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MAY 2019

Building Products Digest

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HEAT UP YOUR DECKING & RAILING SALES • EXTERIOR TRIM • NAWLA SPECIAL ISSUE

SUPPLY THE BEST FOR BUILDERS OF ALL

SHAPES & SPECIES. 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.

YellaWood ® brand pressure treated pine is sought after by all the best builders, especially those with leather tails, buck teeth and nature’s highest building standards. Our proven reputation for having high quality products drives demand for the Yella Tag. The five-star service and unrivaled support of the YellaWood ® brand puts dealers in position to meet their customer’s specific needs. See how the YellaWood ® brand delivers at YellaWood.com.

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

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.

CONTENTS

May 2019 Volume 38 n Number 5

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Special Focus

Features

Departments

39 NAWLA ON LABOR

10 FEATURE STORY

8 ACROSS THE BOARD 22 OLSEN ON SALES 23 THE REVENUE GROWTH HABIT 24 TRANSFORMING TEAMS 32 MOVERS & SHAKERS 32 IN MEMORIAM 56 NEW PRODUCTS 62 ASSOCIATION UPDATE 67 DATE BOOK 68 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 68 TALK BACK 69 ADVERTISERS INDEX 70 FLASHBACK

WITH THE INDUSTRY FACING A SHORTAGE OF QUALIFIED LABOR, EXPERTS SHARE HOW FORWARD-THINKING COMPANIES ARE RESTOCKING, RETAINING & EQUIPPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYEES, PRESENTED BY THE NORTH AMERICAN WHOLESALE LUMBER ASSOCIATION

COMPOSITE DECKING GETS STYLISH

12 MARGIN BUILDERS

MINOR DECKING UPGRADES THAT DELIVER MAJOR RETURNS

14 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

OPTIONS IN RAILING INFILL

16 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT BPD

DECK TILES VS. DECK BOARDS

MAY 2019

Building Products Digest

THE VOICE OF THE LBM SUPPLY CHAIN — SINCE 1982

HEAT UP YOUR DECKING & RAILING SALES • EXTERIOR TRIM • NAWLA SPECIAL ISSUE

18 INDUSTRY TRENDS

DECKING FORECAST LOOKS STRONG

20 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

MICHIGAN DEALER GRATEFUL FOR A CENTURY OF SUCCESS

34 MARGIN BUILDERS Digest 5-19 Layout.indd 1

SELLING EXTERIOR TRIM PACKAGES

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64 EVENT RECAP

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Building Products Digest

President/Publisher Patrick Adams padams@526mediagroup.com Vice President Shelly Smith Adams sadams@526mediagroup.com Publishers Emeritus Alan Oakes, David Cutler Managing Editor David Koenig • dkoenig@526mediagroup.com Editor Stephanie Ornelas sornelas@526mediagroup.com

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Contributing Editors Carla Waldemar, James Olsen, Alex Goldfayn, Claudia St. John Contributors Kat Benton, Jase DeBoer, Sheldon Doss, Steve Getsiv, Nicole Lewis, Michelle Maller, Anthony Muck, Ashely Plagmann, Steven Schlesser, Sal Serbin, Aaron Sims, Clark Spitzer Director of Sales Chuck Casey • ccasey@526mediagroup.com

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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®2019 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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More products. More price points. More reasons than ever to build with Trex. We’ve made it easier to buy, stock and sell Trex® with our expanded decking and railing product portfolios. In addition to the industry-leading Transcend® that pairs elevated aesthetics with the highest level of performance, we now offer a wider selection of products at price points that will allow all of your customers to step into the Trex lifestyle. That’s what’s next from Trex. To learn more, visit trex.com.

ACROSS the Board By Patrick Adams

I don’t say it enough y family and I were out this weekend enjoying the fact that spring has finally broken through this long winter (yes, even in “sunny” California)! We were walking along when I noticed my daughter quickly break from the pack and start walking in the other direction. At 8 years old, this caused my wife’s instincts to jump to attention only to have me grab her arm and say, “Let’s watch what happens.” She approached a police officer who was standing by his car. She walked up to him, said something, shook his hand, and then broke the handshake and gave him a hug and came walking back. I kept looking past her to the officer, whose eyes were locked on her, then to me. With a quick nod, wave and maybe a little more shine to his eyes than normal, I knew what happened. I don’t think you can say “thank you” enough. I often write that I am grateful—every day. For my family, for all the ways I’ve been blessed, for my staff, and for this great industry that I’m fortunate enough to serve. But, I haven’t said “thank you” enough to you—our readers. I started in B2B publishing a long time ago and fell in love with it because it allowed you to do several things in just one job—learn EVERYTHING about an industry, serve a grateful audience, and be in a business that has to completely reinvent itself every month! An old boss once told me, “We’re only as good as our last issue. Readers are fickle and if you let your passion fade even for a month, they’ll stop reading you and never come back.” These days, saying you’re in “the media business” doesn’t have the reaction that it used to. Spreadsheets, opinion and shortsightedness have gotten in the way of a trade that used to pride itself on integrity, service and ethics. Imagine if the American Journal of Medicine decided to start selling “advertorials” disguised as their own published content used to advise the medical community on a new drug or procedure! They say “print is going away and nobody reads any more.” They say “digital is what everyone cares about.” I believe that people still care about what they are passionate about and if you provide them with something valuable, then they ask for more! People still read; they just don’t read poorly written junk. People still read print; for things they care most about… like their careers and livelihood. We have, and continue to invest in improving our publications that date back to 1922 in their service to this industry. Yes, some of that improvement is investing in digital assets like our digital versions of the publication, our e-newsletters, our websites, our social media platforms, and our agency services that provide valuable assets to you.

But, the most important investments have been in the tools that allow us to gather and publish the most valuable news, information and trends that you need to make decisions! We don’t take shortcuts because neither do you! We don’t look for the cheap or easy route because neither do you! Simply put, we are the best at what we do because you demand it and for that, I am thankful. I am thankful that as we travel personally to over 100 industry events each year to gather news and information that countless numbers of you have come up and simply shared, “I love your magazine,” or “I read your magazine cover to cover every month.” Like that officer that gave me a simple nod and wave with a slight tear in his eye after my daughter went up to simply thank him for his service and for keeping her safe, a “thank you” goes a long way! These publications are like children to us. We care for them, are protective of them and are proud of them. When you say “thank you” to us, it means the world to a team that truly agonizes over every word that is published to make it the very best it can be for the month in its service to you. So, when I say “thank you,” it isn’t the kind of thank you that is shared when someone holds open a door. It is a THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart for allowing us to serve you and in return, allowing us to serve our own family and community by doing what we love. Your support is our only goal and it is because of your support that we continue to have a thriving business in these odd days of “roller coaster media.” Thank you.

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

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FEATURE Story By Jase DeBoer

Composite decking gets infusion of style ust a few short years ago, composite decking style options were limited. Most of the composite decking choices available to builders and their clients featured solid colors, traditional woodgrain patterns, and standard embossing. Those days are gone. Driven by homeowner demand for low-maintenance decks that blend with their home, décor and lifestyle, the decking industry is in the midst of an inspiring expansion of composite decking colors, streaking and surface textures.

Makers of composite decking are refining their manufacturing processes and product lines to deliver more—and more beautiful—decking selections. The evidence is all over Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. Following are some of the emerging trends in composite decking colors, variegation and embossing in 2019.

Colors Turn Darker, Richer

According to Pantone View home + interiors 2019, colors ranging from “rich Cappuccino and Chocolate to spicy Chili Pepper and Cayenne” will be popular color choices for interior design. Those tastefully bold colors are also flowing into outdoor living. The same red-brown and golden brown colors that will adorn accent walls, countertops and indoor flooring are now widely available as composite decking colors. They provide exciting options as coordination between indoor and outdoor spaces continues to increase. Red-brown and golden brown are part of an overall composite decking industry trend toward darker, richer and more natural color palettes. Picture framing boards, breaker boards, and contemporary railing styles can provide aesthetically pleasing contrast. While composite decking colors have come a long way, gray continues to be the mainstay. Homeowners in coastal regions tend to gravitate toward lighter grays, while those who live inland often prefer darker gray decking.

Streaking Goes Viral

THE DECKING industry is in the midst of an inspiring expansion of composite decking colors, streaking and surface textures. (Photo of Deckorators Voyage line)

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Color streaking in composite deck boards can contrast base colors to replicate the appearance of natural wood, such as exotic tropical hardwoods. This color streaking, also known as variegation, adds design nuance to a low-maintenance deck. Today there are a wide variety of streaking patterns available to create visual interest and to help conceal scratches and dirt on the deck surface. Two trend-forward options that offer especially authentic looks are vertical-grain variegation and flat-grain variegation. Vertical grain variegation approximates the appearance of the highest quality wood. Flat-grain variegation, or Building-Products.com

cathedral variegation, creates a varied pattern of “V” shapes, or cathedrals, for another premium look.

Texture Adds Finishing Touch

The growth in the number of composite decking style options is not confined solely to color and color streaking. Developments in surface texture have opened up new opportunities for deck builders to offer clients unique design possibilities and added peace of mind. With the trend toward bringing interior design to outdoor living, some manufacturers have introduced textured composite decking with an enhanced wood-grain pattern that mimics not only the weathered appearance but also the texture of popular distressed hardwood flooring. Enhanced traction on the deck surface is another homeowner want that manufacturers are addressing with textured composite decking options. Deckorators recently introduced slip resistant Voyage composite decking, which has dimpled embossing for 34% or greater surface traction than other leading composite brands. The added slip resistance can offer any homeowner peace of mind. However, it is especially useful for

WITH THE TREND toward bringing interior design to outdoor living, some manufacturers have introduced textured composite decking with an enhanced woodgrain pattern that mimics not only the weathered appearance, but also the texture of distressed hardwood flooring. (Photo by Dan Milford, DW Elite Decks)

pools, spas, lake houses and other applications in and around water. Deck builders have a spectrum of new color, streaking and texture options to help them personalize the look and feel of a client’s outdoor living space. Consider partnering with

brands that offer a trend-forward board selection and an industry-leading warranty. – Jase DeBoer is senior category marketing manager for Deckorators, a Universal Forest Products Inc. brand (www.deckorators.com).

With the trend toward bringing interior design to outdoor living, some manufacturers have introduced textured composite decking with an enhanced woodgrain pattern that mimics not only the weathered appearance, but also the texture of distressed hardwood flooring. (Photo by Dan Milford, DW Elite Decks)

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

May 2019

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MARGIN Builders By Sal Serbin

3 minor decking upgrades

that deliver major returns uilding a deck is unquestionably one of the best investments a homeowner can make. In fact, aggregator Bankrate.com ranks it as #4 on their list of renovations that return the most at resale. According to the latest remodeling cost vs. value report, a homeowner can expect to recoup around 76% of the cost of building a wood deck and 69% of a composite deck when the time comes to sell their home. To help your customers make the most of their outdoor spaces and maximize their return on investment, consider recommending the following upgrades—all of which are easy to sell, simple to install and add meaningful value to a deck… and to your bottom line.

1. Deck Flashing Tape

Homeowners today have access to high-performance deck boards warrantied to last for decades. But most decking substructures begin to show signs of decay within the first 10 years. This is because the vast majority of substructures are built using wood, which is susceptible to damage from moisture and exposure to outdoor elements. Easily one of wood’s worst enemies, moisture contributes to mold growth and can accelerate structural deterioration. When joists and beams are exposed, water seeps into screw holes and sits on the wood causing it to rot and the

screws to rust. Additionally, the natural expansion and contraction of wood due to seasonal freezing and thawing can cause beams to split and weaken over time, posing serious safety concerns. Deck flashing tape is a simple and cost-effective way to protect wood from the damaging effects of weather and time. Designed to shield wooden joists and beams from moisture that can lead to rot and decay, it also acts as a barrier between wood and galvanized metal and helps deck screws and fasteners hold longer and stronger for enhanced structural integrity. Even better, it’s affordable. To protect an average-size 20’x12’ deck with flashing tape costs less than $100, making it a no-brainer for homeowners and contractors who want to ensure that the substructure lasts as long as the decking it supports. It makes especially good sense for protecting the foundations of today’s high-performance composite decks that are warrantied to last 20+ years. There are two primary options when it comes to deck flashing tapes—asphalt-based and butyl tape. Although asphalt-based tape is generally less expensive than butyl tape, it tends to dry out more quickly, curl up, and hold water. My preference is for butyl tape, which has several advantages over asphalt-based tape. It is stickier, endures less staining and performs better in a wider range of temperatures. Butyl tape also is more pliable than asphalt-based tape, which allows it to create a tighter seal around screws to prevent water from infiltrating the screw holes.

2. Deck Drainage

PEEL-AND-STICK deck tapes like Trex Protect offer simple application, require almost no trimming, and are designed specifically to work on horizontal and vertical surfaces.

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To protect an elevated deck from moisture damage, consider specifying an under-deck drainage system. Using a network for troughs and downspouts, these systems capture and divert water away from a deck, not only preserving the substructure but also making the area under the deck useable for storage or as additional living area. Once protected, dry space beneath an elevated deck can be outfitted with everything from furniture to lighting fixtures, ceiling fans, gas lines and entertainment components. Keep in mind, however, that any wiring or fixtures should still be UL-approved for use in wet locations. Building-Products.com

There are two main categories of drainage systems available, depending on whether they’re installed above or below the joists. For optimal protection and aesthetics, above-thejoist systems use a rubberized membrane that drapes down into each joist bay. The membrane pieces are shaped so that they can be stapled to the top of the joists, yet hang lower at one end of the joist bay to encourage drainage. When the joists cantilever past a beam, separate pieces are installed on each side of the beam, with each sloped to direct water to a gutter on the inner face of the beam. The main advantage to this type of system is that it protects the entire substructure—including the joists—from water damage and deterioration. It also allows homeowners to put any kind of decorative ceiling or soffit on the underside of the joists, making it a good option for customers who want a completely finished look. Although an under-deck drainage system adds a few more dollars to a deck construction project, most homeowners feel it is well worth the investment. After the first rainfall, they quickly realize the value of having dry outdoor living space to enjoy when the weather takes a turn for the worse. No need to cancel a party because of rain; guests can still enjoy being outdoors without worrying about getting

PLUG-AND-PLAY assembly makes many options in deck lighting quick and easy to install.

wet. Additionally, protecting the structural integrity of the substructure affords homeowners added peace of mind and satisfaction that can lead to referrals and more business.

