Building Products Digest - December 2011

BPD

ENGINEERED WOOD TRENDS DELIVERY TIPS PULL-OUT 2012 INDUSTRY CALENDAR

Building Products Digest

DECEMBER 2011

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

BPD Special Features 7 INDUSTRY TRENDS DOMESTIC WOES CAUSE ENGINEERED WOOD PRODUCERS TO LOOK ABROAD

8 FEATURE STORY DELIVERY OBSTACLES DON’T DEFLATE MIDWEST LBM DISTRIBUTOR

10 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE OLD SCHOOL DEALER “MALLS” THE COMPETITION BY KEEPING IT SIMPLE

16 SPECIAL INSERT: 2012 LBM CALENDAR TEAR OUT THIS WALL-HANGING CALENDAR TO HELP PLAN YOUR SHOWS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

23 PHOTO RECAP: NAWLA TRADERS MARKET GOES TO VEGAS

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Building Products Digest December 2011

December 2011

Volume 30 Number 10

Building Products Digest

In Every Issue 6 TOTALLY RANDOM 12 OLSEN ON SALES 14 GREEN RETAILING 18 MOVERS & SHAKERS 20 NEW PRODUCTS 22 ASSOCIATION UPDATE 28 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 29 DATE BOOK 29 IN MEMORIAM 30 IDEA FILE 30 ADVERTISERS INDEX

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TOTALLY Random

By Alan Oakes

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Thank you for believing in us!

CANNOT BELIEVE we are already on our last issue of the year. The good news is that if you are reading this, you have survived another year, and that is no mean feat. As many of you have told me, this has been one of the most difficult years faced ever and here we are in year four to five of the downturn. Simply keeping the lights on and the telephone ringing has been a tough task for many, and for those that have survived it has been stressful and gut wrenching at times.

When you look at the hard numbers, it is difficult and tragic to believe what this industry has had to contend with. So it would be a brave person who would predict the next 12 months for certain. I have often said to people how not so long ago in other companies we had to prepare not only one-year plans, but also three, five, and often 10. Today, in truth, I would not like to predict the next quarter.

If we have learned anything this year, it is how intertwined our entire economy is with the rest of the world. Who could predict a country like Greece, which represents only a half-percent of the world’s GDP, could create such havoc internationally? And just when you believe steps are in place to solve that crisis, up pops Italy, and tomorrow probably Spain. The economic uncertainty, fueled by continued high unemployment, says we cannot rebound until such issues are solved. An election year typically suggests a hedging of bets until the next administration is confirmed, so it is assumed that it is unlikely that 2012 will be a turn-around year. Yet I believe that 2013— despite the unluckiness of the number 13—will actually be the start upwards.

Past experience suggests that if I am anywhere near correct, 2012 will be a critical period in positioning your company to take advantage of the momentum. Trying to join the party after it has started without you will be too late. Many of our advertisers that have maintained presence and visibility say they expect to step up efforts next year. A caller this morning told me he looks at the current environment where companies are struggling as an opportunity to grow, and has undertaken a series of new initiatives that are beginning to pay off for them and will also position them well for the turn-around. It is already finding them new customers and profitable revenue. I have had companies inform me of 30% growth rates and others tell of adding staff. So there are pockets of good news. As the saying goes, “luck favors the brave.” During my final tradeshow visits of 2011, I witnessed additional success stories that give me optimism. I heard from someone the other day: “I am fed up with being fed up.” That is probably how many of us feel; we are ready to move on and up. Here’s to that!

As we again come to year-end, I want to thank you, our readers and our advertisers, for your continued support. We are the only publications in our sector to publish every month. Your loyalty has allowed us to do that. In a few months, we reach 90 years old (our first publication in the West debuted in July 1922). Our mission is always to support this industry. Along the way, we meet thousands of readers every year, and I am always touched to hear feedback of how you enjoy our publications. On a personal note, I enjoy many, many industry friends who are a good representation of the industry that most of us so dearly love—despite its occasional flaws and warts.

As I do every year, and do so with more determination this year, I guarantee we will support this industry and its people to our absolute maximum, offering all that we can to help you run your business more profitably and keep you abreast of changing times and tastes. When we do not, call me personally. Like all companies, we are only as good as the people surrounding us, and I am lucky to have a staff that is the most experienced in the business.

To you, your families, and your colleagues, a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a successful, healthy New Year from us all at BPD. I hope to see you soon—perhaps at one of the hundreds of events listed in the 2012 Industry Calendar that can be pulled out from the center of this magazine.

Alan Oakes, Publisher ajoakes@aol.com

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Building Products Digest December 2011

BPD

Building Products Digest www.building-products.com

A publication of Cutler Publishing

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

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

How to Advertise

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

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

How to Subscribe

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

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BUILDING PRODUCTS DIGEST is published monthly at 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660-1872, (949) 852-1990, Fax 949-852-0231, www.buildingproducts.com, by Cutler Publishing, Inc. (a California Corporation). It is an independently owned publication for building products retailers and wholesale distributors in 37 states East of the Rockies. Copyright®2011 by Cutler Publishing, Inc. Cover and entire contents are fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission. All Rights Reserved. BPD reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it.

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INDUSTRY Trends Engineered Wood Products

Domestic woes cause EWP makers to look abroad

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domestic market, Louisiana-Pacific is stepping up efforts to produce and market its engineered wood products overseas.

Although third quarter 2011 sales of EWP were up 45% over third quarter 2010 (including a 71% spike for LVL and LSL), the segment still lost $3 million for the quarter. The one bright spot has been growing international sales, particularly LSL to Australia.

In addition, LP is pushing towards a 10-fold rise in business to China, although its goals are at the mercy of exchange rates, due to shipping costs.

Europe is another big target. LP introduced its SolidStart products— including I-joists, rimboard, laminated veneer lumber, and laminated strand lumber—to Great Britain late last year and in 2012 plans to expand EWP sales to the whole of Europe.

LP Chile and LP Brazil are also enjoying the best years in their histories. “In Chile, both mills continue to run at near capacity and domestic demand remains strong,” said c.e.o.

Rick Frost. “We are under some pricing pressure in Chile from imports.”

Much of the increased demand in Chile arose from rebuilding in the wake of a 2010 earthquake. Half of the homes now built in Chile use wood framing rather than concrete structures, which is considered more susceptible to collapse.

Brazil has been a more difficult market to capture for LP, due to the need to change building codes.

Consequently, LP has focused more on supplying products for existing designs, rather than pushing new conUFFETTED BY A DIFFICULT

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struction techniques.

In time, LP would like to build a second EWP mill in Brazil. Frost said, “In Brazil, we are operating our Ponta Grossa mill at about half of its capacity, and the decision to start up the second thermal oil line there will probably put off, be put off until Q2 of next year. That will be based upon the business level at that time. About 20% to 25% of the Brazil volume is going to China for interior use.”

In the meantime, Frost is bracing for the typical seasonal dropoff that strikes domestic markets across all product lines every fourth quarter.

“In general,” he said, “I think the

housing market remains weak about anyway you slice it.”

Other EWP producers are crafting their own strategies. Weyerhaeuser, too, had heady growth in exports, particularly from its B.C. mills to Japan and China. Nonetheless, Weyco also announced the permanent closure of four previously curtailed EWP facilities—LVL plants in Albany, Or., and Simsboro, La., and veneer operations in Pine Hill, Al., and Dodson, La. Boise Cascade increased third quarter sales of LVL by 23% and Ijoists by 13%, while benefitting from lower raw material costs and higher lumber sales prices.

MANUFACTURERS such as LP are looking to increase exports and add production capacity overseas to shore up their engineered wood businesses.

December 2011 Building Products Digest

7

FEATURE Story Tune Up Your Fleet Maintenance

Delivery obstacles don’t deflate LBM distributor

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ARLIER THIS YEAR ,

a tornado struck the south side of La Crosse, Wi., and tore a two-block by seven-block-long swath, shearing roofs off buildings, downing power lines, and destroying homes.

Although nowhere near as devastating as the tornado that ripped through Joplin, Mo., 620 miles to the south, the tornado that hit La Crosse May 22 did nearly $10 million in damage and displaced about 30 families.

Building materials supplier Badger Corrugating Co. was based at ground zero. Despite sustaining a direct hit resulting in an estimated $1 million damage to 15 of its 17 buildings,

Badger still resumed operation the day after, supplying businesses and residences damaged by the storm.

