Building Products Digest - February 2024

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THE VOICE OF THE LBM SUPPLY CHAIN

OUTDOOR LIVING SPRING ISSUE • DECKING • RAILING • FASTENERS • HARDSCAPES

February 2024

WHY WOOD?

ITS VERSATILITY.

Wolmanized® Outdoor® Wood has been featured in backyard projects for decades. Because of its long-term protection against termites and decay, its workability, and its natural beauty, it is ideal for decks, retaining walls, fences, picnic tables, planter boxes, walkways, sill plate, structural members, and more. Visit WolmanizedWood.com.

Please read all product information available at WolmanizedWood.com before use. © 2024 Arxada

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Outdoor Living Solutions | Products, Software and Service for Smarter Building

------------| CONTENTS

February 2024

STAY CONNECTED ON SOCIALS:

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FEATURE STORY What’s hot in outdoor living: fire features, heaters, kitchens and more

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

08 ACROSS THE BOARD 22 OLSEN ON SALES

New deck framing materials aim to give treated wood a run for its money

24 LUMBER 411

MARGIN BUILDERS

26 TRANSFORMING TEAMS

Understanding deck warranties

34 MOVERS & SHAKERS INDUSTRY TRENDS Builders’ evolving needs drive fastener innovation

40 SELLING WITH KAHLE

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

48 NEW PRODUCTS

Distributors partner on private-label decking and railing

THE BIG PICTURE Exploring the influence of texture and modularity in outdoor living design

54 DATE BOOK 56 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 56 IN MEMORIAM 57 ADVERTISERS INDEX 58 FLASHBACK

THE VOICE OF THE LBM SUPPLY CHAIN

OUTDOOR LIVING SPRING ISSUE • DECKING • RAILING • FASTENERS • HARDSCAPES

February 2024

WHY WOOD?

ITS VERSATILITY.

CHECK OUT THE

Wolmanized® Outdoor® Wood has been featured in backyard projects for decades. Because of its long-term protection against termites and decay, its workability, and its natural beauty, it is ideal for decks, retaining walls, fences, picnic tables, planter boxes, walkways, sill plate, structural members, and more. Visit WolmanizedWood.com.

16

Please read all product information available at WolmanizedWood.com before use. © 2024 Arxada

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------------| ACROSS THE BOARD

WHAT YOU DO MATTERS ------------ BY PATRICK ADAMS THE PAST FEW WEEKS have been a bit tough and conflicting. My best friend, who I’ve mentioned a few times in prior articles, is moving away. While I’ve only known him for a handful of years, I recognize that it gets harder and harder to find a “best friend” the older you get (at least it has for me).

As I’ve shared before, he’s a military veteran, an active police officer, and the type of person who makes you think about how to be “better” whenever you’re around him.

Simply put, he’s a good man, with good values, who you can always count on. He’s been with the same department for almost 20 years—his entire policing career post military.

There’s been a few times he’s considered leaving, but he never made the move for many good reasons at the time.

Until now that is. He is in the final stretch of his time as my neighbor before he and his family head to Texas and his new department there. We were reflecting on good times and stories by the fire with our traditional whiskey and cigar in hand. I asked him what he will remember about his lengthy time here at his department that spanned from his time in the academy as a young man to now, part of command staff that grooms the next generation. His answer shouldn’t have surprised me coming from him, but it did. He said, “I will remember that what I did mattered.” A simple eight words that landed with a much heavier weight.

Who can confidently say that about their career? Who thinks about their job in that way? He went on to tell me story after story about countless calls for service that would never make headlines or reality shows, but things that made a difference in people’s lives and the community.

There were no shootouts or spoiled heists. They were stories about meals, washing machines, and replaced bicycles.

They were introductions that led to jobs or a reliable vehicle for a reasonable price. After he left, I sat by the fire for a long time thinking about that conversation.

It’s about perspective, isn’t it? If you’re reading this, perhaps you sell lumber or building materials. When people

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ask what you do, that may be the answer to how you think about your job: “I sell lumber.” At the end of your career when someone asks you what you will remember about your time, what will you say? From my perspective, you don’t sell lumber. You build communities. You help people achieve the American dream—something that exists nowhere else in the world beyond here.

You sell lumber. That lumber builds homes that people purchase and live in. Those people living together build communities, that shape lives, and values and the future of those generations being raised there. You do that and it makes a difference to countless people. The lumber you sold today may, a year from now, become the home where a young couple brings their first born home for the first time, to raise them and keep them safe. They will grow, go outside, and play with other kids with the same privilege.

I’ll miss my friend once he’s gone. But, he did it to provide a better life and environment for his family. It will make him and his family better now, and forever. They all will make new friends, and positively influence them as they did us.

Among the countless ways that I’m better for having known him, is the realization that what I do, and what you all do, matters. Each day, we have the chance to make a difference in complete stranger’s lives. Although there are countless other influences pushing us in different directions, this is the perspective that I will try to move through this year with. That what we do matters. How we do it matters. And perhaps, we might just make a difference to a bunch of people that we will never know.

Get up today, be proud of what you do, and make a difference. As always, I am humbled and grateful to serve such an amazing industry.

PATRICK S. ADAMS, Publisher/President padams@526mediagroup.com building-products.com

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DECKING EXPERTS stressed that clients ask for outdoor kitchens with lots of prep areas and extended counter spaces. Rather than guests huddling up around the interior kitchen or the hosts holed up with meal prep indoors, outdoor kitchens create a collaborative environment so everyone can participate in the party as it’s happening. (Photos by Premier Outdoor Living)

FEATURES, WHAT’S HOT IN FIRE HEATERS, KITCHENS AND MORE OUTDOOR LIVING HOMEOWNERS ARE prioritizing a balance of form and function to create flexible-use spaces that enhance their enjoyment of the outdoor experience, according to leading builders consulted for Deckorators’ annual Outdoor Living Report.

The 2024 report focuses on what homeowners have been requesting most for their outdoor spaces, including functional design, regional color trends, and more.

Among the top trends cited:

1. Functional Design: Homeowners are looking to utilize their outdoor spaces for multiple purposes, and in all kinds of weather, from season to season. Flexible-use zones throughout the deck are becoming a design standard, revealing a trend toward maximizing utility and prioritizing spatial flow.

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2. Cocktail Rails: Signifying a shift away from the structured dining table, the recent spike in bar rail additions frees up space on the deck and creates additional opportunities for socializing.

3. Monochrome Moment: Homeowners’ preferences for deck colors are becoming more minimalistic, opening up more opportunities for pops of color and texture elsewhere that can be easily updated with changing trends.

Catherine Lippincott of Premier Outdoor Living, Palmyra, N.J., noted the recent shift toward monochromatic decking palettes: “We find that a lot of clients want to bring the project to life with more textures, mixed materials, and greenery instead of really bold color choices. A lot of people are moving more towards building-products.com

because you’re able to enjoy the space an extra three months out of the year. I think it’s worth it on every project.”

7. Dock Upgrades: Waterfront spaces are evolving to include upgraded elements that encourage gathering and connection.

8. Designer/Homeowner Collaboration: Overall, homeowners are showing more interest in being involved in the outdoor design process, from start to finish.

“Nearly everyone who contacts us recently has been requesting an outdoor kitchen in some capacity,” Collinsgru said. “And people are putting a lot more thought into those kitchen areas. On some projects, it feels like we’re designing an interior kitchen for our clients, because they really dial into every appliance, every little detail.” BPD REGIONAL COLOR TRENDS AS HOMEOWNERS spend more and more time outside, experts note that builders are incorporating outdoor heaters and fire features on most of their projects.

neutrals for something that’s muted and not super loud.”

Premier’s Sean Collinsgru said the colors their customers are asking for are trending toward neutrals that can work with the exterior of the house. “People just want something that’s natural and neutral, not in your face. They want more textures to bring the project to life, rather than the colors,” he added.

4. Privacy Walls & Shade Structures: These features make the outdoor experience more comfortable, offering seclusion from neighbors and protection from the elements. Privacy walls commonly serve dual purpose, incorporating entertainment centers and greenery.

5. Outdoor Kitchens: Homeowners are treating the outdoor kitchen as a place for both cooking and camaraderie, showing increased interest in upgrades such as extended counter space and built-in appliances.

6. Heaters & Fire Features: Homeowners are challenging the seasonality of their outdoor spaces with heated elements, whether it be the sleek, discreet warmth of outdoor heaters or the eye-catching ambience of a central fireplace.

Collinsgru said fire features are a huge request from almost all of Premier Outdoor Living’s clients, and 90% of those are gas so the customers can come out and turn it on, enjoy the fire, and when they’re done, simply turn it off and walk inside with no mess or no smell.

Joe Hagen, All Decked Out, Cincinnati, Oh., said, “Electric heaters are very popular in our area. We recommend adding heaters to nearly any roof structure, building-products.com

The Rockies “My customers really tend to gravitate towards browns—a lot of Khaya, with Dark Slate. We don’t do too many grays.”

– JONATHAN MOELLER, COLORADO CUSTOM COVERS & DECKS

East Coast “90% of our jobs are Costa. We find that it’s a great color to pair with nearly any house. If you pair it with a brown, it pulls out more of the brown tones in the color… whereas if you pair it with black or gray, it’ll pull some of the grays out of that color. It’s really versatile.”

– CATHERINE LIPPINCOTT, PREMIER OUTDOOR LIVING

Midwest “We don’t see many red tones being used in our outdoor living projects, like you might see in more mountainous areas. Lighter colors are very common here—we use a lot of Tundra and Khaya.

We do still get requests for gray in our market; I’d say it’s about 50-50 between browns and grays here. People either go with the combination of Sierra and Slate or they’ll go with Costa and Khaya.”

– JOE HAGEN, ALL DECKED OUT

Pacific Northwest “We used to do a lot of grays; that was the popular mix for a while. This year, we’re doing a lot more brown. Costa is extremely popular. We still do a lot of projects with a different colored accent board, but a lot of customers are wanting the same color accent board as their field board, for more of a minimalistic look.”

– LEIF WIRTANEN, CASCADE FENCE & DECK

February 2024

• building products digest • 11

------------| PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

FRAMING ARGUMENTS

NEW DECK FRAMING MATERIALS AIM TO GIVE TREATED WOOD A RUN FOR ITS MONEY

------------ BY SARA GRAVES ALTHOUGH THE MAJORITY of decks are still built on pressure-treated wood frames, builders now have an array of choices. New deck framing materials, including steel, aluminum, engineered wood, and composite, have recently been introduced, attempting to tempt builders with higher-end products.

treme changes in temperature, he explains. Fortress’ Evolution steel framing boasts a Class A fire rating. In application, steel frame profiles will remain straight and true over time. This makes for an enduring, dimensionally stable underdecking solution that keeps surface boards flat and smooth underfoot.

Fortress’ latest development, introduced in response to feedback from pros who already use Evolution, are 5.5” x 5.5” posts that are 20 ft. tall. With steel posts that extend high in the air, builders can give homeowners more usable space between the first, second and even third levels of a deck structure. A powder-coated finish provides improved corrosion resistance and UV protection.

STEEL Steel emerged in the last decade as the first real alternative to pressure treated wood for deck framing.

“Over the last few years of high-renovation activity, we’ve seen a major shift in homeowner priorities and purchasing decisions,” said Jeff Schulz, senior VP of sales and marketing at Fortress Building Products.

“Many are gravitating toward wood-alternative building materials that check multiple boxes: high performance, stylish, low maintenance and sustainable.”

Schulz says steel is strong enough to support the added weight of today’s most in-demand outdoor amenities (such as outdoor kitchens or steel pergolas).

“That’s why so many builders have already made the switch from lumber to steel for underdecking construction,” he explains. “Builders who frame a deck with steel can create a lasting outdoor space that exceeds their customers’ expectations. Steel deck framing systems leverage steel to support today’s ever-evolving deck functions and enormous loads.”

In addition, steel is resistant to long-term exposure to moisture, splitting and warping as a result of ex-

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ALUMINUM TimberTech is known for its composite decking and composite and aluminum railings. It believes the future of deck framing is in aluminum. In fact, it introduced its new Aluminum Framing product last November. Ideal for decking projects in fire-prone areas, the framing product is compatible with all TimberTech decking and railing systems, and provides a solution with engineered components designed to work together. It will not split, rot or decay, and comes with a 25-year limited product warranty.

TimberTech’s senior VP of product management, Patrick Barnds, adds there are a few steel-based systems on the market that have some of the advantages building-products.com

of using metal to replace wood. They are straight and more consistent than wood, and if installed carefully and inspected and maintained over time, they can last for 15 to 25 years—or more.

While steel may be cheaper, Barnds claims that it is susceptible to rust, even with routine maintenance, and is generally not recommended for use in coastal regions or other challenging environments. It also requires cut ends to be prepped and painted on the jobsite, is harder to work with, takes longer to install, and requires special tools.

Barnds stresses that aluminum doesn’t have any of those issues. The ease and speed of installation, strength and quality of the finished product, extended durability (even in coastal environments), lack of rust, sustainability (it’s made from up to 50% recycled material and is recyclable at end of life) and other benefits make it a logical choice of material for this application.

He illustrates that cutting aluminum is much easier than cutting steel, because it doesn’t produce any sparks, and is non-combustible, making it a great building material for use in WUI regions or fire-prone areas.

In addition, it is much lighter than steel–a single 12-ft. joist weighs less than 30 lbs.—making it easier to move.

Barnds shares that his company commonly hears complaints from decking contractors about the inconsistency of wood framing when it arrives on the jobsite.