3. Deck Lighting

Another “bright” idea for adding versatility and value to a deck is with lighting. Dimmable LED lights incorporated into post caps, railings and stairs can increase safety and security while also enhancing ambiance and extending the time that homeowners can spend enjoying their outdoor space. All three of these upgrades add considerable function and value to a deck project without adding a lot of time or cost. For homeowners, this translates into greater satisfaction and increased ROI. For builders, they are great ways to earn more profit. Assuming a margin of 20% on a 325-sq. ft. deck, a builder could potentially earn a few thousand dollars more by adding an under-deck drainage system and a ceiling to a project. Over time, these minor add-ons can have a major impact a company’s overall revenue. DECK DRAINAGE can be installed above or, as with RainEscape, below the joists.

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– A TrexPro Platinum deck builder, Sal Serbin has operated Colorado Redwood Decks, Centennial, Co., since 1985 (www. coloradoredwooddecks.com).

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PRODUCT Spotlight By Kat Benton

Wow customers with railing infill options hen you look at a deck what’s the first thing you typically notice? In many cases, it’s the railings. Railings not only add an element of protection to decks and stairs, but also help to personalize and differentiate an outdoor space. Alternative infill solutions are becoming more popular as builders and homeowners look for ways to seamlessly tie together outdoor living spaces with a home’s design aesthetic to create an integrated look that is both functional and stylish. Following are several railing infill options that can take outdoor spaces to the next level, transforming them from ordinary to statement-making.

Panel Infill

Designer panel infill is one of the newer infill options. Beyond longevity and ease of care, one of the most appealing benefits of panel infill is that it gives homeowners a number of ways to coordinate their railings with their existing exterior design theme. Alternatively, a railing with an inter-

esting panel infill can serve as the foundational element within an outdoor living space, helping to set the tone for the rest of the space. The ability to mix-and-match the panel infill with other infill options, such as horizontal or vertical cable railing, glass, and pickets, further expands the design possibilities–and allows homeowners to make a more personalized statement.

Horizontal & Vertical Cable Infill

An infill type that continues to gain traction is stainless steel cable infill. Its clean-lined aesthetic enables homeowners to enjoy unimpeded views from their deck, which is especially important in cases where the deck showcases a beautiful view. Many homeowners are drawn to cable infill for its minimalist look—think slender cables and hidden fittings that virtually disappear—as well as for its versatility. Not only is cable infill compatible with multiple railing types, including wood, metal and composite-sleeved railings, but it also works with a vari-

CABLE INFILL is compatible with multiple railing types, including wood, metal and composite-sleeved railings. It also works with a variety of architectural styles, from rustic to transitional to contemporary, much like Feeney’s CableRail. (Photo: Mark McClish for Feeney)

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ety of architectural styles, from rustic to transitional to contemporary. And, like stainless steel and aluminum panel infill, cable railing is durable and low maintenance. It also promotes air flow across the deck area, which is desirable in warmer climates.

Glass Infill

Clear tempered glass panels offer a sleek look and unfettered sight lines, enabling those on the deck to “look through” the infill to the view beyond. Although this type of infill can create the illusion of no railing, it requires regular cleaning to maintain a clear view. Homeowners who want more privacy can opt for glass infill with varying degrees of tint. This helps to manage light flow. In addition, this type of infill can provide a full or partial wind break, which can be beneficial in coastal or mountain settings.

Vertical Pickets

Like vertical cable infill, vertical pickets can bring clean-lined elegance to a deck by drawing the eye upward and out towards the view and, at the same time, add vertical support. While pickets can be found in several materials that add architectural interest—for example, wood and rod iron—aluminum pickets, in particular, are a great low maintenance option that also deliver long-term durability. Complete aluminum railing systems are available and can be powder coated in a range of colors for added visual appeal and personalization.” With so many stylish and versatile infill options, the sky’s the limit when it comes to railing design. Whatever infill type is selected, it’s possible to create a deck with a view. – Kat Benton is senior PR account executive for Feeney railing division. For more information, visit feeneyinc.com. Building-Products.com

PRODUCT Spotlight By Steve Getsiv

Should deck builders choose tiles over boards? The most common problem is that many applications require a hardwood deck built very close to the ground or built on a flat surface such as a roof top or deck with a dry space underneath. In this situation, wood decking material has little space to breathe, since ventilation is severely limited. If the installer chose to use 1x6 or 5/4x6 nominal boards, the end result will usually be cupped and warped boards. The reason this occurs has nothing to do with the quality of the wood itself and everything to do with the moisture differential created by inadequate ventilation between the tops and bottoms of the deck boards.

Narrow vs. Wide Boards

NOVA offers wood deck tiles in naturally durable batu hardwood, and also supplies a proprietary tung oil wood finish called ExoShield. (Photo by Nova USA Wood)

ood deck tiles have become a popular option in lieu of standard long length deck boards, especially in close-to-ground applications. Most manufacturers of deck boards do not recommend installation without at least 16” of clearance for ventilation and air flow. Standard long length deck boards are generally provided in 8’ through 20’ lengths as compared to deck tiles, which are typically 24” x 24” or smaller. Critical installation factors could encourage the use of interlocking wood deck tiles in place of regular deck boards.

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Whether to use narrow or wide boards is the most critical decision when planning to install a wood deck with minimal ventilation below the boards. Most decking suppliers of exotic tropical hardwoods such as ipe, cumaru, batu and mahogany will recommend a minimum of 36” of space below the deck boards as well as adequate openings (50% minimum) around the perimeter of the deck when installing 1x6 and 5/4x6 so that the entire structure can breathe. If moisture is not adequately removed from the underside of the boards, cupping and distortion will always occur. If the install is closer to the ground than 36” or for installations over flat surfaces such as rooftops, we always recommend using 1x4 or 5/4x4 nominal deck boards. And yet, we still require at least 12” of ventilation space below the deck boards for our warranty and guarantee to be effective. This 12” space minimum works fine for most decks built over a concrete pad but it doesn’t work in all situations and will rarely work on a rooftop deck or if you happen to be building a deck on a flat surface with a dry space below. Nominal 1x4 or 5/4x4 should always be used when building a deck between 12” and 36” off the ground.

Why Tiles Might Be the Best Choice

Wood decking tiles are generally manufactured not out of 4” or 6” nominal boards, but out of 3” nominal boards— 1x3’s with a typical net width of only 2-1/2”! Of course they are more stable when exposed to uneven moisture between the top and bottom! Wood deck tiles generally have these individual 1x3 nominal boards spaced with about Building-Products.com

1/4” between boards. This allows for normal swelling and shrinkage over the seasons without letting the boards swell to the point of cutting off air flow and ventilation from top to bottom. Interlocking deck tiles are also very easy to remove if necessary because they generally snap together with plastic connectors at the corners. Most deck tiles will have an index hole drilled in each corner to allow for securely tightening the tile to the plastic connectors. The connectors themselves allow for a reasonable gap of 3/16” to 1/4” between tiles.

Finishing Touches

We strongly recommend that all wood deck tiles—as well as wood deck boards—be finished with a high quality penetrating oil finish on both sides before installation. Finishing the underside has nothing to do with beauty and everything to do with inhibiting the flow of moisture into and out of the wood from the under side. Oil-based finishes are generally superior to water-based finishes. When it comes to oil-based finishes, tung oil finishes are superior to linseed oil or vegetable oil finishes, because tung oil dries harder and more flexible and won’t evaporate

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over time. If you use a water-based product, be sure it has nanotechnology sealing properties. An extreme approach, but one we have recommended, is to wax the bottom side of the deck tiles before installation. Some end seal products, such as Anchor Seal by UC Coatings, are waxes that should not evaporate over time and will give the bottom side of the deck tiles permanent protection from moisture penetration. Some contractors who install 1x4 or 5/4x4 deck boards in very close to ground applications with under 12” of ventilation will wax the bottom sides of their boards prior to installation. This practice maximizes the long term life of deck boards in these close-to-ground applications. Will water rot your wood deck tiles or boards? That depends. If a naturally durable hardwood such as ipe, cumaru or batu is used, then no, water won’t rot your boards. However, this doesn’t apply to meranti, cambara, cedar, redwood, pine or any other wood that doesn’t come with at least a 25-year warranty against rot and decay. – Steve Getsiv is CEO of Nova USA Wood Products, Beaverton, Or. Reach him via www.novausawood.com.

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INDUSTRY Trends By Steven Schlesser

Decking forecast looks strong or the past two years, home builders across the country have enjoyed robust profits fueled by rising prices for new homes. The strength in the economy has allowed lumber producers and wholesalers to successfully pass on price increases to their customers. Normally, in good times, builders expect a 10% operating margin, two percentage points over what has been the median for the last 25 years. Unfortunately this “forward motion” in the housing industry was slowed by a crash in lumber and panel prices in the fourth quarter (suddenly overstuffed inventory was worth a lot less) and a leveling off of prices for newly built homes.

These concerns, however, do not impact the decking industry as directly as they do new housing. Deck building arises both from new home construction as well as from existing remodeling. Generally, the increase in Canadian cedar prices during most of last year forced deck builders towards composite and hardwood decking. Overall, deck building and new home construction remain strong. Economists were pleasantly surprised by the jobs numbers reported in January—over 300,000 new jobs added to the U.S. economy—which boomerangs to more activity up and down the private sector. From our discussions with wholesalers, we forecast price stability in

HARDWOOD DECKING should remain in high demand, although rising prices may be on the horizon. (Photo by Kayu International)

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cedar decking, modest increases in composites (especially in the second quarter), and eventual increases in exotic hardwood decking from South America (mostly ipe) and Southeast Asia (species from the mahogany family). Price increases in exotic wood generally arise from log shortages, bad weather, and increased demand. Home builders will find that in addition to softwood lumber prices returning to 2018 levels, labor costs, too, are on the rise. The construction industry unemployment rate, at 6.3% during the first half of 2018, has fallen back to its levels during the housing boom. According to a new report by the U.S. Labor Department, the “quits rate”—that is, the share of workers voluntarily leaving construction jobs, a sign they think they can get new jobs easily—stood at 2.5% last March and April, the highest since early 2008. In the manufactured housing industry, managers are struggling with low volume floor output (even though demand for manufactured homes is strong) primarily because plants cannot keep a steady workforce in place. In the old days, mobile home producers turned a blind eye to Social Security numbers submitted by prospective employees. Now all documentation is carefully scrutinized. Although wages are up to $14 to $18 an hour, manufactured housing producers find ever-increasing turnover. If anything, the official figures may understate how tight the market has become for an overall construction industry that has traditionally relied heavily on illegal immigrants. It is not surprising that the decreasing numbers of illegal immigrants crossing the border would stress the labor market. According to Pew Research, illegal immigrants account for about 13% of construction workers, and in some areas, that figure may be significantly higher. For example, nearly a third of the brick and masonry workers are here illegally and these are not just Hispanic workers, but often Russians or other Eastern Europeans. The more important issue is how these trends affect the overall housing market, which was certainly one of the bright spots in 2018 and should not be overlooked. After all, housing helps drive spending on everything from cars to decks, lighting, hot tubs, paint, primer, cabinets and couches. – Steven Schlesser is a hardwood specialist for Kayu International, Wilsonville, Or. (www.kayu.com). Building-Products.com

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COMPETITIVE Intelligence By Carla Waldemar

100 years of gratitude

MICHIGAN DEALER is appreciative for the opportunity to serve its community for a century.

hortly past the dawn of the last century, Fred Graves, who ran a lumberyard in Wisconsin, got the urge to move to Jonesville, Mi., to help a cousin in the yard he owned. By 1919, Fred had bought him out. Fast forward through several generations to send a Happy 100th Anniversary greeting to his fifth-generation heirs and present owners of Jonesville Lumber, brothers Ben and Abe Graves. A couple of generations later, their father, James Graves, moved the operation across the street—taking it down piece by piece, then reassembling it on higher ground and—bright idea!— adding the first-ever drive-thru in the entire state, as part of a complete store remodel. (The original building had served as everything from a diner to a gas station to a car dealership). A bit earlier, back in 1986, James installed—gasp!—a computer, which caused “a little push and pull with the older guys, who were used to writing each and every order up by hand. A big change. And no regrets! Zero!” attests James’ son, Ben. Ten years ago he and his brother Abe took over the day-to-day, with Ben running the warehouse and purchasing, and Abe the sales and hardware side. This year,

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the brothers bought out their dad, who refuses to sink into the La-Z-Boy. Says he, “What retirement? I have a farm and Angus cattle to manage.” “It’s simply a change of venue,” agrees Ben, who at 40 holds up his half of the fifth generation. “I grew up at the end of a broom; it’s pretty much what I always thought I’d do. I like the links with the community, the builders, the salesmen. You fall into it, and it turns out to be a very satisfying job.” Jonesville, a town of 2,500, sits in what Ben describes as a blue-collar county—“very resilient. If the economy’s bad in the country, it’s okay here. If it’s good elsewhere, it’s also okay here. There’s a lot of new construction, a bounce-back from 2008 when the bottom dropped out. Back then, homeowners didn’t sell and move up; they remodeled, and that business carried us. With the rebound, they’re back into new construction, and custom homes are our specialty.” Their customer base is heavy to pros (80/20), “but our DIY trade is also a huge part of our business,” Ben says. “When a customer walks in, we get to him as fast as we possibly can. We’re very service-oriented; our salespeople are very knowledgeable

