BPD Nov. 2020

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Building Products Digest

NOVEMBER 2020

DELUXE DECKING SHOWROOMS • FRTW • HOT OUTDOOR LIVING TRENDS

IT ALL STARTS

HERE. When the going gets tough, ProWood gets tougher.

Through it all, ProWood remains the go-to choice for treated lumber. From decks and fences to garden beds and more—

NEVER SETTLE.

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Treatment & Colorant

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Building Products Digest

NOVEMBER 2020

THE VOICE OF THE LBM SUPPLY CHAIN — SINCE 1982

DELUXE DECKING SHOWROOMS • FRTW • HOT OUTDOOR LIVING TRENDS

IT ALL STARTS

HERE. When the going gets tough, ProWood gets tougher.

Through it all, ProWood remains the go-to choice for treated lumber. From decks and fences to garden beds and more—

NEVER SETTLE.

PROWOODLUMBER.COM

Treatment & Colorant

Stepping up the standards of wood protection

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CONTENTS

November 2020 Volume 39 n Number 11

Stay connected between issues with www.building-products.com

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Treated Wood Update

Features

Departments

18 FRTW

10 DEALER FOCUS

8 ACROSS THE BOARD

PROTECTING WOOD CONSTRUCTION

AGAINST FIRES TAKES MORE THAN SURFACE COATINGS

ATLANTA STORE DOUBLES DOWN ON DECKS

12 FEATURE STORY

WHAT TO EXPECT IN DECKING IN 2021

16 INDUSTRY TRENDS

ALTERNATIVE DECKING AND RAILING HAVE THEIR DAY

BPD

Building Products Digest

NOVEMBER 2020

18 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

DELUXE DECKING SHOWROOMS • FRTW • HOT OUTDOOR LIVING TRENDS

IT ALL STARTS

HERE.

22 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE LUMBERYARD BRO-MANCE

Through it all, ProWood remains the go-to choice for treated lumber. From decks and fences to garden beds and more—

NEVER SETTLE.

PROWOODLUMBER.COM

Treatment & Colorant

Digest 11-20 Layout.indd 1

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO INCREASE SELLING

36 THINKING AHEAD

10/20/2020 12:30:57 PM

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The Official Publication of

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n Building Products Digest n November 2020

30 TRANSFORMING TEAMS 38 MOVERS & SHAKERS 52 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 52 IN MEMORIAM

24 OLSEN ON SALES When the going gets tough, ProWood gets tougher.

28 LUMBER 411

42 NEW PRODUCTS

FENCING VS. RAILING

THE VOICE OF THE LBM SUPPLY CHAIN — SINCE 1982

26 SELLING WITH KAHLE

A GOOD LIVING = GOOD LIVIN’

53 ADVERTISERS INDEX 53 DATEBOOK 54 FLASHBACK

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BUILDING PRODUCTS DIGEST is published monthly at 151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. E200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, (714) 486-2735, www.building-products.com, by 526 Media Group, Inc. (a California Corporation). It is an independently owned publication for building products retailers and wholesale distributors in 37 states East of the Rockies. Copyright®2020 by 526 Media Group, Inc. Cover and entire contents are fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission. All Rights Reserved. BPD reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it. Opinions expressed are those of the authors or persons quoted and not necessarily those of 526 Media Group, Inc. Articles in this magazine are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial, or business management advice.

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8/21/19 10:26 AM

ACROSS the Board

By Patrick Adams

It’s easy to get down N o, I’m not talking about my ’70s dance moves. It’s an interesting time that we live in full of “information,” “news,” and emotion. I don’t want to watch the news, but I do sometimes. I don’t want to get sucked into this chaos, but I do sometimes. I don’t want to react to it, but I do sometimes, and it brings out somebody I don’t like much and I get down.

This weekend, I told my wife to invite over a couple of her friends and take the day off. While there’s not much to be proud of in my state these days, the ability for me to take the kids to the beach for the day in late October is one of the things that still brings a smile to my face. I needed to get away for a bit—just me and the kids in nature.

We were blessed with a truly perfect day that wasn’t crowded, wasn’t too hot, wasn’t too cold. My oldest is getting ready to turn 10 and has learned the joys of Boogie boarding. My youngest just turned 4 and it seems every minute is discovering the joys of, well, everything! We arrived early in the morning before most ventured out on a Sunday morning.

It was cool and peaceful, except for the waves at high tide.

Just me, the kids and the same waves that have crashed on this shore for thousands of years. After keeping my promise to coat the kids in so many layers of sunscreen that they might as well have been wearing wetsuits, they ventured out.

About 10 racing steps toward the water, they both stopped at about the same moment, looked back and yelled, “Come on Daddy!” There are many first thoughts at my age—telling them to go ahead, feeling like I’d rather just watch, knowing the water is going to be cold, thinking that once I’m wet, I’ll also be sandy and the rest of the day will be miserable.

Instead, I jumped up and joined them.

We chased each other, and splashed, and my 4-year-old finally discovered the joys of being crashed by big waves. His response? Laughing hysterically! We chased seagulls, picked up shells, and built sandcastles. I also spent a good chunk of time watching them. I had planned on reading a book I’ve been meaning to get to, or catching up on email, but I couldn’t take my eyes off them this time.

In these crazy times we live in, they were in careless joy.

Truly happy without a care in the world. I looked around and marveled that nature was too—the birds, the fish, the dolphins that made an appearance. Here we are—COVID quarantines and a “resurgence” that threatens to lock us down again. Two candidates for leaders of our great country, and arguably the greatest influence in the world, ready to kill each other with each of their groups of followers in close tow. Protests, crime and ways of life forever disrupted, and my kids are laughing like maniacs on the verge of drowning in the next big wave.

When did we all lose that gift? Why is everyone so angry?

Are our lives really that bad? Do we really have that many things that affect our daily lives that we disagree about? Is what’s important to us really that different? It’s been a tough year for us and everyone. Our business is down while we’re still trying to invest in new, exciting things that we hope our audience will value. We are trying to adjust, personally and professionally to this new (hopefully temporary) norm.

Things are stressful and uncertain. But, does all of this mean that we need to give up the simple joys that are all around us?

Be angry? Be less than our true selves?

As I drove home from the beach, I looked in the rearview mirror of the truck and both kids were sound asleep. Hair a mess, covered in sand and sunscreen, and perhaps, even a little sunburned. I remember that feeling being a kid exhausted from a most excellent, yet simple day of playing and I miss it.

I don’t think we are meant to live full of stress, and anger and confusion. It doesn’t mean we don’t work and manage our responsibilities but looking back, was there anything that all that stress did for us to better manage the situation at hand?

It’s Fall and hunting season and even in the stress, we have a ton to be thankful for. This year, I finally said “yes” to the invite to hunt elk in Colorado. I said “yes” to taking the kids camping next weekend, and I said “yes” to the kids that we would go swimming and putting on a fire on the patio tonight after homework because all of the world’s issues will still be there tomorrow.

So, take care of your family and your business, forget about the stress, and instead act like a kid more often. It’s easy to get down, but it’s also easy to decide to laugh once in a while.

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

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n Building Products Digest n November 2020

Building-Products.com

DEALER Focus

By David Koenig

Atlanta dealer doubles down on decking MC Building Materials opened in Marietta, Ga., in 2008, just in time for the arrival of the biggest recession the country had seen in generations. To thrive, it would need a niche beyond that of a traditional full-line lumberyard. It opted to make decking its specialty, and added its first major display in early 2010.

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“The first few years, it was about the only thing that kept the doors open,” says Gregg Mizerak, senior VP. The dealer opted for a multi-pronged strategy: to move the metro Atlanta market from generic treated wood to higher margin alternative materials, to establish solid relationships with distributors and manufacturers of all major brands of composite and PVC decking, and to forge an especially close and visible partnership with market leader Trex.

PMC’s branches in Marietta and Lawrenceville added massive outdoor displays and luxurious in-store deck design showrooms. Its PMCPros service connects homeowners to certified contractors who buy their supplies from PMC. Its Builders Club Rewards program incentivizes pros to spend big at PMC. Staff have become true outdoor living experts, who are constantly on the lookout for new business.

Once the economy started picking back up, PMC’s outdoor living business exploded. Year to year, decking-related sales grew 27% in 2016, 28% in 2017, 20% in 2018, 10% in 2019, and up 30% through the first eight months of 2020.

Decking-related product categories now account for about 25% of PMC’s business. And PMC has become one of the largest Trex dealers in the country.

PMC received another boost last year, when the business was acquired by Luther Randall, owner of Randall Broth-

DECK DESIGN STUDIO shows off the entire spectrum of Trex decking products.

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MORE CHOICES are waiting just outside.

Building-Products.com

EXTERIOR DISPLAYS attempt to show off as many products, manufacturers, styles and settings as possible to inspire customers.

ers, Inc., which has produced wood mouldings and distributed a full range of millwork products to the Atlanta area since 1885. Uniting the companies gives PMC enhanced web capabilities and greater access to the latest products from James Hardie, Therma-Tru, and other millwork vendors, while providing Randall Brothers with a strong foothold in decking.

The company is in the process of moving Randall Brothers’ Atlanta operation into a new facility that will incorporate the intensified focus on decking, including displays and a dedicated Deck Design Studio showroom similar to those at PMC’s Marietta and Lawrenceville locations. “PMC is still operating under the PMC Building Materials flag and Randall Brothers is still operating under the Randall Brothers flag, but we are one company and actively merging the business models and the cultures and marketing the two companies as one,” notes Mizerak.

The company continues to upgrade the showrooms and exterior displays at all locations. The Marietta Deck Design Studio has about 800 sq. ft. inside dedicated to decking and railing displays, not counting wall space, which promotes the less prominent lines. Outside, says Mizerak, “is easily double that square footage and we believe this display is the evolution of how to sell high-end wood alternative decking.”

The Lawrenceville, Ga., branch features a 650-sq. ft. Deck Design Studio and two impressive exterior displays.

One is built with Fortress railing options and Fiberon for the deck surface—with a cut-away to show the Fortress EvoluBuilding-Products.com

tion steel framing underneath. The second exterior display, similarly sized at about 1,280 sq. ft., displays all of the decking and railing options the location offers. Since the displays are out front, homeowners and contractors can check them out on their schedule, 24/7.

PMC stocks ProWood pressure treated southern yellow pine from Universal Forest Products, in addition to most leading brands of alternative decking, such as Trex, Deckorators, AZEK, TimberTech, Fortress Building Products, and Fiberon. You’ll also find railings from the same deck manufacturers, as well as Digger and Intex, plus deck

lighting, fasteners, and light-gauge steel deck framing from Fortress and Trex.

The displays, however, also boast amenities PMC doesn’t sell—landscaping, water features, artificial turf—to “anchor the decks,” stir customers’ imaginations, and drum up business for local contractors. Three companies—a landscaper, a pool contractor, and an artificial turf business—donated their time and labor to install them, and have been the recipients of countless referrals ever since.

PMC’s partnerships with vendors have helped make possible its burgeoning relationships with customers.

LAST YEAR PMC coordinated the installation of a spacious Trex deck at the Indian Hills Country Club, Marietta, Ga., with labor and materials provided by vendors. The showpiece, valued at $130,000, provides ongoing exposure for PMC and its products to Indian Hills’ affluent membership.

November 2020 n Building Products Digest n

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FEATURE Story

By Jase DeBoer

What to expect in decking in 2021 utdoor living was already booming across the U.S. when the COVID-19 pandemic set in. Then, as millions of people started to spend more time than ever in their homes, demand for outdoor living space soared to a whole new level.

