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LATEST LUMBER SALES TECHNOLOGY  SIDING & TRIM  SOUTHERN LUMBER ISSUE JUNE 2013

Building Products Digest

INDUSTRY NEWS & MONEY-MAKING STRATEGIES FOR LUMBER & BUILDING MATERIAL DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS

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Special Features

June 2013

Building Products Digest

16 FEATURE STORY

LBM COMPANIES REDESIGN WEBSITES FOR MOBILE VIEWERS

9 MARGIN BUILDERS

SIDING SALES STRATEGIES

18 INDUSTRY TRENDS

10 MANAGEMENT TIPS

VENDORS’ PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE WORKSHOPS EQUIP YOUR STAFF TO SELL

EPICOR’S PLANS FOR PSI

34 SPECIAL FOCUS:

SOUTHERN FOREST PRODUCTS

SFPA, SLMA ON SUPPLY, DEMAND, PRICES, NEW DESIGN VALUES

12 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

GREEN VINYL SIDING IS MORE THAN JUST A COLOR

 Volume 32  Number 4

48 PHOTO RECAP: NAWLA MEET

In Every Issue 6 TOTALLY RANDOM 20 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE 24 OLSEN ON SALES 30 MOVERS & SHAKERS 30 APP WATCH 44 NEW PRODUCTS 51 ASSOCIATION UPDATE 52 IN MEMORIAM 52 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 53 DATE BOOK 54 IDEA FILE 54 ADVERTISERS INDEX

Online BPD DIGITAL VERSION, BREAKING INDUSTRY NEWS, & INDUSTRY EVENT PHOTOS VISIT OUR COMPLETELY REDESIGNED WEBSITE AT BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM

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Building-Products.com

TOTALLY Random

By Alan Oakes

Spring forward, fall back… or is it the other way around?

A

S WE NEAR the end of spring, I have been reasonably positive about the industry results so far and the prospects for all of 2013. But, there are several lingering questions regarding the economy as a whole that give me pause and hopefully don’t trigger a reset button. Then again, I just read an article advising me to “stop apologizing,” so even if I’m wrong, I will probably shut up and hope nobody remembers a few months down the turnpike. Isn’t that what all economists do when they are wrong?

By all accounts, the housing numbers look good and every economist I see and hear predicts much the same: just under 1 million starts this year and 1.1+ million next year.

To me, about 1.1 to 1.2 million starts is where I see the market at a sustainable level, although forecasts for 2015 shows upwards of 1.4 million.

The interesting stat—and perhaps the disconcerting one—is that growth is greater in multi-family vs. single-family. Reports suggest that homeownership in the U.S. is at its lowest since 1995, reflecting rising demand for rentals and investors buying single-family homes to rent. Homeownership is at 65%, while rental vacancies fell from 8.8% to 8.6%. A year ago, I expressed concern that as the younger generation become more mobile, especially in a tight job market, the allure of owning a home as a long-term investment may not be quite so prevalent (also reflecting that many children do not leave the nest until their late 20s and even 30s).

Equally troubling, I heard a leading bank official say that there is no reason why home prices should be rising, with all the potential inventory of homes out there. Indeed, in some areas, prices have started to recede again.

Talking with industry friends over the last couple of weeks, I also hear mixed signals, although mostly optimistic. Yet even those who sound positive still have doubts.

In the overall economy, the new job creation engine stalled in March at 88,000, although a few weeks later, the government realized its couldn’t count and revised the figure up to 138,000. April came in at 165,000—a better number, but still suggesting a slowing. Indeed, many of the new jobs are lower-paying jobs in restaurants and bars (go figure). Unemployment fell to 7.5%, but the rate remains questionable, as more and more leave the work force.

All of the above creates what I heard described as an economy hamster wheel, where we are trapped and cannot find our way out. As you listen to the daily financial reports there does appear to be a spring slowdown, with retail sales and manufacturing output down. It appears that after a good first quarter, the spring doldrums is becoming an annual event, like in 2011 and 2012.

The Sequester and this year’s higher taxes—including stealth ones that many are just realizing have kicked in—are likely responsible. You take money out of pockets and it cannot be spent in the economy. After 2% growth in the first quarter, it is expected to fall to 1.5% in the second quarter. On the bright side, growth could be 2.4%+ for the rest of the year. This may follow the pattern we saw in 2012, with a stronger second half.

As opposed to the events outside of our control, such as the euro crisis, we have understood much of this was going to happen. It is no surprise. It won’t cause shock waves that might stall the entire economy. With the good housing numbers, strong auto sales, lower energy prices, and some easing on consumer credit, the negatives are outweighed by the positives. So, although we are immediately feeling the tax increases and spending cuts, I expect around 4% growth in the economy next year.

So back to the “don’t apologize” article I was reading.

The whole point was that if you have a habit of apologizing too much for every little thing, it begins to have no value and becomes ever easier to say.

Oftentimes, no one but you recognized your mistake and you should only make apologize when you make a big one. Unfortunately, I have too much of a public forum for my mistakes, so keep watching this space!

Have a great summer.

Alan Oakes, Publisher ajoakes@aol.com

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BPD

Building Products Digest www.building-products.com

A publication of Cutler Publishing

4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, CA 92660

Publisher Alan Oakes ajoakes@aol.com Publisher Emeritus David Cutler Director of Editorial & Production David Koenig dkoenig@building-products.com Editor Karen Debats kdebats@building-products.com Contributing Editors Carla Waldemar, James Olsen Advertising Sales Manager Chuck Casey ccasey@building-products.com Administration Director/Secretary Marie Oakes mfpoakes@aol.com Circulation Manager Heather Kelly hkelly@building-products.com

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Building-Products.com

MARGIN Builders

By Scott Chiccarello, Weyerhaeuser Distribution

Siding sales strategies

A

S THE NEW housing and remodeling markets continue to improve, demand for siding will certainly grow as well. In fact, the Freedonia Group expects demand for siding to expand 8.4% per year through 2016. To make the most of the opportunity, and to ensure those dollars stay at your yard, consider these sales strategies:

Educate Yourself

We’re more likely to promote and sell what we feel comfortable with. One of the best ways to sell more siding is to know your products—and those of your competitors— literally inside and out. Understand the differences between materials, the features and benefits of each, and even maintenance and installation best practices.

The more confident you are in the subject matter, the easier it will be to educate customers who may be considering competing products that you don’t sell. This includes being well-versed in products’ warranties and what they mean. For example, James Hardie’s fiber-cement siding carries a 30-year non-prorated warranty. At first glance, that seems less than a competitor’s 50-year warranty, but the fine print reveals that the longer warranty is prorated.

Soak up information using every resource at your disposal, from reading any and all available literature and the manufacturer’s website to taking advantage of product knowledge sessions from your distributor rep and your manufacturer rep.

Product knowledge sessions should also be held for trade customers at the yard or on the jobsite to supplement face-to-face meetings. If needed, pair the session with a barbeque or a golf outing for higher-volume customers.

Along with basic product knowledge, read trade publications to keep up on exterior trends, to help you provide the most well-rounded advice on materials, styles and colors.

Understand Upgrades

The first thing on most buyers’ minds is cost, which is why upgrades don’t sell themselves. Understand the benefits of higher-quality lines and be well-versed in the value proposition. Over its lifetime, prefinished siding will cost the same or even less than unfinished products due to reduced maintenance costs.

Look Professional

Keep your siding display as informative and up-to-date as possible. If there’s room, highlight color/pattern samples as well as mock-up walls of popular looks, including trim and other accessories. Highlight unique features and benefits of premium products. And be sure to keep product literature current and stocked.

Beyond these tactics, consider upgrading your displays a Building-Products.com

PREFINISHED products like James Hardie’s ColorPlus fiber-cement siding more than justify an initially higher price, in maintenance savings.

bit further with technology. For example, an interactive touchscreen showcasing project images and explaining product benefits can keep homeowners engaged and inspired. Similarly, expand your informational giveaways with resourceful handouts—branded with your logo—discussing installation techniques and trends.

Don’t Forget the Trim

Trim is often an afterthought for builders, and therefore one in which cheap products may get slapped up only to require replacement in a few years. Make sure you not only carry trim products from the same lines as your siding offerings, but that you educate buyers on the long-term value brought by a small upgrade to higher-quality trim.

Coordinating soffits also should be considered.

Stock Smarter

Having diverse and plentiful stock on hand is an important element to making the sale—but not always simple with hundreds of SKUs and not much space. One key is understanding your market and current demand by studying sales trends and conversing with customers. For example, what are the most popular colors and styles in your area?

What is the demand forecast for your market?

With all of these steps, preparation and planning play a central role in higher-volume and higher-profit siding sales.

Boosting your knowledge and plotting a strong inventory strategy can give you a leg up on competitors as the industry continues to rebound.

– Scott Chiccarello is a Weyerhaeuser distribution dealer sales representative for the Mid-Atlantic region. Contact him via www.woodbywy.com.

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9

MANAGEMENT Tips

By Carey Walley, AZEK Building Products

Vendors’ PK seminars equip your sales team with selling power

W

HY SHOULD DEALERS take advantage of manufacturer training programs? Mainly because training programs are often one of the best ways to empower your salespeople and increase your bottom line.

In our experience, training need not

be one long exhaustive lecture – it can be engaging and fun. Spicing up the training sessions with a series of different activities, including hands-on building projects, your sales reps gain insider knowledge and get involved with the product. By the time the

PRODUCT TRAINING: Marion Miller, Alpha Alpha Building Center, Shipshewana, In., and AZEK’s Katie Weber look on as Alpha’s Virgil Hersheberger shows what he’s learned about working with different nail hole and gap filling products commonly used when installing AZEK Trim.

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power tools are revved up, your salespeople are well on their way to being revved up, too. In addition to increasing sales, training can also greatly reduce callbacks, create expert brand ambassadors within your organization, and help build solid relationships at all levels.

Product training also helps to keep communication in sync along the entire supply channel, whether it’s finding everyday solutions for customers or supporting a new product launch. It can be the playbook that ensures manufacturers and distributors are on the same page with your sales team. Add in some social events and competitions, and the experience can be even more enjoyable. And, yeah, it can get loud as everyone gets psyched up to build the best project.

As we all know, dealer sales are often relationship-based. That means that making sure your sales team has hands-on experience with the product is essential in communicating the benefits to a customer. Contractors welcome the insights that your salespeople have about new products—and trust them to help make their businesses stand out among the competition.

The more knowledgeable your salespeople are about a manufacturer’s products, the more comfortable they will feel about selling them. And, if they are given a chance to actually work with a product, you can rely on them to not only explain it well, but perhaps even demonstrate how a product works—letting their actions speak Building-Products.com

far louder than words.

For example, if a contractor comes in to buy materials for a porch job, your salespeople may be able to simply rattle off a few products they could buy. However, if they have been properly trained on different ways to enhance a front porch to make it lowmaintenance, they may be able to multiply the value of that sale. A wellschooled sales rep could recommend an assortment of solutions that the contractor may not have even thought about, such as cellular PVC for the porch planks, beadboard ceiling and column wrap. Knowing how and why the numerous alternatives on the market compare to traditional materials will allow your sales rep to be a resource for the contractor, while increasing your sales. And, in the future, that contractor will likely rely on your people being knowledgeable and able to decipher the sea of new products on the market.

So, what should you expect a learning session to cover? Topics can vary widely but will typically include product performance and composition, Material Safety Data info, code listings, warranties, marketing and merchandising tools, features and benefits, installation tips, and differences from competitors. Plant tours are also beneficial in showing the ingredients, quality and testing processes that go into making a product. A combination of these training topics and facility tours combine to provide an overall view of the company and its products.

