84 LUMBER ACCELERATES GROWTH IN

By the end of the year, 84 Lumber will open three new stores—all in the West—and make improvements to 54 existing locations.

The nation’s largest privately held building materials supplier currently operates 310 facilities, which include 234 stores, 14 component manufacturing plants, 28 engineered wood product (EWP) centers, and 34 door shops.

The new store openings include Stockton, Ca., and Denver and Greeley, Co. The company is relocating existing stores to larger facilities in Morgantown, W.V, and Sarasota, Fl.

84 Lumber is also opening a door shop in Denver, Co., and component plants in Boise, Id.; Winter Haven, Fl.; Columbia, S.C.; and a second plant in Atlanta, Ga. The current EWP facility in Atlanta is being relocated

THE WEST business.

to a larger location in Cartersville, Ga., and new centers will be opened in the New Jersey and Boston markets.

“With the opening of these new stores and manufacturing facilities, we remain strong in our continued prospect for growth,” said president Maggie Hardy. “We value our customers and listen to what is important to them to grow their businesses. As a result, we are growing and expanding in two ways—opening new locations and investing in existing markets.”

WASHINGTON’S ANGELES MILLWORK EXPANDING RENTALS

Angeles Millwork & Lumber Co. has purchased a former Sears Hometown building in Port Angeles, Wa., to expand its equipment rental

The Sears store closed in October following the retirement of owner Sheri Ingles.

Angeles Millwork is renovating the 11,000-sq. ft. facility and will open later in the year as Angeles Rentals, specializing in rental tools, equipment and associated supplies. Its existing Angeles Rentals operation occupies a small corner of Angeles Millwork’s Port Angeles location, which it has outgrown.

The larger space will provide room for additional retail product lines and more parking. The rental staff will grow from two to five.

Applegate Greenfiber Buys Arizona Insulation Maker

Cellulose insulation producer

Applegate Greenfiber (AGGF), Charlotte, N.C., has purchased United Fibers’ cellulose and materials er they visit a Home Depot store for a last-minute need on the way to a job or plan a larger purchase in advance to be delivered to the job site. We’re focused on serving the pro no matter where, when and how they choose to shop with The Home Depot.”

Home Depot Expands Pro Loyalty Program

The Home Depot has expanded its Pro Xtra loyalty program, unveiling new membership tiers and new benefits for professional contractors and builders. The new tiers are Member, Elite and VIP.

When customers enroll in Pro Xtra, they gain access to specialized perks, business tools to better manage and grow their businesses, exclusive sales and events in stores and online, paint rewards and more.

Every dollar spent counts toward earning rewards while also allowing members to unlock the next level of Pro Xtra benefits. As new tiers are unlocked, Pros access additional perks such as a new Elite Support Line for prioritized, exclusive assistance for business needs, VIP experiences, account management services with personalized purchase support from Home Depot experts, and preferred pricing. Additional benefits for members of all tiers will be released throughout the year.

“Pros make up about 10% of The Home Depot’s customer base and approximately half of our sales,” said Hector Padilla, executive vice president of outside sales and service. “To serve the pro, it’s about removing friction through a variety of products and capabilities—wheth-

Pros represent a $450 billion marketplace, and The Home Depot is building a unique, interconnected Pro ecosystem to help them build their businesses. The company has introduced new product offerings and capabilities for pros, including job-lot quantities of the right assortment of brands, digital tools and personalized experiences, a variety of fulfillment options with reliable delivery and prioritization for pros, and other value-added offerings like credit, tool rental, quote center and more.

“We’re always looking for ways to enhance Pro Xtra to best support Pros as their needs grow and evolve, along with their businesses,” said Molly Battin, senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “This tiered loyalty system unlocks a new experience of rewards and savings for our Pro customers with more benefits than ever, right at their fingertips.” recovery facility (MRF) in Chandler, Az. the expansion centered across the western United States.

The Pro Xtra program was first launched in 2012.

The 76,000-sq. ft. production and recycling facility is capable of producing over 75 million lbs. of cellulose insulation annually.

Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau (WCLIB) in 1991 and revised multiple times since.

Over the past 18 months, Lowe’s opened more than a dozen facilities, including in Riverside, Ca.

CONSTRUCTION IS UNDERWAY on a new TFL plant in Klamath Falls, Or., to meet growing demand in the West.

Wilsonart Expands TFL in West

AGGF president and CEO Tom VanAlstine said, “We feel very privileged to add the United Fibers operation to our portfolio, allowing us to better service our customers in the Southwest and continue to expand the presence of cellulose within the insulation industry.”

With 15 manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Canada, AGGF is the largest manufacturer, marketer and distributor of cellulose insulation in North America.

