruited by Robbins Flooring to help expand its operations. He retired from Robbins in 1997, but continued to serve on its board until 2002.

Harry Stouffer Eshenour, 80, retired manager of Castles Lumber, Carlisle, Pa., died Sept. 30.

He served in the Korean War as a corporal in the Combat Engineers.

Prior to joining Castles, he managed Byers Lumber, Carlisle.

John Thomas “J.T.” Griffin, 92, retired owner/operator of J.T. Griffin Lumber Co., Valdosta, Ga., died Oct. 7 after a lengthy illness.

He served in the Merchant Marines during World War II. In 1962, he invented the Griffsaw, which reduced the amount of sawdust generated while cutting logs.

Allan Robert Lucksted, 77, retired Midwest lumber salesman, died Oct. 17 in Granger, Mi. After spending 20 years at Wickes Lumber, he worked for 25 years at Midwest Timber, Edwardsburg, Mi.

– Serving the industry for over 30 years – Phone: 800-763-0139 • Fax: 864-699-3101

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Building-Products.com

MOVERS & Shakers Al Cron, mgr. of Boise Cascade’s Dallas, Tx., building materials distribution operation, is retiring at the end of the year after 42 years with the company.

Dave Lorady, ex-Kistler Building Supply, is new to inside sales at MRD Lumber Co., Orwigsburg, Pa. Steve Robertson, ex-Hilti, is now Lubbock, Tx., area mgr. for Stock Building Supply.

Brian LaPlaga, ex-PrimeSource, is now general mgr. at Huttig Building Products, Cape Giradeau, Mo. Patrick MacLellan is a new account mgr. at Moulding & Millwork, Northborough, Ma. Scott Jackson, ex-Lansing Building Products has joined Trex, as account mgr. for the Carolinas.

John Edwards is a new outside sales rep at Eastern Engineered Wood Products, Bethlehem, Pa., covering Md., Va., and N.C. Herb French, ex-Concord Lumber, is now store mgr. at Littleton Lumber, Littleton, Ma. Pat Weaver joined L.E. Smith Co., Bryan, Oh., as director of sales.

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Bert Hewitt, ex-Huttig Building Products, has been named Southeast regional sales mgr. for Nyloboard, Covington, Ga. Darren Kennedy, ex-Versatex, is now Northeast regional sales mgr. and Andrew Hampe, ex-Amarr Garage Doors, is director of sales-West U.S. Jason Mora has joined Versatex’s New England sales team as a market development specialist based in Manchester, N.H. Andy Kacyon, ex-ProBuild, has been named v.p.-sales at American Builders Supply, Sanford, Fl. Derrick Geiger, ex-ProBuild, is now ABS general mgr. in Tampa, Fl. Chris Borrego has been promoted to president and c.e.o. of Builders, Kearney, Ne. Myron Andersen is now chairman of the board.

Shari Bell has been named marketing mgr. for USP Structural Connectors, Burnsville, Mn. Sharon Moore, ex-Pella, has joined CPG International, as field sales rep for A ZEK and TimberTech products, based in Milford, De.

November 2013

Larissa Laba is a new millwork coordinator at ENAP, New Windsor, N.Y. Joseph Sapulak, ex-Alexandria Moulding, is now inside sales/operations coordinator for Southern Cross Forest Products, Wilkes Barre, Pa. Brad Money has been appointed v.p.divisional operations at ABC Supply, Beloit, Wi. Daniel Piche was promoted to v.p.-national business development. Brent Fox has been named to the ABC board and appointed c.e.o. of Hendricks Holding Co., Beloit, replacing Diane Hendricks, who will continue to serve as chairman of the board.

David Hurston, ex-BlueLinx, is the new Southeast territory mgr. for SRW Products, Princeton, Mn. Timmothy Chilcote is a new management trainee at 84 Lumber Co., Mercersburg, Pa. Dave Beeken has been named president of the Silver Line division of Andersen Corp., Bayport, Mn. Dave Destiche has been promoted to v.p.-marketing at Amerhart, Green Bay, Wi. Chad Warpinski is now marketing mgr. Ryan Chandler is branch mgr. in Sun Prairie, Wi.

Building-Products.com

Adam Smith is the new territory sales mgr. for the state of Michigan for Boral TruExterior trim. Bill Warfield is the new territory sales mgr. for southern New England and the Hudson Valley.

Randy Piccoli has been appointed sales mgr. for Wheaton Door & Window, Beltsville, Md. Thomas A. Burke, c.e.o. and president, Modine Manufacturing Co., has been elected to the board of USG Corp., Chicago, Il. Rick J. Mills has been elected to the board of Masonite International, Tampa, Fl. Tim Valters has been named president of Weston Premium Woods, Brampton, Ont. Guy Marzano has retired after more than five years as director of field services at Northwestern Lumber Association, Minneapolis, Mn. Pamela Kivi has joined the association as an administrative assistant.

Jim Hannan, c.e.o. and president of Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., has been elected to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative board, along with Bob Matters, Steelworkers Wood Council, and Jonathan Haufler, The Wildlife Society.

Mike Ter Molen has been promoted to divisional mgr.-building products & home decor at Do it Best Corp., Fort Wayne, In. Justin Towne has joined the outside sales team at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

A

endors Add im er ec

CPG Building Products, Scranton, Pa., has persuaded several longtime A ZEK distributors to also carry its TimberTech products.

