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Building Products Digest

SEPTEMBER 2019

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REGIONAL WOODS SPECIAL ISSUE • OSB & PLYWOOD • NELMA WOOD SALES TOOLS

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CONTENTS

September 2019 Volume 38 n Number 9

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Special Focus

Features

Departments

38 NELMA INSIDER

10 FEATURE STORY

8 ACROSS THE BOARD 22 OLSEN ON SALES 24 THE REVENUE GROWTH HABIT 26 TRANSFORMING TEAMS 28 LUMBER 411 34 MOVERS & SHAKERS 52 NEW PRODUCTS 58 DATE BOOK 59 ASSOCIATION UPDATE 60 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 60 IN MEMORIAM 63 ADVERTISERS INDEX 64 FLASHBACK

THE NORTHEASTERN LUMBER MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION HELPS YOU TRACK DOWN THE ELUSIVE LUMBER CUSTOMER WITH THE LATEST SALES

THE GREENING OF OSB

11 TOP OSB PRODUCERS 2019 12 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT CREATING STUNNING PERGOLAS WITH SOUTHERN CYPRESS

TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES

14 MARGIN BUILDERS BPD

Building Products Digest

SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER2019 2019

THE THEVOICE VOICEOF OFTHE THELBM LBMSUPPLY SUPPLYCHAIN CHAIN— —SINCE SINCE1982 1982

REGIONAL REGIONALWOODS WOODSSPECIAL SPECIALISSUE ISSUE •• OSB OSB&&PLYWOOD PLYWOOD •• NELMA NELMAWOOD WOODSALES SALESTOOLS TOOLS

DON’T JUST SELL THE CEDAR— SELL THE VALUE

17 INDUSTRY TRENDS

INTEGRATING REDWOOD INTO MASTERFUL LANDSCAPES

DODO YOU YOU BELIEVE BELIEVE ... ...

20 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

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34 THINKING AHEAD

GOING FOR A CAREER IN LUMBER

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Contributing Editors Carla Waldemar, James Olsen, Alex Goldfayn, Claudia St. John Contributors Chelsea Brown, Paigh Bumgarner, Jack Draper, Kim Drew, Jeff Easterling, Ian Faight, Charles Jourdain, John Rooks Director of Sales Chuck Casey • ccasey@526mediagroup.com

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BUILDING PRODUCTS DIGEST is published monthly at 151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. E200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, (714) 486-2735, www.building-products.com, by 526 Media Group, Inc. (a California Corporation). It is an independently owned publication for building products retailers and wholesale distributors in 37 states East of the Rockies. Copyright®2019 by 526 Media Group, Inc. Cover and entire contents are fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission. All Rights Reserved. BPD reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it. Opinions expressed are those of the authors or persons quoted and not necessarily those of 526 Media Group, Inc. Articles in this magazine are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial, or business management advice.

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ACROSS the Board By Patrick Adams

Not-so-subtle subtleties the family camping. When I say “camping,” I suppose that’s subjective to your definition. If pulling a tiny, luxurious house on wheels to a spot with full hookups, air conditioning, a fridge, and a freezer full of steak, fish and chicken that are cooked on a portable smoker is “camping,” then, yes, we went camping. Twelve other families went along, each pulling their own version of camping behind them. While this sounds like pandemonium, it was quite the opposite and actually felt just like the “way things are supposed to be.” Husbands, wives and kids all got along and watched out for each other. It was all laughter and discussion and no drama or fighting. ids would wander, explore and get skinned knees while 26 parents watched out of the corners of their eyes without hovering or intervening. Meals resembled more of a roaming bu et line from campsite to campsite. Simply put, it was a glimpse of what life is supposed to be all of the time. ne evening during a group bonfire, I got into an interesting group discussion. ids were running around in the dark making smore’s or doing glowstick experiments. Drinks and cigars served as dessert, along with some amazing family recipes cooked in cast iron handed down so many times that the stories they must have had made ours seem boring by comparison. We were engaged in a discussion about all that we were thankful for, and it wasn’t some artificially created topic it was just what seemed natural to discuss. That’s when the evening turned. A friend said, “You know, it seems everyone today feels like it is important to part of some subculture, some gang that is defined by what they stand AGAINST. I hate rap music or I hate country. I think the left are a bunch of socialists or I think the right are a bunch of white supremacists. I think the rich are arrogant or I think the homeless are lazy. What if we passionately broadcast what we stood R instead of what we were against Would that bring us closer together because we would find more in common ” n the surface, this seems like subtle nuance, but the conversation became pretty deep for a camping trip. As the conversation bounced from things like not focusing on your own happiness but rather serving others to how much we have in common when we focus on what’s truly important in our lives family, service, purpose, faith in something bigger than yourself we all found ourselves smiling. Laughing. No, not everyone is liberal or conservative. We’re not all rich or poor. ur bond is based on something

else a passion for the things we have in common like family, faith, service and love for our country. Are we really that different What has caused us to focus so much on our di erences when we have so much in common and how much is that a ecting our view of the world Sure, lot’s of things immediately come to mind that are easy to blame, but isn’t it really up to us Aren’t we grown, intelligent adults Do we really have anything to be truly angry about When we look back sometime, will we wish for more time with our loved ones or will we wish we fought harder against everything that made us angry I know that the four days camping passed far too quickly and I wish it could have lasted longer. I watched a bunch of kids who didn’t really know each other that well on day one forge friendships based on what they had in common having fun, creative imaginations, and the excitement of the moment. The adults also got closer, because we focused on what we had in common being grateful for what we have and thankful for our lives, our health, and our family. It’s a subtle subtlety I guess, but what isn’t My life has been one long story of a bunch of little things that have developed into something that has me wake up every morning saying “thanks” and going to bed each evening grateful that hopefully, I get to do it again tomorrow. I learned a long time ago that this is one of the secrets of life The subtlety of focusing on the “little things” that are really the most important foundation of your life and not letting the truly insignificant things infect your day because in the end, they really don’t matter. ne of those “little things,” of course, is my continuing gratitude for being able to serve this great industry and each of you, my team, my family, and friends. I hope you all have had a summer full of “little things,” memories and happiness.

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

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FEATURE Story By Paigh Bumgarner

THE LATEST innovations in OSB manufacturing are green through and through. (Photos by Huber)

The greening of OSB 4 ways todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OSB incorporates sustainability widely available and easily renewable resource, SB manufacturers are constantly searching for and discovering opportunities to reduce and reuse waste to create an even more sustainable product, a goal that serves the environment, the people in it, and the companiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bottom lines. The SB industry as a whole has come a long way in sustainable production and holds potential to take it even further. Here are four ways the SB manufacturing industry is pursuing greener manufacturing.

Sourcing Product

In our economy, the supply chains often run long. Sustainability efforts make the biggest di erence when not executed in a vacuum, but throughout the lifecycle of a product from cradle to grave. or the wood industry, this starts in the forest. The Sustainable orestry Initiative offers a certification program for the sustainable, responsible management of forestry resources. In addition, finding those S I-certified forests in relatively close-proximity to the plant reduces both transportation

Building Products Digest

emissions as well as freight costs for the manufacturer. Down the line, this benefits the lumberyard and end-user who get the product at a better price than those buying wood from manufacturers recouping a high shipping cost, making sustainably sourced product produce fewer emissions and have a better result for the bottom line.

Repurposing Waste

A few decades ago, a zero-waste manufacturing plant would have been inconceivable to most people. But now, manufacturers across the industry are seriously considering how to make zero-waste manufacturing a reality. Plants can approach zero-waste levels by reducing waste through using fewer resources and repurposing waste. ne way to repurpose waste is using it as fodder for the furnace that fuels the wood drying process. At our plant in Commerce, Ga., for example, we see roughly 120 to 150 trucks of trees come through per day. After arriving, each tree is then stripped of its bark. Technically, that bark is waste as it is not included in the final product. Accounting for natural variation, more than half of wood waste bypasses

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the landfill by being repurposed into fuel for the furnace or mulch. Beyond creating a self-heated dryer and press furnace system, companies should look for more opportunities for waste to produce another revenue stream for the company. or example, selling excess bark or wood for fuel to another plant or to a compost and soil producer. Additionally, wood-based product companies can take the opportunity to contribute back to their community by o ering free mulch to local schools, parks or community centers. Ultimately, companies should be evaluating what they can avoid sending to the landfill. They may be surprised by who thinks their trash is a treasure.

Monitoring Byproducts

Pursuing greener manufacturing means evaluating all waste, even that which you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see. While wood is natural and renewable, there are particles released from the oils and resins in the wood during processing that should not be inhaled by people or released into the environment. Huber was the first SB plant to implement a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RT ) into its manufacturing process to combat Building-Products.com

this issue back in the ’90s. The RT uses high pressure and heat to destroy any volatile organic compounds ( Cs) and other hazardous air pollutants produced from practices such as, in SB production, drying the wood strands. Now, under the Title Air Permit, manufacturers in a variety of industries, including wood, are required to monitor and prevent those pollutants from entering the air, often with the aid of an RT . With the RT , those Cs are never released into the air, which protects the employees in the plant, people living in the surrounding region and the local ecosystem from exposure to potentially dangerous compounds. As an industry, we should be evaluating where else we can monitor and treat processing byproducts. While RT s are great for processes that involve high heat, there is also developing alternative technology that doesn’t require energy use in biofilters. These little bacterium act as a biological RT , consuming and destroying particles in the airstream from processing steps that aren’t high-heat, such as the SB panel press. We’re currently evaluating the longterm e cacy and reliability of this technology in our plants.

Reducing Chemicals

As technology improves, the manufacturing industry is constantly provided opportunities to reevaluate what goes into our products. or example, five years ago, we switched from a solvent-based ink to a water-based ink, which reduces emissions of Cs during the printing process and reduces the hazardous chemicals required to clean the solvent-based ink print heads. Ultimately, reducing or eliminating waste isn’t just good for the environment, but also for employees and the bottom line of the business. It’s comparable to employee safety in that, like safety, we’ve found the industry to recognize the value and also be very generous in its willingness to share tips or methods with other companies to achieve that common goal. – Paigh Bumgarner is AdvanTech product manager for Huber Engineered Woods, Charlotte, N.C. (www.huberwood.com).

OSB Update 2019 What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago, OSB manufacturers were flying high, enjoying robust demand and prices well in excess of $500 MSF. With new capacity coming online just as U.S. homebuilding slowed, OSB prices have since cratered more than 50%. In response, North American OSB producers have begun to cut back, suggesting this year’s industrywide production should fall well shy of 2018’s 35.6 billion sq. ft. Norbord, Toronto, Ont., excluding its idled Chambord, P.Q. facility, operated its 11 OSB mills at 88% of capacity, in the most recent quarter, compared to 98% in second quarter 2018. Shipments were down 5% year over year. During the period, it had to curtail its High Level, Alb., plant for 20 days due to wildfires in the area. And last month, Norbord curtailed production at its mill in 100 Mile House, B.C. The shutdown was blamed on the region’s mountain pine beetle epidemic, which has reduced wood supply and driven up prices. Louisiana-Pacific, Nashville, Tn., enjoyed a banner year in 2018 at its eight OSB facilities, notching $1.3 billion in sales by taking advantage of high OSB prices and a push toward value-added products. Last year, value-added products comprised 38% of its OSB sales, with hopes to exceed 50% in 2019. This fall, however, LP will curtail OSB production indefinitely at its Peace Valley, B.C., mill. Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., can produce up to 3.7 billion sq. ft. of OSB at its six active plants. Weyerhaeuser, Seattle, Wa., saw sales of OSB dip 1.5% last year to $891 million and so far this year have been running slightly behind 2018, due to lower OSB prices and lower production at its six North American OSB mills. Huber Engineered Woods, Charlotte, N.C., produces OSB at five plants from Oklahoma to the East Coast. Tolko, Vernon B.C., with OSB mills in Slave Lake and High Prairie, Alb., as Meadow Lake, Sask., this summer began reintroducing the Rustic Red edge seal color on its T-Strand Pro OSB T&G subfloor, which will help differentiate the Pro Flooring from the Standard Flooring. RoyOMartin, Alexandria, La., operates OSB facilities in Oakdale and Chopin, La., and Corrigan, Tx., producing a range of products, including Eclipse OSB radiant barrier, TuffStrandXL extended-length panels, WindBrace for wind-prone areas, and StructWall Struct-1 rated OSB. Arbec Forest Products, St. Leonard, P.Q., has a combined 700 million sq. ft. of OSB capacity at its mills in Saint-Georges-de-Champlain, P.Q., and Miramichi, N.B. Langboard can produce up to 440 million sq. ft. of OSB per year at its Quitman, Ga., mill. Forex Amos shipped its first order of OSB last October from the line at its Amos, P.Q., headquarters. Production since has been off and on.

