31 minute read
NEW PRODUCTS
from BPD August 2022
STOP LEDGER BOARD MOISTURE
Trex Seal Ledger Tape is an 11”-wide aluminum-lined butyl tape specifically engineered for use on the ledger board of a deck, combining the best performance features of metal and tape flashing in one easy-to-use product.
Reinforced with an aluminum liner, the 11”-wide tape covers the entire surface of the ledger board and creates a seamless seal over any gaps between the ledger and deck substructure for optimal protection against moisture penetration.
Designed specifically for deck applications, both in its function and size, it has a 5.5” double-release liner that allows installers to bend and set it in place without it flexing back like other flashing tapes.
TREXSEAL.COM (800) 289-8739
FLUTED BAMBOO SIDING
MOSO North America has added double-fluted and triple-fluted siding to its X-treme collection.
Providing a fluted panel look for exterior cladding or soffit, the 6’-long, 6”-wide boards are end-matched for faster installation and less waste. MOSO bamboo X-treme cladding uses the same clips as the decking, keeping hardware cost to a minimum.
It boasts a Class A fire rating and a 25-year warranty against rot and decay and is WUI listed in California.
MOSO-BAMBOO.COM (855) 343-8444 PAINTER’S TOOL BOX
The Purdy Painter’s Storage Box is a three-tiered interlocking system designed to keep professional painters organized and productive, and able to quickly transport their tools from jobsites.
Each box features dedicated space for housing painting tools, which includes a bin for wet brushes or roller covers up to 18”, hanger bars for organizing paintbrushes, and even room for stowing two extension poles.
The lid stays open at a 90° degree angle for quick access to tools. The top lid also features the profiles of paint can bases in differing sizes, to hold them in place.
Between jobsites, the storage boxes stack easily, lock securely in place, and are effortless to move with two large, all-terrain 9” wheels that are replaceable and an integrated, telescopic handle.
PURDY.COM (800) 547-0780
TOP-NOTCH BELT SANDER
Milwaukee Tool’s new M18 FUEL Belt Sander offers professional carpenters and remodelers the most powerful, and versatile cordless belt sander to assist in the jobsite material removal process.
Generating 8 amps of corded power, the tool supplies a faster material removal rate with a belt speed range of 700 to 1,350 surface ft. per minute. It has been optimized for jobsite applications with a tool-free, adjustable pommel and ergonomic design that allows users to work in confined corners and spaces. Outfitted with a premium multi-layer dust bag and a universal vacuum hose adapter, it offers best-in-class dust collection with over 80% dust collected during use.
MILWAUKEETOOL.COM (800) 729-3878
SDWS FRAMING Screw
SDWS TIMBER Screw
SDPW DEFLECTOR Screw
Strength and selection are always in stock.
SDWH TIMBER-HEX Screw
SDW TRUSS-PLY Screw
SDWC TRUSS Screw
SDWH TIMBER-HEX HDG Screw
When it comes to structural fasteners, Strong-Drive® is the only name dealers need to know. Our professional-grade screws and nails are precision engineered for strength, versatility and reliability. With innovative designs that make driving fast and easy, the entire Simpson Strong-Tie® Strong-Drive line helps keep installed costs low while meeting the highest demands. Our broad selection of fasteners is available in a wide variety of lengths for any application. Whether your customers are framing a structure, retrofitting a building, renovating a home, or repairing a deck, dock or pier, there’s no better way to get the job done. Stock up on Strong-Drive fasteners. Visit go.strongtie.com/strongdrive or call (800) 999-5099.
CABLE RAILING TOP RAIL
Atlantis Rail Systems has launched a new aluminum top rail for its popular Spectrum cable railing system. Previously, the Spectrum System included the cable, fittings and posts, and customers supplied their own hardwood top rail.
The Spectrum Top Rail System has a rectangular top rail and small assortment of adaptive fittings to handle most layouts. The system consists of square, 1-1/2”x1-1/2” stainless steel powder-coated posts that can be fascia- or surface-mounted and an extruded aluminum 1-5/8”x31/2” top rail. The top rail is offered in standard lengths of 4’, 6’ and 8’. Aluminum top rail and fittings are powder-coated in the standard and special Spectrum colors.
ATLANTISRAIL.COM (508) 732-9191 MASS TIMBER STRAP
Simpson Strong-Tie has introduced the MTWS mass timber washer strap as a versatile, off-the-shelf, load-tested option for a variety of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panel-to-panel and panel-to-steel connections in mass timber construction.