Bennett Supply, Cheswick, Pa., is now distributing both lines in western New York, western Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Lumbermen’s Inc., Grand Rapids, Mi., is now selling both in Michigan, Indiana, western Ohio, and northern Kentucky.

Midwest Lumber Co., Stillwater, Mn., has added TimberTech distribution in North Dakota, South Dakota,

Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and most of Iowa.

Parksite’s branches in South Windsor, Ct., and North Brunswick, N.J., are now selling TimberTech products from Maine to New Jersey, as well as eastern New York and eastern Pennsylvania.

In addition, longtime TimberTech distributor C.J. Link Lumber Co., Warren, Mi., is now distributing AZEK products throughout Michigan. And, Huttig Building Products’ four branches in Florida have also added A ZEK products to their existing TimberTech lines.

CERTAINTEED launched a new mobile app to support its CertaSpray spray foam insulation.

Designed for use on iOS and Android devices, it provides easy access to troubleshooting and safety information, andl product details.

Building-Products.com

November 2013

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37

FAMILY Business

By Wayne Rivers

Advisory teams for family businesses

E

VERY FAMILY business has a group of advisors they turn to with various questions. The advisory team normally consists of a certified public accountant, an attorney, a banker, an insurance agent, and sometimes a stockbroker.

Family businesses often retain consultants on an as-needed basis, in addition to their core group of advisors. The management style of most family business owners dictates that the owner normally initiates contact with one or more of the advisors, whenever the need arises. This management style may be described as a hub and spokes arrangement, where the hub is the family business owner and the spokes are the lines of communication to the respective advisors.

As an illustration, the owner may have an accounting question for the CPA. The CPA mentions that there could be some legal ramifications which would mandate the involvement of the attorney. Does the owner put his CPA and attorney, typically his top two trusted advisors, together?

No, he takes what he has learned from the CPA and calls the attorney himself. In this case, the owner is the clearinghouse for all information and is, by default, the quarterback of the team.

There are several reasons why this is the most common management style when interacting with advisors.

One major reason for the lack of teamwork is the competition among non-family advisors for who is the “most trusted.” Advisors have a vested financial interest in maintaining strong relationships with the client.

This competition among advisors to be number one can sometimes lead to them working against each other.

Another potential problem is that the business may have outgrown the

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respective advisor over time, due to changes in family structure, industry trends, size, etc.

Still another problem is that the advisor doesn’t share the core values of the family business itself. An advisor may harbor a strong dislike for one or more of the family members, a resentment of the financial success of the business or individuals, or a lack of understanding about what to do when there’s family conflict. Sometimes advisors may simply not like each other. It’s very difficult for people who harbor dislikes on a personal level to cooperate professionally.

So what do family business owners do to eliminate the hub and spokes communication model and embrace a more collaborative and efficient model? The first thing is to delegate.

The owner doesn’t have to be the clearinghouse for every single bit of information, as long as he knows the general game plan. As businesses grow, owners find themselves less and less able to handle every small detail of operations. The same is true as their family and estate pictures continue to grow. If the owner doesn’t have enough trust in his advisors to let them do their work in an environment of trust and collaboration, he may have the wrong advisors.

The next item is to have the advisors communicate with each other.

That means to copy each other on correspondence, presentations, and notes of important phone calls and unscheduled discussions. Everyone needs to be dealing with good information in November 2013

order to be at their most effective.

You wouldn’t go in for surgery without taking a thorough physical and providing the physicians with your medical history. Why should you undertake family, business succession, and estate planning without giving all team members enough background information to make solid recommendations?

Next, invite all advisors to sit in on important meetings. This allows for everyone to weigh in with their opinions on procedures, strategy, etc.

Finally, make sure that your advisors understand they are working for you, for a common purpose, on a team. Advisors who have a history of working as sole practitioners may feel threatened or may be uncomfortable with the new teamwork approach.

It’s your job to get them comfortable and to make sure they understand the ground rules for crafting the best possible plans for you.

A common objection to having advisory team meetings is the cost. If you’ve got a consultant, an accountant, and an attorney present with their clocks running, an hour of meeting time could easily cost $600 or more. Some owners resist spending this kind of money for advice. Here’s the rub: How much would it cost to enter into estate planning discussions with say, an insurance agent, only to find out that there is a legal or accounting reason why the strategies you’ve spent hours and hours discussing can’t work for you? What’s the opportunity cost of using your valuable profit-producing time to engage in planning discussions that ultimately prove fruitless? It’s more than worth your while to get your advisors together on a collaborative, teamwork basis so that you’ll get the best possible professional thinking.

– Wayne Rivers is president of the Family Business Institute, Raleigh, N.C. Reach him at wayne.rivers@familybusinessinstitute.com or (877) 326-2493.

Reprinted with permission of the Family Business Institute. No portion of this article may be reproduced without its permission.

Building-Products.com

etect t e

ilent Business

High blood pressure is a silent killer. Combined with other risk factors it can lead to death. Similarly, in business, there are seven silent business killers that, if combined, can lead to the death of a business.

Here are the warning signs the health of a business may be at risk, according to consultant Steve Blue:

1. Life Is Great

Things have been going well for a long time now. You hardly ever hear of any problems. The numbers look good, though lately they’ve been getting a little soft. You’re not too worried because your people will tell you if something is wrong—although they didn’t the last time you lost a customer. You found out by accident.

Right about now you feel like you have this c.e.o. thing down cold!

