BPD July 2017

JULY 2017

BPD

Building Products Digest

THE VOICE OF THE LBM SUPPLY CHAIN — FOR 35 YEARS

FIND THE RIGHT WOOD TREATER • MATERIAL HANDLING • EWP & APA SPOTLIGHT

10 Years of Commercial Production

MicroPro Brand Pressure Treated Wood Products ®

Since its introduction into the marketplace 10 years ago, MicroPro has quickly became the most popular preservative system in the United States, and continues to be the preferred choice for outdoor construction. The Koppers MCA preservative system is an American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) standardized wood preservative. MicroPro treated wood products meet all major model building code requirements and are approved for above ground, ground contact and critical ground contact end use applications.

MicroPro pressure treated wood products are produced by independently owned and operated wood treating facilities. MicroPro pressure treated wood products are treated with Micronized Copper Azole. MicroPro ® is a registered trademark of Koppers Performance Chemicals Inc. Colors shown in photo images may differ from actual product samples. © 6/2017

www.kopperspc.com

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CONTENTS July 2017

Volume 36 n Number 7

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

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Special Section

Features

30 ENGINEERED WOOD

10 FEATURE STORY

APA–THE ENGINEERED WOOD ASSOCIATION PRESENTS AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE HOTTEST TRENDS AND

EWP, PLUS INSIGHT INTO

TOOLS IN

12 INDUSTRY TRENDS

LAST-MILE DELIVERY & THE EVOLVING MARKET FOR RAIL

14 MANAGEMENT TIPS

AVOID GROWING PAINS BY LEASING WITH SMART FINANCING OPTIONS

JULY 2017

BPD

Building Products Digest

16 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

THE VOICE OF THE LBM SUPPLY CHAIN — FOR 35 YEARS

FIND THE RIGHT WOOD TREATER • MATERIAL HANDLING • EWP & APA SPOTLIGHT

10 Years

LOUISIANA DEALER BANKS ON HIGH-QUALITY NICHES

of Commercial Production

22 TRANSFORMING TEAMS

5 TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR JOB INTERVIEWS

MicroPro Brand Pressure Treated Wood Products ®

Since its introduction into the marketplace 10 years ago, MicroPro has quickly became the most popular preservative system in the United States, and continues to be the preferred choice for outdoor construction. The Koppers MCA preservative system is an American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) standardized wood preservative. MicroPro treated wood products meet all major model building code requirements and are approved for above ground, ground contact and critical ground contact end use applications.

MicroPro pressure treated wood products are produced by independently owned and operated wood treating facilities. MicroPro pressure treated wood products are treated with Micronized Copper Azole. MicroPro ® is a registered trademark of Koppers Performance Chemicals Inc. Colors shown in photo images may differ from actual product samples. © 6/2017

28 NAWLA: THINKING AHEAD

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8 ACROSS THE BOARD 18 OLSEN ON SALES 20 THE REVENUE GROWTH HABIT 48 MOVERS & SHAKERS 52 NEW PRODUCTS 58 ASSOCIATION UPDATE 59 TALK BACK 60 IN MEMORIAM 60 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 61 DATE BOOK 61 ADVERTISERS INDEX 62 FLASHBACK

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PARALLAM® PLUS PSL Timber is tough, but Parallam® Plus PSL takes your customer’s most demanding application to the next level of durability. Our strong and long engineered wood beams are Wolmanized® to stop termites and fungal decay, even where framing comes into contact with the ground or moisture. Backed by a 30-year limited warranty that ensures long-term strength and confidence.

Call 888.453.8358 or go to weyerhaeuser.com/woodproducts to find your closest distributor and product offering. , Trus Joist and Parallam® Plus PSL are registered trademarks of Weyerhaeuser NR. © 2017 Weyerhaeuser NR Company. All rights reserved.

OUR MARKET MOVES QUICKLY… DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND!

BPD Building Products Digest President/Publisher Patrick Adams padams@building-products.com

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Vice President Shelly Smith Adams sadams@building-products.com Publishers Emeritus Alan Oakes, David Cutler Managing Editor David Koenig • david@building-products.com Editor Stephanie Ornelas sornelas@building-products.com Contributing Editors Carla Waldemar, James Olsen, Alex Goldfayn, Claudia St. John

NOVEMBER 2016

Contributors Steve Cheatham, Joe Elling, Kari Gaviria, Julia Leitman, Kenny Rocker, Marilyn Thompson, Brian Wood

BPD

JANUARY 2017

BPD

Building Products Digest

Building Products Digest

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

THE VOICE OF THE LBM SUPPLY CHAIN — FOR 35 YEARS

FALL DECKING SPECIAL ISSUE • TREATED WOOD SPEC TOOLS • LVL BEAMS

2017: THE YEAR AHEAD • SOUTHERN PINE UPDATE • IMPORT DUTY CONFLICT

Eassy on the eyes.

Easy to o install.

DECEMBER 2016

BPD

Director of Sales Chuck Casey • chuck@building-products.com

Building Products Digest

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

2017 DECKING & RAILING BUYERS GUIDE • NAWLA TRADERS MARKET RECAP

Sales & Marketing Coordinator Chelsea Hiers chiers@building-products.com New AWPA Standards for Treated Wood There is an important change in the U1 Standards establishing new guidelines for wood treated to UC4A Ground Contact General Use. As an example, joists and beams shall be treated to UC4A (ground contact when they are diffcult to maintain, repair or replace and are critical to the performance and safety of the entire system.

Advertising Sales (714) 486-2735 Chuck Casey chuck@building-products.com

For more information visit

kopperspc.com

Introducing g Outdoor Acc ents decorative hardware . Y Yo our customers can easily add style an nd strength to their outdoor projects. The new Simpson Strong--T Tie Outdoor Accents line e of structural connectors featu ures an innovative screw and washer set that combines the ease of installing a screw with the look of a bolt. And, with a black powderr--coa at finish, this hardware offers st yle that’s designed to last. ®

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Patrick Adams padams@building-products.com

To lear n mo To ore about Outdoor Accents decorative hardware, visit our web bsite strongtie .c com/outdooraccents or call (800) 999-5099.

©2017 Simpson Strong-Tie Company Inc. OA16-D

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Phone (714) 486-2735 Fax 714-486-2745 BUILDING PRODUCTS DIGEST is published monthly at 151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. D200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, (714) 486-2735, Fax 714-486-2745, 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®2017 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.

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July 2017

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ACROSS the Board

By Patrick Adams

Good to be free I

T’S ONE OF those beautiful Southern California mornings.

I woke up a bit earlier than normal because my 8-monthold son apparently gets a lot of joy from his version of “chaos training”—waking up at random times screaming at the top of his lungs. Regardless, nothing can spoil this morning.

I decided to practice what I preach for once. Hugs and well wishes have been shared by the family, and I’m off. I decide to take the long way to work. I open the sunroof and there’s hardly anyone on the road as I drive up through the canyon with some country music turned up far too loud for a typical Monday morning drive. As the sun crests the horizon and all of God’s creatures begin their day, this morning reminds me of just how lucky we truly are.

I don’t think most people think about freedom. What does being free really mean? It’s hard not to take for granted something that you’re born with that is rarely challenged or revoked. I suppose I could go to the roughly half of the countries in the world that are not “free” and ask them what it means.

As a relatively new parent, the meaning of freedom takes on a different meaning. Sure, some nights when my son won’t go to sleep I think about “freedom!” The rest of the time I think about how to raise my family so that they have every opportunity to live their version of freedom while never taking for granted all that is necessary to provide it.

My 6-year-old daughter just “graduated” from kindergarten. There was an awards ceremony full of “Most Curious” and “Most Energetic.” She got the sole award of “Best Manners” with a description from the teacher that she always says, “please, thank you and may I,” which was then followed by a bunch of comments to my wife about “wow, someone is doing something right….” My wife does an amazing job that I could never do, but there used to be a time when children having manners was a given. I suppose we’re each free to raise our children to prepare them for the world as we see fit.

As the road crests the hills heading west, I can see the ocean ahead and the perfect morning is only getting better!

The American V-8 is in perfect harmony with the next song on the playlist that reminds me that “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day” is also part of our freedom. Not only the freedom to pursue a better life for our family by working hard, but also the freedom to enjoy all that is around us.

The freedom to take the time to take a deep breath, think about all that has been sacrificed for us so that we don’t have to sacrifice.

I’m singing out loud with a smile on my face thinking of all that is good in our lives. How truly blessed we all are regardless of what gets thrown at us this Monday morning.

A quick look in the mirror is akin to my son screaming at the top of his lungs as one of So. Cal.’s finest is behind me with his lights on. A look down at the speedo reveals I certainly deserve this. When I was young, this moment was the start of my sales career. Now, I’m in a different kind of mindset.

A careful pullover is followed by rolling down all of my windows while the hands are kept on the wheel. After a bit, the officer walks up and says, “Good morning.” My response; “It is a good morning officer! I have no excuse for speeding other than it’s a beautiful morning, there’s great music on the radio, and I got caught up in my thoughts. I’m truly sorry.” He asked what was on the radio and I told him. “Love that song.” he said. “Have a great day, sir, and as you see traffic start to pick up down the road, drive safely.”

This freedom experiment is something that we’re all in together. We’re free to do great things and to make mistakes, to agree and disagree, but in the end, we all want the same things for our family, friends, employees and country.

I wish for the very best for you and your family this Independence Day and beyond.

“Freedom is the open window through which pours the sunlight of the human spirit and dignity.” ~ Herbert Hoover

Patrick S. Adams Publisher/President padams@building-products.com

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FEATURE Story

By Kari Gaviria, Madison Wood Preservers

Why it pays to do your research

How to choose the right treated lumber supplier I

N TODAY’S MARKET,

consumers are one click away from unlimited statistics, reading reviews and comparing pricing on a multitude of products.

Some refer to it as the Information Revolution. This trend has been evolving ever since the World Wide Web became public in the ’90s. Although it has simplified researching when it comes to comparing merchandise such as electronics or appliances, it hasn’t yet mastered the art of distinguishing quality differences in commodities such as treated lumber.

Without a side-by-side comparison, how can you (as a retail store purchaser) determine which treater is best

suited to meet your needs? We’ve come up with five areas to consider when trying to locate the right treated lumber provider and why it pays, literally, to do your research.

Know your niche. Who you compete against plays an enormous role in your buying habits, but it shouldn’t dictate your decision. Instead, let it serve as a guide towards locating the population you are trying to reach. As an independent retailer it is incredibly hard to match costs afforded to big box stores. In turn, it is difficult for big box stores to match the quality obtained by an independent retailer on a smaller scale.

IDENTIFYING the right treating partner requires understanding your target market’s list of “musthaves” and exploring what each supplier can offer. (Photos courtesy Madison Wood Preservers)

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It’s crucial to have a target market in mind before choosing which avenue makes the most sense. Whether you stock a large inventory, high quality, specialty products, or all ground contact, portraying that value can make the difference between a walk-in shopper and a lifelong customer.

Establish your list of “musthaves” for the product and from your supplier. With that target market in mind, buyers need to sit down and develop a list of “must-haves” that align with the needs of their contractors. It could be as simple as stocking a heavier retention for timbers, specialty products, or faster deliveries when running just-in-time inventory.

This list should include more than the product itself.

Think about the service and marketing you will need to support your niche. All treated lumber producers will agree that they want your business for the long-haul. If you know to negotiate your requirements up front it is easier for the treater to accommodate and exceed your expectations.

Ask the right questions. Grade stamps are just the opening line of the quality conversation. You may want to ask questions that paint an accurate picture of how that material is handled before it reaches your yard.

Does the untreated wood arrive tarped at your vendor’s facility and will it be kept out of the elements until Building-Products.com

it arrives in your yard? What is their treating and inventory capacity? Some suppliers are so large that they have to buy from numerous mills, which leads to consistent supply but potentially inconsistent quality.

On the other hand, some treaters are so small that they may excel in quality but underperform in inventory selection and lead times during the busy season. Your facility and capital available for inventory will also play a large role in formulating these questions.

How much is your treater willing to help you implement outreach programs and events? Educating your contractors on treatment specifications, grade rules, best practices, and the advantage of buying from a certain vendor will help you to create obtainable expectations and trust.

Finding the right treater takes understanding your target market’s list of “must-haves” and formulating questions that provide insight as to what each supplier can offer.

Understand the correlation between cost and expectation. Low costs often suggest poor or inconsistent quality.

If you are trying to win market-share solely on low prices then you will be forced to lower your expectation of the product and search for the best price possible. Make sure you are receiving comparable pricing on wood that meets the current AWPA standards for Ground Contact.

Retailers consistently make the mistake of letting the competition dictate whom they buy from for fear of losing a sale over price.

There are several ways to overcome the price match mentality and start separating your business from the pack.

Each treater has a unique strength to bring to the table as a selling advantage. It’s their job to help you understand and communicate that value to your customers.

Building-Products.com

Get overly familiar with your back-end costs. It happens. Poor quality material makes it all the way to a jobsite and gets rejected by the homeowner. How much money does the contractor lose in wasted time and labor? How much money are you losing trying to solve the problem?

These small issues build up and can negatively impact your margins and overall market-share as a retailer. Remember there is no second chance for a first impression.

You should also keep in mind the time and money wasted on culls. Find out why that material was deemed unsellable and figure ways to avoid that problem in the future. Becoming overly familiar with your back-end cost allows you to buy smarter from the beginning. It is vital that you use this information to modify your stock to fit the expectations of your customers in order to enhance the company’s reputation long term.

By taking these focus areas into consideration you will drastically increase your odds of customer satisfaction and overall growth for your business. It might not be as easy as a Google search, but having these conversations with your treater ahead of time will solidify a prosperous working relationship for years to come.

– Kari L. Gaviria is an account manager for Madison Wood Preservers, Madison, Va., one of the nation’s largest single-site wood preservers for nearly 60 years.

Reach her at (540) 948-6801 or kgaviria@madwood.com.

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INDUSTRY Trends

By Kenny Rocker, Union Pacific

Last-mile delivery and the evolving rail transportation marketplace I

MPROVED SAFETY , speed and reliability make North America’s freight railroads a preferred transportation mode for U.S. lumber building supply companies. The industry’s 150-year evolution includes hefty investments to improve operations and support growth.

According to the Association of American Railroads, its members spent more than $630 billion in the past 36 years, strengthening and renewing America’s rail infrastructure.