Mass timber projects can utilize a hybrid of structural materials, and often require strap and holdown connections with two to three times the capacity of light-frame connections.
The new washer strap is engineered for the high strength and stiffness required by these higher-load applications, while using 10% to 20% fewer fasteners, providing productivity and efficiency on the jobsite and eliminating the need for custom fabrication of steel connector straps.
The strap provides a pre-engineered, tested solution to replace expensive, shop-fabricated steel plates while providing maximum versatility on the jobsite.
STRONGTIE.COM/MASSTIMBER (800) 999-5099
LIGHT RAIL
Feeney’s next generation of its DesignRail LED Rail Lighting Kit simplifies installation and delivers added versatility, while also offering a longer product warranty.
Developed to install easily into DesignRail top or bottom rails without special tools, the kit now accommodates a single, continuous 55-ft. run and is field trimmable for optimal flexibility, with 4” cut lines for convenient reference.
The durable 24V wet location strip lights attach to the railing surface using integrated highperformance, double-sided foam (VHB) tape for carefree installation. Waterproof crimp fittings provide protection from the elements, while plugand-play connectors facilitate quick linking of lights and components.
FEENEYINC.COM (800) 888-2418
NEUTRAL COLOR CABINETS
Wolf Home Products has released a third finish option—Carbon SmartShield—in its contemporary cabinet style line, Wolf Endeavor.
The new finish rounds out a neutral palette with a dark grey option, providing a dark, clean shade that is not as saturated as black and contrasts beautifully with lighter room elements.
Endeavor cabinets are frameless with full access and full overlay styling. The modern, shaker-style door also comes in Polar SmartShield and Sterling SmartShield.
WOLFHOMEPRODUCTS.COM (800) 388-9653
VIBRANT STAINS
Nova USA Wood Products has enhanced the color retention of its ExoShield Wood Stains by 30% and improved the formulations of its Walnut and Mahogany ExoShield colors.
Fewer red pigments produce a richer medium-brown Walnut with red undertones, and a subtler, more natural-looking Mahogany. Polymerized oil resins have also been added, as well as the highest amount of UV blockers possible.
NOVAUSAWOOD.COM (503) 419-6407 SLATE-LOOK ROOFING
DaVinci Roofscapes has introduced a new single-width composite slate roofing tile. Province Slate, a 12”-wide tile with a fixed 8” exposure evokes a historical nature with authentic natural slate appeal.
Modeled after actual slate, the tiles have a natural, non-repeating beauty that complements a variety of home styles. The durable slate tiles resist severe weather, high winds, insects, algae and fungus growth.
DAVINCIROOFSCAPES.COM (8OO) 328-4624 POWER DRIVE
Senco’s new pneumatic framing nailer delivers 18% more driving force, exceptional durability, and advanced ergonomics.
Made in the USA, the FN91T1 was designed to sink nails all day long and survive the toughest jobsites without causing undue fatigue to the user. The nailer drives paper-collated, 34° clippedhead and offset-round-head nails from 2” to 3-1/2” in length.
Weighing 8.75 lbs. and featuring a durable magnesium magazine and a body and belt hook made from heavy-duty aluminum, the tool was built to take abuse.
SENCO.COM (888) 543-4596
DARKER SCREWS
Spax Powerlags engineered fasteners are getting a colorful new look this season.
The fasteners will transition from green to a black top coat, based on customers’ preference for black to provide an attractive appearance and to match with other products.
This High Corrosion Resistance coating adds a double barrier. First plated with a zinc base coat, then finished with a durable top coat, the structural wood screws are engineered, tested and inspected to hold up to the harshest conditions.
SPAX.US (888) 222-7729
FRAMELESS GLASS WINDSCREEN
Ocula, Trex Commercial’s new glass windscreen system, offers optimal versatility with its post-free, clamp-supported design.
The system is designed to divert wind while elevating architectural aesthetics. It comes in three standard heights: guardrail (43”), pool surround (48”), and balcony divider (60”), plus custom heights and multiple top cap and handrail options.
The stainless steel clamps can be paired with view-optimizing clear glass for a barely-there look, or frosted or fritted glass for more privacy.
TREXCOMMERCIAL.COM (800) 289-8739
Celebrating 100 Years of The Merchant Magazine Celebrating 40 Years of BPD
The 100-year story of Building Products Digest is a tale of history repeating itself—backwards.
