The
MERCHANT
NOVEMBER 2015
Magazine
THE VOICE OF THE WEST’S LBM DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS – SINCE 1922
FALL DECKING ISSUE • CHANGES IN TREATED WOOD • INSULATION
November 2015
The
Volume 94 Number 5
MERCHANT
Magazine
The
MERCHANT
Magazine
www.building-products.com
A publication of 526 Media Group, Inc.
151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. D200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
President/Publisher Patrick Adams padams@building-products.com Vice President Shelly Smith Adams sadams@building-products.com Publishers Emeritus David Cutler Alan Oakes Editor/Production Manager David Koenig david@building-products.com Associate Editor Stephanie Ornelas sornelas@building-products.com
Special Features
In Every Issue
8 MARGIN BUILDERS NO DOWNTIME FOR DECKS
10 FEATURE STORY TREATED WOOD CHANGES PROPOSED
12 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT CEDAR DECKING & SIDING SALES TIPS
14 INDUSTRY TRENDS SYNTHETIC DECKING EVOLVES
16 EVENT RECAP: DECK EXPO JOINT DECK & REMODELING SHOW
20 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE DEALER GROWS BY GETTING AGGRESSIVE IN DOWNTURN
30 NAWLA–THINKING AHEAD MARKETING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA
44 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
6 ACROSS THE BOARD 22 OLSEN ON SALES 24 EVANGELIST MARKETING 38 MOVERS & SHAKERS 39 APP WATCH 46 NEW PRODUCTS 59 ASSOCIATION UPDATE 60 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 60 IN MEMORIAM 61 DATE BOOK 61 ADVERTISERS INDEX 62 FLASHBACK
MIX & MATCH INSULATION
52 PHOTO RECAP: CAL DEALERS WCLBMA GOES TO VEGAS
Online BREAKING INDUSTRY NEWS, EVENT PHOTOS, & DIGITAL EDITION OF THE MERCHANT BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM
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CHANGE OF ADDRESS Send address label from recent issue, new address, and 9-digit zip to address below. POSTMASTER Send address changes to The Merchant Magazine, 151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. D200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. The Merchant Magazine (ISSN 7399723) (USPS 796560) is published monthly at 151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. D200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 by 526 Media Group, Inc. Periodicals Postage paid at Newport Beach, CA, and additional post offices. It is an independently-owned publication for the retail, wholesale and distribution levels of the lumber and building products markets in 13 western states. Copyright®2015 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. It reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it.
November 2015
Contributing Editors Carla Waldemar, James Olsen Advertising Sales Manager Chuck Casey chuck@building-products.com Circulation Manager Heather Kelly hkelly@building-products.com
How to Advertise
PRINT or ONLINE Chuck Casey Phone (714) 486-2735 Fax 714-486-2745 chuck@building-products.com Patrick Adams Phone (714) 486-2735 Fax 714-486-2745 padams@building-products.com CLASSIFIED – David Koenig Phone (714) 486-2735 Fax 714-486-2745 david@building-products.com
How to Subscribe
SUBSCRIPTIONS Heather Kelly Phone (714) 486-2735 Fax 714-486-2745 hkelly@building-products.com or send a check to 151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. D200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 U.S.A.: One year (12 issues), $22 Two years, $36 Three years, $50 FOREIGN (Per year, paid in advance in US funds): Surface-Canada or Mexico, $48 Other countries, $60 Air rates also available.
SINGLE COPIES $4 + shipping BACK ISSUES $5 + shipping
Conrad Forest Products Introduces Real Genuine Mahogany Decking Plantation grown means our product was planted as a crop for the purpose it is serving: to be a building product. End-users and dealers who sell other exotic species are unknowingly supporting widespread harvesting of Virgin Rain Forests. Our Genuine Mahogany was planted after World War II for this exact purpose. Also, it is sustainable due to strict regulations by the Fijian government.
Genuine Mahogany represents a new category of decking from a plantation grown source that can be used for any decking needs. It is rot and mildew resistant, and is one of the most stable timbers on the market. It’s ideal for above-ground and close-to-ground decks due to its intrinsic hardiness. Genuine Mahogany’s capability to accept stains and oils means that it can be preserved and accented to meet every need.
Genuine Mahogany is very stable. Our state-of-the-art drying process helps to ensure stability. Our Mahogany is Kiln Dried down to 12% moisture content in the rough, then surfaced S4S.
IN STOCK SIZES 1x4 SE • 1x4 T&G • 1x6 • 5/4x6 • 2x4 Units are R/L & Sub-Bundled per Length
For Information regarding Genuine Mahogany Ph. 800-499-2662
•
Email DB@ConradFP.com
• www.ConradFP.com
ACROSS the Board By Patrick Adams
Let’s do something happy now
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REN’T THERE TIMES
when you just lean back in your chair, exhale deeply, and say, “Oh, brother”? It’s the busy season again. My team and I are in the midst of a couple of months of non-stop travel. We have several big issues to publish. The New Year is in sight. The holidays are right around the corner. I head home after a long day and, in an attempt to multitask, I ask my 4-year old daughter to sit with Daddy and watch a bit of the news before dinner since I had no time to catch up on anything during the day. We sit down and after about 15 minutes, I notice something unusual; she hasn’t said a word. This may be the only 15 minutes since she was born where she didn’t have something to say! I started watching her watch the news. I saw the look on her face as she attempted to understand what the images and commentary meant in what happened in the world today. She finally looked up at me and asked, “Daddy, can we do something happy now?” Later that evening, I spent a lot of time thinking about what had played out that night. I remember my father watching the news every night, but I don’t remember anything about the news stories. But that evening I thought about all the evening news stories I’ve watched recently and wondered when the last time I heard about something good happening. In fact, each evening’s report reads as if Armageddon itself is upon us— the daily body count, global warming, foreign conflict, political strife, corporate corruption. I wonder what that message, without us realizing it, does
to us? Surely, something good had to happen today, didn’t it? Anyone who knows me knows that I’m not a “stick your head in the sand” kind of person, but I do wonder what it would be like if we watched a channel that reported only the “good news” that took place each day. I can tell you something that I’ve learned since that day while spending a lot of time watching my daughter. Every day she wakes up happy. Every day she’s happy when I get home. Every day she’s happy with her dinner, even if we’re in a rush and it’s just chicken nuggets and carrots. Every day, she’s happy when she goes to bed at night, and I’ll bet she even has happy dreams. And, why not? Even in tough times, we live in the greatest country on Earth. We have health, jobs, food and roofs over our heads. I have a family who loves me, I have employees who work hard and care about what they do, and we have an industry in which our customers are more like friends. All around us, if we look for it, there are people doing amazing things for others simply because it’s the right thing to do! They say to look at the glass as half full. I believe we were all born with that trait and at some point in our life, we forgot it. Maybe we started watching the news too often! Sure, there will always be something to worry about, but you know what—there will always something to be thankful for, too! So I wonder what would happen if we took the lead at home and at the workplace to focus on the positive. Not just for a day or a week, but if we really made an effort for, say, an entire month. If we tried hard for every response, every piece of feedback, every lane change on the highway, and every exchange with a stranger to be positive. How would our family and workplace be influenced (other than temporarily thinking we might be crazy) and, as a result, what would be possible for us to accomplish? As we approach the holiday season and soon Thanksgiving, I hope all of you take the time to consider what my 4-year old taught me—let’s do something happy now! Thank you everyone for your kind feedback and your support. I wish you, your family, and your team a Happy Thanksgiving! “Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out” ~ John Wooden Patrick S. Adams Publisher/President padams@building-products.com
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Building-Products.com
FALL DECKING SPECIAL ISSUE
MARGIN Builders Offseason Sales Strategies
No downtime for decks
3 ways to make the most of your off-season of the off-season. These tips apply equally to businesses operating in areas where the weather is favorable for winter deck building.
Get Educated
DECK BUILDERS are continually being challenged to create customized outdoor spaces that are as livable and aesthetically pleasing as they are durable and high-functioning. Involving contractors in off-season educational and decision-making processes is a good business practice.
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OLD , MESSY
and unpredictable, November weather ushers in the slow period for deck builders in many areas of the country. But for distributors and dealers of decking and deck accessories in those regions, the “down months” ahead are critical to holding a competitive advantage in the spring. “Winter weather is a known evil,” points out Bill Langmaid, eastern regional account manager at Deckorators, an industry leader in
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decking, railings, balusters, post caps, and more. “When the season changes and business gets halted, the focus of decking distributors and dealers needs to shift from moving product to laying the groundwork for a robust spring selling season.” Before long, temperatures will begin to warm and homeowners will be looking to create unique and stylish outdoor living spaces. Until then, here are three things decking distributors and dealers can do to make the most
November 2015
The abundance of decking product options available on the market today can be overwhelming for anyone in the supply chain. Take full advantage of off-season opportunities to gain expertise on new products and programs, says Jim Groff, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at WOLF, a major supplier of building products. “People are most comfortable selling what they know more about,” says Groff, whose company serves independent dealers in 33 East Coast and Midwestern states. “The more you can do to prepare yourself to talk about not just what you offer, but why it’s different and better, and why a contractor or consumer might be more receptive, the more apt they are going to be to turn to you.” Participation in such opportunities as lunch-and-learns, seminars, training sessions and presentations from manufacturer partners can deepen understanding of the latest product lines and initiatives.
Let Your Customers Help
Deck builders are continually being challenged to create customized outdoor spaces that are as livable and aesthetically pleasing as they are durable and high functioning. Langmaid, of Deckorators, suggests including contractors in the educational and decision-making processes as much as Building-Products.com
possible. “With the fast-paced and changing climate in the decking industry, dealers can benefit from engaging contractors to learn and help make decisions on new and existing products,” Langmaid says. “Contractors need to be confident in your products. If weather prevents them from being outside working on projects and/or they have some time, involving them is a good business practice.”
Show Up
Shows offer valuable off-season opportunities to showcase products and services and build relationships with customers. While the potential
benefits of participating in dealer and contractor shows are apparent, Langmaid says local home shows represent an opportunity to enhance spring sales of outdoor products that is sometimes overlooked. “Home shows are well-attended, and a dealer might have a small deck display alongside interior products, with a discounted package to buy decking in April, May or June,” says Langmaid. “If you’re not able to generate much outdoor living interest during the off-season, it’s forward-thinking to postpone that activity but have an up-front commitment by offering a significant discount at a show.” Distributors and dealers should be
aggressive with promotions on existing inventories during the off-season months, according to Langmaid. But the key to the off-season is diligent preparation—in other words, treating the upcoming “down months” like a selling season even if the rewards are not as immediate. “When people are ready to build a deck, they’re ready,” Groff says. “There’s pent-up desire because over the course of the winter homeowners have been planning and envisioning themselves on a deck. When the weather breaks, and they’re queued up with a contractor, you want to be ready, too.”
THE OFF-SEASON is the ideal time to gain expertise on new products and innovations. At DeckExpo 2015, Deckorators introduced Vault decking and new cable railing. Made with patented Eovations technology, Deckorators Vault decking delivers the industry’s best strength-to-weight ratio. Building-Products.com
November 2015
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FALL DECKING SPECIAL ISSUE
FEATURE Story By David Koenig
New treated wood standards put to the vote
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12, 2015, is the deadline for American Wood Protection Association committee members to submit their votes on proposed AWPA rule changes prescribing higher retention levels for certain deck joists and beams. Some industry members expect the change to result in little to no difference in what dealers stock and sell. Others predict inventories could change dramatically. The current controversy started with Hal Bumby, owner of Maine Wood Treaters, Mechanic Falls, Me. “I’m a third-generation wood treater, with 44 years of experience,” he says. For the first half of his career—and the entirety of his father’s and grandOVEMBER
father’s careers—the industry supplied one general use chemical, CCA, typically treated at .40 retention to withstand ground contact—even if the wood wasn’t intended for a ground contact use. According to Bumby, performance problems were non-existent, but in the early 1990s environmental concerns surfaced because CCA contained arsenic. “Because of EPA pressure, as an industry we abandoned CCA and went to a new generation of preservatives,” Bumby explains. He says that the new chemicals work well when used for their intended applications. Unfortunately, consumers have used non-ground contact material in ground contact situations, creating the
TREATED WOOD should be clearly marked whether or not it’s suitable for ground contact, yet the industry is weighing proposed changes to guard against misapplication.