Our customers’ needs and the growing demand for lumber industry products help us identify investment projects that enhance safety, efficiency and overall customer experience.

Non-traditional rail shippers and a new focus on the “last-mile” to cities where consumers receive products are increasingly important with the internet’s evolution. The transportation industry’s last mile reference focuses on how consumers receive goods once the destination cities are reached. While end consumers don’t think about product delivery processes, they care and expect perfect products in a timely manner. Transportation success hinges on a carrier’s flexibility and agility during the last-mile, leading railroads to focus on the customer experience through creative

solutions and innovative technologies to support shippers.

Railroads’ increased safety and enhanced customer service experiences through advanced technology developments. Thousands of wayside detectors scan passing rail cars to identify defects addressed before potential accidents. Specialized rail cars help identify when maintenance is needed using state-of-the-art equipment to inspect tracks.

Railroads also matched supply chain management technologies with phone and tablet applications, allowing shippers to conveniently manage rail shipments in real-time.

For lumber and building supply shippers, railroads have long provided economies of scale that trucks simply cannot match. In 2016 alone, America’s Class I railroads moved approximately 1.2 million rail cars of lumber, paper and other forest products supporting the country’s economic growth. On average, one rail car moves the equivalent of four lumber truckloads, reducing transportation costs and highway congestion. With one ton of freight moved 456 miles on a single gallon of diesel fuel, rail transportation aligns well with forest industry efforts to maintain a smaller carbon footprint.

Forward-staging and lumber product transloading is an increasingly popular receiving method for lumber building supply shippers and receivers with or without physical railroad tracks at their facilities. This process helps fulfill the lumber industry’s “last-mile” needs by offering convenient receiving facilities that serve as a landing spots for customer shipments so that products are ready and waiting once consumers place their orders.

Railroads focus on customer needs—and their customers’ needs. We work closely with lumber and building supply companies and provide forward-staging and transload options offering the benefits of shipping by rail, while maintaining a just-in-time type of product delivery.

Railroads can compete in the evolving transportation marketplace through safe, efficient and on-time deliveries.

In addition to moving products from “point to point,” rail provides flexible innovative solutions customers need.

With a customer experience focus, railroads will continue leading the lumber transportation marketplace.

THE TREND in rail shipping of focusing on the “last mile” of a delivery greatly enhances the receiver’s experience. (Photo by UP)

– Kenny Rocker is vice president and general manager of industrial products for Union Pacific (www.up.com).

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MANAGEMENT Tips

By Brian Wood, Summit Funding Group

Avoid growing pains through leasing with smart financing options

equipment and utilizing smart financing plans can ensure smooth, continuously updated, and fully integrated operations.

Based on more than a decade of working closely with the lumber and building material industry, our firm has devised three key leasing strategies that LBM companies can implement to save money and reduce risk:

agers more flexibility in their fleet management.

Based on market feedback, the ideal lease term for both tractors and truck mounted forklifts is five years, while a trailer’s useful life is slightly longer, making a seven-year lease ideal for trailers.

For the duration of these terms, fleet managers can relax—the cost of the equipment is steady with consistent monthly payments, and the equipment is still under warranty, so in most cases the responsibility for maintenance falls on the lessor. This is a huge weight off dealers’ shoulders, considering timely and efficient repair and upkeep is crucial to keeping business coming in.

For example, if a forklift breaks down upon arrival at a site, it is almost certain that the distributor who sent it will not get a call back. And like any competitive industry—there are many other companies just a phone call away who would be eager to take the business.

With minimal to zero downtime, no concerns over maintenance, and a fixed cost without surprises, managers who lease their fleets will have more time to focus completely on increasing their workload, and their profits.

1. Keep Your Fleet Fresh and Flexible

2. Prepare and Protect in Case of Downturn

Leasing rather than buying equipment affords lumber and building material business owners and man-

The LBM industry is cyclical, and gains are bound to drop off at some point. In case of a down market, leas-

LBM BUSINESSES can employ various leasing strategies to update their fleets, while saving money and reducing risk.

(Photo of Jordan Lumber, Gilead, N.C., courtesy of McMahon Truck Centers)

T

LBM INDUSTRY is booming, and with builders seeing singlefamily starts through last October up 11% from 2015, material distributors can forecast a similar rise in demand throughout the remainder of 2017.

Many companies are scaling up to accommodate an increase in business, and consolidation continues throughout the industry as large companies increasingly expand by acquiring smaller, independent entities.

With this growth comes the need to invest in larger, upgraded fleets. To maximize profit and reduce worries— no matter what lies ahead—leasing HE

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ing allows distributors to hand back their units at the end of their term at no cost and with no additional concerns over liquidating assets.

Leasing also makes it more feasible to scale up when things are looking up—and do more business—with minimal risk. This is especially important given that certain pieces of equipment, such as the truck-mounted forklift, are specific to only a few industries and therefore can depreciate in value quickly.

For example, say an LBM company agrees to pay $30 million a year to acquire a fleet. Five years later, the firm has put $150 million into that equipment. If work is slow at that time and the company needs to get rid of those old units, they are likely to be worth just pennies on the dollar, and the LBM company is stuck trying to find a buyer and salvage some of what has been invested.

Alternately, with a leasing plan, that same business might spend $100 million on the fleet over the same five year term. If things are slow when the lease ends, they can hand it back with no hassle, and more importantly, with more money in their pockets.

3. Update Software through Smart Leasing and Financing As many LBM companies expand, updated ERP software systems are also critical to smooth operations.

With that said, factoring in all costs—including labor, consulting and travel—implementing a new ERP system can be a very hefty expense. Most LBM companies should look to finance these costs and utilize their excess cash for mergers and acquisitions in this crucial growth period for the lumber and building material space.

Many ERP companies and banks can offer financing up to approximately 40% of the cost of the software, however, these solutions rarely cover any expenses outside of the software itself.

In these cases, it’s worthwhile to take a look at independent equipment finance providers. Summit and others can offer up to 100% financing for software systems, and often the cost of installation and maintenance can be rolled into that one lease payment.

For example, one of our clients acquired more than 15 small LBM operations in the past year. The parent company needed to introduce a new, centralized ERP system that would be installed and used in all locations. By utilizing comprehensive services, they were able to finance not only the software, but all of the installation and set-up charges, resulting in a seamless way to handle the financing of this new system.

As LBM distribution firms continue to experience prosperous growth, leasing and finance options should be considered. By leasing, LBM owners and managers can maintain an updated fleet, avoid inconveniences, and of course, save money. Beyond this, owners and manager who choose financing with the best rates, protection and comprehensive services will be successful in keeping their equipment and operations running smoothly.

– Brian Wood is an account manager at Summit Funding Group, an Ohio-based company that provides equipment lease and finance solutions to businesses across the U.S. and Canada.

Contact him at bwood@4sfg.com.

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COMPETITIVE Intelligence

By Carla Waldemar

Top of the lines A

L UMBER C O ., of Abita Springs, La.—on the wrong side of Lake Ponchartrain from New Orleans— has three strikes against it: location, location, location.

“We’re off the beaten path,” says GM David Melton, who signed on 18 years ago with the organization that emerged from a site promoting affordable building, which morphed into a lumberyard in 1984. It became part of parent company Phillips Building Supply in 1998, whose hands-off owners leave it to Melton to run the business. To overcome those strikes, he explains, “We had to make ourselves a destination. We’ll deliver anywhere we can be profitable,” but enticing local contractors—builders of custom homes and their subs, Abita’s bread and butter—is a far better way to run the show, he’s aware.

Sure, he notes, you can buy a hammer or the fasteners you’re looking for here, but the more-accessible boxes will be happy to sell you those, too. Instead, he preaches, “sell, focus and specialize—be absolutely the best—with things we can control in the market. Be an exclusive dealer for top-of-the-line products. Our three keys are Stihl outdoor power equipment, Big Green Egg grills, and Toro mowers.

Also,” he hastens to add, “we’ve just taken on Andersen’s window and door lines—exciting.”

Wait a minute! He’s quick to note, however, “Number one, we’re a lumberyard. We carry everything from the ground up: one-stop shopping. Thanks to Phillips, we can claim we manufacture roof and floor trusses; assemble windows and doors; and treat our own lumber. They sell to us, and this way we cut out the middle-man and can be more flexible in price vs. our competition. It helps us make money for our contractor customers, too.”

Abita’s hardware department stands apart from your typical line-up of wrenches and nails. “Sure, we handle the nuts and bolts of it (Melton chuckles at his pun), but we’re far from typical—not every plan-o-gram of a massive store.

Instead, we pick core products needed in this actual market—for instance, because we’re in a hurricane zone, the items needed for preparation and recovery, like gas cans and tarps. You’ll also find all the things you need for your projects—even pipe insulation for that rare freeze—but,” he draws the line—“we do not sell the fluff: no wind chimes, no garden gnomes. The big reason people shop here is the breadth and quality of our products and the service we provide.”

That superior service comes from a 32-person staff, many with double-digit longevity. “Because trained experts are hard to find here in Abita Springs, we grow and develop BITA

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LOUISIANA DEALER, realizing its location was not as accessible as some competitors’, opted to make itself a destination, by offering unique, high-demand products, such as (lower) Stihl tools.

individuals,” he explains. “And the best way to do that is to empower and enable them to be decision-makers. If I do my job right, they’ll only make a bad decision once,” then learn from it.

“We cater to our custom builders,” Melton makes it clear. “The relationships we’ve developed with tradesmen Building-Products.com

HOT-SELLING outdoor ceramic kamado-style charcoal grills and accessories from Big Green Egg are another area exclusive.

and contractors is key,” he emphasizes, “and even in the 21st century, this is a relationship business. It makes our job easy. We spend a lot of time with these contractors— even more than our families sometimes (another laugh).

They become our personal friends, spending time together outside the job, like ‘I’m going hunting/fishing. Wanna tag along?’”

Relationships cement the exchanges with Abita’s suppliers, too. “They’re very important to us, and our relationships with them help pull through sales, our code to success. You’ve got to have products at competitive prices, and we’re the conduit for the end-users. If there’s a breakdown, it falls on us. You’re always dealing with the ‘tricky triangle’: quality, price and impeccable service. We’re known for this: we tell the truth and deliver what we promise.

“We are a business partner, not”—he couldn’t put it stronger—“not just a supplier. Rather, we partner with our pros and vendors in every way we can. We preach what’s beneficial for both of us, and that word gets around. The subs recommend us: That’s our bread and butter, that word of mouth.

“Yet our salespeople realize it’s a shifting business. We always have to be fresh, be on the cutting edge. As folks retire, we’re seeing a new generation in the builders we cater to, and that allows us new opportunities.”

Keeping your eyes (and options) open is vital to survive a recession, too. Deep into southern Louisiana, Melton notes, it’s the last place to be hurt but also the last place to recover. “Here, we depend on the oil and gas industry, and Building-Products.com

it took a big hit; a lot of folks went out of business. The bottom line is: Leverage is key. If you owe a lot of money, it’s hard to make it.

“For the pros, when building stops, they stop. So your survival is based on leverage, on not chasing a pie in the sky. Spec homes went away, and that was a large part of our business. If a builder focuses on specs—maybe formerly did eight or 10, and he continues to put up eight or 10— those guys are lost. The smart ones now do only two (and these guys made it).”

GM Melton, who majored in life lessons rather than pound out a college degree, couldn’t be happier in his job.

“This is the only thing I’ve ever done. I fell in love with the industry—first in retail, then wholesale. I came to Abita in 1999 and love it. The people I work for really treat me well, and empower me (as I empower our employees).

“It’s rewarding to help people, and then they want to help us in return—be friends, recommend us, value partnering with us. I’m not one to sell you something and never see you again; I couldn’t sell encyclopedias,” he laughs. “The products we sell, our customers need. Builders need lumber, so they buy from us—and that’s the fun part!”

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net July 2017

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OLSEN On Sales

By James Olsen

Hunters, farmers and dominators W

say, “There are hunters and there are farmers,” they are making excuses or don’t understand sales. There are hunters and farmers who plug away, and there are dominators who do both—and much more.

Eighty percent of sales go to the dominators, so the single-skill set salespeople are fighting over 20% of the pie.

Does that sound like fun? It’s not.

One of the most frustrating clients to work with are those that answer the question, “What are you working on?” with “Just working hard!” What they really mean is, “I’ve got this,” which really means “I’m going do it MY way.” I call it the Popeye Syndrome—“I y’am what I y’am and that’s ALL that I y’am.” They remind me of myself. For the first eight years of my sales career I made 70 calls a day. Few traders made more calls than I did, but many made more money!

Was I working hard? Yes, on the wrong things.

We are not a cartoon. If we act like we can’t change, then we won’t change. Unless we are the one-out-of-60 exception who is a “natural” salesperson, we will have to “work on” all areas of our sales skill set.

Working hard on the wrong thing is a false friend that leads us to frustrating, under-producing sales lives. Can we make a living by hard work (or any single-sales skill) alone? Yes. But we’ll be nothing more than a plugger. The big money will go to others. We’ll take the “hustle-scraps;” we’ll never eat the sweetest part of the sales pineapple.

While we may be great at one aspect of sales, the weakest part of our game is the one that holds us back. We can be a great closer but be poor at maintaining relationships, making us spend an inordinate amount of time looking for new business. Long-term contracts don’t go to weak relationship builders. They also don’t go to great relationship builders who can’t close. Here are some common blind spots of salespeople who work hard and are great at one thing but neglect other parts of the master seller skill set: • Great at relationship; poor at closing (and vice-versa) • Expert product/market knowledge; poor relationship skills • Expert closer; weak on follow-up or work ethic • Good margins; no volume • Volume; low margins + high-maintenance accounts • Great sales with one account; no new business HEN PEOPLE

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Here are six areas of lifetime study for the master seller: 1. Technical sales skills. These are all the verbal techniques used to move business along and close.

They include openings, overcoming objections, questions, turns of phrases, and closes.

2. Emotional sales skills. These are the skills we use to relate to others. Emotion Intelligence is the science of what to say, when to say it, how to say it, and to whom. Charm and likeability are true competitive advantages. They are so sparsely practiced that any salesperson who exhibits a minimum of caring and enthusiasm for their customers will succeed.

3. Internal sales skills. How we feel about ourselves and our attitude towards our success.

4. Product knowledge is often overrated in the hands of a yeoman, but in the hands of a master seller is powerful.

5. Hard work is essential for sellers who want to dominate their markets, because those who dominate markets do (almost) everything perfectly and outwork the competition.

