t*rwnn

TrrE rt*(t BARKER 2ooo

THE IIIITGRATED, ATFORDABTT, DO EVERYIHIiIG IiISIIlE AIID OUI lUrBIn $1I$ illl lxutxr0nv lOG PNOGURTTTTI

MAIIAGTMEl{I S OFIWART.

Listhgs are often submitted months in dvarce. Alwoys verily dates aid locations with sponsor before nuking plans to attend-

Apru

Long-Lewis HardwareApril 10-11, spring hardware market, Birmingham Civic Center, Birmingham, 41.; (205) 322-2561.

Mid-America Lumbermens AssocistionApril 11'16' Southem mill tour, Tunica, Ms., to New Odeans, La.; (800) 747-6529.

Wood Machinery Manufacturers of AmericaApril 13'1E, joint conference with the Wood Machinery Industry Association, Alston Wailea Resort, Maui, Hi.; (215) 5643484.

Internetional Wood Markets ConferenccApril 14'16, international conference, Auckland, New Zealand; (601) 8015996.

Southern Forest Products AssociationApril 15'15, spring committee meeting, Le Meridien Hotel, New Odeans, La.; (su)4$-4e.

Kitchen & Bath Industry ShowApril 16-1t, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fl.; (972) 239-3MO.

Oklahoma Lumbermen's AssociatlonApril 19, golf tourna' ment; April 20, board meeting, Ardmore, Ok; (800) +++' r771.

National Hardwood Lumbcr AssociationApril 2l'23,lumber grading short course, NHLA Educational Building, Memphis, Tn.; (800) 933-0318.

Roof Coatfngs Manufacturers AssociatlonLptil 2l'23, spring committee meetings, Harbor Court, Baltimore, Md.; (3ol) 230-2501.

National Wood Flooring AssociationApril 22'4, anntal convention, Golden Nugget Hotel, Reno, Nv'; (314) 3915161.

TruServ Corp.lrpnl 23-tl, spring market, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga.; (77 3) 695-5000.

Material Handling Equipment Distributors AssociationApril ?*28, annual convention & manufacturer's fair, Boca Raton Resort & Club, Boca Raton, Fl.; (847) 68G3500.

American Hardware Menufrcturers AssocintionApril 25' 2t, Hardlines Technology Forum, Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, Co.; (847) 605-1025.

Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers AssociationApril 25'2E' annual convention, Colonial Williamsburg Hotel, Williamsburg, Va.; (7 03) 264-1690.

Structural Board AssociationApril Tl-29, annual mecting' West Palm Beach, Fl.; (416) 73G9090.

Ilerdwood Plywood & Veneer AssocietionApril 28'May I' spring convention, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, N.C.; (703) 435-29m,

Lumbermen's Association of TexasApril 29'May 2, annual convention & buying market, San Antonio Convention Center, San Antonio, Tx.; (800) 749-5862.

Lhrv

Oklahoma Lumbermen's AssociationMay l, day at the races, Oklahoma City, Ok; (800) 444-1771.

North American Wholesale Lumber AssociationMay 1'4' l07th annual meeting, Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, Az.; (800) 527-8258.

Composite Panel AssociationMay 1'5, spring meeting' Tumberry Isle Resort & Club, Aventura, Fl.; (301) 67G0604.

(Please tum to p. 3l for more Calendar items)

When Smart Businesses Partner with DMSi Everything Gets a Little Better. Why? BccauseL)MSI has beerr anlurd krr-rg enoLrgh t.o know l-row to maker yorrr business thrive. And u.e knorv thiit.l,our sL1cccss dcper-rds on pro\cp s61i.r,l'are products hom an inclrrst.rv learcler For ovcr 20 years DNISils LrniclLrc vision has been pror,ing t.hat. changc is eood.Jrrst. ask anv of our orcr 200 sat.isfled customc-rs. Whcn youre ready Lo tee it up u.rth a n.inning partr-rer gir''e I )NlSi a call, or visit. our web site norv at. www.dmsi.com. \Vc'll shorvlrcru lvays t.o irnpror,.eycrur llrsiness that also rliufrt just impror,,e yorrr lifb. Youll see Lhat. whcn you partner rurh DNlSlchange is good.