Attendees should expect to come away with first-hand knowledge of what the brand stands for and the resources available to support it.

Training can be conducted either at your location or at a facility created by the manufacturer. As an example, we have AZEK University at our headquarters, with a workshop “hands on” room, presentation rooms, and a showroom where anyone from distributors to dealers and even contractors can learn. The workshop is equipped with many of the power tools and equipment that contractors use in the field.

Everyone attending these types of events learn much more than they expected and leave more enthusiastic than ever. As a recent dealer sales rep proclaimed after leaving a training session, “You just planted a lot of seeds for sales for the future.” That is really what this is all about—empowering your team to increase sales.

Depending on how many product Building-Products.com

lines are covered, the length of a training program can range from a few hours to a few days. For the multi-day events, components typically include hands-on workshops, demonstrations and product use sessions, Q&A sessions with R&D, marketing and product management personnel, training manuals, videos, PowerPoint presentations and takeaways. The demos and hands-on product experience are extremely important because they give dealers a real feel for the product.

They can touch, feel and work with the materials and even do a mini installation.

If it isn’t possible to spend a few days away, having a manufacture provide a mini-training session at your location is still better than no training.

To supplement in-person training, you should also ask a manufacturer if any online training options are available.

For example, an important online training resource for AZEK to share new product information and provide on-going refresher training is a dedicated online training platform called Brainshark. Designed to highlight new products in quick, 12-minute learning modules, Brainshark uses cloud-based software to create, share and track

online and mobile video presentations. It provides on-demand training, allowing distributors, dealers, contractors and architects to access AZEK’s new product training on their own schedules.

Overall, when performed consistently and effectively, training programs can greatly enhance your sales team’s relationship with your distributors and manufacturers. At the end of the training session, your salespeople should have a direct point of contact at the manufacturer in order to facilitate continuous communication throughout the year to help support sales.

Seizing the opportunity to have your employees attend manufacturers’ training programs, gives you the ability to experience first-hand the best, margin boosting way to better serve your customers. Training will help move products out of your yard and into your customers’ trucks or onto jobsites—and that is a great reason to say “yes” to training.

– Carey Walley is v.p. of marketing for AZEK Building Products and TimberTech, both wholly owned divisions of CPG International, Scranton, Pa. Reach her at (800) 307-7780 or cwalley@timbertech.com.

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11

PRODUCT Spotlight Vinyl Siding

By Jerry Blais, Ply Gem

Green vinyl siding is more than just a color

I

being the most popular siding in the U.S., vinyl siding is verifiably green. I don’t mean the color of the product—although that can be made green, too—I mean, according to a recent study, “Today’s N ADDITION TO

Vinyl Siding: Verifiably Green” by the Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI) and Sustainable Solutions Corp., vinyl siding is more environmentally friendly and sustainable than almost every other exterior cladding on the market

VINYL is among the most environmentally friendly and sustainable cladding materials on the market.

Photos of Mastic Home Exteriors by Ply Gem

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today.

Many homeowners, builders, remodelers and distributors may be quick to assume that when a product is described as green or sustainable, it’s only referring to the post-installation energy efficiency performance. This green verification takes into account every step in an exterior cladding’s life, comparing vinyl siding, insulated siding, brick, fiber cement, stucco, exterior insulated finishing systems (EIFS) and cedar siding. Brick, for example, requires approximately five times more energy to manufacture than vinyl siding, and fiber cement, almost twice as much energy.

The material comparison of the VSI report was based on findings from the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s standard building evaluation criteria, called Building for Environmental & Economic Sustainability (BEES). This model paints a rich tapestry describing each exterior cladding’s life cycle, starting from the extraction of raw materials all the way to installation and maintenance. As evidenced in the report, vinyl siding has sustainable benefits from the beginning to the end.

For starters, the embodied energy, (Please turn to page 14) Building-Products.com

or overall energy, a product will use in its life cycle, is low in vinyl siding compared to other materials, due to relatively low energy used for material extraction and manufacturing. In fact, vinyl’s two building blocks are common salt, from which chlorine is extracted, and natural gas, from which ethylene is made. Common salt is one of earth’s most common compounds, while natural gas is readily available in the U.S. and has far less environmental impact than imported fossil fuels used to produce other materials.

On top of efficient raw material extraction, any scrap material from manufacturing vinyl can be reused to

make pipes or other vinyl product, resulting in virtually no manufacturing waste. According to the report, vinyl siding does not contribute to the creation of CO 2 or other pollutants commonly affiliated with global warming potential, and its potential of releasing harmful chemicals is lower than even natural wood shakes.

The low maintenance characteristics that make vinyl a favorite of homeowners also make it a favorite of those looking to reduce their carbon footprint. Additional chemicals are not needed throughout the product’s life because vinyl siding

never needs to be painted, stained or caulked, it can be cleaned with simple soap and water, and it is wind and water resistant.

From a practical standpoint, vinyl siding weighs less than most materials and scrap rates are less than 1.9% of all construction waste. For distributors and lumberyards, this means less energy is required to physically transport vinyl siding to the job site than its heavier counterparts, saving on fossil fuels. Cleaning up scrap siding is also simple and efficient.

With a greater emphasis than ever on green products, vinyl siding’s green verification is a great selling point, not only to builders and contractors who specialize in green and sustainable building, but to those who are just looking to help their customers save time and money with an efficient, low-maintenance, low waste product. In short, green home products are what customers want.

Vinyl siding even contributes points for certification in the LEED for New Construction and LEED for Homes Rating Systems, as well as the National Green Building Standard.

Due to the effective energy performance of insulated vinyl siding, the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which serves as the major regulatory tool for energy efficient construction, has recognized insulated siding as a building material that can be used as continuous insulation outside of the framing. Energy Star has also included insulated siding in the checklist of products that help homes qualify to earn the Energy Star Qualified Homes label.

As vinyl siding becomes more versatile—both aesthetically, with a wider range of textures and colors, and sustainably, as we have seen from VSI’s report—it will have even more impact on the future of home design.

Expect to see builders, remodelers, architects, designers, contractors and homeowners create the next generation of great-looking, green homes with vinyl siding.

To view the full report, visit www.vinylsiding.org.

– Jerry Blais is v.p.-marketing of the Ply Gem siding group, a leading manufacturer of exterior building products. Blais leads product management, brand communication, and channel development for the company’s siding and accessories brands, including Mastic Home Exteriors, Variform and NAPCO. Reach him via www.plygem.com.

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Building-Products.com

FEATURE Story Responsive Design Websites

CUSTOMERS EXPECT your website to be presented in a format that looks good on smartphones, tablets and computers.

Photo courtesy Select Trusses

LBM companies redesign websites for mobile users

I

F A NEW WEBSITE is in your company’s future—or you’re planning to upgrade an existing one—you’ll want to consider “responsive design.”

Responsive websites automatically adjust for optimal viewing on any device: smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. This concept has been around a couple years, but adoption has picked up lately, as the number of different mobile devices has increased.

“The LBM industry is traditionally slow to respond to technological enhancements,” says Blake Cooper, marketing manager at RoyOMartin, Alexandria, La. “To improve our customer service, we implemented responsive web design to provide more meaningful and useful product information, even on mobile devices.”

Compared to responsive websites, traditional websites—which are designed for larger screens—are harder to navigate on mobile devices, a source of frustration for users.

Offering a mobile app helps, but

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involves additional costs—and updates can be time-consuming.

“Your customers expect your website to be presented in a format that looks good on smartphones, tablets and computers without any effort on their end—without an app,” says Steve Lubahn, vice president of client marketing strategy at Vision Design Group, Winona, Wi. “Downloading an app should provide information or content that can’t easily be provided via a web browser.”

All of this is important because 45% of Americans own a smartphone and 31% own a tablet computer—and they’re using them to access the Internet. And if users become frustrated, they’re not likely to return for a second look or recommend your website to others.

“Surveys show that mobile traffic to all websites has increased significantly every year, and will continue to grow,” says Rachelle Shendow, marketing manager at AZEK Building June 2013

Products, Scranton, Pa. “Recognizing this trend, we developed a responsive website in order to improve the user experience—for consumers at their home computers or contractors using smartphones or tablets on a jobsite.”

Although a responsive website can cost slightly more upfront, it is less expensive than maintaining separate desktop, tablet, and smartphone sites.

It’s also cheaper and easier to manage content on a single, responsive website, rather than on multiple sites and apps.

Updates are also significantly cheaper on a single, responsive website than for mobile apps—and don’t require any action by users. Just update content once and every format is updated.

Another way to keep costs down is to partner with someone with experience in responsive website design.

“Select someone who is skilled at this type of website design, to get the most from your investment,” advises Building-Products.com

Shendow.

Tracking visitor response is also easier with responsive websites, because all inbound traffic is routed to the same address—instead of being routed to different versions of the site.

Tech experts say this ensures higher ranking on search engines.

At Carter Lumber, Kent, Oh., the goal was to convert website visitors into Carter customers.

“Through best website design and conversion optimization practices, Carter Lumber instantly grew both traffic and leads when the new website launched,” says designer Justin Smith, OuterBox Solutions, Akron, Oh.

from the Apple App Store.

The California Redwood Co., Eureka, Ca., chose responsive design as the best way to reach its customers and sing the praises of natural redwood.

“We had lots of information to communicate, so it was time to refresh our website,” notes marketing manager Kelly Lusa. “People are using a variety of devices to access the Internet, so we wanted to make sure we are properly represented on all of them.”

GETTING THE WORD out on natural redwood was the goal for The California Redwood Co.’s new responsive website.

ROYOMARTIN implemented responsive web design to provide more useful product information, even on mobile devices.

Carter chose responsive design to bring a fresh look to its website and implement interactive tools such as a store locator, real-time estimators, and a product-quoting system. “My Store” locations are stored for future visits.

Once a quote is completed, it is emailed to the customer, then saved and forwarded to the nearest store.

When it was time to combine two separate websites into a single corporate site, Select Trusses & Lumber and Precision Steel Trusses, West Salem, Wi., chose responsive design, on the advice of Vision Design Group. On the new responsive website, no download is required for Select’s own top chord calculator. Another tool, MiTek’s truss design software, can be downloaded for iPhones and iPads Building-Products.com

Responsive LBM Industry News Building Products Digest has completely overhauled its website, Building-Products.com, creating an even more valuable industry resource with a “responsive design,” so it can be easily viewed not just on desktop computers, but mobile devices as well.

The new site also features: • even more frequent news updates, • improved search and naviga-

tion capabilities, • galleries of event photos, • educational videos, including a new Selling series by columnist James Olsen, • industry job listings, • monthly survey, • wealth of illustrations, and • an online library of digital editions of BPD and sister publication The Merchant Magazine.

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INDUSTRY Trends LBM Software

Epicor has big plans for BisTrack, LumberTrack

BISTRACK, acquired last year from Progressive Solutions, has become Epicor’s primary LBM system.

L

AST YEAR,

when one of the lumber and building material industry’s most unique software providers, Progressive Solutions, was acquired by a global conglomerate, fears were that new owner Epicor Software Corp., Dublin, Ca., would either radically change PSI’s popular BisTrack and LumberTrack products or discard them completely.

Now that the dust has settled, BPD takes a closer look at the acquisition—what it means to Epicor and PSI customers and potential customers, and what the industry should expect from Epicor moving forward.

BPD: What does the deal mean for PSI customers?