Over the summer, home design and renovation hub Houzz reported a 178% year-over-year jump in searches for professionals to work on deck,

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patio and porch projects. DIY activity also exploded as 70% of Americans decided to tackle home improvement projects during COVID-19, according to marketwatch.com. This accelerated an already strong DIY remodeling trend since 2009.

Lumber and building materials dealers and their contractor customers nationwide had a very busy 2020 meeting surging demand for new and

INSTEAD OF spending hard-earned money on travel in 2020, many homeowners brought the vacation to them by hiring a pro to help them create a personalized outdoor space. (All photos by Deckorators)

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n Building Products Digest n November 2020

updated decks. Like the rest of the world, the LBM community enters the new year looking to navigate a dynamic new normal.

Following are five 2021 deck trends and outdoor living trends to help guide lumberyards and dealers as they prepare for the next deck-building season.

1. Staycations are not going anywhere.

Instead of spending hard-earned money on travel in 2020, many homeowners brought the vacation to them by hiring a pro to help them create a personalized outdoor space, or by tackling simple DIY updates including replacing a railing, updating balusters and post caps, or adding lights.

As trips got canceled and social interaction was often limited to screens, homeowners invested in decks as a personal getaway in their own backyard—a quiet area to focus on personal wellness, a new place for family gatherings, or to capture that outdoor restaurant experience from the safety of home.

Principia Consulting, a leading source of market intelligence for the decking industry, says this trend “is expected to continue as social behavior to stay close to home and staycations become more commonplace.” There will likely be ample opportunities in 2021 for dealers to supply products that help create more staycation havens.

2. There are more high-quality composites at lower price points.

As they consider material options for their outdoor oasis, more and more homeowners want to trade up from wood into low-maintenance composite Building-Products.com

MORE AND MORE homeowners want to trade up from wood into lowmaintenance composite decking—seeking wood-alternative decking that meets a desirable price point without forfeiting desirable features, such as new-for-2021 Deckorators Trailhead composite decking.

UNIQUE INLAYS are one of the more creative design elements taking permanent hold in the deck building world.

decking—seeking wood-alternative decking that meets a desirable price point without forfeiting desirable features.

As a result of this decking trend, manufacturers are finding ways to reduce the cost of composite decking and bridge the space between composite and treated lumber.

They are striving to balance the features that dealers, deck builders and homeowners have come to expect from wood-

alternative decking.

It is important for dealers to talk in-depth with their manufacturer partners about the different composite decking materials and technologies, variances in price points and corresponding features, nuances to how products install, and pros and cons to competing products in different scenarios.

(Continued on next page)

Deck Building Solutions • 866-767-1850 • www.suredrive.com • sales@suredrive.com Building-Products.com

November 2020 n Building Products Digest n

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3. Creativity is becoming commonplace.

Deck design features that were once novelties are now being used routinely by contractors throughout the industry.

Some creative design elements taking permanent hold in the deck-building

world include: • The use of multiple colors • Double picture frames • Breaker boards • Unique inlays • Wide planks Homeowners trust contractors and

SIMPLIFIED RAILING systems such as Deckorators pre-assembled aluminum railing save deck builders valuable time and effort on railing installation while offering a coveted sleek and modern look.

WITH HOMEOWNERS spending so much more time on their property, they have a growing desire to extend the use of the outdoor space with lighting. Pictured are string lights hanging from new ALX aluminum post extensions.

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dealers to help them create a deck that is a reflection of their home and personal style. These design options are important to consider as dealers set their stocking strategies for the coming year.

4. Railings are going sleeker and more simplified.

As one of the most visible deck elements, railings can elevate and complement an aesthetically pleasing deck and landscape. The trend toward the use of seamless, low-maintenance railing options that are easy to install will continue to gain momentum into next year.

Simplified railing systems such as pre-assembled aluminum railing and intuitive cable railing save deck builders valuable time and effort on railing installation while offering a coveted sleek and modern look.

Cocktail rails and continuous top rails are the next evolution in the modern, sleek railing trend.

5. Lighting is taking more of the spotlight.

With homeowners spending so much more time on their property, they have a growing desire to extend the use of the outdoor space with lighting. Solar and low-voltage lighting offer a simple way to add beauty and function to a deck.

From stair lights to café lights and string lights that offer the vibe of outdoor restaurant dining, lighting can create ambience while increasing visibility and safety. The right outdoor lighting is easy to install and offers a prime upsell opportunity for deck projects.

While the impact of the COVID-19 situation is evolving rapidly, these five trends will help define the year ahead for the decking industry. Now is the perfect time for LBM dealers to get better informed on the latest trends and products so they can serve as a valuable educational resource for contractors and homeowners.

Choosing a manufacturer partner that values relationships and is always available for questions and support can also be instrumental in persevering through the uncertainty and having a highly successful 2021.

– Jase DeBoer is senior marketing manager for Deckorators, a UFP Industries brand and an industry leader in composite decking, railings, balusters, post caps, and related products. For more info, visit pro. deckorators.com. Follow Deckorators on LinkedIn and Instagram (@Deckorators).

Building-Products.com

With a 25-year warranty against rot, decay and bugs.

It’s the world’s first manufacturer-treated LVL with protection through every layer using innovative TRU-CORE® technology.

Find out how this premium, preferred framing system can be built into your next project: sales@pacificwoodtech.com. pacificwoodtech.com/treated

By

INDUSTRY Trends

By Toby Bostwick

ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS continue to take a larger share of the decking and railing markets. (All photos by Fortress Building Products)

Alternative decking and railing have their day he outdoor living products industry is booming.

Trends in this space have grown more pronounced, as people are spending more time at home and looking at structures like decks with fresh eyes. Instead of getting away for a weekend, they’re seeking to create relaxing retreats in their own backyards that they can enjoy yearround. Dealer yards and big box stores have already been capitalizing on this opportunity, and products built for the outside continue to fly off shelves.

While beneficial for many dealer yards, the sky-high demand for products like decking has also contributed

T

Individualizing the Rail Many of today’s homeowners are rethinking the rail. They want this functional element to serve as a design statement.

After all, it’s that visual the neighbor next-door sees from afar. While code compliance and functionality are a must, residential railing is yet another opportunity to reflect pure aesthetics.

Alternative railing materials, such as aluminum, can come in multiple styles to fulfill a customer’s particular vision.

Completing railing systems with a compatible accent top rail or drink rail can also cater to the high demand for something different. As for visibility, cable and glass infill options defer to the view beyond the deck without posts getting in the way.

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n Building Products Digest n November 2020

to a diminishing lumber supply. We’re seeing the current shortages driving decking trends on a macro level. As projects have halted and material purchasing needs have changed, dealers and distributors can evaluate their stocking options, bearing decking price point, personalization and framing trends in mind.

Greater demand for alternative decking at lower and higher price points

In 2018/2019, there was a shift towards the lower-end alternative decking category. Now, with today’s shortages coupled with the pent up demand resulting from staying at home, homeowners and DIYers have become increasingly interested in readily available and cost-effective alternative materials. Checking both boxes, easily obtainable traditional composite deck boards are less expensive, while affording strength, usability and beauty. What’s more, the price gap between composite and wood has narrowed significantly, making it an easier conversion for the channel.

As for alternative mid-range products, these will always have a play. After all, for the person participating at a lowend price point, there’s an opportunity to upsell to the middle ground.

We’ve also seen a migration to higher-end decking offerings. For example, as lead times have extended due to material scarcity, more customers are considering readily available options like capped PVC decking. With this material, you get a true, natural look delivering weatherability, slip-resistance Building-Products.com

and UV protection. Contractors who can’t get enough treated products can upsell these options instead as the price gap between composites and lumber continues to close, driving dealer sales and preventing projects from stalling out.

Growing interest in personalized decking

Along with availability, interest in higher-end alternative decking is climbing thanks to people’s design-oriented mindset. While functionality was the main driver of sales in the past, today’s customers are also seeking great looking, fully customizable products. And with everyone spending more time closer to home, it follows that many want to differentiate their outdoor areas more than ever before. Decks are now considered to be real living spaces, and they present another opportunity for homeowners to reflect their own individual styles and preferences.

While the interior look transitioning to the outside is a continual trend, high-design concepts that used to be less commonplace are now inching towards the norm. These elements can help turn the deck into a piece of artwork that tells a story, and can include: • Intermixed board widths (such as in 3”, 5” and 7” wide) • Variegation • Embossing • Varied colors (i.e. dark boards mixed in with light) • Bending, curving • Inlays • Picture framing There are a lot of craftsmen currently creating statement decks incorporating these aesthetic components versus the standard straight edge approach, and this is driving higher demand at a higher price point. Dealers and distributors can rest assured knowing that they can still meet customer customization needs with versatile composite and PVC decking, while sidestepping project delays as the future of the lumber supply remains uncertain.

Shifting mentalities on steel deck framing

Like their deck board counterparts, alternative framing solutions have similarly gained traction. Ahead of the wood scarcity challenge, there was a mentality shift within the category. With composite and PVC deck boards lasting 25 to 30 years, more people started to think about where their boards were resting. Contractors also tired of getting callbacks when traditional frames popped up, twisted, rotted or dried.

CONTRACTORS are finally giving a look to alternatives to treated wood for their deck framing, including Evolution Steel Deck Framing.

Building-Products.com

FORTRESS’ I-Series Composite Decking features a single-sided, highdensity bamboo core co-extruded with recycled plastic components and covered with an engineered cap.

Against this backdrop, steel deck framing’s price point started to make sense, especially as more homeowners viewed buying a larger purchase like a deck akin to buying a car or buying a house. As a result, the framing material experienced a pick-up in the residential market.

While we were already seeing growing demand for lightgauge steel, the lumber shortage really changed the game with built-up demand on projects. It brought awareness to the fact that builders don’t have to stop their projects even without access to wood. People know they have to keep running their businesses, and many are seizing the moment to educate themselves and their customers about the merits of steel. Homeowners are seeing just how beautiful the framing material can be, and contractors are less intimidated as they find that steel installs similar to the way they’re used to, with posts and joists.

Contractors are also taking this opportunity to promote an entire deck package as a value add, making the case for a more unified exterior and a smoother build. With more attention being paid to total systems, the channel has the chance to boost reputations by ensuring a long-lasting outdoor living space from top to bottom.

The current moment has encouraged many to try something new, from composite and PVC decking to steel deck framing. As availability surpasses brand loyalty in importance, the playing field has leveled for alternative building products. Looking to the year ahead, it may be time to consider stocking such options that hold the potential to drive more and higher sales, while fulfilling customers’ personalization needs and bolstering reputability.

– Toby Bostwick is VP of product & brand at Fortress Building Products (www.fortressbp.com).

November 2020 n Building Products Digest n

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PRODUCT Spotlight

So, What Is Fencing?

By Jim Wahl

Fencing or railing? any PeoPle Will freely alternate between the terms “fence” and “railing.” While not technically correct, it is often not terribly important. However, when it comes to selling one item or the other—or building with it, it is critical to ensure the proper item is ordered. Ordering fence when desiring railing or viceversa can lead to receiving a finished product that does not match the needs or expectations of the individual greenlighting the work.

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So, What Is Railing?

The simple, 10-cent definition of a railing is a barrier providing fall protection or separating two locations.

While the intended use of the product does ultimately play a big role in naming conventions, most manufacturers will go a bit deeper when defining the product.

From a technical standpoint, railing will always have a defined top rail and bottom rail at a minimum, and possibly a third (or further) horizontal line. Furthermore, railing can often be found with a wide variety of infill op-

tions, from pickets/balusters to cables to rod or pipe, all the way to custom infills such as glass, mesh, or grid. Infills within a railing family will always terminate at a bottom line and one of the top lines, never extending beyond the topmost horizontal line.