*ilange Your life Tudaf!

{02.330.Sfi20 www.dm$l.Gom

Florida Building Material Association has named as its new president Bill Tucker, executivc director of the Florida Wood Council.

He succeeds Bill Carson, who has semi-retired and moved to North Carolina.

Concurrently, Florida Building Material Association assumed responsibility for managing thc Florida Wood Council. "Other than no longcr having overhead expcnses, nothing changes," says FWC president Ed Dietrich. "Its board of directors and officers still chart its course of direction, its funds remain separate and it even has its own telephone numbcrs and post office box."

Mississippi Building Material Dealers Association installed Steve Breland as president during its recent annual convention. Other new officers: lst v.p. Larry Broadhead, 2nd v.p. Jimmy Lackey, executive committce membcrs Weslev Thomas and Lee Nabors, advisory board member Sam Fant, directors Randal Grant, Frank Thomas, Wayne Banks, Andy Breland, Bob Evans, Rusty Long, Roy Fountain, Dee Simmons, Louis King, Mark Hines, John Cloy and Larry Broadhead, and ladies auxiliary prcsidcnt Panr Breland.

During the concurrcnt trade show, 76 booths sold morc than $1 million in rncrchandise.

MBMDA will hold its mid-year board of directors mceting Aug. 6-7 at the Silver Star Resort Casino & Convention Center, Philadelphia, Ms.

Mid-America Lumbermens Association director of adminstration Mary Sue Voth has retired.

Kentucky Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association wel- comcd Susan Elmore, Buzick Lumber & Homc Center, Bardstown, as its ncw president during its recent annual convention.

Other new officcrs: v.p. Ron G<lode, Cole Lumber Co., Paducah: secretary/treasurer Ralph Jones, Jones Do-it Center, Upton, and chairman of thc board/national director/immediatc past president Steve Kelly, Kelly Bros. Lumber Co., Covington.

New to thc board are: Harold Bratton, Barnett Lumber Co., Campbellsburg; Kevin Brooks, Future Designs Ace Hardware Home Center, Leitchfield; Bill Bucher, Square Deal Lumber Co., Park City; Tom Womack, Farmers True Value Hardware, Grayson; Elmore, Goode, Jones, Kelly, and associate members Michael Peach, Dyke Industries, Erlanger, and Marvin Wiley, Wallace (Please turn to p. 30) whatever it takes. rat's a commitment we've made to Wrllamette customers for the rtter part of a century and that's not going to change. Tellyou why. rving loyal partnerships is what we value most. Everything it takes deliver products of consistent quality-traditional and engineered rod-is a Willamette priority. As it should be. Because the customers ; work with every day depend on this quality standard to do their rs well. After all, they have a vested interest. Which is why making pital investments in our plants, keeping pace with new product velopment, and responsibly managing our forest resources are s0 portant to the job we do now and in the future. lt's a team effort. d one we're mighty proud of lf you'd like to know more, call us at 800-887-0748 ext. 100 or visit us at www.wii.com.

Ace Hardware Plans Gulf Goast DC

Ace Hardware plans a $35 million, 800,000-sq. ft. retail support center (RSC) on a 103-acre site in Loxley, Al. Housing 66,0fi) SKUs worth an estimated $40 million, the facility will serve 322 retailers in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and the Florida panhandle. It will operate seven days a week,362 days a year, and feature 30,(X)0 sq. ft. of office space, 80 dock doors and 40-ft.-high ceilings.

Groundbreaking is slated for the second quarter for a fall 20fi) opening.

The RSC, Ace's l6th in the U.S., will help alleviate demand at facilities in Tampa, Fl.; Little Rock, Ar., and Gainesville, Ga., which are at capacity.

84 Opens New Format Store

This month 84 Lumber is unveiling its new prototype 84 Plus combination hardware store/lumberyard in Dayton, Tn.

