The Merchant Magazine - May 2010

MERCHANT

PEP UP YOUR DECK-SELLING SEASON EWP INDUSTRY BRACES FOR NEW GLULAM

The

M AY 2010

Magazine

THE VOICE OF THE WEST’S LBM DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS – SINCE 1922

There’s no wood quite like redwood.

Scott Padgett, designer/builder at Padgettdesign.com.

©2010 The California Redwood Company. All rights reserved.

There’s no company quite like The California Redwood Company.

When you partner with The California Redwood Company, you’re not just getting a unique and beautiful wood product, you’re getting the experience and innovation only a company that’s been around for 120 years can bring.

This year, we’re continuing with our spirit of constant improvement with the addition of two newly designed wood products, along with enhancements to our current products.

We’re also launching a new marketing campaign, including a completely new website, a new identity and collateral system, and a robust in-store training program. The campaign, entitled “Build history” tells the rich story of The California Redwood Company and inspires homeowners to build something truly special — all of which translates to new and higher margin opportunities for you.

We hope you’ll call us at 1-800-637-7077 or visit californiaredwoodco.com to learn more about what a partnership with The California Redwood Company can mean. And find out if together, we can build history.

LEGACY PROFILE

ALPINE

SUMMIT PROFILE — Limited Edition

CLASSIC HEART

MERIDIAN PROFILE — Limited Edition

PREMIUM BLEND

The

MERCHANT

Special Features 9 FEATURE STORY DEALER MAKES ROOM FOR NONPROFIT

10 INDUSTRY TRENDS FULL-FRAMING-WIDTH GLULAMS TO SHAKE UP THE EWP INDUSTRY

12 FEATURE STORY SELL TO COMMERCIAL DECK PROS

14 INDUSTRY TRENDS MARKETING TO SMALLER DECKS

16 MANAGEMENT TIPS BUILD ON DECK SAFETY PROMOTION

18 VIEWPOINT THE CASE FOR EXPANDING LEEDS

20 FIRST PERSON HOW TO MAKE BETTER DEALS

Magazine

Online

In Every Issue 6 TOTALLY RANDOM 22 OLSEN ON SALES 24 GREEN RETAILING 26 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE 32 MOVERS & SHAKERS 34 FAMILY BUSINESS 38 KAHLE ON SALES 41 NEW PRODUCTS 47 IN MEMORIAM 51 ASSOCIATION UPDATE 52 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 53 DATE BOOK 54 IDEA FILE 54 ADVERTISERS INDEX

May 2010

Volume 88 Number 11

BREAKING INDUSTRY NEWS, INDUSTRY PHOTO DOWNLOADS, & THE MERCHANT: DIGITAL VERSION BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM

THE MERCHANT ON FACEBOOK SEARCH “THE MERCHANT MAGAZIINE” ON FACEBOOK.COM

THE MERCHANT ON TWITTER TWITTER.COM/MERCHANTMAG CHANGE OF ADDRESS Send address label from recent issue if possible, new address and 9-digit zip to address below.

POSTMASTER Send address changes to The Merchant Magazine, 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660-1872.

The Merchant Magazine (USPS 796-560) is published monthly at 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 926601872 by Cutler Publishing, 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®2010 by Cutler Publishing, 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.

California Timberline, Inc.

50 PHOTO RECAP

NAWLA ANNUAL IN NEW ORLEANS

Sugar and Ponderosa Pine, Douglas Fir, Redwood, Western Red and California Incense Cedar Hardwood Lumber & Plywood Chino, CA 91710 •

4

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

The Mark of Responsible Forestry SCS-COC-001973 ®1996 Forest Stewardship Council A.C.

(909) 591-4811 • FAX (909) 591-4818 Building-Products.com

TOTALLY Random

By Alan Oakes

The

MERCHANT

Magazine

www.building-products.com

A publication of Cutler Publishing

4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, CA 92660

H

Are you listening… to yourself?

that something good or bad was about to happen? Then the phone rings and…

Sometimes I am driving to work, and I see idiots zoom by me at 90 mph— weaving in and out of lanes—and I suddenly think to myself that it’s time for me to slow down or there will be an accident. It seems that most of my gut feelings or instincts are about bad things that are about to happen rather than good things (particularly as my inner voice tells me to go and play the Lotto, and I have never won a dime yet). But over the years, I have come to conclude that I have pretty good intuition about what’s going on around me. So much so that I typically trust my gut feelings in dealing with people and business situations. If I override my concerns, generally there’s a price to pay later.

The trouble is many of us don’t listen to our inner voice. Perhaps it is because we often do not want something to be true and hope ignoring it will make it go away. Throughout each and every day we receive signals to our subconscious, but to hear them or react to them we have to learn to recognize them and act on them.

Intuition comes from not only our gut but also our head and our heart. When all three collide, warning bells go off. When something is weighing heavy on me, I can feel the pain in my stomach and heart, and it doesn’t go away until I make a decision—usually one in line with what my gut is telling me. And strangely, it’s rarely wrong. But it takes time and experience to learn to trust your instincts.

Maybe the older and (hopefully) wiser you get, the messages trying to attract your attention actually get through to you. Perhaps it takes some bad things to happen until you realize what the messages were trying to tell you, so next time you become more aware of the signs and at least weigh them.

In business, it is much the same. Opportunities come and go, and it is the brave who listen to their gut. Yes, you can have committees or consultants concoct business plans. But sometimes when your inner voice is telling you to do something and do it NOW, if you have come to the point of trusting your instincts, then don’t delay, just do it. I think over the years when something has gone wrong in my business life, I wasn’t strong enough to stand up for my instincts. I think the people I have been most impressed with in business are those who have gone against general thinking because they had an instinct that what seemed wrong to others was, in fact, right. The term “stroke of genius” comes about when someone was willing to gamble and make a call that was seen by others as too bold or risky.

At the end of the day, it is instinct rather than processes and formulas that make the really best people stand out. And that is the problem too many times in corporate life today, when you must go round and round getting a consensus for every move instead of someone saying this is how something should be done, acting on it, and moving on. There is so much pussyfooting around people’s feelings that decisions often get watered down and the end results are failure.

It is not only your instinct that you must learn to trust; you need to seek out others who can be trusted to make the right decisions over time. In some cases you might trust their judgment over your own if they have proven that their judgment might be better than your own.

While we listen to our kids and our spouses (well some of us), perhaps we should listen more to ourselves!

AVE YOU EVER HAD A GUT FEELING

Alan Oakes, Publisher ajoakes@aol.com

6

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

Publisher Alan Oakes ajoakes@aol.com

Publisher Emeritus David Cutler

Director of Editorial & Production David Koenig dkoenig@building-products.com Editor Karen Debats kdebats@building-products.com

Contributing Editors Dwight Curran, Carla Waldemar, James Olsen, Jay Tompt

Advertising Sales Manager Chuck Casey ccasey@building-products.com Administration Director/Secretary Marie Oakes mfpoakes@aol.com Circulation Manager Heather Kelly hkelly@building-products.com

How to Advertise

WEST, MIDWEST, SOUTHEAST Chuck Casey Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 ccasey@building-products.com

NORTHEAST Paul Mummolo 404 Princeton Ave., Brick, N.J. 08724 Phone (732) 899-8102 Fax 732-899-2758 mummolop@comcast.net

ONLINE Alan Oakes www.building-products.com Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 ajoakes@aol.com

CLASSIFIED David Koenig Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 dkoenig@building-products.com

How to Subscribe

SUBSCRIPTIONS Heather Kelly Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 hkelly@building-products.com or send a check to 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, CA 92660 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

Building-Products.com

8k_bZ M_j^ Ekh Ijh[d]j^" 9ekdj Ed Ekh <_h[ H[i_ijWdY[

BF <bWc[8beYa <_h[#HWj[Z EI8 I^[Wj^_d] LP® FlameBlock™ Fire-Rated OSB Sheathing offers you the best of both worlds—impressive structural strength and remarkable burn-through fire resistance. Created by applying a patented, non-combustible Pyrotite® coating to LP® OSB panels, LP FlameBlock Sheathing is an ICC certified (ESR-1365), PS2-rated structural sheathing with a Class A Flame Spread Rating. It provides extended burn-through resistance, delivering a 20-minute thermal barrier (ASTM E119). It’s durable on the job site, easy to work with, and is Exposure-1 rated to withstand rain during normal construction delays. LP FlameBlock Sheathing is cost effective and available in a variety of PS2-rated thicknesses and lengths, including Struc-1. And from an environmental perspective, it contains no hazardous chemicals. Backed by a 20-Year Transferable Limited Warranty, LP FlameBlock Sheathing is the panel to count on when every minute matters.

For more information on LP FlameBlock Fire-Rated Sheathing, call LP Building Products at 1-888-820-0325.

OSB

|

SmartSide®

|

SolidStart®

|

TopNotch®

|

TechShield®

|

CanExel®

LPCorp.com/FlameBlock

|

© 2010 Louisiana-Pacific Corporation. All rights reserved. Pyrotite is a registered trademark of Barrier Technology Corp.

All other trademarks are owned by Louisiana-Pacific Corporation.

FEATURE Story

Dealer makes room for green nonprofit

F

L UMBER & H ARDWARE , Fairfax, Ca., has partnered with a local nonprofit to take green building to the next level: selling surplus and reclaimed lumber and building materials alongside new products.

“It’s the first hybrid profit and nonprofit, mixing new with reused,” said Carrie Bachelder, founder of The Away Station. “Fairfax Lumber gave us a foothold, a place to start.”

The partnership is the newest addition to the store’s Fairfax Green program, which offers a full inventory of FSC-certified lumber, plus an array of AIRFAX

INVENTORY SYSTEM for reclaimed materials was created by Beth Forsman, employee of The Away Station, and Charlie Cain, manager of Fairfax Lumber.

Building-Products.com

other green building products and information. The program’s goal is simple: conserve natural resources, enhance energy efficiency, improve indoor air quality, and release fewer toxins into the environment.

Here’s how it works: Bachelder solicits donations, which are delivered to Fairfax’s three-acre property, and handles the tax-deduction receipts.

With the help of Away Station employee Beth Forsman, the donated items are sorted, tagged with a special SKU, and displayed in the proper department. Sales are rung up at special registers by Fairfax employees, and profits are split 60/40 at the end of each month.

Besides profits, Fairfax also wins by gaining access to customers who want to receive green credits for using reclaimed products.

“We realized that re-use is a piece of green building that we had neglected,” said president Augie Venezia. “A large percentage of landfill is construction debris, so the goal is to reduce and reuse.”

About 80% of the donated materials are from deconstruction projects, according to manager Charlie Cain, but other items are donated by contractors who want to clear unused materials—extra nails and screws,

special-order windows that weren’t used—from their storage yards.

He said, “Everyone is excited about being able to shop for used materials, not having to spend money on new resources if they don’t have to. Many want the option of using reclaimed materials if they are available.”

Cain noted that landlords also like the option of spending less on repairs by using reclaimed materials such as toilets, sinks or windows. “Everyone likes to save money and keep materials out of landfills,” he said.

The biggest challenge of the partnership, Cain said, was creating an inventory system for the donations.

The key was to keep it simple, yet keep track of what’s selling and what’s not, so the product mix can be improved.

“This partnership puts Fairfax ahead of the curve,” said Venezia.

“People think green building is too expensive, but it’s not.”

GREEN BUILDING PARTNERS Carrie Bachelder, The Away Station, and Augie Venezia, president of Fairfax Lumber, with surplus hardware awaiting sorting.

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

9

INDUSTRY Trends

By Josh Englander

Full framing-width glulam shakes up the EWP industry

S

ROSBORO is making a huge gamble that it can expand the uses of its glulams by widening its entire product line to full framing widths.

TUBB ORN INDUSTRY WOES have prompted various strategic responses, from conservative downscaling to aggressive adaptation.

Companies that have circled the wagons—shedding jobs, relying on fixed inventories—are waiting until the market becomes a stationary target before they make their next move.

Others are dashing out of trenches guns blazing. Rosboro, one of the building sector’s glulam leaders, is

10

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

deciding on the latter tactic with the introduction of X-Beam, a full framing width stock glulam in architectural appearance.

With the new product launch, the Oregon-based company is poised to shake up the engineered wood market and consequently rankle the competition. For every advertised benefit XBeam promises—uniformity with standard framing widths, fewer SKUs, reduced shimming on job sites—there

is a corresponding, opposing argument. Other glulam manufacturers are questioning everything from the economic viability to the market demand for such a product.

“Yes, we scratched our heads when we first heard about it [X-Beam],” said Dennis Huston, EWP sales manager of Boise Glulam. “Rosboro claims they won’t have to increase price, but there’s more wood fiber going into the product, so we don’t see how that’s going to work. We’ll wait and analyze the market response before we consider offering a similar product.”

In poker parlance, Rosboro is going all in, switching its entire stock of 4x and 6x glulam products to full framing width in architectural appearance.

That means one set of SKUs for exposed and concealed applications, and no more jobsite modifications to match traditional glulam with standard framing members. Rosboro is also marketing the fact that the greater widths and wood volume will equate to increased load-carrying capacity.

Critics aside, there may be a very influential group that applauds the decision: builders. The ones who, if the product follows through on its claim, will reap the immediate rewards.

