BPD August 2023

“Growing beyond measure.”

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER

Patrick Adams padams@526mediagroup.com

VICE PRESIDENT

Shelly Smith Adams sadams@526mediagroup.com

PUBLISHER EMERITUS

Alan Oakes

MANAGING EDITOR

David Koenig • dkoenig@526mediagroup.com

SENIOR EDITOR

Sara Graves • sgraves@526mediagroup.com

COLUMNISTS

James Olsen, Kim Drew, Claudia St. John, Dave Kahle

CONTRIBUTORS

Greg Bonsib, Jane Cavalier, Jeff Easterling, Paige McAllister, Patrick McGowan, Andrew K. Petryk, Tyler Sharpe, Rob Young

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BUILDING PRODUCTS DIGEST is published monthly at 151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. E200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, (714) 4862735, 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®2023 by 526 Media Group, Inc. Cover and entire contents are fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission. All Rights Reserved. BPD reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it. Opinions expressed are those of the authors or persons quoted and not necessarily those of 526 Media Group, Inc. Articles in this magazine are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial, or business management advice.

PRIORITIES OF SUMMER

------------ BY PATRICK ADAMS

TRADITIONALLY, “SUMMER” doesn’t change much for me. I prefer the cold over the heat, so there’s that. Where we live, there is a lot less traffic (for some reason that nobody can explain), so that’s a bonus. Other than that, it’s business as usual. Go to work, handle the “honey do” lists, and go through my somewhat habitual OCD routine.

I’m grateful to have many people in my life that I respect and who, whether they realize it or not, I listen to. Many are part of this great industry. Of the countless bits of wisdom they have shared that have positively influenced my life, the almost constant is “Spend as much time with your kids as you can because they’ll be grown before you know it.”

Of course, I see this (and so have each of you in the monthly pics) as it seems just yesterday, my “little girl” was actually little. But almost in a flash, they aren’t so little anymore. I’m proud of the people they are, and are becoming. While they do drive Mom crazy at times (especially over summer), they are good kids with good hearts and far too advanced senses of humor. I cannot say enough how proud I am of them, and how surprising it is that these good kids are mine (probably more to do with their mother, but I’ll take a small bit of lucky credit).

So this summer, I decided to follow those wise friends’ advice. Starting even before summer officially began, we’ve had a summer packed with family adventures. I’m trying to balance a bit of remote work, while packing my office days full when I’m there to keep everything moving forward. While I feel ashamed of reporting to my team that I’m off to another family adventure, they all smile knowingly and sincerely say, “Have fun and don’t worry about a thing.” Needless to say, I am blessed in so many ways that I can’t begin to count.

We’ve been camping a couple times, with a couple more planned before school starts. We’ve been fishing a few times (with no record catches to report), been hiking and to the beach (with the sunburn to prove it) and just got back from a “work event” in Coeur d’Alene where I decided

to bring them along. We rented a boat and the kids went tubing behind (more like dragged by a rope), along with a few other adventures. My son finally conquered how to ride a bike without the safety of his training wheels, and I was there to see it. He now rides non-stop… just like his Dad did as a kid.

When we’re at home, I can see them growing up before my eyes as we pass through our daily routines. But, when we’re “out” and I see them being kids—laughing, playing and being the goof balls that they are—time stands still, and they don’t seem so big anymore. It’s a reminder of how precious this time is, and how much I too have grown because of them. I think I’m more patient now; I think more and react less. I think more, not about what could be, but what is and what used to be. I worry less, not because I’m less aware of what could happen, but because I no longer let it rob me of the joy of these moments in front of me now.

We all talk about “priorities,” but I rarely see actions that reflect those spoken priorities and instead, see behavior that would have you believe that everything is a priority. This summer, I made my family a priority because I’ve learned to trust those around me. When they say not to miss these times, to make my family a priority and to delegate and trust my amazing team, I decided for once to listen. Because of this, we’ve made memories that will last a lifetime and perhaps, delayed them growing up even if it’s just for a moment.

I hope everyone has taken some time this summer to make something important a priority, and to make memories that will last a lot longer than what we usually prioritize. As we are constantly reminded, there are no promises of tomorrow and we must take a moment to cherish what is in front of us today. Have a wonderful summer and as always, I am so grateful for each of you and for serving this great industry of ours.

PATRICK S. ADAMS, Publisher/President padams@526mediagroup.com

SOURCING THE BEST SPECIES FOR MILLWORK

------------ BY TYLER SHARPE

CHANGE FOR LESS-expensive, more-resilient, and better-performing products has always driven the building industry. Millwork is no different as we strive to embrace enhanced products, equipment, software, substrates and coatings to deliver improved offerings. In this article, we dive into the history and evolution of how certain species became the prevalent, reliable “go-to” substrates for the millwork industry.

Keeping up with fast paces of change has transformed me into a unique combination of an early adopter and a skeptic. I’m often the first in my circle to try new process improvement apps or explore revolutionary AI plugins. However, I’m also wary of the product’s ability to add value (or even function properly) until I’ve seen them in action in my daily life.

This critical step is often overlooked, since most products work well in controlled environments. Marketing of these products can be positioned where the benefits are staged so effortlessly, it feels unnecessary to consider the downside. For technology, a worst-case scenario could be a security breach or loss of data, so I design situations to test, experience and understand the functionality of these programs before integrating them into my day to day.

As a director of supply for a millwork company, I adopt the same approach to understand products from the inside out, starting with the species and substrate. As a foundation, I recognize that all species have different properties and characteristics. We often can’t match a perfect species for each application, but we can rule out a family of species that are simply not an ideal fit for certain millwork uses. Understanding the technical specifications of the species and requirements of the application enables us to determine that the best species for a stair

HOW THE GO-TO WOODS FOUND THEIR NICHES

stringer may not be suitable for a flat jamb or moulding.

In speaking with colleagues and industry veterans, the trend to experiment with new species started in the ’80s as environmental changes in the United States limited access to the two most prevalent species used for millwork, ponderosa and sugar pine. Ponderosa forest supply was affected by environmental provisions to protect the endangered spotted owl which primarily resides in ponderosa pine forests. Increased logging threatened the spotted owls’ natural habitat resulting in greater protection for old-growth forests. Simultaneously, sugar pine forests were devastated by a fungal disease known as blister rust which spread throughout the forests causing infections, reduced growth rates, loss of vigor, and a sharp decline in available supply.

North American businesses turned to South America for supply due to its abundance of radiata, taeda, Elliotis and Mexican pines. This shift to incorporate imported species initiated industry-wide practices (often developed through a series of trial and error), essentially marrying up certain fibre to specific applications. An example of an early error was substituting ponderosa pine with Mexican pine in edge-glued panels. With many shared features between the species, it was expected to be a well-suited alternative but the Mexican species was considerably less stable and the wider laminations resulted in a warped panel. The solution was to reduce the average lamination width from about 4” down to 1.5” to limit the effect of the less stable wider grain. The net outcome was a higher cost alternative with lower yields, extra labor to assemble and considerable replacement costs for the learning “errors.”

In 2023, we have now accumulated a half century of experience working with species like radiata and taeda pine. The strong reliability of these species for most

millwork applications was subsequently leveraged by exporting them in break-bulk to major producers in Asia to transform into lower cost, high quality finished millwork goods. With 50 years of expertise, the industry understands the ins and outs of these species allowing us to predict how they will likely react in a series of applications. Knowing their overall stability, weatherability, screw-holding strength, MoE and MoR among other properties, allows us to compare against applications to determine if these species are suitable.

That’s why sourcing best practices begin with understanding the application and the fundamental needs of the product for successful outcomes. For example, can a 1” screw be a suitable alternative for a 3” screw? While it may not provide the same strength, it could meet the requirements of the intended use. Similarly, the suitability of a species for millwork products depends on the application, construction and expectations of the substrate.

As COVID sparked increased demand, the millwork industry was motivated to investigate different import species similar to what happened in the 1980s. To seek out more supply, we began experimenting with a variety of new import species and substrates. Import data shows tremendous amounts of sibirica pine coming from Northern Europe and local Asian species like Chinese fir, merkussi pine, falcatta, albasia, rubberwood, mahogany, meranti and led to an increased embrace of other engineered alternatives like MDF and LVL (laminated veneer lumber). The choice was service the business with a new substrate or potentially lose out.

I watched our QC teams design extensive destructive testing to better understand the specifications and limitations of each species. Other tests were designed to recreate the conditions of weathering in hot, cold, humid and dry conditions for alternative suitable species. Circling back to my comment on technology, testing in a controlled environment is not a substitute for years of field data that documents the performance and variability over time and in different climates. In laboratory tests it is difficult to capture variations in the substrates from production across different seasons or fibre at different levels of maturity.

I can report positively that our experiences with species like Chinese fir, merkussi pine, and rubberwood were well received and continue to hold up exceptionally well in a wide range of applications. Alternatively, some species responded better in control testing than in the field, one problem species in particular being sibirica pine. This species grows in a cold, dry climate and when imported to the southeast states resulted in checking across the ends of the boards and raised grain on the surface. Further diagnosis led us to understand that the medullary rays of the Siberica contributed to the splits that opened up within the boards.

In the post-COVID era, supply of known millwork species is more accessible and market pricing is trending towards pre-pandemic levels, largely driven by reduced freight costs. However, there are still largerthan-expected volumes of imported Southeast Asian species especially in LVL products entering the U.S. (my assumption is due to their lower price points). LVL is a dimensional panel product with layers of veneer

bonded together by glue and can be made from veneers from a wide range of species. Logs for many of these new species are less expensive than pines, plus LVL production gives a better yield on fiber than sawmilling. Some of these species have low densities, enabling shippers to fit more material in a container. Due to their rapid introduction, I question whether these species have been sufficiently tested across multiple weathering cycles for the intended climates and finished applications. Have the logs been harvested legally? Do glues meet emission targets? Does the factory responsibly follow SOPs and lamination best practices? As director of supply, I need to assess the complete supply chain and life-cycle costs:

• What is the cost of movements such as crook or bow in critical components?

• What is the cost of potential screwholding failure?

• Does the product smell funny? Will it grow mold?

• What’s the cost of a delamination and product failure?

• What could be the cost to reputation?

These are the sort of scenarios my team considers when we evaluate new species.

Understanding the product application and the requirements of the substrate and coatings is always the first step. From a strategic sourcing perspective, the specifications of the application are the driver to identify suitable substrates and total cost of ownership is the overall metric. My overall message is to convey the importance of due diligence and ask the right questions in order to make an informed decision. I take pride in being an early adopter, but not at the risk of being the test case. BP

TYLER SHARPE

Tyler Sharpe is director of supply at Weston Wood Solutions (www.westonwoodsolutions.com), a global distributor of valueadded wood and specialty building products for industrial and commercial markets.

QUALITY CONTROL teams at Weston Wood Solutions design extensive destructive testing to better understand the specifications and limitations of each species. (Images courtesy Weston Wood Solutions)

RAINSCREEN CLADDING

ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS DRIVE RISING DEMAND

------------ BY DAVID KOENIG

THE TRENDY LOOK of rainscreen cladding that swept over commercial buildings is fast spreading to residential construction—and who’s taking notice but the manufacturers of alternative decking. The producers of composite, PVC and thermally modified wood decking

Design Trends Driving Cladding Demand

• Open joint systems showcase dark spaces between boards, bringing the addition of texture and depth to walls and creating intrigue through strong linear patterns.

• Mixed materials continue to be a popular contemporary trend.

• Wood-look boards bring warmth and patterned texture that balance other colder materials like stone, marble, concrete or smooth panels.

• The wood look can reflect a building’s natural surroundings.

• Homebuyers (especially millennial homebuyers) want homes that stand out and aren’t “cookie cutter.” They want homes that don’t look like they are from their parents’ generation.

recognize that their materials offer the same aesthetics, performance and maintenance advantages that builders, designers and homeowners are looking for in cladding.

“Cladding is a design trend that has been growing in popularity over the past few years,” confirms Doug Lind, market development manager for Trex Co. “Inspired by commercial buildings, this application has quickly crossed over into the residential arena with the growth in consumer demand for modern, streamlined design and the warm look of wood.”