Maybe it’s finally time to work on that golf game. Think again. When you feel like this, it’s time to be on your guard. Dig hard into your operation to see what’s wrong. Peel back the onion of your financials and find out where the issues are.

Do a deep dive of every department. Remember, you’re not trying to

illers

determine if you have problems—you do. You’re trying to find out where they are.

2. Everyone Makes Nice

When your people have a meeting, they look more like an oil painting than an engaged team. Your meetings are oh-so-nice. No disagreements, no lively debates. If things do start to get a little heated, someone offers to “take it offline.” In any discussion, people look to you to see what your view is before they take a position. They’re more concerned with being nice than moving the business forward.

But you can’t move a business forward without conflict. The absence of conflict should not be your goal. Productive conflict should be. Encourage, insist and even demand that people engage in conflict. Make clear that the absence of conflict is not okay. But just be sure it is the productive kind.

Conflict needs to be managed, measured and meaningful—or it turns destructive in a hurry. Train everyone in conflict management skills.

3. Innovation Is DOA

Product development has been a lit-

tle slow for a while. You used to introduce new products all the time. These days, most of your launches are minor enhancements that don’t yield better margins. But that’s okay, because the customer expects product improvements. Still, it bothers you that while they expect improvements, they won’t pay for them. You are on a death trajectory, just waiting for the competition to make you irrelevant.

Make innovation your number one goal. And just don’t make it a goal— make it an absolute requirement.

Don’t restrict this to new products. It can and should include internal and external processes and procedures.

Innovation is a process that can be learned and applied by everyone, not just the “creative” types. Throw a challenge down for an annual innovation award. Whoever comes up with the most innovative product or process gets a large cash award.

4. Your Sales Team Works for Your Customer

When conflict arises between your company and a customer, does your salesperson side with the customer?

When it comes time for a price increase, do your salespeople make it happen or do they sandbag you until

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you give up? Ever hear “customers pay the bills”? How about “the customer is always right”? These are signs of salespeople who are on your payroll, but work for your customer.

If you think that’s a good thing, think again. Customers can put you out of business by squeezing your margins to nothing if they can get away with it. Your customers will abandon you in a minute for a better deal somewhere else. So why on earth would you want salespeople who work for your customer? If this sounds like your sales team, here is what you should do: Salespeople develop deep relationships with their customers—so deep they’re afraid to offend them, give them bad news (like a price increase), or otherwise irritate them. Shake them up. Change account assignments.

Change incentive plans to include whatever it is you’ve been trying to get done, but couldn’t because they were working for the customer.

Develop a new model for the salesperson of the future. You’ll need it, because some of the old guard won’t make the trip.

5. Your Toxic Employees Are Killing Off Your Customers

Ever meet a rude flight attendant or an unsympathetic front desk clerk?

Ever walked into a restaurant and been ignored by the hostess? One toxic employee can destroy years of customer loyalty and chase dozens of customers away every day. Imagine how much business they can destroy in a year. Don’t let his happen to you.

Go toxic employee hunting. Take one organization layer at a time and start asking who the toxic people are.

And don’t buy the excuse that no one knows who your toxic employees are.

Someone knows. Once you’ve identified them, tell them they must change their behavior immediately or they can’t stay. Fire those who don’t come around. Don’t wait too long on this, because your customers aren’t waiting around for you.

Set a new standard of behavior for the entire company. Once you have cleaned house, be mindful that weeds always grow back, so be prepared to prune the garden often.

6. Costs Are Under Control

Your manager has been cranking out widgets for what seems like forever. He knows exactly how to run the operation. He does a great job in scheduling the work, purchasing mate-

rials, and shipping the product out.

However, it seems like a long time since he talked about cost reductions.

He tells you costs are under control.

Under control is not good enough.

Set a goal for improving productivity by 10% a year. You’ll either need to raise the top line or reduce the workforce. Invest in capital equipment to automate, create work cells, and implement lean methods.

7. Hiding in the U.S.

You know the U.S. market well, as do your people, because it’s your only market—even though your products could be used internationally. Margins are getting thin in the U.S. You were surprised recently to learn that a foreign competitor took some business away from you. You’d never heard of this company before. Your salespeople were dumbfounded. Now you’re worried that they are after the rest of your business. They probably are.

Don’t wait around to find out. Hire an international consultant who’s an expert in your industry. Get a passport. Go to the federal government for help (no, really!). The commercial service has excellent country/industry guides from all over the world.

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41

MARGIN Builders

By Kelly Kennedy, MP Global Products

EVERYTHING LOOKS BETTER WITH

REAL CEDAR.

How to upsell floor underlayment T know about the products you sell and what differentiates one within a catego-

HE MORE YOU

ry from another, the more likely you will add value to a sale and to your bottom line. Everyone will benefit:

INCLUDING YOUR BOTTOM LINE. There’s more to Real Cedar branded products than their rich, natural good looks: They’re also an assurance of quality, best practices, service and support.

And retailers see real benefits from this high-profile brand.

Benefits like assured supply lines, dealer support, and dedicated marketing driving customers to our dealer network. Join the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association today, and see how we can help build your bottom line.

www.realcedar.com 1 866 778 9096

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HIGH-PERFORMANCE underlayments, such as VersaWalk from MP Global, will help ensure a quality installation and happy customers.

November 2013

Building-Products.com

Customers are more likely to get what they really need and you are more likely to sell a premium product.