Typically, a railing system will stand between 36” and 42” from the ground to the top of the top rail, rarely extended higher than 42”. Railing is most commonly found on elevated surfaces such as decks or balconies, but is also used on ground level to denote separation between two areas such as a restaurant patio. Additionally, railing is used on stairs and ramps to assist in safe passage, something a fence will never be found doing. Finally, it is important to note that the structural integrity of a railing system is designed to bear weight if being leaned on.

A typical railing application would be something along the lines of a single-family or multi-family balcony or porch, hotel, educational facility, commercial building, municipality or water treatment plant, to name a few.

PRE-INSTALLED railing and fencing components can look quite similar. Make sure to sell the right product for the job. (Photos by Superior Aluminum Products)

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n Building Products Digest n November 2020

Merriam Webster will tell you that a fence is an upright structure enclosing an area of ground to control access. As with railing, the intent of the product is important, but a manufacturer will look a little deeper.

Fence will always contain a minimum of two horizontal lines and often more. However, infills will frequently run past both the top and bottom horizontal lines. Oftentimes, pickets extending beyond the uppermost horizontal line will feature a spear or other finial-type feature. And pickets often extend below the bottom rail very close to the surface, for security reasons. For infill, fence will almost always feature pickets/balusters and not be compatible with items such as cable. Finally, fence can run on both level and uneven ground, but cannot be utilized on stairs/ ramps and cannot by code used as a handrail.

Fence commonly is seen as a larger product compared to its railing counterpart, usually ranging 60”-72” in height.

Additionally, fence is used at ground level primarily, with the intent of safeguarding an area either to keep animals or people in or out. For example, fence is used in backyard applications to provide an area for a pet to roam freely without worry of running off. Finally, fences often feature a welded hinged gate for entry and exit purposes.

Typical applications for fence usually include swimming pools, athletic venues, backyards, parking lots, public areas, and venues where security is a concern.

So, What Is the Difference?

In general, the application for the finished product is a key to determining whether railing or fence is what you require. However, key design elements can still dramatically alter a project.

Specifically, the way infills interact with horizontal lines will make a significant difference in both aesthetics and functionality. These terms often can be used interchangeably, but when small details are important, care should be taken to use them correctly!

When being asked for the difference in fence and railing, the right answer is also the easy one. In an application where providing safety is the goal, railing is the solution. If creating a barrier is your objective, fence is your go-to.

– Superior Aluminum Products has over 60 years of providing quality railing and fence (www.superioraluminum.com).

Building-Products.com

INDUSTRY Trends

By Butch Bernhardt

UNLIKE SURFACE coatings, fire retardants infused during pressure treatment protect wood to their core.

(Photo courtesy Hoover Treated Wood Products)

Protecting wood construction against fires takes more than surface coatings

eCord Wildfires in the West have spurred increased interest in protecting structures against fire. Many believe the solution is to apply something to the wood in a structure to keep it from burning. The reality of effectively protecting wood against fire, however, is far more complicated.

There are a host of coating products promoted today to safeguard wood from fire. Yet there are significant differences when compared to wood that has been pressure treated with fire retardants.

These differences are recognized in the International Building Code, Section 2303.2, which defines fire-retardant-treated wood (FRTW) as “wood products impregnated with chemicals by a pressure process.” If not applied through pressure, the treatment “shall be an integral part of the manufacturing process of the wood product.” The 2018 edition of the IBC further clarifies what is allowed in Section 2303.2.2: “The use of paints, coating, stains or other surface treatments is not an approved method of protection as required in this section.”

Pressure treating infuses the fire retardant into the cells of the wood, not just the surface. The combination of pressure and fire-retardant treatments change the chemistry of the wood, so when it is heated, it gives off water and carbon dioxide which slows or stops the spread of flames.

Infused fire retardants dilute the flammable gases that are created when wood is heated and encourage charring, which insulates the wood below and slows fire growth. Since it is in the wood cells, the fire retardant is not damaged during or after construction. This long-lasting durability is unmatched compared to coatings.

By comparison, fire-retardant coatings only cover the surface of the wood. Many claim to “adhere” to the wood, however they may fail over time to react in the same way as infused retardants.

Wood is a hygroscopic material, meaning it takes in and releases moisture based on the environment where it is used.

As such, wood will shrink or swell over time. These changes

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create cracks or gaps in surface coatings, creating pathways for fire to impact the wood.

Coatings also can be damaged from moisture, handling and installation. The impact from tools such as hammers, power nailers, and saws on coated wood could create breaks in the coating, both at the point of impact and beyond where force was applied. Pressure-treated retardants, by comparison, are much more durable, since they are in the wood fiber.

Fire retardants used in pressure treating are typically colorless and don’t change the appearance of the wood. Since the FRTW looks much like untreated wood, the only indication of treatment is the required quality label on the wood.

Some wood treaters may use light color tints, or place markings such as a colored line on the narrow edge of the wood to help laborers identify FRTW products. These colors and markings also are helpful for building code inspectors to identify fire-retardant wood that has been cut or trimmed and there is no label on the piece.

However, color should not be considered the only indicator the wood has been pressure treated with fire retardants.

Some wood promoted as having fire-retardant qualities may appear with pink, green and blue tints. Yet they lack the code-mandated label and fail to meet the building code requirements.

It’s important to note that no treatment, whether through pressure treatment or coating, will make wood “fireproof.”

When exposed to flame and heat for extended time, all wood will burn. Even non-combustible materials such as steel and concrete eventually succumb to the ravages of fire over time.

There are no simple solutions to protecting structures against fire. Utilizing fire-retardant-treated wood can help, but the power of many wildfires today may make it impossible to achieve the level of protection we want.

– Butch Bernhardt is the senior program manager for Western Wood Preservers Institute, which represents fire-retardant-treated wood manufacturers in the West (www.wwpinstitute.org).

Building-Products.com

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COMPETITIVE Intelligence

By Carla Waldemar

Lumberyard Bro-mance his is a love story. A bro-mance now playing at a lumberyard near you—well, if you’re within viewing distance of Fargo, anyway: the same North Dakota town that lent its name to the iconic 1996 movie.

LumBros Solutions is actually located in Detroit Lakes, Mn., a bedroom community, pop. 8,500, about 50 minutes east. But their reach extends with profitable daily runs to Fargo. The area’s economy is driven–full speed ahead—by tourism, anchoring 421 lakes within 25 miles, says LumBros’ young owner, Zach Felt, who grew up here.

In naming his new company, he coined “LumBros” to honor his buddy at their previous place of employment

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who became his first (and only) associate in the launching the brave new venture. Zach then added the word ‘Solutions’ rather than ‘Supply’ to the company’s title to indicate the positive thrust of its customer service.

When Zach tells you he’s been in the industry 16 years, you assume he started in while watching Sesame Street. (His own kids are 6, 5 and 3.) Actually, he signed on after high school as a delivery driver for a nearby yard where a friend worked— lured, he says, by “cool gloves and a cool truck: You can’t beat that for a summer fling!” This is the Zach of flowing hair, a lip ring, and a brandnew commercial driver’s license.

After driving for a commercial

contractor “to strengthen my game,” he advanced to yard foreman, estimator and a sales position (“about which I knew squat”), which included a one-day training session. “Pretty wild-assed,” he allows. But he was hooked. He’d go home and listen to lumber podcasts while he mowed the lawn (I’m not making this up) and his bedtime reading consisted of Marvin catalogs.

A couple of years later, he was contacted by the owner of a lumberyard who was about to retire, looking for a managing partner. “I talked to my wife—‘What if?’ I went to the bank; but then the man changed his mind, and I’d already quit my job.

“I decided, okay, I’ll buy a yard on my own. The bank already had my information, a home equity line of credit to help me buy windows, doors, siding, hardware. I found a nice hunk of property to rent across the highway from a golf course and a half-mile from the lakes. It had a big storage building on it. The owner

MINNESOTA DEALER started with a half-gutted house (above) when it got approval from the county to operate a retail business from the location, transforming it into (left) an eye-popping 900-sq. ft. showroom and office.

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Building-Products.com

THE BRO’S OF LUMBROS: (left to right) Adam Edwards, Curt Johnson, and Zach Felt.

had heard my story and called to see if I was interested. I couldn’t afford it, I told him, but he was willing to work with me (“We’ll finish the building to your liking”). I got it re-zoned commercial, and Marvin Windows gave me a verbal commitment. Marvin’s confidence gave me a foot in the door. It gave me street cred with other vendors: They knew we were legitimate.”

We? Well, that’s where the “bro” comes in. Zach had met Adam Edwards when both worked for Steel Wood Supply. Adam became LumBros’ first, and only, team member when it opened in May 2019. (They’ve recently hired a driver, and Zach’s wife now works afternoons after home-schooling the kids.) “Adam had been a delivery driver at Steel World—a snowboarder from Colorado, originally from England, with under-utilized capabilities: a beautiful brain under-used. An awesome young man. He’s learned estimating and now does a lot of the purchasing and sales support.

“My dream is to make this a fun, happy place to finish out our careers, all of us. And we’ll grow it.” Watch for it, exclaims Zach, a football fan: “The Vikings LumBros Stadium!” (Remember, readers: You read about those naming rights here first.)

Between Fargo and the lake cabin demand, business is exploding, despite Detroit Lakes’ abundant supply of existing lumberyards: three independents, a Builders First Source, a Menards. “We’re not here to upset the applecart and put our competitors out of business,” Zach makes clear.

“We’re not going to poke the bear, steal customers. We’re the only 100% locally-owned yard, however, and the town has received us well. We’re fresh! We’re caring! We’re invested in the community.

“Our word-of-mouth has been hugely successful. For instance, a recent $800 window sale led to a $50,000 job.

And we’re not afraid to lose money on a sale—to take care of our mistakes. The goal of a sale is to get the next one,” Zach declares.

“We supply everything from custom homes to decks and additions. Our niche is the homeowner who acts as his own General [contractor]. Plus, the huge lake cabin business keeps us going through the winter. Vacationers close up after Labor Day, so we can remodel them at our convenience. And we’re a bedroom community to Fargo, an I.T. hub, which brings projects our way.”

Right at the outset, Zach installed a POS register in order to easily bill credit cards—“no house accounts,” he’s adamant. “After all, you cannot leave a box store Building-Products.com

ROOFING MATERIAL en route to a custom-home jobsite.

without paying.” No fax machine, either. (Remember those?) Instead, a computer that allows Zach to work from home. And—no uniforms.

“No khaki pants and logo polo shirt. We want team members to be free! If your team members” (Do not err and call them “employees,” as I thoughtlessly did, or you will receive a quick correction.) “If your team members are happy, you don’t have to worry about customer service.

“And our customer service is better than the boxes’— because we care. Maybe, due to growing pains, we weren’t always up to par on something. But people have been very understanding.”

Those customers are split evenly between contractors and DIYers: “You’d be surprised at how much walk-in traffic we have. And once they’re in here, they’re back with repeat business. They know we care.” And they tell their neighbors, Zach declares. “Our best marketing has been word-of-mouth.” Plus the entertaining videos on Facebook, with their cast of smiling family members.

Every day has not been a walk in the park, of course.

Obstacles arise. “The biggest hurdle,” Zach admits, “is… me. I need to follow up on contacts to increase our customer base. And I need to be concerned about getting too big too quick. We’ve been very fortunate in a crazy first year that featured lumber quadrupling in price in six months and material shortages.