6. Social media. We must have a social media presence that is attractive and accessible to our customers. We have control of our social message. Lack of social media presence sends another kind of message (not up to date).

These skills must be studied and mastered to survive in sales. But to rise to the level of master/monster/dominator seller we must display confidence.

Confidence is the most attractive attribute of salespeople. Customers are magnetically attracted to confident salespeople; they can’t help it! The opposite is also true; they will run from lack of confidence. Master sellers have different strengths, but what they have in common is confidence. Sales dominators are lifetime learners whose confidence comes from preparation.

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

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THE REVENUE Growth Habit

By Alex Goldfayn

The power of accountability in sales A

realize how important it is, most salespeople don’t enjoy or appreciate being on the receiving end of accountability. But here’s the unexpected thing: most owners, executives and managers don’t enjoy accountability either. Of course, they are on the implementation end of accountability.

This hit me like a ton of bricks recently, when I had three speeches on three consecutive days. The first two sessions were delivered to company owners and top executives, many of which were larger than $50 million in revenue. The third speech was a sales peer group of about 100 salespeople. Not managers. Not executives. But frontline salespeople.

When the discussion turned to accountability, I could see and feel the discomfort in both groups. But why? Why the discomfort?

For owners, and executives, I think it’s because most change projects fail, especially when they are in the sales organization. Salespeople are far better at resisting and avoiding change than management is at implementing it.

This too shall pass. It’s probably just another flavor of the month for the boss.

Sound familiar? They’re right, though, aren’t they? If they avoid it long enough, it does indeed pass. Also, you’re pretty busy, right? There’s not a lot of time to roll out and implement and assess and edit accountability programs.

And so, most management has a career’s worth of unsuccessful change initiatives. Which is one of the big reasons we are uncomfortable with accountability. We kind of expect failure. They probably won’t do this either.

But why do salespeople dislike accountability? In part, because sales is an independent profession. If they are generating results, many salespeople often operate without much structure or oversight. And, in part, because they’ve seen this movie before. They know most new things go away, if only they are avoided for a long enough period of time. And so, that’s what they do.

So, what can we do about it? Implementing change with your salespeople requires the following steps. That is, if you want to grow your sales, you must implement the following steps. Which is to say, these are precisely the steps I implement for my clients. This is how I get their sales teams to change their behaviors. You can do this without me (or with me, I’m easy), but here is what you do either way: LTHOUGH THEY

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First, it must be clear from the outset that this change is different. This is a permanent initiative. It’s not temporary.

It’s a lifestyle change, not a diet. Say this. Or some version of it. Make it clear that you understand how things are, and that this thing will be different.

Second, you must teach your people, very specifically, what you want them to do: • This is how to ask for a referral the right way.

• Here is how to use silence to close more business.

• This is how we ask for the business. With these words.

• Here is how I want you to follow up on quotes and proposals.

Third, you must ask your people to make a plan. I like weekly plans, on one sheet if possible. That is, how many total proactive actions will they take this week? And on what day will they take them? So, on Monday, I’ll ask for a referral, follow up on a proposal, and send a handwritten note. Like that.

Fourth, they need to track their results. Did they ask for the referral? If so, what happened? Did they get one? (It’s okay to not get a referral, but it’s not okay to not ask if they planned it.)

Fifth, these results must be turned in to somebody who’s expecting them. This is called accountability. It’s the most important step. Without it, nothing happens. And if the details aren’t turned in as planned, we must be comfortable asking for it. Where is it? What happened? This is important to our success, I thought we were on the same page.

Sixth, we must recognize success publicly.

Name names. Sally asked for a referral and got one, then she followed up with the prospect and closed a $30,000 order with a new customer. Congratulations, Sally! The science tells us that recognition among peers is a more effective motivator than financial compensation. Keep your money, and pass out recognition.

I repeat: the most important step here is accountability. It is the key to all good change.

Alex Goldfayn Revenue Growth Consultancy alex@evangelistmktg.com (847) 459-6322 Building-Products.com

TRANSFORMING Teams

By Claudia St. John

5 tips for improving your job interviews

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UCH HAS BEEN written about how ineffectual job interviews can be for employers who are looking to hire.

Critics often point to the lack of forethought that goes into the questions, as well as too much focus on the candidate’s physical appearance and too much reliance on the interviewer’s “gut feeling” about a candidate.

We agree. When poorly constructed and conducted, traditional job interviews can certainly be ineffective for employers and can end up contributing to the wrong person being hired.

That said, when constructed correctly, job interviews can be a critical tool in selecting the absolutely right candidate for your job. Here are the five most important tips for conducting an effective interview:

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Prepare in Advance – It is absolutely essential that, long before you are face-to-face with a candidate, you have a clear vision for what the job requires and what skills, abilities and behaviors are needed for the role.

Outline clearly those factors and craft the interview questions that will be most effective in assessing whether your candidate is right for the position.

Make sure you know exactly what information and feedback you need to get out of an interview before ever going into one.

Structure Your Panel Interview – We strongly recommend that all job interviews be conducted by a team of at least three interviewers. Panel interviews are critical because all panelists are able to witness the candidates’ July 2017

responses to questions asked. And when one interviewer is asking questions, the others can observe the candidates’ body language, tone and, of course, response. If each interviewer knows his or her role and has the questions prepared in advance, each will be able to be much more present during the interview.

Finally, each interviewer should have a specific area of inquiry and set of questions and should ask the same questions of each candidate so that all facets of the job are covered and the panel can truly compare candidates based on their having answered the same questions. And make sure everyone is well aware of the questions that are prohibited by law to ask during a job interview. If you’re unsure, Google “Prohibited Interview Questions.”

Use Behavioral Interview Questions – Research shows that the most effective way to structure a question is to ask it in the form of a past experience. For example, start each question with, “Tell me about a time when you had to…” or “Describe for me a situation when you had to….” As in most things, the best predictor of how someone will act in the future is how they acted in the past. And try to avoid questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no.”

Remember the “Rule of Thirds” – As recruiters, we always recommend that our clients follow the “Rule of Thirds,” which states that one-third of your hiring decision should be based on the experience and demonstrable skills that the candidate brings to the table, one-third should be based on Building-Products.com

how the candidate presented himself or herself during the interview process, and one-third should come from the results of a behavioral assessment test. We strongly recommend behavioral testing of all candidates because most employees fail in their jobs not because of aptitude, but rather because of their attitude. Testing gives you additional objective data with which to assess your candidate.

Q. At what point does a small company need a dedicated HR person? Right now our payroll person is handling HR issues. She does an ok job but I wonder if we are missing something.

A. Many small companies who cannot afford an HR person divvy up HR duties between other administrative staff.

It is not uncommon to have an administrator, finance or payroll person handle the critical needs like making sure people get paid and benefit enrollment. Unfortunately, given the myriad of federal laws that apply to even the smallest companies, everyone needs experienced HR support from time to time. The rule of thumb in the industry is once you hit 50 employees, you probably need an HR professional and you generally need a professional for every 150 employees (so you would need two HR professionals if you have 300 employees).

If you think she’s doing a good job, maybe what you need is just a quick audit of your HR function to make sure everything is going well. She will probably learn a lot and you will have peace of mind knowing that your HR ducks are all in a row!

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Deciding on Your Candidate – As your panel of interviewers reviews and debriefs their thoughts of the candidates, be mindful to stick to job-related considerations. Did the candidate answer the questions sufficiently? Was the candidate clear and articulate and present himself or herself well? Avoid areas of bias that can sway the hiring decision, such as the candidate’s interests, hobbies, network of friends, cultural background, or other non-job related issues. Check with the candidate’s references and ask behavioral questions of the references, specifically if there are any areas of concern or lingering doubts. And, most importantly, even if you are pressed for time or are anxious to fill the position, do not hire a candidate unless you are absolutely certain that he or she will be a great hire. If, after the interview process, you are stuck choosing among a pool of mediocre candidates, start over. If you’re in doubt, it’s almost always best to move on.

Job interviews are tricky. They are the part of the hiring process where there is the most legal risk (again, review those “prohibited interview questions”) and where you are most likely to wander off track into areas that won’t help in making an effective hiring decision.

With a solid interview process and well prepared interviewers, you will be better able to identify and hire the candidate best suited for your job.

Claudia St. John Affinity HR Group, Inc. claudia@affinityhrgroup.com

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Culpeper Adding 6th Plant Culpeper Wood Preservers, Culpeper, Va., is renovating the former Georgia-Pacific wood preserving plant in Roanoke Rapids, N.C., which has been closed for about a decade.

Culpeper will spend $2.7 million acquiring and renovating what will be its sixth treating facility, with hopes of starting up by Sept. 1.

NY Yard Adds Jersey Branch Midtown Lumber, New York, N.Y., held a grand opening June 16 for its new retail store and warehouse

in Jersey City, N.J. Longtime worker Zach Chasky purchased Midtown earlier this year and is expanding with the backing of partners Alban Krasniqi and Albert Salaj.

Dealer Sells Midwest Branches Private equity firm Sterling Group, Houston, Tx., acquired five Midwest distribution branches from Gerdau Construction Products, to become part of its Construction Supply Group.

Now with 53 branches, Construction Supply Group was formed in late 2016 with Sterling’s purchase of

Brock White Co., Border Construction Specialties, and Stetson Building Products. The new deal includes locations in Eldridge, Ia.; Madison, Wi.; Decatur and Urbana, Il., which will become part of Stetson, and Appleton, Wi., which will be rolled into Brock White.

Steel producer Gerdau retains its distribution yards in Johnson City, Knoxville, Nashville, Tn.; and Albany, Ga.

DEALER Briefs Collins Supply, Athens, Al., is liquidating after 57 years, with the retirement of the owners.

Black Lumber, Greencastle, In., held a grand reopening to show off its expanded operations.

Pride Ag Resources shuttered its Great Bend Ace Hardware in Great Bend, Ks., June 1 “due to economic conditions.” The company retains Aces in Dodge City, Lyons, Maize and Meade, Ks. Ace Hardware is angling to add a store in Cadillac, Mi., by Christmas.

Ace Hardware is getting ready to start construction for a new store on the former site of the Pike County Speedway in Pittsfield, Il. Goddard Ace Hardware , Goddard, Ks., has been opened by Russ Lowen, with plans to add a second location in about three years.

Costello’s Ace Hardware opened location #29 in Melville, N.Y.

Rocky’s Ace Hardware will expand its store in South Hadley, Ma. Marjam Supply acquired C&R Supply, Liverpool, N.Y., as its 36th location (Doug Black, branch mgr.).

Marjam also purchased a 22,750sq. ft. building in Cheektowaga, N.Y.— its 10th location in the state, but first in western New York.

BMC Stock is now carrying Andersen windows and doors in the Atlanta market.

Mid South Building Supply, Fredericksburg, Va., was presented The ESOP Association’s annual Award for Communications Excellence.

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MJB Wood Group Buys PacTrim’s Southern Mills MJB Wood Group, Irving, Tx., has become the nation’s largest MDF millwork producer with its purchase of Pacific MDF Products’ two facilities in the Southeast.

The addition of the Pacific MDF Products of Arkansas plant in El Dorado, Ar., and Pacific MDF Products of South Carolina mill in Clio, S.C., transforms MJB from a regional manufacturer to a national supplier of MDF moulding and millwork. In addition to expanding MJB’s distribution across the South and

Northeast, the acquisition also strengthens its manufacturing footprint and allows for future growth in industrial markets.

Under the deal, Rocklin, Ca.-based Pacific MDF Inc. and Alberta-based Canadian MDF Products Co. will continue to own and operate their plants in California and Canada.

“I am very excited about bringing together a larger, more efficient manufacturing base to better serve our customers and our suppliers while leveraging the market expertise, talent and technology of the MJB team,” said president and CEO Joe Caldwell.

SUPPLIER Briefs Caddo River Forest Products has restarted the former Bean Lumber sawmill in Glenwood, Ar., which had been idle since 2010.

Great Southern Wood Preserving, Muscle Shoals, Al., will distribute Tando Building Products’ full line of TandoShake and TandoStone exterior cladding products throughout northern Alabama, western Tennessee, and southern Kentucky.

Manufacturers Reserve Supply, Irvington, N.J., is now distributing Tapco Group’s Grayne engineered shingles. The composite product is MRS’s first non-wood siding line.

Huttig Building Products, St. Louis, Mo., is partnering with GAF as its lead supplier of roofing shingles and accessories.

CertainTeed Roofing, Malvern, Pa., has expanded availability of its popular NorthGate SBS-modified asphalt shingles into Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, and central and western Pennsylvania.

Bostik , Wauwatosa, Wi., has acquired floor preparation systems manufacturer CMP Specialty Products, Philadelphia, Pa. Domain Timber Advisors , Atlanta, Ga., has purchased Timbervest’s fund management business, which manages a 530,000-acre timberland portfolio valued at $1 billion across the major timber producing regions of the U.S. Domain Capital formed Domain Timber Advisors as its timberland investment division, targeting domesticonly assets and headed by Joe Sanderson, ex-Plum Creek, and Mark Foley, CFA. Fairway Architectural Railing Solutions , Mount Joy, Pa., has launched a new website at www.fairwayrailing.com.

Anniversaries: The Merchant Magazine, 95th … McCray Lumber & Millwork, Kansas City, Ks., 70th … Crone Lumber, Martinsville, In., 45th … Harrigan Lumber Co., Monroeville, Al., 45th.

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THINKING Ahead

By Steve Cheatham, Everwood Treatment Co.

Getting “social” Facebook and Instagram connect businesses with customers, with benefits for both parties

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has emerged as an increasingly important part of people’s lives, and prudent companies are finding ways to integrate it into lead nurturing and relationshipbuilding.

Consider our experience at Everwood Treatment Co., a familyowned business based in Spanish Fort, Al., that has been in the wood treating industry for over 30 years.

We are always working at strengthening relationships with our customers—retailers—and their customers—the general public.

For example, we recently sold a large volume of lumber to South Bay Ace Hardware, Santa Rosa Beach, Fl., which constructed a 12,000-sq. ft. eating deck at a waterfront restaurant. We are posting pictures of that project on social media, highlighting the fact that the lumber was supplied by South Bay through Everwood.

That kind of online traffic helps create a sense of connection between the end customer, the builder, and us. Posting our customers’ projects helps them get noticed. And helping our retail customers make sales benefits us both: they get more jobs, and we sell more material.