September 2019

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PRODUCT Spotlight By Ian Faight, Southern Cypress Manufacturers Association

Creating stunning pergolas with southern cypress ’ living space continues to be top of mind for homeowners creating a functional gathering spot and adding lasting value. While a simple patio or deck can provide an open-air setting, many homeowners are looking to beat the heat and make their fun in the sun more comfortable by installing a pergola. And when it comes to creating an outdoor structure that’s built to last, cypress is the natural choice. “Cypress is growing to be more and more of a popular building product in the Southeast and is increasingly soughtafter all over the country because it’s naturally durable and doesn’t need to be pressure treated,” says Tripp osey, osey Lumber Co., Scotland Neck, N.C. “The cypressene oil that cypress trees produce in their heartwood acts as a preservative, protecting the wood from nature and making it resistant to decay. It’s an attribute that makes cypress a great choice for outdoor applications like pergolas.”

GROWING TREND: Cypress provides a vintage, rustic look that’s a gorwing trend with homeowners, as well as the desire to bring the inside out. (Photo courtesy SCMA)

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Hubert Burns of My utdoor Rooms, Dothan, Al., agrees and for good reasons. “We’ve been building with cypress for more than 10 years, and found that it performs well when exposed to the elements, is naturally durable, and deters insect infestation,” he says. “I also find cypress much more advantageous to work with than pressure treated pine it’s more beautiful and natural looking. Gradewise, we typically use 2 or better in rough cut form, and have found that cypress takes stain better, too.” With proper maintenance and re-staining every four-tosix years, you’ll have a like-new pergola. It’s also important to use copper or stainless steel endcaps on posts to keep water from penetrating the grain.” Cypress also also has a rich, vintage look to it, a popular trend that continues to grow among homebuyers. More homeowners are starting to notice how pergolas as well as similar structures like pavilions, arbors, and trellises provide open and airy spaces, along with much needed relief from direct sunlight that can’t be achieved with a traditional patio or deck. They also o er a perfect outdoor setting for enjoying dinner with family and entertaining friends, a useful patio accessory as more people are desiring to bring the inside out. “Pergolas can be outfitted with T s and fireplaces, and adorned with plants and drapery to add privacy and a personal touch,” Burns says. Many factors go into designing a pergola or similar structure, including how it ties into the rest of the space, how big of a structure the homeowner envisions, its shape, and the direction of slats for shading. When building a cypress pergola, common post dimensions are 8x8 or 10x10, beams are x8 or x12, and slats are 2x8 or 2x12. While it may seem like a complicated process, building a gorgeous pergola with cypress need not be a daunting task. Burns says companies across the country specialize in prefabricating structures and ship nationwide, taking the stress out of design and construction. “Prefabrication ensures they are high-quality and can be installed quickly,” Burns adds. “And three people can install a 16-ft.-by-16-ft. pergola in about five hours. “Most importantly, outdoor living space is an investment and homeowners deserve high-quality structures that will last. That’s why we almost always use cypress as a main building material for pergolas and other outdoor structures. With cypress, they’ll last for years to come.” – Ian Faight is marketing director for SCMA. For more information on cypress building products, visit www.cypressinfo.org. Building-Products.com

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MARGIN Builders By Jack Draper, WRCLA

Don’t just sell the cedar, sell the value

2x6 SELECT knotty western red cedar was used for the deck and pergola. (Photo courtesy WRCLA)

, we now live in a time of abundant choice. In fact, there are those who will reasonably argue we now live in a time of too much choice. ust think of the last time you had to make a decision on which running shoes to buy or what data plan you needed for your phone. You likely encountered a plethora of options and information to sift through. And anyone who has stood bewildered in the detergent aisle trying to fathom why there are more than 30 varieties of laundry soap to choose from will recognize the paralyzing effect of having to process too many options. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that this “analysis paralysis” is now being felt in the building materials sector, and in particular with products like decking and siding. It wasn’t that long ago that the only choices in decking and siding were limited to a few wood species. Today, thanks to the explosion of composite lumber, plastic decking, tropical hardwoods, and vinyl and cement-based siding, the options have ballooned exponentially.

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So, what does this mean at the retail level The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association (which obviously advocates using western red cedar) recommends its member retailers promote the unique properties and value of this particular species to increase sales and grow its competitive advantage. While all species and products have pros and cons, western red cedar is unique in that it offers many features that can’t be claimed by other materials. Any WRCLA member product under the Real Cedar brand can only come from sustainably and responsibly managed forests, meaning it is a completely renewable resource. It is also a beautiful and long-lasting wood product that is naturally resistant to rot, decay and pests. What’s more, WRC has exceptional thermal properties that help keep buildings cool in the summer and warm in the winter. This also creates a competitive advantage for WRC decking as it doesn’t heat up (much appreciated by anyone who has walked barefoot on a deck on a hot day). Its ability to insulate and absorb sounds make it highly versatile for both internal and external applications. or retailers to sell the value of WRC, it is useful to start by asking the customer the right questions about the project are there any concerns or preferences about using a natural material versus a composite product Where will the material be applied How will it be finished What other materials are nearby The better understanding the retailer has of the WRC value proposition, the more they can meet the customer’s needs. In addition to its looks and performance characteristics, WRC is available in a wide range of products, dimensions, profiles, grades and surface textures. nowing which product is right for the job can turn a simple sale into the sale of the year. “ ftentimes, specifications are not always written accurately or include incorrect terminology when it comes to cedar,” said WRCLA’s Paul Mackie. “Asking questions to perfect the specification or inquiry takes a good understanding of the product so the correct cedar products end up on the jobsite.” Although the look of a product is a major influence in the shopping process, the price will more often than not be the final determining factor in what gets purchased. It is a common misconception that WRC costs more than other materials. While this may be true when comparing cedar to some treated products or to entry-level composites, it is not the (Continued on page 50) Building-Products.com

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

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

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

INDUSTRY Trends By Charles J. Jourdain

MASTER LANDSCAPER Michael Galli and Metamorphosis Landscaping often utilize redwood to complement the vegetation in their projects. (Photos by Humboldt Redwood Co.)

Integrating redwood into masterful landscapes architecture demands materials that are beautiful and long lasting. Wood used outdoors must withstand environmental elements yet retain its symmetry and aesthetic purpose. Redwood is the one wood that meets these landscaping requirements. Redwood’s total performance is a function of its inherent beauty, natural resistance to termites and decay, dimensional stability, ease of use, and finish retention. ne characteristic of redwood that is less frequently mentioned but for which it is equally renowned is its versatility or its ease of being beautifully integrated with other quality materials. Perhaps nowhere is this versatility more valued than in the field of landscape architecture and design. Humboldt Redwood Co. marketing and sales staff recently had the pleasure of touring several sites on the San rancisco Peninsula with master landscape designer Michael Galli of Metamorphosis Landscaping, Millbrae, Ca. (www.MetamorphosisLandscape.com). During the past 30 years, Michael and his team have designed and constructed some 200 landscape projects in the greater San rancisco Bay Area.

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According to Galli, “Two important criteria that nearly all clients desire when moving forward with a new landscape for their home are that the design must maximize the use of their existing property and it is critical that the landscape works with the home’s existing architecture. The landscape also needs to be an extension of their home’s living space.” To accomplish this, a variety of natural materials are incorporated into the space. Plant selection and placement form the primary concept for the design. ther features such as decking, gates and fencing, garden structures, benches, planters, arbors, trellises and pergolas constructed of natural wood are designed to complement the vegetation. Beautiful and durable redwood is the primary material selected for many of these structures. The redwood and other woods complement with natural stone for walkways, planters and water features further enhancing the clients desire to be surrounded by nature. ne thing you will not see in any of these projects is plastic or composite decking or furniture. ocus groups have shown that while most folks are surrounded by plastic and other synthetic materials while at work, September 2019 n

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HIGH-END BACKYARD BACKYARD projects projects in in Northern Northern California California called called for for natural natural redwood redwood for for decks, decks, stairs, stairs, trellises trellises and and furniture, furniture, convinced convinced that that homeowners homeowners HIGH-END who are are surrounded surrounded by by synthetic synthetic materials materials at at work work prefer prefer the the real real thing thing when when they they come come home. home. who

when they they come come home, home, they they want want to to be be surrounded surrounded by by when environmentally friendly friendly natural natural materials materials like like sustainably sustainably environmentally harvested redwood. redwood. Homeowners Homeowners in in this this market market tend tend to to be be harvested highly educated, many are doctors or University highly university professors and they they understand understand the the lasting lasting value value of of natural natural materials. materials. and The abundance abundance of of hummingbirds hummingbirds and and butterfl butterflies ies observed observed The in these these yards yards illustrates illustrates their their affinity affinity for for the the natural natural in aesthetic. aesthetic. Timeless in design design and and execution, execution, these these projects projects Timeless improve with with age age and and look look as as good good or or better better 20 20 years years after after improve installation. Seasonal Seasonal pruning, pruning, fertilization fertilization and and planting planting of of installation. annuals are are part part of of the the plan. plan. The The redwood redwood is is ageless ageless and and annuals most clients clients contract contract for for aa maintenance maintenance program program where where most all the the wood wood is is cleaned cleaned and and refi refinished nished every every two two years. years. all Superdeck is is the the fifinish nish of of choice choice for for these these discerning discerning homehomeSuperdeck owners. owners. According to to Duckback Duckback Products’ Products’ representative According Yolanda Waters, Waters, “Superdeck “Superdeck is is aa high-quality high-quality oil-based oil-based Yolanda transparent stain stain using using microscopically microscopically ground ground iron iron oxide oxide transparent pigments to to help help reflect reflect the sun’s harmful ultra-violet pigments rays. Metamorphosis Metamorphosis clients clients prefer prefer Superdeck Superdeck Transparent Transparent rays. Redwood (1903) (1903) for for its its ability ability to to keep keep the the redwood redwood looking looking Redwood its natural natural best.” best.” its Crews are thethe latelate spring months doing doing mainCrews areactive activein in spring months tenance, so theso projects are at their appearance during maintenance, the projects are peak at their peak appearthe long Baythe Area summers. ance during long Bay Area summers. Metamorphosis Metamorphosis Landscaping’s long-term outlook is Landscaping’s long-term outlook is additionally illustrated

n Building Building Products Products Digest Digest n n September September 2019 2019 n

additionally illustrated by itswith working relationship with by its working relationship vendors and suppliers. vendors and suppliers. an example, Dolan’s in As an example, Dolan’sAsLumber in Pinole, Ca.,Lumber has been Pinole, Ca., has been supplying quality redwood supplying quality California redwood to California Metamorphosis for to Metamorphosis nearly 30 years. for nearly 30 years. “It started started by supplying a modest project in nearby “It Pittsburg, Ca.,” Ca.,” states Dolan’s store manager Robert Pittsburg, Cinelli. “That “That worked worked out out so so well, well, we we started started sending sending Cinelli. trucks of of redwood, redwood, treated treated and and other other materials materials down trucks the Peninsula, Peninsula, and and we we continue continue to to do do so so to to this this day.” day.” the Established in in 1959, 1959, Dolan’s Dolan’s Lumber Lumber is is celebrating celebrating their their Established 60th year year of of business business in in 2019. 2019. “It’s “It’s amazing amazing to to think think that that 60th for nearly nearly half half of of our our existence existence as as aa company, company, we we have have for been dealing dealing with with such such aa great great customer customer as as Michael Michael Galli Galli of of been Metamorphosis Landscaping.” Landscaping.” Metamorphosis Dolan’s Lumber Lumber Pinole Pinole stocks stocks Humboldt Humboldt Redwood Redwood and and Dolan’s pressure treated treated lumber lumber from from sister sister company company Allweather Allweather pressure Wood. Wood. To learn learn more more about about the the uses uses of of redwood redwood in in landlandTo scaping applications applications and and to to visit visit with with master master landscaper landscaper scaping Michael Galli, Galli, consider consider attending attending the the American American Society Society Michael of Landscape Landscape Architects Architects Conference Conference on on Landscape Landscape of Architecture in in San San Diego, Diego, Ca., Ca., Nov. Nov. 15-18, 15-18, 2019 2019 (www. (www. Architecture asla.org/annualmeetingandexpo.aspx). asla.org/annualmeetingandexpo.aspx). Charlie Jourdain Jourdain is is manager manager of of business business development development for for –– Charlie Mendocino Forest Forest Products/Humboldt Products/Humboldt Redwood, Redwood, Scotia, Scotia, Ca. Ca. Mendocino (www.getredwood.com). (www.getredwood.com).