“Contractors don’t want to spend half the day shimming, planing, blocking and otherwise having to fix the boards of a wood subframe to get a flat, level, stable and consistent deck surface. Then, after installation, a wood subframe has the potential move and change with the seasons and over time, which could result in a contractor callback.”

And although the upfront cost of aluminum is more expensive than a deck substructure made from traditional pressure-treated lumber, Barnds says it’s a different story in the long run. “Once you figure the cost of repairing and replacing a wood substructure every 15 years or so in many climates, there is less of a cost difference over the lifetime of the deck with an aluminum substructure, if any at all.”

ENGINEERED WOOD From both a lineal foot basis and from a system perspective—when constructing the entire deck substructure—PWT Treated LVL costs less than steel and aluminum, says Duane Smith, VP of marketing and building-products.com

business development at PWT. It is more expensive than pressure-treated lumber on a product vs. product basis, but when you think of the substructure holistically and factor in the labor savings, it’s not much more to use PWT Treated LVL–and it won’t crown, twist or warp.

Contractors who frame with PWT Treated LVL can eliminate a mid-beam line, columns and footings and you end up saving on labor because they don’t have to crown every joist to make sure it’s perfectly flat. Smith adds that being a wood product with the benefits of metal, PWT Treated LVL provides the best of both, and it doesn’t cost a lot more than pressure-treated lumber.

“Think about the deck’s substructure holistically, and don’t limit your thinking to just the front beam. PWT Treated LVL can be used to eliminate sight lines in that capacity, but it can also be used for deck joists, ledger boards, blocking, stair stringers and every other aspect of the substructure. The benefit of applying it this way is labor savings: teams don’t have to hand-crown every piece, but they still get a perfectly flat deck surface,” Smith says.

COMPOSITE An entirely new material—a structural wood-free composite—is being rolled out. Owens Corning’s OC Lumber is specifically designed for deck and dock framing applications (as well as deck boards and posts).

It is reinforced with Advantex Fiberglas, a proprietary corrosion-resistant technology that adds strength and durability, while resisting mold, mildew and pests. The product cuts and installs like wood, yet remains flat and uniform.

The product is an extension of Owens Corning’s 2022 acquisition of WearDeck. As executive VP and CFO Kenneth S. Parks noted, “With opportunities to displace traditional materials and expand our product lines across residential and commercial structures, we didn’t just acquire a decking company. We gained a new technology and capability to enter new markets and build a much bigger business. OC structural lumber is a great addition to our family of market-leading products and solutions and a great example of how investments in product innovation are helping our customers win and grow in the market while creating new growth avenues for our company through material conversion opportunities.”

For dealers, more options in deck framing mean more upsell opportunities. BPD February 2024

• building products digest • 13

------------| MARGIN BUILDERS

UNDERSTANDING DECKING WARRANTIES BEFORE CUSTOMERS hand over their hand-earned money, they want assurance that what they purchase will perform as promised. That’s where warranties come in.

A warranty is a written promise of performance regarding a product’s quality and durability. It’s the company’s assurance to customers guaranteeing the reliability of their product to perform as stipulated without defect or breakdown. Warranties are public statements of the company’s commitment to excellence—both in terms of their product quality and customer satisfaction. Think of it as insurance.

As a legally binding contract of the company’s belief in their product’s ability to function in a particular way—and their readiness to accept responsibility and redress if it doesn’t—a warranty provides peace-of-mind and protects your investment in the long run.

A Warranty vs. a Guarantee Warranties are often confused with guarantees—the major difference being that a warranty is a written guarantee. The guarantee is implicit in the warranty covering a product. The warranty applies to the product only. A guarantee includes not only the product, but also the service, people and customer satisfaction, and even covers money-back conditions.

Warranties can vary from free repair to complete replacement with authorized repairers. They generally exclude wear and tear from breakage, misuse or lack of maintenance. The warranty outlines the procedures for addressing defects or damage in the goods, detailing the time frame and the specific terms and conditions governing these remedies. It’s crucial to grasp these limitations and

terms to prevent disappointment, extra costs, and unsatisfactory results.

Common Misconceptions Regarding Warranties Let’s be clear about what a warranty is NOT: it is NOT a catch-all contract guaranteeing continual repair and replacement for negligence or breakage. However, it IS a contract to repair or replace a faulty product that does not function as it should during the specified period.

Most warranty claims require Proof of Purchase, details of the problem, and a copy of the warranty obtained at the time of purchase. The warranty will continue after replacement, without extending the terms of the original contract.

Let’s understand these differences using a practical example: Eva-Last offers various limited warranties on their different decking brands. The warranty for that brand details the expected durability and performance over the warranty period, in terms of colorfastness and wear and tear of the product over its lifespan. So, if a deck were to develop any abnormality, which when assessed is deemed a product failure, the manufacturer will replace or repair the affected boards.

However, if for example, a surface change was caused by the homeowner cleaning it with an abrasive chemical (not recommended) that damaged or discolored the surface, it will not be covered. The warranty does not cover poor workmanship of contractors or resultant damages that may occur from an incorrect installation.

Every claim is considered on its individual merits. Say, for instance, an installer overlooks the load requirements of a deck or fails to consult an engineer for a commercial application, incorrect joist spacing could result in deck instability. This might lead to warped boards or create potential safety hazards. This is not considered a product failure, but rather an installation failure.

Buyer Beware!

PROPER INSTALLATION per building code regulations and manufacturers’ guidelines are needed to preserve a warranty’s power. (Photo by Eva-Last)

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Laws like the Consumer Protection Act or Consumer Product Safety Act (or similar regulations) govern the assurance of safe, high-quality products. Consumers have the right to expect products of good quality, in proper working condition, and devoid of any defects.

Be aware of unscrupulous suppliers that don’t offer clearcut warranties, leaving you in the lurch. Reputable companies back their products with class-leading warranties. As evidence of their uncompromising commitment to quality, safety and customer satisfaction, you can rest assured their products will perform as promised. BPD building-products.com

------------| INDUSTRY TRENDS

BUILDERS’ EVOLVING NEEDS DRIVE FASTENER INNOVATION ------------ BY DAVID KOENIG INNOVATION in construction fasteners is driven by, more than anything else, the desire to help installers do their jobs better. Consequently, the leading trends in fasteners are solutions to users’ most pressing needs:

Better Looking “The demand for products with longevity is high,” says U2 Fasteners’ Kurt Hogard. “For example, when using treated wood that lasts 25 years why would someone be foolish enough to use screws that will rust and corrode after five years to save a couple dollars?

They would rather do the job once than twice.”

With the slowdown in new home construction, there’s a simultaneous uptick in remodeling jobs, which frequently show off the new materials, rather than hide them behind walls. So how the fastener looks installed—and continues to look into the future—matters.

Maze Nails, according to marketing director Lisa Martin, “always keeps a close eye on the new building materials being introduced to the market—to ensure

PAINTED COILS of specialty nails from Maze Nails are offered in hundreds of colors to match the builder’s preference.

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that we have the best nails for applying those products. For example, prefinished siding and trim require highly corrosion-resistant, prefinished nails to match those products. To keep up with this trend, Maze has increased the capacity of our modern and efficient automated paint lines. We manufacture hand-driven nails, 20˚ stick nails and 15˚ coil nails in hundreds of colors to match the application preference of the builder—and to keep homeowners happy with the look of their new siding and trim.”

Maze can accommodate both large and small paint orders with very short lead times.

Engineered Fasteners The need for fasteners that offer added capabilities, such as self-retention, vibration resistance, or the ability to be installed in tight spaces, has led to the design of ingenious new “engineered fasteners.”

For instance, says Greg Groenhout, National Nail’s CAMO product manager, “The increase in popularity of grooved composite usage among both DIY consumers and professional builders has created a demand for advanced fastening systems. Our products, such as WEDGE Clip and EDGE Clip, when used with our LEVER and ClipDRIVE tools, illustrate our commitment to providing solutions that ensure easier, faster and universally compatible clip installations.”

Midwest Fastener Corp., Kalamazoo, Mi., has seen newer, engineered fasteners taking over for more traditional fasteners or applications where brackets or inferior fastening practices were being used.

For example, says category manager Nick Thies, “we see post-installed concrete screw anchors and wedge anchors replacing traditional cast-in-place ‘J-Bolt’ anchor bolts for anchoring sill plates to foundation walls.

Using post-installed anchors eliminates headaches for the contractor in the foundation planning and pouring stages and provides more flexibility and placement options for floor joists and other framing members.”

Thies also sees engineered screws replacing hurricane brackets or straps for connections between building-products.com

trusses and top plates and bottom plates to rim boards. “These engineered fasteners accomplish code-compliant connections with much lower installation time. In the pneumatic tool/fastener space, subfloor nails have been developed that function similar to screws,” he notes. “They can be fired much more quickly than screws while still retaining the superior holding power of a screwed down subfloor assembly.”

Working Quicker, Easier and More Efficiently Thies says the changes above are being driven by a demand for greater efficiency on the jobsite.

“Users want faster and easier installations that don’t compromise building integrity or safety, and the fastener industry is innovating to keep up with these demands.”

Scott Park, director of fastening systems for Simpson Strong-Tie, agrees: “Today, contractors want a strong, secure connection, but they are also looking for fast and easy installation. The Strong-Drive SDWS Timber screw that we introduced is designed to provide an easy-to install, high-strength alternative to through-bolting and traditional lag screws. This screw is ideal for the contractor and the DIYer. When you have a product that helps the contractor, they keep coming back for that. Considering the industry is still feeling the pinch of the labor shortage, supplying new and innovative systems that allow them to work faster and safer is a goal of ours.”

Speedy and problem-free installations drop right to a contractor’s bottom line. They want “products that improve productivity to offset inflationary costs,” says Jacek Romanski, channel marketing director for ITW Residential Construction, owner of such brands as GRK Fasteners, Paslode and Tapcon. “Contractors are always looking to complete their jobs quickly, more efficiently without rework or hassles to save on costs. Whether they are tools, nails, screws to anchors, most pro contractors want to quickly connect their building materials, finish their work, and move onto the next job.”

building-products.com

NEW STRONG-DRIVE SDWS Timber screw from Simpson Strong-Tie is designed to provide an easyto-install, high-strength alternative to through-bolting and traditional lag screws on projects like constructing a raised bed.

Basically, that means fewer hassles, which is driving the demand for cordless. “From drills to nailers, cordless tools are growing exponentially on job sites,” Romanski notes.

The new Paslode Cordless 1-1/2” Positive Placement Metal Connector Nailing system allows contractors quickly fasten hangers and ties with the same innovative nose probe we invented so many years ago, but now without the inconvenience of a hose and compressor.

Yet, adds Romanski, “not all cordless tools are made equal. Contractors are already carrying and moving heavy building materials, and their bodies take a beating. One of the top requests by contractors is to keep making their cordless tools lighter and more maneuverable.”

traditional fastening systems, it’s made from renewable raw material European beech, and so on.”

Sustainably Made Products

Ready for Purchase

April Clohessey, marketing manager with Beck America, is convinced end-users care about how the tools and fasteners they use are produced. “Beck has developed a fastener called LignoLoc—the world’s first shootable collated wooden nail,” she says. “You can just imagine the possibilities with this innovative fastener. For example, it can reduce emissions by up to 66% when compared to

Finally, professionals expect reliable sources of supply. “Customers want to be confident that the product that they need—or is in the plan—will be available to them,” says Simpson Strong-Tie’s Scott Park. “Things are definitely not normal, or even pre-pandemic. We still see a lot of up and down availability in the construction market in raw materials, packaging or any number of things.” BPD

Increased Automation The drive to become more efficient has led fastener and tool manufacturers to introduce products that increase automation. Beck, for example, developed a flexible, digital robot platform for the automatic production of ecological wall and ceiling elements using LignoLoc. “We also have items such as FASCO and MEZGER nailing and stapling heads, FASCO InMotion hand-held carriages, etc.,” Clohessey adds. “They reduce the number of fasteners that might be used due to the accuracy of robotic placement of the fastener.”

February 2024

• building products digest • 17

------------| PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

DISTRIBUTORS PARTNER ON PRIVATE LABEL DECKING & RAILING ------------ BY DAVID KOENIG

NEW PRIVATE label stainless steel railing system from AGS boasts elegant posts, a unique electropolished cable, and TIG-welded post connections.

LARGER DEALERS and distributors looking to promote their own brand rather than the product manufacturer’s brand are teaming with decking and railing producers to introduce their own private-label products.

LMC’s ModernView composite decking, Home Depot’s ArmorGuard composite decking and railing, Lowe’s ChoiceDek composite decking and railing, Lowe’s Pre-assembled Aluminum Rail, and Wolf’s cellular PVC decking, composite decking, and vinyl railing are all produced by other manufacturers, but boast the dealer or

distributor’s private brand, packaging and marketing muscle.

AGS Stainless, Inc. is the latest manufacturer to begin offering private-label products. Available exclusively to LBM distributors, the stainless steel railing system can be customized with a variety of top rail materials and branded with the wholesaler’s trade name.

The new product allows LBM distributors to further capitalize on the public’s growing demand for cable rail products, while better supporting their dealers by giving them a product that their builders will see as an

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alternative to the high cost of local custom stainless railing fabrication.

This A316 marine-grade, stainless steel railing system is built to the same high standard of quality that AGS Stainless is known for, but is priced to compete with railing systems made from less visually attractive materials than stainless steel.