Daniel Gibbons, director of exteriors marketing, AZEK Exteriors, thinks there’s even more at play. “Like many buildings material and architectural design trends, it is the combination of new technologies and shifting appetites for design. Very much a ‘chicken-or-the-egg’ scenario,” he says. “On top of this, the driving force in exterior design continues to shift away from just building for the sake of building, but instead having more of a sustainable or green perspective of building with purpose. Design builders and architects are saying, ‘If I were to build something, I want to make sure it is meant to last, and last with minimal need for maintenance.’ To meet this, building material innovation and associated practices need to allow for that improved durability.”

RAINSCREEN cladding, such as NewTechWood’s UltraShiled capped wood-plastic composite, is expandingfrom commercial to residential.

NewTechWood manufactures separate composite decking and cladding systems to provide added protection to the home. According to NewTech’s Richard Lam, “With traditional decking when you put it up on the wall and use it as cladding you are creating what is known as an open rainscreen system. You will be leaving yourself 1/8” to 1/4” gap between each board. You will have water getting between the cracks and hitting your wall and your housewrap. Our cladding/siding system creates a closed rainscreen system where there are near zero gaps in the board with the clip, giving you an almost waterproof barrier to your house.”

NewTechWood offers three distinct styles: the All Weather System (a traditional flat-panel siding), the European System (with raised notches for a modern look), and the Shadowline System (with a 1/4” false gap). Additional styles are coming soon.

Two years ago, Fiberon became the first decking-centric manufacturer to introduce a dedicated cladding product (dubbed Wildwood in 2022). According to Jim Strange, senior category manager, “Wildwood was engineered specifically for cladding applications. We worked with architects to create a thinner, lighter board with a 6” profile, allowing for easier installation and a better yield on the wall. Most deck boards have a Class C rating; Wildwood cladding boards feature enhanced resistance to flame spread and have a Class B rating.”

Other manufacturers have followed suit, introducing branded cladding products. Most, however, are the same boards as their decking, since they say their products’ waterresistive properties are ideal for both applications.

MoistureShield’s Vision and Meridian products both meet cladding requirements under ICC-ES AC524, which is an additional requirement beyond the deck code compliance criteria. According to Barrette Outdoor Living, the same features that make MoistureShield decking a great deck product also make it an excellent choice for cladding since both sides of the board can get wet— its proprietary Solid Core Difference creates an impermeable barrier that can be installed on the ground, in

the ground, and underwater. The backsides of some competing boards are vulnerable to water when exposed over time.

“Over the past few years, decking manufacturers have put significant research and development into making more realistic and aesthetically appealing capped technologies,” says Matt Bruce, vice president of sales at Barrette Outdoor Living. “With rainscreen barrier technology evolving at an equal pace with the architectural preference for horizontal design, products like MoistureShield’s Vision and Meridian composite decking—that specifically warranty against the elements and water damage—make an ideal choice for cladding applications.”

Trex Cladding is made from Trex Transcend square edge deck boards— the company’s top-of-the-line product and are tested to withstand extreme weather conditions, including hurricane-force winds, making them ideal for cladding applications.

Envision Building Products markets a single product as dual-use by design. “Our full-profile, square-edge capped composite decking is code approved for cladding/rainscreen applications. This is beneficial to both our distributor and dealer customers as well as the end-user,” director of marketing Chase Moritz says. “By utilizing our deck boards for cladding, we cut down on the number of SKUs our distributors and dealers need to carry, simplifying their product management with a single product that has dual use capabilities.

“The end-user, whether a professional contractor or a DIYer, gets an easy-to-install, durable and low maintenance product that can be used in several applications on their project. This gives them an option to tie the entire outdoor space together using the same product and color for cladding, decking, and accent areas. We publish separate cladding installation guides to ensure the installer knows the correct installation method.”

Likewise, Russell Lowe, associate director, decking & cladding for Fortress, says their Apex capped bamboo-PVC composite decking works well as rainscreen cladding, because the boards “can defend against water infiltration and support improved ventilation while delivering the high-end aesthetic customers want.”

AZEK TimberTech Cladding also uses the same boards the company sells for decking, so it requires that the understructure is weatherproof since the product is not designed to keep moisture out.

It’s not just composite and PVC decking companies that are banking on cladding. Thermally modified wood producers are all in—and see themselves with a distinct advantage.

“We do see increasing interest in thermally modified wood for cladding,” notes Matt Pryor, director of specialty sales, Bingaman & Son Lumber, supplier of the Americana brand. “We believe the main drivers are appearance, performance and environmental impact. Most competing products try to simulate

OPEN-JOIST cladding can be produced using composite deck boards. (Shown: Envision Rustic Walnut)

wood, while thermally modified wood delivers the authentic experience. There is no manmade element, no chemicals or plastics, no repeating machine patterns. Every board is as unique as the sustainably-harvested tree it came from, a feature that really shines through on a highlyvisible application like cladding.

“The wood’s color can be preserved or enhanced through Shou Sugi Ban, semi-transparent stains, and fully painted options, but we find one of the most popular (and absolute lowest-maintenance) options is natural weathering... just let the wood do its thing.”

Ben Roberts, marketing director for Kebony North America, says the trend has been years in the making. “The demand for rainscreen cladding has been on the rise for some time now,” he said. “As architects/designers/builders started to embrace this as a better building practice, improvements started being made in offerings. The initial concepts of using wood or other types of furring strips to gain the airspace between the substrate and the cladding creates a chimney effect. The furring strips do not allow for a passive airflow between the two which can create condensation pockets.”

These rainscreen clips hold the board from the edge with different types of profiles that accept the clip— forcing designers to search for very long-term but stable wood options to go in them. This created an opening for thermally modified wood because of its high stability.

Roberts says modified wood checked all the boxes. The one shortcoming Kebony identified with higher-end woods was their comparatively slower speed of installation. So, the company recently introduced a Click-In Cladding System that utilizes Grad Concepts’ mini-rail system as the hidden fasteners.

Roberts says another reason for modified woods’ growing popularity as cladding is its increased availability. “As modified woods continue to gain market share across the U.S. and Canada in both decking and cladding, this has made them more available,” he said. “High-end wood cladding is traditionally a special order-type item. Now, traditional building material distributors can supply the marketplace with true ‘off-the-shelf’ offerings instead of the dreaded special order that can be problematic for a builder.”

Thermal modification produces such stable, durable material that MOSO warrants its rainscreen siding

for 25 years.

UFP Industries has enjoyed immediate traction with its UFP-Edge thermally modified wood cladding. “Thermally modified wood siding has gained acceptance, and we have seen significant momentum in the last two years,” says marketing manager Chris Fox. “I see an uptrend for real wood and faux wood siding. Wood colors and textures are important to achieve an on-trend aesthetic. There are also more pre-finished siding options, which come with key benefits like a better and more consistent finish and reduced project delays due to bad weather.”

Thermory USA’s Matt Stansel attributes thermally modified wood’s rising popularity to its rot resistance, long-term performance, sustainable footprint, and minimal maintenance. “We predict that thermally modified wood will continue to grow in the wood market as more consumers become aware of all the benefits and the lasting impact it has on the environment,” Stansel says. “A big part of capturing customers (architects, general contractors, homeowners, etc.) is education, and we will continue to push on that front.”

And dealers can expect their customers to continue siding with PVC, composites and modified wood. BP

UFP-EDGE thermally modified wood cladding comes in a variety of on-trend prestained colors. (Photos by UFP Industries)

CHOOSING THE RIGHT WALL SYSTEM

------------ BY ROB YOUNG

HOUSEWRAP OR drainable housewrap? Rainscreen or no rainscreen? Specifying a wall system that will protect the home from moisture and air infiltration means navigating a lot of options. So which system is best for your customers? The short answer—it depends.

A number of factors play a role in determining the ideal products and systems. As a dealer, you can support builders and remodelers by understanding what they should consider when specifying a high-performance wall system. A project’s budget certainly is part of it, but investing in the most suitable wall system, even if it costs a little more up front, is crucial for the longevity and performance of the home.

Decisions ultimately come down to each individual project, its materials, and its climate.

First and foremost, it’s important to understand the building science behind wall systems—how the building envelope breathes, how moisture and air travel, and the role that products and installation methods play. Seek out education opportunities from your manufacturer

partners and other building science resources to ensure you and your staff understand how the building envelope works.

Siding Material

Every siding type is different in its makeup and its installation—and therefore how it responds to moisture infiltration. The type of cladding is going to be one of the key factors in deciding between a flat housewrap, a drainable housewrap (which has built-in bumps or ridges to create channels for moisture to drain), or a flat housewrap with an added rainscreen. Always consult siding manufacturer instructions and requirements for the wall system.

Generally, if wood is involved, projects need a full rainscreen (unless the home is in an extremely dry area). Wood cladding can absorb water, which will migrate to the back when the sun hits it. Having a rainscreen in place provides ventilation to dry out the cavity as well as the back of the siding.

BENJAMIN OBDYKE’S HydroGap SA self-adhered drainable housewrap features 1mm spacers that create a true drainage space with 96% drainage efficiency. The housewrap’s 100% continuous acrylic adhesive technology provides sealing around every fastener and penetration point (Photos by Benjamin Obdyke)

High-performance sidings such as fiber cement or poly-ash typically will need a drainable housewrap, with some material instructions and warranties calling for a specific drainage rate.

Vinyl siding sits off the wall and doesn’t absorb moisture, so it typically is installed with a flat housewrap. However, moisture can still accumulate, so a drainable housewrap can add an extra layer of protection. In addition, insulated vinyl siding may have specific requirements for drainability since there is less space behind it.

Geography & Climate

Because building science experts point to rain as the single most important factor to control in order to optimize durability, choosing a building envelope product must be predicated on climate conditions. Winddriven rain is an especially powerful foe, forcing its way into small penetrations in cladding materials and into cracks and holes in the exterior wall.

The main rule, therefore, is that the amount of rain will determine the amount of rain control needed. In areas like the Southwest that receive low rainfall (less than 20 inches annually), a housewrap or building paper should offer sufficient water resistance protection, according to most building experts. In areas that experience moderate amounts of rainfall (20 to 40 inches annually), protection against rain penetration

should include an enhanced housewrap. And for wet and/or humid climates, coastal areas, and hilltop exposures receiving high (40 to 60 inches annually) or extreme (60 inches or more annually) rainfall, a ventilated rainscreen assembly is recommended; a rainscreen system is also advised for areas that receive high winds in addition to rain.

Even in dry, less-demanding climates, builders and designers seeking optimum drying and drainage capability may wish to install a rainscreen or drainable housewrap as added insurance against moisture problems. The cost of using these methods up front during construction is small in comparison to fixing moisture-related problems later.

Thinking as a System

Keep in mind that the building envelope is a system of parts. Work with your manufacturer on a systems approach to ensure that each element in the envelope is working together and that the chemical makeup of one product isn’t impacting the performance of another. Most importantly, be sure that each element, including the cladding, is installed so as to properly dry out the wall assembly. For example, a Rainscreen System for Masonry would include a flat housewrap and a vertically channeled rainscreen with a filter fabric.

By asking the right questions and helping customers navigate the different options for creating a highperformance wall system, dealers become valuable resources that keep customers coming back. BP

EPS to Remain Strong

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) will remain the most used type of foamed plastic insulation, accounting for 49% of demand in 2027, according to a new study by The Freedonia Group.

Demand for EPS insulation is expected to grow 3.3% per year to 4.8 million metric tons in 2026, with gains to be bolstered by:

• the ongoing use of concrete building construction methods throughout the world, as EPS used in insulated concrete forms can enhance the insulation of concrete building products without affecting their structural strength

• the rising popularity of prefabricated housing and insulated building panels

• gains in industrial and HVAC equipment production, where EPS is favored due to its low cost, light weight, and ability to be wrapped around pipes

• its continued pricing advantages over competing foamed plastic products, an important consideration in developing markets

Despite a major downturn in construction in India and Central and South America in 2020, ongoing declines in single-family housing construction in China, a severe crash in the Italian and Spanish housing markets early in the historical period, the global foamed plastic insulation market in weight terms expanded at an annual rate of 3.6% from 2011 to 2021.