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COMPETITIVE Intelligence By Carla Waldemar

The installation plan

IDAHO DEALER Will Crockett, with his mother, Leila Crockett, corporate secretary, has excelerated product sales through its installed serivces. “If we sell it, we install it,” he says.

” S for “fine gold.” And that’s how this small town in rural Idaho won its name. When the miners’ gold ran out, in came the loggers. Today it’s turning into a bit of a retirement community, fueled by outdoor activities in the surrounding wilderness, ideal for hunting and fishing plus a “semi-favorable tax environment and reasonable cost of living,” reports Will Crockett, who benefits from both. And a whole lot more. “There’s a shortage of housing out here in the West, so there’s a healthy amount of new-home construction,” says the fourth-generation owner of rofino Builders Supply, founded by his greatgrandfather in 192 . Will age 32 at the time bought the business from his father in 2010. He’d come back to it in 2005,

“O

Building Products Digest

following a five-year stint after college with BMC West, “where I learned a whole lot they were very successful. But it was kind of time for me to come home, as I knew I would, some day,” drawn by family obligations and underscored by pride in continuing the legacy that’s now spanned 90 years. He’d watched his father purchase Grangeville Builders Supply, a similar outfit nearby, in 1990. In 200 Will designed from scratch the company’s third operation, Clearwater Builders Design Center each store 30 to 0 miles apart and serving its own community. No cannibalizing “In North Central Idaho,” explains Will, “the roads are narrow and winding,” so you don’t run to the next dot on the map for a loaf of bread or lumber. “All three stores carry similar inventory very, very well-stocked.

n September 2019

(We buy everything in truckloads.)” And they all practice a strategy Will learned back in his days at BMC. “That company pioneered installed sales for virtually everything framing, roofing, you name it.” And that’s Will’s winning hand, too. “We sell everything from cabinets to floor coverings and decks. ur contractors” business is 60 pro, 0 walk-in “don’t want to install, for instance, insulation. So, if we sell it, we install it. We don’t just offer product, we provide service. (We’re ready to expand our installed sales to gutter equipment next,” he notes. Besides, as he explains, even if his pro customers preferred to manage the installations, who’s to do the work “In today’s good times, framers are critically short plumbers, electricians, too. Especially here in Idaho, where the business is seasonal and 5 of the work is done in the four, five months of summer, to keep a continuous construction crew would be challenging. So we, too, have to be creative be willing to tweak schedules. Part-time help, historically, has not been advantageous, but these days, many people are choosing to work part-time, so you have to shift your mindset.” Will could use more workers, but he chooses to hold the line “ ifty is the magic number, when it comes to (mandated) health insurance. (We do provide some.) When I hire,” he explains, “I want someone eager, someone who wants to advance. But today, there’s so much competition for skilled labor. They’re all heading to the next modern-day Gold Rush Alaska, South Dakota. “So, you’ve got to make the sale explain how, if you worked here, you Building-Products.com

could be done at 5, 6 o’clock, for dinner with the family. You need to find the right individual who values those traditions. We’re proud of what we have to o er and we pay pretty well. I’m proud of that, too. “It’s not easy to provide a good wage when margins are low, and getting lower, on lumber. So we have to diversify ourselves add products that increase margins. That’s a big reason we need skilled salespeople, who do more than stop at 2 x s suggest a cabinet package, a siding package.” That kind of mindset isn’t a given. “In sta training, there’s a learning curve, even if they come to us qualified. It takes six months to two years to get an understanding of our products, our computer system, our customers, our culture, and our community. Six months is just a crash course. “My personal job is training, but not in formal courses. We harness the resources of our buying group and our suppliers (who have a vested interest in helping sell their product). I work with our young employees myself I’m always around, never on vacation. I’m plugged in 2 / , and my phone never stops ringing. “My style is, I don’t micro-manage. I have strong managers who treat their stores as if they’re their own. My weakness,” he confesses, “is managing. I’d rather pull an order, jump on the forklift or mix the paint To me, that’s more satisfying than endless meetings. But other owners have cornered me with Why on earth You have bigger fish to fry.’” Customers have no complaints. “They understand our focus on community orientation that we’re not just a business we live here, shop here, recreate here. We are a small-town retailer, here for our community. We o er competitive prices (and we are aware of what our competitors are doing.) We deliver to your doorstep. We are responsible in adding products people ask for. We bend over backwards.” Still, there’s competition out there, including strong indies in Will’s market. “It keeps me up at night. Also, boxes one 0 miles away, just close enough to keep us on our toes. Plus,” he shudders as you all do, too “Amazon.” Still again, “ ur objective is to be the Number ne player in our market.” To retain the loyalty of his pros, Will o ers Lunch Learn sessions, breakfast meetings, and the occasional mill tour opportunity, “which they love They get to see a product made. They love that ” or the retail trade, he o ers Saturday classes in various crafts. (“They want entertainment,” he’s learned). A Ladies Night in all three stores has proved “wildly successful The headcount was o the charts.” A Design Center is another strong draw (and offers better margins than the 2x s). “If you’re selling only commodities, it’s a tough gig. There are only 20, 30 housing starts (per year) here, and lumber is only 20 of the total product so it’s best to diversify floor coverings, cabinets, appliances, lights, heating. And it sets us apart from the competition. When we added the Center, it put us on the cutting edge.” When Will built the new store in rofino, the former building became its Design Center. “We quadrupled the square feet of the store and doubled the square feet of the Design Center,” he reports. Homeowners love it Sure they do. But its major users (and fans) are rofino’s pros. “We provide materials for the whole package. We manage that for them, which frees Building-Products.com

them to build more houses. And here, there’s a lot of demand for new construction, so builders can do more projects and turn the rest over to suppliers like us. We subcontract it or do it in-house flooring, cabinets, millwork, siding. And especially pre-finishing. Contractors are starting to realize that pre-finishing is complicated. “In terms of callbacks” the eternal nightmare of every builder “we reduce the number for them. We say, We’ll take care of all that for you’ and for a charge, of course,” Will makes clear. It’s also clear Will love-love-loves the business. He’s hoping his kids a son, 12, and daughter, 8 may, too. “They’re the pride and joy of my life,” he exclaims. “Already my son assembles wheelbarrows, stocks the shelves and sweeps the floor. But they can choose their own path. My parents allowed me to do that, with no guilt trip. “People think that owning your own business is an easy way to make money, but once you sit in the owner’s chair, it’s what you do. The business depends on me being here, never stay away. But the pride is unbelievable I want to continue to offer opportunities to my kids and employees. It’s a great living ” he jubilates. Carla Waldemar cwaldemar comcast.net

September 2019

Building Products Digest

OLSEN on Sales By James Olsen

Calling markets, making markets T

the lumber market moves is one of the things that makes working in the lumber industry interesting and exciting. I worked on a trading floor that owned hundreds of cars and trucks of lumber daily. We were always on one side of the market or the other and sometimes both at the same time.

To our suppliers (1) What and how much are you cutting right now (2) How long will you be on that run (3) How is your take-away Customers and suppliers will both obfuscate on these questions, so be ready to ask them more than once or in a di erent way.

Lumber Futures

Reading Cash Markets

Cash and futures work separately, but both a ect each other. ur vice president, who had been a futures trader for 20 years before joining our “cash trading” floor, hedged our cash positions on the lumber futures market. Using lumber futures as a hedge is a great idea. Playing the lumber futures is just like betting on red or black in roulette. It’s gambling ur P did it for 20 years. He said he had a good run, but it was gambling, and, in the end, they ran out of money. A fellow trader’s father had lost their family’s business playing the futures. I saw one trader buy a Corvette, cash, one week, sell it back the next, and pull money out of his 01/k to pay o his losses in the futures market. (Soon after, trading futures was banned on the floor. This same trader started betting on football games ) I knew a guy who traded “in the Pit” in Chicago and he said people lose millions every year and the only people who make money playing futures are the traders in the pit, because they have more info and a half-second advantage. or 1 years I made a living as a commodity cash lumber broker. I worked with some of the brightest minds in the world. Below are some guidelines for making and calling cash markets.

Do the Math — Full Disclosure

Most sellers are just not asking enough questions to get enough good information to make any kind of reasonable guess on where the market is going. If we are working hard enough, contacting a lot of people, and asking good questions, we will have a much clearer picture of where the market is going and be able to make better decisions. We ask the following questions To our customers (1) How much do you have on order (2) How much on the ground (3) f that, how much is already sold or spoken for ( ) How low can you let it go before you have to buy

Building Products Digest

n September 2019

Here are four things to watch for to help gauge markets. Time. How long has the market been falling/rising The longer a market runs the higher chance of it stopping. The cash market moves generally on a 30- to 5-day cycle. Customers have to pay their bills every 30 days, so they will turn their inventory about the same. Money. How much has the market fallen or risen The bigger the number, the more likely the market is poised to move in the other direction. History. Where is this item in relation to the last 90 days, six months, year and five-year history Is this item getting close to historical highs or lows The closer any given item gets to historical regions the more likely it is to move in the other direction. Spreads. Great market callers watch the spread between items, lengths, grades, crossover products, and species. Example Let’s say the spread between 2 Btr. and Utility is historically 100/MB . The market has been coming o for four weeks. But 2 Btr. has dropped more dramatically than utility, and now the spread is only 65/ MB . It would make sense to take a look at going long on Btr., because when the market moves, the historical spreads will be reestablished. Remember every rule the market makes, it breaks. So when in the market, just like in the ring, protect yourself at all times. ust being a good market caller won’t make you successful in the lumber industry. It helps, but sales skills save us James Olsen Reality Sales Training (503) 5 -35 2 james realitysalestraining.com Building-Products.com

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THE REVENUE Growth Habit By Alex Goldfayn

Create memorable experiences for customers and prospects

10-year-old twins, and they do everything together. So we have an annual late-summer tradition where I travel, one-on-one, with each child. These trips have become fabulous experiences and memories, and “the other twin” does some special activities with my wife at home while we’re gone. I’m just back from such a trip with my son. We went to Philadelphia, where we saw the Cubs lose a heartbreaker to the Phillies and took in the amazing U.S. history there. You can literally feel the birth of America there. (Soon I go to Amelia Island with my daughter, who wants to hunt for big shells and shark teeth on the beach.) These are singular, unforgettable experiences for us. Similarly, we should be creating singular, unforgettable experiences for our customers and prospects. We need to talk to people in a way that’s in their best interest, without fear of losing the sale. We need to talk to prospects in a way that’s helpful to them, in a way that nobody else talks to them. Challenge preconceived notions. Push back where necessary, if it will be helpful to the prospect. Let me give you an example. After spending four hours in a sales meeting with a prospect recently, I gave them some feedback before leaving. I observed their conversation with each other, and told them there is a complexity to their interaction, and that they need to simplify things as a leadership team. ne of the things they needed to simplify was their consideration of whether to work with me. It’s not hard. Do you want to grow, and if so when do

Building Products Digest

n September 2019

you want to start adding 10-20 to your top line There is the decision. I’m guessing nobody has ever told them this before. They became a client, and have repeatedly told me that this interaction was memorable and immediately helpful to them. Be memorable and even singular. When we call a customer or prospect on the phone, for example, we are quite possibly the only ones doing so today. We think everybody is calling, but they are not. Most people have a fear of bothering and annoying the customer (sound familiar ). So nearly everyone avoids the phone and emails instead. When we call, with value, we are memorable. “Tom, I was just thinking about you. How are you How’s your family What are you working on these days that I can help you with ” How many calls like this do you think your customers get That’s right probably none. When we follow up on quotes and proposals, we are memorable. Because almost nobody does this either. The irony (or tragedy) here is that customers want us to follow up. They appreciate it. It makes their lives easier. But most people avoid quote and proposal follow-ups for the same reason that we avoid making proactive phone calls we don’t want to bother the customer. But when you call and say, “Tom, I was thinking about you, where are you on that quote...” you are not bothering the customer. You are helping them. And they value it. They value you. You probably noticed that both techniques above contain the phrase “I was just thinking about you.” That’s because those words alone make us singular. Who says that And also, it is impossible to get mad at you when you tell somebody you are thinking about them. When we are present we are memorable. When we demonstrate to our customers and prospects that we care, they appreciate us. Because most people don’t do this. And in return, they will thank us with their money. Alex Goldfayn Revenue Growth Consultancy alex evangelistmktg.com (8 ) 59-6322 Building-Products.com

TRANSFORMING Teams By Claudia St. John

Hiring a salesperson? Avoid these 5 mistakes , ’ to hire a sales representative That’s great news Unfortunately, with this incredibly tight labor market, finding qualified talent, particularly in sales, is a significant challenge. That’s great news if you’re in sales you have many more options available to you than in the past. That’s not so great news if you are the hiring manager because hiring salespeople can be tricky and challenging. If you are planning on hiring a sales executive, here are five mistakes to avoid

(1) Start Fresh. Don’t Reuse & Recycle. All too often, employers reuse an old job post, stick it on Indeed.com or LinkedIn and wait for the resumes to come in. It’s not going to work. In this labor market, talent has their choice of job options. They’ll know if your o er is old and tired. Instead, try to think strategically about what you truly need today and tomorrow. Now is the time to assess what you will need in the future because the right hire can take you there and the wrong hire likely can’t. Most importantly, make sure your posting communicates that strategic vision. The goal of the

Q. I’ve heard about “Ban the Box” legislation and we’ve removed all questions about criminal history from our employment application. Are we still allowed to ask about criminal history and run criminal background checks? If so, when?

