How a Houston pressure treater oos the d-i-y market

thing new. It certainly isn't boring around here."

Plant says that it is a fallacy to assume that either No. l, 2 or 3 construction gfade southern pine has any direct relationship to a customer's treated lumber needs. Appearance and long life are the two highest requirements and both these are best served by a quality product in design, manufacture and presentation, regardless ofgrade. "Ifyou don't put money and effiort into the presentation of your treated products, you won't get the sales or gross profit you hope for," he warns.

Story at a Glance

What steps one firm used to change commodity prcssure treated wood into a sPecialtY line. varioussuccessfirl marketing thrusts they used... how and rvhy tp GFyer was targeted.

Two years ago HCS Woodtech decided to move treated wood products from the "back 40" into the mainstream of the retail flow. Many suggestions were looked at over a periodof nine months. ihecomPany conducted market research and focus groups with customers to determine the best way of doing thisIt became obvious to them that the d-i-y customer wanted many Products other than 2x4 and 2x6 as well as wanting to see and feel the Products before they bougttt them.

From these discoveries the concept of the Outdoor Dream Center was born. Taking the marketing of pressure treated wood into a new dimension, a working display utilizes a lumber dealer's floor sPace to attract and educate customers to the advantages of a backYard deck or similar proFct. A potential do-ir yourself customer can visit an environment where he can exPerience what his backyard proi:ct will Produce.

One of the products used in the display is a 2'x2' Outdoor Deck Square which a do-it-yourselfer can fit together like a jigsaw Puzzle to build a new deck over an existing patio. Other products in the line are dis-assembed outdoor furniture materials, garden items such as 4x8 lattice, pre-cut deck railing, deckboard, laminated deck columns, bender board, tongue-in-grove flooring, posts and many sizes of finishing lumber. Stains, high-strength glues, water repellent and wood protection products are another part of the display.

HCS supports its Outdoor Dream Center with delivery, service including personnel education and instruction, point of purchase literature, cooperative advertising, quality guarantees, referrals, technical backup, special advertising and promotions including deck clinics and appearances at home shows and similar functions attracting potential customers.

Payless Cashways, Inc., the home center hrm that operates 18 Furrow Building Materials centers in South Texas, was one of the first to put the Outdoor Dream Center in its stores. Now HCS Woodtech has over 50 of these centers in a variety ofstores in a wide area of Texas. The specialty product concept has been picked up by major retailers and co-ops such as Builders Square and American Hardware, Inc., according to Plant.

"The results have been fantastic," he says. "And actually the current economic situation has been a boost for the concept. Instead of looking for a new house or going on an expensive vacation, people are putting their money and time into improving what they already have and doing the work themselves as a family project."

Apart from its focus on the retail dealer, the company has well defined programs for the commercial dealer and original equipment manufacturer. They have been especially successful with frre retardant treated wood which is becoming a dominant product for meeting new and increasingly stringent building codes.

Another growing product line for the company is structural marine timbers cut in sizes up to l2'x12'and as long as 36 ft. After being kiln

(lulll00fi Dream Deck provides a meeting place for Gary L. Converse, regional sales manager, Wolman Department, Koppers; dried, they are pressure treated with almost l0 times as much chemical as a normal deck board to be able to withstand attack from marine organisms and constant immersion in salt water. HCS Woodtech's Houston sales manager Patty Marek and dealer representative Tom Long report more and more dealers are handling this profitable product.

In order to service a five state area efficiently with the heavy Wolmanized wood and Dricon fire retardant treated wood, the company handles its own delivery.

"We have to stay flexible because we're small," Plant explains, "and that's why we have our own ICC permit and State of Texas commodity license, that way we can run our lease operators 850/o loaded. It gives us an edge on our competition."

HCS Woodtech's management philosophy is well expressed by Bill Plant. "All in all," he says, "when you can see that the Houston boom is not rolling like it used to, you need to change old and maybe comfortable business habits and begin to merchandise new products to expand your markets. Now that we have successfully introduced a new retail concept for pressure treated wood products, we are actively pursuing some other new ideas."

Obituaries

Loyce Maroon, sales manager for Reed & Sons Hardwoods. Inc.. Monroe, La., died Feb. 22.1987 , in Monroe after a short illness. He was 61.

A native of Arkansas, he had worked with Roy O. Martin Industries, Alexandria, La., before joining Reed & Sons in 1969.

Mr. Maroon is survived by his widow, Juanita, three children, two step-children, two brothers and a sister.

Pressure Treated Seminar

Dean Lumber Co., Gilmer, Tx., will host a pressure treated wood seminar and open house at their recently completed power plant, dry kilns and sawmill on April 22.

A plywood presentation by Ed Underwood, American Plywood As-

Personals

(Continued from page 32) sociation, and Wolman and Dricon reviews by a Koppers rep will be followed by lunch, a live Dricon demonstration, and a mill tour. A wood chip golf scramble and fish fry at the Gilmer Country Club will complete the day, according to Steve Dean.

Richard L. Barclay has been named marketing mgr. of Windsor Door, Little Rock, Ar.

Dale K. Arnold is now national account mgr., sales and marketing dePt., for Ternple-Eastex Inc., Diboll, Tx., according to Pat Patranella, gen. sales mgr.

Cliff Shafer is now mgr., national sales div., of Trussway, Inc., Houston, Tx. Randy Battarbee is on the sales team.

Frank W. Filmeck is the new field sales mgr. for Macco Adhesives, Temple, Tx., according to Peter J. Appell, gen. sales mgr. Daniel G. Nixa is marketing services mgr.

Irma Elizabeth Jones Goodwin, co-owner of Goodwin Lumber Co., Buckner, Va., died Feb. 3, 1987, in Charlottesville, Va. She was 84.

Mrs. Goodwin, who was born in Hanover County, Va., and her husband opened the planer mill operation in the l920s. When he died, she turned operation of the firm over to her son, the late George S. Goodwin Jr., in 1956.

Mrs. Goodwin is survived by three daughters, six grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Bob Hixon, Hixon Lumber Sales, Plumerville, Ar., married Sherry Kilcrease on March 8, 1987. Their honeymoon was a cruise to the Bahamas.

Brad Ross has been named sales mgr. of Maywood Inc., Amarillo, Tx., according to John I. Maynard, v.p. of sales and marketing.

Bill Burk, Burk Lumber Sales, San Antonio. Tx.. has been in Ca. on company business.

Richard H. Lambert has retired as managing director of National Retail Hardware Association after more than 30 years with NRHA.

Anne O. Rexia is now in charge of the employee meal program at MungusFungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

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