“This will have a big impact for me,” said Oregon builder Tony Chapman. “I prefer glulam for its consistency and strength, but there’s always been extra effort and time I spend shimming out the 3/8” gaps. A Building-Products.com

full-width product really simplifies things.”

Breaking Rules & Traditions

So why hasn’t it been done before?

Part of the reason is that, unlike Rosboro, not many manufacturers are operating their own sawmills and planers. That gives the company the leverage to break away from a pack that largely relies on the capabilities of their manufacturing partners. In making this change to full widths, Rosboro is fundamentally altering glulam manufacturing practices that date back 40+ years. Naturally, Rosboro’s competitors are wary of the news.

“Frankly, we don’t think much of it,” said Bud Filler, founding partner of Filler King Company. “It’s an unstandard industry size and it creates dual inventories in distributors’ yards.

Another problem is the amount of redesign it may require on hardware connections. Then there’s the added cost; someone has to pay for that extra 3/8.”

Filler is likely not the only one to express concerns about increased costs —and compatibility issues. Any radical change is bound to have a ripple effect down the supply chain.

However, at least one leading hardware manufacturer, Simpson StrongTie, does not foresee any major stumbling blocks associated with the increased standard widths.

“Simpson Strong-Tie provides a large variety of hanger sizes for glulam beams,” said a Simpson representative, “including sized for Rosboro’s 3-1/2” and 5-1/2” wide glulams.”

depths.

With uncertainty still swirling around the building industry, it's unclear whether Rosboro’s early adoption of the new product line will result in a big head start or a humbling retreat should the market reject fullwidth glulam. Despite the unknowns, Rosboro is embarking with confidence.

“We don’t feel it’s a big risk,” said Walsh. “At this point, we’re not really competing against other glulam manufacturers, but rather LVL, solid sawn, LSL and steel. When we talk to the end-users, they prefer glulam over all these other products—if it weren’t for the sizing problem. With X-Beam, we’re delivering a product that better fits what builders need and reducing the SKUs for our customers.”

The industry will certainly be watching Rosboro’s dance with risk and reward. If successful, the X-Beam product may signify a trend, one in which companies will try to innovate their way out of an economic downturn rather than wait for conditions to return to normal.

– Josh Englader is a freelance writer specializing in the building industry.

New Standard in Glulam

Rosboro and other manufacturers can now produce stock glulams in standard framing widths and I-joist compatible depths, thanks to a new APA performance standard.

The association worked with Rosboro and other members to develop APA PRG305 Performance Standard for APA EWS Stock Glulam Beams. It addresses design properties for APA EWS performance-rated stock glulam beams used in residential or non-residential floor and roof construction.

With an emphasis on 1.9E-2400Fb and 2.2E-3000Fb glulams, the standard provides design values and load-span tables for stock beams with balanced layups. Glulam products trademarked to PRG-305 will be made with standard framing widths of 3-1/2” and 5-1/2”, a framing appearance classification, zero camber, and I-joist compatible depths of 9-1/2’, 11-7/8’, 14’, 16’, and 18’.

While glulam can be manufactured in many sizes and layup combinations, the APA producers chose to focus the new standard on two common framing widths in the 1.9E and 2.2E layup combinations. The objective was to simplify the product offering and make it easier for distributors to stock and for designers to specify glulams for the most common framing applications. Since most of these applications are in concealed floors, roofs, and walls, a framing appearance classification was deemed suitable.

Looking for the Next Big Thing

Rosboro is hailing X-Beam as a breakthrough – a radical improvement in terms of convenience and efficiency. “With the sizing issue mitigated, we believe glulam becomes the premier engineered wood option,” said Jim Walsh, Rosboro senior vice president of sales and marketing. “It’s less expensive than other engineered wood products, more attractive, lighter weight, and easier to work with. We view X-Beam as the next-generation glulam.”

As for cost, Rosboro claims the market will dictate the price and value of the product. X-Beam’s available net widths include beams at 3-1/2”, 51/2”, 6-3/4”, and 8-3/4”, and columns at 3-1/2”x6”, 5-1/2”x5-1/2”, and 51/2”x6”. It will also come in a full range of common glulam and I-joist Building-Products.com

DOUBLE DUTY: As a full framing width stock beam featuring an architectural appearance, Rosboro’s new X-Beam is poised to compete in markets traditionally served by other EWPs, while continuing to reach current glulam markets—to the chagin of its non-vertically-integrated competitors.

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

11

FEATURE Story Decking for Commercial Projects

Selling decking to commercial contractors

A

can require a lot more work, selling decking for commercial and public projects such as restaurants, offices and playgrounds can be a lucrative niche market for retailers.

First and foremost, advises Scott LTHOUGH THE PROCESS

Thomas, marketing director for Parksite, Apex, N.C., “if dealers are looking to sell decking products—or any product category for that matter— into commercial projects, they need to put their company in front of the commercial general contractor community

IPÉ DECKING is a common choice for commercial projects, such as this Jamaican resort’s boardwalk leading to two massage huts also built of ipé.

Photo by AdvantageLumber.com

12

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

first and foremost. This will get them opportunities to bid projects.”

If dealers are going to offer deck design services for commercial projects, employing a registered design professional is advisable, even if it’s not mandated by their local building department. The International Building Code regulates public structures, including decks, and has countless intricate requirements on factors such as maximum loads, emergency egress, changes in elevation, lighting, handrails, guards, signage and fire sprinklers. The liability for design failure of a deck on, say, a popular restaurant would be catastrophic.

Material-wise, Thomas says, “if the goal is to influence projects toward choosing the type of decking they sell, lumber dealers would need to have influence at the architectural level and work on projects still in the planning phase. At this point in the project, there can be an opportunity to fit the right decking product with the given needs of the project. Keep in mind the spec may or may not specifically state a brand and, if it does, it may state ‘or equivalent.’ This being the case, dealers will need to stay on top of the project as it progresses, make sure they know which general contractor is awarded the project, and be sure to educate on their product as soon as possible.”

Advantage Trim & Lumber Co., Grover, N.C., is so dedicated to hardwood decking that several years ago the wholesaler discontinued carrying composites and launched a separate website at www.ipedepot.com.

“Whenever commercial contractors Building-Products.com

ask about what lumber to use for commercial applications, we always recommend ipé decking,” says sales manager Jon Fletcher. “Ipé is naturally slip resistant and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements for static coefficient of friction in a wet environment. It also exceeds many building code requirements for flame spread. These facts make ipé appropriate for high-traffic areas such as restaurants and playgrounds.”

Recent commercial projects for which Advantage has supplied ipé include the Edgartown Lighthouse in Martha’s Vineyard; the Boys & Girls Club in Boston, Ma.; the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas, Nv., and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Va. “With a natural lifespan of over 40 years, ipé has proven to perform in all climates, while easily tolerating high pressure loads,” Fletcher notes.

As a deck builder, Deck Specialists Inc., Manchester, Ct., is concerned about availability. “Contractors would like to know that once they get ‘on board’ with a material it is going to be available for years to come and consistent in both price, performance and looks,” says owner Paul Smith. “For example, many composites come and go and change the look of the product almost completely. We need to know we can match a deck we built a few years ago if the need arises to repair or add on more decking to the existing.”

Smith finds lifetime fade warranties unrealistic; he’ll accept aging and weathering, if he knows what to expect. “We understand that everything fades outdoors,” Smith said, noting manufacturers should “just build that into the product by showing us what to expect down the road, so we can pass this on to the consumer.”

He, too, prefers hardwood decking, but expects his vendors to provide assurances that the materials are ecofriendly and sustainably harvested, so he can assure his customers. “We would like to be able to answer questions in regard to whether the rainforests are getting depleted by demand for the product,” Smith says.

Commercial decking accounts can be huge, yet time-consuming.

“Dealers wanting to play in this arena need to have patience and be diligent in follow up,” Parksite’s Thomas reminds. “The sales cycle is much longer than with residential product sales.”

Building-Products.com

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

13

INDUSTRY Trends Smaller Decks

Decking producers target tight spaces and budgets AZEK PORCH planks and white rail create an easy-to maintain “outdoor room” that is the perfect destination for relaxing with family or entertaining friends.

D

continue to respond to consumer demand for outdoor living spaces that cost less or require less space, but are beautiful and easy to maintain.

“More than ever before, people look at their decks and porches as outdoor rooms,” said Chris Fox, marketing manager at Universal Forest Products. “With so many different types of deck materials, lighting, rail systems, and decorative accents, it’s possible to turn a nondescript deck into a great outdoor space.”

UPFI offers everything needed for a great outdoor room, including hardECKING MANUFACTURERS

DECKORATORS powder-coated aluminum railing coordinates with other UPFI products to finish a new deck or update an old one.

14

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

wood decking, wood and composite decking and railing, and deck accessories. The latest offering is a new

PUREWOOD PORCH flooring can be used in covered outdoor living spaces.

Deckorators powder-coated aluminum railing system with two styles of post caps, which can finish a new deck or porch—or brighten up a tired one.

“Outdoor living is an ever-increasing category for many dealers,” agreed Ron Long, president of Bay Tree Technologies. “With more people staying in their current homes longer, remodeling or replacing the deck seems to be on more to-do lists.”

The company produces PureWood thermally modified wood products, including decking, porch flooring, and privacy fencing. All are grown, har-

vested and manufactured in the U.S. A factory-applied, zero-VOC sealant and UV inhibitor preserves the natural color of the modified wood.

“There’s never been a better mix of decking product choices for homeowners to choose from,” said Long.

“Our newest product, PureWood Select, fits the bill for smaller-sized decks where price seems to be the driver for product selection. For covered porches, we have classic tongue-andgroove patterns for walls, floors and ceilings.”

Another economical, low-maintenance choice is ReliaBoard composite decking from TimberTech. The square-edged 5/4 plank is made with recycled wood and a mixture of virgin and post-consumer, recycled highdensity polyethylene.

“Instead of spending money each

RELIABOARD composite deck boards from TimberTech can be used to construct matching benches and planters.

Building-Products.com

year on painting, staining or sealing, value-conscious homeowners can make a one-time investment in lowmaintenance decking,” advised Carey Walley, director of marketing at TimberTech.

For smaller outdoor spaces where conventional deck installations may not be an option, EcoShield Deck Tiles can provide an easy-to-use, costeffective solution, said Brent Gwatney, v.p. of sales and marketing at MoistureShield. The company is a division of Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies (A.E.R.T.), which makes composite wood decking and accessories.

The 12”x12” deck tiles can be installed on almost any hard, level surface—including bare ground, gravel, concrete, brick or tile—by either contractors or homeowners. Gwatney said, “Homeowners can also unsnap and reposition the tiles to change the look, or take them when they move.”

As always, low maintenance is a major consideration, according to Chris Beyer, v.p. of marketing at Fiberon, which manufactures a wide variety of PVC and composite decking, railing, and fencing products.

“The less upkeep required to enjoy their outdoor oasis, the better,” he said. “Homeowners are investing in

ECOSHIELD deck tiles manufactured by A.E.R.T. snap together for easy installation and design flexibility.

outdoor living areas, adding and updating decks, to enhance the value and enjoyment of their outdoor living space.”

The company’s newest offering, the Inspirations Railing System, was designed to give homeowners customizable options and make assembly quicker and easier for contractors.

Constructed of high impact PVC comBuilding-Products.com

posite, the products have a white PVC finish that resists cracking and flaking.

The system also features hidden rail brackets that preserve the beauty of decks, porches, balconies, and stairs.

“Once they get that low-maintenance benefit, they want it all over the yard, so this trend can translate into more business for dealers and their contractors,” said Mike Gori, product manager-decking, AZEK Building Products, which has produced a wide range of cellular PVC deck, porch and trim products for more than 25 years.

Many of AZEK’s dealers have noticed a trend toward smaller projects, but also a willingness by homeowners to spend more on quality

FIBERON’S new Inspirations PVC railing was designed to be virtually maintenance free.

materials, especially if they are also low maintenance.

“It seems that customers last year were going cheaper overall,” said Steve Alexander, who owns Kansas City Deck Supply, Kansas City, Mo. “Surprisingly, even though the projects are not as big this year, they are trending toward higher-end materials.”

He believes that “homeowners are more educated on the differences between wood, composites, and cellular PVC. The front of the house is the first thing you see, so homeowners want more curb appeal—whether they are staying or looking to sell.”

Stu Oldfield, president of Northville Lumber, Northville, Mi., agreed. “Once maintenance is not an issue, architectural details and amenities make sense for so many projects,” he said. “A lot of the backyard amenities are driven by homeowners who do their research and are very savvy about performance characteristics.”

Deck pergolas and privacy fences for outdoor rooms are the newest entries from LifeTime Lumber, which manufactures low-maintenance and

AZEK’S cellular PVC trim was used to create a pergola-covered porch.

Photo by Steve Gray Renovations

fire-resistant composite deck, dock and fence products that contain more than 60% per-consumer recycled materials, including mineral ash and urethanes.

“LifeTime Lumber is one of the few companies whose products have the versatility to offer this number of design options to the homeowner,” said president Jim Mahler. “Now, pergolas and privacy fences can be matched with other outdoor applications for the outdoor living space.”

Both dealers and homeowners should be encouraged by recent surveys indicating that outdoor improvements are a good investment.