A. I can’t speak to your specific “Ban the Box” laws/ regulations because they are all somewhat different, but usually they only require that you remove the question box from the application. If you are going to perform a criminal background check later in the process, you may want to let applicants know that on your application so they know they will be subject to one. We recommend that employers run background checks either at the end of their hiring process or after a contingent offer of employment has been extended—meaning that you’re offering them employment contingent on a clean background check. And remember, if you decide not to hire someone because of what appears in their background check, you may be legally obligated to provide the background report to them.

Building Products Digest

n September 2019

posting is to get your potential talent excited about your opportunity. Make it shine When developing your job posting, make sure it Captures the true interpersonal qualities you are looking for. Is creative and catchy remember, you’re not alone in your recruiting e ort so make sure your post stands out uantifies the responsibilities and requirements of the job. Don’t make candidates guess what you’re looking for. Be explicit. (2) Stop Recruiting. Start Marketing. Certainly, you will need to post your position online. But if that’s all you do, you’ll be lucky to find what you’re looking for. With the unemployment rate at historic lows, most of the talent you’re interested in are currently employed. That means you need to find them and convince them that your opportunity is worth checking out. You have to headhunt. Start mining your connections both personal and professional. Get your employees and clients and friends in on your search. Structure your headhunting activities. Have your marketing pitch ready for those who express interest in your position. If you’re looking to hire sales professionals, you need to be able to sell them on your opportunity. Cast a wide net. When it comes to recruiting, you must be willing to put a little elbow grease into your search. And market yourself (3) Don’t “go with your gut.” Your gastrointestinal tract is not your best tool for making a hiring decision, particularly when hiring a salesperson who is skilled at Building-Products.com

persuasion. We recommend making a hiring decision based on the “ ne-Third Rule” one-third on experience, onethird on the interview, and one-third on behavioral testing. ur recruiters are true believers in behavioral testing. The results will give you insight into their behaviors, motivators, and values and much more data with which to evaluate your candidates. How a candidate performs in a personal interview really is only an indication of one thing how they are at interviewing. Remember, they are salespeople they are trying to sell you, too Don’t be sold, be smart. (4) Be ready for sticker shock. It’s a talent-friendly market. What our recruiters are finding is that if a candidate is actively searching, they typically have multiple o ers on the table. If you are actively in the recruiting market, you have to be ready and able to take decisive action on hiring. And be ready for sticker shock. ualified talent in the market today are expecting 15 to 20 more than they did in recent years. Here’s a sample of what we’ve seen in our recent recruiting e orts Mid-level HR - 80k Experienced Sales - 130k base plus commission Entry-level Sales - 60k base plus commission Mid-level CSR - 60k The reason these candidates are asking so much Because they can get it, if not with you, then with your competitor. And if you want to know how much you’ll need to pay for qualified talent, just conduct a recruiting e ort your candidates will tell you how much they want and that’s the best indication of what the going market rate is for your job. (5) Stop Looking for Unicorns. As recruiters, we never want our clients to settle for inadequate talent. But sometimes, their bullseye for “perfect” talent is impossible to fill. Looking for someone with years of experience, willing to take 35k, and living within 30 miles of your remote location Chances are, after months of searching, if we can’t find that person, they don’t exist. These are the types of di cult conversations we often have to have with our clients Your pay is too low for the experience you’re looking for. If you can’t a ord experienced talent, you may need to consider less experience. If there are only a handful of people within 100 miles of your company and none of them are interested in your position, you may need to consider remote workers. No one likes to have these conversations, but after screening hundreds of potential candidates and not finding the unicorn, it’s unlikely that hundreds of unicorns will miraculously appear. Revisit your efforts to date. Have you made one of the mistakes listed above If so, now’s a perfect time to correct, redirect and start again And remember, stop looking for unicorns if a solid workhorse or stallion will do Claudia St. John, SPHR, SHRM-SCP President A nity HR Group contact a nityhrgroup.com

Building-Products.com

September 2019

Building Products Digest

LUMBER 411 By Jeff Easterling

A Special Series from Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association

The 411 on red pine . Red pine. Norway pine. Northern pine. Eastern red pine. Pin rouge. Whatever you call it, red pine played and continues to play a huge part in the growth of the Midwest Great Lakes area. Native to North America, red pine is a softwood coniferous evergreen with long, dark greenish-yellow needles and thick bark that features sneak peeks of red. It grows well in well-drained, dry, rocky slopes and, while it’s intolerant of shade, it tolerates the wind and cold very well thanks to its wide spreading root system. Its tall, straight growth can lead to frequent self-pruning, resulting in long, branchless stretches below a domed canopy. Planted heavily by DR’s Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s as part of the e ort to reforest abandoned agricultural land, red pine is prevalent throughout Minnesota (where it was named the o cial State Tree), Wisconsin and Michigan. Its footprint o cially stretches from the Great Lakes region and Manitoba then back east in a swath toward Maine. Many high elevation areas in between might feature red pine as well, with known plantation plantings throughout several of the New England states. However, it’s the Great Lakes region where red pine is king of the softwood lumber species This moderately fast growing, straight, nice-looking tree may be easily cultivated in nurseries and is frequently raised on pine plantations. A favorite of landowners, the red pine requires very little care once established.

pine lumber products are stud grade and 2 dimension, with additional uses to include poles, fence posts, logs for cabins, railway ties, pulp for paper production, and firewood. Red pine bark is similar to western species used in landscaping and is becoming more popular as a bark mulch. You might even see a beautiful red pine tree decorated with lights and ornaments in December Pressure treating expands the lumber’s end use into various ground-contact applications. A few little-known uses of red pine The bark was once used in the leather tanning process, and rows of trees for wind breaks are often planted to keep cows warm and allow crops to grow unfettered by the rougher side of Mother Nature.

Red Pine Lumber By the Numbers

Under the umbrella of NELMA, there are seven red pine lumber producing mills which, combined, account for 90 of the red pine production nationwide. In 2018 (most recent figures), NELMA mills produced 02 million bd. ft. of red pine lumber from mills located in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The Market for Red Pine

As is the case with the majority of U.S.-grown wood species, the primary market is the same as the wood’s growth footprint. With a continued emphasis on locally grown products throughout the LBM industry, regionally popular wood species should continue their popularity. Red pine is frequently credited with having built the major metropolitan areas throughout the Midwest we’re looking at you, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Milwaukee, Chicago and Detroit and extends its reach into peripheral areas such as Iowa and North and South Dakota.

Sustainability

Red Pine: How It’s Used

Red pine lumber, classified as part of the SP s group for strength property purposes, is a valuable timber, pulp wood, and landscaping crop. The top two dominant red

Building Products Digest

n September 2019

As building products across the board are under intense scrutiny to reveal and share their environmental impact and “greenness,” it’s important to take an accurate look at the lumber industry. According to many sources, the U.S. forest products industry plants, on average, 2.5-3 trees for each one harvested annually. Reforestation e orts vary from region to region, with some areas coming in with a much higher ratio. ur forests including those of red pine are growing, expanding and healthy, which is good news to all of us who live among them.

– Jeff Easterling is president of Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association. Reach him at info@nelma.org.

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Curtis Adds 2 NY Locations

Weeks after beginning a liquidation sale, Bellevue Builders Supply agreed to sell its yards in Richmondville and Sidney, N.Y., to Curtis Lumber, Ballston Spa, N.Y. Curtis is currently remodeling and restocking the locations, with hopes to reopen by the first of the year. The deal will bring the chain’s store count to 23.

Universal Changes Name

Universal orest Products, Inc., Grand Rapids, Mi., is launching a new organizational structure designed to position the company for accelerated sales and profit growth, starting with a name change. As of an. 1, 2020, the company will be known as U P Industries, Inc. It will be organized into three segments based on the markets they serve rather than geography. This will allow for a more specialized and consistent sales approach among all Universal companies, more efficient use of resources and capital, and quicker introduction of new products and services. Allen Peters will become president and C of U P Retail, Patrick Benton president of U P Construction, and Scott Worthington president of U P Industrial. During a transition period, Pat Webster will remain C of U PI and take on C responsibility for U P Construction and U P Industrial. onathan West will become executive P of actory Built Housing in the construction segment. Chad Eastin will become executive P of ProWood.

“The markets are changing quickly, and we need to not only adapt to changes, but to anticipate future changes,” said CE Matthew . Missad. “As the complexity in our product o ering increases, our teams need to be able to focus on products and services that bring more value to our customers.” He added that while the name Universal orest Products is a source of pride for employees, it no longer describes what the company does. U P Industries will continue to trade under the ticker symbol U PI.

Alexander Starts Window Line

Alexander Lumber Co. has launched its own line of vinyl windows, the Alexander Lumber Window. Noted president and CE Russ athrein, “Alexander Lumber is a company known for quality products, and it’s a privilege now to be able to deliver our own line of quality windows a first for our company and, frankly, rare for a dealer in the building materials industry.” The high-value line combines a ordability with quality and style, for new construction and replacements. Several colors are available, with options for solid vinyl colors or optional color coatings and woodgrain interiors. Windows come standard with a lifetime warranty, lifetime accidental glass breakage warranty, high-e ciency glass with low-E and Neat glass coating, foam-filled frame, night latches/sash vents, full flex screen, and .2 U factor. This windows are now available at all 12 Alexander Lumber locations in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

DEALER Briefs McCoy’s Building Supply

opened a new location Sept. 2 in Bay City, Tx. (Tyler Montgomery, mgr.).

Hancock Lumber broke ground in Saco, Me., for a new 30,000-sq. ft. lumberyard with hardware store and 3,000-sq. ft. kitchen design showroom. Hancock hopes to open next summer. Allen & Allen Co ., San Antonio, Tx., has been acquired by TRTF Community House , a subsidiary of Texas Research & Technology Foundation. Fusek’s True Value Hardware, Indianapolis, In., is considering

moving to a larger site with room to add a garden center.

Mount Vernon Hardware Co., Mount Vernon, Oh., permanently closed on Aug. 29.

Rexroad Supply , Alderson, W.V., has been opened by Clint Lunceford in a former True Value storefront. The new business is aligned with Do it Best. Modern Builders Supply , Toledo, Oh., has leased a new 125,000-sq. ft. facility, more than doubling its local warehouse space. Glen’s True Value Hardware, Lincoln, Ne., has closed. Pinckney True Value Hardware, Pinckney, Mi., is switching co-ops and taking on the name

Byrum Ace Hardware, which purchased the store a few years ago.

Jackson’s Hardware & Marine, Kittery, Me., closed Aug. 23

after 110 years in business.

J.B. Sandoz , Opelousas, La., is permanently closing. The hardware store opened in 1878. Habitat for Humanity

opened new ReStore outlets Aug. 24 in Asheville, N.C., and Aug. 17 in Oklahoma City, Ok.; is closing this month in Austin, Tx.; and is relocating to larger quarters in Lewisville, N.C., and Traverse City, Mi. GLOWING REVIEWS: OSHA’s Terry Penn delivered the news that, after an intense three-day inspection, MI Windows & Doors’ Hegins, Pa., facility would be recommended for the Voluntary Protection Program Star. Hegins becomes the fourth MI campus to earn the employee safety award, following locations in Gratz, Pa.; Prescott Valley, Az.; and Millersburg, Pa.

Building Products Digest

n September 2019

84 Lumber was named to the 2019 Inc. 5000 list for the first time in the company’s history. Building-Products.com

SUPPLIER Briefs Canfor Southern Pine has enlisted USNR to install a new dry mill for its Fulton, Al., operation. Shuqualak Lumber, Shuqualak, Ms., is taking about three weeks of downtime to install a new sorter and profiler, anticipating restarting the mill by Sept. 3. Cameron Ashley Building Products has added

a new distribution center in Lebanon, Pa.

NEW HEADQUARTERS in Casco, Me., was designed to be “a beautiful space, truly reflective of who Hancock Lumber is.”