That one example alone highlights the reality—at least for our company, because we do not sell OCIAL MEDIA

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directly to the public—that online marketing is more about fortifying relationships than generating new leads. Facebook has been our most effective online channel for nurturing purposes. When we do training sessions and events such as home builders’ shows, all of the pictures are uploaded to Facebook and our customers are tagged in the posts. In our experience, people seem most

July 2017

interested in seeing themselves at an event on media! We have greatly expanded our efforts on this front in the past year.

Instagram is also a great place for pictures of projects that our customers have completed in their markets. We have just started increasing our efforts on Instagram, because when it comes to posting project pictures, we are able to calendar

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A Special Series from North American Wholesale Lumber Association

those out and just have jobs going. You can auto-post every week at certain times each day, and try to see how that does. So far, we have linked it with many of the HGTV pages, and that has generated more interest coming back to us. We now need to spend some time weeding through them and identify which people are looking to do a project that we could match up with one of our retail customers.

Another online method we have used to connect with clients is YouTube. We created a channel on the site with several training videos. We drive our training trailer and equipment to customer events, to provide direct interaction with contractors and the general public alike. Our focus is to offer training to several different venues, whether it’s customer appreciation day at a local hardware store or a planned neighborhood development location. We also visit trade shows and conventions to offer free training to attendees. Sometimes we will use the YouTube link from these events and insert it into some of our posts, especially email posts.

We are now making a push to get contact information from all our customers on projects they are undertaking.

Our photography and media staff are following up to get pictures and produce stories on the projects, which we will post online. Our hope is that these will occasionally be picked up by Building Projects Digest magazine.

Applying the analytics on Facebook helps us understand our customers at a deeper level. We also review Google Analytics basically to see what is hot and what is trending in our field. Our chief focus has been on the hits—what generates the most interest. Analytics have confirmed that features on our events are indeed what attract the most people online. We can and do post pictures of projects, and they draw lots of attention from people looking for ideas—especially the “do it yourself” crowd. For our events, we will take our 18-wheeler and pull up in someone’s yard. We show 40 to 50 people the ropes, feed them, and take pictures throughout the duration. We post people getting their certificates and awards, another feature the analytics confirm as very popular. I think it helps build our relationship with our retailers, because not only are we posting photos of their people, but of their contractors; and I think it just helps reinforce our alliance.

Interacting with our “customer’s customer” is probably the biggest challenge we face. However, we believe that successfully doing so increases the demand for lumber, thus helping our retail customers. And, of course, we want the retailers to obtain that lumber from us! We are considering expanding the marketing department in

Building-Products.com

order to increase our connection with both retailers and the public.

As buyers become more independent and attention spans shrink, the case for strategic, effective lead nurturing continues to grow. It certainly helps with recognition of our product, and it’s going to help build a stronger relationship with our customer. I expect our efforts in the social media marketing arena to continue to grow, as we are really still very new at it right now.

We have been kind of dipping our foot in there and seeing what we can do with it. It’s definitely been a “let’s try this, no that doesn’t work at all, let’s try this,” approach, and then you will hit something where we get a lot of hits, a lot of views, and we pick up a lot of likes, and it’s like “okay, that must work.” There’s a lot of trial and error involved, for sure.

As far as what lies ahead in terms of our client engagement and lead nurturing strategies, I expect such efforts to increase because our footprint has been growing and it gives us a chance to get out into the new markets and try to pick up interest in our product. Then, in turn, we are going to direct that to our customers we have in that market.

We are also planning to make a push with our training, featuring our rig; we definitely want to go out and do more of that. Currently, we do two days a week, but we hope to see the truck on the road five days a week in the near future. Then, of course, we will run all of that on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, as well as on our own web site. That increased volume should greatly boost the interaction not only between us and the retail store, but us and the general public.

– Steve Cheatham is sales manager for Everwood Treatment Co., Spanish Fort, Al., and a member of NAWLA’s marketing committee.

About NAWLA North American Wholesale Lumber Association is the association that delivers unparalleled access to relationships and resources that improve business strategy and performance through sales growth, cost savings, and operational efficiencies for wholesalers and manufacturers of forest products and other building materials that conduct business in North America. Learn more about how NAWLA can help your business at www.nawla.org.

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SPECIAL APA on EWP SPECIAL FOCUS Focus

By Joe Elling, Market Research Director, APA – The Engineered Wood Association

EWP market outlook: Sustained growth, increased demand for education and training H OUSING STARTS in the U.S. through the first four months of 2017 have averaged an annual rate of 1.225 million units, up 6% from the first four months of 2016.

Single-family starts were up 7.6% compared to a year ago, while multifamily starts were up 2.7%. The larger gain in single-family construction is good news for the wood products industry as the amount of wood products used in a new single-family home is more than double that of a new multifamily unit.

For the most part, the issues discussed in last year’s outlook overview remain the same. On the demand side, household growth is running at a rate of 1.2 million, based on first quarter data from the Census Bureau. Accounting for other factors, such as new units needed for replacement of existing units destroyed by disaster or demolished for changes in land use and to accommodate second home demand, the demand for new housing units is running near 1.5 million units. Thus, when mobile home shipments are included, which are running at an annual rate of roughly 85,000 units, the current level of production of new housing units of 1.3 million units is short of the trend demand of 1.5 million units by roughly 200,000 units.

Reflecting the tight demand-supply balance, vacancy rates are at or below historical norms. This helps to explain home price and rental rate increases that exceed average income growth in many markets, especially in the western states where employment is growing faster than the rest of the nation.

On the supply side, availability of developed lots and the scarcity of skilled construction labor remain binding constraints. Roughly two-thirds of the builders responding to a National Association of Home Builders survey said lot availability would be a constraint in 2017, up from 60% in 2016. With respect to labor supply, the unemployment rate in the construction industry as measured by the Bureau of

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Labor Statistics in 2016 was 6.3% (see chart below). This is below the levels experienced in 2005-06 during the height of the housing bubble when housing starts averaged 1.9 million units. The scarcity of skilled construction labor is likely to be even more challenging in the coming years if the Trump Administration is able to enact its desired program to step up infrastructure investment.

How forcefully the Trump Administration pursues policies to tighten immigration laws in the U.S. could also tighten the market for construction labor. Based on estimates from Pew Research, unauthorized immigrants account for 17-28% of the construction labor force, depending on the required skill (see chart at top of next page). Unauthorized immigrants are concentrated in the currently most vibrant construction markets, meaning the effects of a tighter enforcement would be most heavily felt in the Southwest and Pacific Coast states.

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One supply-side concern that has arisen over the last 12 months pertains to lending standards for securing multifamily construction loans. According to the quarterly surveys conducted by the Federal Reserve, lending officers at banks have reported that they have been tightening their standards for such loans since the beginning of 2016 and will continue to do so through 2017. Tighter standards will in effect raise costs and frustrate the ability of apartment developers to meet the continued growth in demand for rental units.

The return of the rate on a 30-year fixed-rate to near 4% has driven an increase in traffic through new housing developments and is reflected in homebuilders’ expectations of stronger sales in the second half of 2017.

Statements made by Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen and Federal Reserve Board members point to further increases in the target range for the federal funds rate through the rest of this year and 2018. In addition, they want to pursue a gradual path of reducing the Federal Reserve’s holding of long-term financial assets, such as mortgage backed securities and return the Fed’s balance sheet to a more traditional structure. Combining this with likely efforts by the Trump Administration to restructure Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac points to higher mortgage rates over the next three to five years.

The likelihood of higher interest rates was built into last year’s outlook and with the same concerns regarding the

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supply side, the current housing starts outlook carries little change from that of a year ago. Housing starts are projected to continue on a gradual upwards path approaching 1.5 million starts by the end of the decade and plateau from there (see chart below).

The repair and remodel market appears to be off to a good start in 2017, based on dollar sales at building materials and garden supply stores being up 6% through April versus a year ago. Data pertaining to the split among products sold are not available. Our expectation is that in volume terms, wood products sales were up 2-3%. The outlook calls for growth in wood products used in residential repair and remodeling to average growth of about 2% per year through 2021. This is based on household growth averaging 1% year and spending per household growing close to the same rate.

The current key messages for building material distributors are in line with those of a year ago. Demand for wood products will be on a sustained path of growth through 2020. With less experienced workers accounting for a larger share of the construction labor force, building materials distributors will likely have to provide more educational services to their customers. Those who do so effectively should reap the rewards of expanding market share in a growing market.

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SPECIAL FOCUS EWP SPECIAL Focus

By Stephanie Ornelas

Timber high-rise on the horizon S

UPPORTERS OF HIGH - RISE

timber construction are teaming up in Portland, Or., to transform the city’s existing Pearl District property into Framework, the nation’s tallest wood high-rise building. Their plans are moving forward, as permits have just been approved and construction for the 11-story building, with a twelfth floor accessible roof, is set to start this fall.

Beneficial State Bank, Portlandbased real estate developer Project^, and public housing authority Home Forward are using their “Forest to Frame” movement to reshape the way people think about wood construction.

The project recently passed several fire and structural tests, and is on its way to be the first building in the following areas:

TALL WOOD exhibit in the building’s ground floor will promote engineered wood construction.

BUILDING DESIGN showcases the nature of the 11-floor mass timber construction at both the street level and on the Portland city skyline.

• First high-rise building with wood from ground floor, as the load-bearing construction, in the U.S. • First high-rise building with exposed wood (of any percentage) in North America • First fully loaded exposed CLT connection requiring a two-hour fire rating in the world • First fully loaded exposed glulam connections requiring a two-hour fire rating in the world • Tallest mass timber building in the U.S.—and tallest all mass timber building in all of North America The structural design is a glulam post-and-beam structure, surrounding a CLT central core, and topped by CLT floor panels and gypsum concrete. Framework is driven by the abundance of delights in texture, color, patterns, feel and sound that wood offers. In addition, using wood, which sequesters carbon, is a natural extension of the architects’, engineers’

GRAPHIC demonstrations illustrate the structural model of the building and its frame step by step. (Renderings courtesy KPFF Consulting Engineers)

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Building-Products.com

and developers’ commitment to producing sustainable buildings.

The wood skyscraper is meant to be resilient to earthquakes and was designed as a low damage, rockingwall resilient building. This not only meets the code requirements for structures in seismic regions, but ensures that the building will be easily repairable after a major earthquake. It will also showcase the features, materials and structural system of the building, highlighting the safe application, practicality and sustainability of mass timber structures.

A retail kiosk, Albina Community Bank, leasing office, bike room with 93 spaces, as well as spaces for utilities will be included in the structure.

Framework’s upper floors will house a mixture of apartments designed to have modern finishes, energy-efficient features, and exposed wood ceilings.

As there is currently a housing emergency in the city of Portland due to the lack of affordable housing and low vacancy, all 60 apartments are for residents earning less than 60% of area median income.

Office tenants will occupy the second to sixth floor. The second and third floor are each pre-leased to the

MASS TIMBER components for the 145-ft.-tall building are tested to ensure earthquake resilience.

(Photos courtesy Lever Architecture)

two banks. The remaining floors are currently speculative office space.

Framework’s research and testing will become an open source after the building is constructed. The ground floor will include a “Tall Wood Exhibit,” which will seek to raise

awareness of the benefits of using engineered wood products in construction. The project’s main mission is to provide a pathway for future mass timber projects, while building local knowledge and skills on constructing from mass timber.

Tips, T To ools, and T Trrain ning AP PA A has th he information h i f ti resources you need d to t answer common que estions and cha challenges.

RECORDED WEBINARS

VIDEO BRIEF FS

BUILDER TIPS IN EN NGLISH G & SP PA A NIS SH

PRODUCT & DESIGN GUIDES

Visit the Resource Library at www.apawood.org to access these free tools.

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SPECIAL APA on EWP SPECIAL FOCUS Focus

By APA – The Engineered Wood Association

Sustainable design begins with the building products W

HEN SUSTAINABLE design is a key objective of builders and designers, building material suppliers can help them achieve their goals with environmentally-responsible building products. Plywood, OSB and engineered wood products meet modern building challenges and address the need for green building.

North American wood products offer many environmental benefits.

Grown using solar energy, young forests remove millions of tons of carbon from the atmosphere each year by absorbing CO2, which helps to offset the carbon we add to the atmosphere through fossil fuel energy use. A sustainably managed and harvested forest actually benefits from logging and subsequent regeneration because young trees breathe new life into the atmosphere. As a forest matures and growth rates slow, its CO2 absorption rate slows as well.

Even the manufacturing process of wood products boasts environmentally-friendly benefits. Wood products manufacturing is highly resource and energy efficient. In the U.S., much of the energy used to manufacture wood products comes from wood-based biomass fuels such as tree bark, sawdust and other harvesting by-products, meaning that very little of the energy used to manufacture wood building components comes from fossil fuels.

Modern manufacturing methods also allow for the majority of the log to be used, ensuring that very little of the forest resource is wasted.

Compared to other building materials, wood structural panels and engineered wood require less energy in the manufacturing process. Almost 98% of mill residues generated in the United States are currently used as

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fuel or to produce fiber products, such as hardboard, MDF, particleboard and other wood composites or products.

In structures, wood is six times more efficient as an insulator than an equivalent thickness of brick, 105 times more efficient than concrete, and 400 times more efficient than steel, according to Your Home Technical Manual. Life Cycle Assessment, a performance-based method used to quantify and evaluate the environmental impact of a product, assembly, or structure, shows that wood has numerous environmental advantages over other building materials over the life of the material.

LCA analyses consider factors such as embodied energy from manufacture, greenhouse gas emissions, air and water pollutants, and carbon storage over the length of service in the building. The net carbon impact of using wood products (which equals carbon emissions from energy used in manufacture, less the carbon stored in the product over its lifetime) is substantially better than carbon neutral.

APA has published a new guide, Sustainable Buildings, Sustainable Future, which contains additional facts and figures related to the sustainability of the forest resource, certification, life cycle assessment, and Environmental Product Declarations.

The guide compares energy consumption in the manufacture of wood, steel and concrete products, and provides a comparison of the net carbon impact of the building materials.

It also includes an in-depth look at how sustained demand for wood products fosters a cycle of growth in North American forests. As a result of forest management and extensive replanting, timber volume has steadily increased July 2017

CO2 savings can add up when choosing wood over concrete or steel.

during the past 50 years. There are more trees in the U.S. today than there were in the early 1900s, according a National Report on Sustainable Forests, published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The new publication is available in print and on the APA website, www.apawood.org.