Houston, Tx.-based publisher Jack Dionne’s success serving the South with The Gulf Coast Lumberman convinced him of the need for a new publication in the country’s other major lumber-producing region, the West. So, in 1922, he launched The California Lumber Merchant, known today as simply The Merchant Magazine.
Fast-forward 60 years later, to the early 1980s. With The Gulf Coast Lumberman long since folded, Merchant publisher David Cutler saw the opportunity for a similar publication in the Southeast.
Working with editor Juanita Lovret, he launched Building Products Digest, replicating The Merchant’s format of business-building news and features, and its mission of fostering community within the regional LBM industry.
BPD initially was distributed in the 13 Southeastern states, from Texas to Florida, but 20 years ago expanded to cover all 37 states west of the Rockies.
We are grateful that now, 40 years later, BPD continues to flourish, in both print and digital versions
Please join us as we look back over the last 100 years.
Upper Right BPD’s first issue: March 198
Lower Right Ad from December 1981 announcing the coming of BPD
1930s
1940s
1950s
The 1920s were prosperous times for many in the West, and the lumber industry was no exception. Fueled by the California housing market, lumber production reached higher and higher levels.
But one skill the lumber industry has typically lacked is self promotion. That, though, was no problem for the charismatic Jack Dionne. For nine years he published The Gulf Coast Lumberman from Houston, Tx., providing lumber merchants with news, features, and pep talks layered with homespun humor. He soon recognized the need for a similar publication for lumber dealers in booming markets of California. In the first months, he opened offices in Lo Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland.
“The Merchant” distributed its firstbiweekly issue on July 1, 1922. It, like the lumber industry itself, enjoyed fast growth through the ’20s. Times, some say, grew too prosperous. Early in 1928, the stock market began a meteoric rise, providing big, quick profitsthat captured the attention, imaginations and incomes of millions. So many people playing the stock market on margin and retiring completely from other investment activities put a drag on the lumber business. Dionne saw the stock craze as gambling and in the fall of 1929, commended those who put their savings in bonds: “It means a stout disposition to save rather than waste, and in time those bonds can be used to buy homes.”
Then came the crash. “The recession of recent weeks had to come,” Dionne wrote. “It isn’t the law of economics. It’s simply the law of gravity.”
He warned a national house cleaning would be painful, but was unavoidable. Noted Dionne, on Dec. 1, 1929: “The liquidation of the stock market continues. The world watches, agape, at the thing that is happening. And naturally, while the world watches, the world does not build.”
Through the early Thirties, the pages of The Merchant were filledwith one expert after another claiming an economic turnaround was in sight. Then, several issues later, came the shock of realizing yet another prophecy failed, as business sunk lower and lower.
The Great Depression struck the lumber business as hard as any industry, since nearly 60% of all lumber went into construction. As money became tighter and job losses mounted, fewer people could afford homes. Housing starts, which had reached to the hundreds of thousands during the 1920s, averaged 26,000 single family residences in 1932, 1933 and 1934. “The price of lumber has gone back to levels of 25 years ago,” Dionne moaned in April of 1932.
Recovery came slowly, after President Roosevelt initiated a series of aggressive programs to put the country back to work. Some worked (valuable public works projects), others didn’t (a minimum lumber price code eventually was interpreted as price fixingand ruled unconstitutional). But through it all, an industry and a nation survived.
Wood products would play a vital role in World War II, and the conflictwould revitalize the industry. During the early Forties, tens of billions of board feet of lumber wold go into building riflestocks, ammunition boxes, shipping crates, tank models, troop housing, Army laundries, hospitals, portable bridges, recreation centers, laboratories, chapels, offices,mess halls, naval air bases, hangars, ships, drydocks, shipyards, defense factories, scaffolding, wharves, pontoons, ties, poles, props, anti-tank barriers, shoring, shelters, lockers, gas mask filters,lifeboat covers, plywood to black out windows, and thousands of other uses. By late 1942, 90% of all U.S. lumber shipments went into war, defense and priority-controlled essential civilian uses. Wood technology exploded, as researchers began treating, twisting, laminating and otherwise controlling the shape and strength of wood in order to make it serve war purposes that were undreamed of months earlier.