THE RAINSCREEN System for Masonry from Benjamin Obdyke includes FlatWrap HP housewrap and the Slicker Max rainscreen

MORE M&A AHEAD

HIGH-QUALITY ASSETS REMAIN IN DEMAND AS INVESTORS CONTINUE TO EXHIBIT CAUTION TOWARDS BUILDING PRODUCTS M&A

------------ BY ANDREW K. PETRYK

THE M&A MARKET has been operating in a wait-andsee mode for the first half of 2023 as buyers, sellers, and lenders look for greater clarity in the macroeconomic environment. Recent headwinds impacting the economy, inflation, and interest rates have had a cooling effect on the deal market and are tempering financing and valuations. In the Building Products market specifically, businesses directly tied to new construction have experienced greater pullback in demand as investors assess the impact of housing starts reverting from record highs experienced in early 2022:

• There is a continued flight to quality and increased front-end diligence with the challenge of evaluating the sustainability of recent performance as a key gating item. Dissecting real versus nominal growth is often the first and most critical item evaluated.

• A gap in valuation expectations exists between buyers and sellers, creating a disconnect in the market and leading some parties to wait for valuations to normalize.

• Debt markets are evolving. Lenders continue to show appetite for high-quality assets but are responding to market uncertainty in the form of reduced leverage and higher pricing. With reduced leverage, private equity sponsors are required to put more equity into deals with the commitment typically higher for transactions involving businesses heavily tied to the new construction market. Traditional bank financing has tightened with the void being filled by non-bank lenders which remain open for business.

Increased visibility will incite greater optimism into the M&A market and incentivize sidelined buyers and sellers to transact. Over the near-term, the market could see an

easing of mortgage rates under the expectation of lower inflation, while recent positive trends in housing starts hold promise that the market may be entering a period of stabilization. Looking ahead, the long-term outlook for the residential new construction market remains favorable, underpinned by strong demand from an aging housing stock and a significant deficit of affordable single-family homes.

Despite the headwinds facing the market today, capital availability, which there is more than an ample supply of today, will continue to keep buyers in the market. Strategic acquirers are sitting on stockpiled cash and need to show growth, while private equity has put little dent in the oft-cited capital surplus ($800 billion+ reported by PitchBook at the end of Q3 ’22), with add-on acquisitions vital to platform buy-and-build strategies. Recent Building Products M&A activity reflects a healthy mix of strategic and private equity buyers, indicative of the appetite to put money to work.

In June 2023, PGT Innovations acquired the remaining 25% ownership interest in Eco Enterprises (Eco), a manufacturer of aluminum, impact-resistant windows and doors primarily serving the south Florida region. “We’re very excited to reach the finalization of this purchase as it will allow us to further serve high growth markets in which we operate,” said CEO Jeff Jackson, commenting on the transaction. PGT Innovations acquired a 75% equity stake in Eco back in 2021. In addition to realizing revenue growth and margin expansion, PGT Innovations added glass production capacity, furthering its vertical integration strategy.

(Continued on page 50)

The latest additions to our high-performance fasteners.

Complete your lineup with the new Finish Trim and Wafer-Head Construction screws from Simpson Strong-Tie. These high-performance fasteners are designed for a wide range of applications — framing, cabinetry, trim, outdoor furniture and more. The Finish Trim screw’s low-profile head makes it ideal for finish work, while the Wafer-Head Construction screw offers high pull-through capacity for strength. Both feature our unique SawTooth ® point, which eliminates the need for predrilling and makes driving easy. And with our Quik Guard ® coating, they’re suitable for interior and exterior jobs.

To learn more about our entire selection of Simpson Strong-Tie® fasteners, including the new Finish Trim and Wafer-Head Construction screws, visit go.strongtie.com/fasterfinish or call (800) 999-5099.

Deck-Drive DCU COMPOSITE Screw Fascia Screw

NEW Wafer-Head Construction Screw

Trim

5 QUESTIONS WITH MSU’S DR. RUBIN SHMULSKY

BY JEFF EASTERLING

WE SAT DOWN with Dr. Rubin Shmulsky, Mississippi State University.

Tell us who you are and what you do at Mississippi State.

At Mississippi State University, my role is that of professor and department head of the Sustainable Bioproducts (formerly Forest Products) Department. As professors, my colleagues and I teach, perform research, and provide technical assistance/extension outreach to forest products-related stakeholders. This department, and Mississippi State University, are in the heart of the nation’s pine and mixed hardwood timber basket. For people who are passionate about sustainable forestry and wood products, this is among the best places on earth to work.

participation, particularly at the national level. We are also a strong research laboratory with targeted research focusing primarily on lumber yield, properties, and value; wood protection and preservation; automated wood identification; engineered wood composites; and nondestructive evaluation. The Gulf South part of the country is home to some of the nation’s most productive pine and hardwood forests. To keep this land base forested, landowners need robust and perpetual markets. Our personnel are passionate about these values. I’m very fortunate to get to work every day with people who share a deep commitment to these goals.

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What does the Department of Sustainable Bioproducts do?

The Sustainable Bioproducts Department seeks to educate the next generation of professionals regarding how to glean as much value as possible from the nation’s timber resource. We provide formal education for college students as well as short course- and workshop-type training opportunities for working people, either online or in-person. We try to meet people where they are. When we can make small accommodations regarding content delivery timing and location, we see much greater

What challenges do you see in the lumber industry right now?

One major challenge is rising interest rates. Lumber is routinely the largest market for timber and lumber markets are driven by housing starts. As interest rates rise, housing starts typically flatten.

Two other major challenges are markets for small diameter (12– to 15-year-old) pine timber and structural products from underutilized hardwoods. Small diameter pine trees are produced as foresters seek to grow larger high-grade trees for sawtimber. Previously, these small trees were converted to pulp and paper. With increasing digital commu-

nications and less demand for paper, we are challenged with developing economically viable products and markets from these small trees.

The other big challenge is developing structural markets for hardwoods. NeLMA plays a key role in this effort because they write the rules for structurally graded oak, maple, hickory, and other hardwoods. As an example of market development, we are seeing a national effort to more thoughtfully evaluate the strength and stiffness of hardwood timbers that go into industrial matting—we are excited about the future opportunities.

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What lumber industry trends is your department watching?

One of the most promising trends is that of nondestructive evaluation. This technology lets one assess the strength and stiffness of a piece of wood—whether new or in-service. For railroad ties, utility poles, building products, engineered beams, other industrial products, this technology is key with respect to capturing the highest possible value at the time of production and for determining the point at which a wood member, structure, or building should be taken out of service and replaced. Nondestructive evaluation thus improves both value and safety. Our scientists get a great deal of satisfaction from knowing they are helping address national housing and infrastructure issues.

Another major issue on the horizon is the increase of mass-timber construction. With larger, stronger

Dr. Rubin Shmulsky

engineered products, we can build taller structures and span greater distances, which continues to support wood-based architectural freedom. Using the research lens, what do you see in the industry’s future?

The Department’s research program has a strong history and future commitment to working with external stakeholders. Among these, we are proud to claim industry producers, engineers and specifiers, user groups, trade associations, government agencies like the U.S. Forest Service, Agricultural Research Service, and Department of Defense. During the past six years, our department has worked closely with several grading agencies like NeLMA and Timber Products Inspection,

along with sawmills, mat producers, engineers, lift planners, and utility companies to form the North American Matting Association. This group brings together access to matrelated stakeholders to help improve the economic and utility value of mats while also improving jobsite safety and environmental protection. My sense is that this effort will continue and grow as the association works to develop minimum voluntary standards for timber mat production.

Another great development I’ve noticed is the extent to which the internet facilitates communication among associations, government agencies, universities and stakeholders. More than ever before, I see trade associations like the Railway Tie Association, Southern Pres-

sure Treaters Association, NeLMA, National Hardwood Lumber Association, and many more, speaking with a more unified voice and working toward the common goal of sustainable production of timber products. With that as a backdrop, I’ve never been more proud or excited to be a part of the forest products research and development sector.

JEFF EASTERLING

Jeff Easterling is president of the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, Cumberland Center, Me. Reach him at info@nelma.org.

PAY EQUITY

------------ BY PAIGE McALLISTER

PAY EQUITY means compensating all employees equally for equal or similar work, regardless of factors such as race, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, religion and age. Compensation is anything of value including salary, benefits and perks.

Several federal laws, including the Equal Pay Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and Americans with Disabilities Act, have been enacted to prevent pay inequity; however, they have resulted in slow progress in the gender pay gap. In 1963 when the Equal Pay Act became federal law, overall, women in the workforce made 59¢ for every $1 earned by male workers. In 2022, almost 60 years after the law was

Q. We decided to offer our employees some flexibility over the summer by letting them flex their schedule and dress more casually. Now that summer is ending, we want to change back to our former requirements after Labor Day. However, some employees are acting like we need to allow them this flexibility going forward. Do we?

A. Most employers have the right to dictate policies and procedures such as work schedule and dress code. Usually, these policies can be changed at any time at the discretion of the company. Just like you relaxed them at the beginning of the summer, you can reinstitute the stricter guidelines after summer. Even if employees did not realize they were temporary changes, you can change them back. Of course, if employees are unhappy, they have the right to search elsewhere for employment if that new-found flexibility is important to them.

Rather, the question to ask yourself is “Do the changes need to be reversed?” If productivity stayed the same (or maybe even improved), do you really need to go back to the way things were? But, if there are legitimate reasons to return to the status quo (i.e., summer is typically slow, but you get busy again in the fall), explain that to your employees so they know it is not an arbitrary decision.

If your employees react so favorably to small efforts like that, perhaps consider other ways to offer employees some form of flexibility in the future to keep them engaged and happy.

passed, women earned 82¢ (17% less) for every $1 made by a male worker. Following this rate, experts calculate that women will not receive equal pay until 2059, almost a century after passage of the EPA.

Gender pay differences in the whole workforce show even larger disparities for women of color, with Black women being paid 60¢ and Latinas being paid 55¢ for every $1 earned by white, non-Hispanic male workers.

Disparities continue when looking at education level. Women entering the workforce with a bachelor’s degree earn 18% less than their male counterparts, with an average salary of $52,266 per year, as compared with $64,022, respectively. These inequities continue with advanced degrees and by age. Over the course of a career, this equates to a loss of income of $700,000 for women with a high school degree, $1.2 million for women with bachelor’s degrees, and $2 million for women with professional graduate degrees.

Even when looking at pay with all factors being equal, overall, women still on average only earn 99¢ for every dollar with no justifiable reason. Even in these groups, disparities increase with age, advanced degree, and advancement in the role as women have fewer opportunities for advancement and salary increases. For example, among Fortune 500 CEOs, women make 95¢ for every $1 made by a man. However, only 8% of these CEOs are women.

To help level the playing field, many states have or are looking to pass laws to better ensure equitable pay impacting nearly one out of five people. In general, these laws fall into three categories:

• Pay transparency laws are intended to require employers to pay all new hires fairly and consistently for the job they will be doing. They require companies to develop good-faith pay ranges for all positions based on the job duties regardless of who applies or is hired. Some states require this information to be included in any external or internal job posting while others require it be given to any current employee who asks for it. Laws vary as to how this applies to remote employees who are located within or outside of a state with this law.

• Pay history laws are intended to mitigate the impacts of lower past pay by compelling employers to pay for the job duties the person will be performing, not based on what they were paid before. These laws prohibit current and prospective employers from asking an employee or applicant for their past salary history to use as a guide for future salary offers. Some states prohibit just pay while others prohibit asking about any compensations such as commissions, bonuses, or benefits.

• Pay reporting laws require employers to submit comprehensive data to the state so their wage practices can be monitored. Normally these reports require wage information by job, gender, race and ethnicity, similar to the EEO-1 report.

It should also be noted that the NLRA allows employees to discuss their own salaries, so prohibiting employees from discussing pay is not a valid strategy.

Even employers in states without such pay equity laws should consider making pay equity common practice as equal pay attracts better employees and demonstrates the equal value placed on all employees for their job duties, not their demographics.

There are several ways employers of all sizes and industries in any state can progress toward better pay equity:

• Educate your organization on pay inequity, its impacts, and thoughts to reduce it in your company. Some good resources are Forbes Advisor’s What is Pay Equity and Why Is It Important, Pew Research Center’s Gender Pay Gap in U.S. Hasn’t Changed Much in Two Decades, PayScale’s 2023 Gender Pay Gap Report, and Forbes Advisor’s Gender Pay Gap Statistics in 2023.