Building-Products.com

WHITE

Natural trim colors are gaining g in popularity. But to a

SAND

contractorr,, that means losing time and margin on painting.

Give your customers – and theeirr customers – peace of mind

CLAY

with PA PALIGHT Trimboard in Clay or Sand with Color2Core.™

PA P ALIGHT Color C l Trim: T i Better B th than a shrink. hi k E VERCLEAN™ PROTEC TIVE FILM

SPECIAL APA on EWP SPECIAL FOCUS Focus

By APA – The Engineered Wood Association

Nail-base sheathing a simple solution for easy siding/trim attachment O

most common challenges builders face is making good connections between siding and the structural framing. If installed improperly, the siding can appear wavy and uneven, leading to complaints and callbacks.

When continuous wood structural panel sheathing is used on the walls, the sheathing provides a solid, consistent nail-base for finish siding and trim. In typical construction, siding, trim and brick ties are attached to framing members. According to the building code, these ties can also be attached directly to nail-base structural sheathing when the correct fastening method is used.

Making wood structural panel wall sheathing part of the building material package is a simple but effective way to reduce common problems associatNE OF THE

ed with siding installation.

For builders, continuous sheathing—sheathing all exterior walls with wood structural panels, including above and below openings and gable ends—is a practical and effective way to meet the code at an affordable cost.

Advantages to using continuous plywood or OSB wall sheathing as a nail base for siding and trim include: • Ensures that all siding ends and trim are fastened to a solid substrate.

• Eliminates the need to install additional wall studs, saving expense on time and materials.

• Allows for the use of popular siding products when studs are spaced 24 inches on center.

• Eliminates the need to locate hidden studs, which is especially tricky when house wrap or continuous insulation covers the walls.

WALLS continuously sheathed in plywood or OSB provide an excellent nail base for siding and trim.

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• Reduces wind-related siding noise complaints and call-backs.

• Helps ensure that siding remains in place during high wind events.

• Maintains structural integrity of the building if the siding is penetrated during a high-wind event.

A video that explains how OSB and plywood sheathing can be used as a sturdy, code-compliant nail base for siding and trim is available from APA. In Easy Siding & Trim Attachment, APA’s engineered wood specialist Mary Uher talks to Jon Sukonik, a builder who has taken advantage of the capabilities of continuously sheathed walls for 16-inch on-center siding attachment with 24-inch oncenter advanced framing. The video was filmed at one of Sukonik’s jobsites in Pennsylvania.

“By making a simple switch to continuous wood structural panel sheathing and ring-shank nails, this builder was able to satisfy both the requirements for withdrawal pressures as mandated by code and the fastening requirements of the siding manufacturer,” Uher explained.

The program outlines key steps in securing the plywood or OSB sheathing and meeting code requirements for siding attachment.

Access the online video from APA’s website, www.apawood.org/ nail-base-sheathing.

In addition to the online video, the Nail-Base Sheathing for Siding and Trim Attachment Construction Guide also details the advantages for code compliance and reducing steps in siding installation.

Building-Products.com

SPECIAL FOCUS EWP

Interest rises in mass timber construction I

mass timber construction is surging, as evidenced by a huge jump in attendance and a palpable buzz at the recent 2nd annual International Mass Timber Conference in Portland, Or. The event explored the entire supNTEREST IN

ply chain for cross-laminated timber, nail-laminated timber, glulam panels, LVL and other mass timber—and the opportunities and obstacles for mass timber building in global construction. The 2nd annual conference significantly built on the inaugural event

UP CLOSE look at mass timber buildings in and around Portland, Or., was one of two tours conducted the day before the Mass Timber Conference. Over 165 people participated in the two separate tours, which will be held again March 20 as the kick-off for the 2018 conference.

(Photo courtesy of Marcus Kauffman, Oregon Dept. of Forestry)

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with a change in venue, expanded educational sessions, and more tours.

It drew 811 attendees from 22 countries, 53 exhibitors, and 87 speakers.

The near 60% jump in attendance required moving the event from the Portland Marriott last year to the Oregon Convention Center this year.

“The number of countries represented doubled in the second year,” said Tom Waddell, VP-sales & marketing for event organizer Forest Business Network. “We increased the 2017 event by doubling the educational tracks (to four) and almost doubling the number of speakers.”

The conference featured a general session with keynote speakers each morning. Attendees could then select presentations among four tracks— each with three panels per day. The tracks focused on “Environment, Sustainability, Certification & Edu,” “Developers & Builders,” “Architecture & Engineering,” and “Manufacturing, Research & Development, & Applied Research.”

Two tours were held the day before the conference, showing 168 participants the latest in mass timber construction. The first featured visits to seven Portland buildings with mass timber components, the second offered a tour of a CLT-constructed school and the Oregon State University lab that does mass timber research and development.

The 3rd annual International Mass Timber Conference will return to Portland’s Oregon Convention Center March 20-22, 2018.

Building-Products.com

Francis Powell – Plywood Sales Manager • Charlie Doby – Asst. Sales Manager Plywood & Veneer Barry Beightol – Plywood Sales

Fulton, Alabama • 334-636-4424 • 800-936-4424 • www.scotchplywood.com

SPECIAL FOCUS EWP SPECIAL Focus

By Julia Leitman, reThink Wood

Nail-laminated timber update

Exterior NLT at T3 in Minneapolis, Mn.

N

mass timber is allowing builders and architects to leverage the strength and stability of mass timber products. In particular, nail-laminated timber (NLT) presents significant opportunity for the LBM community today and is readily available throughout the country thanks to the abundance of raw materials and its ease of fabrication.

Its cost-effectiveness is one advantage and, as talks of high-rise wood building continue to grow, builders will see NLT’s design flexibility as yet another advantage.

The recently completed T3 building in Minneapolis, Mn., is a good example of how NLT can be utilized, with a majority of the materials made of lumber from trees killed by the mountain pine beetle. T3 (Timber, Transit, Technology) is the first finished commercial property in the U.S. to use engineered wood for its structure and interior. The seven-story, 220,000-sq. ft. building was built with 8-by-20 ft. panels of engineered wood stacked

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across beams of glued laminated timber. The panels themselves consist of smaller strips of wood nailed together.

Products such as nail-laminated timber and cross-laminated timber (CLT) allow building designers to push beyond wood’s perceived boundaries, achieving building heights and spans that would have once required concrete, steel, or masonry for structural support.

To encourage projects like T3, the binational Softwood Lumber Council recently released a free online NailLaminated Timber U.S. Design & Construction Guide, which focuses on design and construction considerations for horizontal NLT applications pertaining to U.S. construction practice and standards.

With help from designers, consultants and architects (Perkins + Will, Fast+Epp, StructureCraft, Seagate Structures Ltd., RDH Building Science, Holmes Fire, GHL Consultants Ltd., American Wood Council and WoodWorks) who have been working July 2017

to advance high-quality timber construction across industries, typologies and geographies, the first-of-its-kind manual provides direction for safe, predictable and economical use of NLT. It also offers practical strategies and guidance, including lessons learned from real-life projects. “While the product has been incorporated into U.S. building codes for decades, available resources are updated and have been focused on prescriptive, rather than engineered applications,” said Rebecca Holt, of Perkins + Will.

Equally important, NLT is already listed in the code as heavy timber so it can be incorporated into a project without the need for an alternative solution application. Softwood Lumber Council general manager Cees de Jager explained, “NLT is a significant growth opportunity for our industry and, therefore, we are proud to have funded this important resource.”

NLT is a cost-effective solution for those looking to leverage the economic and environmental benefits of mass timber construction, especially since the desire to build green with the most energy-efficient products is only going to grow.

According to Tanya Luthi of the Vancouver, B.C.-based structural engineering firm Fast+Epp, “There’s an eagerness among architects today that I haven’t seen for a number of years. From an engineering perspective, mass timber technologies like nail-laminated timber signify an exciting shift in the way we think about building.”

—Julia Leitman is a communications specialist for reThink Wood. For additional resources visit rethinkwood.com.

DOWNLOAD a nail-laminated timber design and construction guide at rethinkwood.com.

Building-Products.com

Building-Products.com

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SPECIAL APA on EWP SPECIAL FOCUS Focus

By APA – The Engineered Wood Association

I-joist tips to prevent customer callbacks I

-JOISTS ARE HIGH quality engineered wood products that perform best when proper storage, handling, and application guidelines are followed. By educating builders on key storage and installation practices, building suppliers can help reduce the mishaps and installation errors that can lead to customer callbacks.

Here are key steps for successful I-joist use, from storage to application.

Storage • Do not walk on wrapped bundles. The bundles may be slippery or unstable, especially when wet.

• Store I-joists vertically on a flat, dry surface with wrap left intact.

• Never store I-joists flatwise.

• Protect I-joists from weather.

• Keep bundles a minimum of 6 inches off the ground.

• Use stickers every 8 ft. to separate bundles.

• Store the longest material lowest to the ground.

• Do not stack other materials on top of I-joists.

Handling

• Do not twist I-joists.

• Avoid applying loads to I-joists on the flatwise side.

• Don’t drop I-joists off the delivery truck; use a forklift.

• Move I-joists with a forklift that has a safety cage and wide forks.

• Maintain low forklift speed and brake smoothly while moving I-joists.

• Do not bounce or jerk loaded I-joists.

• To minimize stresses when handling with a crane, leave I-joists in bundles, pick up the load using a spreader at the fifth points, and keep I-joists vertical.

Cutting • Do not drill, notch, or make other cuts to flange.

• Cut to length only.

• Don’t cut too short. Consult manufacturer’s specifications for guidelines on minimum length.

• Holes may be drilled in the web for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, but it’s important to follow the manufacturer’s specifications for size and placement of holes.

Application

• Keep wrap intact until installation.

• Keep I-joists vertical.

• Remember that I-joists are unstable until installation is complete.

• Do not walk on I-joists until fully fastened and braced.

• Do not stack materials on I-joists until fully fastened and braced.

• Brace and nail each I-joist as it is installed, using hangers, blocking panels, rim board, and/or cross-bridging at joist ends.

• When I-joists that are applied continuous over interior supports will support a load-bearing wall, blocking will be required at the interior support.

• For cantilevered I-joists, brace top and bottom flanges, and brace ends with closure panels, rim board, or crossbridging.

Damaged I-joists • Never use or try to repair a damaged I-joist.

• If defective material is discovered prior to or during installation, cease installation and contact the supplier.

Note: It is not uncommon to find small cracks in the flange groove at joist ends. These are normal byproducts of REDUCE callbacks by educating builders on the key points of I-joist storage and installation.

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(Continued on page 59) Building-Products.com

FAST, LIGHT, GREEN

Kerto® LVL is a Laminated Veneer Lumber product used in all types of construction projects, from new buildings to renovation and repair. Kerto is incredibly strong, dimensionally stable, uniform and predictable. Kerto-S LVL main applications: beams, headers, rafters and columns for floors and roofs.

Kerto LVL has been sold in the US market for 30 years and is available for prompt shipment from our US warehouse.

• Kerto LVL has ICC-ES code approval • Metsä Wood also produces high quality Birch Plywood METSÄ WOOD USA 1 (800) 622-5850 www.metsawood.com

SPECIAL APA on EWP SPECIAL FOCUS Focus

By APA – The Engineered Wood Association

EWP mills honored for safety strides A

PA – THE ENGINEERED Wood Association recently announced the winners of its 2016 Safety and Health Awards, a program that encourages and recognizes safety and operational excellence in the North American structural panel and engineered wood industry.

Resolute-LP Engineered Wood and LP won Safest Company Awards in their respective categories, while the coveted Innovation in Safety Award went to two winners: LP of Two Harbors, Mn., for the Equipment-Based Innovation Award, and RoyOMartin of Oakdale, La., for the Jeff Wagner Process-Based Innovation Award.

LP, a producer of engineered wood products in Canada, the U.S., and South America, earned top honors among companies with four or more mills, with a 2016 average Weighted Incident Rate (WIR) of 1.57. Resolute-LP Engineered Wood, which produces I-joists at mills in Larouche and Saint Prime, Quebec, won its award in the category for companies with three or fewer mills. The company posted a perfect 0.00 WIR for 2016.

The Two Harbors LP mill’s original “Saw Handling Articulating Arm” equipment innovation and the Oakdale RoyOMartin mill’s “Safety Banners” took top honors out of 26 Innovation in Safety Award entries. The idea for the “Saw Handling Articulating Arm” came from millwright Roger Walsberg who decided to try a new solution for a long-time safety concern. The mill and corporate requirements state that millwrights are not to lift anything over 50 lbs., despite the hogs being 75 lbs., with no mechanical means of handling them. This innovative hog saw handling unit carries the weight of the hog assembly without straining the employee using the equipment, creating a much safer workplace.

“Safety Banners,” the Oakdale RoyOMartin site’s entry, is a new initiative to help keep safety in the forefront of the

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minds of employees. The employee safety committee created banners with employees’ children and grandchildren working in the mill environment. They incorporated safety slogans onto the posters to give employees a personal reminder to work safely. The banners not only serve as a visual reminder for employees, but it also boosts morale and pride when employees see their family members in their place of work. During the implementation of this initiative, the mill was in the midst of a 400-day streak of no recordable injuries.

Begun in 1982, the APA awards program honors the managements and employees of companies and mills with the lowest Weighted Incident Rate (WIR) that is calculated using the number and severity of recordable incidents reported on the mill’s annual OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) report. Since 2008 was the first year that WIR was used, awards and reports for 2009 through 2016 continue to also show Total Incident Rate (TIR), the measure used in previous years.

Seventy-seven APA-member structural wood panel and engineered wood product facilities in the U.S., Canada and abroad participated in the 2016 program. A total of 24 facilities representing eight APA member companies— Boise Cascade, EACOM, LP, Norbord, Resolute-LP Engineered Wood, Roseburg Forest Products, RoyOMartin, and Weyerhaeuser—earned awards in various competition categories. Some of the mills were multiple award winners; see the complete list below for more details.

In addition to the Safest Company and Innovation awards, other competition categories include Safety Improvement, Annual Safety and Health Honor Roll, 3Year Safety Award, and Incident Free Honor Society.

Twenty-one mills achieved a zero incident rate for the year Building-Products.com

and thus were named to the Incident Free Honor Society.

The annual honor roll, three-year average, and safety improvement categories are divided into three divisions based on the type of product manufactured at the mill.

