Western red cedar fills G>><piancf-ng outdoor market

THE American I homeowner's passion for gardening and backyard al fresco dining is good news indeed for retailers of western red cedar, The traditional outdoor wood is not only popular and fashionable, but downright designer stylish and trendy. This tried and true material for exterior siding and decking is moving into the garden for elaborate gazebos, arbors, trellis work, decorative screens and fencing as well as garden furniture.

"More and more people are using western red cedar to develop their outdoor property as an extension of their homes," says Ken McClelland, the Vancouver, British Columbiabased executive director of the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association. The non-profit trade association represents 19 cedar mills in the Pacific Northwest and Canada.

WRCLA is making quality cedar more accessible to the end-user by producing labeled and branded products that are consistent in quality, end-use specific and supported by technical service in the field and a full array of marketing programs. "It's easier for retailers to sell a cedar product that meets customers' expectations so there's no bin full of leftover pieces," says McClelland.

Retailers are seen as a vital link in the distribution chain since they have a one-on-one relationship with the end-user. "Cedar has changed from a commodity material to a specialty product with specific features that add to its value," says McClelland.

"Retailers can benefit from a marketing strategy that focuses on the quality and performance that WRCLA cedar delivers to its customers. That is a logical premise because as prices rise, consumers demand more quality. We have created a family of WRCLA brand namesArchitect Clear.

Architect Knotty, Custom Clear and Custom Knottythat are recognized industry standards for cedar siding and decking. The response to these products has been excellent. This spring, we are introducing a new line of WRCLA cedar fencing products in the Architect and Custom clear and knotty standards. These products will have the same quality and consistency as the other WRCLA branded lines, and a new companion publication will show color photos of each product to make them easier to order, use and specify."

Education and training for retailers and wholesalers are key elements in WRCLA's arsenal of marketing programs.

Two training programs, the Certified Cedar Dealer and the Cedar School, are creating an expanding network of retailers and wholesalers who have specialized cedar knowledge. Over 2,000 retailers have graduated from the Certified Cedar Dealer program, which is a free in-store training program for cedar dealers and their sales staffs. from Europe and Asia. Cedar School 1998 is scheduled from March 29 to April 2 in Vancouver.

This user-friendly training session deals with cedar grades and uses as well as how to specify, install and finish cedar products. Participants graduate with a WRCLA diploma and a special Cedar Sales Guide containing WRCLA reference literature. Stores whose employees complete the program also receive signage that identifies them as Certified Cedar Dealers.

Retailers are seen as a vital link in the distribution chain since they have a one-on-one relationshio with the end-user.

"It's definitely an advantage to have a trained staff when you are selling a product like cedar," says Trevor Stephenson, president and owner of WoodStop Building Supplies, North Vancouver, B.C. Stephenson's company is not only a Certified Cedar Dealer, but he and several employees are graduates of the Cedar School. Sponsored twice a year by WRCLA, the intensive, five-day training program covers the cedar industry from mills to market. Classes are attracting a growing number of retailers, who value the formal training, as well as the cedar industry contacts with other retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers. The fall 1997 session attracted a record 12 retailers to its 55-member student body, which also included wholesaler distributors and cedar sales personnel

A WRCLA cedar merchandiser also is proving a popular and effective marketing tool for retailers. For $99 delivered, dealers receive an attractive, stand-alone cedar display with help-yourself pockets for give-away plans [or outdoor projects such as decks, fences, arbors, gazebos, trellises and screens; an outdoor promotional banner; a poster, and a set of 25 copies of each of the five plans. Free refill sets of the plans are available from WRCLA offices in Seattle, Wa.; Naperville, Il., and Farmingdale, N.Y.

The cedar industry is looking forward to a good year in 1998, says McClelland. "Many of the mills have built long-term relationships with distributors and are making more oroducts available to meet customer demand. And- as retailers' buying patterns have stabilized in the past few years, distributors have responded with supply that ensures an orderly market. In 1998, we expect the volume of WRCLA member mills to be around 1.6 billion bd. ft., which is about the same level it's been for the past five years."