When WCLIB and PLIB merged operations in 2019, PLIB was recognized by the American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC) as a lumber grading rules-writing authority. No. 18, 2022 edition is the first major revision to the rule book since the merger, and the first to be published by PLIB. It replaces Standard 17 as the official WCLB Grading Rules for West Coast & Imported Lumber.

Wilsonart Engineered Surfaces has broken ground on a new thermally fused laminate (TFL) facility in Klamath Falls, Or.

Expected to be fully operational by July 2021, the new facility will feature a quick-cycle press, which will significantly increase its production capabilities on the West Coast.

Plib Publishes Revised West Coast Grading Rules

“Our offerings have garnered tremendous support from both specifiers and fabricators,” said Ron Ubertini, VP-product management. “TFL is a key part of that offering, and this next expansion is a continuation of our strategy to enable us to meet growing demand and better serve our customers.”

Over the coming year and a half, the chain is expected to open 50 more cross-dock terminals, seven bulk distribution centers, and four e-commerce fulfillment centers. It recently inked deals for new distribution space in California, Arizona and Washington, among other states.

In October, Lowe’s opened a West Coast e-commerce fulfillment center in Mira Loma, Ca., said to improve two-day deliveries.

Lowe’s has leased 116,934-sq. ft. in a new industrial park in Gilbert, Az., to open a distribution and fulfillment center in early 2021.

It reportedly also agreed to lease 1.2 million sq. ft. at the Benaroya Pacific Northwest Regional Logistics Center in Winlock, Wa.

“The new rule book includes all updates to the NGR grade rules as well as revisions to other grades specific to the WCLB rules,” said Jeff Fantozzi, PLIB’s president. “There are also several items included in WCLB No. 18 that had not been included in previous editions of the Standard 17 rule book.”

Second-Hand Lumberyard Reopens in Flagstaff

After being closed for nearly nine years, E.R.I.C. Building Supply, Flagstaff, Az., has reopened with a new owner.

Lowe’s Bulking Up in the West

To meet fast-growing demand for building materials, Lowe’s Home Improvement Centers, Mooresville, N.C., will invest $1.7 billion to update its supply chain—with much of

Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau (PLIB) has published a new grading rules book, WCLB Standard Grading Rules for West Coast & Imported Softwood Lumber, No. 18, 2022. The new rule book replaces “Standard 17,” the Bureau’s previous version of the grading rules written and first published by West

Besides the new title and publisher, among the most significant changes are inclusion of the complete and current National Grade Rule (NGR) interpretations as well as the WCLB rule interpretations. No. 18 also features updates to MSR grade tables and design value tables, and a new seasoning provision for timbers, intended to make the definition for dry timbers consistent across manufacturers. Fantozzi said the PLIB also updated the species lists, rearranged the order of some sections, and incorporated revisions and corrections from previous editions.

Construction industry veteran Darwin Dahozy purchased the business and inventory, and reopened in early October after a month of prepping the long-vacant space. He admits their current collection of used, recycled and discarded building materials will require more time to organize, so initially will be closed on Mondays through Wednesdays as it continues to “clean up and organize.”

Dahozy, 49, moved to the area two years ago looking to buy or start his own business, after a career as a welder and residential/commercial fencer.

Coil-bound and perfect bound copies of No. 18 may be purchased for $30. Visit plib.org/resources or call (253) 835-3344 for ordering information. A downloadable PDF will also be available soon.

Resourcewise Rolls Out Price Reporting Platform

Wood Resources International, part of the ResourceWise portfolio, has launched WoodMarket Prices, a global price and trade reporting platform for the timber, wood products, and pulp & paper sectors.

WoodMarket Prices is the digital successor to WRI’s flagship product, Wood Resources Quarterly, which was introduced in 1988 and used by international forest industry analysts in more than 30 countries.

The WoodMarket Prices platform builds on WRI’s legacy of providing the global forest products industry with accurate pricing data and exclusive commentary. As the global forest products market evolves and adapts to meet its greatest challenges, including sustainability, volatility and availability, customers have come to expect more from their information providers.

To meet the challenges WRI’s customers are facing in 2022 and beyond, the WoodMarket Prices digital environment will allow subscribers to interact with the on-demand data that is most important to them. The web-based platform will provide 24/7/365 access so that subscribers can view current and historical price trends, download data and graphics, and—most importantly—quickly and easily customize the way they view the data that helps them make better business decisions.

Features include:

• Easy-to-read prices are avail- able on a single page—no more flipping through a PDF for specific needs.

• Filters can be saved for quick and easy drill downs to the exact products they are researching, and these views can be printed and downloaded easily.

• Comparisons of current prices to earlier time periods, including one- and two-year rolling averages.

• Quarterly price trends for 30 years of history are available by product.