Even though tire-puncturing debris littered the roads and streets in and around the company’s West Avenue campus, none of the company’s trailers in its main delivery fleet sustained a flat tire due to punctures, according to Badger transporation manager Kevin Hanson. “That’s remarkable,” Hanson said.

He credits high-tech tires and his local Goodyear dealer, Wingfoot Commercial Tire, for helping the company keep its fleet moving following the disaster.

“We’re pleased with the perfor-

HIGH-TECH tires and an upgraded maintenance schedule have helped Badger Corrugating reduce downtime on its fleet of 22 straight trucks, boom trucks, and tractors, and 19 trailers.

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Building Products Digest December 2011

mance of these tires,” Hanson adds.

“By using these tires on our trailers, our problems with flats have dropped dramatically. I’d say we’ve dropped our number of service calls by almost 95%.”

The La Crosse-based distributor has been led by the Sexauer family since its inception and is currently in its fourth generation of family ownership. Badger was founded in 1903 primarily as a fabricator of metal products, such as ventilators, stock tanks, and a variety of products for the heating and building trades. Over the past 100 years, Badger has evolved into a full-line distributor of lumber, interior millwork, exterior millwork, cabinets, fireplaces, roofing, and agricultural products. The company’s customers include dealers, suppliers and contractors in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.

The company operates a total of 22 straight trucks, boom trucks and tractors, and 19 trailers. Before Badger switched tires three years ago, its main delivery fleet of 10 tractor and trailer units suffered at least one flat tire per week, usually on the trailer position, Hanson reports.

He opted for Goodyear tires with DuraSeal Technology, a gel-like, solvent-free compound built into the inner liner of the tire. It can instantly and consistently seal punctures up to 1/4-inch in the tread area, without the need to repair the tire until it is retreaded. This allows drivers to continue operating after a tire is punctured.

With the new tires on its trailers, the company now gets one flat tire every one to two months. Hanson also Building-Products.com

BADGER TRANSPORTATION manager Kevin Hanson (left) and Wingfoot Commercial Tire sales rep Tracy Ness check the tread depth on a trailer tire. The distributor has instituted a maintenance program that has the steer tires being pulled at between 5/32- and 6/32-inch tread depth and replaced. The drive tires are pulled at between 4/32- and 5/32-inch tread depth. The steer and drive tires are then retreaded using pre-cure and mold cure methods for the drive positions.

attributes close monitoring of the tires with routine pressure checks by drivers and monthly checks by Wingfoot Commercial Tire technicians for the company getting more miles to removal from its tires. Plus, the company has instituted a maintenance program that has the steer tires being pulled at between 5/32- and 6/32-inch tread depth and replaced. The drive tires are pulled at between 4/32- and 5/32-inch tread depth. The steer and drive tires are then retreaded using pre-cure and mold-cure methods for the drive positions.

Fewer flats mean more miles to removal, plus Badger saves thousands of dollars in tire-related service costs—and helps the company realize its on-time delivery promises to customers.

Each morning around 3 a.m., drivers leave the company’s main warehouse in La Crosse loaded with lumber, corrugated sheet metal, roofing supplies, and other building materials to make deliveries to customers.

Drivers usually make anywhere from a handful to 10 or 12 stops, depending on the length of their routes. Drivers usually make their first deliveries by about 7 a.m.

Hanson says flats generally occurred about an hour or two into runs. That’s because the trailer tires would get punctured by nails, screws, or other sharp objects in lumberyards.

Building-Products.com

They would develop slow leaks overnight, which would not be noticed until the next day when the trailers would suffer flats after getting back out on the road.

“I’d get a call at 4 a.m. from our driver who was stuck out on the road with a flat trailer tire,” Hanson says.

This led to delays in the delivery of materials to key customers.

Hanson reports that an after-hour service call costs anywhere from $200 to $800, depending on the distances involved. Plus, it means a delay in deliveries of building materials to his customers. And that delay affects their customers.

“Perhaps one of their customers was a contractor working on a house that needed to close later in the day at 2 p.m.,” he says. “If we’re an hour or two late in making our deliveries in the morning, that could mean the contractor wouldn’t get his supplies in time in order to finish his work before the 2 p.m. closing. And if the house doesn’t close, the deal falls through.

“Delays on the back end can affect everything that’s happening all the way down the line,” Hanson continues. “Avoiding those kind of delays, particularly in this difficult economy, is very important. All it takes is to burn one bridge and word of mouth is enough to cause serious problems for you.”

December 2011 Building Products Digest

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COMPETITIVE Intelligence

By Carla Waldemar

Old school dealer “malls” the competition

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GERSON, OWNER AND GENIUS behind Mahoning Lumber Center, Youngstown, Oh., serves commercial builders. For shopping mall stores like Victoria’s Secret, Anthropologie, Ruby Tuesday, and a hundred others, he’s the go-to guy for all the bells and whistles.

Yet he operates with few of them himself: no computer, no website, no email address. Not even a number in the phone book. (It’s unlisted to screen ILL

OHIO LUMBERMAN Bill Gerson has carved a niche out of supplying new construction of shopping malls, while maintaining his time-honored ways of doing business.

calls from individual homeowners and even the home builders he used to serve.) He pecks out his correspondence on a typewriter—remember those? And, I suspect, he answered this reporter’s call on a rotary phone.

Yet, he’s served as prime supplier for 6,000 mall stores in all 50 states (and recently Puerto Rico) over the past 15

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years.

No need, he says, for high-tech tricks. Or a college degree, for that matter. Like his father, Sam, before him, business insights were soaked up on the job. Sam Gerson, who left the old country to make his home in Cleveland, dropped out of elementary school to help support the family. By 1930 he owned the Broadway Wrecking Co., which segued into Broadway Lumber when customers wanted not only demo work but the materials to build anew as well.

In 1940 Sam bought Mahoning in bankruptcy court for $1,750, which did well enough to send Bill to college, first at Ohio U, then Miami, where, in 1952, the kid dropped out to buy into a waterskiing outfit. That lasted until a visit from dad, who took him aside and made it clear: “I don’t want a beachcomber in the family.

Come home.”

He obeyed, of course, and almost immediately was transferred to Youngstown, where he lived in the YMCA (and later became a board member) while partnering with a driver to set up the lumber center. The company flourished, supplying materials for the high-end homes of the town’s steel executives, but gradually steered its focus from residential to commercial building.

Brilliant—because the mills shut down in 1983. Home-building screeched to a halt and 80% of Mahoning’s customers disappeared.

But fortunately, a right-time, rightplace stroke of business luck had already occurred in 1962, when bigtime developer De Bartolo (owner of the San Francisco Forty Niners, by the way) couldn’t find drywall for a theater he was building. “We gave it to

Building Products Digest December 2011

him, and we were off and running. We built their first mall ever in Miami,” Bill recalls.

But De Bartolo wanted his supplier close at hand—as in “Move to Miami.” “Fine,” said Bill. I had a condo, a place to live, so it was perfect”—except for the fact that the family preferred to stay put in Youngstown, so Bill began a life of long-term commuting.

It proved well worth all the airport time. “We built 14 malls in 15 years and also supplied the millwork for the most luxurious hotel on that part of the coast. We’d bid on it, but didn’t get the job. However, the company that won out soon went bankrupt, so they called us for 450 doors ASAP. We had eight trucks and eight drivers and shuttled them back and forth”—a $55,000 payoff, by the way.

Today, Mahoning operates with three trucks, three drivers, and an outside sales staff of “all girls,” Bill proclaims in non-PC language, but what the heck? “They’re phenomenal,” he declares. “They go after malls under construction and talk to the supers, and they get 60% of the business.”

And that business is very competitive, he reports. Thus, Mahoning has leased satellite warehouses to assure the overnight delivery these developers demand. (Finish a day late and they’re slapped with a $10,000 penalty.) “We offer better service,” Bill presents as one key to his continued success. “You’re as good as your name,” he knows full well,” so we also can offer our reputation. Plus, we supply the lumber and plywood that other yards don’t carry. In fact,” he chuckle, “other yards didn’t even realize what we were up to. Malls weren’t being built until we got there.

Building-Products.com

“Another thing—you’re gonna like this story, dear— I’ve worked with one of our best contractor customers in Ohio for over 37 years and never once called him for money.

“I only have seven customers,” he continues, “and that’s enough to keep me happy. One of the best is in Humboldt, Texas. Another in Canton, Ohio. And our main customer in Ft. Myers, Florida. How do I connect with them?” he repeats my query. “It’s a miracle! Here’s how we do it: It’s all through the supers. I’m friends with all of them. I fly out to meet them so they know I’m for real. They put me on with their contractors.