Depending on where they live, homeowners can recoup 60-70% of the cost of a composite deck and 70-80% of a wood deck if they sell their homes.

“In some areas,” noted Fox, “outdoor living improvements have matched or exceeded popular kitchen or bathroom projects, which typically cost more.”

PERGOLAS and privacy fences in six different colors are new from LifeTime Lumber.

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

15

MANAGEMENT Tips

By Diana Hanson North American Deck & Railing Association

Take in the old, send out the new

Use safety promotion to sell replacement decks

I

N TODAY’S BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT,

every retailer is looking for an edge on how to achieve added value. This month presents a stellar opportunity to present yourself to the community as the lumberyard that cares. Get picked up by local media without big advertising bucks.

How? May is Deck Safety Month. You can reach out to the community and offer some inspection and building tips along with an incentive for homeowners to choose this month to undertake that deck repair, replacement, or even a new project.

In an effort to save lives and prevent injuries, the North American Deck & Railing Association declared May as Deck Safety Month in 2006. Now in its fifth year, the Deck Safety Month program helps increase public awareness of the necessity for regular inspection and maintenance of existing decks, and proper installation of new decks.

To take advantage of Deck Safety Month, you will need to line up a few things, but it’s not difficult. First, you will need a really big, freight-size trash bin.

Next, a nice little press release announcing your event.

RENT a large dumpster to accept aging, potentially hazardous decking materials, so you can sell replacement materials.

16

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

Let the community know that you are offering to take their demolished deck materials off their hands for free, and even better, you will present them with a coupon for 5% to 10% off decking materials in your store.

Not only are you helping the consumer, but you also have an opportunity to help your contractor base and the local economy. You can invite your trusted deck contractors to be present at your event to be available to advise your customers and solicit business.

A deck can be the perfect place to spend time enjoying the weather with friends and family. A well-built and maintained deck offers a safe haven for outdoor living.

However, an improperly built or deteriorated structure can mean disaster. A deck collapse can cause avoidable, often serious injuries, and even death. Between 2000 and 2008, there were at least 30 deaths reported as a direct result of deck collapses. More than 75% of people on a deck when it collapses are injured or killed.

With 40 million decks in the U.S. that are more than 20 years old, it's important for homeowners to check their deck. The reasons for a deck collapsing range from age of the deck, poor maintenance, exceeding load capacity, to improper building methods. Deck failures can be avoided.

It’s a matter of making the consumer aware of the necessity of choosing a professional deck contractor, regular maintenance and inspection, and knowing the limits of the deck structure.

Your event will kill two birds with one stone—you will gain customers and customer loyalty, and also help rid your community of potentially dangerous decks. As a plus, your lumberyard gets to be in the media as the good guy for supporting deck safety through this special offer. You might even be able to get one or two of your deck industry suppliers to cough up a little discount on their end to help out. Everybody can use a little good PR now and then. By participating in Deck Safety Month, you are performing a huge public service at minimal cost.

– Diana Hanson is codes & standards committee chairman for the North American Deck & Railing Association, (888) 6237248, info@nadra.org.

Building-Products.com

VIEWPoint

By Michael T. Goergen Jr. Society of American Foresters

The case for expanding LEED standards

G

REEN

BUILDING

IS

booming in the United States.

Architects, builders and property owners strive to design and operate homes and office buildings that save energy, reduce pollution, and protect our health.

The success of green building is partly because of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard, which certifies a building’s green features and performance. The LEED rating system encourages the use of responsible materials in construction and renovation, but as a forester, I’m frustrated to see continued ill-treatment of forest products, as one of America’s greatest natural resources.

Products from well-managed forests are a great green building choice, but the Building Council misses this point and has only made halfhearted attempts at necessary changes to their standard. The Building Council currently recognizes wood only if it is certified to the Forest Stewardship Council’s forest standard. FSC’s standard is respectable, but the Building Council excludes other U.S. systems such as the American Tree Farm System and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

I’ve seen what these standards do on the ground. They promote responsible forestry.

18

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

A Forest Stewardship Council-only stance is not based on science and severely limits the amount of U.S. wood that can be used in LEED projects. That is not good for green building, our environment, or states that are rich in forestland.

The only solicited comments the Building Council seems to be heeding are coming from groups bent on promoting a monopoly and from others in the building sector who have very little, if anything, to do with forest products. I don’t understand why they ignore American foresters, who live and breathe forestry and go to school for years to understand how best to preserve and maintain one of our most precious natural resources.

There are important economic reasons for LEED to open the standard.

FSC-certified lumber is not as prevalent in the U.S. as it is overseas. The American Tree Farm System and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative are standards designed with American forests in mind. Green builders trying to gain LEED certification may be

forced to buy from the limited amount of FSCcertified forest products here or make their purchases from FSC sources located overseas, which are often certified to lower standards.

With our nation suffering from a recession and high unemployment, the last thing we want to do is hurt Americans who make their livelihood from our forests. Opening LEED to the other standards will be good for our economy.

Expanding demand for forest products certified to other standards will also benefit forests. As green building grows, demand for forest products from certified forests will also increase. That will provide an incentive to owners of forestlands to get certified, bringing even more acres under broader environmental requirements.

The choice is clear: For the benefit of green building, our forests, and the U.S. economy, the Building Council needs to see the forest for the trees, look at the science, and open up its standard now.

– Michael T. Goergen Jr. is executive v.p./c.e.o. of the Society of American Foresters. He also chairs the Sustainable Forestry Initiative’s External Review Panel, an independent group of 15 volunteer experts representing conservation, environmental, forestry, academic and public/government organizations. Reach him at goergenm@safnet.org.

Building-Products.com

FIRST Person

By Loren Krebs

How to make better deals

O

in the lumber business once told me, “This is a simple business, Loren. All you have to do is put together good deals.”

While this sounds easy enough, putting together a good deal takes a lot of work. Many salespeople get the first part of the process right by selling something and writing an order. And then the deal slowly unravels as follow up details are neglected.

Acknowledgements don’t get printed and sent out; inventory availability is not checked and there is no stock currently available; a board foot quantity is inadvertently written as linear footage, or the salesman buries the order on his desk for a week, creating a time crunch when it suddenly appears again. These are the kinds of things that can spoil what should have been a good deal.

Here are some suggestions for writing clean business and putting better deals together. Know your customer because every customer is unique. Is he an experienced old pro who has put lots of business together with your company? Or is he a new customer?

Chances are, you will handle them differently. The old pro may know exactly what he wants, while the new customer may be unsure and will require extra attention. Make sure a new customer understands the products and services you are offering.

Does he know the end use of the product he is looking for? If not, ask your salesperson to go back to his customer and come back with the information you need to handle the inquiry like a professional.

Know your supplier and your relationship with that supplier. Are you a regular, occasional, or new customer?

Do you stock the mill’s product or are you performing a wholesale function?

If you are new to your supplier, do you know the product well enough to sell it with confidence? Your customer NE OF MY MENTORS

20

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

is depending on your experience and professionalism.

Whether you are communicating with your customer or communicating with a mill, you need to speak and listen carefully. Many people seem to be listening but they are really just hearing what they want to hear. Don’t ignore a red flag if it appears. If you say delivery will be in three to four weeks and your customer says three weeks will be fine, restate your position. Remind your customer you said “three to four weeks” and clear up a misunderstanding before it happens.

Documentation is important because many deals take a long time to come together. You need to keep good notes and you need to save them for a couple of years. I know many good lumbermen who keep their spiral notebooks forever. Always know what you said and when you said it. You want to be able to tell your customer: “Yes. I quoted you on that 90 days ago, but we’ll need to re-quote it and confirm coverage.” Many good deals go bad due to poor documentation. A good rule of thumb is to never allow yourself to be out-documented.

Stick to your core competencies.

All successful companies and successful salespeople are good at things they have invested time and effort to fully understand. This doesn’t mean you can’t be creative and step outside the box. It’s just a reminder that learning curves can be steep and you must be willing to do the homework to understand a new piece of business. Good salespeople recognize when they, their customer, or their supplier is operating outside their comfort zone.

Low price traps can spoil a good deal. A good supplier sent me the following quote: “If you focus too much on price, you’re only as smart as your dumbest competitor.” I couldn’t agree more and would add the following: “Slow markets bring out a lot of

dumb.” Beating or matching a low price just to get an order will not serve you well over the long term. If you insist on doing it however, follow my other suggestions because you can’t afford to have anything go wrong.

The real key to better deals usually begins after you write the order. This is when you make sure the details are attended to. It’s your order, so take ownership of it and make sure you follow up on everything. Write the order; write the acknowledgement; place the mill order, and track it to completion.

Do not assume the order will take care of itself. If you are relying on another person in your office for help, make sure there are no internal breakdowns in communication. It’s your order and nobody cares about it like you do.

Okay. You sold a nice order and followed up on it until you were sure nothing could go wrong. Are you kidding me? This is the lumber business!

Stuff happens! Equipment breaks down, material takes longer to dry than expected, schedules get mysteriously changed, or a mill ships you something that has no resemblance to what you ordered. In other words, in spite of your best effort to make your order happen the way you intended, something can go wrong and your customer will be unhappy. How you handle this adversity is important. Never ignore a problem because it will likely compound itself if you do. Call your customer as soon as you know about the problem. Go to the wood shed if necessary and take your beating. Then, do whatever needs to be done to resolve the issue. Always keep your customer informed and in the loop.

Know your products, know your customers, know your suppliers, and follow up until the last horse is in the barn and you have personally closed the door. These are important keys to putting together better deals. Follow these suggestions and you will be a better salesman.

As for my mentor who told me this was really a simple business—who was he trying to kid?!!

– Loren Krebs is a retired lumberman with 40 years experience selling and purchasing building materials. He lives in West Linn, Or., and writes about the LBM industry. Reach him at krebs@ oregoncoast.com.

Building-Products.com

OLSEN On Sales

The insidious war

By James Olsen

between good and great

M

ANAGERS, BUSINESS OWNERS,

and salespeople who want to succeed… beware! There is an insidious war going on. It is the war between good and great.

Teacher/Parent: “Johnny, how much is 2 + 2?”

Johnny: “5.”

Teacher: “Wonderful creativity, Johnny!”

There will always be parents, teachers and, later, bosses and coworkers who will make excuses for the non-performer. (As I recenly told my 16-year-old son, “I just spent the day with a guy whose father never told him he was full of it when he made excuses.” What’s wrong with, “No, I’m sorry, Johnny. That’s wrong.”?)

I’ve been in sales for over 40 years.

I’ve worked with and trained hundreds of salespeople and only 5% of them just couldn’t sell. They just did not

Good

Shows up just late or just in time. (Always has an excuse.)

Dresses loose.

Bitches about meetings (out loud).

Needs to be pushed by boss.

Makes excuses.

Comfortable.

Hates change.

have the personality to make up for it.

Let’s flip that around. Of the salespeople I’ve seen fail, 100% of them have one thing in common: they don’t work hard enough. This is not the insidious part.

We are not talking about the people who just can’t do it. We are talking about the people who can sell, but just don’t want to put in the effort to be great. These salespeople are not driven. They are in sales because they want to hide. They don’t want to put in an honest 40 in a production job (where they belong). They want to come out and fake it just enough to be left alone. These are the same salespeople who complain about the pro athlete who takes it easy after signing the big contract! These are the people we are waging war against. They are the defenders of good.

What are the signs of good vs. great?

Great

Shows up early. (“If you’re not early, you’re not on time” – Lombardi.)

Dresses right. (Men: Shirt with a collar, shoes with a shine, pants with a crease. No lint, no wrinkles. Ladies: Like you’re going to church—just not Easter High Mass. Not to the club.)

Bitches about meetings (inside). Attends, participates.

Pushes boss.

Takes responsibility.

Driven, crazed, motivated.

Makes change happen.

Plays politics.

Works

Hard to find.

Hard to hide from. (Finds you—and his/her customers.)

Doesn’t pick up on first or second ring.

Tries to make it your problem. (It’s theirs.)

Tries to make you feel guilty.

Waits for accounts.

22

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

One of the worst things I see in sales organizations is the lack of prospecting for new business. Many sellers are waiting around for someone to quit or get fired so they can be given those accounts. You can tell these salespeople because they will be the ones who complain most bitterly about favoritism.

So why is the war insidious?

Because great is the new good. If you are a manager who has salespeople clinging to the past and blaming change on you, they will do their best to sell you (if they would only take this much energy to sell their customers!) that they are doing a great job. They will try to make you feel that their 35-hour effort is great. They will do their best to convince you they need to spend 80% of their time with their three best customers when they should spend 30% of their time with their top three and the rest of their time looking for new business. If the defenders of good win, the defenders of great lose.

But you and I know that a good job is not going to get it done any more.

The buggy was good. The car was great. TV was good. HD is great. Milk is good. A milkshake is great. The guy before you did a good job. Your boss is paying you to do a great job.

Sales excellence is the war for greatness. 2 + 2 will never equal 5.

James Olsen Reality Sales Training (503) 544-3572 james@realitysalestraining.com

Picks up.

Looks for the solution in him/herself.

Makes you feel happy, proud.

Finds accounts.