While the program awards are limited to APA members, data is collected from both member and non-member mills in order to provide a broad-based industry performance benchmark. A total of 87 mills reported data for 2016. The 2016 industry Total Incident and Weighted Incident Rates were 2.33 and 10.67, respectively.

The winning facilities and companies will be recognized and their safety accomplishments celebrated during the Chairman’s Dinner at APA’s annual meeting in October in Huntington Beach, California. Award plaques also will be presented to the winning mills by senior APA

management staff.

The 2016 Safety and Health Awards program was the ninth year of the program under a revitalized safety effort spearheaded by an APA Safety and Health Advisory Committee, comprised of several APA member company safety professionals. Under the committee’s guidance, three main goals were established: make the APA program the premier safety awards program in the industry, encourage the sharing of best practices as a means to improve the industry’s safety culture and programs, and, most importantly, improve the industry’s overall safety performance.

– More information on the APA Safety and Health Awards Program can be found at www.apawood.org.

2016 APA Safety and Health Awards Innovation in Safety Award

Safety Improvement Award (2014-’16)

LP (Two Harbors, Mn.) Equipment-Based Innovation Winner: “Saw Handling Articulating Arm” RoyOMartin (Oakdale, La.) Jeff Wagner Process-Based Innovation Winner: “Safety Banners”

Safest Company Awards Average WIR Resolute-LP Engineered Wood 0.00 (Companies with three or fewer mills) LP 1.57 (Companies with four or more mills)

Average TIR 0.00 0.41

Annual Safety & Health Honor Roll Division I (Plywood) RoyOMartin (Chopin, La.)

WIR 4.75

TIR 0.70

Boise Cascade (Chester, S.C.)

5.98

1.56

Division II (OSB) LP (Lautaro, Chile)

0.00

0.00

LP (Jasper, Tx.)

0.00

0.00

Division III (Glulam, I-Joist, & SCL) LP (Houlton, Me.) 0.00

0.00

LP (Wilmington, N.C.)

0.00

0.00

3-Year Safety Award (2014-’16) Division I (under 400,000 hours) Avg. WIR RoyOMartin (Chopin, La.) 3.93 Division II (OSB) LP (Panguipulli, Chile)

Avg. TIR 0.70

0.00

0.00

Division III (Glulam, I-Joist, & SCL) Resolute-LP (St. Prime, P.Q.) 0.00

0.00

Building-Products.com

Division I (Plywood) 2014 WIR 2015 WIR Roseburg (Riddle, Or.) 36.09 14.86 [74% Improvement] 2014 TIR 2015 TIR 5.55 3.43

2016 WIR 9.40 2016 TIR 2.91

Division II (OSB) 2014 WIR 2015 WIR LP (Hanceville, Al.) 16.85 0.52 [100% Improvement] 2014 TIR 2015 TIR 2.17 0.52

2016 WIR 0.00 2016 TIR 0.00

Division III (Glulam, I-Joist, & SCL) No mill qualified for award.

Incident-Free Honor Society LVL WIR Boise Cascade (Roxboro, N.C.) 0.00 LP (Wilmington, N.C.) 0.00

TIR 0.00 0.00

I-Joist EACOM (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) LP (Red Bluff, Ca.) Resolute-LP (Larouche, P.Q.) Resolute-LP (St. Prime, P.Q.)

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

OSB LP (Hanceville, Al.) LP (Jasper, Tx.) LP (Lautaro, Chile) LP (Newberry, Mi.) LP (Panguipulli, Chile) LP Canada (Fort St. John, B.C.) LP (Roxboro, N.C.) LP (Sagola, Mi.) LP (Tomahawk, Wi.) LP (Two Harbors, Mn.) Norbord (Guntown, Ms.) Norbord (Jefferson, Tx.) RoyOMartin (Oakdale, La.) Weyerhaeuser (Grayling, Mi.)

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

SCL LP (Houlton, Me.)

0.00

0.00

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SPECIAL APA on EWP SPECIAL FOCUS Focus

By APA – The Engineered Wood Association

APA updates wall bracing calculator C

to design for wall bracing just got easier, with an online Wall Bracing Calculator from APA – The Engineered Wood Association.

APA recently updated the online calculator to include a new option that verifies wall bracing requirements for the 2015 version of the International Residential Code (IRC).

The newly updated calculator now addresses wall bracing requirements of the 2009, 2012, and 2015 IRC so that users can choose the correct version of the IRC for their jurisdiction.

“The Wall Bracing Calculator greatly simplifies the design process for builders, designers and code officials,” said Jared Hensley, PE, engineered wood specialist for APA. The calculator streamlines calculations to verify compliance with a complex section of the code, generating a visual report that’s a convenient way to show wall bracing compliance. “The project report generated by the calculator gives visual confirmation that IRC wall bracing requirements have been met; this makes the review and approval processes much more efficient.”

The Wall Bracing Calculator features a simple four-step process that allows builders to enter their project parameters, add wall line details from existing plans, and then follow system prompts to identify appropriate segments of RUNCHING NUMBERS

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ONLINE CALCULATOR streamlines the design of wall bracing.

each braced wall line. Once the wall line information and wall line segment details have been entered, the user can review and verify the information, then generate a report to submit to the local code jurisdiction’s plan check department. This report makes it easy for code officials to see all qualified wall bracing in a clear visual format.

The Wall Bracing Calculator is a free tool that can be accessed at www.apawood.org/calculator.

Building-Products.com

MOVERS & Shakers Lew Taylor has retired as division mgr. of Weekes Forest Products, Riverdale, Il. He is succeeded by Tim Sandrik, ex-Paxton Lumber.

Christian Herzog has been added to the sales team at Lumber Specialties, St. Louis, Mo. G. Patrick Smith III, CPA, has joined Diamond Hill Plywood Co., Darlington, S.C., as VP of finance.

Brad Borstelmann, ex-Sherwood Lumber, is a new trader at Atlantic Forest Products, Long Island, N.Y. David Wallace has been promoted to general mgr. of Builders FirstSource, Petoskey, Mi. Mark Cocciardi Jr., ex-Marjam Supply, is new to BSF outside sales in Asbury Park, N.J. Erik Hurter, ex-Crosslin Building Supply, has moved to Carter Lumber, Nashville, Tn., as general mgr. Brandon Morris, ex-BMC, is new to Carter’s outside sales team in Charlotte, N.C. Taylor Young, ex-Delta Millworks, joined Kebony USA, St. Clair, Mi., as western regional sales mgr., overseeing Texas and the West Coast.

Bob Baeppler is the new industrial development mgr. for Viance, Charlotte, N.C. Doyle Wiskur, VP and general mgr., La Crosse Lumber Co., Louisiana, Mo., has retired after 42 years with the company.

Michael DeFelice has been promoted to president of The Hatch & Bailey Lumber Co., Norwalk, Ct., succeeding Bryan Mellick.

Lauren Jepson is a new national account rep for BlueLinx, Atlanta, Ga. Ben Ayres was elevated to general mgr. in Elkhart, In., and Doug Coleman, ex-Grainger, is now GM in Kansas City, Mo. Jay Pires, ex-Douglas Lumber, is a new inside account mgr./product mgr. in Bellingham, Ma. Julie Michaluk is now with Boise Cascade, Delanco, N.J., as national accounts coordinator.

Joshua Whitley has been promoted to corporate controller for McCoy’s Building Supply, San Marcos, Tx. Shawn Puster, ex-Seal-Rite Door, is now with Huttig Building Products, Davenport, Fl., as R&R sales mgr. for Florida and southeast Georgia.

Jacob Beck is a new territory mgr. in Raliegh, N.C.

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Keith Goosie, ex-Carter Lumber, is back at Witt Building Material Co., Knoxville, Tn., in multifamily/ commercial sales.

Dustin Hartwell is new to sales at American Lumber, Fort Worth, Tx. Francois Robichaud, ex-FPInnovations, has been appointed a partner at Forest Economic Advisors, Littleton, Ma. Leo Canova, ex-Patrick Industries, joined Reeb Millwork, Bethlehem, Pa., as assistant operations mgr.

Jeff Derby, cedar sales mgr., Western Forest Products, Vancouver, B.C., retired after 30 years with WFP. Bob Paganelli, ex-Quikrete, has joined Burton Saw & Supply, Eugene, Or., in outside sales from the Grand Rapids, Mi., area.

Gordy Mouw, ex-Verso, is new to Sustainable Forestry Initiative, as Stevens Point, Wi.-based director of SFI participant relations.

Eric Sundby has joined GMS, Tucker, Ga., as chief information officer.

Nate Blough, ex-84 Lumber, is now a sales operations analyst with Stanley Black & Decker, Towson, Md. Jim Stevenson, ex-ASA Builders Supply, is new to Alexandria Moulding, handling outside sales for Michigan.

Ben Aulick, ex-ACO, joined Bostik, as Charlotte, N.C.-based architectural specification program mgr.

Artie Allen has hired on at Lowe’s, Asheville, N.C., as assistant store mgr.

Matt Brandom, Forest Products Supply, Kansas City, Ks., was promoted to assistant sales mgr.

Kevin McMillan is a new southeastern North Carolina account mgr. with Ply Gem, Cary, N.C. Jason Gonski is the new Chicago, Il., area territory mgr. for AZEK Building Products.

Dawn Vanterpool, store mgr., Home Depot, Copiague, N.Y., has transferred to manage the Commack, N.Y., branch.

Christopher Sledge, ex-Allura, is now with Derby Building Products, as Nashville, Tn., territory mgr. for Tando products.

Katie Barrow, ex-Kaycan, has been appointed outside sales mgr. for CrossRoads Building Supply, Pensacola, Fl. July 2017

Samantha Murray has been promoted to branch mgr. at Harvey Building Products, Berlin, Ct. John Diehl, ex-RedBuilt, has joined MiTek Industries, as district sales mgr. for New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Matthew Parrish, formerly with Owens Corning, has been appointed VP-sales operations Knauf Insulation North America, Shelbyville, In. Matthew Bendig, Henrietta Building Supplies, Rochester, N.Y., was promoted to VP. Mike Eckhoff has joined Hoover Treated Wood Products, Thomson, Ga., as a marketing rep.

Ryan Sullivan, former president of James Hardie Building Products, has been named managing director in charge of operations for North America with Kingspan Insulation, Atlanta, Ga. He replaces Alswinn Kieboom, who is now president for Kingspan’s Insulated Panels division in North America based in Deland, Fl. John Sommers Jr., ex-Home Depot, has been named of VP of merchandising for Ace Hardware Corp., Oak Brook, Il., replacing Frank Carroll, who is now CEO of Broan-NuTone. Karen May, Mondelēz International (Kraft Foods), was appointed to Ace’s board of directors. Re-elected to the board were chairman James Ackroyd, Vision Ace Hardware, Dunedin, Fl.; David Karsten, Karsten’s Ace Hardware, Cave Creek, Az.; and Mark Schulein, Crown Ace Hardware, Huntington Beach, Ca. Trevor Evans joined Dur-A-Flex, East Hartford, Ct., as territory sales mgr. for the Northwest region.

Heather Rasmussen is new to APA– The Engineered Wood Association, as market communications mgr.

David Henry, VP of sales, Architectural Products of Virginia, Richmond, Va., received the 2017 Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association Award of Excellence.

Brian Lowry, senior director decking for TAMKO Building Products, Joplin, Mo., was selected as president of the Composite Lumber Manufacturers Association.

Terry Fiedofheights is now calling on high-rise builders on behalf of Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

Building-Products.com

Hardwood Firm Building New Arkansas Mill Wilson Brothers Lumber Co. is looking to early August for start-up of its new sawmill in Rison, Ar. The new facility will replace its existing mill about two miles away in neighborning Staves, Ar. The nearby maintenance shop will stay put, continuing to support Wilson’s timber operations.

The new plant will also mill hardwood ties and flooring, but will feature computerized optimizing and band saw equipment, to replace the old circular saw system.

Kentucky Lumberyard Goes Up in Flames Isaac’s Lumber Yard in Ravenna, Ky., caught fire May 20 and officials are still trying to figure out the cause.

Firefighters battled the night and into the early morning hours as local freeways were closed down. No injuries were reported.

Chinese Hardwood Plywood Hit with Steep Tariffs The U.S. Department of Commerce plans to impose a preliminary antidumping tariff on hardwood plywood imports from China ranging from 57.36% to 114.72%, in addition to countervailing duties between 9.89% and 111.09%.

Nearly all Chinese companies will end up paying a combined preliminary duty rate of more than 67%.

A final ruling is anticipated by the end of August.

“This announcement is another strong win for the hardwood plywood industry,” said Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association head Kip Howlett.

“The jobs of thousands of American workers are on the line, and this sends a signal to China that we will not tolerate their unfair trade practices.”

Suits Say 4x4s Come Up Short Potential class-action lawsuits have been filed accusing Menards and Home Depot of cheating the public by selling 4x4 boards that actually measure 3-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 inches.

The suits, filed five days apart in Illinois, charge the retailers with “false and misleading” representations of the products and seek at least $5 million.

The chains responded that 4x4 is a nominal designation that is common knowledge and is specified in government-approved industry standards.

Central, and Southeast, while Central Wholesalers sells into the Northeast and mid-Atlantic.

“Lowe’s has long served the multifamily housing industry through our Pro Services business, and we are excited about the potential to further expand our presence in this highly attractive and growing customer segment,” said Richard Maltsbarger, chief development officer. “Together, Maintenance Supply Headquarters and Central Wholesalers will expand our capabilities in serving this key segment while strengthening our platform for future growth with enhanced product and service offerings for MRO customers.”

Michael A. Tummillo, recently appointed senior VP of Lowe’s pro sales organization, will oversee Maintenance Supply Headquarters and Central Wholesalers, plus Lowe’s Pro Services and Alacrity Services.

Rayonier Acquiring Tembec Lowe’s Buying Maintenance Supply Headquarters Lowe’s, Mooresville, N.C., agreed to acquire 13-branch Maintenance Supply Headquarters, Houston, Tx., for $512 million.

The deal is set to close in the second quarter.

Lowe’s will pair the operation with the three branches of fellow MRO supplier Central Wholesalers it acquired in late 2016. Maintenance Supply serves the West, South

Montreal-based Tembec Inc. has agreed to be acquired by Rayonier Advanced Materials, Jacksonville, Fl., for $807 million.