“I want all of our teammates to meet with our homeowners and contractors. We’re moving to pursue acquiring another teammate to overcome the idea that only I can run this—that I don’t need to wear all the hats.”

According to the company’s videos, the Felt family teammates-intraining, ages 6, 5 and 3, joined

by Bro Adam Edwards’ toddler, are happy campers. And they’re probably listening to industry podcasts instead of lullabies.

Or practicing throws for the LumBros Vikings Stadium.

– Does your yard have a unique story to share? Email Carla.

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net November 2020 n Building Products Digest n

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OLSEN on Sales

By James Olsen

5 simple ways to increase selling Can You Do Me a Favor?

When we take or cover an inquiry or RFQ from a customer we always ask, “Susan, could you do me a favor on this one?” The customer will naturally say yes. “Could you talk to me before you buy this?” We could ask for “last look” but I think that invites a counter versus a discussion between partners. We then set a firm appointment to discuss how to put the order together.

Right After the Order

f you go to a taekwondo dojang, you will see all the students in a series of lines. The Master will be in front of the class, the highest black belt will be the first student on the right-hand side of the first line, the next highest black belt will be to their left. This will be the same in each line with the newest white belt being the last student on the left in the last line. Every student will be doing the same moves as the master. The difference is that the black belts are executing these moves with more precision and power.

This is why they say in taekwondo: “Simple but not easy.” The same can be said for sales.

Below are five simple things we can do today to start increasing our sales:

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Always Offer More Than One

I sold a great account for 15 years. I sold them onesy-twosy’s for five years, twosy-fivesy’s for five years, and blocks of 20 for five years. The account didn’t change.

They had always bought a lot of lumber. I changed, and it made all the difference. I didn’t sell them blocks of 20 on every call, but I promoted blocks of 20 on almost every call.

I continued to get onesy-twosy and threesy-fivesy orders but also sold them a block of 20 once every four to six weeks.

We make a vow to always offer more than one on every call to every account. We make the same amount of calls and sell more.

Anything Else?

I was taught to hang up the phone as soon as we can after we get the order so the customer doesn’t change their mind or so we don’t talk our way out of the sale. This is an adversarial approach to sales and just plain wrong.

Before we hang up the phone or walk away from our customer, we simply ask, “Is there anything else we should be working on?” There often will be, and if nothing else we are setting up our next call.

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The easiest and best time to ask for an order is right after we get one. Our customer’s mind, heart and pocketbook are already open to us. How many calls and how much work have we done to get them to this point? We need to capitalize on it. After they give us the order, we say, “John, thanks for this order. This really is a great deal. I know it’s a great deal because you only buy great deals, so why don’t we put another one on for a couple weeks after the last shipment?”

An alternative is to say, “Sharon, I know this is a great deal. You know why? Because you only buy great deals, so why don’t we put on more than one?”

We’ll know we’re doing it enough when customers begin to say, “Here’s my order on this one… and it’s just one!”

Double Down with Customers Who Love Us

We all have at least a couple of customers who love us.

We need to maximize these relationships. Even though they love us, they still spread the business around. We need to dig in, ask a lot of probing questions and figure out how we can better serve them. Rapport is queen/king in sales, and we have worked hard to develop it. These customers will be open to doing more business if we just show that we care more and want more than their other suppliers. This is the fastest and easiest way to grow our business.

Discipline Is Key

Having the discipline to do these little things is key. Doing them every time with every account will grow our sales and profits quickly.

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

SELLING WITH Kahle

By Dave Kahle

Unemployed?

Here’s how to find your next professional job oW do you find a new job? I could think of no one more qualified to pass on some practical and personal advice than a good friend of mine, Michael Linder. Michael is intelligent, educated, poised and polished—a professional salesperson’s professional. Yet, through a weird combination of circumstances, Michael has found himself unemployed over a dozen times. In other words, he’s gotten 13 jobs!

I asked Michael to pass on some practical pointers:

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Make Work of Finding a Job

The experts say it takes an average of one month of unemployment for every $10,000 of income in the previous job. So, if you made $60,000, it would likely take you six months to find your next position. If you made $100,000, 10 months is more likely.

To compress that cycle, commit to spending eight to 10 hours a day looking for your next job.

And what do you do in those eight to 10 hours?

Network, network, network. Yes, you should register with a couple of headhunters and regularly review job postings, but most of your time should be networking.

Start with a list of everyone you know, regardless of whether you think they can help. Prioritize the list based on who you think might be able to help most and start there.

This is just your starting point. Add to your list as frequently as you can.

When you network with someone, show them your list of target companies. That helps people think. If you don’t, you are more likely to hear “I don’t know anyone.”

For every meeting, ask if there are three people with whom they might suggest you meet. Ask if you can drop their name when contacting the referral.

Then, reach out to those people, and repeat the process.

After every meeting, follow up with all you meet by sending them something you think they may value, such as: • Good: An article you read that might help them in some way.

• Better: A process, system, SOP that you used or implemented that they might find valuable in their business.

• Best: An article, process, system, SOP that you developed on a topic they might find valuable.

On the other side of this process, from the prospective employer’s point of view, I have often been involved in coaching sales managers and helping them hire new salespeople. I advise sales managers to network to find their next salesperson. I tell them they are just one contact away.

“You probably already know your next salesperson, or you know the person who knows them.” They are networking, looking for you, just as you are looking for them.

Headhunters

Professional recruiters can connect you with jobs that you will not see otherwise. Search Google and make a list of headhunters who specialize in the industries you’ve identified. Once you register with them, reach out to them at least once a month to stay on the top of their mind.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn can be a powerful tool to help with your job search.Begin by connecting with as many people as you can. Try to find people in your targeted industries and companies. You are looking for someone who can introduce you to the right people within those targeted organizations.

Reach out to people in LinkedIn in the same way that you would if he/she were a local contact. Present your list of targeted companies, see if they know anyone within those organizations, and ask for three additional contacts.

When you see a job—from any source—that looks interesting, first check LinkedIn to see if you know anyone with that company and/or someone who can network you inside it. If not, send your resume, but don’t expect to hear from anyone on the basis of an unsolicited resume.

Results

Of the six sales jobs that I have had, one came from a job board (newspaper ad), two came from headhunters, two came from networking, and one was a combination of networking and headhunter.

Of Michael’s 13 jobs, one came from a headhunter, two came from job boards, the balance (10) through networking.

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

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LUMBER 411

By Jeff Easterling

A Special Series from Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association

Why choosing local lumber matters s all lumber created equal? Does it really matter what your customers choose and what they order for their projects? From sale pricing, to choosing a product they’ve used before and liked, what drives your customers to choose the wood they do?

Plot twist: it does matter. Quite a bit, actually. Lumber may look the same and sometimes even cost around the same, but all lumber is not equal. One of the primary differences: the geographical origin location of each stick of wood sold.

Geographically relevant. What does that mean? It means purchasing something (a product, service, etc.) that’s local or regional to you, thereby benefitting your area economically. When it comes to lumber, you want to sell (and buy!) geographically relevant lumber for multiple reasons.

Rod Wiles, vice president of human resources at Hammond Lumber in Belgrade, Me., agrees: “Since 1953, Hammond Lumber has had a proud history of staying close to its sources and close to the people and businesses it supports by sourcing quality pine and hemlock locally.”

Let’s compare and contrast different species and what they have to offer. For the sake of argument, we’ll talk about exterior trim applications and put eastern white pine up against a radiata pine imported into the United States from another country and compare the two with multiple data points: • The growth cycle. Eastern white pine becomes strong and beautiful from the sun and the rain—that’s it. A long, slow, even growth cycle results in naturally durable lumber and beautiful, rich character in the wood grain. Contrasted with the fast, uneven growth seen in radiata pine, which results in inherent poor decay resistance and a lack of wood grain character.

• Carbon footprint. Purchasing locally and regionally grown lumber means minimal logistics, like transportation. Less transportation = fewer ships and trucks emitting nasty CO2 into the environment, just to get your

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wood to you from the other side of the world (or opposite end of the country). Pine that’s not local can be geographically invasive and brings with it a Bigfoot-sized carbon footprint (can you imagine the CO2 released on a trip over from New Zealand or Chile?). Also of note: most modern mills use every single piece of tree, whether it’s for lumber or fuel. Zero carbon footprint.

• Durability. Eastern white pine brings to the table centuries of endurance, a superb level of natural decay resistance, and a strong, tight grain that results in a strong piece of lumber. Radiata, on the other hand, is historically irrelevant, offers little resistance to fungi and pests, and has a wide, irregular grain.

• What is the wood treated with? For eastern white pine, the answer is nothing. Which means it’s safe for all environments with no additives and a natural resilience.

Radiata must be immersed in chemicals to give it some decay protection. If it’s not? Premature product failure.

Why purchase something from a thousand miles away, when the local option is so much better for all these valid reasons?

So which lumber would you rather sell your customers: something that’s durable, beautiful, and sustainable?

Wood that supports local economies (especially now!)?

Wood that can be easily and beautifully customized by sanding, planing, turning, mortising, finishing, or shaping? Wood that is grown within your region, manufactured, and milled? Wood that brings with it over 300 years of sustainable versatility? Is there even another relevant option?

When you as a dealer, and your customers, choose to keep your lumber choices geographically relevant, the impact is instant: you’re not only protecting the earth from unnecessary carbon footprints, you’re buying local and supporting local. What’s more environmentally friendly than that?

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

Building-Products.com

TRANSFORMING Teams

By Claudia St. John

I’m fine!

(And other COVID lies) ne day this past week, Lisa Ritchie, our VP of recruiting and talent selection, and I were on a video call. She was having a rough day and needed to vent about something nonwork related—managing the virtual schooling of her children due to COVID school closures.

“You know,” she said, “I’m perfectly fine going along and going along then one day, bam! I hit an emotional wall. Do you know what I mean?”

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Q. We have an account manager who has had to take the Emergency Paid Family Leave to be with her child whose school is virtual this fall. Do we have to hold her position open for when she returns?

We have 17 employees and need someone in that role.

A. If your employee is taking the Emergency Paid Family Leave, as part of the Families First Corona Virus Response Act (FFCRA), she is eligible for two-thirds of pay (up to $200/day) for 10 weeks. This leave can be taken intermittently. The law requires that her job be protected while on leave—meaning her position or a similar position at similar pay, benefits and duties, are available to her upon her return.

Employers with fewer than 25 employees can claim hardship if offering leave and protecting the job would create a significant financial or operational hardship. A hardship can only be claimed if, despite reasonable efforts by the employer to restore the employee, restoration was not possible because the position no longer exists because of economic or operating conditions affecting employment and due to COVID19 related reasons.

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Yes, I absolutely do know what she means. I too have hit emotional walls over the past few months, sometimes over something very upsetting and important such as the COVID death of someone I’ve known my whole life, and sometimes over something trivial, such as the lack of paper towels in the grocery store. And I’ve fielded many calls from clients who have hit their own emotional walls.

What I’m learning is that as the global health pandemic lingers on in its insidious way, our resiliency is challenged in unexpected and sudden ways. Our ability to handle adversity is occasionally compromised. And unfortunately, our moments of poor emotional intelligence are unpredictable and inconsistent. And it seems that no one is immune to these emotional gyrations.

This is a very real workplace challenge that many business owners and managers are facing these days.

When talking with your employees, it’s important to let them know that they may be experiencing unpredictable ups and downs. Feel free to share your own emotional struggles so that others know it is normal to experience feelings like frustration, sadness and anger. It helps to know none of us are alone in our feelings. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help.