“We give them the best quality. No callbacks.” Well, one. Almost. “I got a call from a guy for whom we’d delivered metal doors and frames, and boy, was he mad! ‘Bill, I trusted you to sell me doors, and these don’t even fit!’ I came out to take a look, and he’d hung them upside down.

He was so embarrassed,” Bill laughs.

Only seven customers—and only five major suppliers, including Midwest Wholesale Hardware, Dixieply for lumber and plywood, and Hering Corp. for doors and windows.

“They love me because I pay my bills on time. So, we can negotiate deals. I’ve gotten 62 blueprints since January, including one for Beholden, a new bridal chain going into Chicago. But I couldn’t give them good delivery if my suppliers didn’t give me a break. If they didn’t, other companies would take it away from me. But if you pay your bills before they’re due, that gets their attention.”

By now, Bill has moved back to Youngstown, thanks to the insistence of a wife and daughter who could hardly remember what he looked like. (Okay, they didn’t complain about visiting him on the Florida beaches—only the phone bills and airfare.) Yet Mahoning remains a Florida corpora-

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tion to take advantage of the favorable business climate (no personal property tax, etc.) Doing business in all 50 states, “I could live anywhere,” Bill claims. But he’s happy to be back in Ohio, where Mahoning also is licensed.

And thriving. “Thirty-seven lumber companies closed in Youngstown, and not because of the big boxes,” he insists.

“They closed because they couldn’t adapt when homebuilding died. There are only two of us left. And we are the only lumber company that does shopping mall stores.”

No denying that Mahoning took a big hit when the economy tanked, however. “We died completely in 2009 and 2010. The phone stopped ringing and I was so scared, so worried.” But 2011 came along and mall owners, seeking an uptick, gave their tenants orders: Remodel or we’ll take a long, strong look at your lease. There are 35 Limited stores and 40 Victoria’s Secrets who had to listen, among others, so “we had one of our best years. Business was up 50% over 2010.

Bill, who’d rather we didn’t announce his age, operates like a kid 30—or make that 50—years his junior.

And he has no intention of slowing down. He’s glad to pass on the most important lesson he learned from his father, “a remarkable man.

“I’ll put it this way,” he says.

“Dad told me, ‘Son, the customer is always right. Use that premium and you’ll succeed.’”

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net

December 2011 Building Products Digest

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OLSEN On Sales

By James Olsen

Epiphanies in the life of a salesman

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I THINK OF SELLERS who know/sell more than I do, I liken what they know to the view of someone who is at the right angle of a hallway. We can see them and they can see us, but we can’t see what they see when they look down the other end of the hall. They can describe it, but we can’t really experience it until we get to where they—the master sellers—are in the hallway.

Through my own evolution and working with salespeople, I have found the following idea and attitude changes are crucial for sellers who want to reach the next level.

Preparation works. Activity does not equal progress. A series of well-planned sales calls will yield a closing percentage. From here, we can do sales math and figure out how many calls we need to achieve our sales goals.

Winging it is faster and much easier—in the short run— than planning our calls. In the long run, winging it leaves us running in place. Our careers do not advance because our skills do not advance. It’s like riding as a passenger in a car for years; you really don’t know how to get anywhere, because you haven’t been doing the driving.

Price is just another detail. Salespeople bring up price first—ALWAYS—and then blame the customer for being a “price buyer” or “always countering me.” Can you imagine going to a car lot and when the salesman asks, “What color do you want?,” you respond, “Oh, I can’t tell you that. Just come back with your best color.”? Of course not. Color, like price, is just another detail we must know before we can put the order together. The customer will seldom buy without knowing the price, so in the end it must be covered, but it is just another detail.

Being low doesn’t matter. Guarantee: You can quote everything with $5/MBF more for the next 20 years and HEN

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Building Products Digest December 2011

you will not sell less. You can quote everything with $5/MBF less for the next 20 years and you won’t sell more.

The only thing that affects our income is the quality of our salesmanship, not how low our price is or isn’t. If we take the strongest seller from your office and make him sell at $5/MBF more than your weakest seller for a whole year, who will sell more? It’s about salesmanship, not about being the lowest.

This idea also accelerates our sales days, years and careers. If we need to be the cheapest, we have to research price forever. If price is just another detail, we just need a price, not the cheapest price. The (best) price is something we work out with the customer, not something we deliver on our own. The customer has mutual responsibility to our partnership to arrive at the correct price.

I can’t sell everyone. I don’t want to sell everyone.

Master sellers spend much less time working with an account that doesn’t buy than do sellers who struggle.

Hanging on to accounts too long is also the major symptom of a plateaued seller at any level, but especially the midhigh level. Comfort is the enemy of the master seller.

My account base is never set. The desired myth of the struggling seller is for the “perfect” account base. Once the perfect account base is attained, we won’t have to strive anymore. Our customers will trust us and buy from us with ease. We never arrive at this mirage.

Master sellers constantly, consistently reinvent themselves. They do not wait for cataclysmic changes in the weather (dinosaurs) or their account base (struggling sellers). Master sellers continually upgrade their account base.

As Kipling said, “All men count with you, but none too much.” The same can be said for our accounts. We love them all, but we don’t fall in love with any of them.

Thinking matters. What I think about and how I think about it affects my results, my career. Any kind of negativity must be stricken from our vocabulary and our lives.

We must work at it. Are there negative things that happen? Yes. They are in the past. The present and the future are positive when we make them so.

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

Building-Products.com

DEALER Briefs

ProBuild has closed 12 lumberyards, including Yorkville and Westmont, Il.; Columbia, S.C.; Cherry Hill, N.J.; Greensboro, N.C., and Fredericksburg, Va. Its Lynchburg, Va., yard shut down its gypsum operation.

Jackson Lumber & Millwork , Lawrence, Ma., agreed to buy the former 3.5-acre site of Eastern Lumber, Amesbury, Ma., which closed in June after 61 years. Jackson president Al Torrisi hopes to reopen the yard in the spring.

Fullerton Building Center has sold stores in Yankton, S.D., and Vermillion, Winner, and Norfolk, Ne., to 35unit Mead Lumber.

Fullerton retains yards in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Marvin’s Building Materials & Home Centers

ROBORO’S new software makes it easier for customers to select and specify glulams.

Choosing Glulams Gets Easier

Rosboro has updated its technology platform with a new software system that allows customers to more easily select and specify glulam products. With isDesign, Rosboro clients can enter the span and load conditions for a project and automatically determine the best product for specific uses, as well as calculate multiple spans, point loads, cantilevers, and other applications.

“With isDesign, we’re integrating what we find to be a flexible, user-friendly software solution,” said Geoff Crandlemire, distribution and product development manager for Springfield, Or.-based Rosboro. “Our customers will now have a simpler interface with intuitive navigation that saves them time and helps them select the right glulam products for their intended application.”

An analysis/engineering software that incorporates the most recent .NET technology, the new system’s interface and features enable users to operate in a familiar and comfortable Windows environment.

Rosboro’s custom glulam service is included. Curved lengths up to 100 ft., depths up to 53 inches, and a variety of textures and appearances are available.

secured a five-year, $20-million revolving credit facility with Wells Fargo Bank.

The chain added store #28 Oct. 14 in Eufala, Al., and will open at least two units next year, including in Fayetteville, Tn.

U.L. Harman, Marydel, De., closed Oct. 29 after 98

years.

Builders FirstSource opened a new 45,000-sq. ft. DC in Riviera Beach, Fl., replacing its W. Palm Beach, Fl., yard.

Star Lumber, Wichita, Ks., closed its Salina, Ks., yard late last month and will serve the area with outside sales reps.

The chain also added an 8,000-sq. ft. satellite warehouse in Lawton, Ok.

Woodson Lumber is building a 14,000-sq. ft. replacement store in Groesbeck, Tx. Claassen Hardware & Lumber, Newton, Ks., is

closing after 64 years.

Firkus Lumber Co. & Hardware , Rosholt, Wi., added a location in Iola, Wi. (Marcia Czerwonka, store mgr.).

Cole Lumber Co. held a grand opening celebration at its sixth and newest yard, in Madisonville, Ky. 84 Lumber is closing its store in Fruitland, Md., formerly home to Masten Lumber & Supply Co.

True Value stores owned by John Niederauer in Dell Rapids, Miller, Redfield and Tea, S.D., have converted to Ace.