When World War II ended, the U.S. faced an unprecedented shortage of housing brought on by 16 years of depression and war. During the next 10 years, more than 10 million American families would become new homeowners. Annual housing starts exceeded 1 million in 1950 and never looked back. For the first time, home ownership surpassed 60%
Like the U.S. itself. the nation’s 26,000 lumber retailers prospered. They became more efficient and reduced handling costs through the development of mechanized and time saving equipment, improved methods of inventory control, and the continued training of the more than 100,000 men hired by retail yards after the war.
Sales were also aided by a record birthrate, low-interest, low-down payment government loans, a surge in remodeling, and the emergence of a new customer, the “do-it-yourself enthusiast.”
The wood products industry played a vital role in rebuilding America. As the then-president of the National Association of Home Builders told lumber merchants in 1955: “In providing good homes, good designs, and good values, we are making it possible to build better citizens and a better nation for us all.”
The 1960s are remembered as a period of sweeping change. That description applied not only to the lumber industry, but to The Merchant, as well. In 1962, Dionne began looking for a successor. Prominent lumberman A.D. Bell Jr. arrived with his checkbook. He had little interest in running a publishing empire, but was determined to make sure the beloved magazine survived. A young former scribe with Stars & Stripes, David Cutler, joined the business in 1962, soon partnering with Bell and over the years buying the business from him.
Through the 1970s, LBM dealers and wholesalers began devoting more selling and storage space to other building materials, and the housing boom expanded to wider and wider markets. Similarly, one of the most popular sections of our magazine became New Products, which introduced retailers to innovations which often became staples of their businesses, including MSR lumber (July 1970), laminated roof and floor decking (September 1970), and vinyl-wrapped mouldings (February 1972)
1970s
Although the Eighties may be remembered as the Decade of the Home Center, in reality the consumer-oriented home improvement store was born years earlier. At the time, lumberyards catered to the professional, selling to homeowners condescendingly.
In fact, 20 years earlier, some retailers had already begun to recognize the potential of the DIY market. They altered their floor layout and store hours, and began promoting to the public
Suddenly, homeowners could findlumber priced by the piece rather than the board foot and paneling priced by the panel rather than the square foot. They could roll dimension lumber, insulation and other building materials right out the front door instead of waiting for a ticket to be written and the merchandise tallied from the yard. The new store hours allowed consumers to shop both after work and on their days off. Retailers added new departments, visual merchandising and colorful tabloid advertising. Store sizes grew to 20,000, 30,000, 40,000 sq. ft. Lumberyards became home centers.
By 1990, war had been declared on the timber industry. Environmentalists, in recruiting the Northern spotted owl as their poster child, had put a sympathetic, big-eyed face on their radical anti-logging crusade. Unlike the reserved industry, the preservationists were not publicity shy. They waged their battle in the press, in schools, and, ultimately, in courts, tying up countless legally-approved timber harvests through drawn-out lawsuits and leading to the closures of hundreds of mills. Lumber production plummeted.
Rushing to filltlhe gap were alternate species and substitute materials, like steel and plastic. But low supply encouraged better use of every inch of every log. New engineered wood products, stronger, longer and more available than their solid wood counterparts, came into their own. And tighter supply brought the industry closer together, to teach the public that the best solution was better care of its resource, not locking it up.
1980s
1990s
The year 2001 proved to be a watershed mark at BPD and beyond. At home, longtime publisher David Cutler was ready to retire and sold the business to Alan Oakes. No sooner had the ink dried on the deal then came September 11, 2001. The industry, in fact the entire world, stopped and would never be the same.
Once travel resumed, Oakes and his staff resumed their frenetic pace of travel. We were committed to letting our readers and advertisers know that it was time to get back to business. Most notably, BPD’s coverage expanded from the Southeast to the Midwest and Northeast, so together our publications could serve a complete national audience.
2000s
In 2014, it was Oakes’ turn to hand off leadership of the company. New owner/publisher Patrick Adams quickly went to work making The Merchant and BPD the foundation for a far-reaching, full-service B2B publishing empire. 526 Media Group would serve not only lumbermen, but also similarly valued “American Bedrock Infrastructure Industries.” The fast-growing company currently offers three additional print publications (Deck Specialist, Surface & Panel, and ATF), a virtual events platform, and a host of digital offerings.
The onset of the pandemic may have thrown everyone a curveball, but BPD and our sister properties at 526 Media Group have been blessed to have weathered the storm and to continue to enjoy tremendous growth—in no small part due to the loyalty of our readers and advertisers. For that, and for our bright future together, we thank you.