To manage those feelings, here are steps to improve emotional intelligence:

n Building Products Digest n November 2020

Step 1 – Self Awareness.

Oftentimes, we don’t realize our emotions have hijacked us until we’re in a full-blown state of fight, flight, or freeze. We may find ourselves lashing out at others, or freezing from anxiety or fear. These are indications that our brain has been stimulated by a stress signal and stress hormones like histamines, cortisol and epinephrine are flooding our bodies. Chances are, however, that before you were in an extreme emotional state, your body was sending you signals that you were feeling fear or anxiety or sadness or anger.

Start paying attention to your body.

For me, I feel stress as butterflies in my stomach. I find myself clenching my fists or my jaw when I’m angry. I feel frustration in my shoulders and head.

Most of the time, I feel these emotions in my body before I have identified my emotion or why I’m feeling it.

The most important element of managing your emotions is to notice that you’re having an emotion. For the next few days, try to pay attention to the signals your body is sending you indicating that you are having an emotional reaction to something around you. Listen to your body.

Step 2 – Self Regulation. While being aware that you are in an emotional state is a critical part of improving emotional intelligence, it’s not enough to help you manage stress. The second most important step is to do Building-Products.com

the things that you know calm you. Ask yourself, “Why am I stressed? Why am I feeling this way?” Simply asking yourself those questions will force your brain to redirect the stimulus from your amygdala (the primitive part of your brain responsible for releasing those nasty fight, flight, or freeze hormones) to your higher cortex (the part of your brain responsible for cognitive thought). Once you’ve had a chance to think about the fact that you are in an emotional state, try to identify ways to self soothe and calm yourself down. Some common techniques include: • Taking deep breaths or meditating • Going for a walk • Listening to calming music • Looking at artifacts of beloved people or places, such as pictures, artwork, rocks, shells, pottery • Exercising • Spending time with friends or spending time alone There are many things you can do to calm your emotions. The important thing here is to start your calming techniques as soon as you feel your body responding to a stress signal. If you wait too long, your amygdala will pump those hormones into your body, and they are likely to hijack your emotions for up to eight hours. So the faster you can recognize and redirect your emotions, the faster you will be able to move on from them.

Step 3 – Practice Gratitude and Grace. It is said that the brain cannot process fear and gratitude or anger and gratitude at the same time. This is why, in times of stress and uncertainty, so many therapists and counselors recommend keeping a gratitude diary. A gratitude diary is a record kept every day of the three to five things you are grateful for. I don’t personally keep a diary because, well, I’m not disciplined enough, but I do know that being grateful is critical to my own mental health and happiness and has been for years.

You can be grateful for something small, like securing a perfect parking spot, or something big, like the love of a dear friend or one’s children’s good health. Whatever it is, that gratitude brings health and emotional healing.

Grace is equally important. It is a kindness that you can show to others, whether they have earned that kindness or not, and it is a kindness you can give to yourself, particularly when you find yourself feeling guilty, insecure, or in a state of self-loathing. There is no point in treating others with grace if you fail to do so for yourself. The more selflove you can show yourself, the greater the capacity you will have to love others.

Finally, as we all work to manage the occasional emotional storms during this difficult time, I wanted to share a special prayer that I practice which I learned during my training as a Reiki healing practitioner. I hope it brings you comfort in the days and months ahead: Reiki Prayer Just for today, I will not worry.

Just for today, I will not be angry.

Just for today, I will be grateful for my blessings.

Just for today, I will work honestly.

And, just for today, I will be kind to every living thing (including myself).

Claudia St. John, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, President, Affinity HR Group contact@affinityhrgroup.com Building-Products.com

November 2020 n Building Products Digest n

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Miles’ Allen Lumber Purchase Back on Track

After an eight-month postponement due to COVID-19 concerns, r.k.

Miles, Manchester, Vt., is again ready to complete its purchase of four-unit Allen Lumber Co., Barre, Vt., on Nov. 16.

If all goes as planned, the following day Allen’s yards in Barre, Montpelier, St. Johnsbury and Waitsfield, Vt., will reopen as r.k. Miles branches. Allen’s leadership and staff are expected to continue. r.k. Miles will increase to eight yards in Vermont and two in Massachusetts.

Boise Cascade Plans Larger Nashville DC

Boise Cascade Co. has purchased the former site of Appalachian hardwood producer Fowler Lumber Co., Gallatin, Tn., to convert into the new larger home of its Nashville distribution operations.

“The acquisition of this new facility will allow us to expand our operations in the Nashville market, one of the strongest housing growth markets in the U.S.,” said Jeff Strom, VP and GM of Eastern operations.

The company has already begun

construction on the 13-acre facility, which currently has 183,000 sq. ft. of warehouse and office space. It hopes to begin operations in the new facility in second quarter 2021.

“It has railroad access and is close to the Nashville metropolitan area as well as state highways/interstates to more effectively service a larger distribution footprint,” added executive VP Nick Stokes.

Boise Cascade obtained its current BMD Nashville DC, which will remain open during construction, in its 2018 acquisition of Lumberman’s Wholesale Distributors.

New SYP Mill Coming to Mississippi

Mission Forest Products is building a sawmill in Corinth, Ms., capable of producing 250 million bd. ft. of southern yellow pine lumber a year.

The $160-million project is expected to create 130 jobs by 2022.

Parent company Timberland Investment Resources said it selected Corinth because of its rail and road access, as well as its proximity to plentiful timber supply and growing population centers such as Memphis, Nashville and Birmingham.

US LBM Adds Florida Yard

US LBM division Raymond Building Supply has opened a fullline building materials location in Lakeland, Fl.—the fifth new location US LBM has added this year.

The new facility boasts a 50,000-sq. ft., two-acre yard, and features a wide range of products that includes lumber, trusses, millwork, windows, cabinetry and rebar.

UFP Buys FRTW Developer

MANUFACTURERS RESERVE SUPPLY is updating its branding with the introduction of a cleaner, more modern logo. “We want our image to reflect the bold, assertive, innovative nature in which MRS attacks the marketplace today, while still communicating the trusted, professional experience we bring to every customer interaction,” said marketing coordinator Daphne Veras.

Note the four roots at the base of the tree in the center of the logo—signifying the four generations of the founding Boyd family.

32

UFP Industries’ UFP Retail Solutions business segment has purchased the equity of Fire Retardant Chemical Technologies, LLC, Matthew, N.C. Established in 2014, FRCT manufactures wood treatments, including colorants, water repellents, and FlameTech fire retardants, and operates a research and development laboratory specializing in developing and testing a wide range of highperformance chemicals. It had 2019 sales of $6.4 million.

Futong Cui, founder, president and chief technology officer, will continue to head FRCT. “We have been very impressed

by UFP Industries’ commitment

n Building Products Digest n November 2020

to innovating and harnessing technology to improve the quality and performance of their products,” Cui said. “As part of UFP, FRCT will gain a better understanding of the needs of the market. We’ll also have access to the resources we need to develop new technologies to meet those needs and bring them to market faster.”

DEALER Briefs Capitol Building Supply has selected a site for a new branch in Washington, D.C. ABC Supply has added a branch in Concord, N.C. (Chris Bauerle, mgr.).

Westlake Ace Hardware

signed a lease to open a 6,600-sq. ft. store in the Brookside neighborhood of Kansas City, Mo., with a soft opening is planned for late 2020 or early 2021.

Merrill Ace Hardware, Merrill, Wa., has been acquired by Bill and Carrie Babiash from Tim and D’Lacey Haight.

Montgomery Ace Hardware, Jackson, Ms., is closing

after 75 years, with the retirement of owners Sherrell and Lea Thornton.

Briggs Hardware has relocated from downton Raleigh, N.C., to Emerald Isle, N.C. Condon Hardware, Medway, Ma., will close after 55 years when owner Dennis Condon retires at the end of the year.

Home Depot has reopened its North Dallas, Tx., home center nearly a year after it was destroyed by a tornado.

Menards recently opened a batch of stores delayed by the pandemic, including its first locations in West Virginia on Oct. 19 in Barboursville and Triadelphia.

Other recent openings: Oct. 5 in Brimfield, Oh. (Josh Bowman, general mgr.); Sept. 21 in Fairborn, Oh. (Zach Pugh, GM); Sept. 14 in Athens, Oh. (Darren Miller, GM); Sept. 8 in Paducah, Ky. (Steve McCann, GM); Aug. 31 in Louisville, Ky. Building-Products.com

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DECKING | FENCING | RAILING | TIMBERS

Western Builders Supply, Billings, Mt.; Atlas Building Products, Ashland, Oh.; and Robertson Inc., Ont., Canada.

“Tenn-Tex is a great fit for the Marmon Fastener Group as we grow and innovate in both existing and adjacent markets to meet customer needs,” noted group president Steve Semmler. “Tenn-Tex is particularly well aligned with Pan American Screw.”

Green Bay Adds Marina Division

DO IT BEST FOUNDATION awarded two $10,000 grants to American Red Cross chapters in Louisiana and Oregon. These donations will help provide food, shelter, recovery planning, and more to those whose lives have been upended by hurricanes and wildfires. In Louisiana, (l-r) Ben Canady, general manager of Holmes Building Materials; Roy Jones, Do it Best territory sales manager; Emily Sparks, American Red Cross regional philanthropy officer; and board member Regi Mullins.

Nation’s Best Acquires Simms

Nation’s Best, Dallas, Tx., has acquired fellow Do it Best member Simms Lumber, with two locations located west of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Simms Lumber has been serving the Weatherford, Tx., and surrounding communities for over 100 years and is a “go-to” supplier for the professional builder community.

Since 2005 Simms Lumber has also operated MetroWest Transload in Cresson, Tx. “We are pleased to welcome all Simms Lumber associates to the Nation’s Best family and also look forward to continuing to provide the best level of service and support to the company’s customers, suppliers and all stakeholders,” said Chris Miller, president and CEO of Nation’s Best. “Simms Lumber’s state-of-the-art lumberyard, fully stocked hardware store, and MetroWest Transload operation makes it a very appealing strategic fit for Nation’s Best, having already established a strong foothold in North Texas with now 10 locations in that market.”

Simms Lumber will operate under its existing name under its key leadership team, led by GM Keith Kirk.

Nabors Buys into NE Mississippi

Nabors Do it Best Home Center, Houston, Ms., has acquired C & D Lumber Co., Amory, Ms. Following a transition to the Nabors brand, the chain will grow to four locations. Nabors plans to expand the Amory location to approximately 6,500 sq. ft., as well as renovate the lumberyard and store interior.

Marmon Latches on to Tenn-Tex

The Marmon Fastener Group has acquired Tenn-Tex Plastics Inc., Colfax, N.C., manufacturer of plastic injection molded parts for kitchen and bath cabinetry.

Founded in 1986, Tenn-Tex provides mounting brackets for drawer slides, shelf supports, corner braces, and related products to cabinet manufacturers, hardware distributors, and cabinetry dealers.

Owner/founder Rick Marsh will be retiring.

Other Marmon divisions include Pan American Screw/ Sure Drive USA/Deerwood Fasteners, Conover, N.C.;

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n Building Products Digest n November 2020

Green Bay Decking, Green Bay, Wi., has launched a new National Dock & Marina Division to service the growing demand for composite decking in dock-related applications.

The new division will provide a direct channel through which dock and marina suppliers and installers can connect with Green Bay Decking, providing product, sales and installation information to downstream partners.

NEWS Briefs International Builders Show will be held as an all-

virtual event Feb. 9-11, 2021.

Marquis Sales & Marketing, Clear Spring, Md., is providing sales support for Derby Building Products’ Tando composite stone products to dealers and distributors in the mid-Atlantic and Southern regions.