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possiblity for premature deterioration or failure. “The consumer remembers a bullet-proof product for any end use,” Bumby says. “They’re going to use treated wood for what they want to use it for.” He says the problem is most acute in areas where higher-retention wood is difficult to get, less likely to be stocked, and may have to be specialordered. Bumby doesn’t think suppliers should have to worry about their products being misapplied. So, last fall, he brought his concerns to AWPA’s technical committee meeting, which led to a proposal that all treated wood 2x8 or wider be treated to .40 or higher. The proposal was voted down—“It was too big a change,” Bumby admits. But a secondary proposal was authorized to proceed. After months of reworking its language, the new proposal would move decking, joists and beams in critical structural applications and subject to prolonged wetting or in tough-to-reach areas into the higher retention UC4A category. Southern Forest Products Association’s Eric Gee supported the earlier proposals, reasoning that the change would benefit the overall performance and reputation of treated wood and reduce claims. Yet Gee expects the new proposal to have little to no impact on the decking industry, since the proposal doesn’t affect standard deck boards, just joists and beams in critical structural applications—which should already be treated to ground-contact. Currently, treated wood is properly labeled with “above ground” and “ground contact.” Since the proposal Building-Products.com
doesn’t require all treated wood to be treated for ground contact, some observers expect many retailers to continue purchasing the least expensive product possible. Bumby, however, predicts that the change could encourage dealers to stock more higher-retention materials, even though they might cost a little more than lower-retention wood. The nation’s two largest wood preservative companies, Koppers and Arch, apparently support the measure; however, the third, Viance, has taken issue with the change. The company states, “The proposal to modify the current AWPA Use Category System (UCS) definitions related to Exterior Use-Above Ground applications does not meet some basic criteria on which the AWPA is founded, and the subjective language being proposed should not be used in a standard. In our opinion, the proposal was not fact based or scientifically supported. Furthermore, Viance does not have any claims against above-ground treated materials that would justify the changes that are being proposed. “All AWPA standardized preservatives are vetted by technical experts in the AWPA’s ANSI accredited review and standardization process, and we find no reason to alter the current UCS. Materials that have not been reviewed or standardized by the AWPA may require additional or higher retention levels to meet the current UCS requirements, but we do not see a need to modify AWPA standards based on the performance of non-AWPA standardized treatments.” One sticking point for Viance is that the new proposal comes across as vague. “Regardless of the chemistry, the subjective language being proposed will lead to confusion in every step of the value chain,” the company contends. “Viance wood treatment preservatives use AWPA standardized chemistry, and our treatments do not require any adjustments to be compliant with the IBC or IRC model building codes. Pressure treated wood beams and joists carry a lifetime limited warranty and protect the homeowner against the attack of wood-ingesting insects and decay fungi. Increasing the chemical retention levels on these materials will increase costs across the supply chain all the way to the homeowner without any apparent need. In addition, it may also create additional environmental concerns for homeowners, retailers and treating facilities.” Bumby, on the other hand, thinks that tying the change to use instead of size “in a weird way, it’s more specific. Joists and beams should be ground contact, and joists can be 2x6s.”
Use Categories under Review
A proposal now under review by AWPA would change the wording on the service conditions for the various use categories of pressure treated wood.
UC3A Above Ground – Protected
Use Environment would be listed as “exposed to all weather cycles, including intermittent wetting” instead of “not exposed to prolonged wetting.”
UC3B Above Ground – Exposed
Service Conditions would be altered to exclude aboveground uses with ground contact-type hazards. Deck joists would be reworded to specify “joists and beams for decks and fresh water docks, unless they are difficult to maintain, repair or replace, and are critical to the performance and safety of the entire system/construction.” Use Environment would also be changed from including “prolonged” wetting to “intermittent wetting but with sufficient air circuation so wood can readily dry.”
UC4A Ground Contact – General Use
The above uses and conditions newly excluded from UC3B would be placed in this category.
UC4B Ground Contact – Heavy Duty
Use Environment would be expanded to “include continuous or prolonged wetting.”
UC4C Ground Contact – Extreme Duty
Use Environment would be expanded to “include continuous or prolonged wetting.”
The initial letter ballots are due by November 12. Over the ensuing weeks, AWPA will then attempt to resolve any negative votes or public objections. If objections remain, a recirculation ballot will be released, possibly in early December. Appeals can then be submitted, followed by a procedural review by AWPA’s executive committee, consideration of appeals, final action on proposals if procedurally correct, and setting of an effective date by the executive committee. The earliest a new standard would go into effect is in late April/early May with the publication of the new Book of Standards.
Gemini Forest Products Specializing in forest products for industry professionals
Los Alamitos, CA 562.594.8948
Shasta Lake City, CA 530.276.7197
San Francisco, CA 415.859.5544
www.geminiforest.com Building-Products.com
Industrial and Treated Lumber Specialists November 2015
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FALL DECKING SPECIAL ISSUE
PRODUCT Spotlight By Patrick Graham, Weyerhaeuser Distribution
9 tips for selling cedar decking and siding
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of the most beloved materials for new and remodeled homes, with an authenticity and beauty that has been relied upon for centuries and in-demand for decades. Still, the material faces increasing sales pressure from a growing number of alternative materials. Here are nine strategies for breaking through the marketing onslaught to ramp up cedar decking and siding sales.
way to get that true authenticity is through the real thing. In addition, cedar offers a combination of features that can’t all be claimed by other materials: it is naturally resistant to rot, decay and insects; it’s long lasting; it’s versatile in its appearance; and it’s sustainable, made from renewable resources, and biodegradable.
Decking & Siding
Get to know the recommended practices for installing cedar, which will help ensure the finished project is as beautiful as possible, so the customer is satisfied over the long term. For example, ensure builders and remodelers know to use hot-dipped galvanized, aluminum or stainless steel nails; electroplated nails can rust and disintegrate.
EDAR IS ONE
1. Understand cedar’s value
There’s a reason ads for alternative materials often claim, “Looks like cedar!” The beauty of cedar is undeniable and is consistently desired by homeowners. The only
CEDAR DECKS offer among the highest ROI of any material.
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2. Communicate installation best practices
(Photos by WRCLA) Building-Products.com
Decking
3. Understand the true costs and ROI
It’s a common misconception that cedar decking costs more than other materials; and while that’s true in comparison to a Southern yellow pine treated deck, it’s not the case with most composite products and premium woods. Wood decking also offers a higher return on investment than composites, according to the Remodeling magazine 2015 Cost vs. Value report, with a recouped value of 80.5% versus 68%, respectively.
4. Dispel cedar decking maintenance myths
If needed, show buyers historic homes as evidence of cedar’s longevity. In Portland, Or., for example, the 1840sera McLoughlin house still retains its original cedar siding.
8. Create compelling displays
Don’t rely on one-off samples to showcase the beauty of cedar siding. Create a mock façade where the siding and trim can be on full display in larger swaths to really demonstrate the value, as well as provide space to show various stains. Seek out help from your local certified cedar distributor for strategies and support with creating compelling siding displays.
Another misconception about cedar decking is that it’s high maintenance, but in reality cedar requires about the same level of maintenance as a plastic product, notes Paul Mackie, spokesperson for the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association. If homeowners opt not to stain the cedar deck and let it go gray, the surface requires occasional cleaning with a mild oxygen bleach solution to keep mold and mildew at bay; how often depends on the climate and amount of shade. Under the exact same circumstances, composite products will require a similar cleaning schedule to rid the embossed woodgrain of debris and dirt, he says.
5. Create an inspiring
display Sample boards can help buyers make a selection, but nothing beats a full-size SIDING made of western red cedar and other natural materials is once again a hot trend. deck on site to draw them in and keep them motivated. Dealers with a walkable deck 9. Display a range of options display tend to sell more, and the price of materials to build Many buyers likely don’t realize that cedar comes in a the display can be recouped quickly. range of patterns and grades. Ensure your displays exhibit 6. Don’t neglect the details the possibilities of what’s available, even if all options are Along with the deck materials, make sure you also carry not kept in stock. This same philosophy carries over to the coordinating accessories, railing options, lighting and showing the material in different applications, such as vercorrect fasteners. Homeowners want to create a backyard tical and horizontal orientations and mixing sizes to help oasis, so make it easier for them to find everything they add curb appeal and a unique look. need to do so. Now more than ever, buyers crave products that add value, boost curb appeal, and differentiate their homes from Siding the others on the street. Dealers are a key component to 7. Dispel cedar siding maintenance myths showing pros and consumers alike how cedar can help Similar to decking, many buyers think that only cedar them accomplish those goals. More resources and informarequires maintenance, but most high-end, non-vinyl prodtion can be found at www.realcedar.com. ucts require finishing of some kind. Siding’s vertical orien– Patrick Graham is national product manager for tation allows it to perform quite well with pre-staining and Weyerhaeuser Distribution, Federal Way, Wa. Reach him at pre-finishing. “There is more and more of a trend to using patrick.graham@weyerhaeuser.com. natural products in siding and trim,” notes Mackie. Building-Products.com
November 2015
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FALL DECKING SPECIAL ISSUE
INDUSTRY Trends By Julia Fitzgerald, AZEK/TimberTech
“Decknology” changing the face of synthetic decking L
the emergence of decks, the 1950s showed the first signs of residential decks built from wood, typically square and uninspired OOKING BACK AT
in design. For decades, decks were made mostly of pressure-treated lumber to try to slow rotting from moisture and the elements.
HIGH TECH in decks is moving composite and PVC decking to new levels.
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(Photos by AZEK)
Then, in the early ’90s, the first composite decks hit the market, with no splinters, lower maintenance, and a high level of design potential. Once it was clear to decking contractors that homeowners desired an “outdoor room”—a place to spend more time outdoors, less time on maintenance— alternative materials made from a variety of plastics and wood became a mainstay of their businesses. A few years ago, capped technology took the category to a game-changing new level. This evolution of composite and PVC decking has truly been a fascinating development within the building products industry. The homely looking composite boards of the ’90s are now as sleek and elegant as the most high-end tropical hardwoods, with much of the enhanced aesthetics owed to new capped technology. It’s a process of adding an extra, protective layer that has changed the face of decking today—enabling better performance, extended warranties against fading and staining, and unprecedented looks. The innovation of “decknology,” as we call it, has moved capped wood composite and capped PVC decking into an entirely new arena. For capped wood composites, the polymer cap is the high performance barrier that keeps moisture from being absorbed into the organic core, making it even more important that the cap be on all four sides of the deck board for optimal protection. The same evolution in technology has been applied to railings, which are now largely manufactured with a composite core surrounded by a polymer (Please turn to page 36) Building-Products.com
FALL DECKING SPECIAL ISSUE
Decking show opens up Rolling three shows into one lured thousands to Chicago’s Navy Pier early last month. Although the three events—Deck Expo, the Remodeling Show, and JLC Live—technically maintained their separate names, they appeared to be held as one giant exhibition, sharing the same show floor, exhibit hours, and many of their supporting activities, such as receptions and seminars. The annual deck and remodeling shows have been “co-locating” since 2009, but only last year began holding them in conjunction with a regional
JLC Live event. This year’s bundled “R/D/J conference” featured about 270 exhibitors, who benefited from a wider mix of attendees who could cross seamlessly between the comingled booths of once-separate events. “The rise of cable railing systems was one of the more interesting trends at this year’s (show),” noted attendee Jason Arigoni, director-pro merchandising for Home Depot. “These systems seem to be growing in popularity, probably because they’re durable, long lasting, and minimize view obstruction.”
Other trends he noted were the continued adoption of composite decking and increasing integration of lighting in deck and patio spaces.