Building-Products.com

GREEN Retailing

By Jay Tompt

Roping in an emerging building material

W

I BEGAN THINKING about writing about alternative building materials, several came to mind. But what counts for “alternative,” anyway?

For example, there are products that are greener versions of old standbys, such as triple-glazed windows or FSC-certified lumber. I could write about Serious Materials’ innovative EcoRock drywall, which they claim is five times more environmentally friendly than gypsum drywall, or EcoPanels’ super-efficient SIPs. And then there are materials and methods that have thousand-year histories but aren’t mainstream, such as cob, which combines clay, sand and straw fibers usually sourced onsite. But these kinds of natural alternatives don’t usually require much of a supply chain. Instead, I’m going to highlight a building material that will blow your mind: hemp.

Industrial hemp used to be one of the most important agricultural products in the United States, but its cultivation has been illegal here for decades. (That may change soon.

To learn more, Google “Hemp History Week.”) The Puritans brought it with them from Europe, many of our Founding Fathers grew hemp, and as recently as 1942, the government actively encouraged farmers to grow it. In those days, hemp was indispensable for making rope, cordage and sail cloth, and it yielded more usable fiber per acre than cotton or flax. Innovations in more recent times have demonstrated its value as paper and plastic feedstock, nutritive food ingredient, and biofuel. Cultivation can also bring benefits to farming communities as it delivers relatively quick, dependable yields without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.

HEN

HOUSE OF HEMP: First installation of Tradical Hemcrete in the U.S. was in the research home built by The Nauhaus Institute in Asheville, N.C.

Absolutely the coolest thing about hemp is that it’s being used to sequester carbon in an innovative new product called Tradical Hemcrete. It’s a combination of hemp shiv, which is the woody core of the plant, and a hydraulic lime binder. The components are mixed at the jobsite and packed into forms to make thermally efficient, breathable walls that could potentially last for hundreds of years.

After its first U.S. installation in the NauHaus, an innovative new home prototype designed by building science think-tank NauHaus Institute (www.thenauhaus.com), there are now several more homes in the works.

Hemp Technologies (www.hemp-technologies.com), Asheville, N.C., is the North American distributor of the product, importing it from England where it was originally developed. Greg Flavel, co-founder and hemp technology guru, said he discovered the product after searching for the most sustainable building material he could find. “I think this is it—it’s zero-waste, non-toxic, breathable, moldresistant, durable, and is carbon negative, sequestering about 238 lbs. of carbon per cubic yard,” he told me, adding “it’s also cost competitive.”

There are a few limitations, of course. The product is imported from England, where it was originally developed, because hemp isn’t yet grown domestically, nor are there easily sourced quantities of domestically produced hydraulic lime. The system is sold in two bags, Tradical HF and Tradical HB, which must be mixed at the jobsite by company-trained installers, though any contractor could easily master working with the material.

In any case, those factors will slow widespread adoption of the material in the near term. However, Flavell says they are working on sourcing a little closer to home and developing a new panel system. Panels could dramatically expand the potential applications and make it easier for distributors and dealers to pick up the product.

He says, “We’re hoping to have panels available later this year.” If all goes according to plans, hemp could very well become less “alternative” and much more mainstream.

Jay Tompt Managing Partner Wm. Verde & Associates (415) 321-0848 info@williamverde.com

COMPETITIVE Intelligence

By Carla Waldemar

Low maintenance, high energy

H

OW DO YOU GET STAR BILLING

among your region’s “50 Best Women in Business”? Or gain company status as “one of the fastest-growing in the region”? Or be hailed as “one of the most influential Filipina women in the U.S.”?

Chances are slim that anyone but Isabelita “Lita” Abele could win these recognitions, just a few among many, by running—that’s right—a lumber company. Serving as president and c.e.o. of U.S. Lumber, an outfit today doing $6 million in business from Woodbury Heights, N.J., was far below the radar when she left the Philippines for New York in 1981 in search of a better life.

The American Dream took a while to kick in, however. During her first job, as a housekeeper, she was caught in a never-ending round of cooking, cleaning, babysitting, shoveling snow, what-have-you, for $150 a month before she made an escape to life as a Woolworth’s clerk by day/nursing

AS HEAD of New Jersey’s U.S. Lumber, Lita Abele is living the American Dream.

26

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

home attendant by night. With that leg up, she went back to school (she’d been a teacher in her homeland) to master accounting, bookkeeping and computer skills.

But—get ready for the Hollywood ending—her biggest asset was her smile. While weekending with friends in Boston, a fellow diner at the Hyatt was smitten by it. Merrill Abele began phoning twice daily, delivered a dozen roses every week, and soon dialed her parents back in the Philippines to ask for her hand in marriage.

Dad said yes, and so did Lita. In 1984 she wed and moved to New Jersey, determined to learn the lumber business her husband Merrill had launched there 10 years earlier. She started in as a telephone receptionist, hiding her tears when the occasional boor would ridicule her accent. But Lita soon learned how to figure lumber so she could operate as a trader, to complement the family business (“I would buy; he would sell”).

When Merrill eased into semiretirement in 1993, they merged the two operations. Lita became president and c.e.o. of U.S. Lumber, with 51% ownership, thus a minority- and woman-owned company, which meant that contractor customers could bid on the big jobs that required such compliance.

Hang on before you grumble about “window dressing.” She’s heard that one, too (more tears). Five minutes on the phone with this dynamo and not a speck of doubt remains that she’s no figurehead. “Ask me! I can talk about products! About accounts receivable.

Accounts payable.

Clients.

Everything!” she demands, and then produces.

Singlehandedly, Lita keeps the books, writes the sales letters, makes the cold calls, trains the staff, and

clearly never sleeps. She visits jobsites, attends professional meetings (where she trolls the room for nametags of prospective customers).

She manages the company’s niche specialty, selling plywood products to concrete contractors to use as building forms for concrete used in bridges, highways, sports stadiums, and the list goes on. Clients include Atlantic City casinos, the Philadelphia Eagles stadium and Phillies ballpark, Boeing, DuPont, Merck, and the new Freedom Tower in New York. You need moulding, hardware, trusses, stakes? HDO panels? How about FSC-certified materials for your LEED projects?

Insulation, sheetrock, trusses, windows and doors? Cedar specialties?

You name it, and if you’re anywhere near the tri-state area, U.S. Lumber will deliver.

Unless you’re a residential developer. The company used to serve them, too, until Lita got stiffed once too often. “They used me as a bank and didn’t pay their bills, whereas in commercial business, the money is revolving. I’ll call their office once a week, and if there’s been a delay, don’t just tell me, ‘It’s in the mail.’ I tell them, ‘Just be honest with me and I’ll gladly work with you.’ Then when the check arrives, I call back with a thank you.” She makes the rounds of jobsites on a near-daily basis, growing business by referrals from one sub to the next.

Yes, there’s fierce competition, she acknowledges, but she counters it with a service cocktail of fast, 24-hour order turnarounds; a warehouse that can accommodate the commodities she buys by the carload (and then passes on favorable prices to her customers), encompassing a vast variety of building needs; and the ultimate in courtesy. Lots of pleases and thankBuilding-Products.com

yous form the basis of her very personal service—for, as she’s the first to testify, it all boils down to rapport.

And that’s her forté. She doesn’t mind playing the foreigner or femme cards now and then. If she runs into a former G.I. who’s spent time in the Philippines, they reminisce about the food, the culture. If checks are slow in coming, she shows up in their office, laughing, “I’m skinny! I have to eat!” If her accent once caused her stress, today it’s also been turned into a selling tool to gain recognition: the “Oh, Lita! I remember you!” factor at work. She’s the ultimate networker, and delivers instant quotes. “I can do it ASAP; I call the supplier, add in our mark-up, and give an instant answer,” she boasts.

But boasting is zilch without back-up. “We build our loads at 5 p.m. and send them out at 6:30 the next morning.

But if someone needs a box of nails sooner, we jump in the car with it. We understand your deadlines and will help you get the job done, no matter what,” she pledges. “You’re buying more than products, you’re buying a teammate.

Your goal becomes our goal; your deadline is our deadline,” she proclaims. And so does the staff working with her, largely family. Her daughter works at accounting and her son-in-law, the yard manager, also fills in as a driver substitute. She trained them the same way she learned the operation: “step by step, from the ground up,” she says: “With plenty of pleases and thank-yous.”

Result: plenty of pay-backs honoring her success. She’s served on New Jersey’s Asian-American Commission, as co-founder of the state’s Asian-American Chamber of Commerce, and received numerous humanitarian awards for giving many others a leg up.

Credit U.S. Lumber’s success to “long hours and hard

Building-Products.com

work and extra service,” which, let’s face it, builds not only a strong, solid customer base but a overload of stress. Lita’s found a secret remedy, however: “I go down to the basement, do karaoke and dance, then take a deep breath and say, ‘God help me!’”

Well, He helps those who help themselves, as the saying goes. As testimony, listen to some of the many commendations earned from customers: “Over 30 years ago, Madison Concrete formed a relationship with U.S. Lumber. Many things have changed over the years, but one constant has been the fact that [they] continue to be our sole provider of all our lumber needs.”

Another concrete contractor attests, “Our business is ultra-competitive. U.S. Lumber’s exceptional pricing and service have kept us competitive [within it]. They constantly help us meet and exceed our clients’ schedules.” Even more precious to her ears, “President Lita Abele’s presence on the jobsite reflects U.S. Lumber’s commitment to their customers.”

As the petite boss explains it, “Our philosophy is simple: the customer comes first.” That’s the published promise. Privately, she adds, “You’ve got to work at something you enjoy or it’s not worth any amount of money.”

Not a problem with this c.e.o.

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

27

DEALER Briefs

Kingston Lumber Supply , Kingston, Wa., has acquired Peninsula Truss, Bremerton, Wa. Hess Lumber & Home Center, Malad City, Id., celebrated its

75th anniversary with the April 5 grand opening of its a 9,000-sq. ft. replacement building.

Ace Hardware, Alamosa, Co., has closed after 87 years.

Owners Leonard and Evelyn Smith are retiring, and longtime manager Albert Chacon has joined Alamosa Building Supply.

Star Ace Hardware , San Marcos, Ca., is closing after 39 years.

Owner Bill Slay decided to retire after receiving a $5.4-million offer from the city, which wants to redevelop the 3.9-acre property.

Ace of Jewell Square, Lakewood, Co., held an April 30 grand opening. Jim Hassig owns the 11,000sq. ft. hardware store.

True Value Hardware, Palm Desert, Ca., will be opened in August

by Jeff and Faye Lohman.

Lowe’s is readying plans for a new home center in E. Petaluma, Ca., for an October 2011 opening.

28

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

Californiaʼs Piedmont Lumber Continues Consolidation

Piedmont Lumber, Lakeport, Ca., closed its truss plant in Calpella, Ca., on March 31, and agreed to sell its yard in Oakland, Ca., to Economy Lumber, Campbell, Ca. Spokesperson James Simmons said that the March 13 fire that destroyed the company’s yard in Walnut Creek, Ca., made it “too difficult” to keep the Calpella facility open. “The inventory has been moved to the Lakeport store, which will stay on,” he said.

“This is really about two old Oakland companies coming together,” said John Bacon Jr., president of Economy, about the sale. “It will work great for us.”

Economy had also considered buying the Walnut Creek yard, which Bacon toured the day before the fire.

“That ended the conversations,” he said.

“The official word is that Piedmont continues to explore all of its options,” said Simmons.

True Value Pushes New Look

Lyle Heidemann, president and c.e.o. of True Value, Chicago, Il., wants more of the co-op’s nearly 5,000 stores to upgrade to the company’s new larger store format, which features brighter lighting, specialty floors, and shelf-level signage.

The co-op will also open its first corporate store, in nearby Mount Prospect, Il. “Our vision is to help every loca-

tion to be the best hardware store in town,” said Heidemann.

Since the program started in late 2007, only 89 stores have signed up, but he hopes at least 100 more will refurbish or build this year. As encouragement, the co-op is offering financing of up to $150,000 to remodel existing stores and up to $400,000 for opening new ones.

Since Heidemann took over five years ago, he has worked to move True Value away from its roots as a buying co-op to make it act more like a retailer. Earnings rose 7% last year to $65.4 million. “I wanted to create a growth strategy to improve the profitability, which we have done, and get it on a growth trajectory,” he said.

Although Heidemann won’t disclose the cost of remodeling a store, he said that stores with the new layout have seen sales increase 12% on average. “We’re not forcing it on them,” he says. But “what sells it are the people who benefited from it.”

Alpine Lumber Receives New Owners and New Name

Alpine Lumber & Hardware, Frazier Park, Ca., has new owners and a new name: Alpine Lumber & Mercantile.

“Alpine Lumber has been in business for 28 years in the center of town, and it would be a shame to see their doors close and employees lose their jobs,” said Kathy Parker, who bought the store with her husband, Mike. “We didn’t want to see it go.”

Building-Products.com

ProBuild to Acquire Puget Soundʼs Oso Lumber

ProBuild Co., Denver, Co., has agreed to purchase the assets of sixunit Oso Lumber, Arlington, Wa. “The addition of Oso will provide tremendous benefit and value to builders serving the western Washington market,” said ProBuild c.e.o. Paul Hylbert. “By acquiring an outstanding company like Oso, ProBuild can combine its national scope with Oso’s local expertise and insight to offer customers unparalleled customer service and value.”