• Subscribers can access a variety of commentary and data about global forest products markets, imports and exports, supply, demand, capacity utilization and more.

“Customers can track the latest prices for sawlogs and pulpwood worldwide, monitor global trade of wood chips and pellets, evaluate the competitiveness of global sawmills and pulpmills, and receive reliable wood chip and pulplog prices,” WRI owner Hakan Ekstrom said. “Subscribers can also assess quarterly wood raw-material price trends, follow wood prices in North America, Europe, Latin America, Oceania and Asia, and read about developments in the international forest industry.”

San Diego Liquor Dealer Turns To Hardware

A year-and-a-half after the 10-year-old Ace Hardware closed in the San Diego Country Estates com- munity in Ramona, Ca., the owner of three local liquor stores is serving up a replacement.

Responding to public demand for home improvement supplies, the Country Wine & Spirits owner this month will open Country Hardware Store True Value, offering tools, hardware, barbecues, plants and more. In time, it will also stock hay and feed.

Managers are Danny Ibrahim and Steve Hermiz, who also serves as general manager of the convenience stores.

“I’m in the convenience and alcohol store business, but the community wanted a hardware store here and I’m here to support the community,” Hermiz told The Ramona Sentinel. “The community has been a family to me and I will do whatever it takes to help everybody.”

Estates Ace Hardware closed in August 2021 after its owners said their landlord planned to double their rent and they could not find a like-sized, 8,000-sq. ft. property that it could relocate to.

Boise Cascade Cutting Back At Plywood Mill

Boise Cascade planned to reduce operations this month at its Elgin Plywood in Elgin, Or.

The company filed a 60-day WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) Notice with the Oregon HECC – Office of Workforce Investments and the Elgin mayor on Dec. 14, declaring that it “will be reducing its workforce at the Elgin Plywood facility; all effective employees will be laid off.” Boise Cascade expected the layoffs to begin on Feb. or within 14 days thereafter.

Boise Cascade did not address how extensive the layoffs would be nor if the entire facility could be closed.

According to the WARN notice, Boise Cascade did not believe the planned layoffs would reach the threshold that would trigger the WARN requirements (10 or more workers), but decided to provide the notice nonetheless.

Built in 1964, the facility employs about 230.

U.S. LUMBER COALITION SUPPORTS CONTINUED ENFORCEMENT OF SOFTWOOD LUMBER TARIFFS

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced the preliminary determination of a combined anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duty rate of 8.24% in the fourth annual review of unfairly traded Canadian softwood lumber imports into the U.S. The review covers lumber imported in calendar year 2021.

“Continued enforcement of U.S. trade laws against unfairly traded Canadian lumber will maximize longterm domestic production and lumber availability produced by U.S. workers to build U.S. homes,” said Andrew Miller, chairman of the U.S. Lumber Coalition and CEO of Stimson Lumber, Portland, Or.

“A level playing field against subsidized and dumped imports is particularly important during times of down markets when U.S. mills can least afford to lose sales to Canada’s harmful unfair trade practices that endanger U.S. jobs and communities who depend on a vibrant U.S. forestry industry,” added Miller.

According to the Coalition, “the U.S. industry remains open to a new U.S.–Canada softwood lumber trade agreement if and when Canada can demonstrate that it is serious about negotiations. Until then, the U.S. Lumber Coalition fully supports the continued strong enforcement of the U.S. trade laws to address Canada’s unfair softwood lumber trade practices.”

Canada disagrees. Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng said, “Canada remains ready and willing to find solutions that allow for a return to predictable crossborder trade in softwood lumber. We are confident that a negotiated solution to this long-standing issue is in the best interests of both our countries.”

Koppers Acquires Oregon Location

Koppers Utility & Industrial Products Inc., a whollyowned subsidiary of Koppers Holdings Inc., has purchased a 70-acre property in Glendale, Or., to expand its treating and distribution operations.

The purchase of the land, formerly used by Swanson Group as a sawmill, also includes equipment on premises. The property was acquired from The Emerald Fund, LLC. Swanson permanently shuttered the facility in 2019.

In support of Koppers’ strategy to expand and optimize its business to achieve the company’s target of $300 million adjusted EBITDA in 2025, the acquired property provides various options, including optimizing Koppers Performance Chemicals distribution network and expanding the company’s wood treating capabilities to the West Coast.

“Our West Coast Performance Chemicals business has grown to the point where adding production and distribution capabilities makes sense to lower our costs and improve our margins,” noted Koppers president and CEO Leroy Ball. “Longer-term, this property also has the potential to expand our industrial treating footprint into a geographic market that we do not yet serve.”

Koppers Utility & Industrial Products currently operates 12 treating plants and 17 distribution yards across the U.S., although only one of its plant—in Arbuckle, Ca.—is in the West.