Parksite subsidiary Atlantic Plywood is now stocking Trespa TopLab panel products at all 10 branches.

Sherwood Lumber, Melville, N.Y., is now a Premier distributor of Regal Ideas’ railing systems in the Northeast.

R&D Services, Inc. recently held a grand opening at its new 20,000-sq. ft. ASTM testing facility in Watertown, Tn. Northeast Marketing Associates, LLC, Groton, Ct., is now repping Patwin Plastics’ line of American Pro Building Products—including PVC mouldings, decking, fascia and porch board—in the six New England states.

BlueLinx has expanded its distribution of MoistureShield decking products to its branches in Kansas City and St. Louis, Mo.; Omaha, Ne.; and Nashville, Tn.

Vicksburg Forest Products will invest $40 million to increase annual capacity at its Vicksburg, Ms., SYP lumber mill from 75 million to 180 million bd. ft.

Katahdin Forest Products lost one of its two Oakfield, Me., sawmills in a Sept. 16 blaze.

Trex Co., Winchester, Va., was honored with the 2020 Sustainability Leadership Award by Business Intelligence Group.

AZEK’s TimberTech brand was title sponsor of the PGA Tour’s event in Boca Raton, Fl., held Oct. 26-Nov. 1 as the TimberTech Championship.

Wolf Home Products, York, Pa., launched Wolf PRO online training certification for Wolf Portrait Siding.

Building-Products.com

THE BEST DECKING IN THE WORLD IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE FRAME THAT SUPPORTS IT.

Quality Since 1922.

THINKING Ahead

By Connie Baker

A Good Living = Good Livin’ ith nearly 20 years of HR experience in the wood products industry, I can professionally vouch for the wealth of opportunities available across the sector. As a female, I also can personally attest to the vast potential for women across the sector. Put these insights together, and you get someone with a crystal clear view of just how rewarding a career in wood products can be—for anyone.

Coming from an engineering background, my own story is a testament. After graduating from Southern University and A&M college with a degree in mechanical engineering, I started working in process safety, construction project start-ups, and eventually, cost engineering. Nearly a decade later, on a recommendation from a colleague who was leaving our construction engineering firm to pursue a plant management career at RoyOMartin, I applied for an open HR position at a small utility-pole treating facility owned by the same company. As if crafted just for me, the job called for someone with manufacturing knowhow… and that’s how my transition to a new industry and new niche began in 2002. I’ve been with the company ever since, and it’s been a heck of a ride.

It’s also been a different ride every day. In manufacturing, each day brings with it a new challenge, and this is even truer with wood products. So much of what we do comes back to relationships, from how our sales force is able to sell in a tough market by leveraging the connections they’ve cultivated all

W

36

the way down to, in my case, how HR interacts with employees’ needs.

It touches everything from what we consider “normal” circumstances, to the current COVID-19 crisis, to even the aftermath of Hurricane Laura recently. Beyond the unexpected, there is still always something to do—continuous improvement, whether in the manufacturing operations or on the people side. That makes this more than just a job; it makes it a way of life, and a good one at that.

Come One, Come All

Not enough people understand that about our industry: how you can earn a very comfortable living, achieve personal and professional growth, and enjoy career longevity, no matter which level of an organization you find yourself. From a collegiate standpoint, the opportunities are endless. There is practically no

n Building Products Digest n November 2020

major—from accounting to forestry to computer science—that doesn’t have a place somewhere within the wood-products business spectrum.

(Okay, there may be a handful, but trust me, they are few and far between!)

However, for students pursuing an engineering major, for example, if they don’t realize this industry’s potential and are unable to align the skills associated with their area of study to wood products, they’ll never even try to make the necessary comparisons when weighing future career tracks. It is paramount, then, that we do more to publicize and share that information with schools.

We must be intentional about it.

As much as this industry accommodates so many different majors and fields of study, it’s important to recognize that the opportunities are just as ample— and maybe even that much more Building-Products.com

A Special Series from North American Wholesale Lumber Association rewarding—for someone coming in the door with a high school education but no college degree.

Here at RoyOMartin, we’re involved with a program called WoodWorks, which partners with youth who have been studying the industry and the company, but who have also decided that college is not for them. They instead have the opportunity to enter at the manufacturing/production team member level and often wind up better off financially than their counterparts who take the university route, get a business degree, and graduate with student debt.

Workers who enter our business early in their careers often enjoy valuable benefits for their present and future, along with financial freedom with a competitive salary that allows them to become homeowners and pursue other major purchases to meet their needs and desires. Over time, any gaps on salary and benefits compared with other industries close dramatically in the wood-products industry. That, in turn, fosters an enviable level of financial independence and comfort.

Women Welcome

It’s especially important to drive home that message to women, who—despite a perception that this industry is for men only—are equally entitled to benefit from all the sector has to offer. We have so many jobs that need to be filled in manufacturing, and studies from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and others show that women—whether new to the workforce or returning to the industry—have the ability to close the skills gap. But, again, they have to know that those opportunities are there.

This is an area that I have a lot of passion for, and I’m doing what I can to make a difference in whatever small way that I can. Back in 2012, I was honored to be part of the inaugural class of the STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering & Production) Ahead Award recipients.

The honor is bestowed by the Building-Products.com

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

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

Manufacturing Institute, an arm of NAM, on women across the country who had development in STEP. Along the same vein, three years ago RoyOMartin launched its own program to recognize women in the production ranks for their contributions. We also invite young girls from local schools to come in and hear our team members’ stories and take part in Q&A sessions.

We’re continuing to evolve that program, because it really does illustrate this aspect of the industry’s success. Last year, it was my event to actually host. We created a video that talks to the girls, as well as the community, about the opportunities for women in manufacturing. One memory that resonates with me, even still, is an interview with one lady who has gone through a divorce since joining the company.

Rather than worrying about how to support herself on a single income, she talked about how at that point in her career, she’s able to care for her family better than she was able to do with a spouse.

Her story further underscores how financial independence, technical skill, and a career to be proud of are all here for the taking, whether you’re a man or a woman, whether you get in on the ground floor or complete a degree first, and whether you study business or IT. My own 18-year story in the industry is one out of many others. In my case, I went from HR manager of that small

treating facility, to HR manager for the largest plywood-manufacturing facility in North America, to director for that business unit, and to now holding the title of senior director with corporate responsibilities. Too few people, however, realize they can attain that same kind of success in wood products. And that is what makes this industry one of the job market’s best-kept secrets.

It won’t stay that way, however, if I can help it. I will continue to get the word out through involvement w i t h R o y O M a r t i n ’s Wo m e n in Manufacturing initiatives, participation on NAWLA’s Education Committee, and my current roles as 2020 chair of the Central Louisiana Regional Chamber of Commerce and co-chair of The Louisiana Federation of Advanced Manufacturing Education (Geaux Fame). I can also keep the message going through my active membership in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.—which has strong programs engaging youth in educational development—and my recent appointment to the Louisiana Women’s Policy and Research Commission. Please join me and commit to sharing this information to shine a light on the endless opportunities for all in the wood products industry.

– Connie Baker is senior director of human resources at RoyOMartin Plywood (www.royomartin.com)

.

November 2020 n Building Products Digest n

37

MOVERS & Shakers Cameron Coker has been promoted to sales mgr. at Dixie Plywood & Lumber, Houston, Tx. Rob McKean, ex-Building Center, has been named operations mgr. for Espy Lumber Co., Hilton Head Island, S.C. Paul Councill, based in Parkville, Md., is new to outside sales with Russin Lumber, Montgomery, N.Y., covering the Baltimore/D.C. beltway and surrounding suburbs.

Ken Goodgame has been appointed senior VP of merchandising for Costello’s Ace Hardware, Long Island, N.Y. Tim Johnson has been promoted to VP of forest products for LBM Advantage, New Windsor, N.Y. He succeeds Duncan Facey, who has retired after 11 years wtih ENAP/LBM Advantage.

Edward “Ted” Decker has been named chief operating officer at Home Depot, Atlanta, Ga. Ann-Marie Campbell is now executive VP of U.S. stores & international operations. Jeff Kinnaird has been promoted to executive VP of merchandising. Richard McPhail, executive VP/CFO, had added responsibility over corporate strategy & strategic business development.

Tom Allen, ex-84 Lumber, has joined the outside sales team at Dufrene Building Materials, Cut Off, La. Linda McCarty, ex-Interfor, is now dry end superintendent with Weyerhaeuser, Dodson, La.

38

n Building Products Digest n November 2020

Benjamin Poorbaugh, general mgr., BlueLinx, New Stanton, Pa., is now also overseeing the distribution center in Buffalo, N.Y. David “Alex” Catron has joined Derby Building Products, as Tando sales development specialist for northern Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

Zachary Binkley, ex-Patrick Industries, has joined U.S. Lumber’s Alexandria Moulding division as Midwest Division branch mgr. in LaPorte, In. Marc Kramer has been promoted to director of corporate development for ABC Supply, Beloit, Wi. Michael Adams, senior key accounts mgr., Huntsman Corp., The Woodlands, Tx., has retired after 38 years in the business.

Carrie Holecek is a new marketing and inside sales rep with Suburban Lumber Co., Cedar Rapids, Ia. Dusan Susnjar, ex-Baillie Lumber, is now rough mill mgr. for Timberlane, Inc., Montgomery, Pa. George Dittman, ex-Capitol Building Supply, is new to sales at ABC Supply, New York, N.Y. Denny Smith, longtime foreman for Industrial Caulk & Seal, Delta, Pa., has been promoted to the operations management team.

Alex Legall, ex-Owens Corning, has been named senior VP for Masonite’s architectural segment, Tampa, Fl. Bevan Wulfenstein, marketing director since 2003, has retired from Grabber Construction Products, Highland, Ut. He is succeeded by Darren Jones.

Building-Products.com

Clayton Weltha is a new sales consultant at Pella Windows & Doors of Central Iowa, Clive, Ia. Alfred Festa, ex-WR Grace, has been elected to the board of directors for Owens Corning, Toledo, Oh. Collene Van Mol, health services mgr., RoyOMartin, Alexandria, La., was awarded the Women in Manufacturing STEP Ahead Award.

Michael Field, president and CEO, Raymond Corp., Greene, N.Y., was reelected chairman of the New York Battery & Energy Storage Technology Consortium.

Chris Beach has been promoted to member growth mgr. for Do it Best Corp., Fort Wayne, In. Taylor Tiernon is new as an associate merchandise mgr.-hardware. Sherri Knisely has been promoted to rebate coordinator.

Jeff Wirkkala, Hardwood Industries, Inc., was elected president of the National Hardwood Lumber Association. Jon Syre, Cascade Hardwood, is now VP. New directors include Tom Coble, Hartzell Hardwoods; Bill Courtney, Classic American Hardwoods; Sam Glidden, GMC Hardwoods; Greg Fitzpatrick, Fitzpatrick & Weller; and Trent Yoder, Yoder Lumber.

Beau Tannicle is now tending the garden center at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

HARDWOOD MANUFACTURER Weaber opened a downtown career center to meet its labor needs, while sharing its mission.

Weaber Opens Career Center

In need of 150 qualified workers to meet rising demand for hardwood lumber and millwork, Weaber Lumber, Lebanon, Pa., opened its own career center.

Weaber needs laborers, welders, foresters, forklift drivers, and truck drivers, with ample opportunity for advancement. So, Weaber worked with the city of Lebanon to convert a vacant downtown building into the Weaber Career Center.

The operation will help educate and train potential employees, as well as offer continuing education to help lower-level workers advance into a higherpaying, higher-skilled career.