Privately held Oso began opera-

TRIM

FASCIA

tions in 1978 in Darrington, Wa., and has grown to six locations, including a component plant in Arlington offering truss and wall panel manufacturing, window and millwork distribution, and framing optimization.

The deal was expected to close April 30.

Fire Damages Arizona Store

An April 20 fire seriously damaged two buildings at Foothills Hardware, Yuma, Az. No injuries were reported.

A third building suffered exterior smoke and heat damage, as well as burnt ceiling insulation.

SUPPLIER Briefs

MJB Wood Group, Irving, Tx., has opened a Southern California office at North Pacific’s former 44,000-sq. ft. DC in Mira Loma, Ca. Staffers include division mgr. Steve Daugherty; sales mgrs. Vince Fergen, Kurt Koehler, Skip Motta, and Jay Sims; warehouse mgr. Andre Padilla, and warehouse specialist Jesus Rubalcaba.

Consolidated Molding & Millwork Co., Lake Oswego, Or., is

relocating to a 48,000-sq. ft. DC in Tualatin, Or.

HIDfast Deck hidden fastening system is now distributing exclusively through the AZEK sales channel.

Osmose’s MicroPro technology received Greenguard Children & Schools certification from Greenguard Environmental Institute.

SIDING

Inteplast Group’s synthetic TUF Board Deck received Code Compliance Research Report Certification.

NATURE’S DESIGN TECHNOLOGY’S A SSURANCE

Huttig Building Products has redesigned its website (www.huttig.com) with more resources for contractors and homeowners, to increase sales through its dealer customers.

www.lifespanoutdoor.com

Based in Annapolis, MD, Fletcher Wood Solutions® is the largest manufacturer of defect-free, appearance grade radiata pine products in New Zealand. Distributing our clear boards, mouldings, LIFESPAN® treated wood, and lumber to the North American market through our proven and completely integrated supply chain, ®

Fletcher Wood Solutions maintains direct access to one of the largest FSC certified® pine plantation forests in the world.

Timber Products Co., Springfield, Or., has been approved by the California Air Resources Board as an ultra low-emitting formaldehyde resin manufacturer of wood products.

Pacific Cedar Supply, Buena Park, Ca., is now using BluWood treatment from EcoBlu Products, Vista, Ca., to coat siding, shingles, fascia, and other wood products at its new production plant in China.

Bonded Logic, Chandler, Az., now produces its UltraTouch insulation entirely of post-consumer blue jeans.

Foster Lumber Yards will celebrate its 90th anniversary with a Roaring 20s Contractors Night at its yard in Vallejo, Ca.

— Corrections —

Sustainable Forestry Initiative is no longer a program of AF&PA (April, p. 28).

1 . 8 6 6 . F S C. W O O D 30

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

Western Wood Treating is located in Woodland, Ca., not Weed, Ca. (April, p. 17).

MOVERS & Shakers Jeff Tournai, ex-Kelleher Lumber, is new to sales at Redwood Empire, San Jose, Ca. Lee P. Nobmann, owner & c.e.o. of Golden State Lumber, Petaluma, Ca., retired April 1. His daughter, Jessica Scerri, is now c.e.o. Rob Scerri has been promoted to chief operating officer.

Glenn Lowe retired April 30 after 17 years with Blasen & Blasen Lumber Corp., Portland, Or., and 35 years in the industry. Jim Adams, ex-Disdero Lumber, takes his place in sales.

Curtis Perrault, Tim Lundberg, and Dave Jory have joined the sales force at Kingston Lumber Supply, Kingston, Wa. Trevor Sarazin, ex-Bridgewell Resources/North Pacific, has joined the sales staff at Buckeye Pacific, Portland, Or. Bill Kraut, Jim Strong, and Cassandra Arey-Rogers are the new owners of Hadlock Building Supply, Port Hadlock, Wa.

Terry Johnson, ex-Colville Indian Plywood & Veneer, has been named lumber sales mgr. for the wood products division of Clearwater Paper Corp., Lewiston, Id., a spin-off of Potlatch Corp., Spokane, Wa. Scott Benson and Mike Roberts, both ex-Concannon Lumber, have joined the trading staff at Silvaris Corp./LowGradeLumber, Portland, Or. Myrna Hower, ex-Timberline Forest Products, is now traffic mgr., handling Silvaris’ online freight business, FreightConnect.

Joe Heltsley, ex-Stock Building Supply, has been named national sales mgr. for National Shelter Products, Issaquah, Wa., agent for custom-printed Dryline building wraps.

Wendy Sobeski has been named controller of Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, Santa Ana, Ca., working with the finances of the Orange County ReStore discount home improvement centers.

Mike Mai, ex-Roseburg Forest Products, has been named v.p.-sales & marketing at Plummer Forest Products, Post Falls, Id. John Johnson has been named Corvallis, Or.-based director of sales-panels & hardwood plywood for all U.S. and Canadian branches of McKillican. Chris McKillican is the new director of marketing.

Robert Turner has been elected chairman of the board of Jeld-Wen, Klamath Falls, Or., succeeding Richard Wendt, who remains a director.

Ken Reffstrup, ex-Skyline Lumber, has launched wholesaler Emerald Valley Industrial Lumber, Creswell, Or. Dan Niesen, has retired from Spruce Computer Systems, 11 years after selling his company, Anasys, to Spruce.

John Cashmore has formed Cashmore Market Research, Minneapolis, Mn., after 22 years running Market Research Associates.

Big Creek Lumber Co. has a long history of practicing superior forest stewardship — growing, selectively harvesting and milling high quality California redwood.

During our 63 years in the redwood business, Big Creek has developed a reputation for being a reliable supplier of high quality lumber. We produce a wide range of grades and dimensions, custom cut timbers, pattern stock and fencing. Order full, mixed or partial truckloads.

For highly experienced and personalized service contact Frank “Lud” McCrary, Janet McCrary Webb or Jim Busick

3564 Hwy. 1, Davenport, CA 95017

(831) 457-5024 • Fax 831-423-2800 www.big-creek.com • janetw@big-creek.com

32

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

Building-Products.com

Erin Canosa has been promoted to marketing mgr. for Arch Wood Protection, Atlanta, Ga. Ric Slaco, International Forest Products, Vancouver, B.C., was reelected chairman of Coast Forest Products Association. Also on the board: Bruce Shaw, Terminal Forest Products; Tom Jones, TealJones Group; Bob Brash, Haida Enterprise Corp.; Rowland Price,

Delta Cedar Products; Stephen Frasher, Western Forest Products; Paul McElligott, TimberWest Forest Corp.; John Mohammed, A&A Trading Ltd., and Bob Lindstrom, Catalyst Paper Corp.

Morris Code is the new messenger at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

FLAMEBLOCK fire-rated OSB sheathing from LP Building Products was featured in a live-burn demonstration for builders, architects, code officials and fire-prevention officers at the McClellan Fire Training Center, Sacramento, Ca. A coating of non-toxic magnesium oxide and fiberglass protected the shed made with FlameBlock (left).

Building-Products.com

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

33

FAMILY Business

By Bernard Kliska

Increasing accountability in the family business

O

requests we receive from business-owning families is for help in building accountability. Often, the question focuses on the behavior of a specific family member who is employed by the business, but sometimes there is a feeling that accountability is lacking company-wide. Either way, the solution almost always requires both organizational and individual adjustments.

The solution starts with clarifying what is meant by â&#x20AC;&#x153;accountability.â&#x20AC;?

Accountability is present when individuals are diligent and serious about fulfilling their commitments, and when a system is thorough and unwavering in requiring its members to meet their commitments. Accountability is absent when individuals are NE OF THE MOST COMMON

34

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

flippant, casual or downright uncommitted to delivering on their promises, and when an organization turns a blind eye to continued failure in this regard.

We believe that accountability is always influenced by both individual and organizational aspects. Companies create a culture of accountability by insisting that all employees are crystal clear regarding their job responsibilities and goals, and that they understand what is required to achieve their goals (e.g., hitting a sales target, timely reporting, lowering overhead).

Clarity is ensured through job descriptions, an organizational chart with clear lines of responsibility and authority, and an annual performance review process.

Beyond clarity, goals and roles

must be realistic and achievable, and individuals must be held responsible for meeting their goals. This does not imply that individuals will be fired for missing goals, but that performance expectations are taken seriously and failure to achieve results will eventually affect compensation, promotional opportunities, and even employment.

A big mistake that many family businesses make is to focus exclusive-

Building-Products.com

ly on individuals as the problem, rather than seeing lack of accountability as a symptom of a weak management system. For example, let’s consider the situation in which Ken—a son of the founder—appears adrift in his role as sales manager. He focuses on sales and customer relations. He sees (perhaps correctly) that he can consistently achieve his sales goals by doing the work himself, and he doesn’t want to be distracted by unending corporate meetings. After all, this approach has made him the top sales rep for many years in a row.

However, Ken’s brother—the chief financial officer—and his c.e.o. father are increasingly frustrated by Ken’s failure to perform the full scope of his responsibilities. They see his lack of attention to his sales team and staff meetings as a lack of accountability within the full scope of his responsibilities. Behind closed doors, they often lament Ken’s stubbornness.

When other employees come to Ken’s father or brother to complain about his behavior, they are forced to agree that Ken just isn’t showing the commitment they’d like to see.

We would argue that the problem in this case is more about management systems and organizational accountability than individual intransigence.

For Ken to be truly accountable, he must first understand what he is being asked to do. Clearly, Ken’s view of his role is different from his brother’s or father’s view. This conflict will not be resolved until each of them agrees on Ken’s specific roles, as well as the goals within those roles. The roles and goals should then be documented in Ken’s job description and used to evaluate his performance.

But how do we establish Ken’s roles and responsibilities? This will be difficult to do unless all three individuals share a common understanding of the strategies being pursued by the company. Are they trying to own one particular niche? Are they trying to wean off a major customer and diversify their customer base? Are they trying to position the business for expansion by strengthening the sales force?

Unless all three of them have agreed on the strategies of the firm, clarifying expectations for Ken will be difficult.

How do we determine the optimal strategy to pursue? Management will only be able to commit to strategies after ownership has clearly articulated its vision and objectives for the business. Do the owners want fast growth?

Building-Products.com

Slow growth and debt reduction?

Diversifi-cation through acquisition?

The strategies that management pursue should be driven by ownership’s hopes and expectations for the business. In Ken’s case, this would drive the roles he should be undertaking as sales manager, as well as his goals and, ultimately, his day-to-day behavior.

It’s easy to blame individuals for lacking accountability and commitment to their jobs. A closer examination, however, often shows that management systems are not optimized.

Accountability is not merely getting employees to do what you want them to do. It is a process of aligning each employee’s daily behavior with the agreed-upon direction of the firm.

– Christopher Eckrich and Amy Schuman are principals of the Family Business Consulting Group, Marietta, Ga.; (800) 551-0633. They can be reached at eckrich@efamilybusiness.com and schuman@efamilybusiness.com.

Reprinted with permission from The Family Business Advisor, a copyrighted publication of Family Enterprise Publishers. No portion of this article may be reproduced without permission of Family Enterprise Publishers.

Old World Craftsmanship In Today’s Designs

Tru-Dry Timbers Geo. M. Huff Lumber Company has teamed up with Forest Grove Lumber to become the exclusive Southern California stocking distributor of Tru-Dry Timbers.

All FGL Tru-Dry timbers are dried in “HeatWave USA’s RFV” kilns, which use clean, renewable energy and have zero emissions.

Tru-Dry timbers are dried completely and evenly throughout so you won’t experience the sticky problems often encountered with beams that are not dried to the core.

Combine our selection of Douglas fir timbers along with our skilled milling staff and you’ve got one of the best resources in Southern California.

HUFF LUMBER COMPANY SANTA FE SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

800-347-4833

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

35

Nevadaʼs Best Packing It In

Best Lumber & Building Center, Mesquite, Nv., began a liquidation sale April 8 and will close by the end of this month—after just three years of operation.

“There’s just not enough business in this area,” said general manager Tom Hayes. “There’s been a dramatic reduction in new construction.”

Ironically, the store is closing after one of its best months. “Our business this month (March) was better than any time in the last year,” said Hayes.

“There are new houses starting in the area.”

However, the upturn was too little and too late to save the store. Unless a

buyer can be found, the business will vacate its leased building.

“It hurts,” said Hayes. “A lot of good people will lose their jobs.”

Californiaʼs Pacifica Closes

Pacifica Lumber, Pacifica, Ca., closed April 30, after 58 years of business.

“The national construction index posting a 30+ unemployment rate, new construction starts at an all time low, our bank pulling our line of credit in October, the competition of the big box stores, and our local economy—all this has left us no choice,” said Tim Perry, who had co-owned the store with Mike Goodnol since

2001.

“I grew up in this town and have been at Pacific Lumber forever,” said Goodnol. “Closing the doors here is just hard.”

Utah Dealer Clearing Out

Best Lumber & Building Center, St. George, Ut., has been holding a total liquidation sale since mid-April.

Final closure is scheduled for the end of May. “It has been a long hard battle that we have been fighting, and we have fought it along with everyone else,” said general manager Tom Hayes.