Steve Bieszczat, senior v.p., marketing: PSI customers should know that Epicor is fully committed to the growth and success of BisTrack and LumberTrack. The company plans to continue to sell, develop and support these two successful products. This means that BisTrack and LumberTrack customers will enjoy the benefits of being with a large, market-leading company. These benefits include long-term stability, growth and access to Epicor companion products, such as EDI, hardware STEVE BIESZCZAT and payment services.

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BPD: What is going to happen to PSI’s dealer-focused BisTrack line?

Graham Rigby, product manager, BisTrack: BisTrack is our primary go-forward lumber and building material system. BisTrack was built from the ground up, which makes it very different from other platforms in the market. Other platforms could not take true advantage of the latest technologies available.

The BisTrack platform is not constrained by a legacy technology, and that allows us to go where technology is moving—in any direction. Mobile, web, cloud are all possible because of the platform’s strong and flexible technology infrastructure.

BPD: What is going to happen to LumberTrack?

Rigby: LumberTrack is our primary go-forward business software solution for lumber and wood products manufacturers and GRAHAM RIGBY wholesale distributors. We recently announced an update to this product (Version 10) and plan to continue developing, marketing, selling and supporting this popular product. This recent update gives customers advanced customization tools to create role-based user experiences, simplify screens, streamline data entry, extend data accessibility, and support multiple languages.

Adding LumberTrack to our catalog of products extends our LBM market coverage. From hardware stores to pro yards to wholesalers to lumber mills, Epicor now covers the entire supply chain. We understand the nuances of each section in the LBM supply chain, and have products that are specific to the needs of each.

BPD: What about for Epicor customers?

Bieszczat: Epicor customers who are looking to change their technology platform have a new compelling choice with their current technology partner. However, customers who are happy with their Epicor solution should know that Epicor will continue to provide them the service and support they rely on.

BPD: So they needn’t worry that their old, legacy platform is going to become obsolete?

Building-Products.com

Bieszczat: Correct. We appreciate all of our LBM customers and we realize that not everyone needs to have the latest technology. We’ve been serving the LBM market for over 30 years.

Some of our products have been in place for decades and continue to serve their users well. We are going to continue to provide service and support for those customers to the best of our ability.

While BisTrack is our lead LBM product for new customers, our Catalyst/Falcon and ECS Pro customers are a vibrant, important customer base. These products will continue to be sold as extensions of current installations. Epicor will continue to support and keep development resources behind these products and our older legacy systems. We are not actively marketing and selling these products to new customers, but will continue to support those who rely on these products to run their businesses.

BPD: How committed is Epicor to the LBM market, considering the hardship the industry has endured of late?

Bieszczat: Our acquisition of PSI underscores our commitment. The last few years have been rough on the LBM industry. Because Epicor serves a diverse group of industries, we have been able to weather the storm. Like many dealers and builders, we have had to tighten our belts, streamline our operations, and focus resources on growing business segments. However, we never wavered in our commitment to the market and our customers. We are glad we stayed, because we see that the LBM market is improving and dealers are starting to spend more money on new technologies.

Our lumber operations have been revitalized by the PSI acquisition.

There has been a great influx of new talent and energy. We feel we have a compelling solution with the best LBM business management technology, backed by the best and largest corporation in the industry.

BPD: What else is Epicor doing in LBM? Rigby: Epicor spent the last year bringing PSI employees into the fold.

We are pleased that all developers and support personnel have remained with the company. Our investment has not stopped there. We recently added headcount on our services and support team, and we will soon add to the development team.

Building-Products.com

June 2013

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COMPETITIVE Intelligence

By Carla Waldemar

Shrink to fit

B

ACK IN THE DAY , Fullerton Lumber—launched in 1882 in Mitchell, S.D.—owned over 130 lumberyards in the Upper Midwest, mostly small-town operations located by the railroad tracks that sold everything from coal to chicken feed.

But as the company rolled into its third generation, Robert Fullerton II, more of a businessman than the preceding sticks-and-plywood guys— was of the mindset that less equates to more. In line with modern times, he started divesting the smaller yards and concentrating on consolidation, the better to be armed against the

onslaught of the big boxes and in tune with customers’ changing demands.

The current economic downturn hastened the regrouping. Outstate yards were sold in order to buy down debt and navigate the storm. The bucks to be had were no longer to be found in tiny operations in the likes of Yankton, Ia. Those days were over.

Fullerton sharpened its focus by concentrating on a strong core of four stores in the 12-county area rimming the Twin Cities’ urban center: two locations to the east in Osceola and Ellsworth, Wi., and two to the west in Watertown and Glencoe, Mn. (plus

ONCE BOASTING 130 lumberyards throughout the Upper Midwest, Fullerton Lumber has thrived in recent times by focusing on pros, from its four locations.

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headquarters in Plymouth, a suburb of Minneapolis).

The days of d-i-y are over, too: Today, Fullerton has upped its revenue by focusing strictly on its pros: builders, developers, remodelers. And it’s paying off.

Sales manager Mike Simon also realigned the outposts’ outlook. No longer does each general manager run his own location as an independent kingdom sans working with his colleagues. Used to be, says Simon, one store’s driver would speed past another Fullerton store enroute to a delivery. Now, the items are rolled out of the closest operation, while the originating store’s salesman still retains credit for the sale.

And there’s no need for showrooms anymore, either. They’ve been replaced—updated—by iPads, one to a store, to carry to the customer (“He doesn’t need to come to us anymore”) to display all available products with the mere touch of the screen.

Similarly, smartphones and GPS devices also allow instant tracking, which thrills builders waiting at the jobsite. Soon, even drivers and forklift operators will be equipped with these bells and whistles, too. “Our industry is slow to embrace (that kind of) technology” says Simon, “ but you’ve got to think: What’s important to our customers? They need information quickly in order to be better at their own business.”

Speaking of showrooms—or lack thereof—another new “showroom” is (Please turn to page 22) Building-Products.com

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BOX VAN transports windows, doors and more to the jobsite.

the Volvo station wagon of a salesperson working, say, on a kitchen remodel. She simply loads choices of cabinets, or whatever, into her car and drives them to the customer who’s mulling over a project, explaining all the options and walking her through the steps right in her own home.

Staff training has undergone a massive change of direction, too. The typical product-knowledge sessions are just table stakes. What Fullerton provides is actual training in sales skills, such as communicating, attitude, and negotiating.

“When times were good, you just took their order,” Simon says. “Now, you need to prospect and to network.

As the industry changes, clients expect more from you, like problem-solving, better service—not just the best price.

Sure, the salesmen had to struggle to change, but they’ve learned how to better reach their customers; they’re going to trade shows, joining builders’ organizations, getting leads via Keystone, pulled permits, going to the jobsite. By visiting the Parade of Homes venues, they discover who’s building what, and where. Then they investigate those potential customers, do research, asking ‘Tell me what you need!’ They’re forming ties, not only with realtors, but also folks that do insulation, concrete, framers—a whole platform of avenues. And we’ve formed new relationships with our vending partners, such as Boise Cascade and Marvin, so our salespeople can visit their plants. It keeps us on the cutting edge.”

And are these salespeople committed? You bet. Once they reach a certain sales level, they’re rewarded with a free pick-up truck (and 13 of the present 16 already are driving that carrot.)

Negotiating discounts for quantity buying for all four locations is a bonus, agrees president Dave Walock. But that doesn’t mean each facility blindly follows in lock-step.

“Certain customers want specific products, so you defer to what your customer is looking for,” he says. “One custom builder wants only the best, wainfree lumber, premium quality, while another is a market strategist doing a subdivision where price is an issue. You’ve got to look for the sweet spot. And you’ve got to look for the whole package: If you’re not selling him cabinets, why not? All of a sudden, we become extensions of them. And that’s why we’ll

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make ten deliveries to a single site if we have to, if the builder needs it.”

Customers are completely different, store-to-store and day-to-day, from the ag guy building a pole barn to someone putting up a small office building or an airplane hangar. There’s the firsttime homeowner, the remodeler, the builder of upscale custom homes, those working on multi-family buildings or assisted living projects. Says Walock, “It’s everyone from an ag customer in overalls to the builder-as-businessman in a suit and Range Rover. So our challenge is to coach salespeople with the skills to talk to all that, from the higher-volume, business-minded fellow to the small remodeler, one-on-one.

“The biggest piece of our pie,” he reports, “is new homes for the firsttime buyer. We did 65 last year and probably 75 this year. Most are in the $500,000 to $750,000 range, but many are in the $350,000 to $450,000 market, too. Lots of activity for single homes, and for multi-family homes, too. We just did a 120-unit building in Plymouth and have three more onboard. However, it’s the remodeler who remains a challenge. You’ve got to understand the cost of doing business—maybe a delivery of a single item: Can you make money on that?”

Well, one certain way to make money go further is to require, as Fullerton now does, that all managers wear multiple hats. “The day of the general office help are over,” Walock testifies. “Everyone has cross-training. And all do some part of the buying—lumber, OSB, shingles, insulation, exterior doors.”

With Fullerton now ensconced on stronger footing, Walock takes a break to look at the larger economy.

“House sizes are trending smaller,” he says, “due to the cost of land as well as mindset. People are buying both in the exurbs and inner-city infill. When the economy was at its worst, builders shed spec homes and land to save money. Now, in 2013, they’ve nothing to show. But banks are willing to lend again, with very attractive interest rates, so builders are starting to step up. People are gaining confidence, and home values are starting to appreciate. Are their margins better? Yeah, a little. But land will be the spoiler, so we have to wait to grow our own [margins]. Are we there yet? No, but we’re gaining good mileage!

“And we’ve got staying power. The Fullerton family has owned the company for over 130 years, and they have attained a balance between being community partners and being a business. It’s not all about the numbers and the dollars, but a balance, and a very clear sense of a family business—how we operate, our culture.”

And, yes, that’s matriarch Marna Fullerton, age 79, still at her desk at the front of the store. Talk about commitment!

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net Building-Products.com

OLSEN On Sales

By James Olsen

Manage or lead?

W

manage a team to the reach of their individual conflicting goals and desires. With a shared goal, a clear vision, and the human touch, we can lead our team beyond our collective imagination.

Of course, we have a shared goal: sell more! This is the message of most managers, sell more! This is “management by pounding the table,” but it is not leadership. What do sales leaders do to create extraordinary (read: not ordinary) results?

E CAN ONLY

Leader or Hostage?

Managers who fail to grow the strength of the entire team beyond a small percentage of top producers will be held hostage by this group.

People are hyper-aware of “fairness.” Our team expects us to promote and protect it. The best salespeople make the most money. They get more accolades and attention. That’s the way it should be. But, because they sell more does not make them higher quality humans. We want to incent the best to give their best, but not at the price of fairness. If we lose this delicate battle, we will lose our group.

Are You With Me?

If we want our team to follow us into a burning house, we must lead them into that burning house. Telling salespeople what to do creates zero results (beyond what would have happened without our “leadership”) or negative results from those who resent our behind the desk management style.

When we sell side by side with our team, they will follow our leadership. They will give us that extra that makes all the difference in life, business and sales. Our team will accept our coaching after we have gone on a tough call with them. Getting treated poorly together on a sales call is a bonding experience that cannot be produced in the office.

Our number one goal on all sales calls is to make our salesperson look good. Too many sales managers try to show the salesperson “how it’s done.” This undermines the salesperson. We will not be calling on the account next week, so unless we want to do our salesperson’s job, we let them lead the call. Pre-plan the call so we know who is going to talk about what. If the salesperson needs us, they can say, “Why don’t you take this one, John?”