Talking up the attributes of a product can be especially rewarding when selling a product such as quality floor underlayment, which has performance features not evident at first glance.

The specifications and characteristics of an underlayment can affect ability to minimize sound transmission between floors, walking comfort, the perceived warmth or coldness of the floor underfoot, the ability of the underlayment to handle moisture emanating from the subfloor, and the smoothness of the finished surface.

Imperfections in any of these qualities can lead homeowners to call back the contractor or installer, or can lead renters in multi-family housing to complain to the landlord.

If you are selling wood, laminate, tile, or luxury vinyl tile flooring, it pays to become familiar with the standards that apply to underlayment for different types of flooring and what the product labeling on underlayment packaging stands for.

For example, to meet building codes, acoustical underlayment, which is designed to minimize noise transmission, has to be tested in a flooring assembly to make sure the assembly conforms to impact insulation and sound transmission levels.

Acoustical underlayment can dampen ambient sound, quiet impact sound, and inhibit noise from traveling into the room below, important features that owners, management and tenants would all appreciate.

For example, if you are selling engineered wood and laminate floors to owners and contractors of new and renovated condos and rental units, you should recommend acoustical floor underlayment that meets or exceeds local building department acoustical standards. The best way to make sure an underlayment for engineered wood and laminate floors meets applicable standards is to look for documentation that the product has been laboratory tested as part of an assembly, because that is what the code looks for.

Manufacturers that test their products typically label them to indicate the standards to which they conform.

There are two tests that are recognized by the International Building Code for sound that travels from one living area down to another beneath.

Both are performed in a controlled Building-Products.com

laboratory environment. One is the test for Impact Insulation Class (IIC) and the other is the test for the Sound Transmission Class (STC).

IIC evaluates the ability to block impact sound by measuring the resistance to transmission of impact noise or structure-borne noise. STC tests the ability of a specific construction assembly (e.g., floor, window or door) to reduce airborne sounds, such as stereo systems, voices, and TV. The higher the number, the better the resistance.

In addition to minimizing sound transmission, acoustical underlayment with an appropriate compression resistance can help smooth out minor imperfections in the subfloor while properly supporting the floor, enabling the top finish surface to lay flat. It can also add thermal insulation that contributes to keeping the floors cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Other features that may matter to buyers include cushioning and moisture control. Cushioning offered by quality underlayment can lessen the strain of each footfall on knee and hip joints, resulting in more comfortable walking. And some underlayments are engineered to wick away sub-floor or incidental perimeter moisture, helping protect engineered wood and laminate flooring from subfloor moisture that could otherwise adversely affect the finished floor.

For customers who are buying environmentally friendly flooring, there are fiber acoustical underlayments that are third-party certified for sustainable attributes and may be made from primarily, or even entirely, clean recycled textile fibers.

Regardless of which type of floor the underlayment is slated for, the customer should understand that installing high-performing underlayment beneath the finished surface will add performance value that will last the length of the installation.

– Kelly Kennedy is national sales manager for MP Global Products, Norfolk, Ne., a manufacturer of acoustic fiber floor underlayment products for hard surface flooring. He can be reached at kkennedy@mpglobalproducts.com or (414) 331-8248.

WE’RE GROWING OUR NUMBERS TO HELP GROW YOURS. The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association welcomes its new members producing and distributing Real Cedar.

NEW MEMBERS Bakerview Forest Products Cedarsource Central Cedar Leslie Forest Products Lignum Forest Products Rielly Lumber Vancouver Specialty Cedar Products

MEMBERS Gilbert Smith Forest Products Haida Forest Products Idaho Forest Group Interfor Mid Valley Lumber Specialties Ltd. North Enderby Timber Power Wood Corp.

Quadra Wood Products Sawarne Lumber Shakertown Skana Forest Products West Bay Forest Products & Manufacturing Western Forest Products

DISTRIBUTION MEMBERS OrePac Building Products Reid & Wright Inc.

AFFILIATE MANUFACTURERS BW Creative Wood Industries Cedarshed Industries Outdoor Living Today Synergy Pacific Engineered Timber Woodway & Arboria / LWO

www.realcedar.com 1 866 778 9096 November 2013

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NEW Products

Solar Roof Vents

Master-Flow Green Machine solar roof vents from GAF are easy to install.

The solar-powered model has a 20-watt integral solar panel and an adjustable thermostat/humidistat, to reduce attic-cooling costs.

The dual-powered model switches automatically between solar and house power for cooling at night and during cloudy weather.

 GAF.COM

(800) 766-3411

Under-Ceramic Waterproofing

Kemperol 022 from Kemper is a solvent-free, reinforced, liquid-membrane waterproofing system for protection under ceramic tile.

The two-component resin system bonds fully with the substrate, reliably sealing into corners, around pipes, and other penetrations—including irregular shapes. It can be used in both new construction and renovations, in bathrooms, kitchens, pool decks, and other tiled areas.

 KEMPERSYSTEM.NET (800) 541-5455

Cable Rail Fittings

Drywall Screws

Feeney’s Quick-Connect fittings are designed to simplify assembly of CableRail custom cables.

The fittings are constructed of 316-grade stainless steel, with a tumbled satin finish for durability.

Features include a patented automatic-locking jaw design, fixed jaw ends, jaw turnbuckle, threaded terminals, and tension-adjustment fittings.