The system installs with minimal field modifications. It was designed to give builders and DIYers a stainless railing product at a price point that is similar to the pricing of an aluminum railing system. But, rather than wait weeks for local stainless fabrication, these railing system components are pulled from dealer inventory and can be installed the same day.

Kevin Harris, director of sales & marketing for AGS Stainless expects that most larger distributors have existing brands or the resources to create a new one on their own, although AGS is happy to help. Logos can easily be printed or stickered on the box that the posts ship in.

“The market for outdoor living products is resilient,” Harris adds.

“Building material dealers are reporting strong year-over-year sales in railing products. When you factor in that homeowners are increasingly interested in higher-quality deck and stair railing products, this new Private Label system is the right product at the right time.”

Larger distributors and dealers should investigate whether offering their own branded decking and railing can pay dividends for them. BPD building-products.com

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EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF TEXTURE AND MODULARITY IN OUTDOOR LIVING DESIGN ------------ BY JOE RABOINE DESIGNING OUTDOOR LIVING spaces has become more complex and intricate in recent years. To please customers, backyard project planners must go beyond aesthetics and create intentional custom designs that acknowledge an organic connection to nature while honoring the style of the home and meeting the needs of the homeowner. Functionality now plays an essential role in how design elements are brought to life, but also, it’s important to consider the psychological influence that a space has on a homeowner and how that experience can be elevated.

Texture as a Biophilic Element The power of texture in creating a sensory experience is significant as it pertains to not only aesthetics, but functionality. The textures chosen can add a dimensional aspect or an element of sophistication that levels up a small space or shines in a large-format project.

With the technology available today, hardscapes are no longer limited to a few neutral tones and flat tex-

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tures. You can find dimension in the tone and texture of concrete, porcelain and permeable pavers whether it be sculpted, cobbled, dimpled, smoothed, distressed or more.

Hardscape manufacturers are capitalizing on the trend of textured pavers, creating interesting patterns in the material that complement any design style. Pavers with a texture like organic rock or stone pair well with both modern and rustic design styles.

Creating a quality, functional design highlights your teams’ skills and helps deliver impressive results. One way to create a truly unique space that reflects the client’s personality is creatively using a mix of different materials. For more contrast, pair organic hardscapes with other materials like metal, glass, wood and composite decking. This helps spaces feel less flat and linear.

Other accents and accessories like water features, fire pits, or even decorative gravel can add more texbuilding-products.com

ture to a space that is traditionally ordinary. Mixing these elements adds a new layer of functionality to a backyard, creating multi-use spaces the homeowners can use to relax, entertain, work and more.

In addition to incorporating these textures and mixing materials, natural elements such as plant life and gardening are a great way to influence an area to be more welcoming and brighter. Biophilic design is a growingly popular concept that emphasizes the importance of using elements in a design that connect homeowners to the nature around them. The style lends itself to a more organic look and feel, usually leaning away from defined breaks and relying more on rougher, irregular edges and natural materials. By creating an illusion of pavers entangling with a lawn or creating a steppingstone effect, homeowners feel more drawn the nature around them and in turn benefit from positive psychological effects.

Belgard’s new Papyrus modular paver line is a perfect example of introducing texture and biophilic elements into your design. Reminiscent of handmade textiles or dried earth, Papyrus looks natural and seamlessly blends into a space, simplifying the design process. Whether it is for a welcoming patio or a pathway to the garden, Papyrus infuses the hardscapes with the surrounding landscaping.

Modularity Increases Functionality Modular, linear design is a trending style among today’s homeowners, but also has benefits for contractors and crews. Modular design uses individual parts to create a holistic plan more efficiently. With this easier and faster installation method, outdoor product manufacturers and contractors can optimize their workflow and free time for additional projects and more creative designing time.

It’s no secret that the growth of the outdoor living industry and the increasing expectations of homeowners now enables designs to become more complex and customized. Introducing modular, geometric standard patterns comprised building-products.com

LARGE-FORMAT modular panel systems can take hardscape projects to a new level. (Photos by Belgard)

of clean lines and simple formats creates an uncluttered aesthetic, while allowing the homeowner to include various features in their spaces efficiently.

To maximize space and build fully functional backyards, it’s essential to be intentional with each element.

Can an outdoor dining table double as an office space, or can a wall double as seating? Offering design services that take these questions into consideration and can provide simple solutions is key to success in the future of the outdoor living industry.

Belgard Artforms is a great example. Artforms is a large-format modular panel system that can create various shapes and elements.

Contractors can use Artforms to build seating, grill areas, fire features, and more. It is versatile and can help establish a cohesive aesthetic in a bigger way.

Another example of recent innovation in modular design for outdoor living—pavers, which work

off common nominal sizes, allowing contractors to play more with shape, size and texture within the design. The modular fashion makes integration easier, as less installation time is required.

When contractors master the art of harmonizing both texture and modularity in their designs, you find more cohesive and inviting outdoor spaces. Biophilic elements like texture and color, as well as functional benefits like modularity and multi-use spaces, will remain drivers in homeowner decision-making, so those that implement new technologies and stay ahead of emerging trends will continue to be successful. BPD

JOE RABOINE Joe Raboine is VP of design for Oldcastle APG, overseeing the Belgard Residential Program (www.belgard.com).

February 2024

• building products digest • 21

------------| OLSEN ON SALES

LEARNING CONVERSATIONS ------------ BY JAMES OLSEN I WAS THINKING the other day about one of my best customers and the things I learned from him. Chuck (pseudonym) and I were different. He was from the deep South, and I was from the left coast. He was raised by an entrepreneur who owned his own company, and I was raised by a musician/poet/English teacher who knew little about money. My father’s idea of “investing” was buying a $10 lottery ticket every week—which never cashed in. I majored in Spanish and eschewed anything close to a business course. Chuck majored in business.

I called Chuck my third year as a lumber broker. I was still a poor excuse for a salesperson, but I worked hard, so I was surviving. Chuck had started his own distribution company a couple years before. My education began.

First Call “Yeah, you can keep calling me if you want, but I already have the four best brokers in the business calling on me. I call them ‘The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.’”

Seven years later, Chuck was buying half his wood from me, the other half from a sawmill friend of his, and the horsemen were all gone.

I learned not to be intimidated by the “I’m happy with my current supplier” objection. I’ve outworked every competitor I’ve ever had.

BN rail rate into Birmingham allowed me to sell Chuck lumber at a competitive price, so I was getting a lot of his business.

We did this four times as the market ran from $495/MBF to $695/MBF. I sold Chuck the last 20 and bought another five carloads. Then the market dropped $200/MBF in two weeks!

I called Chuck on a Friday. “Hey, Chuck, how ya doin’?” “Jimmy,” he said in a sub-zero tone, “ya top ticked me.” I’d never heard that term before, but I knew exactly what he meant.

“I’m never buying trucks from you out of Birmingham again. Have a nice weekend.”

At the time Chuck was about 50% of my business. I went home and asked my wife, “How do you like our new home?” She said, “Great, why do you ask?” “Because we might not be living here much longer.”

I’m upside down $112,000 and my best customer just told me he’d never buy from me again.

I learned that customers get mad, but they get over it. Chuck eventually continued to buy from me. I also learned that adversity made me a better seller. I eventually got out of that position with a lot of sweat and sleepless nights, and had a decent year.

The Counter

I was buying five carloads at a time out of Canada, shipping them to a Birmingham reload and selling 20 trucks at a time to Chuck’s warehouse. The

Chuck was a grinder. He never just gave me the business because he liked me. One of his favorite sayings after giving me another unreasonable counter was, “Jimmy, show me how good you are.”

One Friday I called him with a

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Ya Top Ticked Me

ebruary 2024

great deal. The market was moving, and I had bought a load right. I called Chuck and quoted him a price. Of course, he countered me, “I’d take that off your hands for 10 bucks less.”

I said, “Hey, Chuck, are you just countering me to counter me because I can sell this for 20 bucks more a 1,000 on Monday.” He just laughed and gave me his order number.

I learned that sometimes you have to call their bluff.

New Buyer “Jimmy, it’s been a great run, but we are to the size now where I can’t do the buying anymore. I’ve hired a professional buyer.” I said, “Well, that’s a bummer. As long as it’s not Sean Borland (pseudonym), I’ll still be able to sell your company lumber.”

Long pause. ”Sorry, Jimmy, it is Sean Borland.” I had a terrible relationship with Sean. Had tried to sell him for years with little to no success.

I learned that “It’s not a question of if, but a question of when you’re going to lose your best account,” so always prospect for new business.

Chuck and I are still friends. We talk once a month. Everything I know about business I learned from him. BPD

JAMES OLSEN James Olsen is principal of Reality Sales Training, Portland, Or., and creator of SellingLumber.com. Call him at (503) 5443572 or email james@realitysalestraining.

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------------| LUMBER 411

SAWMILL SUSTAINABILITY

A SPECIAL SERIES FROM

PRO-ENVIRONMENT, ZERO WASTE

------------ BY JEFF EASTERLING THINK THE PROCESS of lumber manufacturing is wasteful or bad for the environment? Think again.

area to preserve integrity, then are sold off to various markets or used throughout the mill.

Here’s how it works at the most basic level: Lumber mills buy wood by weight, and it arrives at the mill as a tree-length or cut-to-length log. From there it moves into the mill to be broken down: the bark is removed, and chips and sawdust are created as the log is processed.

Lumber is measured and cut, then it’s shipped to your stores for selling.

“Not all parts of the log have high value,” commented Chris Brochu, “but selling them to varying markets or using them throughout the mill is better than the landfill. With the lumber being the most high-value outcome of manufacturing, shavings are second, and chips are third. “If you were to take a ton of logs, that would equal roughly a half-ton of lumber and a half-ton of byproducts.”

But wait—what about the waste created in the lumber manufacturing process?

“There is no waste when manufacturing lumber,” said Chris Brochu of Pleasant River Lumber. “There’s value in everything, it’s all value products. All byproducts created have a distinct market.”

At Pleasant River Lumber, their lumber mills have been running as close to 100% utilization (of all parts of the tree) for more than 20 years.

Waste from slash is set aside for biomass or used to power their dry kilns (no oil or gas is used). Bark that is removed when the tree enters the mill is sold to the mulch and biomass industries, while chips are sold to paper mills and sawdust is used for wood pellets. All lumber byproducts are accumulated in a central, clean

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When it comes to this almost-perfect level of sustainability, both Chris and his brother Jason believe everyone should be on board. “There are markets across the country for the various waste and byproducts,” said Jason Brochu. “It just needs to be used. To be a successful mill longterm, you need to get as much value out of every tree as possible. You can’t buy the log and not get value out of the byproduct.”

“Every piece of wood we buy comes from a sustainably harvested forest,” continued Jason. “Working forests are so important to the environment, and all of our wood is sustainably harvested for the health of the forest.”

It’s a well-known fact that harvesting a forest, creating a healthy,

ebruary 2024

young forest, is a good thing for carbon sequestration. A younger forest that is turning over is ideal for the environment. The life cycle of a tree and how it ties into carbon is like no other building product on the market. Choosing lumber, choosing wood, is choosing automatic renewability. Younger managed forests are better able to fight off insects and less likely to burn.

“Look at the carbon benefits of choosing wood all the way downstream,” said Chris. “You’re taking a piece of lumber and putting it into a wall for 150 years—that means it’s sequestering carbon for 150 years.

What other building product does that?”

“The lumber industry is a very green industry,” noted Jason. “At the end of the day, the forest will always manage itself and there’s nothing better for the environment than a sustainably managed forest.” BPD

JEFF EASTERLING Jeff Easterling is president of Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, Cumberland Center, Me. Reach him at info@nelma.org.

building-products.com

------------| TRANSFORMING TEAMS

WHAT CHANGES AS YOUR COMPANY GROWS ------------ BY PAIGE McALLISTER CONGRATULATIONS! Your company has grown, business is booming, and you have hired more employees to help you meet the new demand. Not every company is able to say they are having that success.

Did you know… As you add employees, the number of employment regulations your company falls under changes as well. So, while you are managing additional payroll, scheduling and benefit responsibilities, be sure to keep these laws and their regulatory obligations in mind.

Please note: While this article focuses on federal laws, many state and local laws are also based on company size, so be sure to research those as well.

One or more employees: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Often referred to as the “wage-and-hour law,” FLSA defines key concepts including employees and independent contractors, exempt and non-exempt, overtime, minimum wage, nursing mothers, compensable and non-compensable time (i.e., travel, breaks, and sleeping), child labor, payday requirements, and recordkeeping.

Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA): Establishes requirement to only employ workers who are authorized to work in the U.S., to verify eligibility using the Form I-9, and recordkeeping requirements.

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA): Establishes the requirement to provide a safe and healthy workplace for employees.

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA): Prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for their current or past military service and defines requirements for providing leave or rehiring employees who return from extended military service.

National Labor Relations Act (NLRA): Protects employees’ rights to form a union or take other action in

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order to improve the working conditions for themselves or others.

Equal Pay Act (EPA): Requires all employers to provide equal compensation to men and women who perform equal work.

Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA): Establishes minimum standards for employee benefit plans (i.e., retirement, 401(k), and health insurance) and required communication to employees.

Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA): Prohibits most employers from subjecting employees or applicants to a polygraph.

Consumer Credit Protections Act (CCPA): Prohibits employers discharging employees for a wage garnishment and limits the max amount a wage garnishment can be.

Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT): Establishes protections against identity theft and how employee and applicant personal data is handled.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): Establishes requirement to keep employees’ health information confidential and that employers cannot receive information from health care providers without permission.

Jury Systems Improvement Act: Prohibits employers from taking adverse employment action against an employee summoned to federal jury duty service.