DECK ENTHUSIASTS gathered recently in Chicago for the annual Deck Expo, Remodeling Show, and JLC Live. [1] Brian Kirn, Jay
Sweeney. [2] Daniel Franklin, Becky Duffy, Austin Crawford. [3] Loni Ksobiech, Jacek Romanski. [4] Tom Taylor, Mandy Vizcarra,
Andres Alvarado. [5] Jeremy Jordan, Scott Cathcart. [6] Susan Rhoades. [7] Russ Mika. [8] Abigail Martin. (More photos on next 3 pages)
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Now on Video
Check out 15 short videos highlighting new products and demos at the Deck Expo and Remodeling Show www.building-products.com/deckshow
Building-Products.com
DECK & REMODELING EXPOS Photos by The Merchant Magazine
CROWDS packed the combined Deck Expo and Remodeling Show (continued from previous page): [9] Brian Woods, Jeff Perry, Lisa Martin, Kyle Loveland, Mark Stoeven. [10] Erica Savage, Charlie Jourdain. [11] Maureen Murray, Toby Bostwick, Jennifer Beal, Mark Skinner, Rachelle Shendow, Jessica Pearson, Building-Products.com
Peter Jonswold. [12] Jim Stephenson. [13] Jerrod Butler, Mike Abrams. [14] Todd Apple, Lindsey Fox. [15] Adam Calverley. [16] Dennis Reid, Philip Baranski. [17] Kory Brown, Glen Williams. [18] Mike Richerson, Roger Williams, Neil Robinson. [19] Mike Donoghue. [20] Lance Keller, Brian Betz, Doug Brookz, Brent
Gwatney, Moss Pettigrew, Tom Jacques. [21] Mary Kittrell, Larry Boyts. [22] Stacey McCray, Renee Cieslikowski, Anitra Mecadon, Kelly Guinsler, Marcos Mante, Rod Lopez, Edwin Escobar, Stephen Hass. [23] Mark Van Huffel, Jay Peterson, Marilyn Chase. (More photos on next 2 pages)
November 2015
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Photos by The Merchant Magazine
DECK & REMODELING EXPOS
FALL DECKING SPECIAL ISSUE
MORE EXPOS (continued from previous pages): [24] Mike Gregory, Darrell Hungerford, Matt Hungerford. [25] Mike Stepenski, Kevin Harris. [26] Kris Owen, Kirk Hammond. [27] Michael Grant, Andy Penny, Praveen Sood. [28] Joe Ragsdale, Tom Rachfal. [29] Bob Heidenreich,
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Chris Kollwitz. [30] Ernie Couillard, Andrew Pantelides, John Foley, Quinton Weber. [31] Arne Zenneck, Joe Bolden. [32] James Storrer, David Morgan. [33] Dan Shanahan, Andrew Romano, Rick Sabatino. [34] Will Bothe, Laurie Gizer. [35] Paul Groh, Greg Martel, Chris
November 2015
Johnson. [36] Jeff Osborne, Linda Hajjar, Mike Descoteaux, Jim Poulin. [37] Ralph Schmidt. [38] Jim Miller, Rick Pully. [39] Scott Jarrett, Loren “Digger” Graber. [40] Marc Maniaci, Mike Deboer. (More photos on next page) Building-Products.com
DECK & REMODELING EXPOS
Building-Products.com
Camfferman, Kevin Nichols. [42] Andrew Brookshire. [43] Daniel Scheaf, Scott Fischer, Tim Quanstrom. [44] Jay Poppe, Alexis Sivcouich, Eric Gee. [45] Mark Moeller. [46]
November 2015
Rick Friesen, Michael Bomkamp. [47] Bo Bryant, Phil Lail. [48] Bryce Miller, Michael Lindbert, Chris Sanders.
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Photos by The Merchant Magazine
EVEN MORE Expos (continued from previous pages): [41] Bill McCarthy, Jeff Flake, Milan Matheson, Bill Langmaid, Chris Lopez, Alyssa Naum, Dan Morovitas, Ryan Piper, Chris
COMPETITIVE Intelligence By Carla Waldemar
Good Nabors
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HEN L EE N ABORS bought the yard from his dad in 2000, becoming the third generation to run Nabors Home Center—launched by his grandfather in the ’60s in the tinier-than-tiny North Central Mississippi town of Eupora (pop. 4000)—the ink had barely had a year or two to dry on his diploma from Ole Miss. Was he: (1) looking to enjoy the laid-back lifestyle he’d grown up with in a spot too small to rate bold print on the state map? (2) pumped with college-boy, brave-new-world vigor and aiming to reinvent the wheel? or (3) a savvy lad who saw the merits of owning his own enterprise and growing its outreach in the area? I bet you know where we’re heading: The clear answer is number three.
Lee set about widening the prospects of the home center (which served not that many actual homeowners directly) by expanding the focus of clients from pro (his dad was a contractor, himself, and perhaps his own best customer) to pursuing a stronger retail trade. “We had the lion’s share of the business from the contractors in the market, but I wanted to grow the retail side; the mix would be good for us, so I wanted to focus on growing that side of the business.” But how? By offering the products homeowners needed at competitive prices, he says. “I listened to customers, their wants and needs, and responded to them—added categories.” Categories like—um—pool
supplies? Here in rural Mississippi, populated by what Lee documents as “mostly agricultural and forest” enterprises? (Okay, the home center’s market includes the entire 18,000-strong county area, but still…) You bet. “Pool supplies have been really good for us; it’s evolved into a major category that works well. You’d be surprised, here in rural Mississippi, how people love having pools.” And categories like garden, another who-knew hit. “We launched a greenhouse, where we raise our own flowers and vegetables for seed. We built it up to capacity, and it’s been very profitable,” he testifies. Rental, too, although “it’s not as great as 10 years ago, when there wasn’t much competition. Now there’s more, and,” he allows, “I’m not as passionate about it as I used to be. It takes the right person to run that department…” But Lee thinks he may have found his man. Then there’s the concrete plant he bought during the recession. “It was owned by a conglomerate that was downsizing and closing the plant” in the nearby town of Houston, Ms., meaning “our customers would have nowhere to buy concrete—a major hassle for a builder. So I decided to buy the business—the plant and five
MISSISSIPPI lumberyard/home center owner Lee Nabors believes in hands-on management.
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PLANS FOR Nabors’ new location in Houston, Ms., were hatched in the middle of the economic downturn.
trucks,” knowing zip about the process and the product, he readily admits. “The first batch I ever saw was my own. I’d hired a guy with some experience, but it was the first batch for him, too. We learned on the spot. Sure, we made some mistakes, but it didn’t take long. We got efficient—got real good—and made $10,000 on it last year.” Not only was that a nice new source of income, but, as Lee had figured, the venture also pulls weight as a prime marketing tool. “It helped us lure pro contractors, by supplying something they gotta have—and at a good price and with the best service. It’s the front end of a building project,” so Nabors Home Center stood ready and able to supply everything else needed from the foundation on up. (“I used to have an outside salesman, but I found that word of mouth was the best advertising. People come to us.”) Of course it’s not that easy. There’s competition, “no matter where you are or what you sell—here, mostly other independents. But I offer the best prices and service, plus a huge inventory. People know we’ve got what they need at a competitive price. I use Margin Master to help with pricing—up and down, what the market will allow, to pinpoint my price points.” Margins are running 28%. Then, at last, Lee took a rare day off to go deer hunting. But, wouldn’t you know? “I got bored sitting up there in the stand, so I got to thinking, what about opening a second store? I climbed down and started driving around to scout the neighboring towns,” and ended up buying out a fellow in Houston, 38 miles away. He opened it as Nabors in 2013. “The two stores are similar—in fact, they mirror each other, although Eupora has one-third the volume—smaller and in a smaller market. The second, larger store has done really well,” he notes. Lee operates both with a staff of 30-plus, trained in product knowledge by his various vendors, and in attitude “by myself. I’m hands-on. I’m the motivator. My philosophy is ‘If there’s a problem in the yard, go to the manager. Building-Products.com
If there’s a problem with the manager, then go to me.’” And if there’s a financial problem due to a major recession, as Lee (and everybody else) recently experienced? “Business in 2008-09 was down to about half. All around us, people were closing. Builders turned to repair and remodel jobs—very few new homes. We had to make adjustments—which, actually, ended up making us a better operator. I actually made more money and grew more in the recession than any other time, because the competition had gone into survival mode. “I opened the concrete plant, starting the planning process in 2009, when we were at the bottom. And I worked on store number two then, too. But I had to let some people go. The rest of us took pay cuts and did without company health insurance.” Both have since been restored. But Nabors never let up in its marketing program. “I believe in it—oh, absolutely!” Lee insists. “We dedicate one percent of total revenue to advertising: circulars, radio, TV, newspapers, community sponsorships.” Add to that the savvy marketing tool called Keeping Your Eyes Open. “I recently saw a house going up in the next town over, so I pulled the information and called the home owner. We ended up trading with him for the rest of the concrete.” And that’s not the end of the story. “A third location? Sure, I’d like to,” he muses. “I have five sons coming along—two in college, one in high school and two in middle school. If any of them wants to take a hand in what I do, we’ve got good prospects.” Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net November 2015
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OLSEN On Sales By James Olsen
Give them a reason to buy
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O BE GREAT salespeople, we must embrace our role as influencers, mind changers, and leaders. Many sellers take a much too passive role in their relationship with their customers. Master sellers lead customers by giving them sound reasons to buy. The approach is simple and effective. It creates trust. Customers want and need to be told why to buy. Ninety percent of salespeople do neither, leaving customers dissatisfied and irritable. Average salespeople complain about the poor treatment they receive from customers without realizing they are bringing this treatment on themselves. To achieve our goals in sales, we must learn how to lead our customers by telling them, in a strong yet diplomatic way, why they should by from us.
The List Close
The List Close is a simple and direct way to lead and ask at the same time. Its simplicity is easy to understand and disarming in its directness. The List Close makes sense and feels right. Humans like threes, so we pick three reasons we think will most influence our customer. We then arrange them in order from least to most important. In this way we create a rhythm that builds to a crescendo—asking for and receiving the order! Customer: “Oh, I don’t know”—or “I’ve got to check a couple more prices”—or “I’m not sure if now is the right time.” (This, after they said their inventory was low!?) Us: “Susan, I understand your concerns. Let me tell you why I think you should buy. One, this is the beautiful Appleton stock you love. Two, the Appleton product is scarce; I only have this one load, which I picked up especially for you. And, you told me you were low on inventory and needed to buy so, Susan, let’s put this one together.”
The Similar Story Close
You have sold something recently. Or someone on your team has sold something recently. We take that victory into our next sales call. Humans want proof. When measuring value we ask ourselves, “Has anyone one else bought this?” In fact, most consumers (86%) won’t buy until someone else has bought and used that product with success. (Diffusion of Innovation Theory, which studies who buys new ideas more quickly, breaks buyers into five classes: Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Majority, Late Majority, and Laggards. Innovators and Early Adopters make up only 16%.) Customer: “I’m a skeptical about the quality.” Us: “John, I understand. Many of my customers had the same concerns. I had a customer in Texas. I badgered him for months until he broke down and tried one truck. He loved the stock. He is now on contract. You are going to love the quality; what are your order numbers?”