Screw Products now offers drywall screws in six sizes, from #6x1-1/8” to #8x3”, with both fine and coarse heads.

The fasteners can also be used with wallboard, plasterboard, and gypsum board. Quantities range from 1lb. jars to 50-lb. boxes.

 FEENEYINC.COM

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(800) 888-2418

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(877) 844-8880

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November 2013

Building-Products.com

Rustic PVC Fencing

Enduris’ Endwood cellular PVC fencing has a hand-stained look, rough-sawn texture, and variegated woodgrain pattern.

It has an outer shell of HardCover capstock, a stabililizing rail system, and contains 100% inorganic material that won’t support mold. Components include separate pickets, rails, posts and welded gate frames.

Styles include California, privacy straight-edge or dog-ear, and shadowbox straight-edge or dog-ear.

 ENDURIS.COM (888) 329-7428

Wood Shearwalls

Strong-Wall SB pre-fabricated wood shearwall from Simpson Strong-Tie offers enhanced design flexibility and greater lateral-force resistance.

The wall is designed for residential, multifamily, and lightframe commercial construction, including garage portals and other large openings. Dimensions of 12”x7’ to 24”x20’ are offered.

 STRONGTIE.COM (800) 999-5099

Warmer Underlay

MP Global Products designed QuietWarmth electric radiant heat underlayment for new floating wood, laminate and ceramic and porcelain tile flooring.

Made from at least 77% recycled textile fibers, it puts generated warmth where it works most efficiently. Controlled by individual programmable room thermostats, it is clean and quiet.

 QUIETWALK.COM (888) 379-9695

Building-Products.com

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American Shingles

CertainTeed’s Patriot asphalt roofing shingles come in six colors: shadow black, weathered wood, driftwood, colonial blue, graystone, and prairie wood.

Each shingle measures 13-1/4”x39-3/8” with 55/8” exposure, for both residential and commercial steep-slope applications.

 CERTAINTEED.COM (800) 233-8990

Cedar-Look Composite

Duralife MVP Decking from Integrity Composites is now available in Spanish cedar, in a variegated, non-repeating grain pattern.

Manufactured from polypropylene and hardwood composite, the decking is lighter in weight but maintains a 16” on-center rating for joist span.

Other colors include Greenwich gray and Saratoga brown.

 DURALIFEDECKING.COM (207) 571-0775

New Porch Boards

Nyloboard is introducing a wood-alternative deck board named NyloPorch.

Made from recycled carpet fiber, the tongue-andgroove boards have a natural-looking woodgrain. The product is also resistant to moisture, mold and insects.

 NYLOBOARD.COM (877) 695-6909

Stains for Doors & Millwork

PureColor developed EvenGrain stain for door and millwork manufacturers.

The collection consists of three products—for solid and veneered wood doors, hardwood composite doors, and millwork and door trim packages. Each ships and stores dry, contains zero VOCs, and can be applied with either manual or automated equipment.

 PURECOLORINC.COM (855) 729-7873

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DECK EXPO Photos by BPD

DECK EXPO took over Lakeside Center at McCormick Place, Chicago, Il., Oct. 16-18. [1] John Junod, Mike Madden, Glenn Tebo. [2] Tess Lindsey, Brett Kelly. [3] Jon Hanson, Kurt Hogard, Jeff Morlock. [4] Micah Garrison, Tom Horvat. [5] Jim Miller, Jaclyn Stevenson. [6] Andrew Hampe, Craig Jacks, Darren Kennedy.

Building-Products.com

[7] Phil Lail, Jay Lattanzio, Brian Orchard. [8] Travis Jungers, Kelli Bergen, Cathy Schaefer, Scott Tober. [9] Craig Hyatt, Kevin Brennan, Roger Greenhagel. [10] Jay Brooks, Chris Smith. [11] Shellie Sellards, Edie Kello Wilson.

[12] Michael Rodenhaus, Jon Fletcher, Dan Ivancic, Vanessa Carrano. [13] Adam November 2013

Gangemi, Amy O’Hara, David Hughes. [14] Alan Oakes, Erin Canosa. [15] Matt Klone, Neil Rasmusson. [16] Chris Johnson, Jacek Romanski. [17] Peter Corr, Kaylynn Poplawski.

(More photos on next two pages)

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DECK EXPO Photos by BPD

MORE DECK EXPO in Chicago (continued from previous page): [1] Brett McCutcheon, Keith Pabich, Dean Andreakish, Michael Thacker, Chad Giese, Dustin Schroeder. [2] Darrell Hungerford, Sheryl Grimm. [3] Roger Kasper, Chuck Klopp, Bill Schaffer, Chris Born, Lynn Flanagan. [4] Scott Sester, Scot Peters. [5] John McLister, Kevin Lawrence. [6] Richard Lam, Joel Cone. [7] Natalie Smith, Steve & Robin Wilson. [8] Greg Rubin, Mike Nuclo. [9] John Green, Morgan Raganyi, Jef

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Butterfield. [10] Amanda Campos, Matt West, Jessica Olmsted. [11] Tammie Conn, Kathy Boyts.

