Universal Sets Five-Year Growth Plan

Universal Forest Products may be the largest wood treater in the country, but it's not hanging its hat on that distinction.

Instead, the company is embarking on "Performance 2002," a growth plan centered on strengthened customer relationships, innovative product development, and new merchandising programs-all designed to double the company's current sales of $1.1 billion in five years.

"We're going to continue to grow and look for opportunities in every corner of our business," says Phil Rogers, national retail accounts sales manager. "We intend to increase our market share in total volume by, for instance, improving our current facilities and acquiring successful companies that make strategic sense for our company."

The company added a treating cylinder to its Moultrie, Ga., plant last fall and purchased a treating facility in Lodi, Oh., to serve Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

"In other words," says Rogers, "we're going to put even more distance between Universal and the other nine guys in the Top Ten."

Universal already stands out as one of the few public national companies in the wood treating industry. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mi., the company operates 51 facilities in 44 locations, blanketing North America. "We have back-up plants that can service customers; they can relax knowing that a problem at one facility doesn't translate into a problem with our service to them," says Rogers.

As part of its growth strategy, Universal is enhancing current facilities and acquiring other proven businesses, to expand its capabilities-not only in wood treating but also in engineered building components for conventional site-built residential and commercial construction.

Since its founding nearly 45 years ago, Universal has become a number one supplier to the manufactured housing market, providing pre-cut lumber components and the majority of the roof trusses for the nation's leading manufacturers. It also is a top supplier to the home center retail market, with products such as its Fence Fundamental. Deck Necessities.

Lattice Basics, Storage Solutions and ProWood pressure treated lumber.

As the company continues its growth, it is increasing its rnanufacturing capabilities, creating another competitive advantage. "If we have fencing that's manufactured onpremise, we can just take it over to the treating cylinder," Rogers says. "We don't have to outsource it."

What's more, Universal can get a larger variety of products on the truck, lowering customers' inventories and improving their turns, while remaining price competitive.

Kerr-McGee To Sell Plants

Kerr-McGee Chemical LLC, Oklahoma City, Ok., has agreed to sell its six crosstie treating plants to N.Y.-based private merchant bank Castle Harlan. Inc.

Kerr-McGee is divesting its entire forest products operations-including treating plants in Columbus, Ms.; Texarkana, Tx.; Springfield, Mo.; The Dalles, Or.; Indianapolis, In., and Madison. Il.-to concentrate on worldwide oil and gas exploration and production and titanium dioxide pigment operations.

Huber Starts Up EWP Mill

Huber Engineered Woods has begun production of engineered strand wood products at a new continuous press facility in Spring City, Tn.

With an annual capacity of 380 mmsf (3/8" basis), the mill offers a virtually unlimited range of custom lengths in thicknesses from 3/8" to l-5l8".

Engineered Wood's Meteoric Rise

North American structural wood panel production rose 2.7Vo last year to a record 36.93 billion sq. ft. (3/8" basis), a mark that is expected to be eclipsed again this year, reports APA-The Engineered Wood Association.

It was the fourth consecutive record-setting year and the sixth year of volume increase since a l99l mini-recession.

This year production should rise about zEo to 37.55 billion ft.

Certain engineered wood products will enjoy even stronger demand growth. North American production of wood I-joists, which rose 26Vo last year to 627 million linear ft., should approach I billion linear ft. by 2000.

Wood I-joists' share of the residential floor markets is forecast to reach 5OVo-6OVo in the next five to seven years, compared to about 33Vo today.

LVL production increased 20Vo last year to 37.7 million cu. ft., and should rise another 25Vo this year.

Although U.S. glulam production fell about 2Vo last year to 315 million bd. ft., by 2000 production is expected to rebound by l3%o. APA attributes last year's decline in large part to a new consumption tax and the economic slowdown in Japan, a leading glulam export market.

The structural wood panel industry's excess production capacity, meanwhile, appears finally to be lessening. Capacity rose from 35.95 billion sq. ft. in 1994 to 42.29 billion ft. last year, as some 20 new mills were built. Approximately 3.6 billion ft. of new capacity-nearly all of it OSB-was added last year alone. However, 2.1 billion ft. of mill capacity also closed.