Buikema’s Ace Hardware closed its 5-year-old store in Aurora, Il., Nov. 19, reducing the chain to five locations.

Do it Best Hardware is the new name for Your Olde Tyme Hardware, Canton, Oh., following its sale by Chuck and Sherry Tubbs to Ken and Jill Drensky, Fulton Hardware, Canal Fulton, Oh. Bill Colton, ex-Hartville Hardware, is now store mgr.

GLULAMS can be ordered in custom lengths, depths, textures and appearances.

Building-Products.com

Home Depot is building a $20-million, 1.18 million-sq.-ft. warehouse in S. Dallas, Tx., adding to its current 531,000-sq. ft. facility.

December 2011 Building Products Digest

13

GREEN Retailing

By Jay Tompt

A green 2012: Innovation in interesting times

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HIS DISMAL YEAR is almost over and most people won’t be sorry to see it go. On the other hand, if apocalyptic 2012 predictions are correct, the New Year will see the Mayan calendar coming to an end and so, apparently, will the world. Yikes! There’s a curse, reputed to be Chinese, that goes, “may you live in interesting times.” Well, we’re living it.

But even in these interesting times, I still find reasons to be optimistic. You don’t have to be green to do well in our business, but green dealers tend to do better. That’s encouraging. This year, there were several innovative products and materials that were either launched or found traction in the market. That’s also encouraging because innovation is exactly what the home and shelter supply chain needs—in products, materials, merchandising—the whole package. And it seems to me that’s exactly what’s in the pipeline for next year and beyond. Here’s what I’ve got my eye on.

For several years, we’ve seen small independents roll out green-only retail concepts and do well in their respective niche markets. But this year Green Depot (greendepot.com) took a step into the “big leagues” when they acquired EcoHaus on the West Coast, making them the first coast-to-coast green home improvement chain. They’ve demonstrated that green can scale. Who’s next? It might be new, Austin, Tx.-based TreeHouse (treehouseonline.com).

It’s big, well designed, focused 100% on green building, and is an easily replicable concept. These are but two examples of the shape of things to come.

On the product front, it’s hard not to get excited about the innovations in energy efficiency. Perhaps there’s no better way to gauge what’s happening here than to look at the least sexy product category: insulation. There’s a place for mass-produced, formaldehyde-free, high recycled content fiberglass, but for a paradigm shift, you’ve got to look at what small companies are doing. For example, we’ve talked about hemp as a building material, but now there’s hemp insulation, too. American Lime Technology’s (americanlimetechnology.com) Breathe insulation is made from hemp and flax fibers, is breathable and functional, with obvious green benefits over conventional materials. And

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Building Products Digest December 2011

then there’s insulation made from fungus and agricultural waste— hard to get greener than that.

Designed by Ecovative Design (ecovativedesign.com), Greensulate is currently undergoing testing and may come to market next year.

If insulation is the least sexy product category, then thermal mass, as such, is the least commercialized. As passive solar designers have known for decades, properly managing thermal mass and solar gain results in efficiency and comfort.

For example, a granite south-facing wall absorbs heat during the day, keeping interior spaces cool, re-radiating that heat at night, keeping interiors warm and comfortable.

Imagine if, instead of logistically unfriendly granite, thermal mass was a product that came in rolls, like bubble wrap, that was easily installed in walls and ceilings like, well, bubble wrap. Turns out someone already has. Phase Change Energy Solutions (phasechange.com) has developed BioPCmat, a roll of bubble wrap like material that is essentially thermal mass in a roll. Properly installed, BioPCmat can result in 30% energy savings.

Products like these offer radical new approaches to products and materials. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Philips recently unveiled the Microbial Home design concept, including a kitchen that produces its own cooking gas—methane—from bathroom and kitchen waste. Whether these product innovations take off in the marketplace is an open question.

But innovation breeds innovation.

If this pace of new product development continues, 2012 could well be very interesting, but in a good way.

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

Building-Products.com

SUPPLIER Briefs

Prince Building Systems, Neillsville, Wi., is now distributing EcoStud insulating wall studs in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.

McShan Lumber Co. completed a three-week modernization of its sawmill in McShan, Al., installing a new optimized gang and lineal edger, and new lumber handling equipment.

AFTER MONTHS of design and construction of its state-of-the-art office space in Mansfield, Ma., Boston Cedar employees joined in celebration of the company milestone Oct. 31.

Northeast Distributor Opens New Hq.

After 26 years in Holbrook, Ma., Boston Cedar has unveiled a new state-of-the-art headquarters in Mansfield, Ma.—while promising there’s more to come.

“We successfully met the demands of business relocation during the first half of 2011 and created a technologically advanced sales and distribution operation during the third quarter. All the while, our loyal customer base claims that we maintained a very high level of service” said president Joe Cusack.

“During 2012, we plan to move from the ‘drawing board’ to the building phase an education and workshop setting for customer presentations, which will be directly integrated into our new office space,” added Paul Colliton, v.p. of sales & marketing.

G-P Shuffles EWP Division

Georgia-Pacific Wood Products is overhauling its engineered lumber business to create more direct involvement with its customer base and expansion of services.

G-P will provide its engineered lumber customers with inside and outside account management personnel, business development support, engineering and technical services, and software development and support. G-P will continue to offer a complete portfolio, including LVL, solid sawn and LVL flanged I-joists, glulams, and rim board.

“This new strategy will help expand market opportunities for GP, our customers, distributors, and supply partners,” said Mark Luetters, president of Georgia-Pacific Wood Products. “We feel this will help us better meet customer needs through a strong network of independent distributors with a primary focus on engineered lumber products.”

The strategy coincides with the Feb. 12, 2012 expiration of G-P’s distribution agreement with BlueLinx, which will allow G-P to begin to phase out its Broadspan line of engineered wood products late in the first quarter of 2012.

“We’re excited about being able to offer strong brands such as Wood I Beam joists, GP Lam LVL, GP Lam 3000 glulam, and Fiberstrong rim board to a broader set of customers,” said Paul Watterson, general manager for G-P Wood Products. “We’re looking forward to working more closely with our customers, and will remain committed to offering high-quality wood products and innovative solutions to the industry.”

Building-Products.com

MJB Wood Group , Irving, Tx., has added sales/distribution branches in Simsboro, La.; Louisville, Ky.; Charlotte, N.C., and St. Paul, Mn. Jordan Forest Products, Mount Gilead, N.C., idled its Barnesville, Ga., sawmill last month, with hopes to restart the facility Jan. 2.

Pollard Lumber Co., Appling, Ga., lost a dry kiln in an

Oct. 27 blaze.

Roseburg is indefinitely idling its particleboard plant in

Louisville, Ms.

National Industrial Lumber Co., Heath, Oh., has acquired Canfield Manufacturing Co., Canfield, Oh., and will relocate Canfield’s fabricating operations to its manufacturing plant in North Jackson, Oh.

Allied Building Products Corp., East Rutherford, N.J., has acquired 4-unit roofing/siding distributor Ivan Supply Co., Philadelphia, Pa., and the Smyrna, Ga., branch of American Wholesale (John Baumgartner, mgr.)

Musser Lumber Co., Rural Retreat, Va., sustained minor damage from an Oct. 29 fire caused by a piece of machinery.

Mar-flex Waterproofing & Building Products

will construct a new 47,000-sq. ft. distribution/manufacturing center in Carlisle, Oh., to replace its Madison, Oh., warehouse that was destroyed by a January fire.

Rocky Top Building Products’ DCs in Rocky Mount Va.; Hagerstown, Md., and Fombell, Pa., are now distributing the full line of Fiberon decking, railing and fasteners in Virginia, Maryland, western Pennsylvania, western New York, eastern West Virignia, and Ohio.

Weyerhaeuser is now distributing Boral’s Versetta Stone panelized stone veneer to the Northeast and midAtlantic from its service centers in Baltimore, Md.; Easton, Pa.; Richmond, Va., and Charlotte, N.C. Troy Ballard is Weyco’s market development leader for the products.

LMC is now distributing Fairway ModernView decking in the Northeast.

Vinyl Systems’

Rex Lumber, Acton, Ma., now distributes Accoya modified wood and Red Grandis eucalyptus from Urofor’s singlespecies plantation in South America.

Glenbrook Lumber , Oakdale, Mn., now offers CertainTeed’s EnerGen photovoltaic panel systems in

Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

December 2011 Building Products Digest

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DEALER Briefs

TreeHouse opened its first 25,000-sq. ft. sustainable home center Oct. 22 in Austin, Tx. ReBuild Warehouse, Springfield, Va., closed Nov. 20 after less than three years.