May 2019

(some have 40 years in the business) and highly skilled: It’s our Number One attribute. Back in 1997, when we saw the writing on the wall, we decided to focus on ‘How can we service our customers better?’ So Jim bought a boom truck, and we couldn’t keep it off the road. So he bought a truck with a mounted forklift. Couldn’t keep it in the yard, either. So he bought another one. We can provide rooftop delivery, drywall delivery. For lake homes, we can get in sideways when needed. Our whole warehouse crew is focused on getting the product out.” That crew is a vital part of a staff of 20 full-timers which includes five salesmen. “Their job is—to sell!” Ben announces emphatic, assigning them a back-up of two fellows in-house who run support for them. “Our salesmen are confident! And they know a lot! I’ve got salesman who are driven! If you’ve got those attributes, it’ll happen for you. They know what’s going on.” Staff training occurs in winter, when business slows down, and cements the relationships that bloom.” It’s a family-owned business, where we work 10-hour days together: They see more of each other than they do of their families, and it carries over. You’ve got to find the right blend of guys who work together. It’s a team that makes it go, working for common goals. It’s a beautiful thing,” he adds. And those satisfied employees stay on. Why? “We’re fifth-generation owners” who aren’t going anywhere. “We’ve always done the right thing, never micro-manage. We give them a lot of freedom, but we also expect a lot of work. We treat everyone like family and use their time fairly. If you stay loyal to your employees, they’ll stay loyal to you. That’s a lesson I’ve learned from past generations, to do the right thing,” he underscores the company’s mantra. He points to a staffer named Gordon Shaw, recently deceased, who signed on back in Ben’s Building-Products.com

great-grandfather’s time. “He worked here 60 years. He retired lots of times but kept on coming back.” That proves, in his mind, “You don’t need to reinvent the wheel; just follow the blueprint.” Works for customers, too. “If the customer wins, everybody wins. We make sure that, when they leave, they’ve had a good experience. When we spot them down an aisle, it’s ‘Hey!’ so they don’t have to walk up and ask; it takes that task out of their hands. We jump up when they come in. “Ladies,” he responds to a reporter’s question, “are a huge part of our business: Kitchen & Bath—we have a kitchen specialist and design packages. Tile. If they want something, they’re gonna get it,” he pledges. “We make sure that they feel comfortable. Talk down to them? There’s no place for that!” Jonesville Lumber offers one-stop shopping—but, like the boom truck and the computer, today that’s old news. “That’s always been the case. We offer windows, garage doors, steel siding and roofing, shingles, hardware,” and the list goes on. “Yet, lumber is a huge—huge!—part of our business. Again, we don’t reinvent the wheel, just tweak it.” And heed customers’ suggestions. “We get feedback. We welcome the good, but also the bad. We don’t take it personally; it shows us how we can improve.” That’s the recipe for success, which Ben rephrases as “Everybody can make money, but how do you keep it? Be there and fill their needs. Stay financially solvent with your bank: You’ve got freedom if you don’t have a large credit line. If you manage labor. And materials. We weathered the downturn by watching expenses, but at the same time, keeping our equipment up. And by maintaining salesmen, keeping their motivation strong.” Competition? It’s not what it used to be. “Not long ago,

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every town in the county had a lumberyard. Unfortunately, starting in 2004, the independents started closing down. Then in 1991, the Carter chain moved in. But we did what they couldn’t do—offer customer service: salesmen, estimators. We didn’t subscribe to the corporate mentality. Before we say no, we look at the options. We service our customers the way an independent, family-owned operation can. So in 2010, Carter closed their doors, while we weathered the storm. We don’t take any pleasure in their closing. Zero!” Ben attests. “Twenty people lost their jobs. But I give credit to Jim [Graves], who lived up to his ideals.” And those involve giving back to the community. “We sponsor youth activities—schools, sports, 4H. Kids will be the leaders of the future.” Jonesville’s own future looks bright, maybe thanks to the brothers’ own kids. “Abe has two daughters and I have three kids, including a daughter who’s turning 15.” (Hint to daughter: Expect a broom as a birthday present.) “I won’t pressure my kids to go into the business, same as nobody pressured me, or my father. I wasn’t expected to be here, but it was expected that, whatever I did, I do it 110%. “I’m 40 years old, and I’m staying put. Absolutely! Forever! This is my life. It’s an honest living, working with great people. There’s not a single day I say, ‘I’ve got to go to work.’ It’s very gratifying.” Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net

May 2019

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OLSEN on Sales By James Olsen

Controlling the call

he majority of sellers are too nervous, under-prepared, or just don’t now how to control sales conversations. Most don’t even think they should. “Why would I try to control the conversation? I’m a relationship seller; I want to get along with my customers in a smooth, non-confrontational way. If I try to control the call it will make my customers uncomfortable.” The opposite is true and Master Sellers know it. The person who is uncomfortable is the struggling salesperson. Customers love it when a seller knows exactly what their value proposition is and can promote it in a passionate way. Sellers who are “waiting for the customer to buy” make the buyer do all the work. The Master Seller makes it easy to say yes by having all the reasons why what they’re promoting is a good deal, with many options that will work.

Changing the Subject

When customers start talking about negative things many sellers commiserate with them. Master Sellers agree a little, then segue to something positive. Customer: “Aw, heck with this rain we won’t be buying anything till June.” Quotron (in a weak, whiny tone): “I know it’s terrible. It’s raining all over the country. We are slow, too. Is there anything you need?” Vs.: Customer: “Aw, heck with this rain we won’t be buying anything till June.” Master Seller: “And that’s exactly why I called you, Tom. We’ve got a program on the 2x4 104 5/8 you like. We put these together for late May shipment. We’ve got a great price on them. How many can you use?”

Questions = Control = Sales

The person asking the questions is controlling the call. Most sellers answer customer questions like dutiful school children responding to the principal of their grade school; they answer, then wait for the next question. Master Sellers answer the question and ask a question of their own. Customer: “What’s your price on 2x4 92 5/8” today?” Quotron: “$450/MBF” Customer: “When can they ship?” Quotron: “Two weeks or sooner.” Customer: “OK, thanks. I appreciate it. I’ll let you know.” Vs.: Customer: “What’s your price on 2x4 92 5/8” today?” Master Seller: “We’ve got some great deals on studs today. How many do you need?” Customer: “One for quick and one for three weeks out.” Master Seller: “I can do those shipments. Do you have

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some order numbers for me?” Customer: “What’s the price?” Master Seller: “That’s the best part. We can get these into you at $450/MBF, which is a great deal in this market. Do you want to put those on?” In the example the Master Seller waits to give the price and ask for the order until he knows exactly what the customer is looking for. Note: Our closing percentage isn’t based on calls made, emails sent, or questions answered— but on how many times we ask for the order per year.

Non-Answer Answers

A non-answer answer is an answer that sides-steps our question. To control our calls, we need to be aware of non-answers and deal with them. Quotron: “Tom, I’ve got a great deal on some studs, how many do you need?” Customer: “I’m OK on studs for now.” Quotron: “How long can you wait before you have to buy?” Customer: “I guess we’ll be alright for a bit.” Vs.: Master Seller: “Tom, I’ve got a great deal on some studs, how many can you use?” Customer: “I’m OK on studs for now.” Master Seller: “How long can you wait before you have to buy?” Customer: “I guess we’ll be alright for a bit.” Master Seller: “Tom, I’ve got in my notes that you’re going through about six trucks a month, so how many studs do you have on the yard?” Customer: “I’d have to check my inventory.” Master Seller: “Tom, you’re at your desk, why don’t we pull it up now?” The Master Seller now has a chance to get an order. In addition, knowing the customer’s inventory on studs sets up the next call, whether we get the order or not, whereas the Quotron is in the dark on this call and the next… and the next…. When we control our calls, we control our destiny. James Olsen Reality Sales Training (503) 544-3572 james@realitysalestraining.com Building-Products.com

THE REVENUE Growth Habit By Alex Goldfayn

Thousands of failures

e’re moving homes, and my wife has been on a shredding mission. While reviewing file boxes that have not been opened in many years, she came across my first business head shots, taken about 20 years ago. As a working adult, I’ve never had a job, never had a paycheck paid by somebody else. Because I’ve always been in business, I’ve never had a resume. But I’ve always had headshots. These were the first. Amazingly, my wife found not only the prints but also the negatives they came from and even the slides. (Some of you reading this have never seen film negatives.) I am looking at these photos as I write this. They are spread out on my desk, just above my keyboard. They are in a fancy office that my attorney or accountant let me use. The photographer did our wedding pictures too, because these were taken around that time. The kid in the pictures is eager, enthusiastic and also terrified. I felt, at once, on top of the world, but also I had no clue how I’d cover payroll that next month. Or the one after that. I was running a computer consulting company, and I had employees back then. And they were far more adept at managing me than I was at managing them. I didn’t really know what I was doing—operating by feel—but I had to make it look like I knew exactly what to do. There has been a lot of failure since these pictures were taken. Thousands of failures. Thousands of learning opportunities. Thousands of growth moments. That business imploded when the Internet bubble burst about a year after the photos were taken. Then it took several business iterations, thousands of published and newsletter articles, hundreds of television appearances, hundreds of radio interviews, thousands of speeches, and about 15 years to develop my consulting practice. We were out of money multiple times during this

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extended period. There were moments when my wife believed in me more than I believed in myself. And as any salesperson knows, the customer can feel uncertainty, meekness and fear. Similarly, the customer can feel confidence, optimism and enthusiasm. Negativity is just as contagious as positivity. Somewhere in this process, I actively chose positivity and optimism. This is what I sell now. And clients pay good money for it. In fact, as my clients apply my principles of selling boldly and begin bringing these traits of enthusiasm and value to their customers, they find that their customers also pay good money for these traits. You will find that you are the only one who brings positivity value proactively to your customers. Everyone else— the competition!—only calls with problems and issues. About five years ago my solo consulting practice surpassed seven figures for the first time. Last year, it tripled that amount. And my fourth book, Selling Boldly, hit the Wall Street Journal bestseller list. This year, my business will grow bigger still. Why? Because of all the failures. All the learning. And, most importantly, all the perseverance. I’ve developed a perseverance habit, which has become the foundation on which my business has been built. It has become the defining characteristic of my life. Perseverance in prospecting. Perseverance in setting the meetings. Perseverance in following up. Perseverance in digging out of holes, and there have been many. A middle-aged man recently said to me, “I’ve never failed at anything in my life.” And I immediately thought that he has not attempted anything challenging or interesting in his life. Salespeople fail. Entrepreneurs fail. Executives fail. But then we succeed. First we fail. Then we persevere. Then we succeed. The ones who don’t succeed are the ones who don’t persevere enough. Either they don’t try enough times to make this way work, or they don’t try hard enough to find an alternate way. The kid in the photos had no idea of the failures and challenges that lay ahead. The grown man with graying hair writing this today is grateful as hell for them. Alex Goldfayn Revenue Growth Consultancy alex@evangelistmktg.com (847) 459-6322 Building-Products.com

TRANSFORMING Teams By Claudia St. John

Cool ideas to attract and engage employees or many years, and to this day, I am asked to speak about how to hire top talent. For quite a while, millennials in the workplace was a hot topic. Last year, the subject of how to avoid and address sexual harassment in the workplace was a major theme. This year, the subject everyone wants to talk about is how to attract and retain employees. So this month I’m going to give you five cool ideas for doing just that. But before I do, I want to offer one of the best resources that I know of for improving employee engagement. It comes from the Gallup Organization. For more than 30 years, Gallup has studied the key elements that highlyengaged employees say are most important to them at work. This resulted in the Q12 index—the 12 elements of a job that are tied most closely to engagement and business performance. These elements are listed below in order of importance, with the first being the most important element: 1. I know what’s expected of me at work. 2. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right. 3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day. 4. In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work. 5. My supervisor or someone at work seems to care about me as a person. 6. There is someone at work who encourages my development. 7. At work, my opinions seem to count. 8. The mission or purpose of my organization makes me feel my job is important. 9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing good quality work.

Q. How would offering Student Loan Repayment as a benefit work? Is there any tax favorability to it? A. In a tight labor market and with a large percentage of

new hires carrying student loan debt, this is a great benefit to recruit new hires. Whether it’s paying a portion of the debt every month or paying off chunks of debt at a time, it helps employees alleviate the burden of debt. The benefits are fully taxable to the employee and to you, so there’s no tax advantage. But unlike salary, you will not be paying FICA or other employment taxes on the amount.

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10. I have a best friend at work. 11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress. 12. This last year, I have had opportunities to learn and grow. What I love about this list is what’s not on it—pay. Bottom line: compensation does not improve employee engagement. What is on this list are factors that, with the expense of just time and effort from leadership, can truly transform a corporate culture. If you focus on communicating expectations and direction, celebrating relationships, providing opportunities for growth, and listening and providing feedback, employees will be engaged. Spend time with this list. What could you do better? But what about those potential employees who you are trying to entice to join your company? Here are some ideas on how to attract them:

1. Ask employees what matters most to them.

You already have amazing employees. What do they love most about their jobs? Is it the autonomy? Is it the delish food you put out in the lunch room? Is it the wonderful clients you have? Promote what makes yours a great company and get your employees engaged in recruiting more talent just like them. And if you offer an employee referral program (and you should), make it meaningful. By that I mean $500 to $1,000 if the hire lasts a year. Buy swag—promote your employees and candidates like a university promotes prospective students—give them Building-Products.com

the mug and the hat and the t-shirt. Make them feel a part of the team before you’ve even hired them!