15 or more employees: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII): Establishes protections for employees and applicants against discrimination or adverse employment action based on their being in a protected group, including race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)/Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act (ADAAA): Estabbuilding-products.com

lishes protections for employees and applicants with a real or perceived disability which limits a major life function from discrimination in the workplace or other employment practices; defines “reasonable accommodation” and its process.

Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA): Establishes protections for employees and applicants due to their pregnancy, childbirth, or pregnancy-related disability.

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA): Prohibits employers from using an employee’s or applicant’s genetic information in employment decisions.

20 or more employees: Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA): Establishes protections for employees and applicants against discrimination in employment based on being over 40 years of age.

Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA): Requires employer-sponsored group health plans to offer options to eligible employees and/or their dependents for continuing coverage when their coverage would otherwise end (i.e., due to termination, divorce, reduced hours, etc.).

50 or more employees—all employers: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): Establishes an up to 12- or 26-week job-and benefit-protection for eligi-

Q. Our power went out midway through our regular shift. We waited a couple of hours to see if it would come back on, but eventually sent our employees home for the day. How much time do we need to pay them?

A. FLSA outlines a few factors in determining how much an employee needs to be paid for a partial day’s work when, as in this case, their inability to work is not due to their personal need for time off.

Exempt employees need to be paid for the full day if they work any part of it. In fact, if the outage lasted longer than a day, they need to be paid their full salary for any week in which they worked at all regardless of how much or how little that was.

Non-exempt employees need to be paid for all compensable time. This is where it may get tricky. Of course, they need to be paid for any time they actually worked. If you required them to stay on-site while waiting for the power to come back on, they are considered to be “engaged to wait” which is also compensable time. However, if they took a break (i.e., they ate their lunch) while waiting, then that can be considered their usual break time, which can be unpaid if longer than 20 minutes in duration without interruption. Once you let them leave, they are off-theclock and no longer need to be paid unless they are doing work for the company (i.e., running errands or delivering a shipment) on the way home.

To add a bit more confusion, some states have reporting pay or predictive scheduling laws which require employees be paid a minimum amount of time if they report in as scheduled, but are sent home before the end of their shift.

The safest course of action is to pay all employees for the full day if they intended to work but could not due to circumstances beyond their control.

building-products.com

ble employees needing leave for a covered reason.

Affordable Care Act (ACA a.k.a. “Obamacare”): Establishes requirement to offer full-time employees qualified health insurance benefits or pay a penalty; establishes recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

50 or more employees—employers with $50,000 or more in federal contracts: EEO-1 Report as required under the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII): Requires covered federal contractors and subcontractors with 50 or more employees to file an annual report with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) providing a breakdown of their employees’ demographics data (race/ ethnicity and gender) by job category.

Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) as required under Executive Order 11246 and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Requires covered employers to create programs to ensure fair employment practices and opportunities for employees in protected groups (including race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or other factors). Requires covered employers to file an annual AAP report to detail the demographics of their workforce as compared with the demographics in their local region as well as their plans and initiatives to increase employment and promotion of employees in under-represented groups.

50 or more employees—employers with $150,000 or more in federal contracts: VEVRAA Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) as required under Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance ACT (VEVRAA): Requires covered employers to create programs to ensure fair employment practices and opportunities for employees who are protected veterans: requires covered employers to file an annual VEVRAA AAP report to detail the demographics of their workforce and their initiatives to increase employment and promotion of employees who are veterans.

100 or more employees: Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN ACT): Establishes requirement for employers to provide 60-day advanced notice to employees who will be impacted by a covered closing or mass layoff.

EEO-1 Report as required under the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII): Requires employers with 100 or more employees to file an annual report with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) providing a breakdown of their employees’ demographics data (race/ethnicity and gender) by job category.

PAIGE McALLISTER Paige McAllister, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is vice president for compliance with The Workplace Advisors, Inc. Reach her at (877) 660-6400 or paige@theworkplaceadvisors.com.

February 2024

• building products digest • 27

SHORT & PAULK BUILDING NEW FORMAT STORE Six-unit southwest Georgia dealer Short & Paulk Supply Co. will build a new retail location in Tifton, Ga., featuring an all-new format.

Groundbreaking is expected to start early this year, with completion projected by the end of the year.

Current plans are to relocate the retail side of its existing Tifton location once the new store is completed, and use the old site for warehousing and distribution.

The new location is being designed to better serve the diverse needs of professional contractors, remodelers and consumers. In addition to traditional offerings, the store will introduce new categories such as pet feed, hunting supplies, and guns and ammo. It will also boast an enhanced paint center and deeper assortment of hardware items.

The lumberyard promises to facilitate the swift, efficient pick-up of lumber and building materials, ensuring a seamless experience for

customers and streamlined process for delivering orders to customers.

Owner Jay Short noted, “We have been in business for 83 years and have seen a lot of success and challenges along the way. This new location will be a mix of our existing business model with a touch of the same offerings you would normally find at a Farm Supply or Hunting Outfitter location. It will reflect what we have learned from our past and our focus for the future.”

MATT’S OPENING #4 IN TEXAS

Matt’s Building Materials will add a fourth location: a 17,000-sq. ft. retail operation and lumberyard on five acres in Harlingen, Tx. It will feature a rail spur and employ more than 20 people.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Dec. 15. The new store is expected to open in January 2025.

Matt’s already operates locations in Pharr, Palmview and San Benito, Tx.

------------| DEALER BRIEFS Cassity Jones Lumber sold its Bossier City, La., branch to Stine Lumber.

Kodiak Building Partners has acquired 78-year-old LBM dealer

Gross-Yowell, Waco, Tx., which will continue operations under its existing brand name.

Elite Cabinets & Building Supply, Killdeer, N.D., added a branch in Watford City, N.D.

League Builders Supply, Stratton, Ne., is winding down operations after 80 years, with the upcoming retirement of owner Denis League. The business and property remain for sale.

Rocky’s Ace Hardware agreed to purchase Smith Hardware & Lumber, Rockport, Ma., and sister store Hometown Ace Hardware, Gloucester, Ma. The deal is set to close next month.

Houtzdale Hardware & Building Supply, Houtzdale, Pa., reopened Jan. 2 under new owner Jason Schroeder, after being closed for more than a year.

Gerrity’s Ace Hardware

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opened a new 13,000-sq. ft. store in Carbondale, Pa.

Cliff Hardware, Sharonville, Oh., is closing after nearly 100 years.

Clermont Builders Supply, Clearmont, Fl., is expected to close up shop after the local city council approved rezoning of its property to permit multifamily construction.

Palmer’s Hardware, St. Petersburg, Fl., is for sale after 66 years of family ownership.

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Baskin’s Ace Hardware, Orleans, Ma., is relocating to a larger 10,000-sq. ft. storefront just down the road.

Westlake Ace Hardware will open a new 18,2900-sq. ft. store in Wichita, Ks., this summer—its eighth in the greater Wichita area.

Home Depot hopes to open a new home center in Mandarin, Fl., during 2025.

Nation’s Best Holdings, in partnership with its philanthropic arm, NB Cares, has launched the NB Cares Scholarship Program, dedicated to investing in and encouraging the educational pursuits of local students who are pursuing careers in trade and construction. building-products.com

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DOMAN UNIFIES DIVISIONS

Doman Building Materials, Vancouver, B.C., is uniting its various divisions under the Doman name.

Hixson Lumber locations will rebrand as Doman Lumber.

California Cascade and CanWel Building Materials will be renamed Doman Building Materials. CanWel Fiber will be rebranded as Doman Timber, and Canadian and U.S. West Coast wood treatment facilities will become Doman Treated Wood.

According to Doman, the “strategic decision is driven by

our commitment to enhancing the synergy of our activities, fostering unity, and strengthening our market presence.”

The company operates 29 distribution centers, 32 treating facilities, five specialty sawmills, three truss plants, four specialty planing mills, two post and pole peeling facilities, and 109,000 acres of managed forests.

The new brands are being rolled out gradually. Doman expects “a seamless transition with no disruption to our operations.”

------------| SUPPLIER BRIEFS Beacon opened new branches in Conroe, Tx., and Goldsboro, N.C. Erie Materials, Syracuse, N.Y., acquired metal roofing/trim specialist NEG Building Products, Nicholson, Pa. NEG founder Bob Wallace Sr. will remain for the transition, with his son, Bob Wallace Jr., continuing to oversee day-to-day operations.

Kronospan completed its purchase of Roseburg’s Simsboro, La., particleboard facility.

Atlas Holdings has agreed to sell EWP producer RedBuilt, LLC, Boise, Id., to Hampton Lumber Mills, Portland, Or. BlueLinx Holdings has expanded its distribution of Huber Engineered Woods’ AdvanTech and ZIP System lines to Denville, N.J., and Pensacola, Fl. Huber products are now carried at 43 BlueLinx locations.

Manufacturers Reserve Supply, Irvington, N.J., is now stocking BRAVA Roof Tile for distribution in New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, Lower New York (including Long Island), Connecticut and northern Delaware.

Parksite, Batavia, Il., is now distributing Silvermine Stone mortarless stone veneer in New York and New Jersey.

Bon Tool Co., Gibsonia, Pa., acquired the Jag Clamp product line.

Prior to buying the intellectual property rights, operating assets, and patents, Bon was exclusive distributor of the versatile line holding tool.

Robbins Sports Surfaces, Cincinnati, Oh., has been acquired by L2 Capital.

Great Minds Build Alike Before Naples Lumber & Supply began designing their newest location in Venice, Florida, they brought in the only team they could trust to know what they were thinking – and then seamlessly bring it to life.

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32 • building products digest • F

ebruary 2024

© WTD Holdings, Inc., 2023.

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Perma-Column deck posts were voted one of the year’s most innovative deck-building products at the recent Deck Expo/International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo.

LBM Advantage presented 2023 Vendor of the Year Awards to Simpson Strong-Tie (specialties), Woodgrain (millwork), CertainTeed Gypsum (commodities), and Cabinetworks Group (kitchen & bath).

Derby Building Products has officially renamed its Tando division Tando Composites, paying tribute to its state-of-the-art composite technology. building-products.com

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THE TECH

Tim Stutler, ex-Builders FirstSource, has been named purchasing mgr. for Tart Lumber Co., Sterling, Va. Wade Buick has been promoted to VP, operations & strategic initiatives for Eastern Engineered Wood Products, Bethlehem, Pa. Josh Cavallo, operations mgr. for the Keysville, Va., distribution center, will take over outside sales responsibilities for western Virginia and western North Carolina. New outside sales reps are: Laura Alley, covering the eastern Carolinas, and Ken Brune, for north Georgia, upstate South Carolina, and eastern Tennessee.

Keith Carpenter, formerly with Builders FirstSource, is a new sales executive for Barrons Lumber, Waldorf, Md. Rick Shutts, ex-Spahn & Rose, has returned to sales part-time with RP Lumber, Grinnell, Ia. Ryan Knapp has joined Weekes Forest Products, Jackson, Wi., as Typar specialist for Wisconsin.

Matthew Howard, ex-Carlisle Spray Foam Insulation, has been named business development mgr. for GNH Lumber, Albany, N.Y.

Tony Robbins, ex-Meek’s Lumber, is a new millwork specialist at Herrman Lumber, Springfield, Mo. David McCoy was promoted to store mgr. of Griffin Lumber & Hardware, Milledgeville, Ga. Mercedes Pepin, ex-Coastal Forest Products, joined Benjamin Obdyke, Horsham, Pa., as a sales associate for Maine and New Hampshire.

Zach Mootz is new to outside sales at Ricci Lumber, Portsmouth, N.H. Taylor Boley has joined the lumber sales staff at Mount Horeb Lumber Do it Best, Mount Horeb, Wi. Shawn Johnson is now in outside sales with Arnold Lumber, West Kingston, R.I. James A. Sullivan has been named president and COO of Koppers Holdings, Pittsburgh, Pa. Leroy M. Ball will continue to serve as CEO. Patricia Brown is mgr. of ABC Supply’s new branch in Griffin, Ga. Tom Ellison, CrossRoads Building Supply, has been promoted to senior branch mgr. over locations in Macomb and Tremont, Il.

Zackary Huyghe is the new general mgr. of 84 Lumber, Cleves, Oh. Scott Reynolds has been promoted to Athens, Ga.-based Eastern regional business development mgr. for PWT, Burlington, Wa. Amy Arnold and Joey Klinger are new to Do it Best, Fort Wayne, In., as LBM sales support coordinators. Daniel Thrasher is new as territory sales mgr. in Griffin, Ga. Stephanie Lyons was promoted to merchandise mgr.; Aaron Marker to regional sales mgr., and Korrey Short to LBM trader.

Nick DeCeglia is new to outside sales at Russin, Montgomery, N.Y., for Long Island, NYC and Westchester, Ct. Margi Vagell has been appointed executive VP, supply chain, for Lowe’s, Mooresville, N.C. She succeeds Don Frieson, who is retiring April 1.

Jim Moody, former Construction Suppliers Association president, and Sharon Hoyd have joined the Misura Group, Hudson, Wi., as consultants.

William Sells was named general mgr. of Builders FirstSource, Mason City, Ia. Brian VanZant is new to inside sales staff at BFS in Manvel, Tx. Adam Hackfort, ex-Pella, is a new sales/operations specialist at Lake Lumber Co., Panora, Ia.