Rayonier expects to continue all Tembec operations and retain its Canadian headquarters in Montreal. It will also proceed with Tembec’s recently announced four-year investment plan for its Québec facilities and make additional investments in other key operations.

Ram Tool Purchases TBS

LOUISIANA SCHOOL board representatives, instructors, and other stakeholders gathered at RoyOMartin’s corporate office in Alexandria, La., to celebrate 10 years of the WoodWorks certificate program. Currently offered in 15 central Louisiana and four east Texas high schools, WoodWorks is a custom-designed curriculum that covers topics such as applied mathematics, industrial safety, and employability skills. Also included are tours of RoyOMartin manufacturing facilities and mentoring by company safety, maintenance and operations professionals. High school juniors and seniors earn credit, a certificate of completion, and a guaranteed interview by RoyOMartin upon successful completion of the program.

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Ram Tool Construction Supply Co., Birmingham, Al., has purchased Atlanta-based Total Building Supplies, a construction supply distribution company that focuses on selling to multifamily projects with branches in Atlanta and Jacksonville, Fl. “The Total Building Supplies team is dedicated to the same things we are: relationship building, sense of urgency, and focus on customer service,” stated Page Naftel, president of Ram Tool. “By combining our businesses we are now able to serve not only the general contractor who’s working on commercial projects, which is Ram Tool’s forte, but customers working on multifamily projects as well.”

In addition to providing an entrance into the multifamily market, the acquisition also expands Ram Tool’s footprint into the Jacksonville market.

Founded in 1967, Ram Tool now operates 36 branches in 12 states.

Building-Products.com

NEW Products

Barn Doors Burnt Offerings UFP-Edge is making it easy for contractors and dealers to offer customers the look of burnt wood with Charred Wood in shiplap and board profiles.

The versatile, easy-to-install product is designed for interior applications and is crafted with high-quality lumber that has been expertly burned to highlight its distinct woodgrain pattern and texture. Every piece is sealed with a satin clear-coat finish for long-lasting beauty.

Simpson Door’s new line of interior and exterior barn doors are for those wanting a unique way to separate spaces in their homes. The doors can be mounted on a sliding door track or as a traditional swing door.

For a rustic look, a weathered option offers the appearance as reclaimed wood, but with the strength of shop lumber.

n SIMPSONDOOR.COM (800) 746-7766

Check Your Load The Alliance/Cambridge RuffWeigh 50 Hydraulic Weighing System by Alliance Scale is a new hydraulic system which is easy to install in under five hours without proximity switches or welding.

The system includes a weight indicator that displays lock weight for stable viewing.

n ALLIANCESCALE.COM (800) 343-6802

n UFPEDGE.COM (800) 598-9663

Map the Deck Shingles Hold Up Atlas Roofing’s larger, better engineered HP42” shingles offers roofing contractors a faster installation process, resulting in both time and labor savings.

An enhanced 1-1/2-inch sweet spot nailing area helps the crew stay accurate when aiming for the shingle common bond.

n ATLASROOFING.COM

n LETSPLOTT.COM

(770) 946-4571

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Plott’s Miletus lets deck builders get direct measurements of a walked path to create an interactive map. They can then use that map to plan out what they want the space to look like.

By taking a picture of the site then walking Miletus around the area, the tool creates an interactive digital map to which notes, pictures and digital references can be added along the way.

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Connectivity Where It Matters TE Connectivity now offers the SlimSeal connector Circular series for power and signal wireto-wire applications that need to operate in a harsh environment.

A compact IP67 sealed circular plastic connector, SlimSeal’s IP67 rating means that it is completely dust tight as well as resistant to water ingress at depths of up to 1 meter.

n TE.COM

(800) 522 6752

Building-Products.com

HAVE IT ALL IN ONE HAUL. One shipment from Great Southern Wood gets you so much more than

YellaWood® brand pressure treated pine. Contact your YellaWood® representative to see which brands are available in your area.*

YellaWood® brand pressure treated products are treated with preservatives (the “Preservatives”) and preservative methods, systems, and technologies of unrelated third parties. For details regarding the Preservatives, methods, systems, and technologies used by Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated, see www.yellawood.com/preservative or write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310. Ask dealer for warranty details. For warranty or for important handling and other information concerning our products including the appropriate Safety Data Sheet (SDS), please visit us at www.yellawood.com/warranties or write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310. YellaWood® and the yellow tag are federally registered trademarks of Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are used with their permission. *Availability varies by region. YellaWood® available in all markets.

YellaWood.com/ForDealers

Shipshape Shiplap Measure It Out The Bosch Blaze GLM 42 pocket-size laser measure has 135 ft. range and great accuracy for applications that extend from length to area to volume.

The laser offers users an easy-on-the-eyes, fullcolor backlit display with great resolution anywhere, even in dark areas or in low-light/no-light conditions.

n BOSCHTOOLS.COM

Versatex has developed two new profiles of shiplap and nickel-gap boards for siding, interior walls and ceilings.

Suitable for horizontal and vertical orientation on walls, and fully compatible with the company’s range of PVC trim elements and building materials, the profiles are sold in 18" lengths that can span up to 24" on center in ceiling applications.

n VERSATEX.COM (724) 857-1111

(877) 267-2499

Energy-Efficient Openings The 1630 Vinyl Single-Slider window from MI Windows & Doors helps to reduce heating and cooling costs in both new construction and replacement projects. The window’s dual-pane insulated glass packages offer thermal performance qualities that help lower solar heat gain when temperatures get warmer.

Its low-maintenance and design flexibility meets Energy Star requirements in North-Central, SouthCentral, and Southern climate zones.

n MIWINDOWS.COM (717) 365-2500

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Building-Products.com

The Right Level UltraView LED Torpedo Level by Empire features technology that improves vial visibility in low light conditions and delivers on the electronic durability and magnetic performance users need.

Its new design integrates dual ultraviolet LEDS, optical brightener, and high-contrast e-Band vials to deliver high definition viewing in all conditions.

Decking & Cladding with Character Kebony Character is a full range of FSC-certified, thermally-modified Scots pine cladding and decking that is specifically developed for projects where a rustic look is preferred.

The line is modified using a bio-based liquid that, after it is cured, permanently enhances the wood’s durability and dimensional stability.

Showing the natural knotting of the pinus silvestris helps to create a rugged character ideal for many designs.

n KEBONY.COM/US

n EMPIRELEVEL.COM (800) 558-0722

Short Flashes DuPont introduced three shorter roll lengths of its flashing systems for single-use projects or smaller applications when flashing doors, windows and exterior penetrations, such as HVAC, electrical and plumbing materials.

DuPont Flashing Tape now also comes in a 4-inch wide by 33-ft. roll; FlexWrap in a 9-inch wide by 15ft. roll; and StraightFlash in a 6-in. width by 25-ft. roll. The flashing systems are still offered in 75-ft. and 125-ft. options.

n DUPONT.COM (800) 931-3456

Under-Tile Mat Dependable’s KeedeRoll MT combines its patented Muffling Technology with its Keede uncoupling technology to create a quiet yet durable subfloor.

Designed for ceramic tile, it contains all the benefits of both an uncoupling mat and a sound mat.

n FLOORPREP.COM (800) 227-3434

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Building-Products.com

Forest Service Grants to Grow Wood Products Markets The U.S. Forest Service will award over $8.3 million in grants to substantially expand and accelerate wood products and wood energy markets.

Federal funds will leverage almost $37 million in matching funds from 36 business, university, nonprofit and tribal partners in 19 states for a total investment of over $45 million.

The public-private partnerships leveraged with these grants will lead to the removal of hazardous fuels from forests, while spurring the economic development of rural communities.

“The Wood Innovations Grant Program helps create jobs in rural communities and keeps our forests healthy,” said Forest Service chief Tom Tidwell. “By investing in strong markets for forest products, we can incentivize sustainable forest management and sustain our rural communities.”

This year the Forest Service received 114 proposals, highlighting the expanding interest in using wood as an innovative building material and renewable energy source. Since 2005 more than 230 grants have been awarded to small businesses, nonprofits, tribes, states, and local governments to improve forest health while creating jobs, renewable energy, and healthy communities.

Of the 38 projects funded, 26 focus on expanding wood products markets and 12 increase wood energy markets.

Projects address a wide range of issues that include increasing capacity at mass timber manufacturing facilities, testing the resiliency of cross-laminated timber structures against explosives, establishing biomass district energy systems, and examining the use of biochar in restoring water quality.

Recipients of the 2017 Wood Innovation grants are from Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, D.C., Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

It now operates two core businesses, Wood Products Manufacturing and Building Materials Distribution.

Boise Cascade’s customers and suppliers are an integral part of their history. During their year-long 60th celebration they are taking the opportunity to say thank you to their customer and supplier partners that have contributed to their success. .

The Boise Cascade team is rich with long tenured, experienced associates. Most of the senior management team has been in the organization for more than 35 years. While experience is important, the company

is also focused on bringing in the next generation and immersing them in the culture.

“Our company has gone through a lot of changes over the past 60 years,” noted CEO Tom Corrick. “Through it all we have been sustained by our culture and ability to build and maintain strong and lasting relationships with our employees, customers, suppliers, communities and owners. Our celebrations over the next year will honor those relationships as we talk about who we are, where we have been, and how excited we are about where we are going.”

Boise Cascade Toasting 60th Boise Cascade Co., Boise, Id., is planning a year-long 60th anniversary celebration, with festivities at each of its nearly 60 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Boise Cascade was formed in the May 1957 merger of Boise-Payette Lumber Co. and Cascade Lumber Co. Building-Products.com

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ASSOCIATION Update Florida Building Material Association is hosting its summer education conference July 20-21 at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando.

Guests will be able to attend two seminars presented by award-winning author and speaker Andy Masters, enjoy a sunset dinner with family and industry friends, and golf in the annual Everett Cupit Memorial Golf Tournament.

Construction Suppliers Association will hold an advanced estimating workshop Sept. 12-13, leading into its annual conference & expo Sept. 13-15 at Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, Savannah, Ga. Kentucky Building Materials Association is looking forward to its annual Congleton Cup golf tourney Sept. 21 at Gay Brewer Picadome Golf Course, Lexington, Ky. Midwest Building Suppliers Association is reminding members to save the date for its 23rd annual Sycamore Scramble golf tournament Aug. 3 at Dye’s Walk Country Club, Greenwood, In., followed by its 2nd annual White Pine Classic Aug. 15 at Hawk Hollow Championship Golf Course, Bath, Mi. Northwestern Lumber Association is organizing its first-ever annual fishing outing Aug. 23 at Lake Mille Lacs, Isle, Mn. NLA is also now offering Knowledge Central, an online training, testing and performance tracking system. The human resources, business and risk management tool includes dozens of forms, manuals, handbooks and guides along with nearly 200 training modules that cover the gamut of regulatory compliance as well as job-specific training. The system is also a document management system and an employee communications tool. Various training programs include forklift training and safety data sheet (HazCom) training. The system is available to members at no cost as a benefit of membership in NLA. Building Material Suppliers Association’s summer conference is rapidly approaching July 27-30 at Wyndham Ocean Front Hotel, Virginia Beach, Va. North American Wholesale Lumber Association is looking forward to its upcoming Wood Basics Course July 17-20 at Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, Va. The four-day immersion class includes both classroom training and field operations. The curriculum encompasses the entire spectrum of the forest products industry from seed to tree, production to sales. Classes cover a range of topics such as sales training, product segmentation, price and cost trends, logistics and transportation, and forest management and operations.

Those who can’t make it to Virginia can sign up for the waiting list for the fall course Sept. 11-14 in Corvallis, Or. Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association’s annual conference July 26-29 at the Omni Homestead Resort & Spa, Hot Springs, Va., is designed to enlighten, educate and encourage members through insightful keynote speakers, informative workshops, business sessions, and social receptions.

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National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association has booked NAHB chief economist Dr. Robert Dietz to speak at its annual Industry Summit Oct. 17-19 at Wigwam Resort, Phoenix, Az. His session, “2017 Economic & Housing Outlook,” will look ahead to the current trends facing our industry, noting the pace of the housing recovery to date, what is being built and why, and providing evidence of where it will go next year.

The three-day education and networking forum for LBM dealers, distributors, wholesalers and the manufacturers that supply them will also include plant tours and presentations on the newest, highly advanced production facilities and the latest industry research into such areas as nanomaterials, MDF and panelboard, bioenergy, non-wood composites, green building, and mass timber.

North American Building Material Distribution Association and North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors will extended their partnership in 2017 for a seventh consecutive year, continuing their joint NAFCD + NBMDA annual convention Nov. 14-16 at The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Co. Bringing together more than 900 distribution professionals, the tabletop networking forum allows distributors and manufacturers to connect face to face. Semi-private tabletop booths provide an ideal forum for senior executives and key decision makers to discuss distribution plans and strategies for the future, and review past performance.

Window & Door Manufacturers Association presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to two industry veterans during its recent technical and manufacturing conference.

Recipients were Steve Johnson, retired codes & regulatory manager for Andersen Corp., and Jeff Lowinski, who retired June 30 as WDMA VP of technical activities, after nearly 50 years in the industry.

Legislation Urges Best Forestry Practices for National Forests Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Arkansas) has reintroduced legislation aimed at protecting the national forest system by implementing best practices intended to lessen the threat of wildfires.

Westerman first introduced the Resilient Federal Forests Act (H.R. 2936) during the previous Congress in 2015, where it passed the House by a vote of 262-167 with support from 21 Democrats who crossed the aisle to support the bill.

Original cosponsors for the bipartisan bill included Reps. Raúl Labrador (R-Id.), Tom McClintock (R-Ca.), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wa.), Rick Nolan (D-Mn.), Collin Peterson (D-Mn.), and Scott Tipton (R-Co.).

“The Resilient Federal Forests Act strikes a balanced approach in managing the national forest system by making more land available for logging in an environmentally sustainable way,” said Jonathan Paine, president and CEO of the National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association.

The U.S. Forest Service manages over 190 million acres, 46 million of which are designated as allowable for timber harvest. Timber harvests from federal forests declined by 78% between 1987 and 2015, from 11.3 to 2.5 billion bd. ft.—considered far below the annual long-term, sustainable capability of these lands of 12.2 billion bd. ft.

Building-Products.com

TALK Back We welcome your feedback. Send comments to letters@building-products.com.

THE BIG GETTING BIGGER This trend (“Prospects Rising for Roofing Distributors,” June, p. 12) is not an accident. The roofing manufacturers have priced the independent out of the roofing business, even going through a buying group with rebate.