• Develop a compensation strategy which reflects the company’s values that will dictate how much you will pay, how you will compare to the market, when exceptions will be made, what factors will be considered, and who can make comp decisions. Ensure that anyone empowered to make pay decisions is properly trained on the possible impacts of discrimination, implicit or unintentional bias, and disparate impact.

• Conduct a thorough comp/pay review to understand what each employee is earning. Include factors such as race, gender, seniority, experience, education, etc., to factually evaluate equity among groups. Engage an outside resource to provide an unbiased, well-researched evaluation so you know the starting point and where you need to improve.

• Update job descriptions with accurate job duties, responsibilities, and requirements to determine legitimate pay differentiators.

• Create pay bands which encompass the pay for every employee in that position. Have enough difference to allow for advancement but not so much that the band becomes arbitrary.

• Link compensation to DEI strategy to give all employees access to not only equitable pay but to the same tools for their success such as opportunities, training, mentorships, feedback and access to management.

• Regularly review and update all of the above to ensure they are current and consistent.

Even employers with the best intentions may face challenges to consistent pay equity practices given the changing nature of the business world:

• Economic impacts, such as an increasing cost-ofliving, give employees less options to work for less just because they like a company.

• The workforce is changing, becoming smaller, younger and more diversified, so overall, potential employees have different priorities and more options for employment.

• The workforce is more remote so it may be harder to compare job duties or working conditions or to create a salary band that satisfies the varying cost-of-living rates in the areas where employees or applicants live.

At the end of the day, pay equity is about fairness. Pay equals value, and all employees should be valued equally for what they bring to your organization, not due to their gender, race or lifestyle.

PAIGE McALLISTER

Paige McAllister, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is vice president for compliance with Affinity HR Group. Reach her at (877) 6606400 or contact@affinityhrgroup.com.

GP UNVEILS LARGEST SAWMILL IN THE SOUTH

IT’S BEEN IN OPERATION for more than 100 years. Whether it was producing particleboard, plywood or lumber, Georgia-Pacific’s Pineland Lumber has been a mainstay in Pineland, Tx., since 1910. With the recent completion of a $120-million expansion, the East Texas mill is writing a new chapter in its history as it reportedly becomes the largest sawmill in the South.

On June 21, GP cut the ribbon on its newest sawmill that has the capacity to produce 450 million bd. ft. of lumber annually. The capital improvement project includes a modified log yard, a fully modernized sawmill, a continuous dry kiln, and a high-speed planer.

The new sawmill replaces a stud mill that was built in the 1960s. That product line has been incorporated into the new mill while those affected employees have transitioned into new roles at the facility.

With this investment, the Pineland facility now has the capability to accept more log trucks per day—and in less time. The modified log yard and the use of wheel loaders—that can unload a truck in one “bite” as opposed to two—will increase the mill’s truck traffic from approximately 250 to 300 per day.

The capital improvement project began last April

with up to 350 contractors onsite. “We built a sawmill within an existing sawmill which presented a few challenges,” said Ronnie Comeaux, GP regional lumber manager. “However, we continued to successfully operate at full capacity through the entire construction process, and in the end, we were able to modernize our lumber complex that will sustain operations for years to come.”

Unique to the new mill is the application of cross laminated timbers (CLT) which were used to construct electrical control rooms and specialty equipment enclosures.

“We chose to install the CLT for a variety of reasons,” said Comeaux. “It is an environmentally friendly option to many traditional building materials, as CLT is a completely sustainable resource. CLT construction is strong, tough and lightweight due to the arrangement of the individual boards in a panel. The CLT panels also offer inherent properties for fire resistance, noise reduction and thermal performance. Finally, CLT buildings are a great way to support our lumber industry and showcase the natural beauty of wood construction.” BP

GEORGIA-PACIFIC cut the ribbon on the largest sawmill in the South, Pineland Lumber. Celebrating the milestone are (l-r) Ben Clark, GP VP-integrated business planning & optimization; Tim Fierbaugh, VP of sales/lumber; Fritz Mason, lumber president; Ronnie Comeaux, regional lumber mgr.; Andy Konieczka, EVPbuilding products; Pineland mayor Joe Lane; county judge Daryl Melton; John White, director of lumber operations; and Eric Ochsner, director of engineering.

ADENTRA MERGES TEXAS DC’S

Adentra Inc. is consolidating Rugby Architectural Building Products’ San Antonio, Tx., distribution center into the local branch of Frank Paxton Lumber Co.

In preparation for merging, the Paxton facility is undergoing extensive renovations and upgrades. The merger should be completed by Aug. 1.

“We are very pleased to welcome Rugby customers and Rugby staff to the Paxton family,” said Paxton general manager Victor Del Toro. “The next few months will

be exciting as the businesses are realigned to service our customers better. During this time, we will also update our website and issue a new product catalog.”

ACE BUILDING NEW DC IN KC

Ace Hardware has begun construction on a huge new distribution center in Kansas City, Mo., anticipated to be fully operational in 2025. With over 1.5 million sq. ft., it will be almost twice the size of the average Ace Retail Support Center and be equipped with state-of-the art technology, automation and WMS.

Beacon has added new greenfield branches in Ruskin, Fl.; Lebanon, N.H.; Elyria, Oh.; Jackson, Tn.; Killeen and Tyler, Tx.; and Roanoke, Va. Beacon has also acquired Crossroads Roofing Supply, with branches in Oklahoma City, Enid, Norman, Stillwater and Tulsa, Ok.

Musser Biomass and Wood Products, Rural Retreat, Va., will invest $7.5 million to expand its operation, more than doubling capacity.

Mickey, New York, N.Y., has launched Mickey | Contractor Direct, an LBM sourcing platform for contractors. The new division is headed by Jeffrey Crouse, VP of trading.

Carolina Atlantic Forest Products is now distributing Vista Railing Systems’ full line of aluminum, glass and cable railing products in northern Georgia.

Sunbelt Forest Products, Bartow, Fl., will begin supplying Deckorators products, starting with distribution of Deckorators decking, Aluminum Rapid Rail, and Contemporary Cable Rail to the Nashville market from its Athens, Al., facility.

Bingaman & Son Lumber Inc., Kreamer, Pa., is now packaging Nova USA Wood Products’ ExoClad QuickClip hidden siding fastening system with its Americana thermally modified rainscreen siding products.

The devil’s in the details, and Townsend knew CT Darnell’s deep LBM experience—and Sunbelt Rack’s racking systems—would provide significant savings and next-level value to the 9-acre LBM facility.

Carlisle Construction Materials has begun production at its new $100-million, 500,000-sq. ft. polyiso factory in Sikeston, Mo.

Weston Forest, Mississauga, Ont., has acquired Kings Wood Products, Paris, Ont.

Smith Lumber Co., Valley City, N.D., recently celebrated a century of business by hosting a weeklong, community event.

Erie Materials, Albany, N.Y., is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

84 Lumber accepted David Weekley Homes’ annual National Preferred Partner Award for the fourth year in a row.

Len Moscowitz, ex-Holbrook Lumber, has been appointed director of business development for CUTEK USA. He is based in Rochester, N.Y.

Jay Ramkumar has been promoted to executive director, national sales for Ruskin, Grandview, Mo.

Keith Wilkening, ex-Von Tobel, is the new general mgr. of R.P. Lumber, Beecher, Il.

Rob Julander is now in outside sales with Leachman Lumber, Des Moines, Ia.

Michael France, ex-Epicor, has been appointed director of business development & technology for Mid-City Lumber Co., Columbia, Mo.

Alex Acevedo, ex-Westlake Royal Building Products, is now Wake Forest, N.C.-based territory sales mgr. for MoistureShield decking.

Jenny Busby is a new millwork specialist with St. Landry Lumber Co., Opelousas, La.

Tony Sheffield, ex-Canfor, will join The Westervelt Co., Tuscaloosa, Al., as chief financial officer in the third quarter of this year. He replaces former CFO Mark Tobin, who left the company earlier this year.

Mike Siegel, ex-Instone, has joined Hoover Treated Wood Products, Thomson, Ga., as regional sales mgr. in Cleveland, Oh.

Scott Burney was promoted to sales mgr. for Manning Building Supplies, Jacksonville, Fl.

Scott Wodicka, ex-Home Depot, is a new architectural representative with Curtis Lumber Co., Ballston Spa, N.Y.

Jeff Ranes, ex-Idaho Timber, has been named VP/general mgr. of Clary Lumber Co., Gaston, N.C.

Jamie Swoyer, ex-Lezzer Lumber, was named sales mgr. for MRD Lumber, Bethel, Pa. Emily Biggerstaff, ex-J&L Building Materials, is new to outside sales with MRD.

Andrew Wamser has been named senior VP and chief financial officer-elect for BlueLinx Holdings, Marietta, Ga. He succeeds Kelly Janzen, who’ll stay on until Aug. 31 in an advisory capacity.

Carl Cosslett, Northeast regional lumber buyer for US LBM, has retired after more than 40 years in the industry, the bulk of it with Shelly’s Supply.

Tyler Davenport has joined the inside industrial sales team at Dixie Plywood & Lumber Co., San Antonio, Tx.

Shane Sinell, Jordan Sinell, and Ryan Schroer joined the ownership group of Siwek Lumber, LeSueur, Mn.

John McKenna has been promoted to millwork purchasing mgr. for LMC, Wayne, Pa.

Matthew Zolla, ex-Lowe’s, is a new kitchen & bath designer at East Coast Lumber Building Supply, Hampstead, N.H.

Yonancy Chaparro has moved to City Lumber, Queens, N.Y., as new business development mgr.

David Trexler, ex-Builders FirstSource, has joined the outside sales force at Carter Lumber, Charlotte, N.C.

Scott Stringer, ex-Baillie Lumber, has joined DMSi Software, Omaha, Ne., as product mgr.-neural grader.

Dustin Nielsen is new to inside sales at Tri-State Forest Products, Indianapolis, In.

Jacques Vauclain has been named VP of finance for LMC, Wayne, Pa.

Paul Vance, ex-C-Wood Lumber, has joined the sales team at Northern Hardwoods Lumber Co., Atlantic Mine, Mi.

Walker Scudder is the new logistics mgr. at Atlantic Plywood Corp., Woburn, Ma.

Taylor LaCour is new to Builders Supply Co., Bossier City, La., as operations mgr.

Wendy Livingston was appointed executive VP and chief human resources officer for Jeld-Wen, Charlotte, N.C.

Ken Farrish has retired after 20 years as president of Atlas Roofing Co., Atlanta, Ga. Ken Roberts, ex-Delta Faucet, succeeds him, effective July 31.

Luke Rushing is now logistics mgr. at Brown Wood Preserving Co., Kennedy, Al.

Mallory Bates was promoted to merchandise mgr. for Do it Best, Fort Wayne, In. Also promoted were Kendall Cooper and Megan Morgan, to associate merchandise mgrs.; Dan Wasvick, INCOM & sales product mgr.; Jakob Bowden and Amy Onion, INCOM & sales specialists; and Nathan Selvey, web merchandiser. New to Do it Best are Stephen Busch, as a pricing analyst; Dustin Clark, merchandise mgr.; and Kyle Cochran, demand forecasting analyst.

Doug Stringfellow, VP of operations, Gulfeagle Supply, Tampa, Fl., is retiring this fall after 28 years with the chain. Brad Powers was promoted to VP of sales & operations for the Southeast, with Bill Wilson now VP of sales & operations for the West. Ben Zwolski succeeds Powers as regional mgr. for north & central Florida. Kurt Schwahn is now EVP of sales & operations.

Carter Bingham has been named branch mgr. of L&W Supply, Jacksonville South, Fl. Other new branch mgrs. are: Richard Nelson, Lakeland, Fl.; Heath Hanks, Alpharetta, Ga.; Eduardo Velazquez, Mableton, Ga.; and Lupe Rivera, Medway, Ma.

Quonta Vance has been promoted to executive VP-pro & home services for Lowe’s Cos., Mooresville, N.C.

Earl Bernard has been named communications director for Orgill, Collierville, Tn. She succeeds Kristyl Lawson, who is now director, talent development.

Heather Summy is now St. Joseph, Mo.-based regional field mgr. for Northwestern Lumber Association.