Suburban Ace Hardware , Cockeysville, Md., relocated nearby to a larger, 11,200-sq. ft. building.

Cefo Enterprise Corp. opened a 10,500-sq. ft. Ace Hardware in Middleburg Heights, Oh.

H. Brickman & Sons this spring opens store #3, a two-story, 8,100-sq. ft. Ace Hardware in E. Manhattan, N.Y.

Ingersoll Hardware , Rocky River, Oh., is closing next month after 105 years.

Many of its 22 employees will apply to work at an Ace Hardware that’s moving into the neighborhood.

Standers Ace Hardware , Louisville, Ne., was destroyed by an early morning fire Nov. 1.

Anniversaries: Rocky’s Ace Hardware, Springfield, Ma., 85th …

Blue Ridge Lumber, Blairstown, N.H., 50th …

Great Southern Buys Elder

Great Southern Wood Preserving, Abbeville, Al., has acquired Elder Wood Preserving Co., Mansura, La., as its eleventh treating facility.

“For more than 30 years, Elder Wood Preserving has been a leader in our industry in Louisiana and portions of the Gulf Coast,” said Great Southern president and c.e.o. Jimmy Rane. “Our involvement will simply enable that plant to bring more products and more resources to its customers than ever before, while allowing us to expand our footprint.”

Founder Joe Elder initiated the sale, but passed away weeks before it was completed.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for all involved and something I wish Joe Elder could have been here to celebrate with us today,” Rane added.

Illinois Lumber Chains Merge

Alexander Lumber and Hundman Lumber have agreed to merge under the Alexander name, bringing the chain to 30 locations.

“Alexander Lumber has a long and successful history, and I am excited to work with them to merge our two operations into the leading supplier in downstate Illinois,” said president Mike Hundman, who will join Alexander’s management team.

Tom Hodgson, owner of Alexander Lumber, said the merger allows his company to expand into the new territories of Peoria, Fairbury and Decatur,

where Hundman currently has store locations. The two companies both have stores in Lincoln, BloomingtonNormal and Champaign, Il. “Hundman Lumber is at a point where some of our stores could benefit from an upgrade, and we need to invest significant dollars in systems and equipment,” said Hundman.

“Alexander’s resources and experience will aid us in making these improvements.”

Founded in 1950, Hundman seven locations and two wholesale divisions: Decatur CounterTop and Hundman Truss & Wall Systems.

Alexander started in 1929 and has 23 locations in Wisconsin and Illinois.

The deal is set to close in first quarter 2012.

US LBM Picks Up Lyman

BlackEagle Partners, owner of US LBM Holdings, bought at auction the Midwest operations of bankrupt Lyman Lumber Co., Excelsior, Mn. The $23.75-million purchase includes Lyman’s sales and distribution centers in Chanhassen, Mn., and Eau Claire, Wi.; component operations Automated Building Components, and installers Carpentry Contractors, Montrose, Mn. Lyman becomes the eighth US LBM company, retaining its trade names, locations, and workforce.

Lyman v.p. of operations, Dale Carlson, stays on as president of the new division.

After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy during the summer, Lyman expected to sell its Midwest operations to SP Asset Management, but SP was outbid by BlackEagle.

À

Tear out this industry calendar to plan your show visits during 2012.

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Building Products Digest December 2011

Building-Products.com

Coastal Revived as Eastern

Coastal Lumber operations have reopened as Eastern Hardwoods, just three months after closing due to the housing slump and “reaching an impasse with its bank.”

Bob Conger will serve as president and director for Eastern from Coastal’s former headquarters in Charlottesville, Va. Amas Player is responsible for production and procurement, and Bo Hammond leads sales and marketing.

Hammond said Eastern employs more than 100 people at manufacturing and administrative sites in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina. So far, manufacturing has resumed at two plants in West Virginia and one in Pennsylvania.

Wholesale Wood, Cedar Creek Break Off Acquisition

Wholesale Wood Products, Dothan, Al., and Cedar Creek, Oklahoma City, Ok., have discontinued buyout talks (see Nov., p. 24).

“Despite everyone’s best efforts, we were not able to get to a mutually acceptable agreement with Cedar Creek,” said Wholesale Wood president Chuck Harris. “We ended discussions with Cedar Creek on the best of terms, and we now look forward to continued focus on our customers and marketplace.”

in Champion, Pa. The heat from the fire was so intense that it bent the steel frame of a lumber stacker inside the building, where both kiln-dried lumber and milled lumber were stored. The fire also ignited lumber that was stacked against a nearby metal-frame storage building, melting some of the siding, damaging the ceiling, and burning a storage room inside the building.

President Mike Johnston said he did not know if the building would be replaced because there is sufficient storage space in other buildings on the property. This was the second fire the company has suffered this year.

Boise Expands Detroit DC

Boise Cascade’s Building Materials Distribution operation in Wayne, Mi., has completed its move into its recently expanded facilities.

The expansion includes an additional 80,000 sq. ft. of enclosed warehouse space, 6,500 sq. ft. of new office space, and 9,000 sq. ft. of covered truck loading area. In addition, the expansion provides an additional four acres of outside storage and additional railcar unloading facilities.

SUPPLIER Briefs

Former employees of Phoenix Products Co., Milwaukee, Wi., have formed Intrigue Lighting LLC to purchase Phoenix’s Intrigue fixture line.

Todd Manderfield is president of Intrigue.

ClarkDietrich Building Systems, West Chester, Oh., purchased bead/trim maker Vinyl Corp., Miami, Fl., from Worthington Industries.

Larson Manufacturing is closing its storm door/window plant in Clear Lake, Ia., consolidating operations in Lake Mills, Ia. Ninety workers will transfer, while 68 jobs will be eliminated.

Royal Group has been renamed Royal Building Products.

Trex , Winchester, Va., inked a licensing deal with Backyard America, Manassas, Va., to develop and market Trex Pergola kits.

Wolf, York, Pa., earned code compliance approval from ATI Evaluation Services for its PVC decking.

Louisiana Dealer Joins CNRG

Morrison Terrebonne Lumber Center, Houma, La., has merged with Natchez, Ms.-based Central Network Retail Group, operator of 21 home centers, mostly under the Home Hardware name.

Doug Gregory, president of Morrison Terrebonne, has joined the CNRG board of directors.

Morrison Terrebonne will retain its name, while sister store St. Charles True Value, St. Charles, La., is being converted to a Home Hardware Center.

Boyden Moore, president of CNRG, said Gregory and his partners (David Vice, Greg Landry and Keith Voisin) “will drive our growth along the Gulf Coast, as well as help us improve how we approach the contractor and builder business.”

Pennsylvania Hardwood Warehouse Lost in Fire

A Nov. 5 fire destroyed a 13,000sq. ft. warehouse at the site of Babcock Lumber Co.’s hardwood mill Building-Products.com

December 2011 Building Products Digest

17

MOVERS & Shakers

Brandon Wolf, ex-Wolf Corp., has joined Do it Best Corp., Fort Wayne, In., as e-commerce mgr..

Harry Morris is a new account mgr. at Smith Phillips Building Supply, Winston-Salem, N.C. Brad Strosahl, ex-BlueLinx, has been named v.p.-major accounts for PrimeSource Building Products, Buffalo Grove, Il. Robert Bratton has closed Southern Lumber Sales, Clayton, N.C., after 22 years and joined Forest2Market, Charlotte, N.C., as mgr. of lumber practice.

Casey Mikelson is now president of Birmingham International Forest Products, Birmingham, Al. Frank Johnston has been appointed president of Southern Mississippi Trading, Waynesboro, Mi. David Cox was named senior v.p.sales at Richmond International Forest Products, Richmond, Va. Mathew Vaughan is now v.p.sales.

Sean Kelly has joined Professional Builders Supply, Morrisville, N.C., as a sales coordinator.

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Chris Knapp, ex-Timber Roots, has joined Versatex as Wisconsinbased Midwest market development specialist.

John McLennan, ex-BlueLinx, has been named Southeast region residential sales mgr. for Nichiha USA, Norcross, Ga., covering Arkansas, Tennessee, and southern Kentucky.

Dina Fuller has joined the sales force at McShan Lumber, McShan, Al. Jerry Wilhoite is new to sales in the Baltimore, Md., area for Builders FirstSource.