Immediately after the call, we debrief with our salesperson, pointing out good things and areas for improvement. If all we do is talk about the things our salesperson did wrong, we are wasting our breath. Basketball coaching great Larry

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Brown says we need to say five positives to every constructive criticism.

That’s five-to-one. (Larry Brown is the only coach who has an NCAA and an NBA championship.)

Culture of Prospecting

The dirty little secret of the sales world is that only 10% of salespeople are looking for new business. “We have all the accounts we need, we just need to sell more to the accounts we do have.”

Hogwash! I have heard a variation of this statement hundreds of times. It just isn’t so.

Sales leaders create an environment where looking for new business is an all-the-time thing. Most companies look for new business when it is too late, when they are slow.

The best time to look for new business is when we are busy.

More importantly, our account base is actively under siege from the 10% mentioned above—who also happen to be the best salespeople.

We must lead and incent our sales team to go out and call on brand-new, never-done-business-with-us-before customers—this is where real, extraordinary (read: not ordinary), organic growth comes from. Managers who go into the field with their team and call on new accounts will earn loyalty, respect and increased sales—guaranteed.

Lunch & Leadership

Salespeople need attention. Not just business review attention either. Sales leaders understand that sales is an emotional career and that their team needs emotional support. We have 20 lunches a month— use them. Take your salespeople to lunch and listen to them. Talk about what they want to talk about. Treat them like we want them to treat our company’s best customers.

Breaking bread breaks barriers. Show your team you care about them as humans and they will give you superhuman results. That’s sales leadership.

James Olsen Reality Sales Training (503) 544-3572 james@realitysalestraining.com Building-Products.com

Idaho Timber Acquires Hood Sawmill

Idaho Timber, Boise, Id., has purchased Hood Industries’ idled sawmill in Coushatta, Al., and plans to restart the facility by third quarter 2013.

The 60-acre site includes four main buildings, including a 79,000-sq. ft. sawmill, which dates back more than five decades to the original business, Bobcat Lumber. It closed in 2008 due to the recession.

DEALER Briefs Fisher Lumber, Garden Plain, Ks., has agreed to purchase 40-year-old Andale Lumber, Andale and Andover, Ks., from Pat Reichenberger, who will stay on to manage the Andale yard.

Roy Peach Lumber & Supply, Frankfort, Ky., is

closing after nearly 50 years.

Edward Hines Lumber held a grand opening May 15 for its new yard at the former site of F.E. Wheaton , Wheaton, Il. (Pat Briody, ex-F.E. Wheaton, yard mgr.).

Davis Lumber Co. held grand reopenings to celebrate the remodeling of its stores in Texarkana and Malvern, Ar. Van’s Lumber & Custom Builders remodeled its

Dyckesville, Wi., building center.

Rand Lumber’s vacant century-old lumberyard in Rye, N.H., has been purchased by Ricci Lumber owner Ed Hayes, who will redevelop the 90-acre property into a retirement community.

Ace Hardware is opening this summer in Coal Run, Ky. Dawson’s True Value Hardware, Beverly, Ma., held a grand reopening May 3 to show off its top-to-bottom remodel.

Evans Ace Hardware , Grand Island, N.Y., held a grand opening of its newly renovated store in Medina, N.Y. The 3-unit chain purchased the former Hahn’s Ace Hardware two years ago from the retiring owners.

Town & Country True Value, Benton, Il., has closed after 47 years with the retirement of owner John Huffman.

Ace Hardware, Petal, Ms., reopened May 1 in a temporary location, as it plans to rebuild its store destroyed by a Feb. 10 tornado.

Stanley’s True Value Hardware, Roxborough, Pa.,

has remodeled.

Ace Hardware is building a 10,000-sq. ft. store with 5,000-sq. ft. warehouse in Chandler, Tx. McFarlanes’ True Value, Sauk City, Wi., will rebuild

following a May 20 fire.

Dorn True Value Hardware is closing its 51-year-old store in Madison, Wi., reducing the chain to four locations.

E&H Family Group is adding an Ace Hardware late this summer or early in the fall in Oberlin, Oh. 26

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Idaho Timber expects to invest $3.5 million refurbishing the plant, which will employ 90, producing radius-edge decking, dimension lumber, and other products from southern yellow pine.

Sure Drive Buys Ty-Lan Fasteners

Sure Drive USA, Hayward, Ca., has acquired the patents and manufacturing rights from Ty-Lan Enterprises for its complete line of hidden deck fasteners, including ShadoeTrack, The Hidden Link, and Mantis Clip.

Ty-Lan was an original innovator in the hidden deck fastener market with its introduction of ShadoeTrack in 1995.

Brian Orchard, president of Ty-Lan, will continue to be active in sales and product development with Sure Drive.

A division of Pan American Screw, Sure Drive USA is part of Marmon/Berkshire-Hathaway’s Construction Fastener Group, manufacturing Copperguard, Rustguard, Cap-Sure, and Seamaster deck screws.

Interfor to Buy Second Georgia Mill

As part of its strategy to grow its presence in the Southeast, International Forest Products, Vancouver, B.C., agreed to acquire the assets of Keadle Lumber Enterprises, Thomaston, Ga. Founded in 1947, Keadle produces 80 million bd. ft. of southern yellow pine lumber in one shift. Interfor plans to increase the mill’s kiln capacity and add a second shift as market conditions improve, boosting yearly production to 160 million bd. ft.

The deal should close by the end of the second quarter.

The Keadle facility is located approximately 75 miles west of Interfor’s recently acquired mill at Eatonton, Ga.

Worker Falls to Death at Sawmill

OSHA is investigating the accidental death of a 23-yearold employee who fell 40 ft. from a catwalk at Potlatch’s lumber mill in Bemidji, Mn. Mitchell Harthan had worked at the mill for 14 months, as a millwright. The accident occurred April 27 while he was doing routine maintenance work and the section of catwalk he was standing on gave way.

“We are deeply saddened. Our thoughts and prayers are with the employee’s family,” said spokesman Mark Benson, who said the firm has “certain safety protocols” that cover what Harthan was doing at the time of the accident.

This was the first fatality at the mill since it opened in 1990, and Potlatch is ranked as one of the safest companies operating in Minnesota.

In 2002, Potlatch was allowed to enroll in OSHA’s STAR Program, which recognizes companies whose managers and employees “work together to develop safety and health management systems that go beyond basic compliance with all applicable OSHA standards” in an effort to prevent job-related injuries. In 2010, the company’s recertification in the program was extended for five years.

Wood Flooring Producer Expands

Shamrock Plank Flooring, a division of J.T. Shannon Lumber, will spend $25 million to move its manufacturing operations to a 62,900- sq. ft. facility in Hernando, Ms. According to president and c.e.o. Jack T. Shannon Jr., many of the company’s “pre-finish” jobs are outsourced to facilities in China and Mexico. He said that the new, larger facility will allow some of those jobs to return to American workers.

Building-Products.com

SUPPLIER Briefs The Lumber Trading Co., Greensboro, N.C., has been launched by Brad Court, ex-Cook County Lumber, trading for Boscus Canada’s lumber mill in Montreal, P.Q. New England Forest Products, Greenfield, N.H., suffered “significant damage” in a May 1 fire.

Natron Wood Products, Jasper, Or., will invest $10 million opening a 265,000-sq. ft. MDF and HDO plywood facility in Louisville, Ms. Cedar Creek, Oklahoma City, Ok., bought out its financial partners at its location in Springfield, Mo. ABC Supply added a branch in Bergenfield, N.J. The chain was also honored with the Gallup Great Workplace Award for the seventh consecutive year.

Barringer Lumber received a $500,000 grant to start up sawmill operations in Amma, Smithburg and Hazelton, W.V. Hood Distribution , Ayer, Ma., is now distributing Deceuninck North America’s Clubhouse PVC decking

and Clubhouse Elite railing throughout New England.

Amerhart, Green Bay, Wi., is now distributing TruExterior Trim in Wi., Mn., and Ia.

Boral

Architectural Testing has opened a new 20,000-sq.

ft. lab in West Palm Beach, Fl.

Patriot Timber Products, Greensboro, N.C., received a patent for its RevolutionPly and IronPly plywood panels.

Thermory USA has earned a Class B Fire Rating for its thermally modified hardwood decking, with a Flame Spread Index of 35.

The CAMO hidden deck fastening system from National Nail Corp., Grand Rapids, Mi., is now listed as compatible with TAMKO’s EverGrain and Envision composite decking.

James Hardie Building Products’ James Hardie fiber-cement siding earned the Good Housekeeping Seal.

Simpson Strong-Tie was recognized as Preferred Supplier Partner of the Year by tool/fastener co-op Sphere 1 for the second straight year.

Lapointe Lumber, Augusta, Me., was one among winners of the Governor’s Award for Business Excellence.

Cox Industries, Orangeburg, S.C., was named 2013 South Carolina Family Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Anniversaries: Chapel Lumber, Elmira, N.Y., 100th …

Waterfront Lumber Co., Newport News, Va., 100th …

Cerbo Lumber & Hardware, Parsippany, N.J., 65th …

Hiller’s True Value , Marshfield, Wi., 50th …

Fayetteville Lumber, Fayetteville, Tn., 20th …

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MOVERS & Shakers Roy Jones has retired after 52 years in the industry, the last 20 as coowner of Fayetteville Lumber, Fayetteville, Tn. Tommy Eslick is the new mgr.

Jeff Steffen has been named purchasing mgr. for Lumber Unlimited, Jacksonville, Fl. Wayne Brooks has retired from the sales staff at Valley Timbers, Antlers, Ok., after 43 years in the industry.

Sara McKay has joined the sales team at Builders FirstSource, Bradenton, Fl. Lena Rink, ex-SPEC Building Materials, is now a Typar specialist at Snavely Forest Products, Dallas, Tx. David Cunningham, ex-Foxworth-Galbraith, is now operations mgr. John Owens, ex-Fastenal, is a new outside sales rep.

Dwayne Jaycox, ex-Marjam Supply, is a new trader at ENAP, New Windsor, N.Y. Geoff Brown is now with Stock Building Supply, as market mgr. for the Washington, D.C., area.

APP Watch

Application: MARVIN FINISHES Produced by: Marvin Windows & Doors Price: Free Platforms: iPad, iPhone A new app lets homeowners and professionals “build” and preview windows and doors with all of Marvin’s stain, clear-coat, or painted interior finish options.

Marvin offers six stain options— honey, wheat, hazelnut, cabernet, espresso and leather—that can be applied to any of Marvin’s six wood species—pine, white oak, cherry, Douglas fir, mahogany and vertical grain Douglas fir.

Download from iTunes App Store

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Chad Wastler, ex-Sand Creek Post & Beam, has joined the sales force at McCray Lumber & Millwork, Edwardsville, Ks. Bruce Dove, ex-Northeast Building Products, has been named general mgr. at Groech Building Supply, Virginia Beach, Va. Scott Olsen, ex-Columbia Vista Corp., is now purchasing & sales mgr. at Dis-Tran Wood Products, Pineville, Al. Gregg Levin, ex-Leiden Cabinet, is new to sales at Yoder Lumber Co., Millersburg, Oh. George R. Judd has resigned as president, c.e.o., and a director of BlueLinx Holdings, Atlanta, Ga. Howard S. Cohen will serve as executive chairman while the board searches for a successor.

David Lester, ProBuild, Little Falls, Mn., has transferred back to Fergus Falls, Mn., as general mgr.