The new format includes a 10,000-sq. ft. hardware store with a small showroom for kitchens. windows and doors and 5OVo more SKUs than a typical 84 unit, particularly in plumbing, electrical, hardware and paint. Since the stores will be of comparable size to traditional 84 yards, more building materials will be stocked in outdoor sheds.

The chain hopes to open 20 to 30 84 Plus stores over the next several years in small markets lacking a warehouse home center. Existing stores in similar markets may be reformatted.

Other areas of expansion for the chain this year are a new builder financing program and the addition of a second Maggie's Showroom, two component plants and more installed sales centers.

G-P To Build Arkansas OSB Plant

Georgia-Pacific has selected Calhoun County, Ar., as the site of a new OSB plant that will ultimately replace older, less efficient structural panel operations.

Engineering and permitting work has begun, and the facility should begin full production in early 2001, producing approximately 410 million sq. ft. annually (3/8" basis). With 16 softwood plywood plants, six OSB plants and total annual capacity of 7 billion sq. ft., Georgia-Pacific reportedly is the largest producer of structural wood panels in the U.S.

Georgia-Pacific has not yet determined which facilities will be shuttered, and if they will be plywood or OSB plants.

Join In On Redwood Deck Contest

Retailers can help generate-and profit from--deck building excitement by participating in the California Redwood Association's ninth national redwood deck contest.

Free point-of-purchase banners and countertop entry blank displays are available to dealers.

CRA will award cash prizes of $3,(X)0, $2,000 and $1,000. Deadline for entries is July 15.

Co-sponsoring the contest is Today's Homeowner (formerly Home Mechanix), a consumer magazine with a circulation of one million readers.

Depots Stay Open Longer

Tbvelve more Home Depots, including ll in the South, are now open24 hours a day.

Hours were extended effective March I in Oakland Park, N. Miami Beach, Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami and Hollywood, Fl.; Gretna, La.; Mesquite, San Antonio and Houston, Tx.; St. Louis, Mo., and Toronto.

Over the last l8 months, 35 stores have gone to around-the-clock operation, including three others in Texas, one each in Harahan, La.; Tampa, Fl., and Atlanta, Ga.

Treater Openlng In Virginia

Old Dominion Lumber Co., LLC, a new lumber treater, has leased land and several buildings at a former Martinsville, Va., DuPont nylon plant.

According to B.E. "Ed" Brammer, managing director, the company will purchase *$7-$9 million" annually of raw lumber from local mills and provide "added value" to distributors by sorting, grading and drying the hardwood for furniture companies. "We are primarily dealing with export lumber dealers," he added.

Besides the factory the 16-acre plot contains paved roads and a rail link. The $10 million start-up business will employ 25 people and open in January 2000. Paul Pritchard, ex-Timber Ridge Lumber Co., Granite Falls, N.C., is president and chief executive officer, with Gregory Brammer as sales manager.

Nn-ex Joins Tllpx

North American Lumber Exchange Inc. (Nru.e:<), a two-year-old electronic bulletin board service for buying and selling lumber, has merged into Tupx.

Nnlex founder Jeff Morrison and Pat Costello have joined Chicagobased Tn px, an electronic commerce business for the lumber and panel industry.

Devlce Explodes At Lowe's

No threats were made and no motive has yet been uncovered after a small explosive device detonated inside the plumbing department at Lowe's, Elizabethtown, Ky.

Classified as a "low ordinance detonation," the device, 5" to 6" long and about l" to l-112" in diameter, detonated about 30 minutes before closing Jan.24, causing no injuries or damage to the building.

According to police, an employee discovered the device after he went to investigate a loud sound and noticed something burning and people running from the area. Within minutes, police arrived to help evacuate the building and block off the parking lot.

Wholesale Confidence Builds

Wholesale-distributors' confidence in current business conditions decreased on a short-term basis but increased for the long term, according to a recent Arthur Andenen survey.

Confidence in company prospects for the current quarter compared to the fourth quarter of 1998 slipped from 120.0 to 115.6. The index operates on a base of 100, recorded in the second quarter of 1991.

Confidence for the next 12 months compared to the previous 12 months rose from 107.4 to 107.9.