Christian Wetzel is a new fastener product mgr. for HD Supply’s Crown Bolt division, Atlanta, Ga. Tom Walker, ex-Firestone Building Products, has joined ABC Supply, Beloit, Wi., as executive director of commercial roofing. Mike Boggs has been promoted to director of operations.

Kevin Lloyd, ex-ProBuild, has been named national accounts mgr. at Ply Gem, Holly Springs, N.C. Ben Mackie has joined Roofing Supply Group, Fairfield, Oh., as assistant operations mgr.

Building Products Digest December 2011

Brad Mullen is a new mgr. at Lowe’s, N. Dallas, Tx. Sallie B. Bailey has joined LouisianaPacific Corp., Nashville, Tn., as executive v.p. and chief financial officer, succeeding Curt Stevens, who is now executive v.p. and chief operating officer.

Tina Hess is a new marketing mgr. at MI Windows & Doors, Gratz, Pa. Michael Moore is now full line sales mgr. at Armstrong World Industries, St. Louis, Mo. Jake Stadler has joined Milwaukee Electric Tool, as territory mgr for the Houston, Tx., area.

Randy Wilson is a new national inspector for the National Hardwood Lumber Association’s MidSouth region (Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee).

Alden Robbins, Robbins Lumber, Searsmont, Me., was appointed to the first National Softwood Lumber Board for the Northeast/Lake States region. Representing the South are Aubra Anthony Jr., Anthony Forest Products Co., El Dorado, Ar.; Hank Scott, Collum’s Lumber

Building-Products.com

Products, Allendale, S.C.; Jack Jordan, Jordan Lumber & Supply, Mt. Gilead, N.C.; Michael Case, Westervelt Co., Tuscaloosa, Al.; Fritz Mason, Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., and Robert Taylor, Weyerhaeuser, Federal Way, Wa. Aubra Anthony Jr., Anthony Forest Products Co., El Dorado, Ar., was appointed vice chairperson of the Arkansas Agriculture Board.

Lotta Running is the new messenger at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

Comments Sought for New Southern Pine Design Values

The Southern Forest Products Association has posted the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau’s proposed design values for visually graded dimension lumber on its website, www.southernpine.com.

On Oct. 7, SPIB announced their submittal of proposed design values, now pending approval by American Lumber Standard Committee’s board of review. Prior to its next meeting— set for Jan. 5 in Washington, D.C.— ALSC is soliciting written comments from interested parties, to be received at least 10 days prior to the meeting.

Direct comments to ALSC president Tom Searles, by alsc@alsc.org or fax 301-540-8004.

“These proposed design values from SPIB will help the dialog progress to a better understanding of the process, the data, and the impacts on our industry,”said SFPA president Adrian Blocker.

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

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

These trends, along with anecdotal external information, prompted SPIB to conduct a year-long program of testing and data review. SPIB is the first rules-writing agency to submit new values. Agencies responsible for other species are in different stages of evaluating design values.

Building-Products.com

December 2011 Building Products Digest

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NEW Products

Illuminating Railing

Ambience Rail from Phoenix Manufacturing combines lights and PVC railing in one product.

Lengths of 2’ to 10’ are available, with either LED or low-voltage lights.

Each kit includes a top rail, lighting track, bottom rail, balusters, brackets, stainless-steel screws, caps, and a splicer to connect the sections. Transformers are sold separately, as are colored, snap-in lenses.

PVCRAILS.COM (732) 380-1666

Keeps Gutters Clean

E-Z Gutter Control is a perforated aluminum guard that keeps out debris without disturbing roof shingles.

Produced by Midwest Enterprises, the product rests on hidden hangers at the back and fastens to the front with stainless-steel screws.

E-ZGUTTER.COM (800) 748-7736

New Wood Screws

Two new fasteners from Simpson Strong-Tie provide alternatives to through bolting and traditional lag screws.

The SDWS ledger screw is designed for structural wood-to-wood applications, including securing deck ledgers. It also provides a high-strength alternative to traditional lag bolts.

The hex-head SDWH screw is designed for structural and general purpose fastening applications. A corrosion-resistant coating makes it suitable for both interior and exterior applications, including with treated wood.

STRONGTIE.COM (800) 999-5099

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Building Products Digest December 2011

Power Lifts

Four models of Nissan’s QX 80-volt electric lifts can handle capacities ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 lbs.

Standard safety features include programmable PIN access and an automatic mast-lock system. An onboard diagnostic system provides instant performance information, to reduce troubleshooting.

NISSANFORKLIFT.COM (815) 568-0061

Building-Products.com

Vest of All Trades

Paktek’s ToolVest eliminates the need for bulky tool belts.

The vest frame is made from breathable mesh, with tool panels of durable Cordura. Twenty easy-to-reach pockets keep tools close at hand, while four quickrelease buckles adjust for a perfect fit. The entire garment zips on and off like a jacket.

TOOLPAK.COM (253) 584-4914

Wall Tools for Pros

Pro Stainless tools from Hyde have rust-resistant blades, finger stops, and comfort handles.

New to the line is a 1” chisel scraper with a bevel edge for getting under paint coatings in tight spaces, a 4” stiff scraper for wallpaper, and 8” and 10” flexible joint knifes for taping drywall.

HYDETOOLS.COM (800) 872-4933

Building-Products.com

December 2011 Building Products Digest

21

ASSOCIATION Update

Northwestern Lumber Association elected Wayne Briggs, Crane Johnson Lumber, Fargo, N.D., as its new chairman of the board.

New 1st vice chair is Bob Egan, Lampert Yards, St. Paul, Mn.; 2nd vice chair Jeff Reinhardt, Interstate Building Supply, Cannon Falls, Mn.; treasurer Jeff Gallagher, Larchwood True Value Lumber, Larchwood, Ia.; secretary Paula Siewert, NLA, and chair-at-large Larry Provance, Arrow Building Center, Chaddron, Ne. Directors include Dale Housh,

Lockridge Inc., Promise City, Ia.; Ed Haver, Haver Lumber, Guthrie Center, Ia.; Daryl Lundberg, Northwoods Lumber Co., Blackduck, Mn.; Bryan Jensen, Central Valley Ag, Elgin, Ne.; Wayne Meester, Watertown Cashway Lumber, Watertown, S.D.; Bruce Braaksma, Royal Lumber Yards, Friesland, Wi.; Bob Barth, Sav-Rite Building Center, Neillsville, Wi., and William Wood, Fennimore Lumber Co., Fennimore, Wi. NLA holds its annual LBM expo Jan. 9-10 in Hinckley, Mn.

Northeastern Retail Lumber Association kicks off its annual expo Jan. 25-27 at MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Ct. The buying show will be accompanied by seminars on such topics as a two-year outlook for panels and softwood lumber, negotiating and marketing skills, leadership secrets, and remodeling trends for 2012.

Indiana Lumber & Builders Supply Association convenes its annual meeting Dec. 22 at JW Marriott Hotel, Indianapolis, In. Highlights will include a past president’s reception, opening reception for all members, and special viewing of the NFL Colts vs. Texans game.

National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association elected Cally Coleman Fromme, Zarsky Lumber, Woodsboro, Tx., as its new chair—the first woman to lead the association in its 94-year history.

Joining her on the executive committee are chair-elect Chuck Bankston, Bankston Lumber, Barnesville, Ga.; 1st vice chair Chris Yenrick, SmithPhillips Building Supply, WinstonSalem, N.C.; 2nd vice chair J.D. Saunders, Economy Lumber, Campbell, Ca.; treasurer Linda Nussbaum, Kleet Lumber Co., Huntington, N.Y.; manufacturers & services council chair Bob Harden, Dow Building Solutions, Jenkintown, Pa.; federated association executives chair Jim Moody, Construction Suppliers Association, Tyrone, Ga., and immediate past chair Joe Collings, Ferguson Lumber, Rockville, In. Mid-America Lumbermens Association hosts its winter meetings Jan. 5-6 in Columbia, Mo., and Jan. 19-20 in Newton, Ks.

APA-The Engineered Wood Association welcomed new officers during its recent annual meeting in New Orleans, La. Mary Jo Nyblad, Boise Cascade, is now chairman, succeeding Jeff Wagner, LP, who continues to serve as a trustee. New vice chair is Tom Temple, Potlatch; marketing advisory committee chair Mike St. John, Pacific Woodtech; I-joist/SCL management committee chair Jim Enright, Murphy Engineered Wood Products, and trustees Jim Lake, Ainsworth, and Mike Dawson, Norbord. Outgoing trustees are Rick Huff, Ainsworth, and Peter Wijnbergen, Norbord.