2. Help your talent alleviate their debt.

Whether it’s an entry-level blue-collar worker or a recent grad with an MBA, young workers today are saddled with incredible debt, either in the form of credit card debt or student loans. They also question whether Social Security will be there for them when it’s their time to retire. Offer to help pay their debt once they meet certain milestones such as length of service or performance level. You may even be able to offer a little less in salary for that huge piece of mind. There are companies to help you structure the benefit such as Tuition.io, Futurefuel.io, and Vault. And if you offer a retirement plan, teach your young workers about it and the massive benefits of compound interest. Chances are, they may not know how it works. Study after study show that employees truly value the ability to work from home on occasion and most would like to be able to do so one day a week. Offer this as a perk. For your service workers such as cleaning staff, sometimes life happens. A child gets sick or a family emergency arises. Workers facing these situations often become a no-call, no-show because they know there are no benefits allowing them to take time to take care of what’s happening in their life. Reach out to them. Let them know you understand and that if their situation changes, you’d like to have them back.

4. Remember the Dream Manager.

In his wonderful book The Dream Manager, Matthew Kelly describes a real-life situation where a janitorial company dramatically reduced the turnover of its cleaning crew simply by hiring someone to listen to the dreams of employees and helping them develop a strategy to make those dreams a reality. The act of listening is a powerful tool that can transform lives and your corporate culture. Ask your prospective employees what their dreams are and help them to achieve those dreams. They may leave you in the end, but they will appreciate you forever, and you’ll have no trouble attracting new employees with fresh dreams.

5. Offer sabbaticals.

I know, I know. I get grief every time I raise this, but hear me out. What if, after five years of service, you were offered the opportunity to take some time off, say a month or six weeks, to do anything you want? To travel, to study painting, to visit long-lost family, to write that book! You’d stay with that company! With no added cost to you (you’ll still have the same payroll and will only have to realign duties for a period of time), you can create loyalty and memories for a lifetime! Who doesn’t want that? I’m sorry if you thought I was going to talk about zip lines in the warehouse or baristas in the break room. But really, when it comes to attracting and retaining talent, it starts with you. It starts with the Q12 and listening to your employees. Today talent can get any job. Make them want yours. Your commitment to them and their dreams and needs will do just that. Claudia St. John Affinity HR Group claudia@affinityhrgroup.com Building-Products.com

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3. Offer ﬂexibility.

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US LBM Buys Mississippi’s Bailey’s

US LBM Holdings has acquired six-unit Mississippi dealer Bailey Lumber & Supply. Bailey Lumber was purchased from the Bailey family, which founded the company in Jackson, Ms., in 1947. Today based in Gulfport, Bailey’s offers a broad range of services and specialty products to both professional builders and D-I-Yers, including roofing, siding, windows, cabinets, floor and roof truss systems, customized doors, and millwork. It will continue to be led by Richard Kostal, who is remaining with the company as president. According to US LBM president and CEO L.T. Gibson, “With the acquisition of Bailey’s, a top distributor with a full line of building products and services, we’re furthering our strategy of partnering with local market leaders and increasing our presence in the growing southern U.S. construction market.”

Partners Rev Up New SYP Mill

LaSalle Lumber, the joint venture of Hunt Forest Products, Ruston, La., and Canada’s Tolko Industries, has started up its new sawmill in Urania, La. With a capacity of 200 million bd. ft., the $115-million facility will produce 2x4, 2x6 and 2x8 dimension southern yellow pine lumber, 4x4 and 4x6 SYP timbers, and 5/4” RED decking. Jim Olson, sales manager at Coastal Forest Products for the last nine years, is now sales manager for LaSalle. LaSalle originates on the UP and serve all markets in the western half of the U.S. as well as export.

Huttig Expands in Central Florida

Huttig Building Products more than doubled the size of its Davenport, Fl., warehouse from 200,700 ft. to 448,630 sq. ft., making room for an even broader product mix. The expansion, along with doubling its interior and exterior door production capabilities, allows Huttig-Florida to now offer a one-truck solution with reduced lead times. In addition, its fastener inventory has been doubled to over $4 million, enabling next-service-day delivery on all HuttigGrip products.

Universal Supply Enters Baltimore

Universal Supply has opened a new location in Edgewood, Md. The new location is Universal Supply’s 14th location, and its second in Maryland, after opening in Salisbury last fall. The new location features roofing, siding, replacement windows and specialty products. Universal Supply also operates in New Jersey, southeastern Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

Oldcastle Buys Masonry Producer

Oldcastle APG, Atlanta, Ga., has acquired hardscapes manufacturer Allied Concrete Products, Culpeper, Va. Since 1945, Allied has been a leader in hardscapes under the Eagle Bay brand, in addition to its Allied brand concrete masonry and lightweight aggregates. The deal brings Oldcastle two new concrete masonry manufacturing facilities, in Richmond and Chesapeake, Va. In addition to expanding product offerings, the acquisition strengthens Oldcastle’s ability to service mid-Atlantic hardscape and masonry installers with its own Belgard pavers, wall products, Techniseal paver sand and sealers, Echelon masonry, and Amerimix mortars.

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DEALER Briefs Frary Lumber, Sterling, Il., is operating its third location in Fulton, Il., at the former home of Brinkman Building

Center.

Ada Building Center, Ada, Ok., has been placed up for sale with the planned retirement of longtime owner Danny Bredman. The 7.7-acre operation has been serving Norman County for over 76 years. Busy Beaver opened store #22 April 18 in Elkins, W.V. The 33,000-sq. ft. branch is managed by Duane Coakley. Beacon Roofing Supply has opened new greenfield branches in Odessa and Plano, Tx., and Panama City, Fl. Trade Mark Building Supply has relocated from

Forest City, N.C., to Columbus, N.C.

Ace Hardware is opening early this month in Roscoe, Roscoe Center True Value, which

Il., at the former closed last fall.

Bethlehem Ace Hardware , Hickory, Pa., was opened April 8 by Randy and LaShae Bock. Puhl’s True Value , Wauwatosa, Wi., is being converted to Ace Hardware after its purchase by Germantown, Wi., franchisee Ben Gil as his fourth location. Ace Hardware, Wichita, Ks., opened in early April, after relocating from the Wichita Mall. Crosslake Ace Hardware owners Dan and Betty Soller opened a second store, 10,000-sq. ft. McGregor Ace Hardware, McGregor, Mn., on April 15. Vernon Village True Value , Cedar Rapids, Ia., has been acquired, remodeled and reopened by brothers Tim, Greg and Zach Miller, who also operate Manchester True Value, Manchester, Ia. All employees have stayed on, including longtime store manager Phil Cronin. Weaver’s Ace Hardware opened its 3rd location in South Heidelberg, Pa., at the former home of Green Valley Nursery. Lynn Lumber Co., Tellico Plains, Tn., lost its sawmill

in an April 4 blaze.

Lowe’s held an April 4 grand opening for its new 124,000-sq. ft. store with garden center in Yorktown, N.Y. Menards is nearing completion of a new megastore in New Philadelphia, Oh., and will break ground this summer on 17 acres in Kansas City, Ks., for a 2020 opening. – Omission – C.M. Tucker Lumber, Pageland, S.C., was inadver-

tently omitted from last month’s list of wood treaters with at least three facilities (p. 11), having earlier acquired two additional plants. Building-Products.com

FIRST CHOICE. BEST CHOICE.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS Some think of Do it Best as the industry leader in hardware distribution and retailing expertise. Others know Do it Best as the co-op that serves the largest and most successful lumber dealers in the country. The fact is, both are correct. Do it Best is the only co-op that serves as a single-source provider while leading the industry in both hardware and LBM. Why do we work so hard to maintain relationships, deliver proven programs and support members with dedicated expertise on both sides of the industry? Because we want to give all members a simpler, streamlined ordering process, backed by strategic purchasing power and sophisticated business strategies. As a result, we offer incredible opportunities for growth, regardless of the types of customers our members serve. It’s an approach that has proven to be just as successful for single-location retailers as it is for large, multi-location businesses. From LBM to Hardware, Do it Best is focused on being the first and best choice in everything we do. “At Do it Best, we want to help growth-minded entrepreneurs serve their customers with outstanding service and unbeatable selection.” — Nick Talarico

Vice President of Sales & Business Development

Call us today at 888-DO IT BEST (364-8237). independentsdoitbest.com

Bliffert Acquires Lumberyard #8

Bliffert Lumber & Hardware, Milwaukee, Wi., has purchased the former Neu’s Supply Line Inc.’s lumberyard in Germantown, Wi., as its eighth location. The deal closed in March, and the yard reopened April 15, offering industrial, construction and retail lumber, as well as builders hardware. Neu’s Supply Line was started in 1945. Bob Neu took over the business in 1959 and ran the company until his death in June 2018.

SUPPLIER Briefs Columbia Forest Products this fall will permanently shutter its hardwood plywood facility in Trumann, Ar. Coastal Forest Products, Bedford, N.H., is now distributing Fiberglass Building Products’ FiberGutter products to Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey.

Conifex Finalizes Lignum Sale

Weyerhaeuser Distribution , Charlotte, N.C., is now supplying Woodtone products, including RealPost, AbsolutePost and RealSoffit, to West Virignia and the Carolinas. Weyerhaeuser already distributes for Woodtone in Florida, Texas, Colorado and Southern California.

Supermarket Chain Builds Its First Full-Service Hardware Store

TAMKO Building Products, Joplin, Mo., announced that Carlyle Global Partners has become a minority investor in its asphalt roofing and building materials business.

Conifex Timber, Vancouver, B.C., has completed the sale of Lignum Forest Products to Canwel Building Materials Group Ltd. The $11.5-million deal includes approximately $10.5 million for working capital.

Greer’s held a chain saw ribbon cutting April 10 to celebrate the grand opening of its latest grocery/hardware combo store. According to Jan Greer Endfinger, vice president of human resources and marketing for Autry Greer & Sons Inc., Greer’s Old Bay Ace Hardware will be a full-service hardware store connected to a supermarket, with plans for a lumberyard in the near future. In recent years the supermarket chain developed three stores that contain an Ace Express hardware section, essentially a store-within-a-store concept. This will be Greer’s first full-service hardware store.

Chelsea Building Products, Oakmont, Pa., has started up a 126,000-sq. ft. extrusion plant in Greenville, Tx., to produce windows and siding. NCI Building Systems will be renamed Cornerstone Building Brands effective May 24, following its purchase late last year by Ply Gem. Its window,

siding, roofing, wall systems, and metal accessories will retain their existing brand names.

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MOVERS & Shakers Rich Mills, ex-Boise Cascade, has been named VP of sales for Hood Industries, Hattiesburg, Ms. Lindsay Robidoux, ex-Sherwood Lumber, has joined Boston Cedar, Mansfield, Ma., as engineered wood products market mgr. Neal Grubbs, ex-ECMD, is new to sales at BlueLinx, Greenville, S.C. Matt Graupen has been promoted to New England regional sales mgr. for Palram Americas, Lehigh Valley, Pa. John Lesher, ex-Universal Forest Products, has joined Weekes Forest Products, St. Paul, Mn., as regional VP, overseeing operations in St. Paul, Green Bay, and Jackson, Wi. Tom Gennarelli, ex-Roseburg, has joined Timber Products Co., Springfield, Or., as vice president of TP Trucking & transportation.

IN Memoriam William Peyton “Bill” Morton Jr., retired president of Home Lumber Co., Hazard, Ky., died April 18. He was 95. A military cadet at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, he served as a fighter pilot and captain in the U.S. Army Air Corp during World War II. He was recalled to active duty in 1950 during the Korean War, as an aircraft controller. In 1948, he was named manager of the family’s lumberyard in Versailles, Ky., moving to Hazard and head of the company in 1952. He retired in 1988. Morton was a past president of the Kentucky Building Material Association and National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association, and spent two terms as mayor of Hazard. Francis Earl Powell, 79, longtime plywood sales manager with Scotch Lumber Co., Fulton, Al., passed away March 30. Upon graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg in 1965, he joined Scotch Plywood, staying on for 54 years. In 1970, he started a trucking company, Francis Powell Enterprises, Inc. Gerald Walter Flynn III, 69, former lumber sales manager for BlueLinx, Atlanta, Ga., passed away March 7. A graduate of Villanova University,

Building Products Digest n

Eric Degenfelder has been named CEO at U-C Coatings, Buffalo, N.Y. He takes over for Tom Johel, who is transitioning to retirement.

Tony Houk, Great Lakes Ace Hardware, Farmington Hills, Mi., has been promoted to chief operating officer.

George Maas, ex-Dunn Lumber, is the new inside sales mgr. with Marling Lumber & Homeworks, Janesville, Wi.

David Mogle has been promoted to store mgr. at McCoy’s Building Supply, Searcy, Ar. Matthew Gonzalez is now store mgr. in Del Rio, Tx.

Emmanuel Laval, ex-James Hardie, is new to R&D/new product development at The AZEK Co., Chicago, Il. Larry Thornton has retired as mill mgr. for Interfor, Georgetown, S.C., after 42 years in the industry. Tramon Butts is now general mgr. of Ace Hardware Corp.’s retail support center in Gainesville, Ga. Alan Zeedyk, ex-Georgia Pacific Gypsum, is now Ocala, Fl.-based construction design mgr. with National Gypsum Co.

he started his career in 1972 with MacMillan Bloedel, Vancouver, B.C., later moving to Seaboard International Forest Products and Georgia-Pacific. He stayed on when G-P spun off its wholesale division as BlueLinx, retiring in 2014. Gerald “Jerry” Slivinski, 87, former head of Mercer Lumber Co., Mercer, Wi., died April 8. After serving in the Air Force, he joined his parents’ lumberyard and eventeually took over. He went on to earn a teaching degree from the University of Wisconsin at Superior. Gerald W. Pounds, 80, owner of Drasco Farm & Home Supply, died April 3. He owned the hardware store for 34 years until his retirement in 2014. John Irwin Zerbe, 92, longtime wood scientist at the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wi., died April 5 after a brief illness. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he graduated from Penn State Mont Alto, then earned his PhD from New York State College of Environmental Science & Forestry. Zerbe worked for National Forest Products Association, before joining USFPL. Even after retiring, he continued to volunteer at the Lab.