[12] Daniel Franklin, Jack Delaney, Dan Toboz, John Cook. [13] Ryan Schaefer, Darwin Waite, Jeff Bloch. [14] Sean Gallagher, Shari Bell. [15] Bob Richards, Rob Mitchell. [16] Larry Stonum, Andrew Romano, Tom Czlapinski. [17] Jim Poulin, Mike Descoteaux (More photos on next page)

November 2013

Building-Products.com

DECK EXPO Photos by BPD

Your Eastern & Midwest Redwood Specialist

REDWOOD DECKING THE NATURAL ALTERNATIVE

Full Range & Large Inventory Reman to Specific Patterns

DECK SHOW (continued): [1] Loren Graber, Larry Boyts, Scott Jarrett, Rick Fields, Larry Burkholder, Tom Gerard, Rich Peterson, Steve Cripe. [2] Marc Maniaci. [3] Brian Lotz, Pike Severance. [4] Shawn Enoch, Chris Cusack.

[5] Wayne Hilton, Ashlyn Kirk, Troy Case. [6] Neil Robinson, Stephen McNally, Mark Shaner.

[7] Josh Miley, Erin Canosa, John Paulin, Kirk Hammond. [8] Charles Lien, Tom Faber, Brent Hilton, Thomas Lee, Craig Miles, Jackson Chen. [9] Kristen Kleinsonge, Stephanie Leigh Rose. [10] Charlie Jourdain, Jessica Hewitt, Erica Savage, Phil Herman. [11] Lisa Martin, Chuck Casey, Jamie Kreiser. [12] Stuart Dimery, Valerie Misa.

Building-Products.com

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www.chicagosuburbanlumber.com November 2013

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SOUTHERN PRODUCERS Photos by SFPA

SOUTHERN FOREST Products Association held its fall meeting Oct. 3-4 at the Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, La. [1] Brent Gray, Bryant Beadles. [2] John McDaniel, Nan Jones, Tom Jones. [3] Cathy Kaake, Chuck Bankston. [4] Joe Kusar. [5] Kerlin Drake, Scott Vande Linde. [6] Sharon & Jim Krauseneck, Scott Elston. [7] Mark Partyka, Bryan Smalley, Steve Conwell. [8] Tom & Ethel Rice, George Layton, Debbie Sand. [9]

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Jeff & Amy Baumgartner, Greg Fitz. [10] Jeremy Williams, David Conner. [11] Pam Wallace, Harley Almond, Tayja Almond. [12] Patrick Harrigan. [13] Michelle Harrigan, Janet & Robin Swift.

[14] Rachel & Richard Elton. [15] Bob Bratton, Stephen Hofer. [16] Gary Converse, George Georgiev. [17] Wade Camp, Eric Gee. [18] Ron Coker, Kevin Berkey, Ben Crim.

Building-Products.com

ASSOCIATION Update Lumber Association of Texas & Louisiana will gather for an evening of music Nov. 23 at the House of Blues, New Orleans, La. Northeastern Retail Lumber Association affiliates this fall are honoring their Lumber Persons of the Year during their annual meetings.

Mid Hudson Lumber Dealers Association recently feted Rich Protsko, American Lumber Co., as Lumber Person of the Year during its recent annual meeting.

On Nov. 15, Rhode Island Lumber & Building Materials Dealers Association will present the award to Mark Grant, Moulding & Millwork, at Crowne Plaza, Warwick, R.I. On Nov. 13, Northern New York Lumber Dealers Association will honor Beryl Zehr, North Counties Supply, at the Hilton Garden Inn, Watertown, N.Y. On Nov. 6, Lumber Dealers Association of Connecticut will fete Robert A. Kelly, Torno Lumber, at the Aqua Turf Club, Plantsville, Ct. On Nov. 8, Western New York Lumber Dealers Association will give the award to John Krueger, North Main Lumber/HEP Sales, at Rick’s Prime Rib House, Rochester, N.Y. WNYLDA will also honor Genesee Reserve Supply, Reeb Millwork, and Universal Forest Products as Vendors of the Year; Sal Amico, Taiga Building Products; Jim Howard, Universal Forest Products, and Joe Riesenberger, Reeb Millwork,

Building-Products.com

as Salespeople of the Year, and Elaine Annable, Genesee Reserve Supply; Doug Anderson, Universal Forest Products, and Mark Tudor, Genesee Reserve Supply, as Inside Salespeople of the Year.

Northwestern Lumber Association will hold its annual building products expo Jan. 13-14 at Rivers Edge Convention Center, St. Cloud, Mi. Feb. 19-20 will be NLA’s Iowa Lumber Convention at The Meadows, Altoona, Ia. Lake States Lumber Association will meet for its annual winter meeting Jan. 16-17 at Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, Green Bay, Wi. Mid-America Lumbermens Association has scheduled its annual Missouri winter meeting for Jan. 9-10 in St. Louis.

MLA’s annual Kansas winter meeting will be Jan. 23-24 in Wichita.

Its Arkansas spring meeting will be Feb. 5-7, location TBD. Southern Building Material Association will meet Feb. 5-6 at Hickory Metro Convention Center, High Point, N.C., for its annual show.

Southern Forest Products Association elected its 2014 slate of officers during its recent fall meeting in New Orleans, La. New chairman is Joe Kusar,

Tolleson Lumber, Perry, Ga.; vice chairman Scott Vande Linde, West Fraser, Germantown, Tn.; treasurer William Almond, Almond Brothers Lumber Co., Coushatta, La., and immediate past chair Tom Rice, Conner Industries, Fort Worth, Tx. Steve Conwell was reelected SFPA president and Tami Kessler, corporate secretary.