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The Scarcity Close
The Scarcity Close works in many situations but especially well in the following: • with the buyer who wants to “shop it just a bit more.” • with the (overly) analytical buyer. • with the “hand wringing” or hesitant buyer. • up markets. Customer: “That sounds like a good price, but I’m going to make a couple more calls and I’ll get right back to you.” Us: “Pete, that’d be okay except this car won’t be here when you call back. We’ve got 20 people in here working this deal because it’s the best deal we have. Give me your order number now, before someone else takes it off the board.” Customer: “Let me check one more thing, and I’ll get back to you.” Us: “Research is important, Nathan. And that’s why I did a ton of it before I called you. All indicators point to an up market. You know you’re going to need at least this car, if not more. Your costs are only going up and this car is the last one we have at this price. We’re trying to pay $10/MBF more and can’t find it. Based on this, I can’t let you off the phone (or can’t leave your office) without your order number.” Our customers want and need us to lead them. Let’s do what they want! Give them reasons why going with us is best. When we give them reasons to buy from us, they will. James Olsen Reality Sales Training (503) 544-3572 james@realitysalestraining.com Building-Products.com
EVANGELIST Marketing By Alex Goldfayn
How to add new customers through powerful marketing
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basic ways to grow your company: expanding business with existing customers or bringing on brand new customers. This month, I’ll focus on bringing in large numbers of new customers. Next month I’ll focus on selling more to your current customers. When I ask clients and audience members how much of their business is made up of existing customers re-ordering, the percentages are extraordinarily high—often north of 80%. This is a positive, of course, because your customers love your work. But it’s also dangerous, because if some of your larger repeat customers leave, you’ll be dealing with a big hole. That’s why a steady flow of new customers is so important to small businesses. Here are three simple techniques to turn on your new customer hose, and keep it flowing at high pressure: Seek Referrals: Your existing customers are a golden and oft overlooked source of new customers. We don’t ask for enough referrals. Often, in my speeches and workshops, I ask participants why they don’t ask for referrals more. Here are some of the answers: Fear. What if they don’t like us as much I think? Don’t want to impose. Don’t want to take clients’ time. Not sure how. It’s not a part of my process. Never really asked before. Essentially not asking for enough referrals is a mindset issue. We lack the confidence and self-esteem to do so. It’s as simple as that. The tragedy here is that your happy customers would be thrilled to recommend you to their peers and colleagues. All you have to do is ask. I’ll take it one step further: It is your responsibility to ask for referrals. You owe it to your family, your staff, and your children to make your company as healthy and successful as it can be. Instead of simply asking, I’ve been implementing a twostep process for my clients, and it has been working beautifully. First, at the time of every new order—on the phone, in person, and even online—we must simply inform our customers that we will be asking them for a referral at the time that we deliver this order. “If you’re pleased, I would love to help somebody you know, in a similar position as yourself, with the same kind of value and service. If it’s okay with you, I’ll ask you for this referral in a week or so, when I deliver the order. Sound fair?” Then, when the time comes, simply say so. “Remember we talked about a referral if you were pleased. Here we are!” You’re laughing as you say it of course, but there’s no point in tip-toeing here. They’ve already agreed to help HERE ARE TWO
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you. A two-step process like this holds the customer accountable to providing the referral, and, just as critically, it holds you accountable to asking for it. Specialize in Vertical Markets: Next, take a look at the types of industries your customers belong to. Perhaps you deal with many manufacturers? Or people in a certain region? Identify your top current markets and exploit your success there. Some of my most successful clients have conquered just one or two vertical markets. Become a specialist. Visit the conferences and conventions. Create a good list… Build Lists: If you do not currently have a good list of people who can buy from you, this is probably the most important activity in this article. Right now, start a simple spreadsheet. You want names, titles, companies and full contact info, online and offline. Gather all of the people you’ve ever done business with, and add them to the spreadsheet. Do the same with people you’ve talked about business with, but have not worked with. Have every salesperson in your organization do this. Finally, you might think about having lists built for you professionally. For about 20¢ per name, you can have a list builder create spreadsheets filled with your ideal prospective buyers. Head to elance.com and search for “list builder” and you’ll see how this works. When you have your list, send value: Case studies. Testimonials. Advice from you. How-tos. Tools, techniques and interesting insights. Briefly profile a product in every communication you send. To grow, you need to build a nice funnel of new incoming business. Any one of these techniques can get you there. Pick one, and try it for 15 minutes tomorrow. – Alex Goldfayn is CEO of revenue growth consulting firm Evangelist Marketing Institute and author of the The Revenue Growth Habit: The Simple Art of Growing Your Business by 15% in 15 Minutes a Day. Visit www.evangelistmktg.com. Alex Goldfayn CEO, Evangelist Marketing Institute www.evangelistmktg.com Building-Products.com
Jeld-Wen Closes on LaCantina
Jeld-Wen, Charlotte, N.C., the world’s largest manufacturer of windows and doors, has acquired LaCantina Doors, Oceanside, Ca. “With the booming popularity of folding and multislide door systems, the acquisition gives us additional resources, capacity and a leading brand in this growing segment of the market,” said Colin Shaffner, JeldWen senior vice president of windows. “It’s a great fit with our mission to continue to push design innovation and offer best-in-class products to our customers not only in North America,
but worldwide.” LaCantina has manufactured folding and multislide door systems since 2003. The purchase marks Jeld-Wen’s fourth acquisition this year, following pickups of Michigan-based stile and rail wood door maker Karona, Swedish wood door manufacturer Dooria, and Australian sashless window system provider Aneeta.
Ace Forms Wholesale Arm to Bridge Midwest, South
Ace Hardware has formed a new distribution arm, Emery Jensen
Distribution, to service retailers— including those not belonging to Ace—in the central and southern states not served by the two wholesalers it purchased over the last 21 months. Ace bought Jensen Distribution, Spokane, Wa., in January and EmeryWaterhouse, Portland, Me., a year prior. Jensen will continue selling to 10 western states, while EmeryWaterhouse will remain focused on 13 Northeastern states. EJD will serve states from North Dakota down to New Mexico, and eastward to Ohio, Kentucky and North Carolina, and southward. For now, all three divisions will operate independently under the Ace Wholesale Holdings umbrella. There are currently no plans for a separate EJD show, although the Ace Conventions team is exploring “opportunities to leverage the Ace conventions for the benefit of EJD customers.”
SUPPLIER Briefs Maks Wood Products’ 13acre distribution site in Eugene, Or., was purchased for $1.83 million by Irving Weiner, owner of several local warehouses and a fish/garden store No word on his plans for the site. Orchard Supply Hardware
has received planning commission approval to build a 25,600-sq. ft. store in Mission Viejo, Ca. An existing building will be retrofitted with the addition of an 11,500-sq. ft. second floor and removal of about 25% of the existing roof for a garden center. Next month, Orchard will close its 30-year-old store in Concord, Ca., as it opens a new store in nearby Pleasant Hill, Ca.
Masonite has purchased USA Wood Door , Thorofare, N.J., for $13 million.
AZEK’s Vintage Collection of capped PVC decking achieved a Class A Flame Spread Index. Anniversaries: Central Valley, Napa, Ca., 60th … Coast Do It Best Hardware , Poulsbo, Wa., 20th.
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Hoover Purchases Bakersfield Treating Plant
Hoover Treated Wood Products, Thomson, Ga., has acquired the operations of West Coast Wood Preserving, Bakersfield, Ca. The facility becomes Hoover’s sixth—and first in the Southwest. “The Bakersfield facility will allow Hoover to better service western preservative wood customers and especially the western FRTW distribution channel, through the service, quality and value proposition we offer nationwide,” said George Young, VPsales and marketing. “PyroGuard and
Exterior FireX will now be even easier to obtain in (the West).”
Ace Leaving Walla Walla
Walla Walla Ace Hardware, Walla Walla, Wa., will close by the end of November after six years. Owner Doug Henry’s branch in Milton-Freewater, Wa., Henry’s Ace Hardware, will stay open. He continues looking for a possible new location in Walla Walla, but a move would not be possible before spring. Meanwhile, some employees as well as services unique to the Walla
Walla store—such as Benjamin Moore paint and chip keys—will move over to the Milton-Freewater store.
Hardwood Check-Off Axed
The proposed Hardwood CheckOff program has been terminated. U.S. Department of Agriculture said it received more than 900 comments on the original proposal—the majority of which opposed the program, which would tax lumber producers to fund wood promotions.
Fastenal Buys Western Chain
Fastenal Co., Winona, Mn., has agreed to acquire western regional distributor Fasteners, Inc., Spokane, Wa. Founded in 1961, Fasteners, Inc. operates 13 stores in Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana. The deal was expected to close by the end of October.
Mill Worker Killed by Train
OSHA is investigating the death of a mill worker for Stimson Lumber, Gaston, Or., who was hit by a train. Antonio Avalos, 46, was working in the railyard Oct. 6 when he fell off the front of and was struck by a slowmoving train that was pushing four empty railcars. He died on the scene.
Industry Rallies Support for Shooting Victims
Umpqua Valley Lumber Association wants to invite the LMB industry to join in supporting the citizens impacted and whose lives changed forever at the tragedy Oct. 1 at Umpqua Community College, Roseburg, Or. Umpqua Bank is partnering with Greater Douglas County United Way to create the Umpqua Community College Relief Fund for those affected by the shooting. To contribute, visit an Umpqua Bank or text GIVE to (541) 2142822. Or use Paypal to donate at www.gduway.org/uccgive. All contributions will go to support the victims and their families.
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Working for you.
Sean Atkins Forklift Driver, 1 year
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THINKING Ahead By Mark Wells, UFP Purchasing, and Jamie Holder, Aljoma Lumber/UFPI
Is social media part of your marketing strategy?
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a social world. Nowadays, when we want to know what’s happening with our friends or in the news, or we want to learn more about a company or a product we’re interested in, we oftentimes turn to investigate via social media. In fact, according to the Pew Internet Project, 74% of online adults use social networking sites. And Globalwebindex says that 47% of all online time is spent on social media. So what does that mean for your business? That if you aren’t reaching your target audiences where they are (social media), you may not be reaching them at all. The social media landscape has gotten increasingly broad over the past decade—there are more technologies than we know how to use, more platforms than we know what to do with, more people to reach than ever before (more than 2 billion people have social media accounts, according to wearesocial.net). Just thinking about how social media fits into your marketing strategy can get overwhelming, but if you start with a plan that works for your business’ goals, the benefits can be long-lasting. You can:
in the industry, so that when they are looking for services, you are top of mind. By using social media, you can showcase the uniqueness of your business, as well as your value, by sharing content that is relevant to your audience. You can also expand your reach by tapping into conversations related to your industry via hashtags, etc., and connecting with influencers who can help you spread your message to a broader audience.
Increase Your Businesses Brand Awareness
Interact with the People who Matter
E LIVE IN
You want people to know about your company and its offerings, and you want them to recognize it as a leader
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Position Yourself as the Go-To Expert
When you post content that inspires, informs, entertains and educates your audience, you are helping establish credibility for your company and showing that you have expertise in your field. And while it’s important to share your own content— the stuff that you create—it’s also beneficial to share the content of other experts in your industry or a related field. This shows your audience that you actually care about them—that you’re more concerned about providing value than self-promotion. Your customers, potential customers, industry influencers and partners—here’s your chance to connect with
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A Special Series from North American Wholesale Lumber Association
all of them in real time. While face-to-face meetings and phone calls still prove to be extremely crucial when building relationships, social media can help as well. Through your networks and on the social channels you choose to use, it’s easy to build a community between your business and the people who are most interested in learning about it.
Enhance the Customer Experience
Surely one of the biggest concerns of those who do not use social media is the potential for negative comments from followers. But this is also one of the biggest opportunities. While your social media policy (which you should have if you plan to incorporate a social aspect into your marketing) should clearly outline how to deal with lessthan-ideal comments, you can use this as your chance to answer any questions, address customer concerns, correct inaccurate information, etc. Solving a problem and making it easier for someone to interact with your business will improve your company’s image that much more. Using social media in your marketing can give your business great returns, but remember that you need a strategy in place and that it takes time to build a strong following. Be flexible and realistic in your goals, and you’ll be sharing in no time. Would you like to gain additional best practices and industry-leading strategies to grow your business? Join other decision makers from the forest products industry at NAWLA’s 2016 Leadership Summit, March 13-16, 2016, at the Westin Mission Hills in Palm Springs, Ca. Online registration and program details are available at nawla.org. – Mark Wells is national SYP manager for UFP Purchasing, Union City, Ga., and a member of NAWLA’s board of directors. Jamie Holder is an account manager with Universal Forest Products/Aljoma Lumber, Miami, Fl.
About NAWLA
NAWLA (North American Wholesale Lumber Association) is the association that delivers unparalleled access to relationships and resources that improve business strategy and performance through sales growth, cost savings, and operational efficiencies for wholesalers and manufacturers of forest products and other building materials that conduct business in North America. Learn more about how NAWLA can help your business at www.nawla.org.