Trina Forrest is new to log purchasing for Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

MEAD LUMBER REBRANDS

Mead Lumber, Omaha, Ne., launched a rebranding initiative aimed at updating the company’s look and creating consistency across its business units, both with employees and customers.

As part of the initiative, Mead Lumber will unveil a new and modern logo, new website, and new web address—meadlumber.com. Some of its locations will also be changing their name to Mead Lumber, while others will keep their name but will follow the new logo and design scheme.

Celebrating

MAZE LUMBER

1848 Founded by Samuel Maze in Peru, Illinois

1886 Purchases First Nail Machine to Produce Nails from Pure Zinc

2023 Maze Lumber is the Oldest Lumberyard in Illinois

MAZE NAILS

1900 First Manufacturer to Pack Nails in 50 Lb. Boxes

1905 First Manufacturer to Pack Nails in 5 Lb. Boxes

1914 Produces the First Hot-Dipped Nails by Hand

1930 Designs and Launches Spiral Shank Nail Product Line

1934 Designs and Launches Ring Shank Nail Product Line

1955 Develops Exclusive Stormguard Double Hot-Dip Galvanizing

1996 Founded S.S.E., our Collating Division

2006 Earns Miami-Dade County Approval on Selected Roofing Nails

2008 Certified by Scientific Certification Systems for Recycled Content

2011 Fifth Hot-Dip Galvanizing Production Line Installed

2011 Highlighted on ABC News, Diane Sawyer’s Made In America

2016 Installs Second Paint Production Line for Trim Nails

2023 EVERY Maze Nail still 100% Made in the USA

AMERICA S PREMIER SPECIALTY NAIL MANUFACTURER

CLOSING

KNOW YOU’RE GOING TO GET THE SALE

— BY JAMES OLSEN —

BEFORE WE TALK about technique, let’s talk about the Closer’s mentality. There is a dichotomy to the closing mentality. On one hand, the Closer KNOWS that they are going to get the order, but they are also PREPARED to overcome objections. It’s like a shooter in basketball has to KNOW they are going to make every shot AND that they must rebound and get back on defense on every shot.

Closer’s Tone

I was working with one of my students. She sounded scared and timid before she got orders and confident, calm, and friendly after she got orders. I told her that I wanted her to sound confident, calm, and friendly before she got orders.

In sales it’s called “acting as if.” We should act like “as if” we sold 20 on the last call and we are going to sell 20 on the next. If that were true, how would you sound on your sales calls? I call it the “I want your business, but I don’t need your business” tone. Closers are calmy, naively confident.

This calm, positive tone may sound easy but after a couple days without an order, it takes some mental toughness to pull it off.

In addition, Closers are warm, friendly and act like they enjoy what they are doing. No one wants to push a bag of rocks up a hill with us, but many sellers sound like that is what they are doing and can’t understand why people hustle them off the phone.

Never Do This

Many “sellers” (they aren’t) call customers and ask, “Is there anything you need today?” or some veiled variation of this question. These people get bad treatment and deserve it because they don’t bring any value and waste customers’ time.

Multiple of Multiples

Then there are the sellers who call and offer one of

one item. The Closer comes to the call with multiple items and more than one of each of those items. They don’t list them all off and ask, “Whaddya think of that?” They promote each item separately and try to close on each separate presentation. This brings more value to the customer and gives the Closer more shots on goal.

Closes That Work

• List The Benefits Close

Closer (after the greeting/small talk): “Susan, I came across three trucks of 2x4 16”s. (1) They are out of a mill you like. (2) 16’s are tightening up. (3) And we’ve got a smokin’ price on these. How many can you use?”

We have asked for the order without giving them the price; is that even possible? YES!!! We hold back the price for two reasons: one, it is a litmus test. If the customer says no thank you, we have more probing to do or we move to our next item. Two, if there is any interest at all, they will ask.

Customer: “What’s the price?” We now at least have them engaged. Then we say,

Closer: “That’s the best part, Susan. We can pick these up for $600/MBF, which is a great deal in this market, so do you want to take all three?”

Now we have planted positive thoughts about the product in the mind of our customer. The decision-making process is usually a short time (five to 10 seconds), and we want them thinking about the value when they are deciding, not just the price.

• Similar Story Close

“I understand that you have reservations, John. A lot of customers do. I was talking with one of my customers last month and he had the same concerns. He put on a trial load, and he just re-ordered this morning!”

“John, last time you told me you wanted to wait, and I let you. You called me two days later and the stock was gone, and the price was up.”

Fear or Scarcity Close

Fear is a great motivator. If you can show your customers that waiting is not a positive option for them, they will buy.

“Susan, we can wait if you want, but this product will not be here tomorrow. My partners are selling these left and right. We had 20 of these yesterday, and we’re down to five. Why don’t we put these together before they (the last five) are sold?”

A word of caution: don’t overuse this close or you will undermine the relationship and your own credibility.

• Project the Future Close

“You are going to love this stock.”

“This is going to be great for you when you buy it.”

“You are going to love this when it gets to you.”

“By the time this lumber gets to you, you’re going to be $50 under the rest of the market.” (It helps to be right on your market call when you use this close, or it will be difficult to use next time.)

“This is going to be such a great deal you’ll erect a statue of me in the lumberyard when this stock arrives.”

Customers do it with us all the time. They tell us why, at some future date, the product we are presenting to them won’t work for them down the road. We must turn the tables. Tell your customers how happy they are going to be when your stock arrives. Tell them how great they are going to look when this stock comes in so far below the market price. Paint them a successful picture of your proposal and you will get the business!

How to Train Yourself to Always Ask for the Order

If you forget to ask for the order, call the customer back and say, “John, I wanted to apologize about that last call.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re a professional buyer, you deserve a professional call and I forgot to ask for the order. May I have your order, please?”

After two weeks, we won’t fail to ask for the order anymore.

In Closing...

When I first started in sales, I read a book by Tom Hopkins, How to Master The Art of Selling. Tom said that 80% of people in sales positions don’t ask for the order. At the time I thought that was a high number. After 30 years training salespeople, I’d say he got it right.

Choose a simple close or two that you like. Start using them with your high-rapport customers first and build from there. Once we are comfortable asking for the order more customers will feel like giving them to us.

James Olsen is principal of Reality Sales Training, Portland, Or. His latest book is Sex Doesn’t Sell: Confidence Does. You can call him at (503) 5443572 or email him at james@ realitysalestraining.com.

WFP COAST TIMBERS - DOUGLAS - FIR

BRANDING

AMP UP YOUR BRAND TO MAXIMIZE VALUE

— BY JANE CAVALIER —

BRANDING IS NOT what you may think. When executives consider branding, especially those with strong financial experience and limited marketing exposure (a classic CFO), they often see an expense with questionable ROI: a logo, tagline, website, marketing materials.

While these are tools for delivering and building the brand, they are not the brand. The brand is a deliberate mental framework with a set of perceptions that resides in the mind. It is a result of brand-building actions and creates value by influencing decisions. That’s the priceless value of a powerful brand—almost invisible influence. It’s why Warren Buffet recommends investing in companies that have a powerful brand.

Emotional Influence Makes a Difference

People are making decisions about your business all the time. If you want to influence their willingness to try something new, give you a shot, overlook the imperfect, buy more, pay more, cut you a break—an emotional advantage tips the scale in your favor.

Your brand is a mental filter that affects how people think and feel about your company, products and people. It shapes how people interpret what they see and what they are willing to believe, accept and forgive. Johnson & Johnson has saved hundreds of millions in downside costs and produced even more in revenues with accelerated adoption of new products, by leveraging a brand built on the pure bond between a mother and child. That essence softens the edges and keeps people predisposed in J&J’s favor.

Experts say up to 90% of decisions are based on emotion. From Wall Street to Main Street, people use their “gut” and take pride in making up their own mind. They even refute facts and authority when feelings are strong. Powerful brands help people to see things in a specific way. They define a context and make people feel. Think John Deere, Nike, Chanel, the U.S. Navy, Yeti, Apple. Even tiny brands in niche markets wield enormous authority.

More Control Over the Human Side of Business

As a leader, you’ve experienced more change these days than your predecessors did in decades. You face challenging times fraught with emotional volatility. It is a VUCA world—volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. The pandemic, Great Resignation, war in Ukraine, remote work, supply chain disruptions, and extreme weather have businesses scrambling to keep up with constant changes in human behavior. You can address these shake-ups with a powerful brand so they don’t shake down your business. Convey calm in stormy times. Provide warmth in a cold market. Deliver clarity in a sea of confusion. This is how to break through to people so they remain by your side and behind your business in an upside-down world.

Branding is less about marketing and more about business strategy and control. It is a strategy to consistently influence people from the inside out. Branding is soft power, not hard power. If you want to influence customers, partners, employees, regulatory authorities, journalists or anyone who can affect your business, think about the value of having a brand filter in place to shape perceptions and emotions. Alternatively, think about how not setting that mental construct and allowing the market or competitors to define it, creates risk.

Don’t let lack of time and resources and outdated legacy thinking stop you from doing everything it takes to influence the people who make your business live or die.

Jane Cavalier is founder and CEO of BrightMark Consulting, best-selling author of The Enchanted Brand, Amazon, and a business strategist who has helped build powerful brands like Snapple and Qwest. Learn more at www. brightmarkconsulting.com.

MARKETING THE 4 P’S AREN’T ENOUGH ANYMORE!

— BY GREG BONSIB —

EVERYONE KNOWS the four P’s of marketing… Product, Promotion, Price and Place.

But Gino Biondi, vice president of sales & marketing at Zenith Products, has suggested that the four P’s of marketing aren’t enough anymore. Instead, he believes it takes a baker’s dozen of P’s to represent the many facets of product, channel and brand marketing.

P #1: Performance

No marketing plan is worth its weight without specific and measurable metrics and goals.

• Profit

• Sales

• Share

Performance should be the first P. It lets you know how the brand is performing and allows you to set performance goals.

P #2: Positioning

This P establishes the brand road map.

• Relevant and meaningful consumer insights

• Attributes

• Functional benefits

• Reasons-to-believe

• Emotional benefits

• Brand essence

• Brand character

• Brand tone

• Iconology

P #3: People

The idea that there are multiple targets to consider is the basis of this P.

• Primary bull’s-eye consumer — demographic, psychographic, attitudinal, & behavioral

• Secondary target purchasers or influencers — moms, kids, teachers, doctors, etc.

• Stakeholder customers/retailers/resellers — If they don’t carry it, you can’t sell it.

• Sales professionals, installers, service people — salespeople like to sell it, the installer prefers to hook it up, and customer service likes to take the calls.

• Internal employees — passion and word of mouth gets generated internally first.

P #4: Product

Product is the foundation of the brand.

• Tied to the Positioning (P #2) key attributes

• Differentiated key benefits

• Innovation

• Cost base versus your competitor

• Volume

• Meeting/exceeding quality expectations

P #5: Packaging

Packaging can be the most impactful marketing tool.

• Form is a key communicator and provides key benefits—an upside-down bottle of ketchup changed the industry and mustard, mayo, shampoo…

• “Green” packaging or wasteful materials impacts attitudes.

• Quality has an emotional response—sloppy fit and finish or crooked labels say a lot about the brand

• Graphics need to be compelling — authentic, modern, innovative, nostalgic, youthful, serious, fun

• Services, too — trucks, vehicles, uniforms. Think Molly Maid, Geek Squad, UPS, even nametags on a store clerk.

P #6: Proliferation

How far should the brand extend?

(Continued on page 36)

• Product proliferation can be key to distribution, shelf expansion or consumer needs.

º Flavors, varieties, colors, fragrances

º Promotions, seasonal

• Proliferation can be bad!

º It creates operational complexity and increase the risk of underperforming SKU’s.

º What is the supply chain tolerance level in your company?

º Non-value added features add cost that may not be recovered.

• Customer exclusivity may require SKU proliferation as well.

P #7: Promotion

This famous P should get a narrower view.

• All brands need promotion strategies for both consumers and customers.

• Relatively short-term or loyalty building vehicles

º To prevent switching to another competitor

º To induce switching from a competitor

• Promotion can be used to create excitement around seasonal opportunities.

