Ways to develop a hardwood paneling profit center

wood planking "ready to put on a cart and roll out." are another part of Allison's philosophy. To support his theory, he packages 3/4 inch tongue and groove paneling in shrink wraP with labels carrying complete d-i-y instructions. Stocking moulding finished to match the panelings is a "must," Allison emphasizes.

He recommends that dealers make installation service available for "the person who is all thumbs." For this customer as well as contractor customers, he packages paneling in cartons with enough material to cover 63 sq. ft.

seek instant social position and prestige.

Robert E. Allison lll, president of Landmark. advises retailers that these customers want to see what the wall will look like. To achieve this, he recommends color brochures filled with application pictures as point of purchase literature and advertisements showing the product in action.

Prominent displays with hard-

Story at a Glance

Suggestions for attrac'ting YuP pies to the joys of owning solid hardwood plank or Paneling .. tips from a trio of manufac' turers for dealers on how to sell more hardwood Paneling. .. slogans that have worked.

"There are plenty of benefits for the retailer who stocks solid hardwood panels," says La Verne Ard. general manager of Marsh Lumber Co.. Pamplico, S.C. "Although he has to tie up a lot of moneY in inventory, the panels are high profit items."

He suggests cypress, which can be used inside or outside, as a good retail product. The company manufactures panels in a wide range of species, mainly for the architectural market.

"Hardwood panels sell themselves." says Debbie Koeser, a sales representative at sheoga, Hardwood Flooring and Paneling Inc., Burlon. Oh. She backs her statement bY emphasizing the importance of displays. Using hardwood panels of various species, unfinished or with different stains, in a vignette or on a walladjacent to the hardwood paneling section can point up the beautY of the wood. she explains. Chain samples (small pieces of various wood species connected by a chain) also are good sales aids, helPing to point out quality and insulation value, Koeser adds.

AALES of readv-to-finish and ID readv-to-urrem-ble solid hardwood fuiniture by home centers are expected to be bolstered bY a consumer oriented marketing campaign called The Hardwood Solution.

Backed by over 100 solid hardwood furniture manufacturers and the Hardwood Manufacturers Association, the marketing communications effort centers on a hang tag attached to or included with a purchase of solid hardwood furniture. Two publications, The Hardwood Solution and The Solid Guide to Hardwood Furniture, as well as newspaper articles and editorial coverage in home magazines are designed to bolster interest in solid hardwood furniture.

By providing marketing support for retailers of solid U.S. hardwood furniture, the program aims to stimulate sales. A 1986 Quest Consumer Survey showed that 90% of

Home centers included in hardwood furniture marketing campaign

the American public already prefers furniture made of solid hardwoods. With more discretionary income, many young families are able to afford the value and quality of hardwood. Others are realizing that by applying the sweat equity of do-it-

Story at a Glance

How to penetrate ready-to- finish & ready-to-assemble solid hardwood lurniture market . . . use of hang tags, literature, videos to boost home center sales. dealers can capitalize on consumer desire for solid hardwood value.

yourself, they can afford to purchase solid hardwood ready-to'finish or ready-to-assemble furniture instead of man-made materials or imports. The Solid Guide to Hardwood Furniture can be purchased for distribution to customers. The HMA also has a sales education video and a consumer point of sale video available for retailers.

Companies that s€rve the home center market. such as Harris of Pendleton, Whittier Wood Products, Taylor Woodcraft, Athol Table Manufacturing, S&S Wood & Things, John Boos and Co., Union City Chair, Delta Design and ApPalachian Chair are included among the manufacturers participating in The Hardwood Solution Program.

In addition to the hang tags, literature, videos and print campaign, the Hardwood Manufacturers Association is sponsoring the Hardwood House as a showcase for hardwood furniture, flooring, paneling, cabinetry and other products. Dan Driz, a nationally known furniture designer, is coordinating the project and acting as a spokesman for the HMA.

Companies contributing to the Hardwood House include Coastal Lumber Co., Harris-Tarkett, Kentucky Wood Floors, Walter H. Weaber Sons, Inc., W. M. Cramer Lumber Co. and Fitzpatrick & Weller, Inc.

Ll AWAII. The land of lush tropi- If cal beauty and color. Exotic. enchanting, elusive. The land of koa.

Koa is Hawaii's finest native hardwood, growing solely on the main island of Hawaii. Yet its lofty value has always been parallelled by increasing scarcity. It grows best in areas that can be - and have been - converted into ideal grazing land. The koa forests which have not yet been cleared to develop pastures are primarily hlled with old trees in the rather inaccessible areas above 4,000 feet elevation, on the slopes of Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, and Hualaiai

As a result, the full potential of koa has often gone unrealized. Even before the days ofprotective conservationists, the Hawaiian kings of long ago would restrict the valuable wood for their own uses. And the current problems of age and scarcity have contributed to koa's shaky supply reputation.

But now at least one sawmill is operating around the difficulties in the koa forests. Sumwood. Inc.. a Palos Verdes Peninsula (Los Angeles), Ca., importer, has joined forces with this mill as a reliable source for koa, guaranteeing a steady, continuous supply for years. Sawing at its current pace of about 40,000 board feet per month, the source has secured enough standing koa to last about 15 years.

Seldom before has a company been able to offer a complete package of koa items from stock, and Sumwood is taking full advantage of the opportunity by providing a wide variety of products. Koa lumber, paneling, plywood. flooring (both strip and parquet), and even complementary mouldings, including baseboard, panel moulding, cove. casing, crown and quarter round profiles, are available.

Sumwood president J.R. "Jim" Summerlin, who is also the current president of the International Hardwood Products Association, has coordinated with the suppliers in Hawaii to make his offerings ready from inventory for immediate shipments.

One look at a slice of koa instantly delivers its greatest sales feature. The rich, beautiful heartwood ranges from a pale blonde to a reddish and even deep chocolate brown. It is commonly figured by light and dark banding of the growth rings and a