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8 Tips for Getting Started
Once you’ve defined your objectives and goals with using social media in your marketing, you’ll need to actually start planning and posting. Here are eight ideas to keep in mind as you begin that process: Be human. Oftentimes, we resort to an unnaturally professional, jargon and buzzword-filled voice when we post on social media, and even when we write emails, website copy, etc. Ditch that approach and speak as if you were actually talking to a human (because, well, you are). Be conversational in what you share and let your company’s personality and culture shine through. Be concise. Keep posts clear and to-the-point. Post frequently. One of the most important factors of using social media is consistency. Develop an editorial calendar to help you stick to posting regularly, whether it’s once a day or once a week. Use images. According to Social Media Examiner, your fans and followers are 44% more likely to engage with content on social media that contains pictures. And these don’t have to be professionally taken photos (although they can be). Have a cool new piece of equipment you want to showcase? Or maybe you want to show off your team? Sharing quotes or tips via graphics are also becoming more popular. Sites such as Canva and HubSpot offer some free design templates that you can choose from. Give offers. Offering discounts or other specials to your customers will help you reel them in and can increase their engagement with you socially. Share advice. Or other nuggets of wisdom and industry knowledge. This will help increase the value of your company in a follower’s mind and help position your business as an expert in the industry. Don’t talk about yourself too much. If your social media sites are only promoting your company and its offerings or services, people will eventually tune you out. You should, of course, talk about your business and its happenings sometimes, but the important part is being social and engaging with your audience. Track your successes (and failures). While reviewing and examining analytics around social media can be a separate task in itself, it is important to keep track of how your posts are performing. This step informs what works (and what doesn’t work) when engaging with your audience and will help with future planning.
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U.S. Producers Hope to Start Talks After Softwood Lumber Deal Ends
Negotiations on a new trade deal between U.S. and Canadian producers have yet to resume following the Oct. 12 expiration of the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement. The seven-year pact—extended in 2013 by an additional two years—was the culmination of decades of at-times rancorous feuding over accusations that Canada was unfairly subsidizing its lumber manufacturers by charging them under-market fees to log government-owned lands. The U.S. Lumber Coalition would like to see a new deal, but one that reflected current market realities. “Unfortunately, world timber and lumber markets have evolved and the 2006 agreement is now outdated,” noted Coalition chairman Charlie Thomas, vice president, Shuqualak Lumber Co., Shuqualak, Ms. “The Coalition intends to continue working with the U.S. Government to reach a new agreement that will resolve this issue effectively in the future.” He said the Canadian government has so far been unwilling to enter into negotiations. “If Canada continues to stay away from the negotiating table,” Thomas said, “the U.S. industry will eventually have no choice but to use our rights under U.S. trade laws to offset the unfair advantages provided to Canadian industry.” As part of the original 2006 agreement, Coalition members agreed not to file petitions under U.S. trade laws for one year following the expiration of the deal. Thomas said, “We hope Canada will make use of this next year to work constructively with the U.S. government to secure a stable and effective agreement that all stakeholders can support.”
BIG HAUL: On Oct. 5, Boise Cascade, Riverside, Ca., returned from an epic two-day, two-night fishing trip aboard the famous Royal Star sport fishing vessel. The 21 passengers included Boise representatives, customers and vendors, who caught more than 350 fish, including 180 yellow fin tuna—not counting the fish caught and lost at the rail.
Belco Adds Treated Wood Trim
Belco Forest Products, Shelton, Wa., has commenced production of ArmorCoat XT Wolmanized Exterior Trim. Manufactured using natural SPF lumber and treated with Wolman AG, a waterborne preservative system developed to provide extended protection to wood from decay and termites in out-of-ground applications, ArmorCoat XT features a 20-year substrate warranty against rot with superior protection from termites. Primed with Belco’s proprietary formula, ArmorCoat XT also features a 20-year warranty on the primer, ensuring you have a product that can stand against the time and the elements. ArmorCoat XT is now available through Belco’s distribution partners around the country.
Complete Wood Protection BoraSol MC™ for Surface MOLD & MILDEW … Long Lasting
BoraSol WP® for Wood Boring Insects & Interior Wood Rot … Permanently SEE the Advantages Safe Effective Economical ®
www.qualityborate.com 32
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Treater Adds New Preservative for EWPs
Permapost Products Co., Hillsboro, Or., is now fully operational in suppling Klear-Gard 25 wood preservative with TRU-CORE technology. Until now, difficult-to-treat western species such as Douglas fir and white oak required an oil-borne preservative to penetrate the wood fiber to achieve building code standards. With the introduction of Klear-Gard 25 with T RU -C ORE , difficult-to-treat species can now be specified for use in residential and commercial construction where human contact may occur. A contributing factor that led Permapost to add the new treatment process was the advent of cross-laminated timbers. Due to the size of CLTs, no treating process was large enough to treat the product for exposed applications. Permapost is working with several CLT and traditional glue-laminated timber manufacturers to treat Douglas fir laminations prior to gluing. By pretreating the lam stock, the limitations of the treating cylinder size is removed from the equation. A 10-ft.wide CLT can now have every lamination treated 100%, including the
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heartwood. Since 1904, the process of wood preserving in the U.S. hasn’t changed much. The established practice has been to mix the preservative into a liquid carrier, then pump the combined liquid into the wood. The process creates a preservative shell designed to protect the wood from insect and fungi attack. This preservative shell can be compromised through the action of seasonal weather changes that swell or shrink the wood fiber creating surface checking, allowing insects and fungi to get past the treated envelope. Other factors such as machining, cutting, or drilling wood products after treating will cause the inner untreated portion to be exposed to attack. Klear-Gard 25 with T RU -C ORE technology uses a more elegant form of moving preservatives into the wood fiber, penetrating wood cross sections virtually to the core. The TRU-CORE chemicals are attracted to the tannins deep inside the wood fiber. This process takes place on a molecular level which replaces the need to pump large volumes of a liquid carrier into
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the wood product. The new treatment contains no metals, no color, and has no more VOCs than the wood fiber itself.
SPI Supports Forestry Center
Sierra Pacific Industries, Anderson, Ca., has donated $6 million to help build a 20,000-sq. ft. forestry laboratory at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Or. The planned A.A. “Red” Emmerson Advanced Wood Products Laboratory will showcase advanced wood products such as cross-laminated timber and help develop new techniques. Two of Emmerson’s children—SPI president George Emmerson and Sierra Pacific Foundation president Carolyn Emmerson Dietz—graduated from OSU. The center will be part of a new 85,000-sq. ft. on-campus home for the OSU College of Forestry. The complex’s overall cost of $60 to $70 million will be offset by nearly $30 million in state bonds. So far, about $32 million in private donations has been raised, including $1 million from Plum Creek Timber, Seattle, Wa. Construction should start in the spring and finish by the end of 2017.
Building-Products.com
Decknology (Continued from page 14)
cap for tougher wear and tear and reduced moisture absorption. Additionally, the aesthetic possibilities—streaking, variegations, multiple colors within a board, and subtle textures—have made quantum leaps forward with the refinement of capped technology. The cap actually provides a palette to emboss or transfer more detail in a number of propri-
etary ways, rendering the deck board a work of art that reflects the natural qualities of tropical woods such as ipé and mahogany. Although known for their beauty, hardwoods can be tough to work with, not to mention just as premium priced as the manufactured alternatives. When you add the benefits of lowmaintenance, no splinters, and extended warranties, many contractors have switched over entirely to capped composites and capped PVC. Steven Schneider Construction,
San Rafael, Ca., is family owned and operated by Steven and Brucie Schneider, servicing the entire San Francisco Bay area and outlying communities. The Schneiders use capped decking products exclusively and say these options are the best decking technology ever invented. “We have little to no callbacks with capped wood composites and PVC decking,” said Brucie. According to Steve, capped composites allow a seamless flow from the interior to the outdoor deck. “The colors and textures and hidden fasteners all contribute to the look of indoor flooring for a nice transition,” he said. “When you add in the fade and stain warranties, ability to create accent colors and the creative design possibilities, why use anything else?” Along with juggling material choices, contractors are faced with the challenge of interpreting a homeowner’s vision for their dream deck and finding a way to share that vision with their customers. With all of these natural looking, beautiful materials to work with, complementary railings, lighting and other amenities, the challenge often becomes how to share their vision with the homeowner to close the deal. Enter Augmented Reality (AR), a new “decknology” tool that brings the future deck to life—right in the homeowner’s own backyard! Architects and homebuilders had already been using 3D CAD software which provides virtual, realistic views of rooms and all of their details. Now, Augmented Reality, a technology being introduced by AZEK/TimberTech, is changing the way contractors sell decks by allowing them and their customers to virtually design their future decks on an iPad in 3D. George Abdow, George’s Renovations, West Springfield, Ma., recently built a deck for a homeowner who wanted capped PVC that looked like a hardwood, but was apprehensive about the stair design and rail color. “By using the app to show them how the design would flow and how their rail choices would look with the decking, I was able to gain their trust,” said Abdow. “They were also able to visualize an accent color for the deck’s perimeter and they were sold! It makes sharing and selling the project so much simpler and the 3D App has really changed the decking (Please turn to page 40)
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Building-Products.com
MOVERS & Shakers Tim Walsh has joined International Wood Products, Tumwater, Wa., as inside sales mgr. Brian Kennedy, ex-PrimeSource Building Products, has been named branch mgr. of Hayward Lumber Co., Salinas, Ca. Norman Henson, ex-Allweather Wood, is a new account rep for Pacific Alaska Lumber Co., Lakewood, Wa. Byron Beck has joined the sales team at Thunderbolt Wood Treating, Riverbank, Ca. Matt Caissie, ex-International Beams, has joined Pacific Woodtech Corp., Burlington, Wa., as regional sales mgr. for Canada and the eastern half of the U.S. He is based in New Brunswick. Jeff James, ex-Boise Cascade, is new to outside sales at Manke Lumber Co., Shelton, Wa. Steven Erickson, ex-Bridgewell Resources, is a new account mgr. with Universal Forest Products, Woodburn, Or. Cody Butcher is a new account mgr. with Cascade Capital, Tacoma, Wa.
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Russ Narze has been promoted to the sales team at Pelican Bay Forest Products, Bend, Or. Angie Dundas succeeds him in transportation. Ryan Ellis is now an account mgr. with D-Stake Mill, McMinnville, Or. Aaron Sulzer has been promoted to vice president of sales and marketing for Sierra Pacific Industries, Anderson, Ca. Randy Lilburn, Washington area mgr., Aberdeen, Wa., has retired after 36 years with the company. Tim Feller, SPI’s Tahoe District timber mgr., retired after 37 years. Marc Mendenhall, ex-Canfor Southern Pine, has been named general mgr. at Cascade Hardwood Group, overseeing facilities in Chehalis and Port Angeles, Wa. Danny Sosa is a new Bakersfield, Ca.-based sales rep for Humboldt Redwood Co. LLC/Allweather Wood, working out of both their Fontana and Woodland, Ca., DCs. Ben Mork is now R&D director for Custom Building Products, Huntington Beach, Ca.
November 2015
Rob Hall, commercial sales rep, Foxworth-Galbraith Lumber, Gilbert, Az., is now covering Colorado Springs, Co. Bruce Levitin has been promoted to senior VP-operations & supply chain at Orchard Supply Hardware, San Jose, Ca. Brian Graham has been named vice president-Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountain, and Texas for Hardwoods Distribution Inc., Langley, B.C. Dan Figgins has been promoted to VP-imports. Jason West will become VPCanada, succeding Gary Warner, who is retiring at the end of 2015 after 37 years with the company. Dan Besen, VP-California, has added oversight for Lake States operations. Sarah Aiken was promoted to branch mgr. of Allied Building Products, Woodinville, Wa. Benjamin Navarro has joined the sales force in Colorado Springs, Co. Nolan Roy, ex-Timber Products, is now operations mgr. for Pacific Wood Laminates, Grants Pass, Or. Linda R. Gooden has been appointed to the board of directors at Home Depot, Atlanta, Ga.
Building-Products.com
Paul Marvin has been named president of Marvin Windows & Doors, Warroad, Mn., effective Jan. 1. He will succeed Susan Marvin, who has been promoted to vice chair of the Marvin Cos., as has senior VPoperations George Marvin. Jeff Pardini, Hills Flat Lumber, Grass Valley, Ca., was elected to the board of Do it Best Corp., along with Eli Bliffert, Richard McCoy, John Holmes, and Douglas Mans. They succeed Randy Skinner, Howard Miller, Scott Parker, and Tom Brown. Eric Ziedrich, president, Healdsburg Lumber Co., Healdsburg, Ca., has been elected to the board of the Marin Builders Association. Rick Holley, CEO, Plum Creek Timber Co., Seattle, Wa., has won the Sustainable Forestry Initiative President’s Award, for consistently showing leadership on behalf of working forests that support habitat and rural communities. Pat Downe is implementing new security procedures at MungusFungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.