Hancock Dedicates New Home Office

Hancock Lumber has grown and evolved throughout Maine and New Hampshire over the past 1 1 years, but has always remained committed to its roots in Casco, Me. Hancock’s leadership team, employees, board of directors, family, building partners, and friends recently celebrated the completion of their new home office directly across from their eastern white pine sawmill, next to their lumberyard, and surrounded by their timberlands. Prior to the move, the company had only ever known one office, 3.5 miles away, which at one point also represented the entire company. The move completes a circle generations in the making, as the headquarters sta rejoins the manufacturing, retailing and logistics side. An open house is planned for the fall.

Locals Take Over Ex-84 Lumberyard

A local contractor has purchased 8 Lumber’s recently closed lumberyard in Williamson, W. ., and will reopen it this fall as Local Lumber Supply, LLC. ody Gooslin, backed by partners Murphy Poindexter and Dr. Donovan Beckett, said the new business will o er not only lumber, but also a full slate of home improvement products, including hardware, paint, kitchens, flooring, electrical, plumbing, heating, auto supplies, and lawn garden, to both pros and d-i-yers. Earlier this year, the trio purchased the historic Mountaineer Hotel in downtown Williamson, also with the intent of keeping jobs in town.

Chain Resurrects Connecticut Yard

Interstate Lakeland Lumber has acquired Torno Lumber, Westport, Ct., which closed in April after nearly 5 years. The yard will reopen early this month as Interstate Lakeland’s fifth location. The old hardware store is being converted into a modern architectural design showroom.

Conifex Idling Arkansas Sawmill

ver the next six months, Conifex Timber, ancouver, B.C., intends to indefinitely idle its El Dorado, Ar., sawmill. The facility had been closed for nearly a decade when in 2015 Conifex bought it from Georgia-Pacific for 21 million and then spent another 80 million on improvements so it could reopen in 201 . Plans to complete the second phase of the modernization later this year have now been postponed indefinitely due to low lumber prices.

Building Products Digest

n September 2019

Parksite is now distributing WindsorONE trim at six locations (Bolingbrook, Il.; Louisville, Oh.; Syracuse, N.Y.; South Windsor, Ct.; North Brunswick, N.J.; and Baltimore, Md.), with plans to expand to all nine branches in the near future. BlueLinx has expanded its distribution of Allura fiber cement products to its DCs in Frederick, Md., and Jacksonville, Lakeland, Miami, Pensacola and Tampa, Fl. Hood Distribution is now carrying Chelsea Building Products’ Everlast composite siding at 12 total

branches, after adding the line at Louisville, Ky.; LaVerge, Tn.; Hattiesburg, Ms.; Birmingham, Al.; and Jacksonville and Orlando, Fl.

Wurth Wood Group’s six branches in Alabama and Tennessee are now distributing Vista Railing Systems’ exterior railings. BlueLinx will distribute the full MoistureShield composite decking line from its Atlanta, Ga., and Chicago, Il., distribution centers. Forest City Trading Group division Southern Mississippi Trading, Waynesboro, Ms., is now handling sales of southern yellow pine timbers for Green Tree Lumber, Liberty, Ms. Engineered Systems, Columbus, Oh., is now exclusive sales agent in Ohio for Knight Wall Systems’ rainscreen attachment systems. Simpson Door, McCleary, Wa., has started up a new 30,000-sq. ft. distribution center in Ensley, Al., to serve the South and East Coast. Pella Windows & Doors held a grand opening Aug. 23 at its new showroom in Brookfield, Wi. Former Green Bay Packers LeRoy Butler and Gary Ellerson were on hand. RoyOMartin, Alexandria, La., announced that its land and timber department, which oversees nearly 550,000 acres of forestland, has completed 12 years without an OSHArecordable injury, effective Aug. 2. Keys to their success include reporting near-misses, performing quality safety audits, and making daily contacts, in cooperation with a health, safety and environmental team. Deckorators has approved CAMO’s EdgeClip and EdgeXClip fasteners for use with its grooved deck boards. Building-Products.com

THINKING Ahead By Chelsea Brown, Patrick Lumber Co.

Going for it

A career in lumber ’ , they say. I’ve had a taste of that life, and it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. At the start of my college years, I aspired to a career in fashion it doesn’t get more glamorous than that, right I thought so, too, until I entered a fashion merchandising degree program and found myself surrounded by superficiality. I’m a “people person,” so I knew it wasn’t going to work. The exact opposite type of energy embodies the lumber industry, by the way. Not only is it a place where you can be your authentic self both personally and professionally which is good, since your customers and suppliers very likely will be your friends but, importantly, it’s also a place where you have a real shot at achieving your goals.

Started at the Bottom, Now I’m Here

My father cashed in a favor to land me a part-time receptionist job at Patrick Lumber Co. more than a decade ago, to earn extra money while enrolled at Washington State University. I expected to stay no longer than six months. However, the escalating recession and a growing pile of student loan debt persuaded me to put school on the back burner and increase my responsibilities at

Building Products Digest

Patrick Lumber. I worked full time as a trader assistant for about eight years, before applying for a lumber trader position and finishing my marketing degree in 201 . Prior to that, though, I questioned whether I wanted to stay in the industry and was tempted multiple times to see what else might be out there for me. The pivotal decision to dig in for the long haul came when my personal life crumbled in 201 , punctuated by a divorce and the sale of my home. These events created a crucible of sorts for me, and I began to look at the future through

n September 2019

a di erent lens as I set my sights on a happier 2018. I also recognized the level of support I had received at Patrick Lumber and felt a strong pull not to let my work family down. I took the trader role and was rewarded with what has been the best year of my life Instead of worrying if the grass was greener on the other side, I realized that there was a huge opportunity on the table right in front of me and that I’d be a fool to leave it there. I understood what kind of doors could open if I was just willing to go for it. The result is that my career goals and my personal goals

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A Special Series from North American Wholesale Lumber Association

are aligned with one another, and being in a sales position allows me that flexibility. I changed my attitude about the opportunity, and it changed my direction. My experience matters because it speaks volumes about the kind of people who make this industry special and how anyone can find happiness and success with a career in lumber even if they weren’t looking for it there. Especially now. Patrick Lumber gave me a vehicle (lumber) to connect to people, be a part of solving problems, and find creative ways to adapt. My career in lumber has not only given me a living, but it’s given me life.

Get In Where You Fit In

The lumber industry offers vast opportunities but unlocking and claiming them means digging past the labels that cloak the sector’s true value. In addition to being dismissed as not sexy, it is viewed as oldfashioned. It’s true that this has been a highly traditional industry and I, for one, appreciate the people before us who worked to create the supply, build the relationships, and bring the industry to where it is. Its foundation rests on values like trust and loyalty, but other hallmarks of the

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

business such as gender disparity scream stagnation. What outsiders may not realize, though, is that lumber is ready and ripe and, in fact, already on the brink of evolution. I’m a perfect example of how the transition is starting to play out. When Patrick Lumber hired me on in 200 , it and many other companies were set up with male traders on the sales floor and a sta of female assistants to provide support. That is not to say that my firm didn’t support women doing sales it was just the status quo. Not anymore. I’m one of two female traders at Patrick Lumber, and I think this is just the beginning.

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I don’t want to ignore the elephant in the room, because there are very real challenges to being a woman in some aspects of this industry. We aren’t always taken seriously in fact, it’s not uncommon to be mistaken as a receptionist. But if what you want is a role that has traditionally been male-dominated or if what you want is a leadership position, overall the industry will back that play. irst, though, you have to AS for it. There’s a book called Women Don’t Ask, which cites research on how long people wait to ask for something they want. The study found that men ask when they’re about 60 ready, while women put it o until they are 100 ready. Postponing the ask, however, postpones the payo . So, AS . Say what you want and need, and then go for it. Not only should women go for it, so should younger workers and people of di erent races and backgrounds. NAWLA is helping with that, for example, with it’s new Young Emerging Lumber Professionals (YELP) group, designed to address industry issues for the next generation. The conclusion is the industry needs as many perspectives as possible. Diversification can only improve innovation, which can only bolster the bottom line. It’s the perfect time, too, if you consider the rate at which the lumber industry is losing Baby Boomers to retirement. That applies to anyone looking to launch or propel their career. The trend is opening up all kinds of opportunities at all levels, from marketing and admin to IT. It also potentially creates a faster track to leadership for those interested in that pathway.

The Moral of the Story

What started for me as a flash in the pan to make some side cash turned into 12 years of growth, opportunity and change. Lumber o ers the same kinds of opportunities as other industries, with the added bonus of really great people and a culture predicated on values such as family, trust and loyalty. If you align with any of those attributes, then you’re doing yourself a disservice by passing the industry over. – C h e l s e a B ro w n i s a trader at Patrick Lumber Co., Portland, Or., and a member of the NAWLA Education Committee.

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MOVERS & Shakers David Adams, ex-Snavely orest Products, has been appointed general mgr. of Huttig Building Products, Columbus, h. Joe Moﬃtt, ex-Lowe’s, has been named P of culture business operations for City Lumber Co., Huntsville, Al. Matt Willauer has been promoted to P of process innovation. Rick Wheeler, ex-Rossi Group, is now general mgr. and managing owner of Mission Lumber Sales, Wilmington, N.C. Dave Smithey has been named P-operations for ortress Building Products, Garland, Tx. Luis Vazquez is now director of sales for International orest Products, oxboro, Ma. Joe Baladez, ex-Guadalupe Lumber, has joined the lumber sales team at MG Lumber Co., San Antonio, Tx.

HOOD LUMBER

Chris Brown, ex-Escue Wood Preserving, has joined Culpeper Wood Preservers, Culpeper, a., as senior sales executive. Dave VanSickle, ex-Edmund Allen Lumber, is new to Louisiana-Pacific Corp., as channel sales mgr. for Michigan, based in Middleville, Mi. Garry Sorrell is chief operating officer for start-up Angelina orest Products, Lufkin, Tx. Stephen Raley is P of sales marketing, and Wiley Quarles, production mgr. Ben Roberts, ex-TimberTown/ verseas Hardwood Co., is now U.S. marketing director for ebony, St. Clair, Mi. Stan Nelson has been named store mgr. of McCoy’s Building Supply, Laurel, Ms. ther new mgrs. are Colton Meiman, Pasadena, Tx. Holton Walker, Beeville, Tx. Will Fritzlan, Alvin, Tx. and Robert Aranda, South Central San Antonio, Tx. Stephen T. Strohmeier, ex-Home Depot, has joined BlueLinx, Atlanta, Ga., as P of structural products. Jeﬀ Laszlo is new as human resources director. Donny DeMarie, recently named president and CE of Cameron Ashley Building Products, Greer, S.C., has left the board of i- oil Co., Auburndale, l., after five years as a director. Sally Christman has been hired by Superior Plastic Products, New Holland, Pa., as customer service mgr. Chris Bennett, ex-Northwest Hardwoods, has joined Winston Plywood eneer, Louisville, Ms., as C . Gary Brewer, ex-Interfor, has been appointed P and C for Beasley Group, Hazelhurst, Ga.

Silver Creek, MS

Metcalf, GA Waynesboro, MS Bogalusa, LA

Eerik Hale has been promoted to territory sales business development mgr. with Do it Best Corp., ort Wayne, In. ther promotions Jarek Hoppe, LBM sales assistant Amy McCaw, assistant credit mgr. Derek Opliger, associate merchandise mgr. for global sourcing and Vince Riddle, systems engineer. New are Michelle Baker, order entry clerk Joe Jones, application support specialist and Pete Partin, application support analyst. Mitchell B. Lewis has been appointed to the board of directors at GMS Inc., Tucker, Ga. Thomas Mende, ex- lausner Trading USA, has been named president and CE of Binderholz Timber Inc.