Composite Panel Association selected a new board of directors for 2014 at its recent fall meeting in Baltimore, Md. Current vice chairman Kelly Shotbolt, Flakeboard, will move up to chairman on Jan. 1. Grady Mulbery, Roseburg Forest Products, becomes vice chairman. Steve Stoler succeeds Mulbery as secretary and treasurer.

Bryan Wilson, Georgia-Pacific Wood Products, will remain on the board for another year as immediate past chairman.

Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association will hold its winter meeting Feb. 6-7 at The Grand Hotel, Natchez, Ms. North American Insulation Manufacturers Association celebrated its 80th anniversary last month.

“Moving forward, NAIMA will continue to provide the leadership, information and expertise to drive continual innovation in the building insulation arena and work as a champion of energy efficiency and sustainability promoting the use of fiberglass, rock and slag wool insulation,” said NAIMA president Kate Offringa.

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TRI-STATE LUMBER CO.

Your Southern Yellow Pine Timber Connection Specializing in 6x6, 6x8, 8x8, 10x10 Tel. (662) 862-2125 • Fax 662-862-4900 email jgibson@tristatelumber.net

Visit the ALL-NEW Building-Products. com

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JOIN OUR WINNING TEAM! CEDAR CREEK is looking for a few good men and women. We believe that our great

• More news • User-friendlier layout • Frequent updates every day • Smartphone & tablet accessible • Improved search features • Event photos • Videos • Surveys • Building products stock ticker

people are the key to our company’s success. Aggressive growth has created Sales, Operations and General Management opportunities across Cedar Creek’s expanding footprint.

Consequently, we’re looking for the very best people in our industry to help staff and grow our new and existing distribution centers across the country. Please contact us if you: • Have a successful track record • Can relocate for the right opportunity • Desire earnings and responsibility commensurate with your ambition • Are experienced in lumber and/or building products sales or operations For more information about Cedar Creek, please go to www.cedarcreek.com. If you’re interested in learning more about how you may become a key player on our winning team, please email your resume to abostic@cedarcreek.com for a confidential review of your qualifications.

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SHAVER WOOD PRODUCTS Southern Yellow Pine Timber Production

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FOR SALE: North Texas-based fingerjoint stud manufacturer capable of producing 40 MBF per year. BN rail delivery with spurs for unloading A-frames and boxcars.

Situated on approximately 6.5 acres inside city limits. Contact Box 110, c/o BPD, 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660; dkoenig@building-products.com, Fax 949-852-0231.

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

Building-Products.com

DATE Book

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

Lumber Dealers Association of Connecticut – Nov. 6, annual banquet, Aqua Turf Club, Plantsville, Ct.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.com.

Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association – Nov. 7, annual meeting, Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Ma.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.com.

Mid-America Lumbermens Association – Nov. 7-8, annual meeting, Kansas City, Mo.; (800) 747-6529; www.themla.org.

Northwestern Lumber Association – Nov. 7-8, yard & delivery managers workshop, Albert Lea, Mn.; Nov. 11-13, heritage roundtable, Riverwood Inn & Conference Center, Monticello, Mn.; (763) 544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

American Lumber Standard Committee – Nov. 8, annual meeting, New Orleans, La.; www.alsc.org.

Western New York Lumber Dealers Association – Nov. 8, annual meeting, Rick’s Prime Rib House, Rochester, N.Y.; (518) 2861010; www.nrla.com.

Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Association – Nov. 1113, annual convention & show, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 352-2981; www.stafda.org.

Ohio Construction Suppliers Association – Nov. 12, successionplanning workshop, Quest Conference Center, Columbus, Oh.; (614) 267-7817; www.myocsa.org.

North American Building Material Distribution Association – Nov. 12-14, annual convention, Sheraton, Chicago, Il.; (888) 747-7862; www.nbmda.org.

Construction Suppliers Association – Nov. 13, insight meeting, Hilton Garden Inn, Augusta, Ga.; (678) 674-1860; www.gocsa.com.

New Jersey Building Materials Dealers Association – Nov. 13, annual meeting, Hilton, East Brunswick, N.J.; (908) 359-1184; www.njbmda.org.

Northern New York Lumber Dealers Association – Nov. 13, annual meeting, Hilton Garden Inn, Watertown, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.com.

Distribution America/PRO Group – Nov. 13-15, executive planning conference, Marco Island Marriott Resort, Marco Island, Fl.; www.daonline.com.

Rhode Island Lumber & Building Materials Dealers Assn. – Nov. 15, holiday party, Crowne Plaza, Warwick, N.H.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.com.

Western New York Lumber Dealers Association – Nov. 15, annual meeting, Oak Hill Country Hill, Rochester, N.Y.; (518) 2861010; www.nrla.com.

Northwestern Lumber Association – Nov. 18-19, yard & delivery managers workshop, York, Ne.; (763) 544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

Virginia Tech – Nov. 20, energy reduction workshop; Princeton, W.V.; (540) 231-0978; quesada@vt.edu.

U.S. Green Building Council – Nov. 20-22, Greenbuild conference & expo, Philadelphia, Pa.; (800) 795-1747; www.usgbc.com.

Lumber Association of Texas – Nov. 23, Louisiana gathering, House of Blues, New Orleans, La.; (512) 472-1194; www.lat.org.

Eastern New York Lumber Dealers Association – Dec. 3, annual holiday trade show, Holiday Inn, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.com.