APP Watch
App: Lumber Blue Book Produced by: BLUE BOOK SERVICES Price: Free Platforms: iOS and Android Blue Book Services’ mobile app is now available for smartphones. It includes numerous robust features, including search for company by location, Blue Book rating, lumber products handled, business classification, direct-dial from a phone number, and link to a map/business location. – Download from iTunes App Store and GooglePlay
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November 2015
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At Royal Pacific you’ll pay no more, but get extra. We guarantee it.
Hi-borÂŽ brand treated wood is a borate treated wood product designed for interior house framing in Hawaii. Hi-bor treated wood resists attack by Formosan and subterranean termites and numerous household insects and pests, as well as fungal decay. Hi-bor borate treated wood is also backed by a 20 year limited warranty*.
FireProÂŽ brand fire retardant treated wood is treated with a patented formulation that contains no phosphates and has been shown to exhibit exceptional fire performance properties without compromising other critical engineering properties such as strength, durability, corrosivity, and hygroscopicity. FirePro treated wood is also backed by a 50 year limited warranty*.
GORGEOUS PVC deck (upper) was first realistically and accurately visualized on an iPad (lower) using a 3D app.
Decknology (Continued from page 36)
Advance GuardÂŽ borate pressure treated lumber is recommended for sill plate, furring strips, joists, studs, roof trusses, blocking, rafters, beams, and other framing applications. Advance Guard is also recommended for fascia, trim, wall sheathing, roof sheathing, and sub-floors. Advance Guard borate pressure treated lumber is also backed by a lifetime limited warranty*.
Providing Customer Satisfaction in All We Do
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%JLF 3PBE t 3BJOJFS 03 t 'BY * See product warranty for details. Hi-borŽ, FireProŽ and Advance GuardŽ treated wood products are produced by independently owned and operated wood treating facilities. Hi-borŽ, FireProŽ and Advance GuardŽ are registered trademarks of Koppers, Inc. Š10/2014
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portion of our business.� Abdow added that the images of the virtual future deck and the resulting real-life deck were amazingly similar. Designed for an iPad, and downloadable for free, the software superimposes realistic images on a real world setting such as a backyard or side of a house. When the iPad is pointed at a visualization “marker� downloaded from a website, the design process begins. Users can swap out deck board styles and colors, railings, baluster infills and lighting. Moving closer to the marker, allows up close views of the decking’s realistic colors and textures. Users can even walk around the virtual deck for a side view. After download, it does not require an internet connection and the contractor can save the images and email them to the homeowner. It’s completely portable, since many contractors already take an iPad to a jobsite or sales call. With advancements in “decknology� such as breakthroughs in material science, manufacturing techniques, and virtual backyard reality, building the perfect deck has become much easier to do. – Julia Fitzgerald is chief marketing officer for CPG Building Products, overseeing the AZEK and TimberTech brands. For more information, visit www.azek.com. Building-Products.com
Building-Products.com
November 2015
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LA HARDWOOD PITSTOP Photos by Walter Ralston
LOS ANGELES Hardwood Lumberman’s Club held its monthly meeting and dinner at The Filling Station, Orange, Ca., on Oct. 8. More than 20 Southern California lumbermen met for great food and wine as they discussed future plans and the state of the industry. [1] Jim Gaither, Carl Henoch. [2] John Mortati, Alan Arbiso, Ryron Cabinter. [3] Bill Fitzgerald, Randy Lambert, Joe Canale. [4] Tom Escherich, Dan Bohannon. [5] Joe Canale, Randy Lambert, Terry Ostrander. [6] Kevin Tranter, John Banks. [7] Walt Maas, Dan Bohannon. [8] Phillip Sarris, Steve Ondich, Nathan Osborne.
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PRODUCT Spotlight Ted Winslow, CertainTeed Corp.
Mix and match insulation
B
building codes and smarter product technologies, insulation is no longer a one-size-fits-all proposition. A generation ago, contractors worked with just a handful of insulation materials. Why would they need more? Their preferred form of insulation seemed to be good enough. Plus, most homeowners gave little thought to what goes inside of walls, let alone crawlspaces or attics. This is not the case anymore. Building science has delved deep into what makes a home healthy, and we now know that what goes inside walls makes a huge difference. In response, building professionals are adopting new, more defined insulation strategies to address the unique needs of each home and adhere to evolving building codes. The latter has, without a doubt, driven much of this change. The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) sets the bar high for energy efficiency and air sealing requirements. Consider that homes built to IECC standards post 2012 are 30% more efficient than homes built to code just a decade ago thanks to stricter guidelines. The IECC updates regularly and building professionals must keep pace. So, what is the ideal insulation strategy? Scientifically ETWEEN BETTER
speaking, it depends on building codes, regional climates, and long-term thermal and acoustical performance needs. Builders can’t design a home for a lot in Mississippi and expect the same home to perform the same way in Las Vegas or Anchorage. Thermal performance, air tightness, moisture management, and acoustics must be accounted for when specifying insulation. One cannot be managed without managing the others. A variety of insulation materials are used to insulate the homes of today, and in most cases it is not a one solution approach. A combination of products and systems are being integrated together to optimize the performance of the home. Insulation is a multi-solution approach, and it’s critical to quality construction.
Thermal Performance
A key reason for insulating a home is to improve thermal performance. Local building codes, which are based on climates, determine the recommended minimum R-value for insulation. Note that these codes identify the minimum recommended R-values. Upgrading beyond these requirements typically works in a builder’s favor when designing a home that will be comfortable for a lifetime and that will meet rapidly evolving building standards. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, homes as little as five to 10 years old are likely to be underinsulated. This accounts for about 46 million US homes. Blowing wool, spray foam, and fiberglass batt insulation are all capable of achieving a wide breadth of R-values.
Air Tightness
TAKE NOTE of various insulation systems available, as moisture in homes is unavoidable and can be dangerous if not properly addressed. Some, such as CertainTeed’s Smartbatt system with MoistureSense technology, can manage moisture. (All photos courtesy CertainTeed)
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Contractors must think beyond R-value when specifying insulation. Knowing that air constantly moves from high to low pressure, to find every penetration into and out of a home makes continuous air sealing another central issue. It’s a big deal. Air tightness affects how well the building envelope can manage heat, moisture and sound. Building codes have recognized the importance of air leakage and how it impacts the performance of a home. Previous versions of the IECC have made the home’s air tightness requirements voluntary; however, new editions aren’t only enhancing the level of the tightness requirements, but also making them mandatory. The majority of air leakage occurs not through the materials of a building, but through where all these materials come together—through the joints, cracks, and penetrations of the assembly. Thoughtful integration of solutions like closed cell spray foam insulation as well as caulks and sealants into a home can help seal the building envelope. Building-Products.com
There are a few different strategies that insulation contractors have as part of their arsenal (e.g., caulking & sealing, air barriers, etc.), but the only way to make sure these systems work effectively is to ensure that the airtightness of an assembly is continuous. Even more ideal, is to combine an air-tightness strategy with an effective moisture management strategy by integrating a smart vapor retarder system as a continuous air barrier.
Moisture Management
Moisture intrusion is unavoidable, making moisture in the wall cavity almost inevitable—and dangerous if not addressed. Building codes issued to improve energy efficiency have also inadvertently made it so moisture cannot easily escape wall cavities. This backfires on the intent of the code, as moisture reduces the thermal efficiency and can lead to mold, mildew and rot. Moisture vapor travels in the air and can enter the home through external air leakage and everyday indoor activities. It can then condense on cold surfaces and accumulate in the building envelope. Using a smart vapor retarder, especially in mixed-climate regions, can reduce the risk of damaging mold and mildew inside walls. Unlike traditional polyethylene vapor retarders, a smart vapor retarder can change permeability to not only block moisture from entering the cavity when humidity is low, but also allow moisture to escape when humidity in the wall increases, allowing the wall to stay dry while maintaining air tightness.
PERFORMANCE: It’s important to combine an air-tightness strategy with an effective moisture management strategy by integrating a smart vapor retarder system as a continuous air barrier.
Acoustics
distributors who can assist with choosing the right materials for the best wall system for the home at hand. For instance, they can combine unfaced fiberglass batt insulation with smart vapor retarders to achieve high R-values, good acoustics and moisture control. They can mix blow-in fiberglass insulation with closed cell spray foam for cost-effective thermal performance and air tightness. With many ways to approach insulation, whatever the goal or design, by mixing and matching products, a tailored system can achieve complete comfort for years to come.
Mix It Up
–Ted Winslow is brand product manager of building science, systems and technical marketing for CertainTeed Corp. Reach him via certainteed.com/insulation.
Acoustics is another major design element that can be addressed by using the right insulation mix to help block exterior and room-to-room noise. Fiberglass insulation added to interior walls, floors and ceilings can reduce sound between spaces by 5 to 15 decibels. Some batts are even made specifically for noise control between rooms. Blow-in and spray foam insulation also delivers outstanding acoustics by sealing gaps that sound could travel through. Insulation products are vast and increasingly high-tech. It’s important to work with knowledgeable contractors and
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NEW Products
Instant Heavy Duty Workbench
The Tapco Group’s newest high-performance alternative to wood—Kleer PVC trimboard and sheets— provides a thickness to match traditional lumber dimensions. It simplifies cutting and handling, and delivers greater stability. In addition, the thicker 2x profile can eliminate time-consuming and costly lamination steps. The trimboard product is well designed for coastal areas and moisture-heavy regions, where builders often use thicker cladding or trim that resists cupping and twisting.
The Centipede Sawhorse from Centipede Tool is a heavy duty table/workbench base and saw stand that assembles in seconds and folds down into a compact, lightweight unit for easy transport and convenient storage. The system is constructed of multiple steel struts that rest directly between the load and ground to support an incredible amount of weight while keeping even the thinnest sheet materials from sagging. Each strut is moved in tandem with a series of flat steel cross bars that are flexible enough to absorb impacts and durable enough to ensure long-lasting smooth operation.
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Skylight Screens
Vintage Fiber Cement
Topfix VMS motorized external zip screen for skylight applications by Velux and Renson minimizes solar gain in highly glazed skylight applications, while still achieving desired natural lighting. With its integration into the building management system, the screen can be extended or retracted in order to minimize unwanted glare and reflection throughout the day—reducing the cooling load of the building and improving occupancy comfort.
Nichiha’s wood-look panel line, RoughSawn, is ideal for achieving a vintage or rustic look for commercial and residential projects, while maintaining modern performance and durability. The fiber cement panels come in three rustic colors—Tobacco, Smoke and Espresso. The cladding’s rough-around-the-edges texture and earthy, weathered colors emulate the look and feel of aged barn wood.
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November 2015
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Elegant Cable Railing
Quick Driving
Efficient Openings
AGS Stainless, Inc. has added Vertical Cabling and Decorative Mesh Panel Infills to its line of stainless steel railing systems. Their simple, elegant design accentuates a home’s overall aesthetic. Two options are offered— a round or flat stainless steel top rail. The system eliminates any need for on-site welding or cutting of posts and railings.
Simpson Strong-Tie’s autofeed screw driving system Quik Drive is specifically designed to fasten metal decking to steel framing using Strong-Tie StrongDrive XL Large-Head Metal screws. The innovative system won a Pro Tool Innovation Award in the Drill/Driver Attachments: Collated Driving category.
ProVia’s new Aspect vinyl windows reportedly deliver high energy efficiency, simplified. Energy Star certified, they come standard with ProVia’s ComforTech Warm Edge glazing system, a high-tech glass package that improves thermal performance, warms glass temperatures, and reduces heat loss and interior condensation.
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Miguel Gutierrez: (209) 747-7773 • miguel@thunderboltwt.com Byron Beck: (209) 765-9023 • byron@thunderboltwt.com
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Railing Leaves an Impression
Impression Rail aluminum railing by CPG Building Products offers premium wrought iron aesthetics without the labor or expense. The railing’s classic, crafted style in sleek black creates a striking effect when used with the AZEK or TimberTech expansive palette of deck colors. The system has numerous design options and installs easily and intuitively.