The structural wood panel industry's production-capacity ratio is expected to rise from 86Vo in 1996 to 9070 this year, two percentage points better than the industry's historical average. For OSB, the ratio is forecast to climb fromT9Vo in 1996 to 88Vo.

While APA foresees a slight decline in housing starts this year, residential market demand for structural wood panels should rise with an increase in per-unit consumption.

International market demand (excluding trans-border shipments between the U.S. and Canada) climbed 5Vo in 1997 to 2.47 blllion ft., or 6.7V0 of total industry production. Foreign market demand is anticipated to increase to 2.52 billion ft. this year, provided the effects of the Asian crisis are short-lived. About 30Vo of U.S. and Canadian offshore shipments of structural wood panels go to Asia, particularly Japan. Europe accounts for more than 5OVo of foreien demand.

Bill Skinner, previously with Circle Supply, has joined Pelican Cos., Conway, S.C., as mgr. of the two Birmingham, Al., Pelican Building Centers. Sonny Joyner, ex-84 Lumber, is new as mgr. of the Monroe and Marshville. N.C.. locations.

James Pfeifer, One Source Home & Building Centers, North Little Rock, Ar.. has retired after more than 60 years in the retail lumber business.

Michael A. Wolf, ex-Louisiana Pacific, is now southern regional mgr. at Hancock Timber Resource Group, Charlotte. N.C.

Robert Fitzgerald has been named pres. and ceo of curved moulding manufacturer Bullseye Millwork, Inc., Apex, N.C.

Von Simpson has joined the sales force at MacMillan Bloedel Building Materials, Houston, Tx.

Peter Browning, Sonoco Products, Hartsville, S.C., was elected to the board of Lowe's, North Wilkesboro, N.C. Richard Lochridge, Lochridge & Co., and Dr. Leonard Berry, Texas A&M University, were also elected.

Jim Abbott has been named v.p. of merchandising for the Contractor Yard division of Lowe's Cos., North Wilkesboro, N.C. Other new divisional v.p.s of merchandising: Theresa Anderson, outdoor hardlines products; Nick Canter, millwork; Steve Eller, lumber/building materials; Doug Godwin, tools; Robert Joines, paint/storage; John Kasberger, appliances/kitchen; Mike Smith, hardware; Mark Kauffman, international product sourcingi John Knight, home decor; Scott Plemmons, lawn and garden; Eric Sowder, plumbing, and Dave Steed, electrical.

Frank Schreiner is the new regional gen. mgr. of Lowe's Texas regional distribution center, Mount Vernon, Tx. Dan Gentry is store mgr. and Carolyn Crain co-mgr. of the new Lexington, Ky., location. Morris Washburn is mgr. with Mike Decker co-mgr. of the new Somerset, Ky., store.

Mike Moschilli and Howard Kahn, exBabcock Lumber, and Craig Austin, ex-Georgia-Pacific, are now with Seven D Wholesale, Largo, Fl.

Ken King has been appointed co-mgr. of 84 Lumber Co., Griffin, Ga.

James J. Shalvoy has been named to the newly-created position of v.p. and general mgr. ofthe hardboard/fiber cement siding division at ABT Building Products Corp., Charlotte, N.C. Gary L. Ball was promoted to v.p. and general mgr. of the vinyl products division; Michael J. Sims is now v.p. of sales for the exterior products group; John W. Sooker, director of marketing for vinyl products; Hugh P. Hamill, general sales mgr.-retail distribution; Richard D. Thomas, national account mgr.-manufactured housing, and Martin Fajerman, national account sales mgr.

David Suliteanu has joined Home Depot, Atlanta, Ga., as group president-diversified businesses, overseeing the rollout of Expo Design Centers. Bryant Scott remains Expo Division president. Warren Watson is mgr. of the newly relocated store on Douglas Blvd. in Atlanta, Ga. Store mgrs. of new locations include: Scott Zimmerman, Marathon, Fl.; Ron Cheeks, Holiday, Fl.; David Nelson, Wilmington, N.C., and John Gordon, Rock Hill, S.C., with Chris Mangino as co-mgr.

Ronald A. Matricaria, St. Jude Medical, has resigned as a director on the board of Home Depot, Atlanta, Ga.

Ian Stalker, Universal Forest Products, has been appointed chairman of the American Lumber Standard Committee's treated wood advisory committee.