May 2019

Craig Matter has joined Chelsea Building Products, Oakmont, Pa., as southeastern rgional sales mgr., based in Atlanta, Ga. Kyle Walters has rejoined Do it Best Corp., Fort Wayne, In., as regional sales & business development mgr. over seven southern states. Stuart McDiarmid has been appointed director of global hardwood panels for International Forest Products, Foxborough, Ma. Victor Solorzano is new to sales for Latin America. Mark H. Rose has been appointed sales mgr.-engineered wood products for Stora Enso Wood Products, Jacksonville, Fl. He succeeds Bob Loew, who is retiring. John Merritt has joined Professional Builders Supply, Raleigh, N.C., as president of the chain’s multifamily division. Mike Callahan, president and CEO, GMS Inc., Tucker, Ga., is retiring Aug. 2 after 26 years with the company. John C. Turner, Jr., ex-DalTile, has been named president and, upon Callahan’s retirement, CEO. Eric Spence has been named president and CEO of RAM Windows, Houston, Tx. He replaces Tim Payton, who will remain on the board of directors. Doug Meredith has joined Keene Building Products, Cleveland, Oh., as director of manufacturing. Jason Benzing is new as senior engineer. Ryan Hephner, who started at Keene as an IT consultant, is now on board full time. Maggie Hardy, president, 84 Lumber, Eightyfour, Pa., married Shawn Knox March 30 in Aspen, Co. Voorhees A. Jollygoodfellow is celebrating his 50th anniversary with Mungus Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus. Building-Products.com

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MARGIN Builders By Aaron Sims

Trim job Why and how to sell exterior packages A home is a compilation of hundreds of decisions and thousands of products. So when it comes to the exterior, focusing your sales approaches on the whole cohesive package— and showing builders, remodelers, and their homeowners what those packages look like—may improve your opportunities to increase upgrades, boost efficiencies, and further satisfy customers. Here are a few factors to consider:

rather than a sum of individual parts. Builders can send buyers to your store to view available products in combination, which is less overwhelming than choosing siding, then trim, then windows. They can get a vision for what the finished product will look like on their home and likely feel better about their decision. This in turn may help reduce change orders down the road that can create hassles for both you and the contractor.

fill gaps in your product offering. For example, stone has historically been a material most dealers do not offer, but stone siding products that install like traditional panel siding offer the opportunity to keep that stone business in house. And by incorporating those products into a systems approach to selling, you can sell the builder on trying that new siding to ensure a cohesive look and to meet buyer demand for multi-textured facades.

Instill buyer confidence: When the exterior is sold as a package, buyers can see what they’re getting as a whole and how it works together,

Keep business in-house: Consulting with your manufacturer partners about what you sell versus what more they can provide may help

Better-looking exteriors: Considering the full façade and thinking of the whole palette collectively may help builders create more varied, engaging streetscapes and avoid cookie-cutter looks. It also allows for visualization and experimentation with on-trend colors, texture blending, and materials using stocked products. More upgrades: Similarly, if buyers can see the possibilities of how different products blend on their home, it’s likely they might fall in love with the look—and the upgrades used to make that look—even if it means upping their budget.

CREATING FAÇADE displays, or even inspiration boards like this one, can help builders and buyers visualize how products come together on their homes. This display shows how Boral’s Color Harmony portfolios of siding, trim, shutter, and stone brands combine for on-trend looks.

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May 2019

Single source: Though portfolios can be created across manufacturers, selling multiple lines from a single manufacturer or brand can add economies of scale because you’re working with the same rep, the same contacts for the PO, and a familiar process. This also means it’s easier to expand to additional product lines, Building-Products.com

with less paperwork or hoops to jump through at the beginning. In addition, contractors may be more willing to try something new if it’s from a company they already know, use, and trust.

Promoting Packages

The easiest way to focus selling on the whole façade instead of one-off product selection is to create packages that are easy to choose from and customize. Here are a few ways to do that: Develop product palettes: Collaborate with your manufacturers to create product portfolios of coordinated product lines and colors that can be sold as is, with stock modifications, or with upgrades. Coordinate this process between different manufacturers, such as your siding/trim supplier and your window vendor, to ensure cohesive looks and material compatibility. Inspire customers: Showcase those palettes and portfolios in a way that reveals how end products will look on the home, whether via simple binders with images, glossy lookbooks, wall vignettes, or inspiration boards. This makes it easy for them to choose an overall look they want

ONLINE DESIGN tools, such as Boral’s Virtual Remodeler, allow dealers, their customers, and homeowners to visualize what homes will look like with different siding and trim products. Once a design is determined, a materials list makes ordering simple.

instead of trying to visualize and piece together individual parts. Leverage software: Several manufacturers also offer visualization tools that automate the process— homeowners select the siding, trim, shutters, and stone, and then the computer shows them how the combinations will look on their homes. Once a group of products is chosen, the dealer often can get a material list for easy ordering.

With so many moving parts, it is so easy for the product selection process to become stressful for customers, professional and consumer alike. Considering the exterior collectively, rather than a sum of parts, can ease the process while offering direct benefits to your bottom line. – Aaron Sims is regional business manager for the Southeast with Boral Building Products, Atlanta, Ga. (www. boralbuildingproducts.com).

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Building Products Digest n

New Particleboard Mill Gets Going

ARAUCO has started up its new particleboard and lamination operations in Grayling, Mi. The $450-million, 820,000-sq. ft. facility boasts North America’s largest single continuous particleboard press, with an annual production capacity of 452 million sq. ft. Outside are a residual wood and log handling system, wood storage facility, flakers and dryers.

NC Sawmill Fire Ruled Accidental

A fire that destroyed a sawmill at Hunt Lumber Co., Jefferson, N.C., on March 29 was ruled an accident, according to the Maine Dept. of Public Safety. Officials reported that lumberyard workers had completed repairs to machinery inside the building using torches and apparently a spark from those repairs started the fire hours later.

Alabama Mill Goes Up in Flames

Officials responded to a fire that started in the sawmill area at Moss Lumber Co., Rogersville, Al., April 2. The business sustained some moderate to minor damage, but no injuries were reported.

MSU Facility Chooses CLT

Michigan State University’s future STEM Teaching and Learning Facility in East Lansing, Mi., will be the first in the state to use mass timber, rather than concrete and/or steel, for its load-bearing structure. The $100-million facility will be constructed of glue laminated wooden columns and cross laminated timber for the floors and ceilings.

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“As a leading public research university, MSU has the fantastic opportunity to showcase these innovative and sustainable construction methods in the state of Michigan,” said Satish Udpa, acting MSU president. “I am delighted to see university operations, including building construction, pull from our state’s history as a lumber leader and mesh with the engineering capabilities of advanced materials.” The building is expected to open in fall 2020 with classes beginning the following January. The wood panels were manufactured in Quebec and shipped to campus in April.

CT Hardware Store Closes Doors

Torno Hardware, Westport, Ct., is closing its doors after almost 75 years in business. Owners of the longtime hardware store say it cannot compete with big box stores and online shopping. Interstate Lumber, Greenwich, Ct., is buying the space and will convert it into a showroom for window and door products. Anything that does not sell by the time Torno closes in June will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.

Tornado Strikes Pennsylvania Yard

A tornado ripped through Carter Lumber, Starbrick, Pa., April 15, destroying two of its four buildings. Portions of the roofs were gone or peeled back as building contents were sent flying, according to officials. Officials noted that insulation material was found up to 13 miles away, and a piece of a sign or building bearing part of Carter Lumber’s name was found along a bike trail. In all, officials reported the EF-2 tornado tore through about 16 miles of the county at about 60 mph. No injuries were reported.

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NAWLA Spotlight By Sheldon Doss

Trucking “Band-aid” doesn’t stop the bleed

IT LOOKS LIKE it will take more than higher wages to solve the labor shortage in hauling.

Bout this time in 2018, the lumber industry and other businesses were feeling hamstrung by an ongoing transportation “crisis” blamed largely on a scarcity of truck drivers. A year later, some organizations—including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association (OOIDA)—are suggesting in press reports that the shortage is nothing more than a myth. The real problem, they insist, is wages. Are they right? Well, yes… and no. There’s no denying that transportation companies—and, by extension, the industries we serve—have been feeling the pain. At Doss Logistics, an asset-based flatbed provider and nationwide brokerage based on the West Coast, the impact really began to show 18 months ago. Through regular communication and consultation, we worked with our partners, including lumber companies, to mitigate rate fluctuations and other issues as best

Building-Products.com

as possible. We also greatly increased overall driver pay for our operations. The tactic worked, with noticeable improvement over the last quarter or so. With other carriers likely taking similar steps, the driver shortage appears to have settled down a bit as those higher wages have trickled throughout the industry. Signs of a pickup may seem to validate the opinions of some naysayers; but throwing money at the problem won’t make it go away—not entirely, anyway. That’s because wages are not the only factor at work.

Looking for a Cure

The systemic issue that will continue to work against the industry despite higher wages is the fact that drivers are “aging out,” and nothing has been done to correct the overall trajectory of the problem. This is especially true for long-haul routes. There simply are not enough newcomers filling the void.

Hiring officers everywhere are turning to previously underrepresented groups such as immigrants, ex-felons, and women—as long as they are legally licensed and qualified for the job—but that hasn’t padded the rosters enough return transport to a comfortable place. The industry’s biggest hopes for a turnaround may lie with the younger generation. There is even federal legislation, known as the DRIVE-Safe Act, that promises to alleviate the dilemma by letting 18-year-olds get behind the wheel for interstate hauls. Certainly, there may be some great candidates from this group; but the proposal, which previously failed to gain traction, is dogged by safety concerns. Most industry information indicates that the risk of inexperience would probably outweigh the benefit. At some point, new technology may catch up and compensate for the inexperience of very young drivers, and they perhaps can become a bigger force in the Class A segment. For now, though, handing them the keys to a vehicle of that size is probably more risk than most firms are willing to assume.

Complications

Even with the other available pools of candidates out there, transportation companies face additional roadblocks. Issues like regulation, insurance, and litigation continue to add to the instability. With insurance, for example, drivers obviously must satisfy certain qualifications, such as having a clean driving record even before they get into the industry. In addition, there’s a whole other layer of insurance disqualifications. It used to be that only something as serious as a DUI charge would discourage a transportation line from bringing on

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a driver. Today, the list of exclusionary acts has grown significantly to include everything from failure to appear to distracted driving—even if the violation occurs outside of the work setting. It all ties into the litigation. If a driver is found to be at fault for an accident involving a personal vehicle, for instance, that is discoverable information. It’s difficult for the trucking company to argue that the offenses and behaviors linked to the personal vehicle are not also issues that occur on the job. That candidate, therefore, might not be a judicious hiring choice. As for regulation, the conflicting nature of some state and federal laws create confusion, yet another barrier to entry. Let’s use the hot-button issue of marijuana legalization as an example. The right to smoke pot—which is now allowed in a growing number of states but is still illegal from a Department of Transportation standpoint—could become a deal-breaker for some job prospects who want to indulge in this activity during their own free time. As another example, state and local laws can also affect wages. “Piece-pay” wage styles may compensate drivers according to a combination of miles, hours, drops, etc. State and municipal laws, however, can complicate that payment structure by mandating hourly pay, overtime or “equivalents,” even when it’s not required under federal statutes.

How Do We Heal?

Interestingly, with all the various barriers to entry that keep the employment cycle from running smoothly as older drivers age out of the system, it still mostly comes back around to wage, like both the BLS and OOIDA suggest. It is

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May 2019

both a differentiator and a motivator. Even as we acknowledge those realities, however, it is important to also recognize that wages are not the problem and/or solution in totality. There is a systemic issue that has yet to be addressed or corrected, and that concerns replacement of the wave of retiring drivers. Therefore, while the immediacy of the driver shortage may have eased somewhat in early 2019, we at Doss believe that the periods of distress will continue—sparked by an economic event or other catalyst—unless the underlying problem is resolved. To avoid a repeat, transportation must make itself more appealing to younger people. Yes, that means increasing wages. As we at Doss see it, the money is still slightly below where it should be for the work that it is, especially for long-haul. Plenty of other jobs pay near the same level but are less difficult to break into and to maintain. Salaries also should reflect, for example, what it really means for a long-haul driver to be home only intermittently. At the same time, with a growing preference for shorter hauls, carriers would do well to restructure routes and shorten shifts when and where possible to give drivers more home time. Not least of all, there is a need for regulatory stabilization at the local, state, and federal levels, delivered through uniform and reliable enforcement. Otherwise, we can expect to see continued wage volatility—hopefully less severe—and a similar sense of long-term instability when it comes to the driver shortage. – Sheldon Doss is general manager of Doss Logistics, Santa Rosa, Ca., with 10 locations across five western states (www. mydoss.com).

Building-Products.com

NAWLA Spotlight By Clark Spitzer

The door is always open for a career in LBM

e’ve Been talking this year about the different, sometimes convoluted, routes that bring people into the world of wholesale lumber. A consistent theme is emerging, which suggests that once you do find your way in, there’s no looking back. Or, as the saying goes: once the sawdust gets in your veins, you’re here forever. I find that to be a true statement, and it has everything to do with the culture of this industry. One of the greatest assets is the people, a realization that dawned on me right away when I joined Pittsburghbased Snavely Forest Products roughly 25 years ago. I was fortunate to find in Steve Snavely and his family the support I needed to make mistakes, learn from them, and grow. While Steve is special to me and my journey, this industry is full of people just like him: honest, hard workers who believe in doing the right thing and taking care of one another. It’s all about figuring out where you belong, company-wise and career-wise. And that’s the other best thing: there is a huge spectrum of options for both.