“The company is up for sale, and there are a couple of people who are interested in purchasing it, but we have not gotten any firm offers.”

Ace Hardware Unveils Campaign for Hispanics

Ace Hardware Corp. has rolled out its first national advertising campaign directed to Hispanics.

The three 30-second ads are airing on two Spanish-language radio stations and seven Spanish-language TV stations.

“We’ve seen strong results at retail by reaching out to the Hispanic market and understand the importance of communicating directly to these customers,” says John Surane, Ace’s v.p.- consumer marketing, merchandising and paint. “We identified a unique Hispanic insight that separates [us] from the ‘big boxes.’”

Hispanics in the U.S. now number close to 50 million, with buying power of nearly $1 trillion.

According to the company, a trial ad campaign in late 2008 created a 7% year-to-year jump at Ace stores in Denver, Co., with more than 15% Latino shoppers and outperformed non-Hispanic stores nationwide. Ace conducted a second trial the following spring and summer in Denver, Sacramento, Ca., and Chicago, Il. “The ferretería (hardware store) is part of the local community, where you’re always helped and can get in and out quickly,” said José González, a partner in the agency that created all three campaigns. “These spots convey the message that Ace is the place where Latinos can have that same customer experience in the U.S.”

36

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

Building-Products.com

Building-Products.com

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

37

ON Sales

First, the sales managers

By Dave Kahle

N

OW THAT THE WORST of the recession is behind us, it’s time to think about actually growing the business again. And that means investing in the improvement of the sales force.

Most astute principals and chief sales officers realize that in this brutal economic environment, companies that sell better will take market share away from less effective competitors. Yet budgets are still tight, and nervous c.e.o.s are hesitant to fund broad-based sales initiatives.

What to do? If you want to do something to improve your sales force, the best application of limited funds is to invest in the sales managers.

It’s the sales managers who have the greatest opportunity to help salespeople unleash their potential. Because of their daily high touch interaction with the sales force and the market, sales managers have the levers to ratchet up sales performance in the entire team. If you can educate a sales manager in the best practices of his position, and if he then implements the principles, practices and disciplines of professional sales management, you can see an immediate, measurable and long-lasting improvement in the performance of the sales team.

While most people intuitively understand the link

38

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

between effective sales management and improved results, recent research has confirmed it. For example, a study by Wilson Learning Worldwide concluded that sales teams under the oversight of a highly skilled sales manager produced “29% higher revenue, 47% higher employee satisfaction, and 16% higher customer satisfaction.”

Building-Products.com

Unfortunately, of all the job titles and positions in a typical B-2-B sales force, the first-line sales managers are the least trained for their positions.

Most have never been educated in the best practices of effective sales management. As a result, they default to the habits and practices they saw when they were salespeople. They mimic the models of the sales managers for which they worked. Alas, most of their models were also never educated in effective sales management.

As a result, sales management practices vary from one extreme to another, depending on the individual manager’s vision of himself. There is a continuum from micromanager on one extreme to non-manager at the other.

Some see themselves as “super salespeople”—the most competent of all the salespeople, and the one who needs to go with the salespeople to close big accounts and to smooth flustered relationships.

Others become administrators, busying themselves with reports, meetings and a continuous stream of clerical functions. Some identify with the salespeople and wouldn’t think of impinging on anyone’s style or system of work. Others see themselves as executives who don’t really have time for the nitty gritty of joint sales calls.

Still others, suffering from a lack of a clear vision as to what their role could be, default to a reactive style of management, where their time is directed to the most compelling of the countless number of issues that cry for today’s attention.

The costs to the company can be huge. Morale is not what it could be, and that impacts almost every transaction and relationship for the sales team. Salespeople turn over more rapidly, causing a series of unnecessary costs. Marginal salespeople continue in roles for which they aren’t

Building-Products.com

suited, resulting in lost sales and disgruntled customers. Unfocused salespeople default to reactive sales styles,

dissipating sales efforts. Is it any wonder that sales teams under effective (Please turn to next page)

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

39

First, the sales managers (Continued from previous page)

management are so much more effective?

Sales managers can be proactive leaders who set the standards, identify the vision, and lead the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charge into the competitive market. Most have never been exposed to the concept that there is a set of best practices for first line sales managers. They should be leading their teams, creating expectations, holding salespeople accountable, coaching, counseling when necessary, and developing the skills and capabilities of the sales force. They should be helping their salespeople focus on the most effective customers, products and processes. They should create and impart important standards for sales behavior and performance, and be ready and able to act when those standards

are not met and a new salesperson needs to be recruited.

Unfortunately, such activities do not proceed naturally from the skills that gave them success as salespeople. Their time as a salesperson has not equipped them with any of the skills necessary to effectively perform as sales leaders. So, most B-2-B sales companies limp along with untrained sales managers and underachieving sales teams.

An investment in transforming the mind-sets and improving the practices of sales managers can have a positive impact on the entire sales team. If you only have limited funds to improve your sales force, start there. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dave Kahle, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Growth Coach,â&#x20AC;? is a sales consultant, trainer and author of a free monthly â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thinking About Salesâ&#x20AC;? ezine and six booksâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;including Question Your Way to Sales Success. Reach him at (800) 331-1287; www.davekahle.com.

f f f

Sure Drive U.S.A.

Conover, North Carolina

1-866-767-1850 1-828-468-1088

)NSTALLS IN -INUTES 3EVERAL #AP "ASE 3TYLES 0REl NISHED 7HITE OR 0AINT 2EADY

7KH 3HUPD:UDSÂ&#x152; &ROOHFWLRQ IURP +% * $OORZV \RX WR ,QVWDOO (OHJDQW &ROXPQV LQ 0LQXWHV

THUNDERBOLT WOOD TREATING Ty-Lan Enterprises London, Ont., Canada

1-800-742-3632

www.suredrive.com â&#x20AC;˘ www.bestdeckfasteners.com

$ISTRIBUTED BY /80%(5 02/$5#43 #ALL FOR A $EALER .EAR 9OU

WWW LUMBERPRODUCTS COM

â&#x20AC;ŚQuality Wood Treating Services Since 1977 â&#x20AC;&#x153;We Treat Wood Rightâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;Ś

www.thunderboltwoodtreating.com

Treating Services Only (TSO)

Central California Location 3400 Patterson Rd., Riverbank, Ca. 95367 Sacramento, CA

ACQ â&#x20AC;˘ CCA â&#x20AC;˘ BORATES D-BLAZEÂŽ â&#x20AC;˘ ACZA (CHEMONITEÂŽ))

Bob Palacioz, sales/marketing mgr. â&#x20AC;˘ bob@thunderboltwoodtreating.com (916) 402-3248 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax (916) 339-2477

Heat Treating â&#x20AC;˘ Drying Services (KD, KDAT) Marine Piling â&#x20AC;˘ Staining Service â&#x20AC;˘ Rail Siding (BNSF) Coating Serv ice: MFI-SLO8 Marine Grade Spray Polyurea Coating

Marine & Industrial S ales Miguel Gutierrez â&#x20AC;˘ miguel@thunderboltwoodtreating.com (209) 747-7773 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax (209) 367-1917

40

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

Building-Products.com

NEW Products

Railing, Made Better

Railing Dynamics has introduced a vinyl-clad handrail that is ADA-compliant at 6’ spans.

The Endurance vinyl-clad aluminum handrail was designed to be stronger and easier to grasp. It comes in white or black, in 80”, 104”, and 120” lengths to accommodate every angle scenario.

RDRAIL.COM

(877) 420-7245

Bamboo Lumber Sound Control Mat

Quiet Curl random-filament mat from Keene Building Products limits noise impact in a gypsum concrete pour.

Made with a coated fiberglass scrim and fabric combination for added strength, its recycled content qualifies for LEED points.

KEENEBUILDING.COM (877) 514-5336

Cali Bamboo has introduced engineered lumber made from bamboo.

Lumboo reportedly is heavier and stronger than traditional lumber. Pre-drilling for screws, not nails, is required. Because it contains a large amount of silica, it can’t digested by termites.

Available sizes include 1x4, 2x4, 2x6 and 4x4.

CALIBAMBOO.COM (888) 788-2254

Get valuable service from experts who understand you.

A leader in the building products industry for more than 32 years, DMSi backs its Agility soŌware with unparalleled service for peak performance, ease-of-use, and ROI. To learn more, call DMSi at 800.347.6720 or visit us online at dmsi.com.

800.347.6720

MAKE TECHNOLOGY WORK FOR YOU.

Building-Products.com

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

41

Woodgrain Vinyl Fencing

CertainTeedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bufftech Imperial and Baron vinyl fencing is now available with the look of natural woodgrain.

Imperial with Select Cedar texture is a semi-privacy design in 4, 5, and 6-ft. heights and colors almond, clay and white, as well as Sierra Blend.

Baron with Select Cedar texture has a picket-style design in almond and white, in 4, 5, and 6-ft. lengths.

Both products have a steel-reinforced bottom rail for a stronger, more rigid fence that resists sagging or bowing.

CERTAINTEED.COM (800) 233-8990

One Dreamy Deck

DreamDex decking from Compass Lumber is made with FSC-certified radiata pine that is infused with Biocore polymer technology for resistance to weather, insects, and fungus.

The product also has a UL-certified Class A fire rating, and is available in two colors: Sequoia and Cape Cod.

COMPASSLUMBER.COM (800) 773-9125

42

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

Building-Products.com

Railing Upgrades

Wider Glulam Means Wider Uses

TAMKO.COM

ROSBORO.COM

TAMKO Building Products has upgraded its TAM-RAIL line for versatility and ease of installation.

The whole line is now available in 6-, 8-, and 10-ft. sections, in gray, taupe and white. Other improvements include bracket covers that hide installation screws, a more durable post mount system, fixedangle brackets that eliminate hand cutting to fit, and stair kits in a wider variety of angles.

(800) 641-4691

Rosboro has introduced reportedly the industry’s first architectural appearance glulam in full framing widths, allowing it to fill in for traditional EWP framing applications without shimming to compensate for the width difference.

X-Beam allows dealers and distributors to stock one set of SKUs for exposed and concealed uses. It also has FSC chain-of-custody certification and is produced with EcoBind low-formaldehyde resin.

(541) 736-2158

Drive Us anywhere and everywhere ... in stainless steel

© 2010 Simpson

When building a deck your customers want a fastener that performs well in any type of decking material, and one that can stand up to corrosion especially near the ocean. Simpson Strong-Tie now offers an extensive line of premium stainless-steel screws and nails for decks that will meet their installation needs and help safeguard against corrosion.

Whether it’s our SDS screws for ledger connections or our Quik Drive® DHPD collated screws that require no pre-drilling (even in Ipê), we have a stainless-steel fastener to fit the project.

Learn how our complete line of fasteners can help drive business to you by visiting us at www.strongtie.com/fasten or call (800) 999-5099.

Strong-Tie Company Inc. SSDECK10-D

Building-Products.com

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

43

Out-of-Sight Decking Fasteners

The InvisaGrip deck fastening system allows decking without visible screws or nails.

Constructed of stainless steel, the double-angle connectors are set between boards using a special installation tool.

Pre-drilling and countersinking are not required. Ample space between boards is created, eliminating the need for spacers.

SOUTHLANDDECK.COM (281) 355-0707

Solar Post Cap

Nantucket Post Cap’s Bar Harbor post cap is the company’s first all-wood, solar LED post cap light.

The underside of the cap conceals four small LED bulbs that point downward to create four spotlights that can burn as long as eight hours.

The cap is made of 100% KD redwood or clear western red cedar in a classic Craftsman style that can be painted or stained.

NANTUCKETPOSTCAP.COM (888) 758-7678

HARDWOOD • • 4 DECKING MOULDING S S • LUMBER • PLYWOOD Glued-Up Panels –

Ipe Decking –

• Our Rosenquist radio frequency gluer can fabricate glued-up solid wood panels up to 48” wide. Sanding up to 53” wide.

• 1x6 , 5/4 x 4, 5/4 x 6 • 2x2, 2x4, 2x6, 4x4 • Cap & Sub Rail

Cumaru Decking KD – • 5/4 x 6 • FSC-certified & non-certified

Cypress Decking – Moulding – • Over 200 stock profiles • Custom knife grinding

Hardwood S4S – Stocking a large inventory of • Hardwood S4S – 1x2, 1x4, 1x6, 1x8, 1x10, 1x12 • Redoak • Hard Maple • Mahogany • Cherry • Poplar • Birch • Walnut

Hardwood Plywood & Lumber – • Consult website for full inventory

Since 1980 5700 Earhart Ct., Windsor Ca. 95492

Phone 707.838.3177 • Fax 707.838.4413 • Mill Fax 707.838.9690 www.MountStorm.com We ship full trucks, units and deckpacks anywhere in the western U.S.

44

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

Building-Products.com

Hardwood Decking Finish

Ipe Clip Fastener Co.’s Ipe Oil hardwood deck finish is formulated to dry properly on exotic hardwoods and last for years.

The clear, low-VOC finish reportedly provides grain enhancement, U.V. protection, and resistance to humidity, mold and mildew.

IPECLIP.COM

(866) 427-2547

Outdoor Strip Lights

The Odyssey LED lighting kit from Aurora Deck Lighting includes four strips of lights with 48” wires that can be connected in series along deck rails or anywhere extra light is needed.