TIMBERTECH.COM (800) 307-7780
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Superior Trim
Offered in TrueTexture woodgrain and smooth finishes, Restoration Millwork cellular PVC exterior trim from CertainTeed works with standard tools, nails and screws. CERTAINTEED.COM (866) 877-6933
Nature-Inspired Openings
www.superiorwoodtreating.com
Inspired by nature, Masonite’s Everland doors are hand finished to accurately capture the grain variation of natural wood. The doors are available in a natural finish and color to meet the desire for an authentic look of wood. The hand-staining process gives variations in its finish, adding depth and the look of natural wood. MASONITE.COM (866) 736-7322
Vinyl V inyl • Steel • Aluminum • Resalite™ www.rdirail.com www .rdirail.com | 1.877.420.7245 50
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sists of a layer of fiberglass-reinforced magnesium oxide cement tightly bonded to the OSB surface. In addition to providing burn-through resistance and a Class A Flame Spread rating, the layer reinforces the OSB substrate, resulting in full standard load/span ratings and shear design values for each thickness category. The crowd gathered as fire officials prepared to light flames around the buildings. As smoke immersed both structures, it was no surprise that while the bare structure was engulfed in flames, the FlameBlock-protected structure stood its ground, firm and unshaken. Watch the full demo at www.building-products.com
BURNED OUT: LP recently staged a demo at a fire training facility in Pleasanton, Ca. While the structure wrapped in FlameBlock (left) was mostly unharmed, one built of conventional OSB was completely engulfed in flames.
Fire-Rated OSB Can Take the Heat
LP Building Products staged a live fire demo to prove just how much LP FlameBlock fire-rated OSB sheathing withstands the toughest of flames. Two structures stood awaiting their fate, one wrapped in FlameBlock and the other bare OSB. By performing a live test in front of
select viewers, including The Merchant Magazine, LP wanted to demonstrate the importance of having the right kind of sheathing. A code-compliant panel, FlameBlock has a fire-resistant Pyrotite treatment that covers one or both sides of a structure. The Pyrotite treatment con-
LP FLAMEBLOCK fire-rated OSB sheathing
are yoU ready For 2016? 11 15 Layou t_D Sig Nov03 -1-8,41-4 8 10/26 /15 3:5 8 PM Page 69
MERCH
The
THE VO ICE O
2016: TH
This January, The Merchant Magazine presents a SPECIAL ISSUE devoted to:
F THE
E YEAR
WEST’
AHEAD
S LBM
ANT
2016
• Top industry forecasters sharing their predictions • Industry experts weighing in with tips and advice
DEALE RS
• WESTE RN
& DIS
TRIBUT ORS –
WOODS
JANUAR
Y 2016
Magazin
SINCE
• WIND OW
1922
S & DOO
e
RS
• Preparing your business for the new year • New and emerging trends
Plus special features on: • Western Woods
• Windows & Doors
• Siding, Roofing & Trim
THE Y
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HEAD
to advertise in this MUst-read issUe, contact (714) 486-2735 Patrick adaMs – PadaMs@bUilding-ProdUcts.coM or chUck casey – chUck@bUilding-ProdUcts.coM Building-Products.com
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California dealers return to Vegas
The West Coast Lumber & Building Material Assocation made its way back to Las Vegas for another year of golf, networking and industry insight. From Oct. 14-15, industry professionals gathered to hear from well-respected keynoters such as the incoming chair of NLBMDA Scott Yates and sales coach Ken Wilbanks. Sean Fogarty, Osborne Lumber, Newark, Ca., was elected president. Victor Fresca, ProBuild, is 1st VP; Mark Boone, Champion Lumber, 2nd VP; Vic Hausmaninger,
CPA, treasurer; Ken Dunham, WCLBMA, corporate secretary; and Mark Ganahl, Ganahl Lumber, past president. New directors are Matt Endriss, Central Valley, St. Helena; Frank Addiego, All Bay Mill & Lumber; Brenda Radmacher, Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP; Glenda DeFrange, Straight Line Transport; and Barry Schneider, Bear Forest Products. Augie Venezia, Fairfax Lumber, is government affairs chair, and Chris Huntington, Jones Wholesale Lumber, 2nd Growth president.
WCLBMA FALL conference: [1] Brian Hurdle, Brett Bleichrodt, Kevin Paldino, Tom Von Moos. [2] Jerry Dunn, Alicia Landi. [3] Daniel Hines. [4] Adam Doss. [5] Maria Burt. [6] Barrett Burt. [7] Sean Fogarty. [8] Denise Bough. [9] Frank Addiego, Tim Dickison, Marty O’Hara. [10] Eric Johnson, Joe Morin. [11] Brian Bunt, Tom McNally. [12] Grant Pearsall.
[13] John Assman, Eric Krauter, Randy Simmons. [14] Marv Askey, Tom Couch. [15] Mike Russell. [16] Sheldon Doss. [17] Karston Vardas, Pam & Matt Petersen. [18] Jeff Tweten. [19] Danny Sosa, Kristen Lockhart. [20] Bob Levesque. [21] Mark Martinez. (More photos on next page)
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CALIFORNIA DEALERS Photos by The Merchant Magazine
Dave Wallace. [30] Mike Caputo, Chuck Casey. [31] Chris Barensten, David Abbott. [32] Bert McKee, Steve Black. [33] Scott
Yates, Ken Willbanks. [34] J.D. Saunders, Matt Petersen. [35] Thom Wright, Rick Roberts. [36] John Pasqualetto, Mark Davis.
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VEGAS: [22] Janelle Fallen, Ken Dunham. [23] Tom Tragesser, Rick Johnson. [24] Ryan Arata, Eric Ziedrich. [25] David Olson, Lindsay Olson. [26] Miguel Gutierres, Dallin Brooks. [27] Dan Grady, Victor Hausmaninger. [28] Augie Venezia, Earl Downing. [29] Steve Patterson, Building-Products.com
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LA HARDWOOD GOLF Photos by LAHLC
LOS ANGELES Hardwood Lumberman's Club assembled a full field of golfers for its 16th annual Alan Bohnhoff Memorial Golf Tournament Sept. 3 in Yorba Linda, Ca. [1] Steve McKewen, Al Reed, Joe Canale, Greg Hexberg. [2] John Mortati, Jason Gobel, Jerry Witherspoon. [3] Dave Holder, Todd Gleason, Nathan Covey, Darrell Covey. [4] Dan Jones. [5] Scott Jones. [6] Wayne Burkhardt, David Miller. [7] Vinny Perricone, Ken Lobue. [8] Craig Sahli, Dan Lobue. [9] Carl Henoch, Mark Gray, Mark Michie, Jack Auey. [10] Miguel Valencia, Scott Lorden, Bud Payne, Jim Favreau. [11] Robert Ellis, Gary Reyes. [12] Mike Bohnhoff, Johnny Utah. [13] Kevin Conway, Jason Brown, Kelly Crawford, Randy Porter. (More photos on next page)
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LA HARDWOOD GOLF Photos by LAHLC
HARDWOOD FOREST Foundation was the beneficiary of proceeds from LAHLC’s recent golf tourney (continued from previous page). [14] Matt Barrass, Jake Brosterhous, Joe Bolton, Mark Brothers. [15] Jeff Porter, Marty Fox. [16] Bruce Hutchison. [17] Angelo Dimario. [18] Phil
Building-Products.com
Zantos. [19] Paul Davis. [20] Bob Martino, Bill Fitzgerald. [21] Dennis Johnston, Jim Sparke. [22] Craig Jordan, Roger Reyes. [23] Jim Shute, Kevin Trussell. [24] Dan Bohannon, Mike Walters. [25] Tom Teach, Richard Macabee, Steve Arnold.
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UFPI GOLF Photos by The Merchant Magazine
UNIVERSAL Forest Products-Riverside held its annual golf tournament Sept. 25 in Temecula, Ca.: [1] Daniel Hines, Mark Tackett. [2] Bart Weber. [3] Mike & Debbie Quezambra. [4] Curtis Achtemeier, Jeff Burian, Jay Lambert. [5] Jeff Meitmann. [6] Sean & Lisa O’Bannon, Ronnie Whitley. [7] Gary Carleton. [8] John Shirilla, Paul Silva. [9] Martin Hall, Pat McCumber. [10] Carlton Jennings, Kevin Hemborg. [11] Steve Hays. [12] Jim McClain, Erik Naguera, Trace Haggard. [13] Jeff Whitehouse. [14] Jim Sobek.
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[15] Marcos & Paola Fimbra. [16] Jose Fimbra, Gabriel Fimbra. [17] Vince Fergen. [18] Jason Croy, Helen Bromley. [19] Dave Lorey, Brian Lott, Dave Dauglash. [20] Mike Kirk, Felix Martinez, Lonnie King. [21] David Taggart. [22] Mark Rushlow, Tony Campbell. [23] Dan Gilley. [24] Mike Espinoza, Larry Reynolds. [25] Mike Dullaney. [26] Don Kavert, Jerry Goerdt. [27] Rod Cook. [28] Mark Born. [29] Jeff Norihiro, Gary Sell, John Seely. [30] Chris Wischmann, Scott Middaugh. (More photos on next two pages) Building-Products.com
UFPI GOLF Photos by The Merchant Magazine
UFPI GOLF (continued from previous page): [31] Jason Lau. [32] Gary Crowel, Rich Enroth. [33] Randall Richards, Don Croker. [34] Tom Kondziella. [35] Mike Allende, Rich Casillas.
[36] Jeff Horn. [37] Andrew Bromley, Mike Nicholson. [38] Thomas Aldrich. [39] Steve King, Carl Suderman. [40] Brad Austin. [41] Mark Miller, Sergio Jimenez. [42] Andrew
Garczewski, Devin Dixon. [43] Dan Lucero, Marty Lake. [44] John Buchholz, Harvey McCoy. [45] Donn Gunvalson, Joe McGuire. (More photos on next page)
REAL. STRONG. REDWOOD. Redwood is an abundant and renewable building material. It comes from sustainable, well managed forests. Each year we grow more than we harvest. The lumber produced from those trees is one of nature’s longest lasting, strongest, most beautiful and environmentally friendly building materials. To find out more about natural outdoor living, or to get inspired, visit us at RealStrongRedwood.com. RealStrongRedwood.com - info@calredwood.org - (925) 935-1499 Building-Products.com
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UFPI GOLF Photos by The Merchant Magazine
MORE UFPI (continued from previous pages): [45] John Fuller, Darren Turley. [46] Rogue Conception. [47] Travis Yezina, Seth Dreyer. [48] Steve Daugherty. [49] Steve Mitchell, Brooke Tibbett. [50] Tom Davidson. [51] Gabe Santo. [52] Guy Phillips, Chris Troyer. [53] Mark Gonzalez, Paul Doman. [54] Craig Fritzsche. [55] Jim Kaminski, Marwan Salem. [56] Joe Lebeau. [57] Chad Harrison, Evan Greenwalt. [58] Dan Leonard. [59] Tom Allen, Mario Loughry. [60] Aaron Cullachatti. [61] Bryan Rich, Ron Rich.
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[62] Jon Skadal, Ryan Skadal, Niko Lebeau. [63] Russ Hilton. [64] Darren Cook, Tom Hicks, J.D. Kilne, Todd Simon. [65] Grant Patterson. [66] Jim Jeffries, Carlos Martinez. [67] Brad Austin. [68] Byron Mitchell. [69] Bryon Bliss. [70] Frank Gonzalez, Craig Larson. [71] Tony Tipton. [72] Don Peterson. [73] Steve Smart, Bruce Akana. [74] Walter Medina, Larry Hewitt. [75] Jennifer Hemborg. [76] Austen Dailey, Boris Stantchey. [77] Rudy Martinez, Rick Tygart. [78] Welly Schlieser. Building-Products.com
OSBORNE LUMBER Co., Newark, Ca., celebrated its 65th anniversary with a BBQ luncheon, music and fun for customers, friends,
and current and retired employees. The firm was founded in 1950 by Warren Osborne and a group of partners that included salesman
Timothy Fogarty. Today, it is still family owned and run by president Tom Fogarty, VP Ted Fogarty, and VP Sean Fogarty.