Hood Industries operates four quality Southern Pine sawmills in Mississippi, Louisiana & Georgia, specializing in superior SYP Lumber, providing a full product mix of 2x4 thru 2x12, small timbers, & lengths up to 24’. “We go to great lengths to ensure your satisfaction” Phone 601-264-2559 Fax 601-296-4740

www.hoodindustries.com

Building Products Digest

n September 2019

Kabira Cher Ferrell has been appointed P-marketing communications for the Softwood Lumber Board, leading the Think Wood program. Lori Koch, education mgr., American Wood Council, Leesburg, a., has been elected to the board of the Structural Engineer’s Association of irginia. Brad Southern, CE , LP Building Solutions, was named 2019 North American CE of the Year by astmarkets RISI. The award will be presented ct. 29 at RISI’s North American Conference in Boston, Ma. Don Magruder, CE , RoMac Building Supply, Leesburg, l., was inducted into the lorida Building Material Association Hall of ame during BMA’s recent show. Earl Lee Riser has been assigned to the graveyard shift at Mungus ungus orest Products, Climax, Nv., according to owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus. Building-Products.com

NELMA Insider By Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association

Do you believe... in the

Elusive Lumber Customer? W find your lumber customers Are they repeats, folks you’ve known for years who return to you time and again for the high-level service and knowledge they’ve come to expect Perhaps they’re referrals, sent your direction by peers or vendor contacts The most important question when approached by a customer, are you prepared with the up-to-date, comprehensive wood knowledge necessary to close the sale and earn a long-time customer The Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association is here to help, with an extensive, in-depth library both online and in print designed to help answer wood questions and keep retailers at the top of their information game. “As the wood association representing lumber manufacturers from New England across to the Great Lakes a solid

Building Products Digest n

September 2019

25 of the U.S. it’s a big part of our mission to provide information and tools to assist in the selling of numerous lumber products,” said e Easterling, president of NELMA. “With multiple available formats for each educational piece, there’s something to meet every wood retailer’s need.” The NELMA online library is chock-full of educational pieces designed to address all angles of selling wood in today’s market. Brochure topics covered include standard grading rules, design values, span tables, species-specific resources, how to interpret a grade stamp, and forest/wood products sustainability information. Many of the brochures are available as downloads, or a print version may be ordered online. Looking for something a little fun Pick up a handful of the car air fresheners for you and your customers and pretend you’re in an eastern white pine forest

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ver on YouTube, the NELMAtv channel o ers upwards of 50 videos focusing on how to use Northeastern and Great Lakes softwoods. Also available timely media interviews, trade show highlights, and time-lapse clips of what happens inside the mills of NELMA members. And brand-new is NELMA Retailers.com, a website devoted to gathering all the information retailers need to sell wood in one location. “The bottom-line goal of this informational library of resources is to provide the right information at the right time to

assist retailers with both education and moving the sales process forward,” said Easterling. “Helping retailers sell more Northeastern and Great Lakes softwood lumber products, that’s the end goal.” “We encourage retailers selling Northeastern and Great Lakes softwood products to reach out to NELMA and let us know how we can help,” he added. “The lumber customer is out there, lurking in the trees. With the NELMA resources at end, we look forward to helping you capture them ”

NELMA’s Top 5 Wood Sales Tools

Grade Swatch “The single most popular item we offer!”

says Easterling. This easy-to-carry/easy-to-read (think painter’s swatch, but for lumber grades) is the perfect size for keeping in a briefcase, desk drawer, or car console. Photos showcase every eastern pine grade, down to each knot and swirl.

Pattern Book Showcasing the official 23 standard patterns of eastern white pine, this brochure features a single page devoted to each pattern, including a final “look” for the pattern pieces. Bonus content? End-use photography pages to really bring the look and feel of the wood home. How-to Videos on the NELMAtv YouTube Channel A se-

ries of how-to videos focus on the many uses of Northeastern and Great Lakes softwoods. Each video features a well-known

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industry expert sharing their usage tips and advice. Got a customer interested in installing wainscot, building a barrel ceiling, or adding exterior siding? We have a video for that!

Virtual Tours Virtual tours are the perfect way to showcase what wood can do, whether you’re dealing with a residential or commercial customer. Each Virtual Tour features 360-degree camera angles allowing for a complete look at each room. Tags identify various grades and uses of eastern white pine to offer the complete picture. Grader Academy What better way to learn the grades of lumber than by visiting the NELMA Grader Academy? Featuring three series of short classes and quizzes, you’ll be identifying grades with the best of them in no time flat!

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NELMA Insider By Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association

AS IT CELEBRATES its fifth anniversary, the NELMA Grader Academy has introduced a new advanced “Build-A-Board” level.

Grader Academy still growing at 5 white pine Level 100 Characteristics (five courses) Level 200 Grade Application (six courses) and Level 300 General Definitions Instructions (seven courses). or the National Grading Rule that dictates SP s grades, Levels 100 and 200 are available for training.

NELMA Grader Academy, By the Numbers Years in existence: 5 Learning levels: 4 Quizzes taken: 4,565 Individual Users: 467* * This number is likely much higher, as some facilities use one account for multiple employees

and ice cream, the NELMA Grader Academy is five years old “When we launched the program, our hope was that the industry would embrace the opportunity to learn more about lumber grading in a fun format,” said e Easterling, president of the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturer’s Association. “The goal was to take what was previously a laborious learning process and o er educational opportunities in a multi-faceted, online, visual education program we never dreamed it would be so successful ” Until recently, three series of classes have been o ered for eastern

Building Products Digest

All New: Advanced 400 Level

This final and most challenging series, launched in August 2019, takes information learned previously and moves it forward to the real world. A hybrid of instructional and game, Level 00 challenges the user to create a specific lumber grade using a blank board and a template of defects. “We a ectionately refer to Level 00 as the Build-A-Board level,” commented Easterling. How it works a 1x8x8 clear piece of eastern white pine appears on the screen. Below, a palette of di erent sized knots, checks, splits and wane appear. The user is challenged to create the requested board using the maximum options provided, calling upon their knowledge gained from the previous series.

n September 2019

A time limit increases the di culty, and each board must be completed correctly before the user is allowed to move on to the next board. ree from the beginning, the NELMA Grader Academy provides needed grading information in a visual, easy-to-follow format accessible to mill employees, dealers, and anyone interested in learning more about lumber grading. Located at www. graderacadamy.org, the program is accessible 2 / /365.

Start Your Own Interactive Grading Tournament! Make learning fun by creating your own Grader Academy Above Board tournament team! Compete against your coworkers, employees, sales teams, friends, or even customers and see who can get the farthest in the fun Above Board Grader Game! Contact info@nelma.org to set up your private tournament!

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NELMA Insider By Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association

Lumber industry’s first live chat launches 2015, the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturer’s Association launched the wood industry’s first-ever cartoon, featuring the cleverly named characters of Skip Wane. oined by Spike not the dog, Dolly arden, and a host of other lumber-related named characters, the regularly occurring strip focuses on the challenges frequently faced within the industry with tongue firmly planted in cheek. ver the months, the association began to brainstorm ways for Skip Wane to work harder for NELMA members, to do more to help promote the wood industry. ust recently, the “what’s next ” for Skip Wane become apparent they needed a job.

Manufacturers of Quality

VISITORS TO the main NELMA website will be greeted by avatars of Skip, Wane and the crew, welcoming their questions.

Eastern White Pine

• Producing 18 million bd. ft. annually • Weinig Waco maxi planer specializes in pattern stock • 10 USNR dry kilns – total capacity 430,000 bd. ft. • All shipments via truck or van are paper wrapped • Marketing throughout the U.S. and Canada via Wholesale & Wholesale Distributors

Sales: Win Smith, Jr. win@limingtonlumber.com (207) 625-3286 • Fax (207) 625-7399 www.limingtonlumber.com

Building Products Digest

n September 2019

IF USERS click the pop-up box, a NELMA staffer will converse, on behalf of their favorite cartoon character.

And thus the various members of the Skip Wane family have headed to work for NELMA What will they be doing Working the keyboard for the brand-new, just-launched Live Chat feature at www.nelma.org “As far as we can tell, NELMA is the first lumber association nationwide to provide a live chat service option to website users,” said e Easterling, president of NELMA. “We are always searching for more innovative ways to help our members, and providing this exceptionally high level of customer service to their potential customers meets a real need.”

How it Works

Upon visiting the main NELMA website, a chat box, featuring avatars of Skip, Wane and the crew, pops up encouraging users to ask questions or talk about NELMA Building-Products.com

products. nce the visitor clicks on the pop-up box, they are connected to a member of the NELMA sta , typing on behalf of your favorite lumber industry cartoon characters. In its infancy, the chat option will be available during east coast business hours ( a.m. 5 p.m.), and all queries will be handled by a live NELMA sta er. “The live chat takes service and responsiveness to another level,” said Easterling. “It puts us even more out there, like the airlines or huge companies for whom customer service is of the utmost importance. We’ve all been frustrated by not being able to get a live person when we need customer service help hopefully the live chat further minimizes that unsatisfactory option, at least in this corner of the wood industry ”

that exports to Pakistan) An inquiry about educational programs available for mills in the area An architect looking for the AEC Daily class o ered by NELMA uestions on how to become a certified lumber grader A builder searching for wood to use in a pole barn and Member mills have even started to use the live chat as a quick, e ective way to communicate with their association “It’s fulfilling to answer all of the questions that come across live chat, but my favorites are when we can refer potential customers direct to a NELMA

mill,” commented Williams. “Helping our members by sending them potential business, that’s what it’s all about.” “We recognized live chat as a growing technology trend with other industries and decided to implement it to capture potential customers at a level previously untouched,” concluded Easterling. “The higher level of engagement is working We’re getting excellent feedback and usage is growing daily.” Next time you’re on the NELMA website, hop on the live chat with a question Skip Wane themselves might provide the answer

The Results

Up and running since mid- uly, regular use of the live chat is increasing exponentially daily. According to Barbara Williams, NELMA administrative assistant representing Skip Wane and one of the sta ers behind the live chat, something di erent happens every day “We can log on at almost any time of the day and be connected with people from all over the world who have varying wood questions the wide variety of people who hop on the live chat and their diversity of questions is amazing ” In the first few weeks of use, a sampling of questions that came across the live chat include rom Holland, requesting specific information on a pallet they were using A student from India looking for a job in the lumber industry (he was referred to the brand-new NELMA jobs board) A consumer researching nailing patterns for shiplap Requesting a specific product for use in New England rom Pakistan, requesting product information (referred to NELMA mill

Actual comments from users after spending time on the NELMA live chat: “Wow, that’s great service.” “Thank you for the information— it’s nice to know some background!” “Great, thank you for all of your help!”

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NELMA Insider By Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association

One-stop wood info shop for retailers

NELMA HAS LAUNCHED a new site—NELMA4Retailers.com—specifically aimed at getting wood sales tools into the hands of lumber dealers.

Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association comes a custom website devoted solely to helping retailers sell more lumber NELMA Retailers. com. “The creation of this website is the next step in our ongoing Retailer utreach Program,” said e Easterling, president of NELMA. “ ne of our association goals is to continually innovate the way we get timely, comprehensive wood selling tools into the hands of retailers. This website is a huge step in that direction.” At its most basic level, the website serves as categorization tool to present

Building Products Digest

the plethora of NELMA sales tools in an easy, searchable format. But the features and benefits run much deeper than that the website is designed to serve almost as an o ce partner, providing educational materials, brochures, and even sample visuals to help retailers sell more eastern white pine and SP s. Among the information available to retailers marketing resources (digital downloads, online data, print, and video options) that can be tailored to specific customer audiences news and updates to timely topics direct links to a massive NELMA video library, print materials, and promotional items and

n September 2019

the unique opportunity to “get found” by opting in to NELMA’s free online directory of retailers selling Northeastern and Great Lakes softwood lumber. Informational options o ered by the website contain a mix of free and paid materials. “Busy retailers don’t always have the time to search the internet for bits and pieces of information they need to complete a sale,” commented Easterling. “NELMA Retailers.com gives them all the resources they need at their fingertips, accessible at a moment’s notice. Reference materials, learning materials the website is an information hub with everything retailers need in one easy location ” “We want to be the resource for retailers looking to up their wood marketing and sales game,” continued Easterling. “We want to be poised to answer their questions, meet their needs, and become an informational sales partner of sorts for them.” Launched in August 2019, the site will be continuously updated to include the most recent information available from NELMA. “NELMA is known for staying on the cutting edge when it comes to marketing wood, and we’re inviting retailers to join us.”

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NELMA Insider By Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association

Today’s lesson: Sustainable Versatility S of Portland, Me., founded 13 years ago, began a search five years ago for a new piece of land to support their expansion. n the wish list generous space for outdoor education and ways to integrate the beauty of the natural environment into highly environmentally sustainable classrooms. After researching decommissioned schools and rural properties, they settled on 21 acres in Cumberland, Me. With a proposed footprint of three acres for the school buildings and site work on the densely wooded lot, combined with the idea of keeping the school close to the road with 18 acres behind for play and learning, a

consultation with builder Peter Warren of Warren Construction Group in reeport, Me., confirmed that some trees would need to come down to make way for the structures. Head of School enny Rowe consulted with an arborist and turned the discussion to how the wood could be incorporated into the building, and a plan began to take e ect.

