lumBer 411

A Special Series from Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association

The 5 parts of a grade stamp and how to read them

You’ve seen that ink stamp on the face or on the end of a piece of lumber, but do you know exactly what each of the five bits of information actually indicate?

The compilation of information is critical to ensure that the lumber your customer has ordered is the correct material. In addition, for structural applications, building code officials require this grade mark on the lumber in order for it to be used in construction.

Grading agencies such as the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association (NELMA) work directly with lumber manufacturers to make sure their products meet these requirements!

Here’s a quick tutorial of how to read a grade stamp:

In accordance with Voluntary Product Standard 20 (PS-20), when American Lumber Standard (ALS) program lumber is grade marked, the grade marking shall consist of a minimum of five elements to assist the consumer in identifying the (1) Moisture Content, (2) Product Grade, (3) Species or Species Grouping, (4) ALSC-Accredited Supervisory Agency, and (5) Unique Mill Number ID or Mill Name.

Please refer to the sample NELMA grade mark below for further information:

CNRG Buys Mississippi Chain

Central Network Retail Group is buying HomeFront Home Improvement Centers in Greenwood and Winona, Ms., from partners Brian Waldrop, Ron “Rut” Ussery, Richie Fulgham, and Fred Carl, Jr.

HomeFront will be rebranded and operate as part of CNRG’s Home Hardware Center brand, which now operates 23 stores in four states. Overall, CNRG has 141 locations under various brands in 16 states.

“I am excited about the future of this store with CNRG and Home Hardware Center serving the Mississippi delta region,” Fulgham said. “Home Hardware Center and HomeFront are a great fit. We both have the same ideas and standards when it comes to how we treat our employees and customers. I am comfortable knowing this business will continue to successfully support the community for many more years, and I am personally very excited about continuing to work in the business going forward.”

Bliffert Adds Wisconsin Indie

Eight-unit Bliffert Lumber & Hardware, Milwaukee, Wi., has acquired Oostburg Lumber Co., a single location, full service, lumberyard and design center in Oostburg, Wi.

Oostburg Lumber has been serving Sheboygan County and the surrounding area since 1979 specializing in lumber, millwork, windows, decking, garage doors, kitchens and baths. Its design department designs decks, basement/ home remodels, home additions, kitchens/baths, as well as new home designs.

HDI Acquires 5-Unit Mid-Am

Hardwoods Distribution Inc., Langley, B.C., has acquired substantially all of the assets of Midwestern distributor Mid-Am Building Supply, Inc.

Founded in 1967, Mid-Am generates annual sales of over $270 million of doors, millwork and other building materials, primarily to pro dealers.

Mid-Am will continue to operate under its current name, retaining current management and its 364 employees. It joins HDI’s other operating brands Rugby Architectural Building Products, Hardwoods Specialty Products, Novo Building Products, and Frank Paxton Lumber.

Its five distribution centers (Moberly and Chillicothe, Mo.; Spring Hill, Ks.; Mount Pleasant, Ia.; and Centralia, Il.) have a combined 650,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space to serve dealers in 10 states.

“We are very pleased to welcome Mid-Am’s capabilities to HDI, which we believe are complementary to our current operations,” said Rob Brown, HDI president and CEO. “This acquisition is a natural geographic extension from our current locations, providing access to customers and markets in the U.S. Midwest that we do not reach today. Mid-Am comes with an experienced team, established customer relationships and a portfolio of specialty and associated products that complement our existing product mix.”

The deal is expected to close in February.

Lowe’s Launches New Loyalty Program

Lowe’s has introduced its MVPs Pro Rewards and Partnership Program for new and existing loyalty members.

Available in select regions now and nationwide on March 7, the program gives users additional benefits including: • Lowe’s e-gift cards earned when professionals spend in-store and online on eligible purchases. • Access to business resources helping professionals tackle back-of-house operations. • Exclusive offers for rewards on eligible paint purchases and free select snacks or drinks at Lowe’s stores. • A chance to win incredible prizes like Ford F-Series trucks and custom-built local advertising packages. • A simple mobile and online user experience allowing professionals to track and claim rewards even when sending a crew member into the store. • Lowe’s plans to offer bonus points that can be used for additional rewards.

The program complements Lowe’s existing credit offerings for professionals of 5% off every day on eligible purchases and 0% interest for 60 days for Lowe’s Business Advantage accounts.

MoistureShield Decking Plant Doubling Capacity

Oldcastle APG is expanding its MoistureShield composite decking plant in Springdale, Ar., to double manufacturing capacity.

The investment directly supports the MoistureShield Elevate affordable capped wood composite decking line while also expanding geographical access to the new MoistureShield Meridian line. Existing production lines which support MoistureShield Vision will be upgraded in a Phase II expansion later in 2022. Matt’s Building Materials,

Pharr, Tx., suffered extensive damage to its store in a New Year’s Day fire of undetermined origin. Its yard was spared.

Stanley’s Lumber & Building Supplies, Adams, Ma., received planning board approval to add a lumber/hardware store in North Adams.

Ritters True Value Hardware,

Mechanicsburg, Pa., was acquired by Kevin and Michael Fague from Jack Winchell.

Benedict’s Ace Hardware,

Johnson City, Tn., has closed after 30 years with the retirement of owners Ron and Betty Jo Benedict.

Homestead Hardware, Wood-

ford, Va., is closing after 30 years due to the poor health of owner Gary Trice.

Ace Hardware added a branch in Terre Haute, In., under general manager Amber Eversole.

Brewerton Ace Hardware,

Brewerton, N.Y., has been opened by Jeff Parzych.