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34 • building products digest • F

ebruary 2024

building-products.com

Mark Woodsum is VP of L&W Supply’s new North Central region. Vanessa Morrison is business development mgr. for the South Central. New branch mgrs.: Bryan Ciesiulka, West Allis, Wi.; Brett Hill, Cohoes, N.Y.; Jose Madrigal, Chicago, Il.; Lance Gascho, Lubbock, Tx.; Mark Musto, Merrimack, N.H.; Matthew McQuirt, Hebron, Oh.; Nick Rapp, Wildwood, Fl.; Terrance Smart, Kansas City,

Mo.; and Cesar Barriga, Waco, Tx. Thomas Limley was promoted to store mgr. of Lezzer Lumber, Indiana, Pa. Brian White was promoted to sales mgr. at Coastal Forest Products, Bow, N.H. Don Plunkett, Plunkett Distributing, was elected North American Building Material Distribution Association president, succeeding Matt Huber, Allegheny Plywood. President-elect

is Jon Minnaert, Aetna, and VP John Geraghty, Wurth Baer Supply.

Doug Ford, Curtis Lumber Co., Ballston Spa, N.Y., was elected Northeastern Retail Lumber Association chair, succeeding Nick Kuiken, Kuiken Bros.

Earl E. Bird is now working the opening shift at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

LEZZER ACQUIRING PITTSBURGH AREA WHOLESALER TRINITY Lezzer Lumber, Curwensville, Pa., agreed to purchase Trinity Supply & Installation Co., a wholesaler serving professional contractors in western Pennsylvania.

This move marks a significant expansion of Lezzer Lumber’s presence in the Pittsburgh area and further reinforces its commitment to delivering top-quality building materials and services to professional builders and contractors.

Under the leadership of Rick

Berteotti, Mike Bagnato, and Bill Macklin, Trinity has been a cornerstone of the Pittsburgh construction industry for over two decades, offering an extensive range of interior and exterior building materials to support home remodeling, building, and commercial construction projects.

Lezzer Lumber currently operates 12 lumberyards across Pennsylvania, a truss manufacturing facility, and four commercial door

36 • building products digest • F

ebruary 2024

manufacturing facilities throughout the state. Berteotti, Bagnato, and Macklin will continue to lead Trinity Supply & Installation’s install division.

NOVO CONSOLIDATES EMPIRE, SOUTHWEST MOULDING BRANDS

Novo Building Products, Zeeland, Mi., has consolidated its distribution brands Empire Moulding & Millwork and Southwest Moulding & Millwork.

Effective Jan. 1, Empire and Southwest now each operate as Novo Building Products.

“This change will unify all of Novo Building Products distribution—pro dealer and home center—under a single brand, bringing a heightened level of awareness and scale to the marketplace,” said Novo VP of marketing Keith Early. “In addition, this change will strengthen and simplify our message to customers. Communication to this audience will be clarified through a single company website and Pro-Portal e-commerce platform, consistency at trade shows and customer events, and universal print materials, displays, and promotional items.”

Empire Moulding & Millwork was founded in 1946 and has grown into one of the largest millwork distribution and manufacturing companies in the U.S. Its six regional customer service centers supply moulding, millwork, stair parts, sheet goods, and more to home centers and pro dealers throughout the East.

Established in Dallas, Tx., in 1952, Southwest Moulding & Millwork, operates a 367,000-sq. ft. customer service center. Southwest has become a leader in moulding and specialty millwork products throughout Texas, Oklahoma and bordering states.

“We do not take this consolidation lightly and in no way intend to disregard the heritages of Empire and Southwest,” Early said. “We believe, however, that we can best celebrate our history by positioning it for future growth.”

The pending consolidation will not affect Novo’s manufacturing brands L.J. Smith Stair Systems and Ornamental Decorative Millwork.

In all, Novo operates 14 distribution and manufacturing facilities. building-products.com

MITER BRANDS PURCHASING PGT INNOVATIONS AFTER BESTING MASONITE’S BID

MITER Brands, a nationwide manufacturer of precision-built windows and doors, and PGT Innovations Inc., a manufacturer of premium windows and doors, have entered into a definitive merger agreement for MITER to acquire all outstanding shares of PGTI at a price of $42.00 per share in cash, or an enterprise value of approximately $3.1 billion.

The purchase price represents a premium of 60% over PGTI’s unaffected closing share price on October 9, 2023, the last trading day prior to the public disclosure of a proposal for the acquisition of PGTI. The merger agreement has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies. The transaction will be financed in part by an equity investment from KochEquity Development LLC, the principal investment and acquisition arm of Koch Industries, Inc., and a current investor in MITER. PGTI also announced that it has terminated its merger agreement with Masonite International Corp., which was announced a month prior.

Masonite confirmed the termination of its previously announced definitive merger agreement, following the Masonite Board of Directors’ decision not to submit a revised offer to acquire PGT Innovations, after being notified that the PGTI Board had determined that a revised proposal from MITER Brands submitted on January 12, 2024, was a “superior proposal.” In accordance with the terms of the merger agreement, Masonite received a termination fee of $84 million.

“The decision to waive our right to increase our offer reflects our commitment to financial discipline and rigor in our strategic investments,” said Howard Heckes, president and chief executive officer of Masonite.

VERSATEX HONORS CUSTOMERS, TOP SELLERS

In recognition of “outstanding performance in the building-products marketplace,” Versatex Building Products honored the winners of its annual VERSATEXcellence Awards.

Versatex sales VP Rick Kapres presented the awards via Facebook. Winners included Dixie Plywood & Lumber Co., Ft. Lauderdale, Fl., Wholesale Distributor of the Year; Riverhead Building Supply, Riverhead, N.Y., National Stocking Dealer of the Year; Wilson’s Lumber, New Wilmington, Pa., Mid-East regional dealer; 84 Lumber, Cape May, N.J., Eastern dealer; 84 Lumber, White Plains, Md., Mid-Atlantic dealer; Lansing Building Products, Earth City, Mo., Midwestern dealer; Lumber One, Avon, Mn., Western dealer; Special Wood Lumber

38 • building products digest • F

ebruary 2024

Remanufacturing, Wilmington, N.C., Southeastern dealer; Island Home Center & Lumber, Homes Beach, Fl., Florida dealer; Gulf Coast Building Supply, Robertsdale, Al., Gulf States dealer; and Scott Bartley, Atlantic Forest Products, Baltimore, Md., wholesale distributor. Other finalists were Richard Byerley, Falls City Lumber, Louisville, Ky., and Grant Hopkins, BlueLinx, Minneapolis, Mn. Top sales performers included Jeff Dahdah, Florida region, Territory/Regional Sales Manager of the Year, and Charley McAuley, South Florida region, Market Development Specialist of the Year.

SUPERIOR PLASTIC REFOCUSES, RENAMED

Superior Plastic Products, Inc., New Holland, Pa.based manufacturer of vinyl fencing and railing, has announced strategic changes for 2024. Effective January 1, the company has begun doing business under the name Superior Outdoor Products.

In addition to the PVC fencing and railing lines, Superior Outdoor Products will also offer aluminum fencing and low-maintenance decking and trim products. These include several product lines acquired from Leola, Pa.-based Cardinal Building Products.

“Our new name reflects both our continuing commitment to setting a standard for high-quality, low-maintenance building materials for outdoor spaces and our expanded portfolio of products,” said Javan Lapp, CEO. “Our vision is to provide excellent customer service and a consolidated product portfolio for builders and installers throughout our operating region.”

Superior Outdoor Products’ leadership team consists of long-time employees of the company, including Bob Dressler, Andrew Smucker, and Bob Barney. Dressler, president, came on board in 2020; Smucker, director of sales, has been with the company since 2010 in sales roles of increasing responsibility; and Barney, plant manager, has been a manager in the Superior manufacturing plant since 2017.

“Continuity and experience were important to us when selecting Superior Outdoor Products’ leadership team,” said Lapp. “Their company and market knowledge will allow us to develop and improve products to specifically meet the needs of Superior customers.”

Superior Outdoor Products will continue to manufacture vinyl fencing, railing, profiles and accessories as well as distribute aluminum fencing, KOMA building and porch products, DuxxBak decking, Clubhouse decking, and FootingPad. Superior, previously known as Quality Fencing, began operations in 1978 and grew into a recognized regional leader in low-maintenance outdoor products known for its innovation in manufacturing vinyl fencing, railing, and pergolas. The company is now owned by the second and third generations of the Lapp family, whose business interests also include Key-Link Fencing & Railing, Inc., an aluminum railing manufacturer, and Artifex Designs, Inc., an outdoor furniture manufacturer.

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------------| SELLING WITH KAHLE

ARE LIMITING BELIEFS HOLDING YOU DOWN? ------------ BY DAVE KAHLE “IN YOUR TRAINING, do you focus on instilling new skills, or do you try to remove the hindrances to people using their existing skills?”

That was one of the best questions I have ever been asked. The answer is that we—teachers and trainers—do both. We teach the practices and competencies that are proven and fundamental for success in sales and leadership. In many cases, these are new skills, new ideas, and new practices for the learner.

At some point in the process, though, a very predictable phenomenon occurs. While the learner accepts, intellectually, the value of what has been taught, he/she makes no—or very limited—attempt to actually put it into practice.

The Process It’s a two-step process: First, the learner needs to become aware of some practice, process, idea or skill.

Then, they need to intentionally work to put it into practice.

The first step is the easiest. It only takes a small amount of effort to identify practices, processes and skills which have been proven to be effective in your job or profession. No matter what your job, I suspect that there are at least five books written on the subject, and at least 20 websites offering solutions. A 15-minute

40 • building products digest • F

web search will probably uncover enough practices and ideas to keep you busy for weeks.

Part of the process—identify the new things to teach or learn—is relatively simple. The real challenge lies in the second part—helping the learner to actually use those practices. For someone intent on helping people develop, tap into their potential, and become more successful, it is the primary hurdle. I call it the “gap between idea and action.” It is relatively easy to transmit ideas; it is incredibly difficult to help the individual put them into action.

It is a complex problem, with lots of reasons that dissuade people at different times and places. For example, they can be as simple and superficial as not having the time: “I was so busy with other things that I just didn’t have time to give it the thought necessary to make the change.”

Fear of the discomfort that comes with any change in behavior is one of the most common. “I’m not comfortable doing that new thing. I’m not an expert at it, and I’ll feel foolish for a while. I’d rather not pay that price to gain a new skill.”

The Most Potent Obstacles That list of reasons why the gap between idea and action is a difficult one to traverse can go on for pages.

ebruary 2024

For now, I’d like to focus on a class of obstacles to changed, and better, behavior: our pre-existing beliefs.

I’ve come to the conclusion that our set of preexisting beliefs supplies the largest and most potent set of obstacles to self-improvement, and is the most difficult hurdle preventing greater success and fulfillment.

Human beings naturally make observations and conclusions about our experiences as we grow up and experience life. Eventually, some of these become hardened into beliefs.

These beliefs form our base set of assumptions about the world, and we make choices and live our lives based on those beliefs.

For example, a child can have a difficult relationship with one of his parents and begins to think that all people of that sex are arbitrary, aggressive and can’t be trusted. He forms a “confirmation bias,” which leads him to look for those things in others of that sex. After a couple of experiences that seem to confirm his bias, that belief, that men, or women, are arbitrary, aggressive and can’t be trusted, coalesces into a belief, and then begins to influence all his behavior. This belief becomes buried into the deeper layers of his heart. It burrows into the subconscious level.

He doesn’t even know he believes (Continued on page 42) building-products.com

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ARE LIMITING BELIEFS HOLDING YOU DOWN? (Continued from page 40)

it, he just operates on the basis of it.

When he is dating, he sees his potential life mates through the lens of this pre-existing belief. And that hinders his relationships with the opposite sex.

He may go to an excellently presented workshop on “Communicating with the Opposite Sex” and learn some of the best practices of communication, but is unable to put them into practice because the gap between idea and action harbors his belief, and that belief prevents him from turning the good idea into action. With the best of intentions to implement his newly found practices, his belief trumps his intellectual ascent, and prevents him from following through. His potential for a loving, lifelong relationship is hindered because of the unconscious belief that he developed along the way.

This process is such a part of human life that every human struggles with it. The Bible, for example, calls these unconscious beliefs “strongholds” and indicates that they are destroyed through the spiritual power inherent in Christians.

Cultural Beliefs Limiting beliefs aren’t just an individual issue. They can be distributed among affinity groups of people and become part of that group’s culture.

Families have limiting beliefs that they share, as do larger communities.

One of our travel experiences that made a life-long impact on me occurred in the ‘90s when Coleen and I were visiting Soweto, the African township on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa. On the day we were there, the children were on strike, refusing to go to school. Even stranger than that was the reason they were on strike: they objected to being graded as individuals. Their tribal belief system promoted the idea that they were a closely connected group, and that any attempt to recognize that one person did better than another was an attack on that belief.

Either the whole class passed, or the whole class failed. The individual had value, not as an individual, but only as a part of the larger group.

As with all such cultural compo-

42 • building products digest • F

nents, these beliefs have consequences. A family can share a belief that all authority figures are arbitrary and not to be respected. As a result, family members are regularly in trouble with employers and the courts. In my Soweto example, the belief holds people down, and prevents individual achievement that would lift up the entire community. As a result, the community lives at the level of subsistence generation after generation.

While these examples illuminate life-changing and society-impacting beliefs, not all limiting beliefs are so potent. We all have a host of them that impact our on-the-job performance. It is those that I find at play in the work that I do. “Salespeople are good talkers” is one. “I have great relationships with my customers” is another.

How to Overcome Limiting Beliefs Beliefs can be both positive and negative. Martin Seligman’s great book, Learned Optimism, describes the impact that positive beliefs can have in bringing success to one’s life.