Something for Everyone

I realized at an early age that the construction scene was for me. I worked in many facets of the industry, from residential framing and HVAC installation and repair to management of a truss plant and sales work at a major manufacturer. I was about 35 years old when I started my career in distribution, with no family connection to the industry and no college degree. The beauty of it was that, in this business, the welcome mat is out and the doors are wide open for folks from all different walks of life. You can cross the threshold regardless of whether you have some education or

Building Products Digest n

multiple degrees, whether you have a background in wood or not, and whether you are a newcomer to the workforce or someone with years of experience elsewhere. Of course, when you talk about building materials, wood is what naturally comes to mind. But it encompasses so much more than that. If you look at building materials from cradle to grave, from the time the tree is planted to the time that the builder sells a house, it’s all right here. If it happens that you do want to work in the woods and plant trees, you can do that. If you’d rather make a living in IT, you can do that here as well. There’s something for you if you’re interested in HR, if you’re an accounting whiz, or if logistics is your thing. If you want to work in a Fortune 100 publicly held company, we have those; but if a small mom-and-pop business is more your speed, we have plenty of those, too.

Pass It On

The point I’m trying to make is that the lumber industry is a “destination” career, and this is a concept that we need to start promoting more—to the younger generations, in particular. For too long, we’ve been tolerating the notion that this sector is not a sexy or glitzy powerhouse like Google or Microsoft. But at the end of the day, it has plenty going for it, including staying power. We’ll never stop building houses, and we have to have a supply chain. Most importantly, you don’t have to fit a certain mold to belong. There is an inclusionary culture where anyone can come in, choose a career track, and take it where they want. It’s important to get this message out—especially in the trades and junior colleges, where there may be some lack of awareness

May 2019

about the wide range of possibilities under the building materials umbrella. What education you don’t already have, for example, you can acquire once you’re here. It’s more about having a desire to succeed, a willingness to work hard, an understanding of how to treat people, and knowing how to have fun while you’re doing it. Young people need to know that. Traders Market, presented each fall by the North American Wholesale Lumber Association, hopes to spread the word to some special guests at the 2019 show in San Antonio. The event provides a golden opportunity for insiders to learn the ropes, connect with peers, and build their networks. It’s also a perfect way to introduce outsiders to the industry. For the first time, Friday-only show passes will be offered to local college students. This pilot program will give them a close-up look into what the industry is all about, how the people interact, and the qualities that define the culture. What they’re sure to see is folks of all stripes, firms of all sizes, and jobs that run the gamut. And what they’re certain to find, should they tread on the welcome mat and walk through the door, are people—like the Steve Snavelys of the world—and organizations—like NAWLA—that will help them carve out their own space in this industry and make it their own. – Clark Spitzer is chief operations oﬃcer at Snavely Forest Products, Pittsburgh, Pa. (www.snavelyforestproducts.com), and chairman of the NAWLA Traders Market committee. Building-Products.com

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NAWLA Spotlight By Michelle Maller & Ashley Plagmann

What are we looking for? ne of the most pressing topics in the wood products industry is how to entice young people to want to work in the industry. The challenge of attracting talent to forest products has huge implications on the industry as we move forward and needs to be addressed before it’s too late. However, the question remains: How can the industry attract and retain young people? In working closely with students over the last six years, I’ve been able to glean information about what is driving their decisions as far as companies to seek out for employment. At the most basic levels, the following areas are the most talked about, the most urgent, and possibly the easiest to address as a starting point.

Language

One of the areas that causes the most concern with young people is the language used for recruitment purposes. A perfect example of this is using the word “sexy” to describe the industry in any manner. This is weird, off-putting, and just not a good practice. Equating an industry with a word that should not be used outside of the bedroom is something to avoid. But it isn’t just this word, it’s the use of language that is either too casual or too complex. Young people don’t want to hear your hip way to describe your company; they want to know what you do. They want to know what your environmental policies are, what your corporate culture is, how they can see themselves in your company. And they also don’t want to have to decipher what acronyms mean or have to Google the terms you are using in your product descriptions. Use language that is comfortable, real, and to the point. The succinct nature of real talk can be a Building-Products.com

selling point for your company. “I want to know exactly what the company does, what they sell, and what their business philosophy is,” said Brent McGrath, OSU Wood Science and Engineering (WSE) student.

Culture

In this case, culture refers to a company’s efforts to create a workplace environment that is conducive to team work, self-directed work, collaborative approaches to projects, unique or interesting benefits, and a variety of other factors. Does a company prefer a traditional 9-5 format, or is there room for flexibility? Do you consider offsite team building activities a positive consumption of time, or would you prefer to have your employees attend a training in-house to build comradery? Considering a remote working policy could attract younger employees who prefer to be able to work from

home, or to be able to work while traveling. “I would like to be able to travel and maintain employment at the same company. The ability to work while on the road is probably the most important thing to me,” said Jacob Newton, another WSE student. Another aspect of culture that is important to young people entering the workforce is diversity. Do a variety of employees from all walks of life work at your company? Is this a priority to your organization? Diversity may be more difficult to accomplish in an industry that historically has not been diverse, but companies that are making strides in this area are more attractive to emerging professionals.

Investment in the Company

Another element of company culture is ownership. This doesn’t necessarily mean employees are stock-

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holders or have a financial incentive to stay, but rather that they feel like their contributions to the company are valued, respected and encouraged. Feeling proud of the company you work for and the job you do is a significant element of retention. This includes a company’s commitment to being a good environmental steward, community involvement, providing employees with incentives to participate in community service, and providing ample opportunities for professional development. When a young person feels like their contributions are recognized and encouraged, they are more likely to stay long term with said company. “I would be turned off of a company if they didn’t listen to new ideas and weren’t open to innovation,” said Adam Chavez, WSE student.

Mentoring

Landing a new position in a company you are largely unfamiliar with can be daunting. But entering the same situation with the added benefit of a relatable mentor to help guide one through the first foundational years can be a strong factor in staying long term. The isolation of being new is hard to overcome if the element of social ability is lacking. For those new employees that are unsure and perhaps under prepared, having someone to reach out to can be the difference between an employee that leaves after a year and one who stays on for five years or more. As educators, we get a lot of feedback from companies that entering employees are sometimes lacking in soft skills. This is largely true because there are aspects of the wood

products industry that are impossible to teach until you are actually there. The recurring theme is that they didn’t learn the smaller industry details such as acronyms used, terms that companies call certain products, and some of the nuances that cannot be taught prior to being in the industry. Adding a mentor into the mix of an onboarding process provides a new employee a resource, without the fear of looking uneducated and stupid. This is a matter of investment, investing into your younger employees to retain them for a longer period of time. And it should start before the new employee even steps foot into the company. Reaching out prior to employment can have a lasting impact on potential employees and drive them to ultimately choose to pursue employment with the companies that offered this personalized touch. The loyalty built from these relationships can be the determining factor in a decision to stay or to start looking elsewhere. It all goes back to culture, and in this case, a strong mentoring program can show the impact of the cultural shift to caring and nurturing an employee. This may sound like too much “touchy-feely fluff” for a company to take on. But to young people today, this isn’t just about a job. This is about life. About taking pride in the job they do, being fulfilled by the company and the position they are in, and feeling like they are working in an industry that is affecting change in the world we live in. – Michelle Maller is internship and education coordinator and Ashley Plagmann is a renewable materials undergraduate student in the Department of Wood Science and Engineering at Oregon State University (OSU).

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New PPG MACHINECOAT® waterborne weathering stain gives new cedar a uniform, weathered look in an accelerated time frame* Machine applied to new cedar shingles, PPG TRUEFINISH® Machinecoat waterborne weathering stain provides a low-VOC alternative to our traditional solvent-based Machinecoat alkyd weathering stain.

Initial appearance

Whitish-gray when applied, the stain lightens over a sixto-nine-month period, giving the appearance of aged cedar that blends more naturally into its surroundings. The faux-weathered appearance lasts long enough to bridge the time period until the cedar begins to age and fade naturally. To learn more, visit ppgmachineappliedcoatings.com or call 1-877-622-4277.

6 months

* Color change duration can vary due to timing, seasons and uneven exposure to sunlight. The PPG Logo and PPG TrueFinish are registered trademarks and We protect and beautify the world is a trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. Machinecoat is a registered trademark of PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc. ©2019 PPG Industries, Inc. All rights reserved.

9 months

NAWLA Spotlight By Anthony Muck

Retention is key n the ever-changing field of lumber, finding loyal talent, in it for the long haul, is the key to keeping a successful business today. Last year, I wrote an article discussing DMSi’s strategic hiring process and reflected on the importance of finding the right person for the right job. While finding the best candidate is important in the initial hire, using tools to connect with that employee throughout their time at your company ensures the best people will stick around.

A Bird’s Eye View

Before DMSi makes a hire, we know exactly the type of employee we need. We find out by having an outside consulting firm do an annual review of our company as a whole. Too often, companies solely take inventory of their product but not of their staff. Promotions and staff changes can leave holes in staff strengths. This yearly review allows us to see the entire shape of our company from an outside perspective, learn how the staff and departments have changed over

the past year, and discover the type of strengths needed in our next hire. Once we know who we are looking for, we find them. For over thirty years, we have relied on the OAD LLC’s character-trait survey to help us find the right person. The OAD Survey is a highly accurate personality assessment instrument designed to offer insight to how a prospective employee might think or react under different scenarios. Once we weave through the selected candidates’ profile, we invite each qualified person to an in-person interview and use the applicant’s character trait profile to guide the conversation to confirm the applicant matches on paper and in real life. From there candidates who have desirable profiles for the open slot and appear to be a good fit for the DMSi culture advance to the next stage of the interview. The third stage is a second in-person interview with as many as three to five additional company representatives. Those who the interviewees believe would be a good fit for the role

Gallup Strength Finder

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May 2019

and company culture advance to the final interview—a face-to-face with our executive vice president, president, or owner. We hire the best candidate, but don’t stop using our hiring tools once they begin employment.

DMSi on Retaining

Here is a fun fact: Since we published our first article on hiring in March 2018, DMSi has had minimal attrition. Internally, people have been promoted and changed departments or jobs, but very few employees have left DMSi for a competitor, and we have increased our staff by 20. The OAD LLC’s character-trait survey is one tool we use to ensure our high employee retention rate. After making the initial hire, we continue to use it as a tool throughout an employee’s tenure to better develop their skills. We do this in two ways. First, we acknowledge that no profile is good or bad, just different. People have different strengths that make them successful. We place candidates in roles that cater to those strengths. Second, we make all profiles are public. After the initial hire, we place all results on our internal intranet. All employees at the company can look up any other employees’ character-trait profile at their discretion. This openness helps our staff get to know one another and helps co-workers find out how to best communicate and work with each other. For example, when pairing two employees to go out and meet a customer—and say one of them already has a solid relationship with the customer—we might pair a new hire natural extravert to accompany the seaBuilding-Products.com

soned employee, someone who would be comfortable in that situation. On the contrary, if one employee has a strength another does not, we might pair them together on certain projects to create the potential for growth in both employees. Besides the OAD LLC trait survey, we also use other supplemental material such as the Gallup StrengthsFinder to find out more about the strengths our employees can bring to their role. The Gallup StrengthFinder is a character strength test developed by the Gallup Organization. The test breaks down 34 possible talent traits and provides you with your top five. Achiever, positivity, communication, competition, and woo (winning over others) are just a few of the possible talent strengths the Gallup StrengthFinder may reveal. Self-awareness and understanding of natural talents provides true insights into the core reasons behind an employeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success. The most effective employees are those who understand their strengths and behaviors. By encouraging employees to focus on their strengths, they can identify their talents and enjoy personal and career success. Practicing self-awareness, these people are best able to develop strategies to meet and exceed the demands of their daily lives. We use engagement surveys to find out what our employees want and strive to create a culture with solid work/life balance. Throughout the year, we host employee events such as bowling activities, holiday parties, and mini-golf tournaments to celebrate our successes throughout the year. With 152 employees and growing, we are constantly looking for ways to further our employee development.

No One-Size-Fits-All Model

The OAD LLC character-trait survey and Gallup StrengthFinder work for DMSi; however, each company is different and your company must create a strategy specific to its particular needs. The key is to encourage your employees to seek self-awareness while taking an outward look at your company as a whole. Find what you need and go after it. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Anthony Muck is manager of customer support for DMSi, Omaha, Ne. (dmsi.com). Building-Products.com

May 2019

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Join us at NAWLA, Booth 823

Wood Reimagined Engineered Wood Products / Studs & Timbers Real Wood Siding / Softwood Plywood Roseburg.com

800.245.1115

NAWLA Spotlight By North American Wholesale Lumber Association

Everything is bigger in Texas

The 2019 Traders Market is no exception!

he North American Wholesale Lumber Association’s annual Traders Market is a well-known, mustattend industry event known for its networking and business opportunities. And this year, NAWLA wants you to THINK BIGGER! Set for the first time in San Antonio, Traders Market, taking place October 16-18, is expanding the tradeshow floor and moving into the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. This larger tradeshow floor provides the chance to grow the show, offer more opportunities, and truly make Traders Market the place to be. “We’re very excited about the 2019 tradeshow and the potential it has to be a truly powerful event for many of our members,” said 2019 Traders Market committee chair Clark Spitzer, Snavely Forest Products, Pittsburgh, Pa. “Traders Market has always been

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the best place to network and do business, and this year, more than ever, it will be your one-stop shop for access to the best connections, education and comradery in our industry. I’m really looking forward to what San Antonio has in store for NAWLA this fall!” Although the tradeshow floor is the star of the event, there are plenty of opportunities to mingle and connect with colleagues off of the floor, too. Attend the evening receptions to continue conversations, meet new colleagues in a relaxed setting, and, of course, have some fun! Thursday’s luncheon will start the day off with great energy featuring keynote speaker Jamie Clarke, performance coach for the NHL hockey team the Washington Capitals, renowned Everest adventurer, and CEO of LiveOutThere.com. Jamie’s insights will challenge

you to consider your own Everest and how you can overcome obstacles and achieve success.