Holly Rademacher is new to the paint department at United Supply True Value Hardware, Lakefield, Mn. Derek Young, ex-Gary Hobart Roofing & Supply, is new to outside sales at Kapers Building Materials, Watseka, Il. Paul Carlberg is new to sales in the millwork division of Automated Building Components, Chanhassen, Mn. Michael Walters has been promoted to store mgr. at 84 Lumber, Hickory, N.C. Geoffrey Costa has joined Water Mill Building Supply, Water Mill, N.Y., as operations mgr.

Gene Sperry, ex-Sampson Lumber, is new to inside sales at Allied Building Products, South Weymouth, Ma. Courtney Forson has been appointed e-commerce merchandising mgr. at National Builder Supply, Austell, Ga. Jeff Preisner, ex-Monarch Cement, is the new general mgr. at Kansas Building Products, Wichita, Ks. Brian McGuire, Southeast rep, was named Sales Representative of the Year by Kemper System America, West Seneca, N.Y. Corbin Prows has joined Do it Best Corp., Fort Wayne, In., as a retail program mgr.

Tom Meadows, ex-Roofing Products of Michigan, is new to commercial June 2013

roofing sales at Modern Builders Supply, Ypsilanti, Mi. Roberto Izaguirre has been named v.p.-sales for Arrow Fastener Co., Saddle Brook, N.J. Lee Holt is now marketing specialist for the wood products division of Emerson Bearing Co., Boston, Ma. Gary Maulin has been named western states territory mgr. at Starborn Industries, Edison, N.J. Bob Goldstein now heads sales and service at Vermont Natural Coatings, Hardwick, Vt. Wade Gregory, Flakeboard America Ltd., Fort Mill, S.C., was elected president of the Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers. Archie Thompson, Spectrum Adhesives, is now v.p.; Philip Martin, Hafele, secretary/ treasurer, and Dan Hershberger, Stiles Machinery, trade show chair.

Steve Killgore, Roseburg Forest Products, Roseburg, Or., was elected to the Engineered Wood Technology Association’s advisory committee, replacing Barry Nelson, who has resigned. Dale Leeper, Momentive Specialty Chemicals, succeeded Alan Weaver, who recently retired.

Meagan McCoy Jones, v.p.-field support, McCoy’s Building Supply, San Marcos, Tx., and Jeremy Stine, digital marketing & e-commerce mgr., Stine Lumber, Lake Charles, La., were presented Young Retailer of the Year Awards by the North American Retail Hardware Association.

Armand A. Legg is now director of pricing at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

MRS Expands Storage

Manufacturers Reserve Supply has purchased acreage adjacent to its office and warehouse buildings in Irvington, N.J., that will allow the distributor to expand warehousing capabilities by 30% to allow for upcoming growth projections.

MRS has been in the city since 1931, with the constant goal of improving and developing its site on Woolsey Street. “We now own nine lots on Woolsey Street, and we are proud to be able to expand our MRS campus and continue to support commerce in the city of Irvington,” said Steve Boyd, president and c.e.o.

Building-Products.com

Power Tools: Mobile Apps Online Calculators Software

Simpson Strong-Tie offers convenient ways to get information fast.

Download selector software for connectors, anchors and lateral systems to help you find the right product for your job. Access a variety of online calculators, estimators, design applications and drawing details. And our literature library app puts our most popular catalogs in the palm of your hand.

To see our growing line of free software, web and mobile applications, call (800) 999-5099 or visit www.strongtie.com/software.

Š 2013 Simpson

Strong-Tie Company Inc. APPS13

CYCLING AND KAYAKING helped promote wellness during the annual RoyOMartin Outdoor Challenge, held recently at Kisatchie National Forest near company headquarters in Alexandria, La.

RoyOMartin Hosts Annual Wellness Event

RoyOMartin, Alexandria, La., recently held its annual Outdoor Challenge, one of the ways the company encourages employees and their families to seek healthier lifestyles.

Working with a local nonprofit, RoyOMartin’s four occupationalhealth nurses and employee volunteers offered a variety of fun, family-friendly activities, such as hiking, biking, kayaking, volleyball, pier fishing for kids, and a competitive fishing tournament for adults.

RoyOMartin’s “Winning with Wellness” program began in 2001. In addition to the Outdoor Challenge, other program activities include annual health fairs, lunch-and-learns, and events sponsored by the American Cancer Society and American Heart Association. Incentives are available to employees who participate in the program and reach self-prescribed annual health-and-wellness goals.

Along with safety programming, Winning with Wellness has impacted the bottom line, with fewer medical claims and minimal growth in insurance premiums.

“So many employees have seen significant improvement in their health since we began the wellness program,” said Collene Van Mol, RN, ROM’s health-and-wellness manager.

“From finding colon and prostate cancer to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol or losing weight, all individual success is highly valued.”

“At RoyOMartin, we view employee health and wellness as a competitive advantage,” added Ray Peters, v.p. of human resources & marketing.

“Healthy employees are more productive employees.”

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Building-Products.com

SPECIAL Focus Southern Forest Products

Southern pine industry sees signs of recovery

M

ONTH AFTER MONTH,

2013 has offered a string of tantalizing headlines for southern pine lumber producers. New home construction activity is finally getting a lift in key markets, while the level of repair and remodeling projects remains steady.

There’s a new form of optimism spreading throughout the wood industry that, finally, some better years are on the horizon. After a modern-era record of 19 billion bd. ft. of southern pine was produced in 2005, recovering from the recession has been an uphill climb; 14.28 billion bd. ft. was produced in 2012.

Dealers know the versatility and value southern pine provides for their customers: dependable strength, exceptional treatability, and attractive appearance. The Southern Forest Products Association supports dealers and distributors with the sales help they need, providing resources to help dealers and distributors improve their southern pine sales. SFPA materials not only help train employees but also educate customers on the proper selection and application of southern pine lumber.

Patterns Perfect for Remodeling

All photos courtesy SFPA

Contractors know that a quality, dependable product like southern pine offers a long list of possibilities: exterior

RAISED FLOOR: New educational materials from SFPA are helping builders make the transition to raised wood floor foundations.

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siding for room additions, plus flooring, paneling and ceiling patterns, and trim to dress up the inside. The look of real wood for wall paneling and ceilings adds a dramatic flair to all rooms. Southern pine patterns are readily available in long lengths to eliminate or reduce splices. Clear or semi-transparent finishes draw attention to the species’ distinctive grain. Dealers need to remember that wood is a natural insulator, contributing to energy efficiency and lower utility bills.

Not sure which pattern will be a bestseller? Review the product samples and related information provided in SFPA’s booklet “Southern Pine Patterns,” available as a PDF download at www.southernpine.com.

Whatever the décor, southern pine flooring can enhance the look of any indoor space. A wood floor is a premium alternative to carpeting or ceramic tile, adding both comfort and value. Knowing the proper installation and maintenance tips is a dealer’s key to selling more southern pine flooring, paneling and other specialty items. For starters, check out “Southern Pine Flooring,” available as a PDF download from www.southernpine.com. It’s a comprehensive guide to both interior flooring and exterior porch flooring.

Help Selling Treated Wood

Handy do-it-yourselfers at all skill levels are finding the construction details and product information they need to build code-compliant, durable decks and porches by visiting www.southernpinedecks.com. Specification tips, connections and fasteners, the entire building process—it’s all here. The site also explains why treated southern pine decking is the preferred material.

“Building outdoors requires not only skills and proper tools, it requires the right material and treated southern pine lumber has been the material of choice for decades,” says Richard Kleiner, SFPA’s senior director of treated markets.

Information from the site is highlighted in a 12-page publication from SFPA. “Southern Pine Decks & Porches” is geared to professional deck builders and advanced do-ityourselfers. It offers comprehensive design and construction guidance. Photos of completed decks and porches showcase what treated southern pine lumber can do to naturally enhance any landscape. Download a free PDF at Building-Products.com

www.southernpine.com. The booklet could be the “Answer Man” every dealer needs at its counter to field customers questions on the best construction practices. It’s also an ideal conversation starter to upsell a lumber order to include stains, hardware, even outdoor furniture and grills.

Building Green with Southern Pine

One of the best methods for determining the full environmental impact of a building product or design is through life-cycle assessment, or LCA. This is a science-based process that explores the impact on the nature of a building material throughout its service life. LCA reviews resource extraction, manufacturing, on-site construction, occupancy, and eventual demolition and disposal or reuse.

LCA provides an impartial comparison based on measurable indicators of a product’s effects on the environment, such as the potential for global warming, resource use, air and water pollution.

Every day, the abundant forests of the South are removing and storing carbon from the atmosphere. Forest management increases carbon storage by harvesting older, slower-growing trees and replacing them with younger trees. In a life-cycle analysis of building materials, southern pine is unmatched. The product begins naturally and ends naturally. From harvest to home, southern pine products are some of the most environmentally sustainable and regulated materials in the world, manufactured and distributed according to forest certification standards.

As just one example, pressuretreated southern pine products offer not only a good value to customers, but also a green solution for building outdoors. When compared with nonwood alternatives, the manufacture of treated southern pine decking requires much less energy and finite resources.

Selling treated southern pine lumber gives dealers the satisfaction of knowing that the material not only features a long service life, but also reduces demands on America’s timberlands to replace decayed, untreated materials.

SFPA makes available to dealers a life-cycle analysis comparing the environmental attributes of treated lumber decking with composite decking. Prepared by the Treated Wood Council, this informative report can (Continued on next page) Building-Products.com

“I choose mutual insurance because i know we’re in this together.”

Business owners who work with a mutual insurance company have a shared purpose, getting the best coverage and protection available. And mutual insurance delivers because mutuals serve policyholders, not shareholders.

Our decisions are always based on what’s best for you and your business.

Plus local brokers offer customized solutions for all your business insurance needs. Find out how mutual insurance can work for you.

800.752.1895 | www.plmins.com

Member of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies “SHARED PURPOSE. MUTUAL VALUES” TM is a registered trademark of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. All rights reserved. © 2012 National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies.

SHARED PURPOSE. MUTUAL VALUES.™ June 2013

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tool and just a click away from the homepage of www.southernpine.com.

On a regular basis, SFPA members are updating their product offerings, assuring on-time delivery to dealers and distributors.

Foundation Education

DECKS: When it comes to durability and value, pressure-treated southern pine remains the preferred choice for outdoor projects.

be downloaded from the publications section of www.southernpine.com.

Online Product Locator

Need help finding a customer’s special order item? Chances are good

you will find it among the listings of SFPA’s online Product Locator. More than 400 product listings are here. A quick search and dealers are directed right to the manufacturers’ contact information. It’s a handy, time-saving

Your customers’ new homes start with a foundation. And for more than a decade, SFPA has actively promoted the merits of building new homes on raised wood floor systems.

Successful lumber dealers know that when they promote raised floor foundations, they can add fully a third more lumber to the typical framing package.

This year, SFPA is delivering a new collection of resources to help both lumber dealers and production builders make the transition from homes on a concrete slab to energyefficient raised floor homes featuring closed crawlspaces. Working with Home Innovation Research Laboratories, SFPA conducted market research to study builders’ preferences and developed a helpful sixpage publication, “Making the Transition,” with construction details and all the facts needed to get started building a raised floor home with a closed crawlspace. A four-part companion video series complements the brochure, with details on installing moisture barriers and insulation.

“When it comes to ease of construction, comfort and energy efficiency, a raised wood floor system is the premium foundation choice, with exceptional features for both the builder and the homeowner,” said Cathy Kaake, SFPA’s v.p. for technical marketing.

