Your st€p-by-step EWffide to $€lng green

fiiHrs IS AN rNrEREsrruc time to be in this business. In I fact. I would submit there has never been a more interesting time because, not only are conditions changing, but change is coming at us from about every possible angle.

But if there's one thing we can count on, it's that the march toward greener buildings, technologies, products, and materials continues unabated. There are signs that the housing market is picking up, generally, and more than likely the uptick in green will be significantly greater. This is good news for green retailers.

Is your company on board yet? Has the greening of all things housing related boosted your bottom line? If not, fear not. It's not too late to get positioned to profit from this trend, but it will require change. It's easy, if you take it step by step.

Step One: Educate yourself and your staff, from the boardroom to the backroom, floor associate, buyers, pro sales, cashiers. Learn the language of green and, most importantly, the requirements of your customers. Serving builders and remodelers? Get up to speed with LEED and other certification schemes. Some products and materials meet green standards because of their characteristics, their components, their functionality, or simply by the way they're used in a green building project. Proven fact: Educated staff sells more green products and materials.

Step Two: Stock green products and materials. You can't sell what you don't have in the warehouse or in the catalog. What are your customers looking for? What works in your region? Again, ask your customers and get acquainted with your local USGBC chapter. Product certifications provide a good guide and attending at least one GreenBuild event will get your buyers on the way. But your customers will tell you where their interests lie. Serve them well and you can't miss.

Sttp Three: Communicate. In the store and in the yard, take the basic step of deploying shelf talkers, labels, posters, hang tags-whatever you need to do to identify for your customers the green options in every category, their features and benefits.

If you're using circulars, be sure to promote these prod- ucts and materials, display their certifications, and write copy that educates and establishes your credibility. If you have a more robust marketing budget, develop clear and honest advertising that positions your store as the place to go for sustainable, energy efficient, water saving, less toxic, LEED credit-earning products and materials.

Finally, if you have the wherewithal, write news releases about your newswonhy green developments and distribute to the publications your customers might be reading, both online and offline.

Step Four: Educate your customers. If you've gotten to this step, chances are your customers are beginning to Iook to you as a source of knowledge and expertise. Hosting product knowledge events and skills workshops will strengthen your customer relationships and cement your growing reputation as the green "go-to" source. These kinds of activities, whether conducted in-house or elsewhere in your community, should tie in nicely with your marketing efforts.

Grasping the green building opportunity takes some honest effort and success is not guaranteed. It's a free and competitive market, after all. On the other hand, sitting passively on the sideline pining for the old days is not an attractive option. Embracing green building as the new normal can infuse your organisation with a sense of purpose that can translate into a better experience for your customers and perhaps a few more sales at the end of the day. All you need to do is start taking it step by step.

Jay Tompt Managing Partner Wm. Verde & Associates

321-0848

williamverde.com www.williamverde.com

Arizona Wholesaler Cooley Files to Liquidate

Cooley Forest Products parent Cooley Industries, Phoenix, Az., has filed to liquidate under Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection.

Launched in 1945 as Cooley Wholesale Lumber, Holbrook, Az., the company also operated Dynamic Transload Services and Dynamic Logistics.

Its Dec. 27 banktuptcy filing lists assets of nearly $3.5 million and liabilities of almost $9.9 million.

Pacific Lumber Consolidates

Pacific Lumber & Truss is relocating its headquarters from Hillsboro, Or., to consolidate with its millwork plant in Lake Oswego, Or.

The move transfers 25 positions to Lake Oswego, including management, administrative, sales and logistics.

"Having all divisions working together is a big step for us," said president Jim Morse.

As part of the move, Pacific Lumber has also opened a new design and retail center at the Lake Oswego site, with a grand opening set for March.

Century-Old Yancey Yard Changes Hands

Yancey Lumber has sold its 103year-old facility in Patterson, Ca., but will continue operating its yard in Newman,Ca.

New owner Ramon Zavala Ramirez has renamed the yard Patterson Lumber, but retained most of the staff, including manager Harry Felix.

The previous ownersKern Hunewill and seven members of the Yancey family-had considered closing the yard and converting it into a warehouse, but Felix helped broker a deal with Ramirez, an agribusiness foreman who owns rental properties managed by Felix.

"l couldn't see this city going without a lumberyard," Felix said.

Yancey co-owner Tom Yancey said, "We had a hard time keeping that yard going, so it seemed the best thing to do would be to focus on Newman."

Boise Cascade Begins IPO

Boise Cascade LLC, Boise,Id., has begun an underwritten initial public offering of 11,764,706 shares, to be sold by prospectus only.

The company will be converted to a corporation and renamed Boise Cascade Co.

It has also been approved to list its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange, under the symbol ..BCC."

OSH Sues Home Depot Over Exclusive Hardware Deals

Orchard Supply Hardware, San Jose, Ca., has filed suit against Home Depot, alleging that the Atlanta, Ga.based chain has struck exclusive, unfair deals with several hardware suppliers.

OSH claims Home Depot announced in June 2Ol2 that it aimed to become the only "on-the-ground retailer" for certain hardware products. Within weeks, according to OSH, two of its longtime power tool suppliers-Makita USA and Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp.-cut of shipments. Both suppliers are named in the suit. lf ll: t lt. i -' ' '': ,.1..:t ,1.-i :,: ,,'::'i,,-.i I.i't i,.1,..,r1 1-lr:: 1-1 I1:l: lsn t that what customers are really looking for-a gorge0us deck that can endure the punishment o{ time? Endeck capped cellular PVC decking is slip-resistant, impervious to sfains and scratches, plus it stands up to the daily torture from pets, kids and neighbors who drag heavy deck furniture from one end t0 the 0ther

OSH alleges the exclusive deals will cost it $2 million.