The kit includes a remote control and an LED driver box with a timer that can be connected to a 110-v standard, grounded outlet.

AURORADECK-

LIGHTING.COM (800) 603-3520

Wood-Look Decking

The DuraLife Natural Grain collection from GAF Decking Systems is made from a proprietary high-density polyethelene/ rice hull formulation.

The decking looks and installs like real wood, but reportedly will not splinter, crack or rot.

Boards are reversible, with a woodgrain emboss on one side and a contemporary combed emboss on the other.

GAF.COM

(973) 628-3000

With Quik Drive® auto-feed screw driving systems, your customers can fasten deck boards in record time. And not just decking, there’s a broad assortment of professionalgrade attachments and quick-loading fastener strips for a variety of construction applications. With the speed and reliability of Quik Drive tools, not only will your customers keep running back for more, but you’ll keep fastener sales at the top of the leaderboard.

Increase your selling pace with Quik Drive auto-feed systems and fasteners. For more information and to request a catalog, visit www.strongtie.com/quikdrive or call (800) 999-5099.

So quick, customers keep running back for more. © 2010

Simpson Strong-Tie Company Inc. QDDECK10-D

Building-Products.com

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

45

LA HARDWOOD CLUB Photos by Walter Ralston

ON TRACK: Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman’s Club enjoyed its annual Day at the Races April 17 at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, Ca. [1] Walter Ralston, Beverly Swaner, George Swaner, Keith Swaner. [2] Vickie Johnston, Marshall Burke, Shannon Jaramillo, Paul Pendergast. [3] Eric Threlsall, Christa Bohnhoff, Brooke & Mike Bohnhoff. [4] Robyn Cords, Dury Cords. [5] Tim Mathews, Andrew Jaramillo, Candace Pendergast. [6] Jeremy Moyer, Amy & Tony Moyer, Emily Moyer, Marissa Bower. [7] Andrew Nelson, Megan Nelson, Diane & Dennis Johnston. [8] Noe Beltran, Alex Beltran

We turn natural resources into natural advantages.

Get the right lumber for the right job.

Gemini Forest Products Industrial Lumber Specialists Los Alamitos, CA .- Redding, CA .-

Gemini Forest Products

Cal Coast Wholesale Lumber, Inc. Pressure Treated Forest Products Alkaline Copper Quat (ACQ) and Borates Custom Treating Selected Inventory Available

P.O. Box 673 • 3150 Taylor Drive • Ukiah, Ca. 95482 Phone 707-468-0141 • Fax 707-468-0660 Gene Pietila

Sales for Coast Wood Preserving

46

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

Building-Products.com

Robbery Suspects Arrested

Two suspects were arrested for their roles in March 21 robberies at Pacific Lumber, Lake Oswego, Or., and Milwaukie Lumber, Milwaukie, Or. Zane Grey Macziewski, 44, was arrested on suspicion of participating in the theft of a flatbed trailer and $1,500 worth of power tools from Pacific Lumber and $9,500 worth of wood siding products from Milwaukie Lumber.

Michael Summers, 52, was arrested for allegedly trying to sell some of the stolen items on Craigslist.

After detectives set up a buying meeting with Summers, they recovered items worth more than $6,000 at two addresses in Portland, Or.

IN Memoriam

Gerald “Jerry” Ste. Gemme Thomasson, 87, longtime Pacific Northwest timber cruiser and manager, died April 6 in Roseburg, Or. During World War II, Mr. Thomasson served in the Naval Air Corps. After his discharge in 1946, he completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Missouri.

In 1950, he became a timber cruiser in Centralia, Wa., with Weyerhaeuser.

Ten years later, he became head timber cruiser for Roseburg Lumber, Roseburg. He retired in 2004, after serving as a property and timber manager for timberland owners in Douglas County, Or.

Stoltze Named Good Neighbor

F. H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Co., Columbia Falls, Mt., won the Montana Neighbor Award for its work with forest stewardship and neighborly public access. Governor Brian Schweitzer presented the prize to v.p. Chuck Roady in an April 19 ceremony.

Each spring for the past 20 years, Stoltze has sponsored the Family

Forestry Expo, providing thousands of students and adults with outdoorlearning stations and mill tours.

The company provides free public hunting access to 13,000 acres of deer, elk and black bear habitat. It also is a leader in streamside and riparian management practices, and an active partner in land stewardship and wildlife management planning in the region.

Exclusive Northern California distributor of New

Scientifically Enhanced Performance Lumber • UL certified Class A fire rating.

(Actually received a Class“0” rating—the same as concrete.)

• Produced from sustainable forests • Highly water resistant • Highly insect resistant • Rot resistant • Will not deteriorate • Carries 20-year warranty • Can be handled like lumber • 5/4"x6" decking will span 24" • Colors: Sequoia (redwood) and CapeCod (gray)

Also Northern California distributor of WindsorOnePlus FJ sidings & trim • 30-year warranty • Proprietary priming process • SCS air quality standards, indoors & out And carrying complete lines of Redwood • Double Primed, Clear Redwood FJ trim & siding. All sidings VG. • High-end Green & Dry solid lumber.

COMPASS LUMBER PRODUCTS Cotati, CA • 1-800-773-9125 • www.compasslumber.com

Specialists in lumber products for Elegant Outdoor Living

Superior Service, Products & Support 100% of the Time

Distributed By

P.O. Box 1802, Medford, OR 97501 • Fax 541-535-3288

(541) 535-3465 • www.normandist.com

Building-Products.com

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

47

LACN GOLF Photos by The Merchant Magazine

LUMBER ASSOCIATION of California & Nevada held its annual PAC golf tournament April 15 at Black Gold Golf Club, Yorba Linda, Ca. [1] Lynn Bethurum, Pete Meichtry, Rex Klopfer, Russ Primrose. [2] Rolando Robles, Richard Rios, David Ibling, Ed Brown. [3] Sean Burch, Deonn DeFord, Carl Henoch, Doug Radestock. [4] Mike Caputo, Dave Cunningham, Greg Stout, Jeff Clave. [5] Oscar Laddaga, Mike Monaco, Kevin McLernon, Larry Christensen. [6] Pat Hawthorne, John Allen, Chris Brown, Larry Stonum. [7] Will Higman, John Neel, Bruce Gregory,

48

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

Scott Nicol. [8] Dave Temple, Mike Winters, Tom Barclay, Phil Gallicchio. [9] George Rutter, Terry Rasmussen, Scott Whitman, Buzz Mann. [10] Jeff Logue, Pete Ganahl, Shannon Mott, Grant Pearsall. [11] Kurt Robbins, Jeff Norihiro. [12] Chris Bailey, Jeff Herron, Dave Vigil, Troy Staufenbeil, Mike Plutner, Aly Kingsley. [13] Rod Forsch, Joe Allotta, Chris Freeman, Mark Rommell, Melanie Hindi.

(Continued on next page) Building-Products.com

LACN GOLF Photos by The Merchant Magazine

MORE LACN golf: [1] Chris Skibba, Chris Manny, Al Reed, Greg Hexberg. [2] Taylor Lindsay, Tom Angel, Marc Spitz, Daniel Hines.

[3] Jarrett Deschenes, Ken Dunham, Jean Henning, Jerry Dunn, Mike McDonough. [4] Ron Hillman, Miguel Hernandez, Jerry Mosier, Sal Camarda. [5] Kevin Paldino, Brian Hurdle, Troy Allen. [6] Leslie Fickel, Lynda Mulley. [7] James Gordon, Bert McKee, Rick Deen, Jack Butler. [8] Bill Young, Randy Jackson, Jim Nicodemus, Larry Olson. [9] Bill Murdock,

Glenda DeFrange. [10] Jim Burns, Brad Satterfield, Johnny Pringle, Curt Nierman. [11] Dan Croker, Beverly Carr, Bill Sandusky, Ryan Mitchell. [12] Melissa Palmer, Danny Sosa, Doreen Torres. [13] Chuck Brick.

VAN ARSDALE-HARRIS LUMBER CO. 595 Tunnel Ave., San Francisco, CA 94134 • 415-467-8711 • Fax 415-467-8144

www.vanarsdaleharris.com

Since 1888

Specialists in upper grades of clear, dry softwoods

Douglas Fir C & Better V/G & F/G Kiln Dried Full Sawn Rough • 1", 5/4", 2", 3", 4", 6" & 8x8 • 3x6 DF Select Dex Double T&G Decking Sugar Pine • 4/4 -16/4 C & Btr. • 5/4 & 8/4 D Select • 6/4 & 8/4 Mldg. • 5/4 #1 Shop • 5/4 x 12 #2 Common • 4x4 #2 Common Ponderosa Pine • 4/4 Clears, Moulding, #3 Clear, Commons • 2x4, 2x6, 2x12 Std. & Btr. Dimension Western Red Cedar Clear V/G & F/G Full Sawn Rough • 1", 5/4", 2" Kiln Dried • 3", 4", 6" Air Dried Timbers Alaskan Yellow Cedar C & Btr. Kiln Dried Rough • 4/4, 8/4 Poplar, FAS • 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 8/4, 12/4 Sitka Spruce B & Btr. V/G Kiln Dried Rough • 4/4, 8/4 Honduras Mahogany, FAS Pattern Grade • 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 8/4, 10/4, 12/4, 16/4 Building-Products.com

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

49

NAWLA ANNUAL Photos by The Merchant Magazine

NORTH AMERICAN Wholesale Lumber Association held its annual conference March 24-26 at Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, La. [1] Jack Chase, Buck Hutchison. [2] Clint Darnell, Lawrence Newton, Tapani Pekkala. [3] Hunter & Gina McShan, Jim Carr. [4] Jeannie Eddins, Walter Russell. [5] Tom & Shelley Kohlmeier, Bill Anderson. [6] Chris & Beth Mergel. [7] David Jeffers, Tom Diem. [8] Jim Livermore, Chris Beveridge. [9] Bryan Lovingood, Calvin Biddix, Ashley Kay. [10] Mark & Mary Donovan, Ian & Julie McLean. [11] Graham & Carrie Bishop. [12]

50

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

Dan & Margie Semsak. [13] Bruce Kulzer, Ken Schultz. [14] Michelle Kay, Pat Biddix. [15] Susan Fitzsimmons, Bruce Johnson, John & Mary Ann Stockhausen. [16] Gary & Karen Vitale. [17] Jim & Cindy McGinnis, Vicki Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill. [18] Mark Junkins, Kerlin Drake. [19] Mel Lundberg, Wayne Lancaster. [20] Vince Parry, Courtney Robinson. [21] Dusty & Penny Hammack. [22] Bill Barnett, Barry Schneider. [23] Ethel & Tom Rice. [24] Barbara & Steve Boyd. [25] Jim Hassenstab, Russ Hobbs.

Building-Products.com

ASSOCIATION Update Western Building Material Association has scheduled its midyear board meeting for July 14-16 at Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, Wa. WBMA’s Young Westerners Club will hold its board meeting June 18 at Northern Quest Resort, Spokane, Wa.

Lumber Association of California & Nevada is sponsoring its annual Associates/Dealers Golf Tournament June 3 at Rancho Solano Golf Course, Fairfield, Ca. LACN’s 2nd Growth group has booked noted speaker Jeffrey Hansler to present a two-part seminar on building better communication skills during its annual summer conference July 15-16 at Hotel Solamar in San Diego’s historic Gaslamp District.

Hansler will cover such topics as sales, influence, persuasion, negotiation, leadership, managing multiple priorities team building, customer service time management, communication excellence, and translating service into sales.

Also on the agenda are golf at Coronado Municipal Golf Course, dinner and a San Diego Padres ball game at Petco Park, and a forestry update with professional forester Ed Murphy, manager of resource inventory systems for Sierra-Pacific Industries.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers gave its

Building-Products.com

best single booth award to Timberline Fasteners, Commerce City, Co., during its recent building products expo in Denver, Co. Exhibitor awards were presented to Timberline Fasteners, Commerce City, Co., for best single booth; iLevel by Weyerhaeuser, Henderson, Co., best double booth, and OrePac Building Products, Denver, best multiple booth.

Honorable mentions went to Valley Steel & Wire, Fort Collins, Co.; Green Family Reclaimed Materials, Collierville, Tn., and BlueLinx, Denver.

Next year’s expo returns to the Plaza at the Denver Merchandise Mart March 10-11, 2011.

In the meantime, MSLBMDA will hold its fall conference Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at the Sonnenalp Resort, Vail, Co. American Institute of Timber Construction elected Mike Lane, QB Corp., Salmon, Id., as president during its recent annual meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. Other new officers are v.p. John Forman, Alamco Wood Products, Albert Lea, Mn.; treasurer Gary Burley, Unit Structures, Magnolia, Ar., and past president Ed Jones, Laminated Timbers, London, Ky. New directors are Jim Griswold, Filler King, Homedale, Id., and Tom Shew, Boise Cascade, Emmett, Id.

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

51

CLASSIFIED Marketplace Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word min.). Phone number counts as 1 word, address as 6. Centered copy or headline, $9 per line. Border, $9. Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished “camera-ready” (advertiser sets the type), $65 if we set the type.

Send ad to Fax 949-852-0231 or dkoenig@ building-products.com. For more info, call (949) 852-1990. Make checks payable to Cutler Publishing. Deadline: 18th of previous month.