SFPA makes all of these resources available within a new page of www.raisedfloorliving.com. Firsttime visitors to the site will notice it is conveniently divided into two sections—one for consumers thinking of building a new home and one for building professionals. Here’s a collection of information to educate your customers about proven, cost-effective materials and techniques that can contribute to the construction of a quality home.

Dealer’s Online Gateway

SFPA can help steer customers your way. Visit www.sfpa.org and notice the new gateway page offering easy access to all six of SFPA’s websites. The flagship marketing site,

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Building-Products.com

www.southernpine.com, is the dealer’s authoritative resource for product information. It’s all here—span tables, the new design values, even a dozen do-it-yourself outdoor project plans to help dealers sell more treated lumber.

SFPA works to keep dealers connected to the latest information—facts your customers rely on every day for building successful projects. This site now offers more features, easier navigation, and the latest product details. Within the publications section of the site, SFPA’s lumber library is a collection of helpful titles that dealers can rely on to help

GATEWAY: The homepage of www.sfpa.org offers easy access to all six sites sponsored by SFPA.

educate themselves and their customers about the proper selection and use of southern pine materials. All titles are available as free PDF downloads.

At SFPA, Service Matters

FLOORING: Interior southern pine patterns—flooring and paneling—feature distinctive grain and long-term durability, plus ready availability in a range of widths and profiles.

When it was founded back in 1915, SFPA’s motto was “Service.” As the association approaches its 100th year, it continues to conduct a wide range of promotional programs to assist lumber suppliers and building professionals everywhere.

Do associations matter to lumber dealers? Indeed they do. By offering its educational and promotional resources to dealers across the country, SFPA can help assure the long-term success of the southern pine lumber trade as construction markets continue to rebound and slowly recover.

Sparkman, Arkansas

Phone: (870) 226-6850 • (870) 678-2277 • Fax: (870) 678-2522 The White Family – Serving the Lumber Industry for Four Generations

High Quality Arkansas Southern Yellow Pine Boards, Pattern Stock and 5/4 Square Edge, Flooring, Beaded Ceiling, 105, 116, 117, 119, 122, 131, 139, 5/4x12 Nosing.

Building-Products.com

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SPECIAL Focus Southern Forest Products

New southern pine design values go live

M

aware than some important changes have taken place in the southern pine lumber industry. After two years of research, testing and analysis, new design values for all sizes and grades of visually graded southern pine dimension lumber became effective June 1, 2013.

These new design values are based on more than 7,400 destructive tests of full-size samples of commercially produced southern pine lumber (resulting in more than 300,000 data points) and represent the most accurate design values now available.

SFPA does not test lumber or establish design values.

SFPA’s primary function is to market lumber products and to help users understand southern pine grading rules and design values.

ANY DEALERS ARE

Over the last two years, SFPA has worked to facilitate the transition to new design values, providing a dedicated page on www.southernpine.com with answers to the mostoften asked questions, sample span tables based upon the new design values, and other helpful resources for dealers, building professionals, and consumers. By communicating this information, SFPA’s ultimate objective is to help users successfully transition with minimal disruption to their businesses.

A Rigorous Process

Design values for structural lumber undergo a rigorous approval process. As the rules-writing agency for southern pine lumber, the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau is responsible for developing and publishing design values for southern pine.

All testing and data analysis must be completed in accordance with approved standards. Proposed design values are submitted to the American Lumber Standard Committee Board of Review and approved following a careful review and recommendation from the USDA’s Forest Products Laboratory.

New southern pine design values have been published

by SPIB, following approval by the ALSC Board of Review. In February of this year, SPIB published the new design values in Supplement No.13 to the 2002 Standard Grading Rules for Southern Pine Lumber.

SP Is Strong, Dependable

SPANS: Now in effect, new design values for visually graded southern pine dimension lumber resulted from extensive research, testing and analysis.

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Southern pine lumber is one of the best construction products on the market today. From framing a house to building a deck, southern pine is a dependable product for any project. Southern pine’s strength and stiffness remain comparable to other softwood species used in residential and commercial construction.

Southern pine users have many available product options, including visually graded dimension lumber and an increasing supply of mechanically graded lumber.

Southern pine lumber provides great value in a wide variety of applications, with its superior treatability against decay and insects and superior fastener-holding power due Building-Products.com

to its high specific gravity.

Questions from Dealers

For good reason, lumber dealers have had some poignant questions over recent months regarding the establishment of new design values for southern pine. SFPA provides answers.

Q:

change?

Why do design values

A: Design values have changed multiple times over the years based on available test data. The lumber industry conducts ongoing testing and invests millions of dollars to provide the most accurate and reliable design values for structural lumber.

Comprehensive lumber testing is conducted as new technology becomes available or as warranted by changing resource data. The last major change occurred in 1991, when design values for southern pine and other North American species were first published, based on in-grade testing of full-size samples of commercially produced lumber.

Q:

What caused the southern pine design values to change?

Building-Products.com

A: SPIB did not specifically study

why a change occurred, but a change in the timber resource mix is one of many variables that can affect the strength of structural lumber.

Q: How does southern pine compare with other species?

A: Southern pine’s strength and stiffness remain comparable to other softwood species used in residential and commercial construction. Some lumber properties for southern pine are higher than for Spruce-Pine-Fir and Hem-fir, while others are lower.

The exact impact depends on the specific application and can even vary by grade and size.

For more details, see SFPA’s new design value tables available on www.southernpine.com.

Q: How can a customer get similar load-carrying capacities as before?

A: Southern pine users continue to have many product options available to them. One option is to specify a larger size and/or a higher grade of visually graded southern pine lumber.

June 2013

Another option is to specify an increasing supply of mechanically graded lumber that includes Machine Stress Rated lumber (MSR) and Machine Evaluated Lumber (MEL).

Some possible substitutes for 2x4 No.2 Southern Pine include: • 2x6 No.2 Southern Pine, or • 2x4 No.1 NonDense and better Southern Pine visual grades, or • 2x4 MSR or MEL Southern Pine grades

Q: What happens to inventories of lumber already at lumberyards on June 1, 2013?

A: Visually graded lumber is identified with a grade mark that includes the grade name (e.g., No.2), but not the specific design values associated with that grade name.

Therefore, new design values will be associated with all sizes and grades— all pieces—of visually graded southern pine dimension lumber in inventory on June 1, 2013.

Q: Did the southern pine grading rules change?

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A: No. Lumber grades and the rules that define each grade did not change. Only the design values associated with the affected sizes and grades of visually graded southern pine dimension lumber changed.

Q: Did the lumber grade stamps change?

A: No. The grading requirements are unchanged. Southern pine users have a wide variety of grades available, including an increasing supply of mechanically graded lumber. Not all of the possible MSR and MEL grades will be produced. The marketplace will eventually determine the most common grades.

Dealers are encouraged to refer to SFPA’s new design value tables, available on www.southernpine.com for a complete listing of all mechanically graded lumber grades and design values, plus span tables for all mechanical grades.

Q: Did design values for other southern pine lumber products change?

A: No. Design values for other

southern pine lumber products cov-

Get Your New Span Tables

SFPA’s popular pocket span card has been updated and expanded to include 12 abbreviated span tables for visual, MSR and MEL grades.

The card is a handy field guide to popular southern pine applications in joists and rafters. Visit the publications page of www.southernpine.com to download a free PDF or to order a new card.

In addition, SFPA is updating its publication “Southern Pine Maximum Spans for Joists & Rafters,” which includes easy-to-use tables for specific grades and sizes of SP lumber.

And, SFPA is also updating “Southern Pine Headers & Beams,” providing simplified span tables for lumber and glulam headers, beams and girders. Visit www.southernpine.com to learn more. Look for the New Design Values logo on the cover of all updated SFPA publications. ered by SPIB’s grading rules—such as mechanically graded lumber, timbers, radius edge decking, and spe-

SPAN CARD: A dozen span tables for joists and rafters, all based on the new southern pine design values, fill this handy pocket guide available from SFPA.

cialty items (flooring, siding patterns)—are derived differently and did not change.

Q: Do new design values affect existing homes?

A: No. New design values only apply to new construction, not existing construction.

Like other building materials, wood products used in construction must meet building code requirements enforced at the time of construction.

The integrity of existing structures designed and built using design values meeting applicable building codes at the time of permitting does not change.

Q: When will the new design values be enforced?

A: Building codes are enforced by the state, regional or local jurisdiction, so exactly when enforcement begins can vary by jurisdiction.

The American Wood Council’s website, www.awc.org, provides changes needed for the International Residential Code and International Building Code span tables to comply with the new design values.

Users relying on prescriptive code requirements should use new span tables based on the new design values that became effective June 1, 2013.

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Building-Products.com

BUILD IT STRONG WITH ANTHONY GLULAM 309 30 09 N. Washington Š

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800-221-2326 800-2221-2326

www.anthonyforest.com www.anthonyfforest.com

SPECIAL Focus Southern Forest Products

Southeast mills predict strong demand, prices

A

FTER A PROLONGED SLUMP,

the Southeastern lumber industry has returned to happier times. BPD asked four Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Associationmember mills to share their thoughts on the turnaround— and how long they think it will last.

Have you seen demand start to pick up?

What about lumber prices?

J.D. Hankins, v.p. and co-owner, Hankins, Inc., Ripley, Ms.: Yes and no. Demand has picked up, but it’s not a sharp climb, with ups and downs. Demand is a step higher, but more consistent. It’s up a level.

Prices started coming back down about four weeks ago.

The wet weather and late spring just caught up with it.

Last July and August, the industry expected demand to fall and stay low through the winter. It did drop for a little bit, but then held, which was unusual. (The sustained high prices) didn’t surprise me, because no one was prepared. I had been saying that (prices would jump), because whenever the recovery began, people wouldn’t be expecting it.

Rick Sanders, v.p. and lumber sales manager, Langdale Forest Products, Valdosta, Ga.: (It was) very strong earlier this year, but (there has been) a pull-back in the last 45 days. By the end of the year, we expect demand will have reached a seven-year high. Lumber prices have followed suit in a see-saw fashion. But numbers are still very high compared to last year and the previous four.

This very last spike in demand is evidently driven by multi-family building. I don’t know of a lot of single-family construction, at least in our area.

David Richbourg, plant manager for H.W. Culp Lumber Co., New London, N.C.: Late last year’s price increase came as kind of a surprise to us. Usually that’s when prices are starting down, and we certainly didn’t expect it to carry on past the

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first of the year. But prices held for several months, until the last few weeks.

Hunter McShan, president of McShan Lumber Co., McShan, Al.: We have seen increased demand and prices for many of our products but not all of them. We export most of our lumber, and some of our traditional European markets for high grade pine have not rebounded like has been seen in the domestic market.

Have you increased or are you considering increasing production?

Sanders: We have considered it, but have not made any plans to crank up volume at this point. Demand equals supply at present, so we don’t think it is a good idea to upset that balance.

Richbourg: We spent a little money on projects late last year, and we have increased our single shift from 36 to 40 hours, which is about the maximum amount for our mill flow. We have made a decision to hold to a single shift, for operational reasons and so as not to overload the timber basket.

Hankins: No. Housing starts are still not high enough. You can overproduce at any level. We’re not even thinking about it right now. You need to go to, like, 1.5 million starts to even consider it.

McShan: We did a near complete green-end upgrade in the fall of 2011 that increased production by about 10%. At that level we are near our drying capacity, which is the greatest constraint toward higher production. Given that constraint, any production increases will be relatively small, at least in the near term.