Home Depot maintains that it is committed to fair competition.

Dunn Lumbor, Seattle, Wa., has acquired Parker Lumber, Bothell, Wa., as its 12th location, renaming it Parker Lumber East.

Big Creek Lumber, Davenport, Ca., this month is installing new sales software at its five retail stores in Central California.

Jarms True Value Hardware, Cheney, Wa., is relocating after 35 years to a larger, 22,000-sq. ft. facility.

Franklin's Ace Hardware, Scottsdale, Az., has been opened by Brett Franklin in a storefront that oreviously housed an Ace Hardwari ttrat closed last year.

Construction Supply LLC, Goodyear, Az., has added an adjacent 6,000-sq. ft. rebar fabrication facilitythe first phase of a manufacturing site that eventually will expand to 10 acres.

BMC, Boise, ld., has selected Orgill as its new hardlines supplier, repl-cing True Value.

In addition, BMC was named 2012 Company of the Year by the Eastern ldaho Home Builders Association and Vendor of the Year by the nonprofit Homes for Hope.

Bridoetown Window & Door, Fortland, Or., has been launched by Kevin Betker, Jeremy Powers, and Andrew Haslam.

California Redwood Co. eliminated the 4s-worker "flex crew" at its Korbel, Ca., mill Jan.17.

Mount Storm Forest Products, Windsor, Ca., is now distributing Thermory thermally modified hardwood decking.

Rugby Architectural Building Products is now Oistriouirng Sams u n g Staron solid-sirfaces th roughout the Northwest U.S., including Alaska, from its flve branches in the region-Seattle and Spokane, Wa.; Portland, 0r.; Boise, ld., and Salt Lake City, Ut.

O'Connor & Associates, Carpentersville, ll., is now representing Integrity Composites' DuraLife decking and railing products in the Midwest and into Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona.

Jeld-Wen, Klamath Falls, Or., has received Evaluation Report ESR-3043 from the ICC-S for its MiraTEC treated exterior composite trim-a first for wood composite trim.

Beacon Roofing Supply, Peabody, Ma., has entered Northern California with its acquisitions of rooflng distributors Ford Wholesale Co., Oakland, Sacramento and San Jose, Ca., and Gonstruction Materials Supply, Livermore and Sacramento, Ca.

Ford's former president, Jim Ornellas, and CMS', Peter Clark, will stay on under Beacon.

Sylvan Products, Portland, Or., was awarded a second option year to supply dimensional lumber to the U. S. Defense Department.

Columbia Forest Products, Greensboro, N.C., was named 2012 Vendor of the Year Oy Phillips Plywood Co., Pacoima, Ca.

Weyerhaeuser Co,, FederalWay, Wa., has revamped its wood products website at www.woodbywy.com.

Spruce Computer Systems has incorporated new features into its SpruceWare.NET Release B, to help dealers in California cooe with the state's new 1% lumber products tax.

Endeck is covered by a Llmited Lifetime Warranty and comes in six colors-three monochromatic and three variegated with fascia to match or contrast You l1 need railing, or course_and Enrailo is the perrecr comp ement io Errrrlig;,

Blaze Levels Colorado Sawmill

Alpine Lumber's La Jara, Co., sawmill was destroyed in a 3 a.m. fire Jan.5.

Owner Mike Hostetter intends to rebuild as quickly as possible. "We are doing our best to keep serving our customers and keep them supplied by outsourcing from other mills," he said.

Although the cause is under investigation, Hostetter said there was no sign of arson and speculated that the blaze may have been sparked by an electrical malfunction brought on by recent cold weather conditions.

Plywood Producers Face Challenges Meeting Global Demand

International plywood demand is expected to top 85 million cubic meters by 20 18, owing to emerging markets across Asia, Latin America, and Europe, according to a new Global Industry Analysts study.

Consumption is largely dependent on the state of the construction industry, which has experienced sluggish growth in developed countries over the last several years.

Asia-Pacific, the U.S., and Europe account for a lion's share of total global plywood consumption.

China dominates the global market for plywood usage, consuming more than half of all plywood used in the AsiaPacific region. The nation has evolved quickly over the past decade from an industry largely focused on addressing domestic market needs to one increasingly catering to global demand. China is currently the world's largest producer and exporter of plywood. The nation is, however, garnering mixed results in domestic demand, with the non- residential and social housing sector growing at a healthy pace, but housing reeling under severe pressure due to government policies and the resulting deceleration in housing sales, economic disparities, and minimal construction activity.

Asia-Pacific markets, excluding China, should post the fastest growth through 2018. In Japan, demand for wood products is expected to increase. as the country begins to rebuild earthquake-devastated areas. However, the delay in reconstruction work, owing to the longer time taken to clear debris and the resulting build-up of plywood inventories, will moderate the pace of growth in the years to come.

In the U.S., after-effects of the recent economic crisis continue to linger over the construction industry, despite the numerous initiatives undertaken by the government to assist the recovery of the sector. Although the plywood sector witnessed a marginal recovery in demand in 2011, iuture growth in the market primarily relies on the recovery of the housing sector, which is poised to readily absorb cuftailed as well as new capacity.

In Europe, the escalating macroeconomic uncertainty continues to dampen business confidence, thereby delaying the pace of recovery across the construction sector. The region also faces increasing threat from rising imports of cheaper plywood products, particularly from China, Russia. Uruguay and Ukraine.

Besides restricted construction spending, another challenge faced by the plywood market is increasing competition from alternate materials such as OSB and MDF. However, plywood remains a preferred option for various applications due to its quality.