º Halloween, spring cleaning, back-to-school, tax time

• Create brand excitement and pull-through

º Sweepstakes, contests, themed events

P

#8: Projection

Brand communications is the theme of this P.

• Translating positioning into compelling creative/copy

• Integrated marketing is at the core of Projection.

• Every medium is different and how you use it should be treated uniquely.

º Mass media

º TV, print, radio

º Digital (social media, blog posts, internet, website, viral, e-commerce, direct, outdoor, mobile, event, sports marketing, sponsorships, entertainment)

• Consider ethnic audiences as well

P #9: Public Relations

PR is the cherry on top of the cake. When fundamentals are in place, PR creates a genre for the brand.

• Cause-related marketing (charities) — Breast Cancer, Victory Junction Gang, Habitat for Humanity

• Major relevant events — hurricanes, storms, earthquakes, anniversaries, milestones

• Word-of-mouth

• More realistic and relevant with real user or third-party endorsements.

• Spokespersons

P #10: Programming

This P tackles media choice.

• How much should be spent on media?

• How much should be allocated to different mediums?

º TV

º Digital

º Print

º Radio

º Outdoor

º Direct

º Non-traditional

Be sure to measure the effectiveness of each medium.

P #11: Price

Price has multiple components and needs unique strategies and plans for each.

• List pricing

• Everyday Low Price (EDLP)

• High/Low pricing

• Hybrid EDLP with opportunistic promotions

Critical to the decision is your channel and customer strategy, competitive situation, portfolio mix, and consumer pricing sensitivity.

P #12: Place

With this P you need to think broadly… from global, to region, to channel. Global: International challenges require putting the previous P’s together to determine the merits and overall strategy of succeeding on a global basis. Region: Regional differences do exist.

• Economic, climate, culture, population, etc.

Channel: Requires deep analysis to determine tradeoffs and if presence is needed.

• Club, mass, home improvement, grocery, convenience, sporting, industrial, electronics, specialty, hardware, dollar, drug, distributors, office, etc..

P #13: Placement

Gino considers this to be a bonus P that considers the ideal place in the store where products and services should be located.

• How do you get it there?

• Front or back?

• Which direction from the aisle?

• On the counter or checkout?

• Near adjacent categories?

• Near complimentary purchase categories?

• Which position on the shelf?

º Quality

º Brand block

º Size

º Variety

By thinking through Gino Biondi’s 13 P’s of marketing, you’ll thoughtfully consider your brands range of options and maximizing your marketing effectiveness.

Greg Bonsib has extensive experience working in senior marketing roles at Owens Corning and Newell Brands, and is currently head of marketing & operations at Worthington Industries. Learn more at www. channelinstincts.com.

VIDEO CONTENT MARKETING 5 RULES FOR GREATER REACH

— BY PATRICK McGOWAN —

BEING ON VIDEO and watching videos is today’s business norm. A recent survey showed 76% of consumers watched a video before purchasing a product. Social media influencers promote products through video-based storytelling. You login to video meetings daily with prospects and customers.

Since 2005, the year YouTube launched, video has increasingly grown in prevalence, production value, and consumption. Then in 2020 video marketing took a massive leap forward with the pandemic-induced use of video conferencing, podcasts (with video), and livestreams.

Today, YouTube is the most used social platform for research purposes among business-to-business decisions makers with 50.9% of users. And every day more than 300 million people participate in a Zoom meeting.

The reluctant say about video meetings, “It’s not going away.” Strategic leaders, though, say, “Video is how we do business now.”

In today’s business world all video is video content marketing. Zoom is not a phone call with video. Whether it’s a livestream or a self-produced YouTube short, your videos still need to follow a handful of rules.

1. Positioning.

Some marketers consider the word brand to be a four-letter word. The job of marketers and business leaders, they say, is to position a company or product in the market. The brand becomes how customers define it, and, hopefully, they define it based on your considerable efforts.

The best marketers see this work of positioning to be the first and most important activity. They have learned to be comfortable with discomfort, because good positioning feels limiting. Good positioning is uncomfortably narrow.

It’s a single, narrowly defined target buyer. Your videos (live and recorded) will improve once you know who you are producing them for and what their motivations are.

2. Differentiation.

What makes you different is what gets people’s attention. Not different for different sake, but a viable, propositional difference which appeals to your ideal buyer.

It’s a noisy, messy and chaotic market. You want to be a brand which means you can charge a premium. If there is nothing to distinguish yourself from the competition, then you’re a commodity and you can only compete on price.

Your differentiation needs to be relevant and clearly expressed on all your video channels, especially video meetings. The first step is to shift responsibility for video meetings from operations to marketing. The next step, especially with a hybrid workforce, is to make sure that everyone who shows up on video is well trained and that their presence represents the value of the brand.

3. Distribution.

Where to post your videos is determined by positioning and differentiation, not trend or fashion. A fishing guide once said, “You’re not fishing unless you have fish under your boat.” Or as Maverick said to Goose in the first Top Gun, “Target-rich environment.”

Distribution can include everything from the social media platform (LinkedIn, TikTok) to the video distributor (YouTube, Vimeo) to the livestream platform. It answers what and how of your video content strategy.

Regardless of platform, you want all your videos to do one thing: direct interested parties to your website. There they learn more about you and begin to fall in love with you.

Distribution isn’t a benign decision. It says a lot about who you are and the people you’re trying to reach.

4. Story

Stories draw prospects in and customers closer. A well-told story engages the right people into a deeper, more meaningful conversation.

The right story you want to tell elevates the customer as hero. It captures your positioning and differentiation. How you will tell your story—written, audible or visual— will be determined by the platform you choose and the audience you want to reach.

TikTok is both a genre of video and a distribution platform. The audience consumes video through a spontaneous scroll. How you tell your story on TikTok may not work on LinkedIn.

Additionally, your video meetings, podcasts, and livestream productions express the story of your brand. The way you show up on video tells a story. But is it the right story? Your video meetings and podcast presence need to set the tone and timbre of future engagements.

5. Surprise

Better video is an act of kindness. Do everything you can to be more present across the lens.

We all spend enough time in front of a camera. When you show up on camera with a better-than-expected presence, you surprise people. Surprise is one ingredient in being unforgettable.

When you are not present, people check out. When

you are present, people respond. Presence is what you say before you say a word.

Your presence should communicate confidence, power, and credibility. This will surprise some people. When combined with confidence, you’ll be more persuasive.

Conclusion

Video content is a critical component to your digital content marketing strategy. All video—whether meetings, podcasts, e-learning, or social media—deserve careful review and attention.

Video is a powerful and compelling medium. These five rules provide the framework you need to begin to evaluate what you’ve already produced and what you plan to produce.

Say to yourself, “Video is how we do business now.” Go and do it.

Patrick McGowan, MBA, consults, trains, and coaches business executives and teams to have more power, presence and credibility oncamera in a video-first market. He is founder of Punchn and the author of Across the Lens: How Your Zoom Presence Will Make or Break Your Success. Please visit www.punchn.io.

SALES TRAINING

3 PRACTICES TO BEGIN TO LEARN HOW TO LEARN

— BY DAVE KAHLE —

WHAT MAY BE the single most important predictor of an organization’s long-term business development and survival is that organization’s ability to learn. In a world that is changing more rapidly today than at any previous time in human history, the consistent practice of learning is the only sustainable long-term strategy.

Products will come and go with increasing short life spans, advantageous relationships will ebb and flow, as will every other competitive advance. But, the ability to change and grow will stimulate an organization to the constant renewal and refocus that our changing environment demands.

That’s one of the key issues in Peter Senge’s book, The Fifth Discipline. In it, he identifies the benefits and practices of a “learning organization.” Unfortunately, the recommendations in Senge’s book are often outside of the reach of most small businesses.

Definition

By learning, I mean the ability to take in new information, formulate it into new ideas, and then put those ideas into existence. Learning, for adults on the job, always manifests as changed behavior. The individual, the team or group, and the organization as a whole has to do something differently for learning to have taken place.

For an individual, learning means the consistently applied process of exposing yourself to new ideas, then changing your behavior as a result. It’s not a one-time event, but rather a discipline that is maintained and applied forever. For example, when a salesperson develops a better question to ask in collecting information about a proposal, the issue isn’t the question, it’s the ability to continually develop better questions.

For an organization, learning means the institutionalization of practices that result in innovative products, processes and practices. It’s not the new product that’s important; it’s the ability to continually create new products.

This ability to continually change behavior, both organizationally as well as individually, is the single biggest indicator of long-term success.

The problem

Most individuals don’t value learning, and most organizations have never given it serious thought. In my work with salespeople for example, I’ve often noted that given a random selection of 20 salespeople only one in that group will have spent $25 of his/her own money on his own improvement in the last 12 months. The 5% who do invest in themselves are often the superstars, who have become that by relentless learning.

Self-Assessment

Here are five simple questions to determine the degree to which your organization values and promotes learning.

1. To what degree is learning mentioned in the company’s foundational documents (its mission values, vision statements, self-description on the webpage, etc.)?

2. To what degree does the organization reward or penalize new ideas, attempts to do things better, or risks taken, regardless of the outcomes?

3. To what degree does everyone understand that continually personal and organizational improvement is expected and rewarded within the organization?

4. How much money (expressed as a percentage of payroll) does the organization invest annually in learning experiences for its employees?

5. To what degree are individuals who refuse to learn tolerated within the organization?

Some practical ideas

The process of transforming an organization into one which learns, consistently and relentlessly, deserves more thought than this article allows. However, here are

three low-budget, immediately implemental practices that will kick-start the process and bring a rich return on investment.

1. Promote the idea.

Announce over and over in every situation, that the organization and every individual in it, need to learn. Let that message become a mantra. Whenever possible, give examples, tell success stories, and recognize specific learning behaviors. You should be promoting that message so consistently and passionately that employees begin to tire of hearing it.

2. Invest in learning experiences.

A learning experience is an event in which folks are confronted with new information, ideas and insights, and encouraged to change their behavior as a result. For example:

(a) You can hold a monthly meeting dedicated to discussing a book which all of you have read and isolating two or three ideas of implementation out of it.

(b) Do the same thing with a jointly watched video or podcast.

(c) Reimburse key employees for attending seminars and require them to share good ideas from them.

(d) Hand a book to a key employee, ask him/her to read it, and then talk with him about it.

3. Model learning behavior. You can’t just talk about it and encourage others to do it. You must model what you want them to do. That means that you must read the books, watch the videos, listen to the podcasts, read the blog posts, go to the seminars, and then change your behavior in positive ways as a result. And, you must tell people what you are doing and why you are doing it.

You being a model of what an active professional learner does will go a long way to encourage and support similar behavior from the troops.

Dave Kahle is a leading sales authority who’s written 12 books, including his latest: The Good Book on Business. Reach him at davekahle.com.

WESTLAKE ADDING IN MISSOURI, KANSAS

Westlake Ace Hardware is opening a new store in Liberty, Mo., this summer; will soft-open a branch in south Lee’s Summit, Mo., by early 2024; and signed an agreement to open a new location in western Olathe, Ks., tentatively planned for December 2023.

The new 16,500-sq. ft. store in Olathe will feature 15,000 sq. ft. of retail space. Remodeling will be completed by fall 2023.

In addition to offering services such as key cutting and automotive key fob replacement, screen repair, and a propane tank exchange, the new store will sell lawn and garden supplies, fasteners, tools, plumbing, and electrical supplies.

The location will also feature several specialty departments and store-within-a-store concepts, including Paint Studio, Backyard BBQ, and Outdoor Power Equipment departments.

NATION’S BEST ADDS 2 MORE IN TEXAS

Nation’s Best, Dallas, Tx., has added B & S Hardware & Lumber in Gilmer and Pittsburg, Tx., to its expanding family of businesses.

Founded in 1950, B & S Hardware & Lumber includes the third and fourth generations of Spearman family leadership. Brothers Steve and Tim Spearman have grown the business alongside Steve’s sons, Chad and Chet, and Tim’s wife Pam. With the completion of ownership transition to Nation’s Best, Steve will retire, but the rest of the family will remain in operational roles in the two home centers.

“B & S Hardware & Lumber checks all the boxes in what we’re looking for in a partnership,” said Matt Lambert, regional VP of Nation’s Best’s South-Central Region. “They have a solid, long-term foundation of visionary family leadership. They’re sizable, well-stocked stores with a strong product mix of hardware, lumber and building materials tailored to their markets’ needs. They’re destination stores that are regularly refreshing the business to stay relevant for their many customers.”