Those interested can apply at the center and, if approved, move to safety training. Once completed, they may be offered a job at either Weaber’s distribution center or headquarters. Bilingual training is offered, as well as a van to transport workers to and from headquarters.

Building-Products.com

November 2020 n Building Products Digest n

39

Remodeling Likely to Stay Strong Moderate gains in homeowner spending for improvements and repairs are expected through much of next year as initial concerns of a possible pandemic-induced downturn have largely dissipated, according to the latest Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity from the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

With greater clarity about the pandemic’s impact on the U.S. economy and given the surprising resilience of housing markets, the Remodeling Futures Program is no longer providing a downside range for its home remodeling outlook.

The LIRA’s standard methodology projects annual growth in renovation and repair spending of 4.1% by the first quarter of 2021 with gains softening to 1.7% by the third quarter.

“The remodeling market is bouncing back from the initial shocks caused by the pandemic, as homeowners continue to spend significant time in their home and are adapting it for work, school, and leisure,” said Chris Herbert,

40

managing director of the Joint Center for Housing Studies. “The surge in DIY and small project activity is lifting the remodeling market, but it remains to be seen if the strong sales market this summer translates into larger improvements that would drive even stronger growth in the coming quarters.”

“Annual expenditures for renovation and repair of the owner-

n Building Products Digest n November 2020

occupied housing stock are expected to rise from about $332 billion today to $337 billion by the latter half of 2021,” added Abbe Will, associate project director in the Remodeling Futures Program at the Center. “While a softening of growth is projected in 2021, recent strengthening of home prices and sales activity—including second home purchases—could provide further boosts to remodeling and repair next year.”

Building-Products.com

A squeak-free fastener from the brand your customers trust.

Introducing the Strong-Drive SDPW DEFLECTOR screw from Simpson Strong-Tie — a premium structural fastening solution that provides support for non-load-bearing, full-height partition walls and helps minimize squeaks and wall separation. Keep your shelves stocked with the high-performance fasteners your customers demand. Pair it with our Strong-Drive SDWC Truss screw for load-bearing walls to offer a complete wall-to-truss fastening solution. ®

Available in 6", 5" and 3½" lengths

For more on the Strong-Drive SDPW DEFLECTOR screw, visit our website at go.strongtie.com/sdpw or call (800) 999-5099. © 2020 Simpson

Strong-Tie Company Inc. SDPW20D

NEW Products

Insulation Blower Decking for Life Lanai Outdoors has married the gorgeous look of hardwood flooring with the high performance of alternative decking to create Lanai Premium Plank Decking, a 100% pure PVC with a durable cap on all four sides.

The decking comes in 48”long planks, not boards, with smaller gaps between them and beveled edges.

Lightweight and easy to handle, they reportedly will not crack, splinter or rot; is highly slip, scratch, fade, warp and heat resistant; and carries a lifetime warranty.

Lanai’s Coastal Collection is offered in four multi-tone colors with enhanced streaking— Beach Wood, Sunset Palm, Dark Kona, and Black Sand. n LANAIOUTDOORS.COM (877) 477-4373

Flexible Flashing Benjamin Obdyke’s new HydroFlash LA. liquid-applied flashing simplifies the process of flashing rough openings, transitions and seams, as well as filling imperfections, penetrations, and geometrically difficult areas.

Sold in 20-oz. tubes, it applies with a caulk gun and is spread to a recommended 20to 40-mil thickness, easily conforming around corners, arch tops, and awkward areas that normally require extensive cutting and bending to flash with tape. It also can be used to fill or cover gaps of less than 1/4”, or 1/4” to 1” with a backer rod.

CertainTeed’s new BOLT 3 is a powerful and portable, high-capacity, electric insulation blowing machine capable of quickly tackling both fiberglass and cellulose installations.

It has a 25-cu. ft. hopper, 66% more loading capacity than most mid-size commercial blowers, and a powerful blow rate, yet is slender enough to easily clear a standard 36” doorway.

It also offers heavy-duty rotating wheels, lockable casters, welded steel construction, and wireless remote controls. n CERTAINTEED.COM (800) 233-8990

n BENJAMINOBDYKE.COM (215) 672-7200

Improved Pliers Wrench KNIPEX Tools has introduced an improved 12” version of its popular Pliers Wrench, offered in a chrome-plated finish and a new black atramentized finish.

The tool features a wider 2-3/8” jaw capacity, due to the addition of two more adjustment positions for a total of 24 different push-button positions. It is 10% lighter than the previous model and has recessed areas for a better grip and laser-etched markings in both metric and imperial. n KNIPEX-TOOLS.COM (847) 398-8520

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n Building Products Digest n November 2020

Forklift Batteries V-Force Lead-Acid Batteries new from Crown provide a costeffective forklift power solution for a range of duty cycles.

The batteries are either flat plate (traditional, lower-cost design for electric trucks) or tubular lead-acid, with more surface area of active material, for greater productivity and runtimes for multi-shift uses. n CROWN.COM (419) 629-2311

Building-Products.com

Treated Above the Rest™ Fortress Wood ProductsŽ sets the standard for lumber treaters by offering our customers the highest-quality pressure treated wood and unparalleled levels of customer service. At Fortress, our wood is treated to protect, and our customers are treated above the rest.

Raise your expectations today

Visit

FortressWood.com

or Call

800.BUY.FORT

Mobile Drywall Sander Optimized for mobility, DeWalt’s new 20V MAX Drywall Sander is ideal for production work and repairs in hard-to-reach and unpowered areas.

A telescoping shaft and fully articulating head allow for easy sanding of walls and ceilings in confined spaces and tough-to-reach areas. The sander is also designed with a head-mounted brushless motor, which maintains constant speed under load while eliminating flex shaft and brush failures.

The tool is fully integrated with Wireless Tool Control, allowing it to wirelessly activate and deactivate a compatible dust extractor without a separate fob. It also contains a built-in AirLock connection port, which allows for quick and secure connection to DeWalt dust extractors without the need for a separate adapter. n DEWALT.COM (800) 433-9258

Precise Driving The All-in-1 Precision Screwdriver Set from Klein Tools provides everything needed to work with precision fasteners, all in a compact carrying case.

The screwdriver set includes 39 bits for various applications, powerful magnets inside the barrel to better retain bits, reversible barrel with standard and extended-reach ends, and bits that are extra-long and heat-treated. n KLEINTOOLS.COM (800) 553-4676

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n Building Products Digest n November 2020

Building-Products.com

FIFTY YEARS OF

FIVE-STAR BACKYARDS. We’ve thrived for 50 years thanks to your support and trust. It only makes us more determined to continue striving to be the best for 50 more.

YellaWood® brand pressure treated products are treated with preservatives (the “Preservatives”) and preservative methods, and technologies of unrelated third parties. For details regarding the Preservatives, methods, and technologies used by Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated, see www.yellawood.com/preservative or write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310. Ask dealer for warranty details. For warranty or for important handling and other information concerning our products including the appropriate Safety Data Sheet (SDS), please visit us at www.yellawood.com/warranties or write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310.

YellaWood and the yellow tag are federally registered trademarks of Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are used with their permission.

Entry-Level Composite Decking

Unbroken Views

Deckorators has introduced a new entry-level wood-plastic composite decking family said to offer incredible value as well as an industry-leading 25-year structural, 25-year stain-and-fade, and 25-year removal-and-replacement limited warranty.

With an expected average retail price in the low $2-per-lineal-ft. range, Deckorators Trailhead composite decking features a rugged, trend-setting appearance. It comes in Ridgeline (gray), Pathway (brown) and Canyon (red-brown)—three lightly streaked colors with natural, flat-grain embossing.

The 7/8”x5” boards are available in 12-,16- and 20-ft. solid and grooved-edge profiles, with a shallow scalloped profile with four lobes.

Monumental Windows & Doors’ newest slim line sliding glass door system brings unobscured, monumental views to luxury homes and businesses.

The 5000 Sublinear line uses patent-pending reverse rolling technology—with the track integrated into the bottom of the sliding glass panel and the roller cartridge in the sill—to provide a solution that is robust, easy to use and maintain.

The roller cartridge houses twin polyamide precision rollers that can support approximately 350 lbs. each. The sill is designed to integrate into the flooring without raised tracks and is largely hidden from view.

Configurations include standard sliding, pocketing, vari-slide, corners, custom-angle, with single or multiple panels. Doors come up to 15 ft. high.

n DECKORATORS.COM (800) 556-8449

n MONUMENTALWD.COM (760) 360-3589

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n Building Products Digest n November 2020

Building-Products.com

Clear Railing Ahead Viewrail’s new Vedera glass railing system adds even more visual interest to its Flight floating stair system, providing an exceptionally clear, unencumbered line of sight.

Proprietary hardware integrates the glass directly with the treads. All fasteners are hidden behind end slices from the exact same treads, ensuring a single continuous wood grain that carries seamlessly “through” the glass. Rather than terminate the glass railing above the top of the treads, the design continues the glass below the bottom edge of the tread for increased safety and security. n VIEWRAIL.COM (866) 261-8013

Quick One-Hand Cuts DeWalt designed the Atomic Compact Series 20V MAX* Brushless Cordless 1-3/4” Bandsaw for fast one-handed cutting.

Its capacity allows cutting of the most common small-sized metal diameters found on the jobsite, making it ideal for metalworking applications.

The bandsaw is designed with an integrated hang hook, allowing users to hang the tool between cuts, and has an LED light to help illuminate the cutting area. n DEWALT.COM (800) 433-9258

– Serving the industry for over 30 years – Phone:

800-763-0139

• Fax: 864-699-3101

www.spartanburgforestproducts.com 48

n Building Products Digest n November 2020

Building-Products.com

Keep Cool on Top Boral Roofing introduced the Boral Steel Cool Roof System, designed to keep homes warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

The system consists of lightweight, high-strength Boral Steel Stone Coated Steel roofing, Boral MetalSeal Underlayment, Boral Elevated Batten System, and a variety of hip and ridge ventilation products. n BORALROOF.COM (863) 824-1289

Packing Light Milwaukee Tool has introduced a powerful new worklight that provides all-day, multi-directional lighting and charging in one dedicated solution.

Fully compatible with the PackOut Modular Storage System, the M18 PackOut Light/ Charger delivers 3,000 lumens of TrueView High Definition Output to easily light the site.

For complete control of lighting preference, the light is equipped with three independent rotating lights so users can choose between task or area lighting. n MILWAUKEETOOL.COM (800) 729-3878

Compact Band Saw The RIDGID 18v Compact Band Saw provides clean, sparkfree, straight cuts on a variety of materials with a 2-1/2� cut capacity, including wood, PVC, threaded rod, black pipe, conduit and angle iron.

Designed with a variable speed dial, this saw delivers ultimate cut control and features an LED light for increased visibility on the job. Its lightweight, ergonomic design increases balance and reduces user fatigue.

The tool-free blade release makes changing blades quick and easy. n RIDGID.COM (800) 474-3443

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n Building Products Digest n November 2020

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NORTH CAROLINA RELOAD

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IN Memoriam Frank Monroe Haley, 97, retired owner of Haley Lumber Co., Andover, N.H., died Sept. 28 in Andover.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1942, serving four years and earning two Purple Hearts.

After the war, he spent 15 years operating Andover Milling Co., Andover, leaving in 1968 to spend 21 years as lumber buyer for Gamble & Yale Lumber Co., Bridgeport, Ct. He then ran Haley Lumber for 15 years until he retired at age 79 due to blindness.