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Building Products Digest December 2011

Building-Products.com

NAWLA TRADERS MARKET Photos by Building Products Digest

NAWLA TRADERS MARKET landed at Mirage Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nv., on Oct. 19-21. [1] B.L. Johnson, Mark Tucker, Racy Florence, Travis Hixon. [2] Kevin Hynes, Vincent Micale, Matthew Duprey, Bernie Nugent. [3] William Swaney, John Assman, Matt Yates, Mike Nutile. [4] Len Kasperski, Kim Pohl, Mark Kasper. [5] Julie Sheffield, Anthony Granger. [6] Ryan Furtado, Carlos Furtado, Dick Gukeisen, Chris Meyer, Scott Knutson. [7] Dan Griffiths, Gary Gill, Bal Building-Products.com

Gill, T.J. Malhi. [8] Scott Kassahn, Jack Alley, Todd Fox, Joe Petree. [9] Kevin & Glenda Paldino, Russ Hobbs. [10] Craig Larsen, Frank Stewart.

[11] Jessica Navascues, Tom Taylor. [12] Mike Sims, Seamus O’Reilly, Richard Mills, Brian Maloney, Ken Root. [13] Rick Kapres, John Pace.

[14] Humphrey Wildeboer, Larry Petree. [15] Troy Turner, Grant Phillips, Roger Burch, Jason Faulkner, Sean Burch. [16] Matt Pedrone, Jim Tittle.

(More photos on next four pages) December 2011 Building Products Digest

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NAWLA TRADERS MARKET Photos by BPD

MORE NAWLA (continued): [1] Hank Mullins, Vicki O’Neill, Steven Funchess.

[2] Jeff & Kathleen Norman, Kristine Jones, Dawn Holm. [3] William Cullen, Jack Delaney, Ali Jojo. [4] Kathy Klassen, Danyue Klassen, Alan Oakes, Sarah Welsh, Lianne Graham. [5] Ray Barbee, Ken Tennefoss, Dan Blenk.

[6] Parrish Stapleton, Chuck Casey. [7] Adrian McDonald, Rex Scott, David Wildes. [8] Bob Maurer, Matt Campbell, Kevin Daugherty. [9] Colin Parsons, Dirk Kunze. [10] Jean-Francois Drouin, Milisa Pepin. [11] Rob Pelc, Lee

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Building Products Digest December 2011

Hope. [12] Mike Mordell, Stacey Woldt, Gary Vitale. [13] Barry Schneider, James Hand. [14] Tod Kintz, Jim Maloney, Ron Hanson. [15] Mark Junkins, Charlie Quarles, Harvey Hetfeld. [16] Bob Seldon, Doug Chiasson. [17] Dillon Forbes, Jim Olson. [18] Brett Li, Shane Carphin. [19] Larry Schmedding, Chuck Dotson, Gerry Hall. [20] Tony Maben, Chris Retherford. [21] Mark & Sarah Huff. [22] Kristi & Danny Osborne. [23] Ron Holen, Sheldon Howell.

[24] Josh Goodman, Andrew Goodman.

(More photos on next 3 pages) Building-Products.com

NAWLA TRADERS MARKET Photos by BPD

TRADERS MARKET 2012 (continued from previous 2 pages) enjoyed an 11% attendance boost over 2011. [1] Jeff Derby, Ben Meachen, Brad Flitton. [2] Dusty Hammack, Ryan Morrison. [3] Jeff Logue, Bill Ross, Sam Sanregret. [4] Bill Jones, Phil Schumock, Gary Maulin. [5] Lori & Bobby Byrd. [6] Jason Friend, Teresa Berry, John Cooper. [7] Cory Poggemoeller, Brad Shaigec, Craig Fleischhacker, Roxanne Poggemoeller. [8] Sal Camarda, Grant Pearsall. [9] Bob Loew, Jordan Hollis. [10] Building-Products.com

Donna Allen, Chris Webb. [11] Tony Jenkins, Steve Hollingworth, Mike Colgan. [12] Mary Jo Nyblad, Debra Wilton-Pinski, Beth Banks. [13] Sean Nason, Chad Miller, Todd Lindsey, Trevor Ewert, Doug Colson. [14] Mike Booth, Mike Pidlisecky. [15] Greg Groenhout, Mark Heyboer. [16] David Smith, Jimmy Epperson, Jim Walsh. [17] Mike Stevens, Bill McGrath, Brian Benson. [18] Allyn Ford, Eric Ford. [19] Lisa Ayala.

(More photos on next 2 pages) December 2011 Building Products Digest

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NAWLA TRADERS MARKET Photos by BPD

NAWLA IN VEGAS (continued from previous pages): [1] John Pasqualetto, James Danielson, John Tumino, Terry Kuehl, Jason Faulkner. [2] Blair Magnuson, Chris Wischmann, Greg Bates. [3] Craig Combs, Patrick Hanulak, Doug Riordan. [4] Mark Rutledge, Robert LePage. [5] Sergio Silva, Larry Crossley, Dan Paige. [6] Dave Halsey, Dean Sturz. [7] Chris Harrett, Win Smith. [8] Rob Marusic, Jack Heavenor. [9] Albert Reneaud, Brad Morrow, Jean-Marc Dubois. [10] Konrad Tittler, Rob Breda, Steven

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Building Products Digest December 2011

Nielsen, Mark Tittler. [11] Jim Hassenstab, Brandon Rinck. [12] Graham Picard, Shane Harsch. [13] Jay Christiansen, Troy Bailey. [14] Robert Sandve, Gary Arthur. [15] Brian Dysserinck, Gary Reid, Doug Willis. [16] Steve Firko, Lou Chance. [17] Fernanda Vale Garcia, Craig Larsen, Natalie Macias, Tomoko Icarashi. [18] Kip Anderson, Steve Anderson, Andrea Couture, Lewis Santmyer.

(More photos on next page) Building-Products.com

NAWLA TRADERS MARKET Photos by BPD

NAWLA TRADERS MARKET (continued from previous 4 pages) lured 1,276 wholesalers and manufacturers to Vegas. [1] Michael Parrella, Janet & Nestor Pimentel, Rick Palmiter, George Parden. [2] Paul Grabarek, Julie & Ian McLean. [3] Angelique Mitchell, Suzanne Hearn.

[4] Esther Han, Alan Oakes, Courtney Watkins. [5] Mark & Peggy Cheirrett. [6] Raymond Luther, Don Dye. [7] Dave Patch, Scott Wiles.

[8] Tim Lewis, Pat Zan. [9] Greg Johnson, Ken Caylor, Josh Renshaw.

Building-Products.com

[10] Sam Mowat, Russ Maximuik. [11] Marc Moore. [12] Wade Mosby, Eric Schooler, Alyson Kingsley, Josh Dean, Kevin Paldino, Chris Bailey.

[13] Erick Krauter. [14] Jeff Cook, Todd Shipp, Todd Kion. [15] Pam Mitchell. [16] Rick McQuin, Steve Hudson. [17] Bob Dewald, Darren Barker. [18] Dean Martin, Mike Sloggett, Ron Breedlove, Kent Bond.

[19] Mickey Brown, Gary Pittman, John Assman, Mike McCollum, Mark McLean, Steve Killgore. [20] Mike Descoteaux, Keith Lolley.

December 2011 Building Products Digest

27

CLASSIFIED Marketplace

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FOR SALE

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HELP WANTED

Big Creek Lumber Company, a leading supplier of lumber and building materials in central California, seeks an executive level Division Manager for our retail operations. Big Creek operates five retail lumberyards with locations in central California (Atwater, Half Moon Bay, Paso Robles, Santa Cruz, and Watsonville).

Combined retail gross sales are in the range of $30-50 million annually.

Retail Division Manager is responsible for all aspects of retail division performance to ensure the long-term financial health of the company. Works in collaboration with owners, senior managers, and retail branch managers to develop short- and long-range plans for the retail division, achieve company goals and promote a culture of company-wide cooperation.

Maintains high-quality, accurate, timely, cost effective services from all retail operations.

Promotes retail operations in a manner consistent with Big Creek’s values. Seeks innovative approaches and viable opportunities for business growth. Develops leadership to meet retail division needs.

To learn more about Big Creek, see a complete job description and submit your resume, go to www.big-creek.com/employment.

Keep track of the West BPD updates you on industry issues in your region. Now discover what’s happening on the other side of the Rockies.