“As we considered the future of our family business, Nation’s Best really was the right fit for us,” said the Spearmans. “Their partnership approach allows us to sell the stores with the family staying heavily involved, while also retaining the real estate, leasing it back to

them over the long term. This gives us continued skin in the game while leveraging the strength of their operational best practices to grow the business. It’s a win-win.”

The two B & S Hardware & Lumber locations join 47 other Nation’s Best locations, including 17 in Texas. As part of Nation’s Best’s strategy, B & S Hardware & Lumber will maintain operations under their existing name with its key leadership team overseeing company operations alongside Nation’s Best, which will provide the strategic and financial support necessary to drive optimal growth and profitability.

OX EXPANDS SHEATING/INSULATION PLANTS

OX Engineered Products is significantly expanding its manufacturing plants in Constantine, Mi., and Charleston, Il., to meet increasing demand for its integrated structural sheathing and continuous insulation products in both residential and commercial construction.

“Increased customer demand necessitated the initiation of a capital improvement plan to bolster our manufacturing capacity,” said Todd Gluski, director of marketing. “Construction quickly and strongly rebounded after an initial pandemic-induced dip, and we are still feeling the effects of amplified demand for our products. New production lines help us manage that.”

OX added new manufacturing lines in Constantine for its ThermoPLY product, a 3-in-1 structural sheathing that includes an air barrier and a water-resistive barrier. The additional lines triple OX’s ThermoPLY production in Michigan. The organization has also invested in two automated robotic lines in Charleston, doubling the facility’s manufacturing output.

NEW LUMBERYARD OPENS IN WISCONSIN

Lake Country Lumber, Minong, Wi., celebrated its grand opening June 12–17 with a week of events, giveaways and savings opportunities for home improvement shoppers.

“We’re really pleased with the customer response,” said store manager James Niedzielski. “Since taking over, the Minong community has been incredibly supportive, and it was great being able to return the favor with a fun, family-friendly event.”

Lake Country operates from the former quarters of Walker Lumber Do it Best.

The weeklong celebration kicked off with a vendor event: From Monday to Friday, representatives from Milwaukee and other brands were on hand to perform demonstrations and provide product education. On Saturday, the first 100 shoppers received a free gift, and everyone enjoyed a cookout and refreshments. Throughout the week, shoppers enjoyed daily drawings for buckets of various products.

The new store, a Do it Best affiliate, includes approximately 12,000 sq. ft. of products by Channellock, DeWalt and Milwaukee, as well as a large selection of grills and smokers. The Color Bar custom paint center provides customers with custom color matching and design inspiration. In all, the store offers more than 30,000 different products, with thousands more available in their warehouse.

CONSTRUCTION is well under way on a new Westlake Ace Hardware in Olathe, Ks.

Marine panels at the top of their game

BarracudaPly™ marine panels in our softwood plywood collection are industrial- and commercial-grade and are certified by the APA – The Engineered Wood Association. Our marine panels feature:

• Douglas fir or Okoume

• Lengths of 8' and 10' for Marine Guard and 8', 9' and 10' for Okoume

• 4' widths

• Thicknesses ranging from ¼" – 1 ½"

• Fully sanded fronts and backs

Contact us today to find out what BarracudaPly can do for you!

1-800-547-9520 | timberproducts.com

Available in two grades:

BarracudaPly Marine Guard (B grade)

BarracudaPly Okoume

FIRE WALL HANGERS

Simpson Strong-Tie has introduced a new line of fire wall hangers designed to be installed with a power nailer during framing, saving time before hanging drywall and keeping construction projects on schedule.

The patent-pending DGT and DGHT fire wall hangers are designed for floor-to-wall connections in multistory, multifamily construction. They carry a two-hour fire rating and install quickly and easily to help improve productivity and efficiency on busy multifamily jobsites.

Load rated for fastening with either power-driven or hand-installed nails, the hangers can be attached before drywall installation to speed sequencing of trades on the jobsite. They’re also designed as one-piece connectors with no welding or additional components required, resulting in quicker lead times.

STRONGTIE.COM/DGT

(800) 999-5099

COST-EFFECTIVE DECK SCREW

Midwest Fastener’s new BuildRight deck screw is a quality yet affordable fastener—reportedly engineered to be the most cost-effective deck screw on the market.

With its exterior coating, type-17 cutting tip, and star drive, it has everything a deck builder needs and nothing they don’t. The exterior coating is recommended for treated lumber and outperforms HDG.

MWF.NET

(800) 444-7313

SLIDING DOOR HARDWARE

Johnson’s easy-to-install sliding wall-mount door hardware can be used in any room of the home to install nearly any type of door panel.

Soft-Close hardware is also available, helping to prevent pinched fingers and door slamming, while the durable extruded aluminum tracks ensure smooth operation and longtime durability.

JOHNSONHARDWARE.COM

(574) 293-5664

STRENGTH UNDER FOOT

AHF Products’ new Armstrong Flooring American Personality PRO Luxury Vinyl Flooring are manufactured in the USA with global and domestic content, and with 100% waterproof planks, plus greater dimensional stability than traditional LVT.

The line features Diamond 10 Technology, which uses cultured diamonds to provide the ultimate in scratch, stain and scuff resistance. Its Bounce Back Core provides superior indent resistance.

Eight designs feature trending wood visuals in both traditional and distressed looks, in an alluring array of colors from neutrals to greys in dark and light wood tones.

AHFPRODUCTS.COM

(855) 243-2521

LIGHTER DECK BLOCK

National Nail’s CAMO brand has launched CAMO Block, a lightweight, heavy-duty polyolefin deck block for building aboveground decks, platforms and other exterior projects, virtually eliminating the need for cement blocks.

At just over 2 lbs., it’s much lighter than concrete, so can easily be transported in one trip to truck and on to jobsite. It accepts 4x4 and 6x6 wood posts, 2x wood joists, and up to 2” metal joists.

Made of polyolefin, Block won’t chip or crack, even in cold weather. It features ribs and weep holes to direct water away from the substructure and prevent build up, rot and mold.

CAMOFASTENERS.COM

(800) 968-6245

CONTINUOUS CORNER

Barricade Thermo-Brace Guard is an energy-efficient, structural sheathing that wraps around the corner of a structure, creating a complete enclosure that joins two separate walls into one continuous unit, while providing structural, WRB and AIB benefits.

It stops air leaks and moisture penetration at corners and eliminates the need for corner flashing, saving time and money for builders and homeowners.

It is offered in three grades (Green, Red, Blue) and three standard sizes (65”x96”, 65”x108”, 65”x120”).

BARRICADEBP.COM

(877) 832-0333

ROLL & LIFT

Lift’n Buddy LNB-2 twowheel hand trucks from Presto ECOA combine the convenience, versatility and ease of use of a two-wheeler with the lifting and lowering capabilities of a compact powered stacker.

At the touch of a button, the LNB-2 platform raises loads up to 200 lbs. from floor level to over 3 ft. high, simplifying the task of transferring items from floors to shelves, workbenches, etc.

Its lift mechanism is comprised of a timing belt drive that is quiet, quick and responsive. Power is provided by two 12-volt batteries which are easily recharged with a built-in 110V charger.

PRESTOLIFTS.COM

(800) 343-9322

METAL NAILER

Paslode’s new Cordless 1-1/2” Positive Placement Metal Connector Nailer features a Positive Placement nose probe, which helps quickly find metal connector holes and drive nails with precision and speed without the need of a hose or compressor. Designed to achieve maximum productivity, the fuel cell lasts 800 shots.

PASLODE.COM

(800) 222-6990

WOOD CARE REFRESH

CUTEK wood care products now feature a cleaner, more cohesive look across all products, providing a more apparent connection between the products, with each one indicating whether it is Step 1: Prepare or Step 2: Protect. Each Prepare product has its

own color theme, but the same setup and feel as the CUTEK Extreme label. The Prepare box is highlighted and checked, but the Step 2: Protect box is visible, to indicate that these products are all part of a system.

CUTEKSTAIN.COM

(844) 442-8835

#1 Inventory Management Profit Strategy:

Stock No More Than Needed to Properly Service Demand

This practice is crucial to profitability. Here’s why:

n Every day that excess inventory is owned, it is either costing interest on borrowed money, which increases expense, or it is preventing the earning of interest on owned money, which decreases income. Whether capital is borrowed or owned, excess inventory is always eroding profitability.

n Let’s say a yard has sales volume of 110,000 BF/month. If brought in all at once by car, the inventory can turn once a month if needs are correctly projected. But if metered in by truck in 27,500 BF increments at one load per week as actually needed, that inventory will turn 4 times per month – and tie up only 1/4 as much cash.

n Now suppose this yard pays for the car 10 days after shipment and delivery takes 3 weeks. It paid for 4 times the inventory it needed, and won’t see any of it for 11 more days. But if it buys by truck with quick delivery, every stick could be sold before the invoice even comes due. In fact, three truckloads could be sold this way before the car could even have arrived, again using only 1/4 the capital.

n This strategy dependably multiplies turns and GMROI, dramatically improves cashflow, cuts carrying costs and frees up both capital and space for more profitable use. Margins are maintained through market moves and downside risk is significantly reduced because the inventory is turning faster than price changes can affect its value. There’s less inventory to count, and stock stays fresher, too.

ELITE BLADE

Designed to fit both table saws and miter saws, Diablo Tools’ new Wood Demon Ultimate General Purpose saw blade increases productivity up to 10 times longer versus standard carbide blades by producing high quality, precise cuts with a sandpaper-like finish that requires virtually no rework.

The blade features TiCo Hi-Density Carbide for maximum cutting life and superior performance in cordless saws; Axial Shear Face Grind for effortless, clean application; Double Side Grind tooth design for a “polished-like” cutting effect; and Hi-Alternate Top Bevel tooth geometry for extreme cutting precision.

DIABLOTOOLS.COM

(800) 334-4107

SPRAY-ON TEXTURE

DAP’s new Spray Texture Line reportedly delivers maximum coverage and seamless texture match with fast dry times. The line consists of 2-in-1 Wall & Ceiling for Orange Peel, Knockdown, and Popcorn textures.

Unlike competitive products on the market, DAP’s aerosol cans feature Aim Tech technology that offers a 60° adjustable nozzle angle to easily repair vertical, overhead and hard-to-reach areas with one can providing users much flexibility when completing projects. The nozzle also provides the ability to select a fine, medium or heavy level of texture when sprayed and includes a lock function for secure transport and storage.

All come in water-based formulas that feature a 30-minute paint ready time. Orange Peel is also offered in an oil-based formula that’s paint ready in five minutes.

DAP.COM

(800) 543-3840

COLD-CLIMATE WINDOWS

Simonton Windows & Doors’ newest energy-efficient glass option—PLUS4 Low-E Glass—is built to prioritize the overall well-being of homeowners, especially those in colder climates.

The windows meet the stringent requirements of Energy Star version 6.0 for the Northern Zone, which encompasses the largest portion of the continental U.S. of any zone, in addition to Alaska.

The glass is offered with the Impressions 9800, Reflections 5500, Reflections 5050, and ProFinish Contractor collections.

SIMONTON.COM

(800) 746-6686

ONE-PIECE FACE PROTECTION

Vader Combo from Brass Knuckle is a face shield with safety goggles built-in. It’s one wearable piece of PPE that does the job of two. It covers the whole face, protects the neck, and offers 180° peripheral vision. Ultra-soft rubber forms a splash barrier.

BRASSKNUCKLEPROTECTION.COM

(770) 674-8930

Read grade rules, span details, and get new promotional ideas for your business.

Sample the variety and versatility of eastern white pine.

Reach more customers by getting listed on NELMA’s Retailer Directory.

Listen to and watch product installation and comparison videos, plus grade representations.

Plastic, concrete or pine? Learn why consumers prefer natural over fabricated.

Use all your senses. Visit nelma.org for all things eastern white pine, spruce-pine-fir and other softwood species grown in the Northeast and Great Lakes region.

Ever see a paint swatch for wood grades? Scan here to see it. Simply open the camera on your smartphone or tablet, and hold it over this image.