John Porter Price, 80, founder of J.P. Price Lumber Co., Monticello, Ar., died Oct. 13 in Biloxi, Ms. He grew up working at his father’s mobile sawmill and put himself through Arkansas A&M by cutting pulpwood. He then worked for L.D. Long, first as a logger and subsequently to build a hardwood sawmill. In 1965, he purchased the mill and started J.P. Price Lumber at age 25. In 1981, he created the Price Drum Debarker and later formed Price Industries, to design and install chip mill equipment all over the world.

Virgil H. Darling, retired Ohio lumberyard manager, died Oct. 12 in Tucson, Az. He was 98.

After serving as a Navy Seabee during World War II, he worked as a manager at Auglaize Lumber Co., Wapakoneta, Oh., and assistant manager at Lima Lumber Co., Lima, Oh.

52

David L. Oskin, Jr., 72, former owner of Linesville Lumber, Linesville, Pa., died Oct. 3 of lung cancer.

He spent 50 years as a custom home builder with David L. Oskin Construction, operating the lumberyard for 10 years until selling it in 1995.

Mitsubishi Merges Divisions

Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas, Houston, Tx., is integrating the North American operations of Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc. and UniCarriers Americas Corp. divisions.

As part of the transition, the company launched a new corporate website, www.LogisnextAmericas. com, representing all its brands—Cat, Mitsubishi, UniCarriers, Jungheinrich and Rocla.

“Our goal is to have a stronger, more efficient business to support our customers and dealers,” said president Ken Barina. “As one unified operation, we will work together to further enhance our customer product offering and leverage the full strengths and experience of our collective employees and dealers to support customers in the future.”

UltraPole Wins Two Honors

UltraPole NXT, an advanced wood utility pole preservative that offers low-impact environmental benefits, was honored as one of the year’s most promising innovations in the 2020 R&D 100 Awards, while also drawing special distinction with a Silver R&D100 Special Category Award for Corporate Social Responsibility.

n Building Products Digest n November 2020

The preservative, a collaboration between Viance and DuPont, is designed to protect utility poles, cross arms, and transportation bridge timbers from decay, fungi and subterranean termites, capitalizing on both the physical strengths and sustainability of wood.

The renowned R&D 100 Awards list, now in its 58th year, is the industry’s leading recognition for the global R&D community, spotlighting the top 100 technology advancements of the past year. This year’s competition received submissions from 19 countries or regions, judged by a panel of nearly 50 well-respected industry professionals across the globe.

“We are particularly proud that R&D World selected our innovative technology for the Silver R&D100 Special Category Award for Corporate Social Responsibility,” said Chris Urheim, Global Microbial Control Leader, DuPont Nutrition and Biosciences. “Sustainability is a key tenet of our approach to business, and we are honored to provide communities across North America with a preservative that is not persistent in the environment.”

The active ingredient in UltraPole NXT preservative is one of the key components in Ecolife treated decking and fencing, the leading non-metallic preservative currently on the market.

This chemistry is also a component in marine antifouling paints and a recipient of the U.S. Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award under the tradename Sea-Nine.

Building-Products.com

ATURES

d wood product on the market b-300Fv-2.1E r installation - 3 1/2” and 5 1/2” Page s Timber wood framing systems 46 Initiative (SFI®) Certified nce uperior strength e MSR Lumber 21 strength solution for ral applications

800.221. B E A M

ADVERTISERS Index

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American Wood Technology www.americanwoodtechnology.com

39

U-C Coatings www.uccoatings.com

Anthony Forest Products www.anthonyforest.com

Cover I, 33

UFP Industries www.prowoodlumber.com

Beck America Inc. www.beck-scrail.com

29

Weyerhaeuser Co. www.weyerhaeuser.com

9

Boozer Laminated Beam Co. www.boozerbeam.com

45

Yellawood www.yellawood.com

38

Combilift www.combilift.com

31

Crumpler Plastic Pipe www.cpp-pipe.com

19

Culpeper Wood www.culpeperwood.com

50

Digger Specialties www.westburyrailing.com

Cover IV

Everwood Treatment Co. www.everwoodtreatment.com

Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Association – Nov. 9-10, virtual 44th annual STAFDA convention; www.stafda.org.

43

Fortress Wood Products www.fortresswood.com

Mid-America Lumbermens Assn. – Nov. 10, OSHA Bootcamp, Kansas City, Mo.; www.themla.com.

45

Great Southern Wood Preserving www.yellawood.com

Greenbuild – Nov. 10-12, virtual international conference & expo; www.greenbuildexpo.org.

5

Hoover Treated Wood Products www.frtw.com

31

Jordan Lumber www.jordanlumber.com

Cover II

Lonza Wood Protection www.wolmanizedwood.com

7

Norbord www.norbord.com

47

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. www.nawla.org

35

Northeastern Crossarm Co. www.crossarm.com

25

Overseas Hardwoods Co. www.ohc.net

15

Pacific Woodtech www.pacificwoodtech.com

3

RailFX www.railfx.net

27, Cover III

Redwood Empire www.buyredwood.com

41

Simpson Strong-Tie www.strongtie.com

48

Spartanburg Forest Products www.spartanburgforestproducts.com

Vermont Retail Lumber Dealers Association – Dec. 3, board/legislative committee meeting, Fire & Ice, Middlebury, Vt.; www.nrla.org.

13

Sure Drive USA www.suredrive.com

Northeastern Retail Lumber Association – Dec. 9-10, Evolve virtual trade show; www.nrla.org.

49

Swanson Group Sales Co. www.swansongroup.biz

Northern New York Lumber Dealers Association – Dec. 9, holiday board meeting, Providence, R.I.; www.nrla.org.

44

Anthony Forest Products is part of the Canfor Group of Companies

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

40

©

Anthony Forest Products Company, LLC

12/17/18 1:25 PM

Timber Products Co. www.timberproducts.com

Deck Building Solutions • 866-767-1850 • www.suredrive.com • sales@suredrive.com

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

Construction Suppliers Association – Nov. 2-5, sales & estimating training, Aloft Hotel, Tulsa, Ok.; www.gocsa.com.

Florida Building Material Association – Nov. 4, TopGolf, Orlando, Fl.; www.fbma.org.

North American Building Material Distribution Association – Nov. 10-12, Virtual Xperience annual convention in conjunction with North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors; www. distributorconvention.org.

Northwestern Lumber Association – Nov. 10-12, Estimating 1-2-3, Waukesha, Wi.; Nov. 12, LBM Financials: Improving Your Profits seminar, Sioux Falls, S.D.; www.nlassn.org.

Deck Expo/International Pool Spa Patio Expo – Nov. 11-13, virtual PSP/DeckExpo; www.poolspapatio.com.

Lumbermens Merchandising Corp. – Nov. 11-12, LMC Expo: virtual event; www.lmc.net.

Remodeling Show – Nov. 16-18, virtual Remodeling Show; www. theremodelingshow.com.

Rhode Island Lumber & Building Materials Dealers Retail Assn.

– Nov. 16-18, Women in the Lumber Industry roundtable, Providence, R.I.; www.nrla.org.

Eastern Building Material Dealers Association – Nov. 17, virtual annual meeting; www.nrla.org.

Northwestern Lumber Association – Dec. 1, contractor sales seminar, Urbandale, Ia.; Dec. 8-10, Estimating 1-2-3, Twin Cities, Mn.; www.nlassn.org.

Mid-America Lumbermens Association – Dec. 1-2, yard & delivery workshop, Wichita, Ks.; Dec. 3, special order & margin management bootcamp, Forest Products Supply, Brentwood, Mo.; www. themla.com.

Industrialized Wood-Based Construction Conference – Dec. 2-3, virtual conference & trade show; www.iwbcc.com.

Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association – Dec. 11, board meeting, Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, R.I.; www.nrla.org.

November 2020 n Building Products Digest n

53

FLASHBack 84 Years Ago This Month

E

ighty-four years ago this month, in November of 1936, BPD’s sister publication, The California Lumber Merchant, shared the Federal Housing Administration’s plans to focus the lion’s share of their efforts on encouraging low-income buyers to purchase their own homes.

The FHA district director in Northern California, D.C. McGinness, stated the biggest immediate need was for homes priced under $5,000. “It has been shown that 60% to 70% of our families live on annual incomes of $2,500 or less,” he said. “Bringing into service the old rule that the amount a man can conveniently afford to pay for his home should not be more than twice his annual income, we arrive at a figure approximating $5,000.

“It is, therefore, my contention that the greatest market for modern homes is in the low-priced brackets.

It is with those persons who aspire to own modest homes of their own that the Federal Housing Administration is striving to cooperate. Let them have their own homes and permit them to acquire such properties by simply paying themselves the rent they now pay for living accommodations.”

The example he cited was a couple that paid $35 a month to rent

REDWOOD GIANT Pacific Lumber Co., Scotia, Ca., is the ancestor of today’s Humboldt Sawmill Co.

54

THE NOVEMBER 1936 front cover featured West Coast wholesaler Wendling-Nathan Co., San Francisco, Ca. Wendling-Nathan became The Merchant’s steadiest original advertiser—running ads for more than 75 consecutive years starting with our first issues in 1992.

a five-room house, which they could instead purchase for $32 a month, on a 20-year loan with 20% down.

He reported that the FHA in Northern California already had accepted applications for $43.7 million in government-insured mortgage.

In other lumber industry news of November 1936...

• Anticipating the near-term possibility of affordable in-home air conditioning, The Celotex Corp. unveiled an improved insulating material designed to better hold in the cold and keep out the heat.

The first orders of Celotex Vaporseal Insulating Sheathing were starting to ship to dealers.

According to general sales manager Harold Knapp, “This type of insulating board is particularly important in new construction because of the imminent possibility of low cost air conditioning. We feel that every new house, to be considered modern, should be built and so insulated that it may include air conditioning at some future time.”

• Forest Rangers were scouring the Washington Cascade Range searching for lakes a mile and a half long on which to land sea planes so they could transport firefighters battling fires in remote parts of the national forests.

Trial flights were made from Seattle to survey 40 different lakes.

Five were deemed suitable, and plans hatched to fly chartered sea planes

n Building Products Digest n November 2020

in the vicinity in the event of forest fires.

According to Forest Service officials, the use of lakes as landing fields in remote regions where road construction is lacking will enable the Forest Service to get quick action with small crews on forest fires and save damage and fire fighting costs, in addition to the expense of constructing landing fields for land planes.

• San Joaquin Lumber Co., Stockton, Ca., inaugurated a new home department, to help the public with all facets of smoothly and affordably building—and financing—their custom dream home.

The lumber company’s service included not only assisting with the plans, securing competent contractors and builders, and supplying the materials, but also aiding in securing FHA loans.

• A cargo of California redwood was crossing the Pacific Ocean on the S.S. North Wind, chartered vessel of Pan-American Airways Co. Pan Am planned to use the lumber to build large refrigeration and cooling plants at its commerical outposts on Midway, Wake and Guam. The airline said it chose Structural and Clear Heart redwood grades “because of their known resistance to termites and decay, and redwood’s general ability to stand up under the most severe climatic conditions.”

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THE POSSIBILITIES KEEP GROWING:

Nature’s majestic pillars.

Redwood is one of the strongest and fastest growing softwood species. It thrives in some of the most productive timberlands in the world. Redwood is known for its timeless durability without the use of chemicals. Due to its flawless formation, there has never been a Redwood recall. There is a grade of Redwood for every application, every budget, and every customer.

“Growing beyond measure.”

Call or visit us today. Our family of Redwood timberland owners will continue to be your reputable and reliable source of Redwood.

Call us at 707.894.4241 Visit us at buyRedwood.com