Wallace Hardware – Dec. 3-5, fall market, Gatlinburg Convention Center, Gatlinburg, Tn.; (800) 776-0976; www.wallacehardware. com.

Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association – Dec. 4, holiday celebration, location TBA; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.com.

Building-Products.com

November 2013



Building Products Digest

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53

ADVERTISERS Index

IDEA File

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

Coupons on the Run

Anthony Forest Products [www.anthonyforest.com] .................25 AZEK [www.azek.com]...................................................................15 Biewer Lumber [www.biewerselect.com].......................................3 Boise Cascade [www.bc.com].......................................................13 Chicago Suburban Lumber [chicagosurburbanlumber.com] ....49 Clubhouse Deck & Rail [www.clubhousedecking.com] .............15 Crumpler Plastic Pipe [www.cpp-pipe.com] ................................46 DeckWise [www.deckwise.com] ...................................................24 Diacon Technologies [www.diacon.com]...................................5, 7

An 88-year-old dealer in Northern California has found a new way to attract customers: coupons sent directly to smartphones and tablets.

“Customers come into the store armed with more information than ever before, so mobile couponing is just a natural extension of them getting knowledge— they can now also get savings,” says Linda Roark, owner of Pete’s Ace Hardware, Castro Valley, Ca. A local vendor, FunMobility, Inc., Pleasanton, Ca., developed the mobile coupon campaign. Retailers can send coupons—which automatically adjust to fit the size of the receiving device’s screen—as links in emails, text messages, or through mobile apps or web sites.

The fun started in July. Customers who responded to text messages with the word “Petes” were then asked to opt-in to the mobile coupon club and begin receiving texted links to four coupons.

Since each coupon has a unique code, Roark could monitor store-related metrics—redemptions and average order values—through her own point-of-sale system. She discovered that 49% of customers who received coupons redeemed them, for an average of $72 of merchandise. All in all, the store gained 190 new customers.

Because of the positive results, the program was expanded with more in-store promotions and large-ticket items. “I can now update coupons to tie in with community events, holidays, or even an unexpected heat wave by offering coupons for fans,” says Roark.

At the request of Ace’s corporate headquarters, she has helped set up similar mobile coupon programs at 11 other Ace dealers. Another 20 have signed up to start programs in January.

According to FunMobility, the mobile coupon program costs several hundred dollars per month, per retail location, with discounts for large numbers of stores.

Roark declines to say how much she spent, but does note that it generated revenue equal to 13 times the cost of the campaign.

COMING NEXT MONTH in the December issue of BPD

2014 Pull-Out Industry Calendar 54

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Building Products Digest



November 2013

Eco Chemical [www.ecochemical.com] .......................................37 Endeck [www.endeck.com] ...........................................................21 Everwood Treatment Co. [www.everwoodtreatment.com].........33 Fasco America [www.fascoamerica.com]....................................26 Great Southern Wood Preserving [yellawood.com]..........Cover III Hood Distribution [www.hooddistribution.com]..........................17 Hoover Treated Wood Products [www.frtw.com]........................57 Idaho Forest Group [www.idahoforestgroup.com] ............Cover II Interfor [www.interfor.com] ...........................................................45 Jaaco Corp. [www.jaaco.com].......................................................19 Kleer Lumber [www.kleerlumber.com].........................................23 LB Plastics [www.lbplastics.com] ................................................36 Lee Roy Jordan Lumber Co. [www.jordanredwood.com].............4 MaxiTile [www.maxitile.com].........................................................13 Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. [www.nelma.org]...22 NyloBoard [www.nylodeck.com]...................................................27 Osmose [www.osmosewood.com] .......................................Cover I Plycem USA [www.plycemtrim.com] ............................................13 PrimeSource Building Products [www.primesourcebp.com] ....40 Quality Borate Co. [www.qualityborate.com] ..............................41 Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com].................................31 Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com]...................................35 Snider Industries [www.sniderindustries.com] ...........................51 Spartanburg Forest [spartanburgforestproducts.com] ..............34 Swanson Group Sales [www.swansongroupinc.com] .....Cover IV Tank Fab [www.tankfab.com]........................................................53 TriState Lumber [www.homanindustries.com]............................40 Universal Forest Products [www.prowoodlumber.com]...............8 Viance [treatedwood.com].............................................................39 Wahoo Decks [www.wahoodecks.com] .......................................32 Western Red Cedar Lumber Assn. [www.wrcla.org] .............42-43 Building-Products.com

How To: Build Store Traffic

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MATERIALS: Your business, a full line of YellaWood® products ASSEMBLY: Quality lumber, the brand homeowners trust FINISHING: A beautiful backyard and a better bottom line

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Unmatched Dealer Support Industry-Leading Advertising LEARN MORE AT YELLAWOOD.COM/FORDEALERS

YellaWood® brand pressure-treated products are treated with copper and other preservatives (the “Preservatives”) and preservative methods, systems, and technologies of unrelated third parties. For details regarding the Preservatives, methods, systems, and technologies used by Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated, see www.yellawood.com/products or write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310. Ask dealer for warranty details or visit www.yellawood.com/warranties.

For important handling and other information concerning our products or for a copy of the YellaWood® brand Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), please visit us at www.yellawood.com or write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310. YellaWood® and the yellow tag are federally registered trademarks of Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated.

IF IT DOESN’T HAVE THIS YELLA TAG, YOU DON’T WANT IT.

BPD

Building Products Digest

Change Service Requested

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