What do you forecast for the coming year?

Hankins: It’s going to be an increase in demand, but a slow increase. Slow is the key word. It’s only four letters, but it’s a big word. This is a real recovery, but Building-Products.com

everybody has to be realistic and not flood the market. So far, some of the mills that have begun cranking up production have helped to prevent shortages and prices from getting out of hand.

Sanders: We have been predicting housing starts increasing to 1.1 to 1.25 million in 2013. So we are guardedly bullish.

Richbourg: We expect the market to remain pretty good for the next several years. The industry and economists have targeted 2014-2015 as a worldwide wood shortage, so we should be in for better lumber prices.

McShan: While I would like to believe that we are in for a long run of strong demand and favorable pricing, I read near daily reports of mills reopening or increasing production, which will quickly resolve any imbalance between supply and demand. Timber prices will naturally rise to meet the demands of increased mill production and that will nullify higher lumber prices. Lumber prices don’t matter and timber prices don’t matter. What matters is the difference between the two.

Do customers have any special concerns?

Hankins: A lot of our customers’ credit lines had been reduced during the downturn, which didn’t bother them (because demand and prices were low). It was enough to get them what they needed. But now that they need a higher credit limit, they can’t get it increased. Before, the credit limit might get them a million board feet, but now that they need it, prices have doubled and they can only get credit for half a million feet.

So, they’ve been concerned, because prices went up too fast. But their greater concern was, is the recovery for real?

It is, it’s not a blip.

Sanders: Many mills and customers have expressed concern over a shortage of trucks and railcars as demand increases going forward. The potential for tighter log supplies (due to competition from other industries and urban sprawl) frightens some customers.

McShan: We find our customers demand high quality in all of our products, whether low grade or high, and it is our challenge and our responsibility to provide it.

Richbourg: With southern pine design values changing June 1, customers are deciding whether to switch to MSR and how to price it if they do.

We recently joined SBCA (Structural Building Components Association), and serving on their board, I have gotten to speak with a lot of truss and component manufacturers. They certainly are warning me that doubling the price of lumber has adversely affected their ability to bid competitively on projects. They have stressed that it’s not a good thing for lumber prices to go up; wood is such a big part of their cost and they are somewhat constrained in the alternative materials they can use.

I understand the big box stores have seen a drop in customers coming in buying projects. They previously had budgeted to do decks, additions and other projects, but when they returned in the spring to purchase the materials, the price of lumber has gone up so much, the quote has to be substantially revised and the customers are holding back on those projects.

As much as we’d like to accommodate customers, mills have gone through such a long spell of breaking even or even operating in the red, that the higher lumber prices have been a welcome relief.

– Serving the industry for over 30 years – Phone: 800-763-0139 • Fax: 864-699-3101

www.spartanburgforestproducts.com Building-Products.com

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NEW Products

Tough Trimboard

Kemperol Roofpatch kits from Kemper System are ideal for small roof repairs.

The ready-to-use patches stop leaks and cover cracks and damaged areas in bitumen sheets, PVC roofing sheets, concrete, wood and metal. Each patch is rainfast in 60 minutes and can be walked on after 12 hours.

Boral TruExterior beadboard closely resembles wood, but resists rotting, splitting and termites. A blend of proprietary polymers and fly ash create a product that is both sustainable and durable.

Available are both a traditional edge and bead profile and a Vgroove appearance. An interlocking tongue-and-groove system eliminates the need for visible fasteners.

 KEMPER-SYSTEM.COM

 BORALTRUEXTERIOR.COM

Easy Roof Repairs

Extra-Thick PVC Sheets

Reportedly the first 1-1/2” thick, single-extruded cellular PVC sheet is new from Versatex.

A full 1/4” thicker than previous products, Versatex Max is available in nominal 48” widths and four standard lengths: 8’, 12’, 16’ and 18’. The sheets are designed to eliminate or reduce lamination steps during fabrication of custom mouldings, rails, pergolas, corbels, etc.

 VERSATEX.COM (724) 857-1111

(888) 926-7259

(800) 541-5455

Paver Treatment

EWP Design Software

Georgia-Pacific Wood Products has partnered with Calculated Structured Designs to offer updated design software for engineered wood roof and floor systems.

Using CSD’s iStruct platform, GP’s updated FASTSuite software consists of FASTPlan design layout

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software, FASTBeam beam-sizing software, and PASTOpt materialoptimization software.

The programs use an intuitive drawing interface, combined with simple input methods, to create faster designs.

Paver Enhancer from ChemMasters is a penetrating, waterbased treatment for architectural and interlocking paving blocks.

The low-VOC treatment can be used three ways: by itself (for deep, rich color development and a matte finish), for extra protection over water repellents, and before applying a glossy sealer for color development and gloss.

 CSDSOFTWARE.COM

 CHEMMASTERS.NET

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June 2013

(800) 486-7866

Building-Products.com

SmartProducts by Ro RoyOMartin yOMartin are here to help you build smarter smarter.. Our Eclipse™ Eclipse™ Radiant Barrier OSB panels are available available as traditional 8-ft. and also as extended-length panels. Products are APA APPA rated rated and available available FForest orest Stewardship Council™ (FSC®) ccertified. ertified. Build Better.

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Durable Railing Kits

Improved PVC Trim

TrexTrim now offers two new PVC moulding products, plus a new matte finish that more closely matches its boards, sheets and builder profiles.

The garage door stop is designed to seal the gap between garage doors and doorjambs.

A new 18’ brick mould profile can be used to trim windows, entry doors, and garages.

Aluminum-alloy railing kits from Feeney Design are a durable alternative to wood or composite railing.

The kits are sized for 36” residential railings and include all necessary components and connecting brackets.

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(800) 289-8739

Electric Lift Trucks

Cat Lift trucks are now available in 4,500 to 6,500 lb. capacity electric models.

The EC22N2-EC30LN2 series have four-wheel, cushion tires, premium operator ergonomics, enhanced performance levels, and a modern design.

The lifts are designed to work in a wide range of industries, including general warehousing and logistics applications.

 CAT-LIFT.COM (800) 228-5438

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Building-Products.com

Insulation for Siding

LineBacker siding insulation from Progressive Foam Technologies provides a thermal break and improves the appearance of any plank-style siding, including fiber cement and composite.

The insulation combats thermal bridging, makes existing cavity insulation more effective, and levels the wall under the siding. Guide lines ease installation, by providing a ledge for each plank to stop against for nailing.

 PROGRESSIVEFOAM.COM (800) 860-3626

Damp-Area Flooring

SelecTech’s Place N’ Go interlocking flooring can be used over subflooring in damp locations, such as basements, bathrooms and kitchens.

Made with a resilient, moisture-resistant plastic, the tiles can be installed without adhesives, underlayment or padding, so changes are simple.

 PLACENGO.COM (508) 583-3260

Building-Products.com

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NAWLA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Photos by BPD

NORTH AMERICAN WHOLESALE Lumber Association held its annual leadership conference April 28-30 at Innisbrook Golf Resort, Palm Harbor, Fl. [1] Laura Ebersberger, Joshua Tyler. [2] Robert Dresser, Bill Adams. [3] Mac Mayberry, Harris Gant. [4] Melody & Ken Tennefoss. [5] Scott & Shelly Elston, Michael Heary. [6] Clark & Elena Spitzer. [7] Kent Beveridge, Dawn & Mike Holm. [8] Pat Gannon, Todd Lindsey. [9] Jim Hassenstab, John Cooper. [10] Elizabeth & Steven Rustja. [11] Dennis

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Berry, Phillip Keipp. [12] Mike & Janet Phillips, Kathy & Larry Boyts. [13] Kim & Nicholas Fitzgerald. [14] Andre & Elizabeth Gien, Gary Vitale.

[15] Rob & Margot Hruby. [16] Sally & Steve Killgore. [17] Joe & Cheryl Guizzetti. [18] Mark Donovan, Janie & Buck Hutchison. [19] Mary Ellen Owens, Traci & Mike Mordell. [20] Alden Robbins, Nancy Beveridge, David Destiche. [21] Josh Goodman, Rena Goodman.

(More photos on next two pages) Building-Products.com

NAWLA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Photos by BPD

CONFERENCE ATTENDEES (continued from previous page) [1] Steve Weekes, Ian McLean.

[2] Kevin Ketchum, Dan Semsak. [3] Doug Coulson, Bradley Morrow. [4] Steve Firko, Dave Adams. [5] KayCee Hallstrom, Alice & Scott Gascho. [6] Lee & Jan Schull.

[7] Catharina & Carsten Kullik.

[8] Dusty & Penny Hammack.

[9] Lawrence & Tanya Newton, Carl & Melissa McKenzie, Jeff & Elizabeth McLendon.

(More photos on next page)

Size does matter.

Douglas Fir up to 20” x 20” x up to 40’ Cedar 16” x 16” x up to 32’

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Building Products Digest

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NAWLA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Photos by BPD

NAWLA conference (continued from previous two pages): [1] Daniel Schaffer, Mary O’Meara Moynihan, Mark Hefley, Rosalie Leone, Scott Kerr. [2] Suzanne Hearn, Mark Erickson. [3] Carl Tobey, Bethany West, Sam Sanregret. [4] Barb & Doug O’Rourke. [5] Sandy & Chris Fischer.

[6] Vicki & Carl Lamb. [7] Roger Champagne, Ann & Jim Robbins. [8] Linda & Barry Schneider. [9] Cindy & Bill Anderson, Shelley Kohlmeier.

[10] Bill & Kathy Price, Cindy & Jim McGinnis III. [11] Russ & Linda Hobbs. [12] Andy Goodman, Rick Elstein.

Send us your news! Have your recent expansion, personnel promotions, product introductions, or other company changes published in the next issue of BPD. Just email to kdebats@building-products.com.

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Building-Products.com

ASSOCIATION Update Kentucky Building Materials Association installed new president Freddie McWhorter, CBS Do it Best Home Center, London, during its annual board meeting.

New v.p. is Troy Basham, Don’s Lumber Pro Hardware, Vine Grove; secretary/treasurer John Congleton, Congleton Lumber Co., Lexington; chairman of the board Brandon Coppage, Kelly Brothers, Covington, and national director William “Skip” Miller, Miller Lumber Co., Augusta.

New to the board are Calhoun Salyer, F.S. VanHouse & Co., Prestonsburg, and Brian Herald, Simpson Strong-Tie, Columbus, Oh. Southern Building Material Association will offer a variety of activities and outings during its annual summer conference July 25-28 at Wyndham Resort, Virginia Beach, Va. The first night will feature a movie under the stars, followed by a golf tournament at Heron Ridge Golf Course the next morning. Other events include horseback riding, a dolphin tour, plus surfing and paddle boarding lessons.

Speakers will discuss the outlook for LBM, hiring and retaining talent from the younger generation, and how family businesses can grow with the recovery in housing.

Mid-America Lumbermen’s Association has scheduled its annual Sunflower Shootout for June 14 at Turkey Creek Golf Course, McPherson, Ks. An awards luncheon will follow.

Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association will play golf June 14 at Eagle Creek Golf Club, Indianapolis.

An awards banquet will follow.

Lake States Lumber Association will host its annual golf outing July 17-18 in Wisconsin Dells, Wi. Indiana Lumber & Builders Supply Association will play golf Aug. 8 at Oak Tree Golf Course, Plainfield, to benefit the Blair F. Collings Scholarship Program.