2010s
We asked David Cutler, founder of BPD, to share some of his memories and, true to his ever-humble nature, he preferred to write in the third-person, like a far-off reporter. Indeed, Dave always strove to keep himself—and BPD—out of the story. He pioneered our ever-popular event photo montages, snapping pictures at hundreds of functions, but never having one taken of him (unless, of course, his lovely wife Marti was in attendance). Today, the camera is usually toted by our advertising department’s Chuck Casey, who has covered close to 500 events during his 27 years with the company.
BPD–A Century in the Making
By David Cutler
In a world where most magazines typically last only a few years at most, BPD’s sister publication, The Merchant Magazine, has survived the test of time by serving the lumber and building products industries by providing timely and relevant news, features, and valuable content.
Its growth is a testament to a handful of dedicated individuals with a mission to serve the industry and address what was desperately missing in the industry at the time; a publication with meaningful content.
Contributing to the magazine’s success was the fact that the owners and editors were all active lumbermen with a family heritage in the industry.
With humble beginnings, The Merchant Magazine was founded in 1922 as The California Lumber Merchant by Jack Dionne. The format soon struck the appropriate balance of valuable business insight while featuring the hard-working lumbermen and women, which propelled the magazine’s success.
By the early 1960s, much of the lumber industry still operated traditionally; The days of the big-box retailer had yet to arrive; however, some progressive retailers and wholesalers were beginning to leave their mark. The slower pace of many towns with retail lumber yards remained the norm. As the market evolved, chains of smaller yards, many family-owned, soldiered on with modest profitability. This diverse, layered market environment continued with wholesalers servicing the retailers in smooth working relationships until the arrival of the big-box establishments. While many retailers and wholesalers adapted successfully to the new market, the industry was changing rapidly.
In 1962 after 40 years of success, Dionne realized the time to sell his magazine had come. Dionne sought a team to continue his legacy of serving the industry with quality industry news and journalistic excellence. Lumberman A.D. Bell, owner of Hobbs-Wall Lumber Co., with family ties to Hammond Lumber Co., and David Cutler, a member of the Horton family that owned the Standard Lumber Co., a Minnesota chain of retail lumberyards, both would step into Dionne’s shoes to propel the magazine into its next chapter.
Bell realized an opportunity to provide the industry with a higher standard of excellence in news reporting and quality printing. Bell also realized that a light touch and a bit of humor were needed to reach the lumber and trade readership. This theme would continue to the present day.
A few years later, in 1966, the new owners renamed The California Lumber Merchant to The Merchant Magazine. In addition to the magazine’s new moniker, the new owners invested in upgrading publication quality while always maintaining the relationships with those in the industry that still did big-dollar business by a handshake. This was a point of pride for the new owners who maintained their client relationships, taking advertising orders verbally. The industry handshake still ruled, showing the quality of industry leaders and the reliability of their work and handshake.
The new owners continued to work, maintaining Dionne’s tradition of journalistic excellence. Many readers’ favorite column featured the industry’s fictional and whimsical mascots, Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus. Yes, some readers still question if they truly exist.
On October 14, 1975, upon Bell’s retirement, David and his wife Marti Cutler became sole owners. Together, they continued the pursuit of substantive improvement for existing readers and wider reach.
While The Merchant continued to win industry awards, on February 1, 1982, the first issue of the award-winning Building Products Digest was published. The Digest was an opportunity to grow geographically to the 13 Southern states, thus furthering the reach into the booming Southern market.
In addition to the two magazines, the publishers also launched several ancillary products which served related markets.
After nearly 40 years of nurture and growth, the Cutlers sold The Merchant and BPD to new owners to carry the torch forward.
David Cutler, who joined The Merchant in 1962, completed its purchase with his wife Marti in 1975. They retired in 2001.
Since our first publications founding, we have been closely aligned with lumbermen’s fraternity Hoo-Hoo International, from a regular column on club news in The Merchant Magazine in the 1920s to editing its quarterly journal, The Log & Tally, from 2017 to 2019.
By the Tail of the Great Black Cat
By Stacey Douglas Jones
FIVE of the six founders of Hoo-Hoo at the dedication of the Hoo-Hoo monument in Gurdon, Ar., in 1909. Left to right: George Washington Schwartz, William Eddy Barns, Bolling Arthur Johnson, George Kimball Smith, William Starr Mitchell.