To reply to ads with private box numbers, send correspondence to box number shown, c/o The Merchant Magazine, 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660, or dkoenig@building-products.com. Names of advertisers using a box number cannot be released.

HELP WANTED

IDAHO TIMBER

IDAHO TIMBER seeks a highly motivated, aggressive, energetic salesperson with experience and knowledge in the areas of dimensional lumber and studs, along with cedar boards.

Candidate will be responsible for product marketing, sales, new product development, as well as growing and maintaining working relationships with regional and national accounts.

Position requires self-motivation, ability to communicate well with others, creativity, teamwork, and knowledge of the lumber products industry. Position is available in Boise, Idaho, and offers competitive benefits including: Salary (DOE), bonus program, 401/k, profitsharing, health and dental insurance, and opportunity for growth within an innovative and aggressive industry leader. For consideration, please send resume and cover letter to Idaho Timber, Attn.: Lori Wielenga, P.O. Box 67, Boise, Id. 83707.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE U.S. AND CANADA: Our client is seeking to hire Senior Commodity and Specialty Forest Products Traders NOW. Selected candidates must have a track record in generating in excess of $200,000 in annual gross margins.

Commissions range to 45% of the gross.

Client’s working capital line exceeds $200M. Excellent benefit and retirement package. For a confidential discussion, contact Carl Jansen at Search North America, (541) 593-2777, email carlj@searchna.com, www.searchna.com.

LUMBER TRADER We are a wholesale lumber company looking for an experienced trader. Any species. No restrictions on mills or customers. No relocation. 60% split for trader. Call John at Lakeside Lumber at (623) 566-7100 or email lakesidelumber@cox.net.

WANTED: GENERAL MANAGER for the San Jose and Sacramento area. Must have a minimum of 5 years experience in lumber purchasing with a fence product background.

Position will require travel between 2 locations overseeing a retail/wholesale company. Salary will based upon individual qualifications.

Competitive pay packages with benefits. Contact Javier at j.valenzuela@fencespecialties.us.

52

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

FACILITIES FOR LEASE

OFFICE & WAREHOUSE FOR LEASE: Northern California Sacramento region.

Approximately 2,000-sq. ft. office attached to 30,000-sq. ft. warehouse. Warehouse clear span height 20 ft. Office & restrooms ADA accessible. Warehouse includes three man doors with large 20-ft. roll-up door. 220V power available.

Fire sprinkler system throughout. Truck shop facilities provided, including minor repair work, oil changes, steam cleaning, etc., at favorable rates. Ample truck parking space in back of facility. If additional space is needed, an option on additional 30,000-sq. ft. warehouse will be available soon. Office & 30,000sq. ft. front warehouse available at .29¢ per sq. ft. Option for rear warehouse .25 per sq. ft. If interested, please call Tom Williams, (530) 742-2168, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

FOR SALE

CARPENTER PENCILS 3,000 at at 16 18¢¢ each 7,000 each NAIL APRONS 1,000 89¢ each each 1,000 at at 90¢

PRINTED WITH YOUR LOGO

L.I.INDUSTRIES

800-526-6465

FAX 718-793-4316 apronaz@aol.com www.apronsupply.com

Discover what’s up East of the Rockies

BPD Subscribe to

Building Products Digest Just $24 for 12 monthly issues

Call Heather at (949) 852-1990 hkelly@building-products.com Building-Products.com

DATE Book

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

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman’s Club – May 13, ladies night, Phoenix Club, Anaheim, Ca.; (626) 445-8556.

Respecting the forest, honoring the past, building the future.

A nation’s pride you can build on.

Do It Best Corp. – May 15-17, spring market, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, In.; (260) 748-5300; www.doitbest.com.

Lumber Association of California & Nevada – May 16-18, 2nd Growth forest/mill tour, Redding/Sacramento, Ca.; (800) 2664344; www.lumberassociation.org.

National Association of Home Builders – May 16-18, national green building conference, Marriott City Center, Raleigh, N.C.; (800) 368-5242; www.nahb.com.

Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association – May 16-19, annual convention, Isle of Palms, S.C.; (703) 264-1690; www.kcma.org.

American Wood Protection Association – May 23-25, annual meeting, Hyatt Regency, Savannah, Ga.; (800) 356-1974; www. awpa.com.

Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association – May 23-25, conference, DoubleTree Paradise Valley Resort, Scottsdale, Az.; (703) 435-2900; www.hpva.org.

Lumber Association of California & Nevada – June 3, associates/ dealers golf tournament, Rancho Solano Golf Course, Fairfield, Ca.; (800) 266-4344; www.lumberassociation.org.

Willamette Valley Hoo-Hoo Club – June 4, golf tournament, Shadow Hills Country Club, Junction City, Or.; (541) 485-5979.

American Architectural Manufacturers Assn. – June 6-9, summer conference, Chicago, Il.; (847) 303-5664; www.aamanet.org.

PCBC – June 9-11, Moscone Center, San Francisco, Ca.; (916) 443-7933; www.pcbc.com.

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman’s Club – June 10, election night, Beckham Grill, Pasadena, Ca.; (626) 445-8556.

Seattle Hoo-Hoo Club – June 11, golf tournament, Mt. Si Golf Course, Snoqualamie, Wa.; (425) 883-2777.

Western Wood Preservers Institute – June 13-15, summer meeting, Zermatt, Midway, Ut.; (800) 729-9663; www.wwpinstitute.org.

Producing 2,000,000 bd. ft. monthly of 5/4 & 6/4 Ponderosa Pine Shop/Industrials 1x4 thru 1x12 Ponderosa Pine Commons 1x4 thru 1x12 Premium Halfpack Commons 5/4 Radius Edge Decking Programs State-of-the-Art Hewmill & Headrig Mill Contact Sheldon Howell

Yakama Forest Products 3191 Wesley Rd., White Swan, WA 98952

Tel.

(509) 874-1163

Fax 509-874-1162 • www.yakama-forest.com

Fred C. Holmes Lumber Co. “YOUR REDWOOD SPECIALISTS”

National Retail Federation – June 14-16, loss prevention conference & expo, Atlanta, Ga.; (202) 783-7971; www.nrf.com.

National Lawn & Garden Show – June 15-17, Renaissance Colorado Springs Hotel, Spa & Conference Center, Colorado Springs, Co.; (888) 316-0226; www.nlgshow.com.

Tuolumne Lumber Jubilee – June 17-19, Tuolumne, Ca.; (800) 266-6436.

Western Building Material Association – June 18, Young Westerners Club board meeting, Northern Quest Resort, Spokane, Wa.; (360) 943-3054; www.wbma.org.

Forest Products Society –June 20-22, convention, Madison, Wi.; (608) 231-1361; www.forestprod.org.

Western States Roofing Contractors Association – June 20-23, convention & expo, Paris Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 725-0333; www.wsrca.com.

Portland Hoo-Hoo – June 25, golf tournament, Forest Hills Golf Course, Forest Grove, Or.; (503) 675-0040.

Remodeling & Decorating Show – June 26-27, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, Ca.; (818) 557-2950.

Temperate Forest Foundation – July 13-16, teachers tour, Corvallis, Or.; (503) 445-9472; www.forestinfo.org.

North American Retail Hardware Association – July 19-20, convention & conference, Savannah, Ga.; (317) 290-0338.

Rogue Valley Hoo-Hoo Club – July 29-30, dinner & golf, Rogue Valley Country Club, Medford, Or.; (800) 633-5554.

Building-Products.com

We offer an extensive inventory of fine redwood products including Fencing, Decking, Siding, and Premium Timbers.

Whether your order is by the piece or truckload, our goal is to ensure the highest quality and service.

CLEAR ALL HEART HRT BEE CLEAR AYE BEE SELECT HRT CON HRT CON COMMON

AIR SEASONED KILN DRIED GREEN ROUGH & S4S

Wholesale

lumber products

CUSTOM MILLING AVAILABLE

REDWOOD INSPECTION ®

SIZES FROM 1X4 TO 12X12

Fred Holmes, Steve Holmes, Phyllis Hautala, Steve Hautala, John Gould

P.O. Box 800, Fort Bragg, Ca. 95437 • Fax 707-961-0935

(800) 849-0523

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

53

IDEA File

A Chicagoland hardware

Making Its Mark in Ink

retailer is stamping a new green image for itself, while ensuring customers will flow into its store.

Weiss Ace Hardware, Glenview, Il., installed an inkjet cartridge refilling station for computer printers and kicked off the new service by staging a “Free Ink Week.”

From April 8 to 14, the store invited customers to bring in their empty inkjet cartridges for a free refill.

“After we installed Ink-O-Dem’s Cartridge Refilling System, we wanted to give our customers an incentive to get started. Thus, Free Ink Week was born,” said store manager Karen Kolod. “We are looking forward to serving our customers in yet another way that saves them money and is good for the environment.”

The promotion allows consumers undecided about cartridge refilling to see for themselves what the process is like and how it affects their printers’ performance.

Ink-O-Dem refills 5 million cartridges annually and is specifically targeting Ace Hardware stores, among others. Its technology is reportedly compatible with 95% of the integrated inkjet cartridges on the market.

Weiss’s decision to install the machinery was prompted by a consumer shift to greener product choices, such as discovering ways to keep discarded products out of landfills.

It doesn’t hurt that customers will end up paying about half as much for their inkjet cartridges.

ADVERTISERS Index For more info on advertisers, call themdirectly or visit their websites [in brackets].

Advantage Trim & Lumber [www.advantagelumber.com] .......................33

AERT [www.aertinc.com] ..................................................................Cover IV Anfinson Lumber Sales [www.anfinson.com] ...........................................54 Bear Forest Products [www.bearfp.com]...................................................37

BlueLinx [www.bluelinxco.com] ...................................................................5

Big Creek Lumber Co. [www.big-creek.com] ............................................32 Boise Cascade [www.bc.com] ....................................................................33

Cabot [www.cabotfactoryfinish.com].........................................................17 Cal Coast Wholesale Lumber......................................................................46

California Redwood Co., The [www.californiaredwoodco.com].....Cover II California Timberline......................................................................................4 Calvert Company Inc. [www.calvertglulam.com] ......................................21 Capital [www.capital-lumber.com]........................................................44, 51

Clearwater Paper Corp. [www.clearwaterpaper.com]...............................36

Compass Lumber Products Inc. [www.compasslumber.com] ................47

Distribution Management Systems Inc. [www.dmsi.com]........................41

Enduris [www.enduris.com]..........................................................................7

Fasco America [www.fascoamerica.com]..................................................35

Fiberon LLC [www.fiberondecking.com] ..................................................29

Fletcher Wood Solutions [www.tenonusa.com]........................................30 Fontana Wholesale Lumber [www.fontanawholesalelumber.com] .........39

Fred C. Holmes Lumber Co. ........................................................................53 Gemini Forest Products [www.geminiforest.com]....................................46

Genova Products [www.genovaproducts.com] ........................................19 GRK Fasteners [www.grkfasteners.com]...................................................27

Huff Lumber Co. ...........................................................................................34

WHERE QUALITY IS AGELESS

Keller Lumber Co. ........................................................................................39

LP Building Products [www.lpcorp.com].....................................................8 Lumber Products [www.lumberproducts.com] .........................................40

Mary’s River Lumber [www.marysriverlumber.com] ................................38 Mount Storm Forest Products [www.mountstorm.com] ..........................44 Norman Distribution Inc. [www.normandist.com].....................................47

WHOLESALE ONLY • MILL DIRECT & LCL

Anfinson Lumber is the clear choice for Quality Redwood and Western Red Cedar Dimension, Boards, Patterns and Timbers CALL SALES AT (800) 400-8383 • (951) 681-4707 Rick Anfinson Outside Sales Darin Curran (949) 412-1894 Eddie Howdershelt (909) 993-2701 Visit our website:

www.anfinson.com

Fontana, CA Office and Mill: 13041 Union Avenue, Fontana, CA 92337 Fax: (951) 681-3566 E-mail: sales@anfinson.com

Pacific Wood Preserving Cos. [www.pacificwood.com] ..........................37 Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com] ..............................................23

RISI [www.risiinfo.com/crows]....................................................................26

Rosboro [www.rosboro.com]........................................................................3 Roseburg Forest Products [www.rfpco.com]............................................25 RoyOMartin [www.royomartin.com] ...........................................................31

Screw Products [www.screw-products.com] ............................................51

Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com]...........................................43, 45

Siskiyou Forest Products [www.siskiyouforestproducts.com] ...............13

Sunbelt [www.sunbeltracks.com]...............................................................39

Sure Drive USA [www.suredrive.com] .......................................................40

Swanson Group Sales Co. [www.swansongroupinc.com] ............Cover III

Thunderbolt Wood Treating [www.thunderboltwoodtreating.com].........40

Van Arsdale-Harris Lumber Co. [www.vanarsdaleharris.net] ..................49

Viance [www.treatedwood.com] .........................................................Cover I Wahoo Decks [www.wahoodecks.com] .....................................................42

Yakama Forest Products [www.yakama-forest.com]................................53

54

The Merchant Magazine May 2010

Building-Products.com

Building-Products.com

May 2010 The Merchant Magazine

55

The

MERCHANT

Magazine