Neale A. Smith and Carr Newton have been appointed district sales mgrs. at Premier Wood Floors, Dallas, Tx. Smith's territory includes Tx., Ok., and La., while Newton's includes Fl., Al., Ga.. and southeast Tn. Rhonda Twitty is now mktg. mgr. for Premier and Bruce Floors.

Randal Weeks has been promoted to South Central regional mgr. for Bruce Hardwood Floors, Dallas, Tx. Joe Thompson is now divisional sales mgr. for the South Central and Western regions.

E. Dwain Plaster has been named c.f.o. of Triangle Pacific Corp., succeeding Robert J. Symon, who will remain an exec. v.p. Joe Redding is now director of technical services; Richard Suarez, director of the international division; John Nancarrow, national builder sales mgr.; John Mazzola, national accounts mgr.; Jim Lennon, national accounts field sales mgr., and Jeffrey Cave and Chris Taylor, national accounts field sales reps.

Michael A. Alberts and Robert C. Schutte have been appointed mgrs. of eventVexpositions-domestic operations by the American Hardware Manufacturers Association,

Rick Hagel, Burns, Morris & Stewart, L.P., Nacogdoches, Tx., was elected v.p. of the Wood Moulding & Millwork Producers Association during the group's recent annual meeting in Hawaii.

Fred Kuhn, formerly with Stanley Door Systems, is new to General Products Co., Inc., Fredericksburg, Va., as South Central regional sales mgr., overseeing Tx., Ar., Ok. and La.

Emmet P. "Buck" Yaughn, Jr., Vaughn Lumber Co., Knoxville, Tn., was elected pres. of the Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers. Inc. Also elected: Bill A. Mullican, Jr., B.A. Mullican Lumber Co., Maryville, Tn., v.p.finance; Howard M. Carr, Augusta Lumber Co., North Garden, Va., past pres.; Kim Cramer, W.M. Cramer Lumber Co., Hickory, N.C.; Jimmy Powell. Canton Hardwoods, Inc., Canton, N.C., and Ed Ramsey, Taylor-Ramsey Corp., Lynchburg, Va., board members. R.C. Conley, Jr., J. Bruce Barnes, Inc., Crozet, Va., was elected vice chairman of the distributor division.

Jim Harrison, Highland Sales, Longwood, Fl., is now representing Woodfold-Marco Mfg. in Fl.

Karen Wiles Reeves, business process mgr., Lowe's Cos., North Wilkesboro, N.C., is running for a seat on the county board of education.

Harry D. Ifoffman was elected a director and pres. of Poly Trim West and Poly Tech, Longwood, Fl.

Sarah "Sally" Reid has been named advertising/communications coordinator at Celotex Corp., Tampa, Fl.

Bob Mickle has been hired as account supervisor by Flowers & Fedele, Dallas, Tx.

Bruce II. Cowgill, pres. of the insulation group, CertainTeed Corp., has been elected pres. of the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association.

Michael Croxton is now v.p.-mktg. at Software Solutions, Duluth, Ga.

William B. Delauder, Jr. has joined the architectural staff at DS Atlantic. Raleigh, N.C.

Jack Carson, DW Disribution, Dallas, Tx., has been named Top Salesman of the Year for 1997.

Kaylon Burrow, Bean Lumber Co., Glenwood, Ar., wed Christie Collins Feb. 14.

John Anthony, pres., Anthony Forest Products, El Dorado, Ar., and his wife, Pat, are the proud grandparents of 7 lb., 12 oz. Jay Anthony Brooks, born Jan.28, 1998.

Luce Brackett has been hired as chief tool foreman at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to owners llugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

(Please turn to p.49) tar Paper Tube's Specialty Packaging Group offers a full line of economical, environmentally-friendly packaging solutions to meet your growing needs.

O Protect-A-Board (P-A-B)-Protects edges of palletized freight during shipping and handling.

O Secure-Pak-lndividual bundles for easier handling.

O Lay-Flat Tirbing-Protects exposed metals from scratches and marring.

O Protect-A-Wrap-Formed at a 90o angle, then wrapped with white paper for added shength and a cleaner appearance.

O Star-Guard-Moisture resistant protective packaging made from thermoplastic materials.