One-Stop Shop

You think you have been to the NAWLA Traders Market, but not like this. With more than 30,000 sq. ft. of tradeshow floor, the 2019 show will offer even more networking and education opportunities directly on the showfloor. Exhibitors. The floor will be packed with nearly 280 exhibitors from across North America and beyond. Meet face-to-face with current and prospective customers and suppliers all under one roof. Demo Pavilion. New this year, the Demo Pavilion will allow exhibitors to showcase new products in short, 15-minute presentations. The pavilion will be situated directly on the

May 2019

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showfloor, so you do not have to go far! Learning Lounge. Bigger and better than before, the Learning Lounge will present quick-hit, educational sessions covering industry hot topics and challenges. Hear from a wide variety speakers including leaders, up-andcomers, and women making an impact. Networking Central. Located in the center of the floor, this central hub is the perfect place to recharge your devices while continuing conversations and catching-up with friends and colleagues. Meeting Rooms. An added feature to the floor this year are private meeting rooms companies can rent to talk with customers. This provides the convenience of a quiet meeting space without having to leave the show floor!

San Antonio Sites

A welcomed shift in climate from the previous year’s events in Chicago, make the most of San Antonio’s warm October weather. The iconic riverwalk, just steps away from the convention center and hotels, provides the perfect venue to entertain clients and grab dinner and drinks after tradeshow hours. Enjoy authentic Tex-Mex cuisine, live music, vibrant nightlife, and more all in downtown San Antonio. Of course, Traders Market would not be complete without an evening gathering at the BIG Bar and this year’s BIGGER Bar, located in the NAWLA hotel, is a great place to pick-up conversations and make new friends.

A New Opportunity for Sales Skills

Jump-start your Traders Market experience by attending NAWLA Sales Advantage on Wednesday, October 16.

This one-day, pre-conference sales seminar will equip you with skills and insights that you can immediately apply on the tradeshow floor. Sales and training expert Rob Jolles will discuss not just the “how to” but also “why to” so you can create real, lasting change in your company and sales. Whether you are a first-time attendee or an industry veteran, you will benefit from this workshop and see a change in your ability to close more deals. This workshop is limited to 40 participants and you can easily add it to your Traders Market registration.

What Others Are Saying

“Best show in the industry, bar none. I’ve made more connections at the Traders Market that have directly resulted in new business than could have ever been accomplished any other way. Most of the connections have become personal friends and have remained business partners through changes in employers on both sides. Jobs and employers change, but trusted relationships never do, and many of mine are a direct result of NAWLA and the Traders Market.” – Harris Grant, ECMD, Inc. “The NAWLA Traders Market has become the premier event in our industry. We belong to many associations, but none offer the ability to meet with so many customers and vendors in one location.” – Steve Cheatham, Everwood Treatment Co. “When we attend the NAWLA Traders Market, we ALWAYS come away with an opportunity to grow our volume. The quality of the people that attend is top-notch.” – Chris Macfarlane, Hood Distribution NAWLA is stepping it up this year with a bigger and better Traders Market that you won’t want to miss. Visit www.nawla.org/TradersMarket to learn more and register. See you in San Antonio this October!

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Building-Products.com

NAWLA Spotlight By North American Wholesale Lumber Association

NAWLA brings a sales advantage to San Antonio our new space in San Antonio. Plus, attendees can expect to step onto the Traders Market show floor with new strategies and skills to put to the test.

The Speaker he North American Wholesale Lumber Association is thrilled to add dedicated education, focused specifically on sales, to its plans for 2019. NAWLA is pleased to present the inaugural Sales Advantage, a Forest Products Sales Seminar, on Oct. 16 in San Antonio. Focused 100% on sales, the class will help attendees sharpen sales skills, master how to close more (and bigger) deals, and learn to foster the relationships that drive success. While those natural skills of relationship-building are honed with years of experience, this one-day pre-conference workshop to Traders Market will provide additional context and tactics to supplement any sales strategy.

Speaking at Sales Advantage is sales and training expert Rob Jolles, a best-selling author whose books include How To Run Seminars & Workshops and Customer Centered Selling (a business best seller that spent eight weeks at #1, over 100 weeks in the top 20, and is on the national Business Best Seller list). With over 30 years of experience teaching people how to change minds, his programs on influence and per-

Why at Traders Market

Since 1996, Traders Market has held a unique position among LBM tradeshows as the only one focused almost exclusively on the lumber supply chain. Exhibitors include companies that manufacture lumber and lumber-related products. Traders Market features eight hours of tradeshow floor time where attendees can buy and sell product, and network with members of the industry. By participating in Sales Advantage, attendees will have additional time to network with each other, and have an early introduction to

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suasion are in global demand, reaching organizations in North America, Europe, Africa and the Far East. He shows clients not just “how to” but also “why to,” and stirs individuals and companies to create real, lasting change. Rob not only successfully sold for both the New York Life Insurance Co. and Xerox Corp., two of the most respected sales institutions in the nation; he managed their training as well. He co-created the Xerox Institute of Customer Education; was instrumental in creating, delivering, and managing Xerox’s highly touted customer sales training programs; and was responsible for the training of all sales trainers within Xerox for over seven years. These programs, along with his staff of former Xerox sales trainers, have allowed him to amass a client list that reads like a Who’s Who of Fortune 500 companies, including Toyota, Disney, NASA, Nortel, a dozen universities, and over 50 financial institutions.

How to Attend

SALES TRAINER Rob Jolles will teach, entertain and inspire during this year’s NAWLA Traders Market.

May 2019

Sales Advantage is open to anyone planning to attend Traders Market, which is open only to those at current NAWLA member companies. Limited to just 40 participants, the small-group setting will be an ideal size to foster an atmosphere of learning and energize attendees. To attend, add Sales Advantage when you register for Traders Market on NAWLA’s website at www.nawla. org/tradersmarket. Building-Products.com

Building-Products.com

May 2019

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NEW Products

Herringbone Patterns with Ease New pre-cut thermally modified decking modules from Thermory feature undermounting strips that perfectly align boards to create stunning herringbone patterns. The system reportedly allows builders to install a herringbone-patterned deck in less than a third of the time it would otherwise take. Joists rest a standard 16” apart, and no extra framing is needed. All stainless steel screws needed for installation are included with the decking modules. Herringbone by Thermory uses Benchmark white ash, heat and steam treated to provide superior stability and resistance to rot and termites.

Brighter Rail Systems Atlantis Rail has expanded their line of Micro Star LED lights to include an LED light bar. The product fits neatly under a flat handrail and is compatible with Atlantis Rail’s railing systems, including the Spectrum and NOVA II cable railing systems. The light bar is both a functional and creative lighting alternative with a variety of interior or exterior lighting applications. It features a flexible LED light strip of natural white LED lights set into a powder-coated aluminum channel with a clear plastic lens and is ideal for mounting to the underside of flat handrails for surface illumination.

n THERMORY.COM (372) 606-2903

n ATLANTISRAIL.COM (508) 732-9191

Lock It In

New Shakes with a Traditional Look

The new LokkLatch 3 Plus by D&D Technologies fills the need for a residential gate latch that locks and unlocks from both sides of the gate, features a smaller footprint, and is easy to install. It is a mid-level complement to D&D’s popular LokkLatch line, which includes the general purpose LokkLatch and the dual lockable LokkLatch Deluxe.

DaVinci Roofscapes has added a fourth shake profile to its roofing offerings: DaVinci Select Shake. Created with the authentic look of real cedar shake taken from natural wood profiles, the multi-width shake tiles resemble a traditional cedar shake look. Available in 8” and 10” widths, each shake tile is 22” long and has a 5/8” thickness.

n DDTECHGLOBAL.COM (800) 716-0888

n DAVINCIROOFSCAPES.COM (800) 238-4624

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May 2019

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THE LEADERS

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Convenient Project Lighting Dewalt’s new Tool Connect All-Purpose Light is an LED that emits 5,000 lumens of natural white light. It features Bluetooth connectivity that provides tracking and setting control through the free mobile Tool Connect app. Users can also fine-tune light output to match their environment with the All-Purpose Light’s three variable brightness settings. n DEWALT.COM (800) 433-9258

Level Up Kapro Tools’ Magnetic Stud Layout Level is designed with magnetic stud slots at 16” and 24” that allow users to easily and accurately install wood and metal studs. Its heavy-duty aluminum profile includes two break-proof, solid acrylic vials with an accuracy of 0.0005”/1” and a milled surface with rare earth magnets. The revolutionary Plumbsite dual view offers plumb leveling at a much higher accuracy than a standard plumb vial. n KAPRODRYWALL.COM (920) 648-2900

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Building-Products.com

Fewer Nails, Faster Installation

Safe & Secure Handrails Digger Specialties is now offering Westbury ADA (American with Disabilities Act) compliant aluminum handrails through lumberyards and distributors. Featuring the superior durability of aluminum railing, the versatile components and accessories provide a safety solution for ramps, stairways, decks and a variety of other applications. The handrails are designed for use in residential and commercial projects and are offered in a variety of lengths and accessories allowing for customized handrails.

Simpson Strong-Tieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s patent-pending CSHP high-performance coiled strap is the only coiled strap designed with a raised embossment for faster installations using fewer nails and shorter straps. This results in reduced cost and improved jobsite efficiency for builders and contractors. The product can easily be cut to length at the jobsite for a wide range of floor-to-floor, drag strut, and other tension load transfer and positive-tie strapping applications. The incorporation of a raised embossment makes the strap easier to install using standard pneumatic nailers, while providing increased rigidity and strength for designers and specifiers in need of higher allowable loads. n STRONGTIE.COM (800) 999-5099

n DIGGERSPECIALTIES.COM (800) 446-7659

Saws With Versatility The new Roamwild Multi Pull Saw Pro consists of a double-edged single high quality Japanese steel thin blade. One is a general carpentry cutting edge, and the other a unique fine cutting edge. This gives the saw immense versatility and can be used for almost any cutting job or precision work. Unlike traditional Japanese pull saws, the saw is far more durable and user friendly, due to its highly innovative western design. n ROAM-WILD.COM +44 (0) 20 83270222

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Gliding Doors Boral Windowsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; new gliding patio door system features customizable two-, three-, and four-panel configurations up to 8 ft. high and totaling up to 16 ft. wide. The flexibility and large sizes are ideal for creating seamless indoor-outdoor connections and increasing ventilation and daylight infiltration. n BORALBUILDINGPRODUCTS.COM (800) 521-8486

May 2019

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Why Paint Trim

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Smooth or Woodgrain Finish

ASSOCIATION Update Florida Building Material Association’s upcoming material take-off course will take place at its headquarters in Mt. Dora, Fl., May 21. FBMA is also reminding members to save the date for its upcoming summer conference June 5-7 at JW Marriott, Orlando, Fl. The conference will feature a poker and golf tournament, educational seminars and a board of directors meeting. Construction Suppliers Association will host a series of roundtables this month: for store managers May 7-8 and May 9-11 in Dothan, Al.; May 13-15 in Mobile, Al.; and for HR professionals May 16-17 in Atlanta, Ga. Mid-American Lumbermens Association is reminding members to save the date for its 31st annual Sunflower Shootout at Hesston Golf Course, Hesston, Ks. Fees to participate in the four-person scramble include drinks, food and prizes. An awards luncheon and auction will follow. Northwestern Lumber Association’s next Estimating 1-2-3 course will take place in Eagan, Mn., May 13-15 at Simpson Strong-Tie’s headquarters. Students will learn how to read blueprints and do a material takeoff and discover short-cut formulas that will speed up the material take-off process. NLA will also be hosting some social events in June. A Cocktails and Crafts tour will take place June 1, with the group starting at Northwestern Lumber Association’s office in Golden Valley, Mn. Members will take a tour of breweries and a distillery while getting chauffeured around the area. The association will then host a golf outing on June 18 at Woodland Hills Golf Course, Eagle, Ne. The tournament will be a scramble format. Northeastern Retail Lumber Association’s spring leadership meeting will take place May 14-15 at NRLA’s Educational Resource Center in Rensselaer, N.Y. At the end of the month the association will also host a dealer roundtable on May 29-31 at Hilton Inn Danbury, Danbury, Ct. Affiliate golf outings include: Lumber Dealers Association of Connecticut, June 5, Oxford Green,

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Oxford, Ct.; Eastern New York Lumber Dealers, June 14, Mohawk Golf Club, Schenectady, N.Y.; Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine, June 18, Belgrade Lakes, Me.; Central New York Retail Lumber Dealers, June 27, En-Joie Golf Club, Endicott, N.Y.; and New Hampshire Retail Lumber Association, July 11, London, N.H. Other summertime events include Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine legislative breakfast, May 21, Augusta, Me.; Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers board meeting, June 5, Boston, Ma.; New Jersey Building Material Dealers’ 24th annual fishing trip, June 7, Atlantic Highlands, N.J.; Western New York Lumber Dealers fishing trip, June 7, Buffalo Harbor, Buffalo, N.Y.; New Jersey Dealers skyline cruise, June 26, Liberty Marina, Jersey City, N.J. North American Wholesale Lumber Association will host a Wood Basics Course at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va., May 20-24. The class is designed to provide companies the best value and option to ensure its employees have the tools and knowledge to help them succeed. Western Red Cedar Lumber Association is inviting members to attend it Cedar Summit May 15-17 at Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort, Kelowna, B.C. The event will offer educational sessions as well as social events for networking. Forest Product Society will host its 73rd international convention in conjunction with the Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Expo at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga., June 25-28. The event will bring together hundreds of scientists, design professionals, managers, decision-makers, and others from academia, government, nonprofits, and industry sectors to discuss the state of forest products research and learn about innovations in the field. Students in wood science are also encouraged to attend. Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association is gearing up for its annual convention and tradeshow July 11-14 at the IP Casino Resort Spa, Biloxi, Mi.