You’ve heard the name, pondered the Black Cat logo, and seen pictures on the pages of this magazine, but what is the International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo? Quite simply, one of the world’s oldest industrial service organizations dedicated to promoting forest product industries.
Hoo-Hoo began in January 1892, when six industry individuals found their train travels delayed in the small town of Gurdon, Ar. These men, brought together by chance and circumstance, listened as Bolling Arthur Johnson, a lumber trade journalist, and George K. Smith, a lumber association secretary, contemplated the idea of bringing the diverse aspects of the industry together in goodwill and fellowship. They wanted a common group to promote high ideals and a code of ethics nationwide. They also felt that having fun along the way would be one of the many benefits of membership. Then and there, this enthusiastic group of six set about forming this new Order.
The Hoo-Hoo Ideal
Hoo-Hoo has fun with unusual names and titles, like the international president’s Snark of the Universe title. “Fortunately, what we are called is less important than what we are,” said Paul Todd, the current Snark of the Universe. “We are an organization of individuals dedicated to the ideals of a united and progressive forest-based industry that contributes to the community’s welfare. We are a fraternal order with an industrial base.”
Founded on the belief that personal contact is essential in work and social relationships, Hoo-Hoo believes that better communication builds trust between people in all parts of the industry.
The spirit of Hoo-Hoo is expressed in nine fundamental values, which encourage members to be Fraternal, Helpful, Grateful, Friendly, Tolerant, Progressive, Industrious, Ethical, and Loyal. Hoo-Hoo believes that these nine points are the building blocks of the “Golden Rule.” Therefore, HooHoo members are expected to practice these principles in both their business and personal lives to better themselves and society.
Why Hoo-Hoo?
Hoo-Hoo gives you contact with energetic and progressive people in all branches of the forest products industry. Their knowledge is yours for the asking. So it’s possible to learn in a brief period what it took others years to acquire.
Hoo-Hoo broadens your mind. Its programs offer members information about worthwhile matters both in and out of the industry. Together with other professionals, you have an opportunity to grow and learn. If you have a timber problem, Hoo-Hoo will help you. If you have a sound idea that will benefit the industry, Hoo-Hoo will help you.
Hoo-Hoo forges friendships that will last a lifetime. The cooperation of many people working together to better the industry can move a mountain as easily as an individual moves a stone. You can be a part of more than a century of cooperation that is the Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo.
What’s in a Name?
Curious about the name? The official name of the organization is the Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo. A “hoo-hoo”
was a term coined by Johnson a month earlier to describe an alarming tuft of hair that grew on top of the otherwise bald head of his fellow lumberman, Charles H. McCarer. The term became a catchphrase in the industry for anything unusual or out of the ordinary. The term “concatenate” means to unite—to bring together—thus, the two unusual words were brought together as an appropriate name for a group that sought to be unconventional (and a little mysterious) in a very fraternal way. Today more than 102,000 people have joined the ranks over its 130-year history.
Club Activities
Each local club selects its mix of activities. Besides social events, many focus on community service and use their activities to raise funds for charity or forestry scholarships. Often clubs support education programs for teachers and kids to share the values of sustainable forestry. Clubs also mentor older students by showing viable career choices in the industry.
Individual clubs meet socially at golf tournaments, industry nights, or other organized events. But, through it all, the common thread of Hoo-Hoo is fraternalism—the fellowship that comes from a common interest and desire to socialize with people of similar experiences.
Hoo-Hoo & You
If you support the forest products industry, are at least 18 years of age, enjoy socializing with great people, live life with a code of ethics, and desire to give back to your community, HooHoo is for you! We invite you to learn more about and consider membership in Hoo-Hoo International, the fraternal order of the forest products industry.
OUR PUBLICATIONS reported on Hoo-Hoo happenings since Year One, starting with a regular column in 1922 in The Merchant Magazine.
Come Join Us This September
Hoo-Hoo will be holding its 130th International Convention Sept. 10-13 in Old Town Sacramento. Hosted by Sacramento Club #109, this will be the first official meeting in person since the start of the pandemic, and it will prove to be a raucous good time for us all to be back together. A concat (new member initiation) will be held during the event.
If you are curious about Hoo-Hoo and joining, this would be an excellent opportunity. Members from around the world will be there, and the amount of friendliness will amaze you. To find out more and see which local chapter would fit you best, contact Kalene Hooks at Hoo-Hoo International’s headquarters in Gurdon, Ar., by emailing to info@ hoo-hoo.org.