Celebrating the Beauty of Nature

“The land was filled with beautiful old white pines, and we wanted to learn more about the trees and determine how they could become part of the school we wanted to recognize them

for what they once were,” said Rowe. It became clear that quite a bit of the wood from the trees could be integrated into the new structures. But before that happened, riends School families were invited to visit the property to walk through the woods and get to know the beauty of the land where their new school would be built. As construction began, the trees continued to be celebrated a huge red oak would enjoy a new supporting role as columns for an entry porch o the main lobby, while other trees would become play area log bridges. A local artist made a print celebrating the tree and what it might have seen in its lifetime.

WELCOME, FRIENDS: The entrance to the school features an eastern white pine interior roof, supported by red oak posts.

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n September 2019

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NATURAL LIGHT is enhanced by the use of clear-coated and pickled eastern white pine throughout the lobby of the school project.

Eastern Pine Moves Inside

Richard Lo with aplan Thompson Architects in Portland, Me., joined the team as project manager for the school’s design and construction with the challenge of integrating the eastern white pine from the property into the inside of the school buildings.

“The school’s goal was to build a passive house with net zero energy,” commented Lo. “The site was beautiful and convenient, but brought the challenges of wetlands that limited the actual footprint we were able to find a location that was practical and faced south for optimum solar gain.”

Not sure of how much wood could be milled for interior use, Lo created a series of plans to emphasize the warmth of the white pine throughout the school. “We went into the project with spaces marked for wood, depending on how much was available we were very lucky to be able to use the beautiful,

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September 2019 n

Building Products Digest n

TALK ABOUT locally grown: the Friends School meeting room featuring beautiful expanses of eastern white pine taken from the property.

natural, local wood everywhere we wanted.” Starting with the ceiling of the entry porch, eastern white pine is prevalent throughout the school from wood wainscot panels that provide a robust wall environment throughout the lobby area to the main assembly room which includes one breathtaking feature. All of the eastern white pine used in the school was milled from the site trees boards are 1” thick nominal (actual thickness is ” thick) with a simple square profile. Builder Warren played an important role as he brought practical lumber know-how to the table to include sequencing, and the parameters of milling the wood. Clear coatings were chosen in order to let the grains and knots show through, with whitewashed and pickled options interspersed to brighten up interior sections. A few areas used two finishes in contrast, creating a customized natural look.

Welcome, Friends

Step onto the porch and look up 6” boards with a clear seal finish line the ceiling, supported by the stunning, over scaled red oak trunks as posts. Lo selected the oversized measurements for the porch posts intentionally, imagining them as the legs of an elephant. “Can’t you just picture the children playing amongst the legs of these giant, gentle, kind animals ” nce inside, the lobby and corridors continue the natural echo of what once

Building Products Digest

stood on the land. Stairs connect two levels of the school but look closer built-in seating under a sloped so t creates alcoves under the stairs that twinkle with hidden lights and are used as breakout meeting spaces, a reading nook, or even small presentation options for the students. Constructed of 10”, 8”, and 6” wide boards coated with clear polyurethane, the area is warm and welcoming. Wainscot built from 10”, 8”, and 6” inch horizontal boards o ers a cool pickled look, created by the use of a white-washed semi-transparent stain finish. “We love the details of the natural wood, the elements all around the school where wood is present and able to be appreciated and touched,” commented Rowe.

The Meeting Room

The most breathtaking paean to nature the meeting room. Used for a variety of purposes as a gym, for assemblies, concerts, and the school’s weekly uaker meeting the room is beautiful, simple, and showcases the power of nature more than any other space in the school. At the heart of the room, nestled in the vaulted ceiling, are pieces of eastern white pine measuring 18” wide and 22’ long, representing the longest and widest piece of wood from the trees that would successfully pass through the mill.

n September 2019

“We wanted to showcase the beauty of the wood, to use it in its full glory where it would be uninterrupted and on full display,” said Lo. “By creating a contrast with the smaller wood panels on the edges, we emphasized the width and length of the longer boards the soft, curved profile emulates the gentleness of nature and creates a nurturing environment.” inishing o the room are 10”, 8”, and 6” wide horizontal wainscot boards with a clear polyurethane finish.

Looking to the Future

With the existing building completed in 2015, Lo has begun working with the riends School on their next phase of development the addition of four classrooms to accommodate continued growth. A big fan of using wood as both framing materials and for interior applications in his other projects, he’s always looking for locally sourced, natural options. “When you visit the riends School, the defining architectural characteristic is the warmth of the pine interior.” Rowe agrees “During meetings, the big windows allow the students to look out into the woods right in the center of one of the windows is a huge, gorgeous eastern white pine. The children can see the trees, and we teach them where our wood comes from and how it’s part of their everyday life. It’s a beautiful way to reinforce how nature can transform our world.” Building-Products.com

We hear all the time “you can’t put veneer on OSB.” But that’s simply not true. Timber Products Company’s OSB core is a high-quality, low-cost substitute for veneer core, even on critical veneers such as cherry and walnut. Panels made from high-density OSB are sanded and calibrated to have less thickness variation than veneer core panels. In addition, all veneer species and cuts can be laminated to our OSB core. These panels are an excellent alternative to MDF, as they are more affordable and weigh less.

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Noise Control Firms Team Up

Sound Seal, Agawam, Ma., has acquired acoustical wall and ceiling panel manufacturer Acoustical Tackable Surfaces, lemington, N. . The manufacturing of ATS panels will be immediately transitioned to Sound Seal’s plant in Agawam. Scott Randolph, founder of ATS, has joined Sound Seal in new business development.

Sunny Forecast for SIPs

The global market for structural insulated panels is predicted to grow 6.5 annually over the next five years, to exceed 600 million by 202 . During the forecast period, North America’s share of the SIP market is expected to surpass 35 . In part, growth will be driven by increasing preference for low-maintenance building materials and escalating government regulations, including EPA’s Energy Star Home and the U.S.

Minnesota Lumberyard Closes After Owner Charged

SIPs

Department of Energy’s plan to cut residential energy consumption by supporting zero-energy homes development by 2020. So far, the residential sector has dominated the SIP market. However, the commercial sector is projected to witness the fastest growth over the next five years. Demand will be driven by the increasing need for high thermal insulation to reduce energy consumption in commercial buildings, and the rapid expansion of hotel chains, malls and hospitals.

A Minnesota lumberyard has closed after the owner was accused of theft involving numerous customers. fficials say dozens of people placed and paid for orders at Hermantown Lumber, Hermantown, Mn., for lumber, windows and other materials, they have not received. According to police, more than 0 people have been defrauded by the business. An announcement for the investigation went out on uly 2 and since then, 10 additional people have stepped forward. Approximately 300,000 in undelivered products are estimated so far in the investigation, according to officials. The business has closed permanently and owner Gerald Sundquist is also facing civil cases. The lumberyard is now owned and operated by Nick Minardi, Minardi Lumber Millwork.

Don’t Just Sell the Cedar (Continued from page 14)

case when considering the difference between premium products. What’s more, studies from the National Association of Realtors, National Association of Home Builders, and Remodeling’s Cost vs. alue report all found that homes featuring natural materials like real wood decks and siding had a higher market value, greater curb appeal and a higher return on investment than other homes in the same area that didn’t. Customers looking for decking material may also be under the misconception that composite products are maintenance-free, and that natural wood like WRC requires constant care and upkeep. Again, this is not the case. Anyone in the decking business will attest to the fact that any material, composite or not, that is exposed to the elements will require some form of cleaning and care to keep it looking its best. While WRC takes stain very well, customers looking for a lowmaintenance option can be advised to not finish their deck and let it weather naturally till it turns a silvery-gray patina. Cleaning the deck occasionally with oxygenated bleach will keep surface mold and mildew at bay. Lastly, as was mentioned earlier, the visual appeal of western red cedar is more often than not the most compelling reason to choose it over other products. Composites really can’t compete

Building Products Digest n

2x6 SELECT knotty western red cedar deck and pergola.

with the rich, natural warmth, texture and luster of cedar. As such, displays of WRC products in the retail environment are very persuasive sales tools. Customers who have felt the wood’s surface, it’s light weight and experienced WRC’s intoxicating aroma have a harder time choosing anything else. While the retail market for products like decking and siding is crowded, and consumers are exposed to more competitive advertising than ever before, the reasons for choosing western red cedar are compelling it’s among the

September 2019

most environmentally friendly building products to manufacture it doesn’t require toxic preservatives or finishes it’s light and easy to work with stable long-lasting, and stunning to look at. or distributors and retailers, the reasons for selling WRC are equally compelling there is a stable and consistent supply, and it is a very high-margin product. nce consumers understand WRC’s real value, it’s an easy sell. – Jack Draper is managing director of the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association (www.realcedar.com). Building-Products.com

Barry Beightol – Plywood Sales

Charlie Doby – Plywood & Veneer Sales Manager

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

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Acrylic Barn Doors The Barn-Lite sliding door system from Hy-Lite is ideal for adding privacy options in both home and commercial locations. Doors are available in Wave and Glacier acrylic blocks and each block is 9” by 9”, with a depth of 1.5”. Architectural-grade vinyl frames surrounding the units are available in both white and bronze, and the doors are supported by durable steel hardware overhead in a black satin color. n HY-LITE.C M (888) 256-2599

The APE Industrial u-Guard series of non-marring covered tools gives protection and control on the jobsite. The line of non-marring covered tools includes bits, bit holders and nutsetters. The patented tools allow the user to grab directly onto the drive tool while it spins freely inside the covers, increasing fastening control and significantly reducing contact from the rotating tool. n APE -T LS.C M (803) 8 5-5629

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Building Products Digest

n September 2019

Big Ass ans has unveiled Powerfoil D, the first direct-drive overhead fan designed for harsh industrial environments. The fan delivers strength and performance required for industrial applications, but with virtually silent operation and aesthetic appeal to thrive in any commercial or public setting.

Building-Products.com

Easy Barriers The new Perm-A-Barrier PS 30 air barrier requires no primer, cutting installation time by up to 35 compared to traditional systems. Ideal for any wall assembly requiring vapor permeability, the membrane is easy to install. n GCPAT.C M (866) 333-3 26

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Pro ia’s new ineLine technology produces a straight, clean weld line on the corners of Endure inyl Patio Doors, to achieve a “picture frame quality” look on the sashes. The unique process provides patio doors with an enhanced fit and finish, and a professionalclass look. Doors produced with ineLine technology meet or exceed all industry requirements for strength and durability. ineLine comes standard on laminated units and optional on white, beige and sandstone. n PR IA.C M (800) 669- 11

Moisture Monitor Extech’s new M 55W is an advanced pin and pinless moisture meter with wireless data streaming for remote monitoring and datalogging. It’s designed for all building moisture measurement applications, including lumber testing, building inspections, and restoration work. Pros can remotely view realtime moisture readings and datalog using the Ex iew W-Series app on smartphones and tablets. n E TECH.C M (8 ) 239-832

Faster Circular Saw Milwaukee Tool’s new Rear Handle Circular Saw not only generates the power of a 15-amp corded saw, it also cuts faster and o ers the most run-time of any cordless rear handle circular saw, capable of making up to 5 0 cuts in a 2x per charge. Like all M18 UEL tools, the saw combines a Powerstate brushless motor, Redlithium battery pack, and Redlink Plus intelligence. It also has an electric brake to stop the blade after a cut, and gears that don’t require oiling. n MILWAU EET (800) 29-38 8

L.C M

Building Products Digest

Saws That Clear It All DeWalt has released its new 20 MA Pole Saw designed for yard care and landscaping. With compatible batteries across power tools and outdoor products, users invested in the broad 20 MA System have a wide variety of tools and equipment they can

n September 2019

use to get the job done. The saw is ideal for use in such applications as storm damage cleanup, brush clearing, branch pruning, shrubbery trimming, and clearing lots to ready them for construction. n DEWALT.C M (800) 33-9258

Building-Products.com

Self-Draining Walls Amico has launched Hydrodry, a self-draining vented wall system for use behind veneer stone, stucco and masonry siding. The product creates a dedicated drainage and ventilation cavity behind exterior walls with patented profiles that allow the wall to both vent and drain extending their useful life by drying and creating continuous airflow throughout the wall cavity. n AMIC GL BAL.C M (800) 8 -2511

New Hues for Low-Slope Rooﬁng

emper System has launched emperol 2 - R color series for commercial and low-slope roof designers who want the long-term protection of a cold liquid-applied, fully-reinforced membrane system but need an alternative to a white roof. The new color series is an odor-free polyurethane resin membrane system that is tinted throughout and color-formulated to resist fading. n

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Innovative Rooﬁng Systems

M M Building Products is now offering a new roof flashing membrane, GreenWeld P B, a high-performance P B membrane enhanced with an aluminum scrim for superior flexibility, strength and weathering. It is comprised of recycled P B and can be used in residential and commercial roofing applications. Typical applications include flashing for pipe penetrations and support beams, water barrier for cavity walls, liner for valleys of shingle, tile and aluminum metal roofs, and through-wall flashings n M MBP.C M (800) 882- 663

Building Products Digest n

Waterproof Engineered Flooring Times looring’s Aqua Allira is a waterproof engineered wood flooring built with the company’s proprietary AquaTimes application process and Triple Lock technology. The application process combines a patented construction and a superior formulated finish, which prevents the wood from swelling, buckling or delaminating. n PLANCHERTIMES.C M ( 50) 20- 366

September 2019

Building-Products.