Not everyone is hindered by the gap between idea and action, for example.

Some—typically about 20 to 30% of a training class—go on to incorporate the new practices into their routines and enjoy the positive outcomes as a result. The focus of this article is not on developing positive beliefs, but rather on overcoming negative ones.

It’s not the minority who seamlessly incorporate the training that is my focus; it’s the majority who don’t.

In many ways, our development as human beings is dependent on our ability to eliminate or overcome our limiting beliefs. Since limiting beliefs are subconscious and influence our behavior, the way to identify them is to study our behavior. Patterns of behavior that seem to be unreasonable, which often lead to negative outcomes, are often indicators of a limiting belief that prompted that behavior.

Back to our example of the man raised with a limiting belief about the opposite sex. If he sees himself acting unreasonably, in multiple situations, then that behavior indicates a pattern, and that pattern of unreasonable negative behavior indicates a limiting belief. For example, he may get overly

ebruary 2024

angry at the slightest perceived insult, when none was intended, and other reasonable people would not have acted that way.

A little introspection indicates that this is a pattern of behavior. That it has become habitual. Those are indications that there is a limiting belief prompting that behavior. So, the first step is to identify patterns of unreasonable, negative behavior. Friends, family members, and colleagues can provide some insight into this.

The next step is to identify the belief that prompted that behavior. This is where a professional consultant can help. If you’re working by yourself, ask the question, “Why?” and as objectively as possible, search for the belief. See if you uncover and label it.

Give it words and describe it. This is difficult work.

Once you have identified the negative behavior and the underlying belief, you can attack it at both levels.

You can become aware of the behavior, and whenever you find yourself in that situation, follow one of Seligman’s techniques: Simply tell yourself to “Stop” and then “Switch” to some other behavior. Do that enough, repeat it enough times, and you will have built a more positive habit.

Or you can attack it at the level of the belief. Now that you have uncovered and labeled it, argue with yourself. Think through all the reasons why the belief is false. Convince yourself that the belief is unfounded and leads to negative behavior. Defeat the belief itself. You may find it helpful to formulate a positive rule and substitute that every time the old belief expresses itself.

If you can successfully bridge the gap between idea and action, you’ll have gained a self-improvement tool that will serve you well for the rest of your life. BPD

DAVE KAHLE Dave Kahle is a leading sales authority, having written 12 books and presented in 47 states and 11 countries. For more information, visit davekahle.com.

building-products.com

DOMAN BUILDING MATERIALS GROUP UNIFIES OPERATING DIVISIONS UNDER A MASTER BRAND TO REFLECT ITS VISION AND EVOLUTION In a strategic move set to redefine the future landscape of our organization, we are pleased to announce a significant transformation within our various operating divisions. Moving forward, we will unite under the cohesive and powerful umbrella of the DOMAN brand — a name that has been involved in the industry for over 100 years — marking a pivotal moment in our journey.

CanWel Fiber will be rebranded as DOMAN Timber, and our Canadian and US West Coast wood treatment facilities will become DOMAN Treated Wood.

CanWel Building Materials and California Cascade will unify under DOMAN Building Materials, and Hixson Lumber will become DOMAN Lumber.

This strategic decision is driven by our commitment to enhancing the synergy of our activities, fostering unity, and strengthening our market presence.

With a global footprint of 29 distribution centers, 32 treating facilities, 5 specialty sawmills, 3 truss plants, 4 specialty planing mills, 2 post and pole peeling facilities, and 109,000 acres of managed forest, we are now in the position to emerge as one of the leading providers of building materials in North America.

“It’s the way in which we support and serve our customers that makes us who we are. It’s our commitment to their success that makes us valuable. And it’s our supply chain capabilities that makes us DOMAN.” — Amar Doman, CEO

Starting now, we will gradually implement the new brand across all touchpoints. Customers, partners, and stakeholders can expect a seamless transition with no disruption to our operations.

BEACON 5 MORE LOCATIONS ------------| ADDS DATE BOOK

Little, and its senior leadership Serenity Association Porch, Wolf Perspective Northeast Lumber Manufacturers – Sept.

20-22, annual meeting, Samoset Resort, Rockport, Me.; www.nelma.org. team will continue to lead the Decking, Fiberon Decking & Railing, Beacon opened five new locabusiness under the Kamco brand.

Benjamin Obdyke, UFP-Edge, KeyListings are often submitted months in advance.

Always verify dates and tions during the final weeks of last Southern Pine Inspection Bureau – Sept. 26-27, planer operator locations with sponsor before making plans to attend.

GMS expects to capitalize on Link, and fasteners. course, Hilton, Pensacola Beach, Fl.; www.spib.org. year, bringing to 26 the number of cross-selling opportunities to expand our branches it added Lumber in 2023.

Beacon – Sept.

Wallacewith Distribution Co. “We’re – Sept. thrilled 26-27, fall market, Sevierville National Hardwood Association 6-8, intro to Kamco and GMS’s other operations geographical reach to service alsohardwood made nine acquisitions during Convention Center, Sevierville, Tn.; www.wallacedist.com. grading course, Memphis, Tn.; www.nhla.com. the region, including the recently in –Michigan, the year.– Sept. 7-9, Global Buyers Mission, Whistler,inB.C.; Construction Suppliers dealers Association Sept. 27-29,empowering annual conference BC Wood bcwood.com. acquired Tanner Bolt and& show, Nut, Lodge Inc. at Gulfbuilding with access New locations are in Austell, Ga.; State Park, professionals Gulf Shores, Al.; www.gocsa.com.

Do it Best – Sept. 8-11, fall market, Indianapolis, In.; business. www.doitbest.com. to our exceptional products and Marquette Heights, Il.; Des Moines, Florida Building Material Alliance – Sept. 27-29, annual convention, Hoo-Hoo – Sept. hosted support,” said Sellers, Founded in 1971, GMS Rosen operates Ia.; NorthInternational Charleston, S.C.;8-11, andinternational convention, Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando, Fl.; Jeremy www.fbma.org. by Cowichan Valley Club, Vancouver, B.C.; www.hoohoo.org. senior VP of sales at Wolf Home a network of over 300 distribution Bastrop, Tx. United Hardware – Sept. 27-29, fall buying market, Mayo Civic Center, North American Wholesale Lumber Association centers – Sept. 11-15, Products, “This expansion provides withFall extensive product Rochester, Mn.; www.unitedhardware.com.

Basics Course, Peachtree City, Ga.; www.nawla.org. dealers a wider range of product offerings of wallboard, ceilings, GMSWood TO ACQUIRE KAMCO SUPPLY Midwest Building Suppliers Association – Sept. 28, annual MBSA choices with a streamlined ordering steel framing Northwestern Lumber Association – Sept. 12-13, Legacy Group 2and complementary GMS Inc., Tucker, Ga., has agreed Connect, Electric Works, Fort Wayne, In.; www.thembsa.org. roundtable, Jordan,Supply Mn.; www.nlassn.org. and delivery process to facilitate products, plus more than 100 tool to acquire Kamco Corp., Southern Pine Inspection Bureau –growth.”

Oct. 3-4, intro to lumber grading, business rental and service centers.

Brooklyn, True Value –N.Y., Sept.and 13-16,affiliates.

Fall ReunionThe show, George R.sales, Brown Convention Hilton, Pensacola Beach, Fl.; www.spib.org.

In addition to its comprehensive Houston, Tx.; dealCenter, is expected to www.truevaluecompany.com. close this spring.

Window & Door Manufacturers Association – Oct. 4-5, executive portfolio, Wolf Home Products WOLF EXPANDS TO MICHIGAN Founded in 1939 Swerdlick Blish-Mize – Sept.

15-16,by fallthe market, Overland Park, Ks.; blishmize.com. management conference, Cambridge, Ma.; www.wdma.com. also brings a team of experienced, Wolf Home Products, York, Pa., is family, Kamco is a–leading supplier Kentucky Wood Expo Sept. 15-16, Lexington, Ky.; www.kfia.org.

National Hardwood Association – Oct. 4-6, annual convention knowledgeable professionals who expanding its distribution reach to Lumber of ceilings, wallboard, steel, lumber, American Wood Protection Association – Sept. 17-21, fall technical show, Omni Ky.; www.nhla.com. are dedicated to providing continservice building product&dealers inHotel, Louisville, andcommittee other related construction meetings, Le Meridien Downtown, Denver, Co.; awpa.com.

Construction Suppliersued Association – Oct. roundtables, Jesup, Michigan. support and8-10, reliable service to products. The company operates Lumbermen’s Association of Texas – Sept. 18-20, annual convention Oct. 15-17, Andover, www.gocsa.com.

Michigan dealers will Ga.; be serviced theN.J.; Michigan market. five distribution facilities in the & expo, Live! By Lowe’s, Arlington, Tx.; www.lat.org. out of Wolf’s state-of-the-art, 1 Alliance – Oct. 8-12, convention & show, Indianapolis, World Millwork Greater New York City area and North American Wholesale Lumberand Association million-sq.

– Sept. 18, Texas www.worldmillworkalliance.com. ft. distributionIn.;center in GAINS IN CONSTRUCTION SPENDING services the New York metro regional meeting, Arlington, Tx.; Sept. 20, Northeast regional TOBureau SPUR–WOOD MILLWORK DEMAND Wilmington, Il. tri-state area. During the last fiscal Southern Pine Inspection Oct. 12-13, quality control course; meeting, Samoset Resort, Rockport, Me.; www.nawla.org.

Dealers in the Michigan market U.S. demand for wood millwork Oct. 17-18, dry kiln operator course, Hilton, Pensacola Beach, Fl.; year, Kamco recorded revenues of Kentucky Building$245 Materials Assn. – Sept. 19-20, now blueprint reading & to Wolf’s www.spib.org. have access expanis forecast to increase 1.9% yearly approximately million. material take-off class, Belterra Resort, Florence,sive In.; www.kbma.net. portfolio, including: Wolf Trim, through to Products a new Processing Technologies for the2027, Forestaccording & Biobased Following the close of the deal, Ace Hardware – Sept.president, 19-21, fall convention, CountyMouldings, Convention Wolf Railing, Industries – Oct. 30-Nov. 1, King & Prince Bach & Golf WolfConference Freedonia report.

Kamco’s current Scott OrangeWolf Center, Orlando, Fl.; www.acehardware.com.

Resort, St. Simons Island, Ga.; www.ptfbpi.com.

NEWTECHWOOD COMPOSITE DECKING & SIDING • Stain, scratch and fade resistant • made of 95% recycled materials • capped all 4 sides for maximum protection • decking is dual-sided unlike most composites • 25 year transferrable warranty

NewTechWood Norwegian Siding

Lee Roy Jordan Lumber Company is now distributing NewTechWood composite siding and decking.

DFW AREA: 214-357-7317 • USA: 1-877-533-7695 www.LRJLumber.com building products products digest digest •• sF 44 •• building 54

ebruary 2024 eptember 2023

building--products products..com com building

Suppliers are projected to benefit from rising building construction expenditures, the aesthetically pleasing properties of wood, and the perception of wood as an environmentally friendly material.

The number of housing starts in 2027 is projected to register at a similar amount to the historically high levels in 2022—preventing faster gains but supporting continued elevated demand levels.

However, further growth will be limited by the drawbacks of wood (e.g., susceptibility to cracking and decay). Strong competition from products made from cement, metal and plastic materials will restrain further gains.

In 2023, demand is projected to fall 5.6% as residential construction activity is expected to drop 6.1% in nominal terms and inflation in the price of building products eases amid improvements in supply chain bottlenecks created by the pandemic. Furthermore, residential building improvement and repair expenditures in nominal terms, which expanded strongly during the 2020-2022 period, are forecast to fall slightly in 2023. In unit terms, conventional housing starts are projected to fall 17% in 2023 while conventional housing completions drop 13%. However, housing starts and completions are expected to return to historically high levels by 2027, supporting sales of wood millwork.

NORTH AMERICA’S TALLEST MASS TIMBER BUILDING READY TO RISE At 32 stories tall, The Edison in Milwaukee, Wi., is on track to become one of the tallest mass timber buildings in the world.

The multifamily project will consist of 381 for-rent apartments, situated alongside the beautiful Milwaukee RiverWalk.

Its design will bring nature into the urban environment by incorporating garden terraces, vegetable planters, and small trees growing on the amenity deck. The mass timber will add a biophilic atmosphere by exposing the wood on the ceiling, the beams, and columns of the building.

The project is expected to break ground later this year. building-products.com

February 2024

• building products digest • 45

LMC DEALERS CELEBRATE A CENTURY-PLUS OF BUSINESS LMC recently commended 92 of its dealers that are set to celebrate a century or more in business in 2024.

“The enduring success of our dealers make them cornerstones of our industry and their communities,” said LMC president and CEO Paul Ryan. “Their lasting commitment to their employees, customer service, and their business partners is a testament to the foundations upon which LMC is built.”

Celebratings are: Hancock Lumber Co. (176 years), Richardson Industries (176), William B. Morse Lumber Co. (171), Moore Lumber & Hardware (170), FA Requarth Co. (164), Fakes & Hooker (157), Squier Lumber & Hardware (150), Morsches Lumber (153), J. C. Snavely & Sons (146), Southern Builders Supply (144),Smith-Phillips Lumber (144), Beeson Hardware Co. (141), Crane Johnson Co. (141), Legg Lumber (140), Mahoney’s Building Supply (140), Sanford & Hawley (140), Home Lumber Co. (139), Humphrey’s Building Supply (139), Randall Brothers (139), Steinkamp Home Center (139), Shaw Acquisition Corp. (138), and....