Florida Building Material Association will present its annual convention and tradeshow Aug. 21-23 at Rosen Shingle Creek Resort & Convention Center, Orlando, Fl. Big events will include a golf tournament, kick-off reception, breakfast with the keynote speaker, and the Old Timers’ Luncheon.

Wisconsin Sawmill Suffers Fire

Walters Brothers Lumber, Holcombe, Wi., lost one of its milling structures in a May 13 blaze. No one was injured and the manufacturer plans to rebuild.

Owner Tim Walters said the fire destroyed the bag house, which collects blown sawdust from the pallet portion of the business. Until the structure is rebuilt, lumber will be cut at the company’s mill in Radisson, Wi. According to the local fire chief, a firewall kept the blaze from consuming the entire building. “We were able to contain it to the barker room and the sawmill part of it,” said Denny Klass. “They had a firewall between that and the manufacturing area, and the firewall did its job.

Otherwise another 300 ft. of building would have gone.”

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IN Memoriam

resources group manager. He moved to Atlanta in 1995 after he was named senior manager of forest services, then director of operations-forest resources, and ultimately v.p.-lumber in 1996.

He also served as chairman of the board of the Southern Forest Products Association in 2000.

Charles Henry Thomas Jr., 78, longtime manager of Shuqualak Lumber, Shuqualak, Ms., died May 11 in Shuqualak.

After graduating from the University of Mississippi, he ran an appliance business in Birmingham, Al. In 1972, he moved to Shuqualak to help expand the family lumber business.

He also served as president of the Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association and the Southeast Lumber Manufacturers Association.

Eric “Wally” Ware, 64, purchasing manager for Moynihan Lumber, North Reading, Ma., died March 17 in Burlington, Ma. He spent 40 years with Moynihan and was a longtime member of the Harry L. Folsom Hoo-Hoo Club.

Jim Loy, 65, president of the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau, Pensacola, Fl., died May 4 in Pensacola.

He joined SPIB after graduating from the University of Tennessee with a degree in forestry. He worked there for 42 years and was appointed president in 2003.

Eddy Nelson Clark, 71, retired Iowa lumberman, died April 21 from injuries suffered in an automobile accident in Grimes, Ia. After spending 20 years managing Great Plains Lumber yards in Logan, Woodbine and Onawa, Ia., he became a sales rep for GAF products in 1976, retiring in 2006.

Alex Keith Hopkins, 66, former vice president of the lumber division of Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., died April 10 in Demorest, Ga. He received a degree in forestry from Virginia Polytechic Institute and joined G-P in 1981 as a forester in Florida. In 1989, he moved to North Carolina to serve as G-P’s forest

Roger D. Wilson, 75, retired coowner of Lake States Lumber, Aitkin, Mn., died April 27 in Aitkin.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, he went to work for Burns & Kneeland Lumber, Aitkin. In 1978, he and his partners bought out B&K and started Lake States Lumber. He retired from Lake States in 2003.

CLASSIFIED Marketplace Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word min.). Phone number counts as 1 word, address as 6. Centered copy or headline, $9 per line. Border, $9.

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Henry Cameron Burns, 86, owner for 67 years of Hughes Lumber & Building Supply, Charleston, S.C., died April 20 in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. Billy Joe Baldridge, 84, former co-owner of Baldridge Brothers Lumber Co., Beaverdale, Ga., and Baldridge Lumber & Building Supply, Dalton, Ga., died April 21 in Dalton.

Clyde Arthur Spangler, 72, longtime Michigan lumber salesman, died April 19 in Traverse City, Mi. He began his career in outside sales when Wickes Lumber opened a yard in Grawn, Mi., and later joined Brown Lumber, Traverse City.

Howard R. Steinmann, 92, former partner in Karlen & Steinmann Lumber Co., Monticello, Wi., died April 9.

Harold C. “Pete” Peterson, 85, longtime lumber salesman for Washington Supply Co., Washington Depot, Ct., died Feb. 23 after a brief illness.

John Izenbaard, 91, 75-year employee at Hoekstra’s True Value, Kalamazoo, Mi., died May 15.

He started working at the store in 1938—on his sixteenth birthday—and continued until the day he died, taking a break in the 1940s to serve in World War II.

Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished “camera-ready” (advertiser sets type), $65 if we set type. Send ad to Fax 949-852-0231 or dkoenig@building-products.com. For more info, call (949) 852-1990.

Checks payable to Cutler Publishing. Deadline: 18th of previous month.

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Building-Products.com

DATE Book

Listings are often submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend.

Southern Forest Products Association – June 4-5, annual meeting, Atlanta, Ga.; (504) 443-4464; www.sfpa.org.

Lumber Dealers Assn. of Connecticut – June 5, golf outing, Tunxis Plantation Country Club, Farmington, Ct.; (800) 292-6752; www.nrla.org.

New Hampshire Retail Lumber Assn. – June 6, golf outing, Lake Sunapee Country Club, New London, N.H.; (800) 292-6752; www.nrla.org.

Northwestern Lumber Assn. – June 6, Nebraska Lumber Dealers Association board meeting, Columbus, Ne.; golf outing, Crooked Creek Golf Course, Lincoln, Ne.; (763) 544-6822; nlassn.org.

Southern Forest Products Association – June 6-7, machinery & equipment expo, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga.; (504) 443-4464; www.sfpa.org.

Eastern New York Lumber Dealers Association – June 7, golf outing, Saratoga National Golf Course, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. ; (800) 292-6752; www.nrla.org.

Mid-America Lumbermens Assn. – June 7, Kansas Sunflower Shootout, Hutchison, Ks.; (800) 747-6529; www.themla.org.

Peak Auctioneering – June 8, LBM auction, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles, Il.; (800) 245-9690; www.peakauction. com.

Forest Products Society – June 9-11, convention, AT&T Conference Center, Austin, Tx.; (608) 231-1361; www.forestprod.org.

National Lawn & Garden Show –June 11-13, Crowne Plaza O’Hare, Rosemont, Il.; (888) 316-0226; www.nlgshow.com.

Long Island Lumber Association – June 12, golf outing, Timber Point Golf Course, Sayville, N.Y.; (800) 292-6752; www.nrla.org.

Turning Good

Mid-America Lumbermens Association – June 14, Sunflower Shootout golf tournament, Highlands Golf & Country Club, Hutchison, Ks.; (800) 747-6529; www.themla.org.

Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealer Association – June 15, family fun day, Plymouth, Ma.; (800) 292-6752; www.nrla.org.

Retail Lumber Dealers Assn. of Maine – June 18, golf, Belgrade Lakes Golf Club, Belgrade Lakes, Me.; (800) 292-6752; nrla.org.

House-Hasson Hardware – June 20-22, market, Sevierville Events Center, Sevierville, Tn.; (800) 333-0520; www.househasson.com.

Central New York Retail Lumber Dealers Assn. – June 20, golf, Walden Oakes Country Club, Cortland, N.Y.; June 29, races, Oswego Speedway, Oswego, N.Y.; (800) 292-6752; nrla.org.

Northern New York Lumber Dealers Association – June 26, golf outing, St. Lawrence Golf Course, Canton, N.Y.; (800) 292-6752; www.nrla.org.

Southeast Building Conference – July 11-13, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fl.; (800) 261-9447; sebcshow.com.

Mid-Hudson Lumber Dealers Association – July 22, golf outing, Otterkill Golf & Country Club, Campbell Hall, N.Y.; (800) 2926752; www.nrla.org.

Northwestern Lumber Association – July 24, golf outing, The Golf Club at Cedar Creek, Onalaska, Wi.; July 26, all-state Future Lumber Leaders conference, Bayer Built Woodworks, Belgrade, Mn.; (763) 544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers – July 2427, woodworking fair, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 946-2937; www.awfsfair.org.

Southern Building Material Association – July 25-28, summer meeting, Wyndham Resort, Virginia Beach, Va.; (704) 376-1503; www.southernbuilder.org.

Missouri Forest Products Assn. – July 26-27, annual meeting, Chateau on Lake, Branson, Mo.; (573) 634-3252; moforest.org.

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ADVERTISERS Index

IDEA File Dealer Holds Its Own Home Show

A 100-year-old lumber dealer in New York has found a good way to bring in customers and connect with the community: an annual home show with vendor exhibits, entertainment for children, food and door prizes.

White’s Lumber—which has locations in Watertown, Gouveneur, Pulaski, and Clayton, N.Y.— has hosted the show every spring for the past 25 years.

This year, the two-day event drew more than 500 attendees.

“Now is just the start of the season for families planning projects,” says James P. Finnerty, who manages the Watertown location. “Along with local companies, national vendors and suppliers are well-represented at the show.”

For more information on advertisers, call them directly or visit their websites [in brackets].

Advantage Trim & Lumber [www.advantagelumber.com]..........11 Anthony Forest Products [www.anthonyforest.com] .................41 Arch/Lonza [www.wolmanizedwood.com]...........................Cover I AZEK [www.azek.com]...................................................................29 Boral [www.boraltruexterior.com] ................................................23 Boston Cedar [www.bostoncedar.com] .........................................7 BW Creative Wood [www.bwcreativerailings.com].....................53 Cabot [www.cabotfactoryfinish.com].................................Cover III Crumpler Plastic Pipe [www.cpp-pipe.com] ................................50 DeckWise [www.deckwise.com] ...................................................28 Do it Best Corp. [www. www.independentdoitbest.com]............13 Everwood Treatment Co. [www.everwoodtreatment.com]...........8 Greenbush Logistics Inc. [www.greenbushlogistics.com] ..........3 Idaho Forest Group [www.idahoforestgroup.com] .......................5 Kemper System [www.kemperol-roofpatch.com] .......................14 Kleer Lumber [www.kleerlumber.com]................................Cover II Maxitile [www.maxitile.com]..........................................................27 McShan Lumber [www.mcshanlumber.com]...............................40 Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. [www.nelma.org].....4

With 46 vendors and other industry experts, attendees got information and advice on anything related to construction and remodeling—including roofing, siding, decking, railing, flooring, painting and kitchen design.

No one went hungry at the event, with the Lions Club selling an array of “carnival” refreshments: hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn, chips and soda.

Children who attended were treated to face painting, a story time, a show by a local magician, and a visit from Clifford the Big Red Dog. Girl Scouts volunteered helped host the children’s events, so everything went smoothly.

Adults enjoyed a range of door prizes, including hats and T-shirts. The grand prize was a swing set donated by White’s Lumber.

PPG Machine Applied Coatings [www.ppgpro.com]...................21 Parksite [www.parksite.com] ..............................................Cover IV Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance [plmins.com] .....35 Plycem USA [www.plycemtrim.com] ............................................33 Ray White Lumber [www.raywhitelumber.com ...........................37 Richardson Timbers [www.richardsontimbers.com] ..................49 Roseburg Forest Products [www.rfpco.com] ..............................19 RoyOMartin [www.royomartin.com] .............................................45 Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com]...................................31 Siskiyou Forest Products [www.siskiyouforestproducts.com] .47 Southern Forest Products Association [www.sfpa.org].............36 Spartanburg Forest Products [spartanburgforestproducts.com].43

COMING NEXT MONTH in the July issue of BPD

APA Special Section 54

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Building Products Digest

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June 2013

Sunbelt [www.sunbeltracks.com] .................................................32 Swanson Group Sales Co. [www.swansongroupinc.com].........15 Tank Fab [www.tankfab.com]........................................................51 U.S. Tarping Systems [www.ustarpingsystems.com].................46 Versatex [www.versatex.com].......................................................25 Westervelt Lumber [www.westerveltlumber.com] ......................39

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