Stacey Douglas Jones 99678 is the Napa, Ca.-based owner of By Design and designer/editor emeritus of Hoo’Hoo’s Log & Tally magazine.
With his inexhaustable exuberance, Alan Oakes brought new energy to BPD and The Merchant during his decade-and-a-half of leadership. He made his presence felt at every function he attended—and the charming British accent didn’t hurt a bit.
100 Years and Counting...
By Alan Oakes
After retiring in early 2015, the last thing I thought I would be doing seven years later, would be writing a column to add to the 164 I had written during my stewardship of The Merchant Magazine and its sister publication Building Products Digest from 2001 to 2014. However, it is a great honor to be asked to write this column to help celebrate the centenary of The Merchant. Over 100 years it has survived and prospered through wars, the Great Depression, market upturns and downturns, and tragedies.
Very few companies achieve this milestone and in this digital world it is a great testament that my successor Patrick Adams, 526 Media Group, and his team can still successfully continue to serve this great industry with all its traditions and family values with a monthly magazine, although of course now supported with a number of digital tools.
In 1999, I had become disillusioned with corporate life and after 25 years as a CEO found myself caught between the board, owners and staff. I made the decision to retire early. I soon realized there were some elements of business life I missed and made the decision to bring the long-held thought of starting or buying my own company to reality. Soon I came across the then-Cutler Publishing and an owner retiring, some 80 years of history and a good track record made the acquisition a good bet. I was not deterred by the fact that I didn’t know a thing about the LBM industry as an early career in sales and by then had 18 years of book publishing experience I thought optimistically would stand me in good stead.
I started attending events and getting to know the industry. It took a while to understand our place in the industry and just what a record of love and respect had been achieved under the prior three owners, especially my predecessor David Cutler. Those first couple of months were more than a bit scary frankly. With my British accent, speaking to some clients particularly in the South was probably quite hilarious to listen in on. But after three months I started to feel I was getting it. Business started to grow and then just as I started feeling comfortable... BANG... September 11, 2001.
That afternoon, I sent the staff home early and sat on my own in the office, forgetting the time. I realized my next column was now totally inappropriate. I started to put my thoughts of the day to paper as I considered the implications both short-term and long-term. I realized that day that we would be needed more than ever and we would, whatever the cost, support the industry in every way we could. That said, I feared how over the coming months we might survive, as all companies would tighten their belts with business overnight grinding to a complete halt.
It was a scary time. We called every customer we could to hear how they were doing, to pass on what we were hearing across the country, and to offer our support. It was then it sunk in what I had bought into. While we lost a few advertisers, most temporarily, most of them thankfully made the right decision to continue with their plans. But other companies that we had called for years but never spent a dime with us, started to ask about advertising. A few said it was because they had loved and avidly read the publications cover to cover over many years, realized it would be tough for us, and wanted nothing to happen to us. Truthfully, it brought tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat. Never in my business life had I received or seen such loyalty. This same story could be repeated after the 2008 housing market collapse. However, it was those early weeks in 2001, post-9/11, that cemented how we would be as a company going forward. It changed me as an owner and as a person. Over the years I saw time and time again how the industry rallied around those in need, even if they were staunch competitors.
As soon as we could fly, one of our first events was the NAWLA Traders Market in Dallas, an occasion that will remain forever in the minds and hearts of those who attended. The camaraderie, friendships, singing ’round the piano, and patriotic songs that even in recent days we still speak of. From that day on, I knew we would be safe, but more importantly I felt part of the industry family.
As many readers probably sensed over the years, I began enjoying this great industry perhaps more than I should have. Attending about 30 events every year, it became one long business party. I was always welcomed, and cannot think of a better way to have brought my 50-year career to a close. Attending NAWLA, 2nd Growth, the Crab Feed, and countless others, I made many personal friendships, along with fun, laughter and a beverage or two.
Lastly, most of my columns tried to help readers think about their businesses. And as I head back to my sofa, it’s easy to let technology swallow us up, but please do not allow the traditions, the personal contact, the handshakes to disappear. Cherish and maintain this industry’s uniqueness.
Certainly, as COVID has shown, nothing can be taken for granted. Never has there been more need for the continuity, information and tools that The Merchant provides month in and month out, year in and year out. So once again, my congratulations to BPD and The Merchant and my thanks to Patrick for allowing me to be part of the industry once again. I look forward to further celebrations in the years ahead. Good selling!