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Building Products Digest December 2011

Building-Products.com

DATE Book

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

Wood Solutions Fair – Dec. 7, Irving Convention Center, Dallas, Tx.; www.woodworks.org.

Northwestern Lumber Association – Dec. 8-9, sales boot camp, Stevens Point, Wi.; (888) 544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

Indiana Lumber & Builders' Supply Assn. – Dec. 22, annual meeting, JW Marriott, Indianapolis, In.; (877) 465-8627; ilbsa.org.

American Lumber Standard Committee – Jan. 5, board of review meeting, Washington, D.C.; www.alsc.org.

Mid-America Lumbermens Association – Jan. 5-6, Missouri winter meeting, Columbia, Mo.; (800) 747-6529; www.themla.com.

House-Hasson Hardware Co. – Jan. 5-7, market, Opryland Resort, Nashville, Tn.; (800) 333-0520; www.househasson.com.

United Hardware Distributing Co. – Jan. 5-8, market, Minnneapolis, Mn.; (763) 559-1800; www.unitedhardware.com.

Home Shows – Jan. 6-8, Charlotte, N.C.; Indianapolis, In.; Madison, Wi.; Minneapolis, Mn.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Tulsa, Ok.; (800) 3746463; www.homeshowcenter.com.

Northwestern Lumber Association – Jan. 9-10, building products expo, Grand Casino, Hinckley Conference Center, Hinckley, Mn.; (763) 544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

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

Home & Garden Shows – Jan. 13-15, Austin, Tx.; Roanoke, Va.; (877) 663-6186; www.showtechnology.com.

Home Shows – Jan. 13-15, N. Charleston, S.C.; Greenville, S.C.; Louisville, Ky.; (800) 374-6463; www.homeshowcenter.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Home Shows – Jan. 20-22, Columbia, S.C.; Sharonville, Oh.; (800) 374-6463; www.homeshowcenter.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Building-Products.com

IN Memoriam

Robert J. Gaites, 70, former chairman, c.e.o., president and co-founder of the Strober Organization, Brooklyn, N.Y., died Oct. 21 in Staten Island, N.Y. He joined single-unit Strober Brothers in 1975, heading the business when it went public as the Strober Organization in 1991. The chain expanded to 11 locations by 1997, when it was bought by Fidelity Ventures and later helped form the Northeast base for ProBuild. He became ProBuild’s chief operating officer, retiring in January 2008.

Philip W. Griese, 58, former president of Birmingham International Forest Products, Birmingham, Al., died Nov. 6 in Vestavia Hills, Al. He began his lumber career after graduating from the Naval Academy in 1975. After spending 25 years as BIFP president, he formed Flagship Trading Inc., Birmingham.

Richard F. “Dick” Wiessner, 82, founder of Big Valley Lumber & Hardware, Lexington, Ne., died Oct. 23.

He started Big Valley in 1965 to manufacture livestock handling equipment, eventually adding the lumberyard, Valley Transport, and LBM outlet Valley Bargain Barn.

Thurlow Cassie “T.C.” Catlett, 92, founder and chairman of T.C. Catlett & Sons Lumber Co., Spotsylvania, Va., died Nov. 8,.

He formed the company in 1954, after serving with the U.S. armed forces in the Philippines during World War II. Linda Joyce Childs, 61, longtime employee of TruJoist and Weyerhaeuser, Orlando, Fl., died Nov. 9 in Hernando, Tn. During her three-decade-long career, she worked in sales, management, and purchasing.

James Wayne “Jim” Gosney, 61, longtime hardwood lumber broker, died Oct. 21 in Clarksville, Tn. He started his career after graduating from the University of Georgia, working with firms in Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. Five years ago, he retired from Averitt Lumber, Clarksville.

Earl F. Olsen, 90, former manager of Fullerton Lumber, Fort Dodge, Ia., died Nov. 2 in Fort Dodge.

He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II.

David R. Watson, 65, owner of Watson Lumber & Supply, Macedonia, Oh., died Sept. 7.

Samuel Herbert “Bud” Werner IV, 77, owner of Sam Werner Lumber and Sam Werner Machinery Co., Tracy City, Tn., died Oct. 18 in Winchester, Tn. He served with the Army’s 768th Medical Attachment in Germany.

Granville E. Hudson, 84, owner of the defunct Millsboro Lumber, Millsboro, De., died Oct. 13 in Millsboro.

He served with the Merchant Marines during WWII. Abram Van Dyke, 102, retired president and owner of Lincoln Lumber & Woodworking Co., Wyckoff, N.J., died Oct. 23.

Larry Wilhelmi, 53, manager of Whitmore Ace Hardware, Wilmington, Il., died Oct. 21 in Wilmington.

James Donald “Jim” Worcester, 61, former owner of Worcester True Value Hardware, Newton, Il., died Oct. 31.

After serving in the Army, he joined his parents’ hardware business, and served as owner from 1988 to 1996.

December 2011 Building Products Digest

29

IDEA File In preparation for the holidays, many dealers deck their halls with festive decorations and put out holiday trees. But that wasn’t enough for Maze Lumber, Peru, Il., where employees decided that emulating Santa’s facial hair would be good for business—and raise money for a local toy drive.

It all started on Nov. 1, when about 15 Maze Lumber employees shaved for the last time. Starting with a clean shave was harder for those who’d had beards or mustaches—or both—for some time.

“The hard part was convincing some people to shave everything,” said Dave Munson, who handles inside sales at Maze Lumber. “Some guys complained about the itchiness, but we’re all going to have a good time with it.”

Until Dec. 15, the growing facial hair will be photographed once a week and the images will be displayed in the store. For a single dollar, customers can vote for their favorites—the fullest or least full, the most unruly or the best kept—and the money raised will go to the Marine Corps League’s Christmas for Kids project.

“It’s nicer to keep things local,” said Munson, who added that this is the first fund-raising effort in the store’s 163-year history.

Hair-Raising Holiday Promotion

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

Advantage Trim & Lumber [advantagelumber.com] .............17

AERT [www.aertinc.com].............................................Calendar 14

Anthony Forest Products [anthonyforest.com].............Cover I

Arch Wood Protection [wolmanizedwood.com] ......3, Calendar 4

Breco Wood Products ................................................................4

Capital [www.capital-lumber.com] ............................................9

Crumpler Plastic Pipe [www.cpp-pipe.com] ..........................30

Great Southern Wood [www.yellawood.com]............Calendar 12

Hoover Treated Wood Products [www.frtw.com]........Cover IV Ipe Clip Co., The [www.ipeclip.com].............................Cover III

LP Building Products [www.lpcorp.com]...................Calendar 18

Lumbermens Association of Texas [www.lat.org] .......Cover II Matthews Marking Products [matthewsmarking.com]...Calendar 6 Maze Nails [www.mazenails.com]...............................Calendar 10

Nordic Engineered Wood Products [nordicewp.com]...........22

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. [nawla.org] ..Calendar 22

Nyloboard [www.nyloboard.com] .................................Calendar 8 Pacific MDF Products [www.pactrim.com].............................18

Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance [plmins.com]...19 Plycem [www.pplycemtrim.com] ................................Calendar 26

Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com]...............Calendar 16 Rosboro [www.rosboro.com] ..................................................11

Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com] ...............................5 Siskiyou Forest Products [siskiyouforestproducts.com].....21

Southern Shutter Co. [www.southernshutter.com]...............28

Sunbelt [www.sunbeltracks.com].........................16, Calendar 20 United Unlimited Sales [www.uusales.com] ..........................28

Wynndel Lumber [www.wynndellumber.com]...........Calendar 26

30

Building Products Digest December 2011

Building-Products.com

Feature your Business Card in BPD Say Happy New Year and help find cures to save children’s lives Use this low-cost opportunity to send New Yearʼs wishes to customers, friends and suppliers—and help St. Jude Childrenʼs Research Hospital, which relentlessly pursues cures for kids with cancer and other catastrophic diseases.

Your business card—reprinted in color and reduced slightly—will appear in a special section in our January issue. The cost for each ad is just $100, $25 of which is tax deductible and will be matched by us—for a total donation of $50 to St. Jude.

Discoveries made at St. Jude have changed how the world treats stricken children. Itʼs a place where doctors send their sickest patients and toughest cases.

A place where cutting-edge research and discoveries happen every day. All patients accepted for treatment are treated without regard to the familyʼs ability to pay.

Doing Your Part Is Easy:

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Questions?

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