@NortheasternLumberMfg

@WoodInspiration

@wood_inspiration1933

DATE BOOK

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

Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association – Aug. 7, annual golf outing, Pinehills Golf Club, Plymouth, Ma.; www.nrla.org.

Midwest Building Suppliers Association – Aug. 10, Sycamore Scramble golf outing, Anderson Country Club, Anderson, In.; www.thembsa.org.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association – Aug. 17, regional meeting, Minneapolis, Mn.; www.nawla.org.

Southern Pressure Treaters Association – Aug. 17-19, summer meeting, Henderson Beach Resort, Destin, Fl.; www.spta.org.

The Hardware Conference – Aug. 17-19, Marco Island, Fl.; www. thehardwareconference.com.

Mid-States Distributing – Aug. 18-20, Fall Rendezvous, Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, Az.; www.msdist.com.

Northeastern Young Lumber Execs – Aug. 22-23, summer outing, Hershey, Pa.; www.nrla.org.

Building Material Suppliers Association – Aug. 23-25, roundtable, Cleveland, Oh.; www.mybmsa.org.

Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Expo – Aug. 23-25, Music City Center, Nashville, Tn.; www.sfpaexpo.com.

Florida Hardware – Aug. 25-26, fall dealer market, Renaissance at SeaWorld, Orlando, Fl.; www.floridahardware.com.

Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Assn. – Aug. 25-27, Hoosier Hardwood Festival, Boone County Fairgrounds, Lebanon, In.; www.ihla.org.

Midwest Building Suppliers Association – Aug. 31, White Pine Classic golf outing, Tullymore Golf Resort, Stanwood, Mi.; www.thembsa.org.

MORE M&A AHEAD

(Continued from page 18)

Simpson Strong-Tie acquired Pieresearch in June, expanding its offering of concrete products in the commercial market. Pieresearch is a manufacturer specializing in non-corrosive plastic rebar reinforcing alignment and centralizer products for the deep foundation and earth retention industries.

In May, Builders FirstSource completed the purchase of Georgia-based JB Millworks, a manufacturer, distributor, and installer of millwork whose product offering includes doors, windows, stairs, rails, columns, posts, and trim. The acquisition adds value-added capacity in the Chattanooga area. The transaction followed the April purchase of Builders Millwork Supply, a millwork distributor serving home builders and remodelers throughout South Central Alaska.

Pella Corp. announced in May it is acquiring Lawson Industries. With the acquisition, Iowa-based Pella will expand into South Florida, adding to its capabilities in impact-resistant aluminum windows and doors.

National Hardwood Lumber Association – Sept. 6-8, intro to hardwood grading course, Memphis, Tn.; www.nhla.com.

BC Wood – Sept. 7-9, Global Buyers Mission, Whistler, B.C.; bcwood.com. Do it Best – Sept. 8-11, fall market, Indianapolis, In.; www.doitbest.com.

Hoo-Hoo International – Sept. 8-11, international convention, hosted by Cowichan Valley Club, Vancouver, B.C.; www.hoohoo.org.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association – Sept. 11-15, Fall Wood Basics Course, Peachtree City, Ga.; www.nawla.org.

Northwestern Lumber Association – Sept. 12-13, Legacy Group 2 roundtable, Jordan, Mn.; www.nlassn.org.

True Value – Sept. 13-16, Fall Reunion show, George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, Tx.; www.truevaluecompany.com.

Blish-Mize – Sept. 15-16, fall market, Overland Park, Ks.; blishmize.com.

Kentucky Wood Expo – Sept. 15-16, Lexington, Ky.; www.kfia.org.

American Wood Protection Association – Sept. 17-21, fall technical committee meetings, Le Meridien Downtown, Denver, Co.; awpa.com.

Lumbermen’s Association of Texas – Sept. 18-20, annual convention & expo, Live! By Lowe’s, Arlington, Tx.; www.lat.org.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association – Sept. 18, Texas regional meeting, Arlington, Tx.; Sept. 20, Northeast regional meeting, Samoset Resort, Rockport, Me.; www.nawla.org.

Kentucky Building Materials Assn. – Sept. 19-20, blueprint reading & material take-off class, Belterra Resort, Florence, In.; www.kbma.net.

Ace Hardware – Sept. 19-21, convention, Orlando, Fl.; acehardware.com.

Northeast Lumber Manufacturers Association – Sept. 20-22, annual meeting, Samoset Resort, Rockport, Me.; www.nelma.org.

Construction Suppliers Association – Sept. 27-29, annual conference & show, Lodge at Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores, Al.; www.gocsa.com.

Lawson Industries has been serving the Florida market for more than 60 years and will continue to operate under the Lawson brand name post-acquisition. Pella’s other Florida brands include Pella, Custom Window Systems (CWS), and Avanti.

Strategic buyers are also reshaping their portfolios and divesting underperforming and non-core assets to strengthen their balance sheets and enhance earnings. In June, ASSA ABLOY received antitrust clearance to purchase the Hardware and Home Improvement division (HHI) of Spectrum Brands, a transaction previously announced in 2021, for $4.3 billion. HHI is a manufacturer of complementary security, plumbing, and builders’ hardware products that will accelerate the expansion of ASSA ABLOY’s residential business in North America and advance its digital transformation. The business operates manufacturing facilities in the United States, Mexico, Taiwan, China and the Philippines.

In April, Jeld-Wen announced it is exiting its Australasia window and door business, selling to Platinum Equity, an operationally oriented pri-

vate equity sponsor with significant experience in the Building Products industry. The business operates from 41 manufacturing locations across Australia, Malaysia, and Indonesia. We anticipate the markets will remain cautious during the second half of 2023 for Building Products M&A, although that could change if inflation and mortgage rates cool at a quicker pace than expected. A pipeline of deals is growing in Building Products, and there is going to be a first-mover advantage to buyers standing ready to capitalize and acquire high-quality companies at reasonable prices before the bidding war begins. BP

ANDREW K. PETRYK

Andrew

is

K. Petryk

a managing director and leads the Industrials practice at Brown Gibbons Lang & Co., an investment banking and corporate financial advisory services firm serving the global middle market. Reach him at apetryk@bglco.com.

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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. Column inch rate: $65 per inch. Deadline: 10th of the previous month. Questions? Call (714) 486-2735.

WANTED TO BUY WANTED TO BUY

Joseph Panfilo Contestabile, 86, founder of Eagle Forest Products, Irving, Tx., died April 12.

Joe earned his degree in marketing from U.C. Berkeley in 1958, while playing quarterback for the Golden Bears. He then began his career in wholesale lumber and injection molding, in sales, marketing and management, with stops in Corvallis, Or.; Fort Bragg, Dominguez Hills, Fullerton and Northridge, Ca.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Irving, where he founded Eagle Forest Products in 1985.

Harry G. Foster, 90, longtime lumber sales manager with Deltic Farm & Timber, El Dorado, Ar., died July 6.

After graduating from high school, he served four years in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Harry received his degree from Southern Arkansas College, then worked for Deltic Farm & Timber parent Murphy Oil Corp., El Dorado. He had a multi-decade career with the company and its subsidiaries, the majority as lumber sales manager. Harry retired in 1992.

Anthony Frank Bosco, 79, owner of Quality Windows & Doors, Freeland, Mi., died on May 22 due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Following high school, Tony joined the U.S. Air Force, serving in Saudi Arabia, Africa and then Vietnam during the war. He returned home to earn his bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University. From 1966 to

1983, he managed stores for Wickes in Michigan, Illinois and Kentucky, then became Dayton, Oh., regional sales manager and a corporate sales executive for Wolohan Lumber, Saginaw, Mi. In 1990, he left to spend 21 months as director of operations for Scotty’s, Winter Haven, Fl., before returning to Wolohan as corporate professional sales manager. Tony became district sales manager for Crestline Windows, Saginaw, in 1994 and for Hurd Windows, Medford, Wi., in 2003. From 2008 to 2010, he operated AFB Fenestration, Freeland, then worked as district manager for Thermo-Tech Windows & Doors, St. Cloud, Mn. He launched Quality Windows in 2016.

Robert Marcene Mason, 92, longtime salesman and manager for Fingerle Lumber, Ann Arbor, Mi., died June 9.

A U.S. Marine during the Korean War, he worked for Fingerle Lumber from 1962 until retiring in 1995.

David C. Criss, 84, former owner and operator of Baldwin & Criss Lumber Co., Cato, N.Y., died June 24.

Harold Elmer Christel, 95, former owner of Home Lumber Co., Norwalk, Oh., passed away on June 16.

He worked at Kohlmyer’s Hardware until he was drafted into U.S. Army, serving in Germany from 1950 to 1952. Upon returning to Norwalk, Harold was hired by Crow Lumber (later Home Lumber), where he spent the next 56 years, eventually becoming co-owner.

Joe Garrison, owner of Garrison Lumber, Hennessey, Ok., passed away on June 21 after a battle with ALS. He was 73.

In 1972 he graduated from Southwestern State University with a degree in industrial education. He then earned a master’s degree in administration from Central State University, Edmond, in 1975, while teaching high school.

In the summer of 1977, Joe worked on the loading docks of Rounds & Porter Co. in Oklahoma City and the following summer joined the company full-time as an inside sales rep. In late 1978, he ws made outside sales rep for north central Oklahoma and relocated to Enid, Ok. Joe moved to Hennessey, Ok., in 1991 and purchased Hennessey Lumber, renaming it Garrison Lumber. On June 1, 2023, he celebrated 32 years in business.

Stan Webb, plant manager for Weyerhaeuser, Philadelphia, Ms., died June 29. He was 65.

He had been with Weyerhaeuser for 43 years, the last 18 as plant manager. He was a past president of the Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association and the Neshoba County Forestry Association, and served on the boards of MLMA and the Mississippi Forestry Association.

Ronald Michael “Mike” Musser, 80, founder of Musser Lumber Co., Rural Retreat, Va., died July 10.

He founded the company in 1968.

FLASHBACK: 1978 AD COPY

FORTY-FIVE YEARS ago, BPD sister publication The Merchant Magazine invited Charles Lauber, longtime VP of advertising & promotion for Palmer G. Lewis Co., to offer lumber dealers tips on effective marketing. Conceived for the days before digital and social media, some of his advice no longer applies. Yet his basics are as timeless as ever.

Here are a few evergreen highlights from August of 1978:

Program Your Advertising:

(1) Have a plan and work the plan.

(2) Use available calendars or program sheets.

(3) Project at least 3-6 months ahead for consistency.

What to Spend on Advertising?

(1) Building material dealers are notoriously poor promoters and rate near the bottom in terms of percentage spent for advertising. General

rule of thumb is 2% of gross sales, mass merchandisers go as high as 5%. New stores will go higher until they are established. What to Advertise?

(1) Products that people need and want.

(2) Products that people can install or apply themselves.

(3) Products that you the dealer can make a profit on. They shouldn’t always be materials that you want to sell. If they don’t fit our prospect, they won’t move.

What Makes an Effective Ad?

(1) Ask two questions of an ad, (says an expert):

a. Does my ad include the customer benefits?

b. Does my ad give a reason for buying at my store?

(2) “Red” and “blue” point copy theory:

Western wholesaler Burns Lumber touted its longevity on the front cover of the August 1978 edition of The Merchant

a. Blue points are what product is or what it has, how it works, etc.

b. Red points relate those product features to how it affects the buyer: what it will do for me, family, business, etc. Refers to people, not products.

(3) Ad layout: “A.I.D.A.” formula.

A - Attention. Any successful ad must catch your eye or ear.

I - Interest. Develop elements that pertain to me.

D - Desire. Create a need on the spot.

A - Action. What do you want done: come to the store, mail a card, pick up the phone?

What About Co-op Advertising?

(1) Used properly it is a blessing to the retailer.

(2) Allows dealer more advertising muscle, use of professional ads and total programs.

(3) Manufacturers and suppliers depend on it for sales at the local level; it means inventory turnover.

Product Knowledge: Necessary Part of Profitable Promotion

(1) Lack of product information is the retailer’s most deadly sin. Product knowledge = selling info = dealer sales. This can be solved by asking your suppliers and manufacturers for effective and well-planned product meetings.

FORMER TREATER Valley Wood Preserving, Turlock, Ca., tried to tie into the latest movie blockbuster in its ad.