DATE Book Listings are often submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend. Ace Hardware – Sept. 6-8, fall convention, Atlanta, Ga.; myace.com. Retail Lumber Dealers Assn. of Maine/New Hampshire Retail Lumber Association – Sept. 6-8, joint annual meetings, Rockport, Me.; www.nrla.org.

Rhode Island Building Material Dealers Assn. – Sept. 25, dinner meeting, Tiverton, R.I.; www.nrla.org. Southern Pine Inspection Bureau – Sept. 26-27, treated wood quality control course, Pensacola, Fl.; www.spib.org. Mid-Hudson Lumber Dealers Assn. – Sept. 28, wine tasting tour, New Paltz, N.Y.; www.nrla.org. National Hardwood Lumber Association – Oct. 2-4, annual convention, New Orleans, La.; www.nhla.com.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association – Sept. 9-13, Wood Basics Course, Corvallis, Or.; www.nawla.org.

True Value – Oct. 3-6, Fall Reunion convention, Chicago, Il.; www. truevaluecompany.com.

Southeastern Lumber Manufactuers Association – Sept. 10, D.C. summit, Washington, D.C.; www.slma.org.

Florida Building Material Association – Oct. 5, committee & board meetings, Orlando, Fl.;Oct. 8, blueprint reading seminar, Mt. Dora, Fl.; www.fbma.org.

BC Wood – Sept. 11-13, Global Buyers Mission, Whistler, B.C.; www. bcwood.com Construction Suppliers Association – Sept. 11-13, annual fall conference & expo, New Orleans, La.; www.gocsa.com Hoo-Hoo International – Sept. 11-15, annual international convention, Weston Resort & Spa, Whistler, B.C.; www.hoohoo.org Western New York Lumber Dealers Association – Sept. 12, golf outing, Stafford, N.Y.; www.nrla.org. American Wood Protection Assn. – Sept. 15-19, fall technical committee meetings, Hotel Captain Cook, Anchorage, Ak.; awpa.com. North American Wholesale Lumber Association – Sept. 17, Northeast regional meeting, Woodstock, Vt.; www.nawla.org. Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association – Sept. 18-20, annual meeting, Woodstock, Vt.; www.nelma.org. Kentucky Forest Industries Association – Sept. 20-21, Kentucky Wood Expo, Lexington, Ky.; www.kfia.org. International Nondestructive Testing & Evaluation of Wood Symposium – Sept. 24-27, Freiburg, Germany; ndtesymposium.org.

World Millwork Alliance – Oct. 6-10, annual convention & show, Reno, Nv.; www.worldmillworkalliance.com. National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association – Oct. 8-10, Industry Summit, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Co.; www.dealer.org. North American Wholesale Lumber Association – Oct. 16-18, Traders Market, San Antonio, Tx.; www.nawla.org. Southern Pine Inspection Bureau – Oct. 16-18, grading course, Hilton Pensacola Beach, Pensacola Beach, Fl.; www.spib.org. Do it Best – Oct. 18-21, fall market, Indianapolis, In.; doitbest.com. Southern Pine Inspection Bureau – Oct. 22-23, quality control course; Oct. 24-25, dry kiln operator course, Hilton Pensacola Beach, Pensacola Beach, Fl.; www.spib.org. House-Hasson Hardware – Oct. 24-26, fall dealer market, Sevierville, Tn.; www.househasson.com. Do it Best – Oct. 30, open buying day, Do it Best headquarters, Fort Wayne, In.; www.doitbestcorp.com.

Building Products Digest

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n September 2019

Building-Products.com

ASSOCIATION Update Construction Suppliers Association has chosen “Stay in the Game” as the theme of its annual conference expo Sept. 11-13 at DoubleTree Hotel, New rleans, La. Attendees will have a chance to listen to prominent keynote speakers, participate in a spouse/guest event, and enjoy various social outings. Northwestern Lumber Association is reminding members to save the date for its uture Lumber Leaders roundtable Sept. 2 in Chippewa alls, Wi. Roundtables are designed to engage employees with the knowledge and insights needed to be successful in today’s and tomorrow’s business environment. Northeastern Retail Lumber Association is heading into the fall with various social outings, including a Western New York Lumber Dealers golf outing Sept. 12 in Sta ord, N.Y. Rhode Island Building Material Dealers dinner meeting, Sept. 25, Tiverton, R.I. and Mid-Hudson Lumber Dealer wine tasting tour Sept. 28, New Paltz, N.Y. Florida Building Materials Association is inviting members to attend its upcoming blueprint reading class ct. 8 in Mt. Dora. North American Wholesale Lumber Association is hosting a Northeast regional meeting Sept. 1 in Woodstock, t. a partnership with NELMA, which begins its annual meeting the next day. Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association will host its annual meeting Sept. 18-20 at Woodstock Inn, Woodstock, t. “In Search of... the Elusive Lumber Customer” will be the theme for this year’s meeting. The events will be packed with business sessions on trends, finding new customers, and changes in the market. Members are also invited to participate in a golf tournament and reception. A few weeks later, NELMA will hold its Eastern White Pine Graders’ competition Sept. 28 at Madison Lumber Mill, ssipee, N.H. Kentucky Forest Industries Association is gearing up for its 33rd annual Wood Expo Sept. 20-21 at Masterson Stations Park, Lexington. Building-Products.com

September 2019 n

Building Products Digest n

CLASSIFIED Marketplace Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word minimum). Phone number counts as 1 word, address as 6. Centered copy/headline, $9 per line. Border, $9. Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished “camera-ready” (advertiser sets type), $65 if we set type. Send ad to dkoenig@526mediagroup.com. Checks payable to 526 Media Group. Deadline: 18th of previous month. Questions? Call (714) 486-2735.

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the operation closed, he operated his own company, our States Millwork, Philadelphia, Pa., until retiring. Julian Fussell Marshall, 89, former president of Smithfield Lumber Co., Smithfield, N.C., passed away Aug. 15. After graduating from North Carolina State University, he served in the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of 1st lieutenant. He joined Smithfield Lumber as a timber buyer in 1955. After the company was sold to Union Camp in 19 5, he stayed on as plant manager before forming his own real estate brokerage. Russell Lee “Russ” Adomatis, 8 , former co-owner of Builders Lumber Co., Indianapolis, In., died uly 28. After graduating from Greenville College in 1956, he joined his father’s lumberyard. He and his brother, Richard, took over two years later, after their father passed away. In 196 , Russ left the business to begin a 0-year career as a realtor. Herman F. Landreth, 9 , retired president of Landreth Lumber Co., Godfrey, Il., passed away uly 1. After serving in the Navy Air Corps during World War II, he graduated from Shurtle College in 19 8. He headed Landreth Lumber from 1956 to 1982. In 198 , he helped his daughter Linda acquire and operate Thomas County Hardware, Thomasville, Ga., and served as co-owner for several years. Lloyd J. Haak, 92, former owner of Williamson Lumber Co., Williamson, N.Y., died uly 26. Paul T. Hall, 2, owner of Hall’s Homes Lumber Co., Tioga, Pa., passed away Aug. 1 He started the company in 1968 and was active until the day he died.

IN Memoriam Walter Leo “Walt” Dowd, , former president of Beverly Lumber Co., Platte City, Mo., died uly 21. After receiving a degree in forestry from the University of MissouriColumbia, he worked for U.S. Plywood, then Beverly Lumber. Donald W. “Don” Schneider, retired chairman and CE of Schneider Lumber Co., Canton, h., passed away Aug. 3 after a brief illness.

Building Products Digest

In 1952, he started his 56-year career with Schneider Lumber, operating alongside his brother Dick. He also was a past president of the hio Lumber Dealers Association and served on the board of Lumberman’s Insurance Corp. Walter J. Micka, 89, longtime millwork industry professional, passed away uly 16 in Cape May, N. . After serving in the U.S. Army during the orean War, he spent many years managing ersey Millwork Co. When

n September 2019

Paul F. Shannon, owner of Shannon Lumber Co., Cogan Station, Pa., died Aug. 1 . He was 90. Joseph E. “Joe” Booe, 3, former co-owner of Don Booe Sons Lumber Co., Clay City, In., died Aug. 8. He joined his father’s sawmill in 1966, and rose to co-owner with his brother Charlie. In 1996, he joined his nephew’s R. Booe Son Hardwoods, Center Point, In., retiring in 2011. Gerald DeLong, 90, owner of DeLong Lumber Co., West Chester, Ia., died Aug. 16. He and his wife, oye, operated the company for 5 years. Building-Products.com

2019

TR ADERS

MARKET

October 16-18, 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ San Antonio, TX

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ow N r iste t

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ADVERTISERS Index Page 58

Building-Products.com www.building-products.com

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. www.nawla.org

C&C Wood Products www.ccresourcesinc.com

Cover I, II, 3

Northeast Lumber Manufacturers Assn. www.nelma.org

Crumpler Plastic Pipe www.cpp-pipe.com

OHC www.ohc.net

DeckExpo www.remodelingdeck.com

Omnitracs www.omnitracs.com

Do it Best www.independentsdoitbest.com

Pacific Woodtech www.pacificwoodtech.com

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ProWood www.prowoodlumber.com

Cover IV

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Redwood Empire www.buyredwood.com

526 Media Group www.building-products.com

Robbins Lumber www.rlco.com

Forest Products Supply www.fp-supply.com

Sandy Neck Traders www.sntraders.com

Great Southern Wood Preserving www.yellawood.com

Scotch Plywood www.scotchplywood.com

Hancock Lumber www.hancocklumber.com

Seaboard International Forest Products www.sifp.com

Hood Industries www.hoodindustries.com

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September 2019 n

Building Products Digest n

FLASHBack 95 Years Ago This Month

This month, members of Hoo-Hoo International will

be heading north to Whistler, B.C., for the lumber fraternity’s annual convention. But back 95 years ago, getting to the convention was half the fun. According to the September 192 edition of BPD’s sister publication, The California Lumber Merchant, most Hoo-Hoo members traveled to the group’s 33rd annual convention in Minneapolis, Mn., by train, in large contingents. The official rail lines, in fact, decorated entire passenger cars to house the Hoo-Hoos. Delegates first met up in Chicago, arriving from the South on the Illinois Central and from St. Louis via the Chicago Alton. rom Chicago, hundreds of lumbermen from all directions joined together on a final leg on the Chicago, Milwaukee St. Paul Railroad’s decked-out Twin Cities Limited. The train left at 8 15 p.m. and arrived in Minneapolis at 10 05 a.m. We suspect hearty party along the way. In other news of September 192 Matheny Bros. Lumber Co., akland, Ca., introduced a new building-loan service to help lowincome customers purchase a new home. THE CALIFORNIA Lumber Merchant tooted its own horn—and that of sister publication The Gulf Coast Lumberman—on the cover of its September 1924 issue.

In its first eight weeks, the program had already funded and allowed construction to begin on 15 di erent projects in the East Bay none of which would have been otherwise possible. “We are highly gratified with the response of the small homeowners to our special personal building service,” said co-owner Roy Matheny. “As we told the people when we opened, our idea is that more people should own their own homes. The question has been to arrange a plan which is fair to them and puts a home within their reach. We believe we have come nearest to solving the problem of the man or woman of limited means who wants to own his or her own home. Combining the services of our building department with our building materials department, aiding the homeowner to check his plans and thus keep building costs down, furnishing plans when desired, we are able to give the small homeowner that service which he has long needed.” Concerned about fire risks, the Albion Lumber Co. closed all its forestlands in Mendocino County, Ca., comprising lands on the Albion and Navarro Rivers, to camping and hunting for the balance of the season. FOUNDED IN 1903 as the Andersen Lumber Co., the company early on pioneered a streamlined method of window construction that would transform it to a full-fledged window and door company.

Building Products Digest

n September 2019

Homer T. Hayward Lumber, which is celebrating its centennial this month, filed its articles of incorporation 95 years ago in Santa Cruz, Ca., boasting a capitalizaton of 150,000.

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Building Products Digest 151 Kalmus Dr. Ste. E200 Costa Mesa, CA 92626-5959

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