How to use innovative products to sell more pressure treated lumber

In last year's issue on treated lumber, we published an arlicle on "How a Houston pressure lreater woos the d-iyer market." Because of the company's innovative approach, we asked them Jbr an ufiate on their marketing and sales e.ffortsed.

A HOUSTON, Tx., lumber treater A has been abie lo move commodity product from the back lot of the lumberyard to the prime traffic area of the home center by "marketing" pressure treated wood products instead of "selling" dimensional treated lumber.

Bill Plant, managing partner of HCS Woodtech, a division of Houston Chemical Service Co., Ltd., developed the Outdoor Dream Center to help home centers sell their customers on the beauty and value of pressure treated lumber. By displaying a completed sun deck with landscaping, the dealer enables the customer to see the finished products in actual use.

"ln all, we have 42 products the do-it-yourselfer can buy, take home and dress up his backyard," commented Plant. "By manufacturing ready to assemble products, we help the home center and lumberyard sell convenience and qu4lity to their customer."

Currently, 70 home center stores across Texas and the adjoining states are selling pressure-treated lumber through Outdoor Dream Centers, including fabricated products such as lattice and trellis. The company fabricates and pressure treats 8 sku types of lattice in 2' x 8' and 4' x 8' sizes in a variety of materials including southern yellow pine, cedar and redwood. Annually, this amounts to 4 million board feet of lumber, with the premium quality lattice selling for as much as $14 per 4' x 8' sheet and the lesser grades in the $6-8 per range.

In order to compete effectively, Plant depends on the efl'iciency of his suppliers to provide materials in lengths and sizes to minimize waste. One of his major suppliers of southern yellow pine is TempleEasTex. HCS Woodtech works very closely with them on wood requirements to be fabricated into trellis, lattice, handrails, baluster, steps and decking.

Story at a Glance

Ways dealers can boost pressure treated sales by selling pre-assembled decks, and outdoor living amenities .42 produc'ts available. tips on selling convenience and quality.

HCS Woodtech processes over 20 million board feet of commodity dimensional treated lumber on an annual basis for home centers and lumberyards in its market area. Precut speciality decking and railing trim arnounts to 2 million additional board feet of treated 2' x 4' and 2' x 6'.

Plant was hard put to estimate the board feet of material going into landscaping and garden edging products because the material used is round dowel and uneven sized pickets. He estimates sales of the landscaping logs and pickets at $500,000 yearly.

The Outdoor Dream Center concept is working, according to Plant. The Houston production facility is operating full time and requests for Dream Center units are now coming in from outside the five state market area which HCS Woodtech originally targeted.