Village Hardware, Leipsic, Oh., is building a 25,930-sq. ft. branch in Findlay, Oh.

Ace Hardware opened a new store Feb. 1 in Northwest Austin, Tx.

Olson’s Ace Hardware, Franklin

Park, Il., has purchased 99-year-old Dressel’s Hardware, Oak Park, Il.,

as its fourth location.

Former co-owner Bob Dressel is retiring after 50 years, while brother Tony Dressel will remain on staff.

Home Depot began construction on a new 100,000-sq. ft. store in the Lower Heights area of Houston, Tx., expecting a late summer/fall opening.

The chain will also build a 403,000sq. ft., rail-served warehouse on 80 acres in Steele Creek (Charlotte), N.C.

Menards will close its Maplewood, Mn., home center March 18 to tear it down and build a larger replacement store by next spring.

The chain is also getting closer to breaking ground on a long-delayed site in Bridgeport, W.V.

DOG DAYS: Lowe’s is teaming with Petco to experiment with “store-within-a-store” pet service centers.

Lowe’s Tests In-Store Pet Centers

Lowe’s is introducing a pilot program to provide Petco’s pet services, such as mobile grooming and vet clinics for vaccinations, microchipping and pest prevention.

The first Lowe’s + Petco “store-within-a-store” opened early last month in Alamo Ranch, Tx., and will expand to 14 other stores in Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina by the end of March.

The sections will cover about 1,100 sq. ft. in the seasonal zone in the front of each store. For the test, they will be staffed by Petco employees during peak hours.

TIVA Expands Production to the US

PVC decking and dock products manufacturer TIVA Building Products, Mississauga, Ontario, has purchased 36 acres with a 50,000+-sq. ft. production facility in South Carolina as its first facility in the U.S.

The existing facility will undergo power supply improvements, multiple extrusion line installations, and office space renovations to be operational for the second half of 2022.

“We have evaluated U.S. manufacturing facility sites for quite some time and knew even at the start of our business seven years ago it was never a matter of if but when,” said Terry Fangrad, CEO of TIVA Building Products. “The facility is perfect for significant capacity of production and inventory, while the site will accommodate multiple expansions as the TIVA brand continues to grow in North America.”

The facility will service existing wholesale distributors Sherwood Lumber and Weston Forest Products, as well as pending new distribution partners throughout the U.S.

Mike Kunard, national sales manager, said, “This is a meaningful and timely investment for the growth curve of TIVA Building Products as wholesale customers and prospects are asking for increased support to their business in capacity and producing a responsible product mix. TIVA Building Products is delivering exactly that.”

Products include tIvadek, tIvadok, and tIvacoat. tIvadek offers a lifetime warranty in 12 colors, all of which are reversible to provide one board with two chances.

Indiana Dealer Changes Hands

The ownership of 92-year-old Grabill Hardware, Grabill, In., has officially transitioned from Claude Schrock to his son, Leonard “Len” Schrock, and business partner James “Jim” Gerig.

Founded in 1930 by Abner Gerig, Claude Schrock became a co-owner of Grabill Hardware in 1972. The ownership team was later enhanced by the addition of Gerig, who started working in the store in 1974 when he was still in high school. In 1987, Len started working at the store after Abner retired and joined the ownership team in 2001.

The store thrived under the trio’s leadership and they opened their second location, Woodburn Do it Best Hardware, in 2010. Now, Claude is transferring the last of his ownership to his trusted business partners.

“I am confident the stores are in good hands with Len and Jim,” said Claude Schrock. “As I look back over my time in Grabill, I am so thankful for the support of this community, especially to the many volunteers who helped us recover from our devastating fire. We would not have made it all these years without the many loyal customers I am pleased to call my friends.”

SUPPLIER Briefs

Interfor restarted production early last month at the former Georgia-Pacific lumber mill in DeQuincy, La. G-P idled the mill in May 2020 and sold it to Interfor last summer.

Fiberon will build a new composite decking manufacturing and distribution facility in new Columbia, Tn.

LP Building Solutions, Nashville, Tn., is selling its 50% share in I-joist plants in Larouche and Saint-Prime, Quebec, to its joint venture partner, Resolute Forest Products.

Rayonier, Yulee, Fl., has acquired 66,800 acres of Texas and Georgia timberlands from Nuveen Natural Capital for $124.2 million.

Wolf Home Products, York, Pa., will distribute RailFX cable rail and PFX 1000 aluminum railing to dealers along the East Coast.

Wolf is also now exclusive supplier of Evolve Stone manufactured stone veneer in 13 states from Maine to Virginia.

Encompass Building Materials, Lenexa, Ks., is now distributing Avon Plastics’ Armadillo Lifestyles and Essentials composite decking lines and TurboClip hidden deck fasteners in Kansas and Missouri.

Palmer-Donavin, Columbus, Oh., is expanding its distribution of Digger Specialties Inc.’s products to Tennessee, through its recently opened distribution facility in Hebron, Ky. The wholesaler already distributes Westbury aluminum railing and other DSI products to Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Michigan and Indiana.

In addition, Palmer-Donavin recently recognized CertainTeed as its Vendor of the Year and CertainTeed’s Mark McNabb as its Vendor Represenative of the Year.

Viewrail’s Flight floating stair system has become the first-ever floating stairs to receive an evaluation report from ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES).

Atlas Roofing Corp., Atlanta, Ga., has rebranded with a new logo, mission, website and corporate tagline (“Products with Purpose. People with Passion.”), coinciding with its 40th anniversary.