Our Owens Corning rep has admitted as much.

The value of good service and buying locally is no match for what they have done. We have sold millions of dollars of their product over the years and have been pushed aside for the distributors to control the market.

They are selling roofing below our invoice price. There is a real opportunity for some manufacturer to make a deal with the thousands of independents across the country.

I-joist Tips (Continued from page 42)

manufacture, and as such, are taken into account when manufacturers determine I-joist design capacities.

Protect Against Moisture • While I-joists can withstand normal exposure to moisture, take care to prevent excessive or prolonged contact with moisture. It is recommended that wrap be left intact until I-joists are installed. While moisture is expected

under normal construction situations and will not adversely affect I-joists when good building practices are followed, excessive exposure to wetting and drying may lead to dimensional changes that affect serviceability.

These changes may include cupping, bowing, expansion, or splitting of the flange. Prolonged periods of high moisture could also support the growth of mold, mildew or fungi.

– To learn more about proper storage and handling of I-joists and EWPs, see “APA’s Best Practices for I-Joist, LVL & LSL Handling and Storage” on YouTube.

How Southern Lumber’s acreage went down, but its

business went up.

Jerry Bigham, VP/Owner Maner Builders Supply Augusta, Ga.

WHAT ELSE REALLY MATTERS? I just read your recent Across the Board article (“Time to Do It All,” June, p. 8), and I’m more and more convinced we are brothers from different mothers. Growing up, I wanted to be a teacher, no doubt because I was lucky to have some really good ones.

In college, I studied English with the thought of going to law school. Of course, I had this great family business opportunity, and have never regretted the decision to join it.

As an adult, I’ve had a very strong desire to write a book or two, and have floated ideas for them in my mind for many years. But what I really wanted (which you address beautifully in your article)—and thankfully have achieved—is happiness. I have a great marriage, three incredible children, two equally wonderful “in-law” children, lots of friends, etc. I figured out a long time ago that I could have been happy and successful doing any number of things for a vocation, but none of those would have been satisfying had I not had the really important family things. Everybody is healthy and happy and engaged in fulfilling work—what else really matters?

Jim McGinnis, President McGinnis Lumber Co. Meridian, Ms. Building-Products.com

When Southern Lumber and Millwork learned it was losing 2 of its 7 acres to eminent domain, moving – and losing 75 years of equity in its Charleston location – was out of the question. There was no option but to go up.

Together with CT Darnell Construction and Sunbelt Rack, Southern embarked on a 3-year, 4-phase, 7-building renovation that transformed their business and shattered their sales goals – all without interrupting their daily operations.

For the full story, watch the video at Sunbelt-Rack.com/stories

CT-Darnell.com • Sunbelt-Rack.com • 800-353-0892 © WTD Holdings, Inc., 2017. All rights reserved.

GENERAL CONTRACTING

DESIGN AND PLANNING

July 2017

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CLASSIFIED Marketplace

PRODUCTS FOR SALE

Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word minimum). Phone number counts as 1 word, address as 6.

Centered copy/headline, $9 per line. Border, $9. Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished “camera-ready” (advertiser sets type), $65 if we set type.

Send ad to Fax 714-486-2745 or david@building-products.com. Checks payable to 526 Media Group. Deadline: 18th of previous month. Questions? Call (714) 486-2735.

WANTED TO BUY

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NORTH CAROLINA RELOAD

Shaver Reload, Statesville, NC

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IN Memoriam Weyman Herbert Maxey, 82, founder of several Atlanta area lumber companies including Maxey-Bosshardt Lumber Co., Duluth, Ga., died May 23 of cardiac arrest.

He launched Maxey-Bosshardt in the late 1960s, and later owned or operated Arrow Lumber & Supply, Triangle Trading, Willco, and S&W Lumber Co. He was 1981-82 chairman of North American Wholesale Lumber Association.

Jesse William “J.W.” Blanton, 94, former sales manager and secretary-treasurer with Balfour Lumber Co., Thomasville, Ga., died June 6.

During World War II, he was a highly decorated Marine, serving in the South Pacific and Philippines. He then entered the lumber industry, spending 40 years with Balfour, followed by 10 years wtih Louisiana-Pacific and six years as a private consultant.

He also served on the trade promotion committees of the Southern Pine Association, Southern Forest Products Association, and Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association.

William Edmund “Bill” Shone Jr., 90, founder and president of three-unit Shone Lumber Co., Wilmington, De., died June 2.

After serving in the Philippines during World War II, he earned a mechanical engineering degree from Drexel University. In 1957, he launched his own lumber company.

Michael Hiram Morris, 54, former owner of Morris Lumber Co., Somerville, Tn., died June 14 in Somerville.

An employee of Sunrise Builders Supply, Horn Lake, Ms., he’d earlier earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Robert M. Fenster, 96, former president of Ballmill Lumber & Sales Corp., Springfield, N.J., died April 28.

After receiving a degree from the Wharton School of

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Business at the University of Pennsylvania, he joined the Army and was selected to join the group of decoders who broke the German Enigma code. After the war, he went to NYU Law School, but instead of becoming an attorney, opted to join his father-in-law’s lumber business, where he spent 62 years before retiring.

John David Phinney, 74, former owner of Phinney Lumber Co., Gorham, Me., died of cancer June 14.

A 1964 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he worked at the family sawmill since boyhood. He purchased the mill when his father retired in 1970, expanding to include a full-line retail store.

His three sons, Michael, Dana and Scot, currently manage the business.

Dewell L. Lindsey, 95, who owned and operated Cave Spring Hardware, Cave Spring, Ga., for many years with his wife, died May 27 following a sudden illness.

A Navy veteran of World War II, he also was a partner in Cline Building Supply, Lindsey Building Supply Co., and the Cline and Lindsey Construction Co. Floyd J. Werner, 80, longtime owner of Oldenburg Lumber Co., Oldenburg, In., died May 22 in Oldenburg.

A U.S. Army veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars, he also operated Floyd Werner Concrete.

James Floyd Harper, 82, retired procurement manager for Scotch Lumber Co., Fulton, Al., passed away June 10.

Edward “Joe” Wheeler, 76, longtime employee of Hopkins Lumber Co., Memphis, Mo., died May 13.

He joined the company in 1974 and retired in 2005.

E. Ray Cardwell, 83, founder of E. Ray Cardwell Inc., Louisburg, N.C., died June 8.

At age 17, while working for South Atlantic Lumber Co., Greensboro, N.C., he lost his right arm in a sawmill accident. Shortly thereafter, in 1953 he purchased his first log truck and formed his own shipping company.

Building-Products.com

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

Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Assn. – July 6-9, annual convention, Beau Rivage Casino, Biloxi, Mi.; www.mlmalumber.com.

ADVERTISERS Index Anthony Forest Products [www.anthonyforest.com]

19

APA–The Engineered Wood Association [www.apawood.org]

43

Rhode Island Lumber & Building Material Dealers Assn. – July 12, golf outing & clambake, Newport, R.I.; nrla.org.

BW Creative [www.probuiltrailings.com]

11

Florida Building Material Association – July 13, aspiring leaders session, Mt. Dora, Fl.; www.fbma.org.

Coastal Plywood [www.coastalplywood.com]

31

New Hampshire Retail Lumber Association – July 13, golf outing, Lake Sunapee Country Club, New London, N.H.; www.nrla.org.

Cox Industries [www.coxwood.com]

47

Lumbermen’s Association of Texas & Louisiana – July 15-16, committee meetings, JW Marriott, San Antonio, Tx.; www.lat.org.

Crumpler Plastic Pipe

56

CT Darnell Construction [www.ct-darnell.com]

59

Do it Best Corp. [www. www.independentsdoitbest.com]

7

Eco Chemical [www.ecochemical.com]

57

Everwood Treatment Co. [www.everwoodtreatment.com]

49

Great Southern Wood Preserving [www.yellawood.com]

53

Mid-Hudson Lumber Dealers Association – July 17, golf outing, Powelton Country Club, Newburgh, N.Y.; nrla.org.

Window & Door Manufacturers Association – July 17-19, Northeast summer conference, Albany, N.Y.; www.wdma.com.

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. – July 17-20, Wood Basics Course, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, Va.; (312) 321-5133; www.nawla.org.

New Jersey Building Material Dealers Assn. – July 19, NYC skyline cruise, Liberty Landing Marina, Jersey City, N.J.; nrla.org.

International Beams [www.internationalbeams.com]

Cover II

Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers – Jul. 1922, AWFS Fair, Las Vegas, Nv.; www.awfsfair.org.

Jordan Lumber [www.jordanlumber.com]

Florida Building Material Association – July 21, golf tournament, Bay Hill/Orlando, Fl.; www.fbma.org.

Kop-Coat [www.kop-coat.com]

Cover III

Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Association – July 23-25, summer conference, Asheville, N.C.; www.appalachianwood.org.

Koppers Performance Chemicals [kopperspc.com]

Cover I

Product Stewardship Program – July 25-26, Omni Parker House Hotel, Boston, Ma.; (617) 236-8293; suzy@productstewardship.us.

Lonza Wood Protection [www.wolmanizedwood.com]

13

Matthews Marking Products [www.matthewsmarking.com]

46

Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. – July 26-29, conference, The Omni Homestead Resort, Hot Springs, Va.; slma.org.

54

Metsa Wood USA [www.metsawood.us]

43

Southeast Building Conference – July 27-28, Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, Kissmimee, Fl.; www.sebcshow.com.

Norbord Industries [www.norbord.com]

9

Building Material Suppliers Association – July 27-30, summer conference, Virginia Beach, Va.; (704) 376-1503; www.mybmsa.org.

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. [www.nawla.org]

55

United Hardware – July 28-30, market, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga.; (855) 475-0291; www.unitedhardware.com.

Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. [www.nelma.org]

23

Florida Building Material Association – Aug. 3, aspiring leaders session, Mt. Dora, Fl.; www.fbma.org.

Orgill [www.orgill.com]

27

Palram [www.palramamericas.com]

35

Quality Borate Co. [www.qualityborate.com]

15

REA Jet [www.reajetus.com]

24

Midwest Building Suppliers Association – Aug. 3, 23rd annual Sycamore Scramble, Dye’s Walk Country Club, Greenwood, In.; thembsa.org.

Midwest Building Suppliers Association – Aug. 15, 2nd annual White Pine Classic, Hawk Hollow Championship Golf Course, Bath, Mi.; thembsa.org.

Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com]

21

Lumbermens Merchandising Corp. – Aug. 16, LMC Hardware Express, Boston, Ma.; www.lmc.net.

Roseburg Forest Products [www.roseburg.com]

37

Construction Suppliers Association – Aug. 16-17, safety academy, Tyrone, Ga.; www.gocsa.com.

Scotch Plywood Co. [www.scotchplywood.com]

39

Ace Hardware Corp. – Aug. 17-19, fall market, Sevierville, Tn.; (630) 990-7662; www.acehardware.com.

Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com]

25

Swanson Group Sales Co. [www.swansongroupinc.com]

41

Southern Pressure Treaters Assn. – Aug. 17-19, summer meeting, DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown, Nashville, Tn.; www.spta.org.

United Treating & Distribution [www.unitedtreating.com]

26

World Conference of Timber & Engineering – Aug. 22-25, University of Vienna, Wien, Austria; wcte2016@tuwien.ac.at.

Versatex [www.versatex.com]

51

Northwestern Lumber Association – Aug. 23, 1st annual fishing outing, Isle, Mn.; www.nlassn.org.

Viance [www.treatedwood.com]

Orgill – Aug. 24-26, fall dealer market, Indianapolis, In.; (877) 6633186; www.orgill.com.

Weyerhaeuser [www.weyerhaeuser.com]

Building-Products.com

July 2017

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FLASHBack 70 Years Ago This Month

As this month we mark the 95th anniversary of BPD’s sister journal, The California Lumber Merchant., we look back 70 years, to the magazine’s first big milestone: its 25th anniversary issue in July 1947.

The occasion was marked with an introspective look at how drastically the industry’s mindset had changed over those first 25 years—to the point one columnist sounded grateful and even surprised not just that the industry was so incredibly healthy, but that it even was still in existence!

In “And Now We Know… There Will Always Be Lumber,” the author stated that back when The Merchant was first launched in 1922, “it was the automatic assumption of the lumber industry generally that the South and West would follow naturally in the footsteps of the North and East: cut its timber, close its mills, and quit. What the builders would do after that for construction materials was any man’s guess.

“It is true that there were living at that time lumber and timber men who were gifted with foresight into

the possibilities of timber regrowth, but they were few and far between, and were generally assumed to be crackpots rather than practical men.

“The great forests of other regions had been cut out in preceding decades, the mills had fallen into decay or moved South or West, and the industry had fallen asleep. Why not the South and West? Just as so many highly intelligent lumber manufacturers in the North and East had cut out and moved South, so were many of the wisest mill men of the South cutting out and moving West.

Nearly everyone took it for granted that one day the timber of the South would be gone, while the timber of the West would last for many years and then it, in turn, would be gone.

And with it the lumber industry.”

He quoted an industry expert of the 1920s who said: “The South is following the course of other regions, and the remaining supplies of virgin pine are only about onefifth of the original stand. Within a single decade, southern pine production promises to exceed by little, if any, the needs of the South. In 15

years the South will become dependent for its own needs upon large importations of lumber from the Pacific Coast.”

Yet, our columnist remarked, “then came, slowly but surely, into the mentalities of the lumber industry the understanding of the miracle of miracles—timber regrowth. And with that came the understanding of things that came along with that miracle, such as selective logging, completely changed logging methods and equipment to protect future tree growth in the old cuttings, protection of the young trees from fires and pestilence, scientific planning for future forests, tree farms, etc.”

Twenty-five years after the dire predictions, the South and West were replanting as much as they were harvesting—to the tune of more than 14 billion ft. of lumber in the South and nearly that total in the West, including the first harvests of second growth timber. And with improved “methods, care and equipment,” lumber quanity and quality seemed destined to increase.

Those revised predictions have borne true: today the forests, the lumber industry, and The Merchant are healthier than ever.

SEVERAL DOZEN advertisers, including White Brothers, Pope & Talbot, and E.K. Wood, used their promotional space in the July 1947 edition to toast The Merchant on its 25th anniversary.

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Building-Products.com

BPD Building Products Digest 151 Kalmus Dr. Ste. D200 Costa Mesa, CA 92626-5959

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