Schoeneman Brothers Co. (136 years), Curtis Lumber (134), Stacey Holdings (132), Seiffert Building Supplies (132), White’s Lumber (132), Ruffin & Payne Inc. (132), Better Living Inc. (131), Vowell & Sons Inc. (129), Matthews & Fields Lumber Co. (128), Belletetes, Inc. (126), Graves Lumber (125), Gennett Lumber Co. (123), Rings End Inc. (122), Building Center Inc. of Gloucester (121), City Lumber Co. (121), Friel Lumber Co. (121), Iffland Lumber Co. (121), Morton Buildings (121),

Lang Building Supply (119), GW Smith Lumber (119), Congleton Lumber (119), Union Lumber Co. (119), and...

Braun Building Center (119 years), Kirchner Building Centers (118), Dunn Lumber Co. (117), Fitch Lumber Co. (117), Moxham Lumber Co. (117), Tindell’s Building Materials (117), Builders Supply Co. (116), Wheelwright Lumber Co. (116), Cellar Lumber Co. (116), Tague Lumber (116), Ansonia Lumber Co. (115), Dykes Lumber Co. (115), Lawrenceburg Supply Co. (115), Sterling Lumber & Investment Co. (115), Arnold Lumber Co. (113), Burton Lumber (113), The Miller Lumber Co. (113), Forcum-Lannom (112), Kuiken Brothers Co. (112), and...

Mead Clark Lumber Co. (112 years), Beaver Builders Supply (111), Benson Lumber & Hardware (111), KBP Bellingham (111), Linn S. Chapel Co. (111), NelsonYoung Lumber Co. (111), John Sixt & Son (111), Dugger Investment Co. (111), Woodson Wholesale (111), Ogden & Adams Lumber (111), Arlington Coal & Lumber Co. (110), Home Lumber Co. (110), Western Materials, Inc. (109), Elliott Lumber (107), Garris-Evans Lumber Co. (105), Hayward Lumber (105), National Lumber Co. (105), Holman Supply Co. (104), Randall Lumber & Hardware (103), EW Stewart (103), Mentor Lumber & Supply Co. (102), Morrison Brothers Building Center (102), American Lumber Co. (101), Denver Lumber Co. (101), Christensen Lumber (101), Davis-Hawn Lumber Co. (101), Guy C Lee (100), Hamilton Building Supply Co. (100), Learned Lumber (100), and Heller Lumber Co. (100 years).

Experiencing rare beauty often means enduring extremes. MoistureShield® is the only high-performance composite decking engineered to deliver 360-degree protection, 365 days a year. So you can live boldly in any conditions.

OutsideTheEveryday.com

46 • building products digest • F

ebruary 2024

building-products.com

Sample the variety and versatility of eastern white pine.

Read grade rules, span details, and get new promotional ideas for your business.

Plastic, concrete or pine?

Learn why consumers prefer natural over fabricated.

Reach more customers by getting listed on NELMA’s Retailer Directory.

Listen to and watch product installation and comparison videos, plus grade representations.

Use all your senses. Visit nelma.org for all things eastern white pine, spruce-pine-fir and other softwood species grown in the Northeast and Great Lakes region.

Reach more customers. Join the NELMA Retailer Directory Today. Scan here to Get Found.

Simply open the camera on your smartphone or tablet, and hold it over this image.

@NortheasternLumberMfg @WoodInspiration @wood_inspiration1933

------------| NEW PRODUCTS

PLATINUM CONSTRUCTION LAGS

FAST TO FASTEN FastenMaster’s new FrameFAST fastener now features its patented TORX ttap Drive system. The new design gives pros the choice of using a standard impact driver or the FrameFAST tool.

FrameFAST replaces many commonly used hurricane ties, installing five times faster without the need for compressors, nailers, and hoses. The new 50-piece box and 250-piece bucket will include a free alignment guide ensuring a code compliant connection and TORX ttap driver bits that deliver a wobble-free drive.

The new fastener is certified for continuous load path applications including securing roof trusses, wall studs and plates, in addition to attaching deck joists to carrying beams. Backed by a ProjectLife Guarantee, the fastener is guaranteed for the life of the project and is approved for use in ACQ pressure treated wood.

SaberDrive Platinum Construction Lags from Midwest Fastener Corp. offer exceptional quality and outstanding results.

Fasteners come equipped with a star drive, serrated threads, XL1500 coating, and ICC certification to meet code.

FASTENERCONNECTION.COM (800) 444-7313

FASTENMASTER.COM (800) 518-3569

, MEDIUM-CAPACITY COLUMN CAP

DUAL SPEED SQUARE Using Rapid Rafter, a dual speed square, allows a carpenter to lay out and mark ridges, hips, valleys and rafter tails with greater speed and accuracy that results in a significant reduction in work time.

When the square is opened and placed over a timber, the user can mark three sides of the board at once from the same location. In its closed position, the tool is just .1” larger and 1.2 oz. heavier than a traditional 1-dimensional version, but still contains the standard markings, scribe lines, and angles, and fits easily into a nail bag.

RAPIDRAFTER.COM

48 • building products digest • F

ebruary 2024

Simpson Strong-Tie has added a medium-capacity option to its line of column caps. Filling the gap between the existing light-duty PCZ/AC post caps and heavyduty CC/CCQ column caps, the versatile new ACHZ post cap offers a medium- to higher-level allowable load.

Its two-piece design creates an easy connection between a beam and post in new or retrofit residential applications. It delivers a lower-cost alternative to heavy-duty welded caps when the highest loads are not required. The ACHZ allows for field bending for endbeam conditions, providing one connector for both midand end-beam conditions.

Two models are available—the ACH4Z and the ACH6Z—for use with 4x and 6x lumber.

STRONGTIE.COM (800) 999-5099

building-products.com

R E G I S T R AT I O N N OW O P E N : nawla.org/Leadership-Summit

leadership summit WHER

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UNIVERSAL DECK CLIP

TRANSCENDENT GRAY CLADDING

National Nail’s CAMO brand has launched CAMO Wedge and WEDGEMETAL clips.

Designed to fit any board in any deck pattern, Wedge clips outperform deliver a faster, easier, better installation experience. Clips stay in the groove until you’re ready to fasten for one-handed installation, and fit in all deck board brands. Pre-assembled clips mean one-pass fastening, with superior uplift holding power and reduction in lateral movement.

WedgeMetal clips feature a 410 Stainless Steel drill point screw for use on 14-18GA metal joists.

Both clips can be installed with the CAMO NeverMiss Guide or up to five times faster with the CAMO ClipDRIVE or DRIVE stand-up tools.

Norx has added two new colors to its New York and Los Angeles composite cladding collections.

Named Rockefeller and Venice, the new hues boast a distinguished gray tone that captures the essence of timeless sophistication inspired by the natural textures found in New York and Los Angeles. They offer a 30-year warranty.

NORX.US

CAMOFASTENERS.COM (800) 968-6245

,

STRAIGHT FINISH NAILER

Yard Lite from Regal ideas offers a series of high-performance accent lighting for outdoor projects.

They can be used to light up areas to ensure and improve safety, create ambiance, or accent that perfect outdoor masterpiece. The lights are easy to install and plug directly into the Regal ideas and Crystal Rail LED systems.

The LEDs are offered in white, gold and blue.

RIDGID’s new 18V Brushless 16 Gauge Straight Finish Nailer delivers maximum performance and longer runtime, while packing the power to quickly drive 1-1/4” to 2-1/2” 16-gauge finish nails into hardwoods 35% faster than the previous model.

Ideal for exterior trim, door jambs, crown molding, baseboard, door/window trim, and staircase treads, the versatile tool can drive 1,700 nails per charge at any angle, reduces jams, eliminates MDF trim blowouts, and doesn’t leave driver blade marks on the work surface.

Tool-free power-adjustment and depth-of-drive adjustment dials regulate power for optimal results. A selectable mode switch allows contact actuation or single sequential driving. A tool-free jam release makes it easy to clear nails in case of a jam.

REGALIDEAS.COM (800) 819-4344

RIDGID.COM (800) 474-3443

BRIGHT ACCENTS

50 • building products digest • F

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building-products.com

,

MORE CABINET OPTIONS Wolf Home Products is expanding its popular Wolf Classic Cabinetry line, with three new door styles, five new paint options, and one new stain.

New door styles are Waverly (slim shaker door), Grove (full-overlay five-piece shaker style), and Grantley (straightforward style with an exceptional finish).

New finishes are Cape, Silhouette, Evergreen, Goldleaf and Currant. The new stain is Hazelnut.

WOLFHOMEPRODUCTS.COM (800) 388-9653

,

COASTAL COOL Envision Outdoor Living Products is combining comfort and beauty with three composite decking colors featuring its new Cool Tread Technology. Part of its Distinction Collection of capped composite decking, they boast a surface that’s up to 25% cooler with 25% better traction and 61% less moisture absorption than average leading competitors.

The new coastal-inspired colors are: Nantucket Shore, a warm gray reminiscent of a light mist on the shorefront; Hampton Dunes, a blend of sandy tones found on a beach; and Seaside Pier, a greige that mimics the shades of a weathered boardwalk.

The decking is crafted with Compress Technology, which pairs its EverGrain Core with a high-density cap to create durable, low-maintenance decking. The manufacturing process results in decking that offers authentic, deep, non-repeating grains; is resistant to staining, splintering, cracking, rot and insects; and doesn’t require staining, sanding, or sealing.

ENVISIONOUTDOORLIVING.COM (800) 598-5245

building-products.com

February 2024

• building products digest • 51

REVAMPED COMPOSITE DECKING

WATERBORNE WOOD COATING

TimberTech has developed more sophisticated aesthetics featuring multi-color variegation and more realistic emboss patterns, while still maintaining the scratch-resistant durability of the original Terrain Collection of composite decking.

Featuring protective four-sided capping, the Terrain+ Collection will continue as a great option in scalloped-back decking. The palette includes three on-trend colors—Weathered Oak, Natural White Oak, and Dark Oak—each delivering a sophisticated, versatile and natural wood look.

A new factory-applied, waterborne wood coating from Sherwin-Williams can be applied across a wide spectrum of environmental conditions without the productivity-sapping performance trade-offs commonly associated with waterborne coatings.

Designed for spray-on application to interior building products such as windows, doors and trim, SHER-WOOD EA Hydroplus is a self-sealing, water-reducible acrylic system available in both clear and pigmented finishes.

It reportedly provides outstanding film hardness and chemical resistance for a superior, high-quality finish.

AZEKCO.COM (877) 275-2935

SHERWIN-WILLIAMS.COM/EAHYDROPLUS (844) 290-6044

SEE THE VIEW...

NOT THE HARDWARE

Composite Fascia Board Fastener Cutting Wings create an over-sized hole to allow for expansion and contraction Type-17 Point for quick start Oversized Flat Top Head provides increased bearing surface and maximum hole coverage Colors Available

•Earthtone •Tan •Redwood •Brown •IPE •White

New improved thread design drills easier with LESS MUSHROOMING in composite lumber.

T-20 Star Drive eliminates driver bit camout

(driver bit included)

Trim Undercut Head traps loose material while countersinking Top Threads push composite material back into the deck (no mushrooming) Deep Tri-Thread Design for superior holding value

Two different hidden deck systems to better meet your needs and give you a clean finished look.

Colors Available •Gray •Tan •Redwood •Brown Type-17 Point for quick start

Deck Building Solutions • 866-767-1850 • www.suredrive.com • sales@suredrive.com

52 • building products digest • F

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building-products.com

,

OPENING DAY PGT Innovations is launching dozens of new premium window products at IBS, including the Series 7665 Pass Through Window and a Water Management Sill from its Western Window Systems division.

Also new: Designer Black capstock frame options from Anlin Windows & Doors, Keystone Series Premium Garage Door from Martin Door, Sliding Glass Door Series 8100 with Narrow Interlock and the Envista Seamless Glazed Window Wall from Windoor, and WinGuard Vinyl Preferred View Sliding Glass Door Series SGD5570NS from PGT Custom Windows & Doors.

PGTINNOVATIONS.COM (800) 282-6019

building-products.com

PEARLY VENEERS A crisp, modern white color has been added to Ply Gem’s ClipStone ProPanel and ColumnWrap series of mortarless stone veneer solutions.

The new color, Osceola, provides a sleek, upscale look for on-trend exteriors that exude the timeless charm of natural stone. With larger panels for quicker installation and a stair-stepped design that hides joints, ProPanel brings the beauty of stone to projects with no mortar and less mess.

MYCLIPSTONE.COM (888) 975-9436

February 2024

• building products digest • 53

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

Cameron Ashley Building Products – Feb. 4-9, dealer show, Loews Royal Pacific Universal, Orlando, Fl.; www.cameronashleybp.com.

Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Assn. – Feb. 5-7, annual convention & expo, Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, Indianapolis, In.; ihla.org.

Northwestern Lumber Assn. – Feb. 6-7, BizCon North 2024, DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton, Bloomington, Mn.; Feb. 12-13, blueprint reading & material take-off, Fayetteville, Ar.; Feb. 15-16, blueprint reading & material take-off, Kansas City, Mo.; members.bldconnection.org.

Building Material Suppliers Assn. – Feb. 7-8, annual Learning Exchange & expo, Hickory Metro Convention Center, Hickory, N.C.; mybmsa.org.

Peak Auctions – Feb. 8-12, Midwest online auction; peakauction.com.