May 2019

In addition to a cocktail party honoring MLMA’s past presidents, the trade show will include other social events like silent and live auctions, fishing and golf tournaments, and a ladies champagne brunch. Over 500 industry professionals are expected to be in attendance. Forest Resources Association will stage its annual meeting May 20-22 at Omni Amelia Island Resort, Fernandina Beach, Fl. The theme this year is “Share the Vision – Share the Solution.” Attendees have a chance to register for a beach cookout, speaker session, and committee meeting. Window & Door Manufacturers Association is hosting a technical and manufacturing conference June 25-27 in Minneapolis, Mn. The conference will offer industry expertise, professional networking, and regulatory insight. Topics discussed will be emerging technologies, manufacturing applications, regulatory issues, and much more. North American Rail Shippers Association will be convening its annual meeting May 15-17 at Westin San Antonio, San Antonio, Tx. The meeting will cover various industry topics such as trade issues, managing the talent pool, intermodal insights and an analyst panel. Carl Ice, AAR chairman and president and CEO of BNSF, will be delivering a keynote speech. Northeastern Loggers Association’s Loggers Expo is slated for May 17-18 at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Me. The expo typically features 200-250 exhibiting companies and attracts a range of 5,000 to 7,000 attendees— comprised mainly of active industry decision-makers. The show will feature a mix of live demonstrations and static displays—with both inside and outside displays. National Association of Home Builders’ spring leadership meeting is rapidly approaching June 4-8 at Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C. American Architectural Manufacturers Association’s summer conference will be held June 17-20 at The Fairmont Express, Victoria, B.C. Building-Products.com

LMC dealers ride the wave

Dealers from across the country came together for a unique buying and networking opportunity at LMC’s 84th annual meeting March 21-23 in San Diego, Ca. “It’s a buying show, we come out to buy, buy, buy,” said Dan Groth, HomeCo Lumber & Hardware, Flagstaff, Az. “We come out to see how LMC has been doing for the whole year. There’s a lot of good vendors and the show is more relaxed than some of your typical buying shows.” The New Products area featured nearly 100 products from more than 60 LMC suppliers. Taking home the top prize, as voted by the LMC dealers attending the

show, was the CAMO Drive deck fastening tool from National Nail. Second place went to SKILSAW Power Tools’ 16” Worm Drive Carpentry Chain Saw, and third was awarded to Delaney Hardware’s Deadbolt Z-Wave Smart Touchpad with Camera Bridge. Educational sessions covered social media marketing, leading in the artificial intelligence age, brand management, employee loyalty and retention, and recruiting. New this year was an exciting roundtable offered by LMC’s Component Alliance—a newly reinvigorated group of dealers that are involved in truss manufacturing. Facilitators from Mitek,

“RIDE THE WAVE” [1] themed LMC’s annual meeting in San Diego. [2] Pepper the robot, Virginia Fritsche. [3] Mark Dippel, Tammy Donato. [4] Del Krusenstjerna, Mark Swinth. [5] Matt Anderson, David Welborn. [6] Jeremy Gardner, Rick Friesen, Tammy Minnis, Steve Semmler. [7] Paul

Canfor and Interfor led discussions of hot topics in the industry. The middle evening, LMC hosted a special event aboard the USS Midway. Guests enjoyed tours of the ship, flight simulators, and antique aircrafts, culminating in an exciting fireworks display sponsored by Huber Engineered Woods.

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14 Watterson, Shannon Herrity, Blake Keitzman. [8] Chris Barenstsen, Jim Solic, Moss Pettigrew. [9] Pete Waldron, Lisa Martin. [10] Mike Cavell, Zach Lewis. [11] Eugene McCann, Ken Radcliff. [12] Chad Warren, James LaVitola. [13] Rich LaBelle, Jay Wrenn. [14] Matt Black, Brandon Barnes. Building-Products.com

LMC ANNUAL MEETING

Photos by BPD

MORE LMC exhibitors (continued from previous page): [15] Kelly Jones, Ivan Navarro, Shane Hilt, and Gordan Landell show off Grabber Construction Productsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; new tools. [16] Jordan Lynch, Cindy McCarville, Kyle Yost. [17] Kevin Smith, Craig Crafton. [18] Greg Bates, Sue Cuming, Brandon Natale. [19] Wayne Miller, Kelly Matthews. [20] Curt Allen, Tony Butler, Richie LeBlanc. [21] Micah Orr, Danny Andrea, Building-Products.com

Phil Herman, Blair Buchanan, Brian Paul. [22] Jim Powell, Jim Dudley, Brad Marks. [23] Lee Jimerson, Ryan Cornutt. [24] Mike Gower, Kenny Woodard. [25] Dennis McWhirter. [26] Doug Hopper, Joell Penney, Jay Penney. [27] Mike Tester, Michele Murtaugh, Warren Schuckies, John Fisher. [28] Orjan McCarty, Ken Robinson, Rich Mills. [29] Eddie Crosslin, Steve Firko, Susan Cho, Alan Duke. May 2019

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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 – May 1-3, roundtable, Pine Mountain, Ga.; www.gocsa.com. National Wood Flooring Expo – May 1-3, Ft. Worth, Tx.; nwfaexpo.org. Mid America Lumbermens Assn. – May 2-3, Swing-Into-Spring golf & fishing event, Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.; www.themla.com. Appalachian Lumbermen’s Club – May 2-5, annual beach meeting, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; www.lumberclub.org. Peak Auctioneering – May 4, LBM auction, York Expo Center, York, Pa.; www.peakauction.com. Material Handling & Distributors Association – May 4-6, annual convention & exhibitor showcase, Phoenix, Az.; www.mheda.org. American Wood Protection Association – May 5-7, annual meeting, Orlando, Fl.; www.awpa.com. Composite Panel Association – May 5-7, spring meeting, Naples, Fl.; www.compositepanel.org. Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association – May 6, golf, The Ranch Golf Club, Southwick, Ma.; www.nrla.org. Southern Pine Inspection Bureau – May 7-8, dry kiln operator course, Hilton, Pensacola Beach, Fl.; www.spib.org. Construction Suppliers Association – May 7-8 and May 9-10, store manager roundtable, Dothan, Al.; www.gocsa.com. National Hardware Show – May 7-9, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nv.; www.nationalhardwareshow.com. Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association – May 7-10, spring leadership conference, Bermuda; www.kcma.org.

Northeastern Retail Lumber Association – May 8, Rising Women in the Lumber Industry roundtable, Woodstock Inn & Resort, Woodstock, Vt.; www.nrla.org. Northwestern Lumber Association – May 8, classic roundtable, Apple Valley, Mn.; www.nlassn.org. Florida Building Material Association – May 9, aspring leaders seminar, FBMA Hq., Mount Dora, Fl.; www.fbma.org. North American Wholesale Lumber Association – May 9, regional meeting, Birmingham, Al.; www.nawla.org. Northwestern Lumber Association – May 13, Estimating 1-2-3, Eagan, Mn.; www.nlassn.org. Construction Suppliers Assn. – May 13-15, roundtable, Mobile, Al.; May 16-17, HR roundtable, Atlanta, Ga.; www.gocsa.com. Northeastern Retail Lumber Association – May 14, spring leadership meeting, Rensselaer, N.Y.; www.nrla.org. Western Red Cedar Lumber Association – May 15-17, Cedar Summit, Kelowna, B.C.; www.realcedar.com. Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Expo – May 17-18, Bangor, Me.; www.northernlogger.com. Do it Best – May 17-20, spring market, Indianapolis, In.; doitbest.com. Forest Resources Association – May 20-22, annual meeting, Amelia Island, Fl.; www.forestresources.org. North American Wholesale Lumber Association – May 20-24, Wood Basics course, Blacksburg, Va.; www.nawla.org. Florida Building Material Association – May 21, material take-off class, FBMA Hq., Mount Dora, Fl.; www.fbma.org. Northeastern Retail Lumber Association – May 29-31, roundtable, Hilton Inn, Danbury, Ct.; www.nrla.org. Peak Auctioneering – June 1, LBM auctions, Cleveland, Oh.; June 8, Chicago, Il.; www.peakauction.com. Lumber Dealers Association of Connecticut – June 5, golf outing, Oxford Green, Oxford, Ct.; www.nrla.org. Florida Building Material Assn. – June 5-7, summer conference with poker & golf tournaments, JW Marriott, Orlando, Fl.; www.fbma.org. New Jersey Building Material Dealers Association – June 7, 24th annual fishing trip, Atlantic Highlands, N.J.; www.nrla.org. Western New York Lumber Dealers Association – June 7, fishing trip, Buffalo Harbor, Buffalo, N.Y.; www.nrla.org. National Lawn & Garden Show – June 11-12, St. Louis, Mo.; www. nlgshow.com. House-Hasson Hardware Co. – June 13-15, market, Sevierville Events Center Sevierville, Tn.; www.househasson.com. Eastern New York Lumber Dealers Association – June 14, annual golf outing, Mohawk Golf Club, Schenectady, N.Y.; www.nrla.org. Mid America Lumbermens Association – June 14, Sunflower Shootout golf tournament, Hesston, Ks.; www.themla.com. Northwestern Lumber Association – June 18, golf outings, Eagle, Ne.; June 20, Ames, Ia.; www.nlassn.org. Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Main – June 18, Belgrade Lake Golf Club, Belgrade Lakes, Me.; www.nrla.org. Construction Suppliers Association – June 21-23, Summer Fling, Oklahoma; www.gocsa.com. United Hardware Distributing Co. – June 21-23, market, Minneapolis, Mn.; www.unitedhardware.com. Forest Products Society – June 25-28, 73rd international convention, Atlanta, Ga.; www.forestprod.org. Window & Door Manufacturers Association – June 23-25, technical conference, Minneapolis, Mn.; www.wdma.com. Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Expo – June 26-29, Atlanta, Ga.; www.sfpaexpo.com.

Building Products Digest n

May 2019

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TALK Back IXNAY ON THE SEXY I wanted to send you a heartfelt thank you for your “Across the Board” article (“The Power of a Word,” April p. 8) this month! I have been saying this for YEARS, and as a female in the industry who is also trying to get young people to come into the industry, this is a giant step forward. I hate it so much when lumber people use the term (“sexy”) to describe anything related to industry. Quite frankly, it is gross.

Building Products Digest n

So, on behalf of all young people in the industry…THANK YOU!!!! Michelle Maller, Internship & Education Coordinator Department of Wood Science and Engineering, Oregon State University Corvallis, Or. I found your article (“The Power of a Word”) very interesting. It is a question I have asked of others in the industry. Why aren’t we getting more people coming in? When people ask what I do, I say, “I

May 2019

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Building Products Digest Call (714) 486-2735 JBays@526mediagroup.com

am in the lumber business.” The first thing they think of is Home Depot, Lowe’s or another retail lumber operation. I have been in the business for over 50 years. Always the wholesale end. Our industry is very unique in that it covers so many facets. You have the basic softwood or hardwood industry. From basic to unique is where it gets fun and interesting. I have been working both segments for a long time. Currently most of my activity is selling to the government. We sell them from both sides of the industry. Also poles, piling, timbers and most anything they look for in the way of lumber—any kind of lumber. Folks outside the industry don’t have a clue about how unique it really is. This is the message that needs to be built on. Charlie Stevens Purchasing & Sales Middle Atlantic Wholesale Lumber Baltimore, Md. Building-Products.com

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38, 58

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. www.nawla.org

Western Lumber Co. www.westernlumber.com

Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. www.nelma.org

Weyerhaeuser Distribution www.weyerhaeuser.com

OHC www.ohc.net

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May 2019

Building Products Digest n

4/10/2019 2:34:18 P

FLASHBack 90 Years Ago This Month

Ninety years ago, the May 1929 edition of BPD’s sister publication, The California Lumber Merchant, went out to lumberyards, filled with uplifting news on almost every page. Among the sunny reports: • Nearly 200 employees of lumber manufacturing giant Chas. R. McCormick Lumber and the McCormick Steamship Co. and their guests sailed on one of the companies’ vessels to Paradise Cove in Marin, Ca., for their fourth annual company picnic. The program included relay races (of the dash, three-legged, and wheelbarrow variety), swimming, dancing contests (waltz and varsity drag), a baseball tournament, and an outdoor barbecue.

• French Lumber, Haywarden, Ia., held its annual Open House Day, inviting “every man, woman and child in this whole selling territory” to a day of fun and no sales. In fact, customers were not allowed to buy anything even if they wanted to. (They could get quotes on request, but had to return at a later date if they wanted to make a purchase.) The first 100 women who arrived received a free can of oak stain. Every child was given a free movie

GRIP LATH manufacturer Schumacher Wall Board Corp. was spotlighted on the May 1929 cover of The Merchant.

ticket, a whistle, and candy. Hot coffee and lunch was served free to all visitors. To honor key customers, 28 local farmers were appointed as judges of all contests during the event. In addition to 12 guessing contests (weights, numbers, sizes, etc.), there was a nail driving competition and “rooster throwing.” Live roosters were tossed, one at a time, from the roof of a tall shed and the guests who snatched them, won them. French Lumber decorated its sheds and office for the occasion,

BACK IN the 1920s, our hundreds of regular advertisers rarely ran ads in full-color due to the technological limitations of magazine printing presses at that time. The one option for companies willing to spend whatever it took to get full-color was to have their ad printed separately, on heavier stock, and inserted into the issue.

Building Products Digest n

May 2019

and set up model farm houses and other product displays. • Until FDR’s decree during World War II, Daylight Savings Time was optional for most cities in the United States. On May 6, 1929, Holmes-Eureka Lumber Co.’s San Francisco office moved all of its hours and schedules forward one hour to create its own Daylight Savings Time. One week into the experiment, Fred Holmes noted, “We find our customers, our office staff, and our mill well satisfied with the change. We start now at 8 a.m. and quit at 4 p.m., and find these hours work out fine, as the mill starts at 8 o’clock and all retail yards are open by that time, and the saving of an hour make a lot of difference in contacting our Chicago office. “We also find that visiting retailers appreciate the fact that they can call as early as 8 a.m. and find us on the job, and for our part we hope that other manufacturers will also decide to adopt daylight saving.” • Chicago Lumber Co. of Washington, Seattle, Wa., began distributing an illustrated price sheet of reportedly “the most complete line of garden trellises on the market.” The company produced 13 different designs, all made of redwood, at its Chilco manufacturing plant in Oakland, Ca.

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