ASSOCIATION Update Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association is getting ready for its Colorado Wood Council year-end party Dec. 3 at Mile High Stadium Club at Invesco Field, Denver, Co.
ROUGH TIMBERS UTILITY POLES PRESSURE TREATED LUMBER RETARDANT TREATED FIRE LUMBER AND PLYWOOD
West Coast Lumber & Building Material Association will hold its 2nd Growth holiday meeting Dec. 3 at the Embassy Suites Brea, Brea, Ca. A day later is a holiday golf tournament Dec. 4 at Coyote Hills Golf Course, Fullerton, Ca. Western Building Material Association exec Casey Voorhees will lead an introduction to building material sales course Nov. 16 at Valley River Inn, Eugene, Or. Then on Nov. 17-18 at the same location, Voorhees will conduct a blueprint reading & material take-off workshop. National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association elected Scott Yates, Denver Lumber, Denver, Co., its new chair during its recent industry summit in Colorado Springs, Co., replacing outgoing J.D. Saunders, Economy Lumber, Campbell, Ca. Joining them on the executive committee are chair-elect George Lester, Lester Group; treasurer Scott Engquist, Engquist Lumber; manufacturers & services council chair Gary Nackers, Do it Best Corp.; Federated Association Executives chair Karen Baker, Oklahoma Lumbermen’s Association; and president/CEO Jonathan Paine, NLBMDA. Building-Products.com
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IN Memoriam Robert Stevenson “Bob” Hardy, 86, co-founder and the first president of 84 Lumber Co., Eighty Four, Pa., died Sept. 26. A native of Pittsburgh, he graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. After serving in the Army Security Agency stationed in Japan during the Korean War, he joined his brothers, Joe and Norman, at Green Hills Lumber, McMurray, Pa. In 1956, the brothers purchased a plot of land in Eighty-Four and named their new business after it. The chain has grown to more than 300 locations. Robert “Bob” Reyneke, 89, longtime Oregon lumberman, died Oct. 6. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he graduated from Syracuse University, which sparked his 40-year career in the forest products industry. Among his stops were as sales manager for Gregory Forest Products, Glendale, Or., in the 1980s. Patricia Rieff Anawalt, 91, chairman of Anawalt Lumber Co., Los Angeles, Ca., died Oct. 2 after a short illness. She spent the bulk of her career as an anthropologist, receiving her PhD from UCLA, serving as curator of costumes and textiles for the university’s Museum of Cultural History, and founding its Center for the Study of
Regional Dress. When in 2000, her husband of 55 years, Richard Anawalt, passed away, she succeeded him as chairman. Josephine St. Thomas, 91, former forest products buyer for Pacific Northwest mills, died Oct. 13. She started as an accountant, with St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber, St. Regis, and International Paper, before becoming a purchasing manager for forest products.
Insulation Demand Climbing
U.S. demand for insulation products is forecast to rise 7% percent annually to $10.4 billion in 2019, according to a new Freedonia study. Resurgent building construction activity will boost insulation demand, aided by the adoption of more stringent building codes such as the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which will encourage more insulation use per structure. The residential market is expected to post the most rapid gains through 2019 based on double-digit annual growth in housing starts. Insulation demand in the nonresidential market is expected to recover from the declines posted between 2009 and 2014, most noticeably spurred by a rebound in the office and commercial segments. Rising interest in LEED and other green building practices will boost demand for more
insulation with higher R-values. Fiberglass insulation accounted for the largest share of insulation demand in 2014, with 48% of the market by value. Through 2019, fiberglass will remain the market leader, with demand reaching $5.0 billion. Demand for runner-up foamed plastic insulation is forecast to grow to $4.6 billion by 2019. Foamed plastics have historically been used more extensively in the nonresidential market, as their high R-value makes them desirable to many builders and designers. However, code changes that call for houses to be better sealed to prevent air leaks—a major focus of the 2012 IECC—will boost demand for foamed plastic insulation.
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ADVERTISERS Index Allweather Wood [www.allweatherwood.com] ....................Cover I Atlantis Rail Systems [www.altlantisrail.com].............................19 BW Creative Railings Systems [www.bwcreativerailings.com] .47 California Redwood Association [www.calredwood.org]...........57 Collins [www.collinswood.com] .........................................Cover IV Conrad Forest Products [www.conradfp.com]..............................5 Eco-Chemical [www.ecochemical.com] .......................................26 Exterior Wood [www.exteriorwood.com] .....................................42
DATE Book Listings are often submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend. Black Bart Hoo-Hoo Club – Nov. 11, initiation meeting, La Hacienda, Cloverdale, Ca.; (707) 621-0485; www.blackbarthoo-hoo181.org. Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Assn. – Nov. 11, Fundraising Brewfest, Mile High Station, Denver, Co.; (800) 365-0919; www.mslbmda.org. Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman’s Club – Nov. 12, meeting, Rib Trader, Orange, Ca.; (626) 445-8556; www.lahlc.net. Western Building Material Association – Nov. 16, introduction to building material sales course; Nov. 17-18, estimating workshop, Valley River Inn, Eugene, Or.; (360) 943-3054; www.wbma.org. Tacoma-Olympia Hoo-Hoo Club – Nov. 18, board meeting, La Quinta Inn, Tacoma, Wa.; (253) 531-1834.
Fasco America [www.fascoamerica.com]....................................49
Greenbuild – Nov. 18-23, Washington, D.C.; www.usgbc.com.
Fiberon [www.fiberondecking.com] .................................23, 25, 27
Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman’s Club – Nov. 21, tennis tournament, Anaheim, Ca.; (626) 445-8556; www.lahlc.net.
Fontana Wholesale Lumber [fontanawholesalelumber.com].....54 Gemini Forest Products [www.geminiforest.com] ......................11 GRK Fasteners [www.grkfasteners.com].....................................46 Huff Lumber Co. .............................................................................36 Humboldt Redwood [www.getredwood.com/timbers] ................33 International Wood Products [www.iwpllc.com] .........................28 J.H. Baxter [www.jhbaxter.com]....................................................53 Jones Wholesale Lumber [www.joneswholesale.com] ..............55 Keller Lumber .................................................................................59
Portland Wholesale Lumber Association – Dec. 1, Christmas luncheon, World Forestry Center, Portland, Or.; www.portlandwholesalelumberassociation.org. Tacoma-Olympia Hoo-Hoo Club – Dec. 1, holiday party, Oakbrook Golf Course, Lakewood, Wa.; (253) 531-1834. West Coast Lumber & Building Material Association – Dec. 4, golf tournament, Black Gold Golf Course, Brea, Ca.; (800) 2664344; www.lumberassociation.org. Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman’s Club – Dec. 12, Christmas party, Five Crowns, Corona del Mar, Ca.; www.lahlc.net. Southern California Hoo-Hoo Club – Dec. 16, holiday party, San Dimas, Ca.; nicholson.men@gmail.com.
Kop-Coat [www.kop-coat.com] ...........................................Cover III MCL Engineered Wood [www.mid-columbialumber.com]..........34 Mid-Columbia Lumber [www.mid-columbialumber.com] ...........34 Norman Distribution Inc. [www.normandist.com].......................45 NyloBoard [www.nyloboard.com]...................................................3 Pacific States Treating [www.pacificstatestreating.com].....38, 61 Pelican Bay Forest Products [www.pelicanbayfp.com]..............49 Quality Borate Co. [www.qualityborate.com] ..............................32 Railing Dynamics Inc. [www.rdirail.com] .....................................50 Roseburg Forest Products [www.roseburg.com] .......................29 Royal Pacific Industries .................................................................40 RoyOMartin [www.royomartin.com] ...............................................7 Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com].............................15, 43 Siskiyou Forest Products [www.siskiyouforestproducts.com] .39 Superior Wood Treating [www.superiorwoodtreating.com].......50
PST is located in Weed, CA, the historical heart of the West’s timber country, ideally situated on Interstate 5 to service all of California and the Western U.S. • NatureWood® brand ACQ treated products • Advance Guard® brand Borate treated products • TSO (Treating Service Only) available. • PST is ALSC quality assured by Timber Products Inspection Agency (TP) complying with AWPA Standards and the CheckMark Program.
Offering Brown tone stained treated Douglas Fir for all pressure treating applications
Swanson Group Sales Co. [www.swansongroupinc.com].........40 Thunderbolt Wood Treating [thunderboltwoodtreating.com] ....49 Universal Forest Products [www.ufpedge.com]..........................35 Utah Wood Preserving Co. ............................................................59 Viance [www.treatedwood.com] ..........................................Cover II Weyerhaeuser [www.weyerhaeuser.com]....................................37 Building-Products.com
For more information, contact Shawn Nolan snolan@pstreating.com • (530) 938-4408 NatureWood preserved wood products are treated with Alkaline Copper Quaternary compounds or Copper Azole. NatureWood and Advance Guard preserved wood products are produced by independently owned and operated wood treating facilities. NatureWood® and Advance Guard® are registered trademarks of Koppers Performance Chemicals Inc. ©3/2015
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FLASHBack 50 Years Ago This Month
Although the nation continued to sink deeper into the Depression, The Merchant Magazine in November 1930 was filled with hopeful stories pointing out silver linings and celebrating news of expansions and new products that could signal a turnaround. Bright spots included: • Forest products manufacturing giant Evans Products Co. agreed to acquire 20-unit retail chain Moore’s Super Stores, Roanoke, Va., for $10 million. Evans would later buy Grossman’s and other retail chains, bulking its retail division to 340some locations, before Evans declared bankruptcy in the mid-1980s and ended up parting with all stores. • North American Wholesale Lumber Association devised a new program to present at seven different regional dinner meetings of the Lumber Merchants Association. “How You Can Make More Money… As the Wholesaler Sees It” was designed to help dealers in northern Califronia and Nevada move more product. “We plan to take a frank look at the retail lumber
WITH TREATED wood use on the rise, Osmose Wood Preserving began courting lumber companies to add their own cylinders.
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NOVEMBER 1965 issue of California Lumber Merchant & Western Building Review spotlighted US Plywood’s new Weldwood rough-sawn Planktex strip siding.
dealer today,” said Donald S. Andrews, western manager of NAWLA. “And our discussion will include product knowledge, effective use of time, and greater return on invested capital. Dealers will be shown slides showing the successful practices followed by regional wholesalers of forest products.” Merchant Magazine editor David Cutler took note: “We shall follow closely, for if successful, this is a project that could be developed on a national basis for the good of the cause… (as) another example of the continuing trend of cooperation between the various segments of the forest products industry.” • Dealers were urged to start carrying “plastic bathtubs”—actually polyester gel-coated fiberglass—after they were okayed by the FHA for use in select areas, including Phoenix, Sacramento, San Francisco, Southern Calfiornia, Reno, Portland, Seattle and Spokane. • Ed Fountain Lumber Co., Los Angeles, Ca., introduced clever new packaging to help dealers better ship, handle and protect its Lam-Loc Pecky Cedar. Each corrugated carton held about 10 cedar boards, cut in specificed lengths up to 16 ft. The manufacturer rolled out the required length of corrugated wrap across the packaging machine, laid the lumber on top, closed the machine to fold and tighten the wrap, applied tape, added labels, and marked the carton for width and length. The system was designed primarily for long-distance shipping, but was also valuable for dealers who stored their product in the yard or on a job site. • The Red Cedar Shingle & Handsplit Shake Bureau (today’s Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau) celebrated its 50th anniversary at its annual meeting in Seattle, drawing 300. • Weyerhaeuser’s distribution division finally set down roots south of Los Angeles, by opening a five-acre distribution yard in Anaheim, Ca.—a presence it retains to this day. • The newly formed Fir & Hemlock Door Association held its inaugural meeting in Seattle, after signing a management deal with the Western Wood Products Association to oversee the group for its seven member companies (Buffelen Woodworking, Tacoma, Wa.; Nicolai Door Manfuacturing, Portland, Or.; E.A. Nord Co., Everett, Wa.; St. Regis Paper, Tacoma; Simpson Timber, Seattle; and West Coast Door Co., Tacoma). In time, management of the group would be taken over by National Wood Window & Door Association and then Window & Door Manufacturers Association.
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