United Hardware – Feb. 14-16, spring buying market, River’s Edge Convention Center, St. Cloud, Mn.; www.unitedhardware.com.

Builder’s Supply Association of West Virginia – Feb. 22-25, annual meeting, Morgantown, W.V.; www.bsa-wv.com.

International Builders Show/Kitchen & Bath Industry Show – Feb. 27-29, Las Vegas, Nv.; www.buildersshow.com.

Construction Suppliers Association – Feb. 28-March 1, Truss 2 seminar, Dothan, Al./Bainbridge, Ga.; www.gocsa.com.

Peak Auctions – March 2, Orange County Fairgrounds, Middletown, N.Y.; www.peakauction.com.

International Hardware Fair/Eisenwarenmesse – March 3-6, Cologne, Germany; www.eisenwarenmesse.com.

Fastmarkets – March 4-6, Forest Products Europe Conference, Istanbul, Turkey; www.fastmarkets.com.

Northwestern Lumber Association – March 5-6, yard & delivery operations workshops, Tomah, Wi.; March 7-8, Eden Prairie, Mn.; members.bldconnection.org.

LMC – March 5-7, annual meeting, Houston, Tx.; www.lmc.net.

Illinois Lumber & Material Dealers Association – Feb. 15, Expo, DoubleTree by Hilton, Bloomington, Il.; www.ilmda.com.

Frame Building Expo – March 6-8, Des Moines, Ia.; www.nfba.org.

Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association – Feb. 15-16, annual meeting, Graduate Hotel, Oxford, Ms.; www.mlmalumber.com.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association – March 10-12, Leadership Summit, El Conquistador, Tucson, Az.; www.nawla.org.

Monroe Hardware – Feb. 15-16, spring market, Myrtle Beach Convention Center, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; www.monroehardware.com.

University of Innovative Distribution – March 11-14, Indianapolis, In.; www.univid.org.

LBM Advantage – Feb. 20-22, annual buying show & shareholders meeting, Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando, Fl.; www.lbmadvantage.com.

Appalachian Lumbermen’s Club – March 12, meeting, Hotel Roanoke, Roanoke, Va.; www.lumberclub.org.

Northwestern Lumber Assn. – Feb. 21-22, BizCon South 2024, Prairie Meadows Casino & Hotel, Altoona, Ia.; members.bldconnection.org.

Emery Jensen Distribution – March 12-13, Edge show, Dallas, Tx.; www. emeryjensen.com.

Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers – Feb. 21-25, annual meeting, Hammock Beach Resort, Palm Coast, Fl.; appalachianhardwood.org.

Ace Hardware – March 12-14, spring convention, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Dallas, Tx.; www.acehardware.com.

Orgill – Feb. 22-24, spring dealer market, Orlando, Fl.; www.orgill.com.

Northeast Retail Lumber Association – March 14, IDEAS show, Mohegan Sun Earth Expo, Uncasville, Ct.; www.nrla.org.

Peak Auctions – March 7-11, Midwest online auction; peakauction.com.

Peak Auctions – March 16, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles, Il.; www.peakauction.com.

Northwestern Lumber Association – March 18-19, blueprint reading & material take-off, Sioux Falls, S.D.; members.bldconnection.org.

National Hardwood Lumber Association – March 20-22, intro to hardwood grading course, Memphis, Tn.; www.nhla.com.

Southern Forest Products Association/Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association – March 20-22, spring meeting & expo, Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, La.; www.slma.org.

National Wooden Pallet & Container Association – March 20-24, annual leadership conference & expo, Sawgrass Marriott, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl.; www.palletcentral.com.

Northwestern Lumber Association – March 21, Wisconsin Connection Conference, Ho Chunk Hotel & Convention Center, Baraboo, Wi.; March 21-22, blueprint reading & material take-off, Fargo, N.D.; members. bldconnection.org.

Blish-Mize – March 21-23, buying market, Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Ks.; www.blishmize.com.

JLC Live – March 21-23, Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, R.I.; www.jlclive.com.

Do it Best – March 23-25, spring market, George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, Tx.; www.doitbest.com.

Southern Cypress Manufacturers Assn. – March 25, annual meeting, Charleston Place Hotel, Charleston, S.C.; www.cypressinfo.org.

Hardwood Manufacturers Assn. – March 25-27, national conference & expo, Charleston Place Hotel, Charleston, S.C.; hmamembers.org.

International Mass Timber Conference – March 26-28, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Or.; www.masstimberconference.com.

National Hardware Show – March 26-28, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nv.; www.nationalhardwareshow.com.

54 • building products digest • F

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building-products.com

------------| CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word minimum). Phone number counts as 1 word, address as 6. Centered copy/headline, $9 per line. Border, $9. Column inch rate: $65 per inch.

Deadline: 10th of the previous month. Questions? Call (714) 486-2735.

WANTED TO BUY

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PRODUCTS FOR SALE NORTH CAROLINA RELOAD

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• Norfolk Southern Mainline Served • Easy Access to I-85, I-77 & I-40 • Company Owned Truck Fleet • Outdoor and Indoor Storage • 12 Acres Fenced with Security Lighting • 25+ years Reload Experience (704) 872-3148 • Fax (704) 872-3146 Email Tom Lakeman shavers.reload@gmail.com

------------| IN MEMORIAM Bernard P. “Bernie” Anton, 77, longtime salesman with Manufacturers Reserve Supply, Irvington, N.J., passed away on Jan. 10.

Bernie served as a staff sergeant in the Marines, before beginning his LBM career in 1975 with a retail yard.

He then moved to the wholesale distribution side, including inside sales, purchasing and management. He worked for Mid-State Lumber Corp., Branchburg, N.J., from 1991 to 2019, before rejoining MRS in 2021 to support the outside sales team in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Lumber Supply. Pete assumed the reins as president in 1966 and served in this capacity for nearly 45 years before assuming the role of chairman emeritus.

He was recognized as the Mid Hudson Lumber Dealers Lumberman of the Year in 1985 and was active on the group’s board of directors.

Alvin R. Tucker, 95, former buyer for Harris Lumber Co., Providence, R.I., and JT’s Home & Builders Center, Bristol, R.I., died on Dec. 27.

A U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War, he spent 40 years as a buyer for Harris and JT’s, retiring in 1991.

Laurence “Pete” Beckerle Jr., 93, chairman emeritus of Beckerle Lumber Supply Co., Haverstraw, N.Y., died on Nov. 24.

Pete started at the family lumber business at age 12, helping his father.

After earning a degree in physics from the College of the Holy Cross in 1952, he served a U.S. Naval Operations Officer on the destroyer USS Fred T Berry. In 1956, he joined his father to work full-time at Beckerle

Calvin W. “Skip” Hodder, 71, owner and president of C.J. Hodder Lumber, Whitehall, Pa., died on Jan. 7.

56 • building products digest • F

George Reginald “Reggie” Hartin, 87, former owner of Dawson Concrete & Supply Co., Dawson, Ga., died Dec. 20.

Reggie attended The University of Alabama and Georgia Southwestern College, then operated his own building supply firm through the 1960s

ebruary 2024

and 1970s. He served on the board of the Building Materials Merchants Association of Georgia.

Hurstler “Herky” Beard, 75, Mississippi lumberman, passed away on Jan. 1.

Herkey retired as vice president and sales manager after 28 years with North Pacific, Waynesboro, Ms. After retirement, he launched his own wholesale business, E. Beard Lumber Co., Waynesboro.

Franklin D Wright, 89, veteran Mississippi lumber salesman, died on Jan. 7.

Frank served in the U.S. Army before attending Mississippi State University. He worked for years at Contractor’s Lumber Co., Vicksburg, Ms., before beginning a 30-year career with Mid-South Lumber & Supply, Vicksburg.

James Harlan “Jim” Lien, 89, former owner of Steenerson Lumber, Erskine, Mn., died on Jan. 2 Jim joined Steenerson in 1961 and later purchased the company. building-products.com

ATURES

------------| ADVERTISERS INDEX

d wood product on the market b-300Fv-2.1E PAGE r installation – 3 ½” , 5 ½”, and 7” 28 s Timber wood framing systems Initiative (SFI®) Certified nce uperior strength e MSR Lumber 33 strength solution for ral applications

00. 221. B E A M

American Wood Technology www.americanwoodtechnology.com Anthony Forest Products www.anthonyforest.com Anthony Forest Products is part of the Canfor Group of Companies

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©

Arxada www.wolmanizedwood.com

47

NELMA www.nelma.org

29, 35

Orgill www.orgill.com

34

RDI www.barretteoutdoorliving.com

23, 41

Redwood Empire www.buyredwood.com

15

Regal ideas www.regalideas.com

3

Simpson Strong-Tie www.strongtie.com

45

Siskiyou Forest Products www.siskiyouforestproducts.com

52

Sure Drive USA www.suredrive.com

39

Swanson Group Sales Co. www.swansongroup.biz

Anthony Forest Products Company, LLC

11/27/19 11:51 AM

19

Biewer Lumber www.biewerlumber.com

54

Crumpler Plastic Pipe www.cpp-pipe.com

32

CT Darnell Construction www.ctdarnell.com

7, Cov IV

Culpeper Wood www.culpeperwood.com

51

43

DeckWise www.deckwise.com Doman www.domanbm.com

53

ECI Solutions www.ecisolutions.com

9

Everwood Preserving Inc. www.everwoodtreatment.com

5

FastenMaster www.fastenmaster.com

30-31

Great Southern Wood Preserving www.yellawood.com

Cover III

Humboldt Sawmill www.mendoco.com

36

Industrial Wood Products www.industrialwood.com

44

Lee Roy Jordan Redwood Lumber www.lrjlumber.com

37

Madison Wood Preservers www.madwood.com

25

Midwest Fastener Corp. www.fastenerconnection.com

1. 8 0 0 . 4 4 4 . 7 3 1 3

constructionscrews.com

46

MoistureShield www.moistureshield.com

55

National Hardware Show www.nationalhardwareshow.com

49

building-products.com

NAWLA www.nawla.org

Deck Building Solutions • 866-767-1850 • www.suredrive.com • sales@suredrive.com

Cover II

West Fraser www.osb.westfraser.com

SUMMER, SUMMER, ALL ALLYEAR YEARLONG LONG

TO EXPLORE ADVERTISING, CONTACT: TO EXPLORE ADVERTISING, CONTACT:

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February 2024

• building products digest • 57

------------| FLASHBACK

74 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH

FLASHBACK:

SIGNS OF THE TIMES SEVENTY-FOUR YEARS ago, dealers looked to the pages of BPD’s sister publication, The California Lumber & Merchant, for assistance in merchandising their wares. The latest was detailed in a story from the February 15, 1950, issue: Attractive Highway Signs Will Be Sponsored by Lumber Dealers Thousands of attractive highway signs will be sponsored by lumber dealers and installed throughout the country during 1950 under an ambitious publicity program endorsed by the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association and to be carried out by regional and state lumber associations.

Feature illustration of the sign is a full-color drawing of the Certigrade National Home—the widely publicized 1949 model home of the Red Cedar Shingle Bureau, plans for which have been sold by hundreds of lumber dealers. After careful consideration, the Certigrade National Home was selected for the highway signs in recognition of the wide appeal of this National Plan Service home design.

Immediately beneath the home is the slogan, “Where Your Home Begins.”

The dealer’s name appears in a sep­ arate panel directly below.

58 • building products digest • F

The signs are built, installed and maintained by a Midwest outdoor advertising firm. Sales are made to individual dealers by the various regional and state retail lumber dealer associations. The dealer pays a modest monthly rental fee to the association.

The signs are double-faced, thereby attracting attention to traffic traveling in both directions.

AII printed matter on the sign is reflectorized, permitting visibility at night as well as during the day. The signs are installed in a concrete base, stand 10 ft. high, and are 7 ft. wide at the top panel. The bottom panel, carrying the dealer’s name, is 2 ft. high and 4 ft. wide.

Industry leaders hail the highway sign program as being a progressive step forward in bringing to the public an awareness of the services offered by retail lumber dealers in towns and cities throughout the nation. ******** Among the new products introduced in that same 1950 issue was a forerunner of composite panels: Plastic-Treated Hardboard A plastic treatment adapted to the manufacture of hardboard makes possible a new weather-resistant hardboard suitable for exterior building, announced Harold A. Miller, president of Forest Fiber Products Co., Forest Grove, Or. This new plastic treated hardboard called “treated’’ Forest Board utilizes selected Douglas fir fibers in the same controlled process as the standard grade Forest Board. During the manufacturing process, the plastic treatment is given to each fiber and after the board is formed an ad­ditional surface treatment is given.

Besides adding water resistance, the treatment provides greater structural strength, wear resistance, and

ebruary 2024

The cover of the February 15, 1950, issue promoted Upson Laminated Panels produced by The Upson Co., Locksport, N.Y., and distributed in the West by Western Hardwood Lumber Co., Los Angeles, Ca.

resistance to soap or alkali. The new hardboard resists chipping, denting and breaking, and like standard hardboard is grainless so that it will not splinter. In the manufacturing process a hard, glassy, smooth surface is produced that takes any type of finish by spraying, baking or brushing. It nails, glues, planes and works as wood itself.

The plant is in full production.

Samples and further infor­mation may be obtained from Stimson Lumber Co., Forest Grove. Or., the national distributor for Forest Board. BPD

THE INITIAL 4x16-ft. plastic-treated Forest Board panel produced at Forest Fiber Products Co.’s Forest Grove, Or., plant is inspected by president Harold A. Miller and plant manager O.W. Frost.

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