BPD
TRENDS IN TRANSPORTATION TREATED WOOD SURGE APA SPECIAL ISSUE
Building Products Digest
JULY 2010
INDUSTRY NEWS & MONEY-MAKING STRATEGIES FOR LUMBER & BUILDING MATERIAL DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS
BPD
July 2010
Volume 29 Number 5
Building Products Digest
Special Features
In Every Issue
9 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT PRESSURE TREATED WOOD
10 INDUSTRY TRENDS LBM SHIPPERS TACKLE TRUCK SHORTAGE
12 INDUSTRY TRENDS TRANSLOADS EASE ROAD TO RECOVERY
14 FEATURE STORY UPSELL TO ENGINEERED FRAMING PACKS
16 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE ST. LOUIS CHAIN CHOOSES “NOT TO PARTICIPATE” IN RECESSION
28 SPECIAL FOCUS: APA 14-PAGE SPECIAL SECTION DEVOTED TO APA & ENGINEERED WOOD TRENDS
48 PHOTO RECAP: SFPA 50 PHOTO RECAP: AWPA
6 TOTALLY RANDOM 18 OLSEN ON SALES 20 OVER THE COUNTER 22 GREEN RETAILING 42 MOVERS & SHAKERS 44 IN MEMORIAM 45 TALK BACK 46 NEW PRODUCTS 51 ASSOCIATION UPDATE 52 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 53 DATE BOOK 54 IDEA FILE 54 ADVERTISERS INDEX
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BREAKING INDUSTRY NEWS & INDUSTRY PHOTO DOWNLOADS BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM (FOLLOW LINK FOR PHOTOS)
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Building Products Digest July 2010
BPD: DIGITAL VERSION THE LATEST ISSUE CAN NOW BE VIEWED AT BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM Building-Products.com
TOTALLY Random
S
By Alan Oakes
We are in a Greecy spin
all feeling good about ourselves for a change as business started to pick up. I myself attended a number of industry events and watched the economists’ pointers going in an upwards movement, and I felt good that 2011 looks to be the year. In late April, we at BPD could hear the sighs of relief and sense broad grins on the phone as we called round. From your feedback, business in March and April was pretty good (well, at least comparatively). Then May came along to spoil it. I think that sums up the state of our economy. While technically the recession has been decreed over, it just doesn’t feel like a recovery, and a consumer-driven economy such as ours will continue to be gloomy for some time. It is such an uneven rebound that none of us can predict with any certainty where it will go. Many of us are frustrated that we seem to be in a U-shaped trough with no clear way how to get out. In all my business life in the U.S., I have never seen or felt the misery index to be so high. There are so many concerning open-ended issues around the world that I think will still greatly impact continued recovery here at home. While writing this column in early June, the new jobs report came out and the markets tumbled immediately. The private sector is still in a non-hiring mode, and the picture for the immediate future may not be as rosy as spin doctors are saying. What the report also confirms is that, with about 15 million unemployed (more than double the number when the recession hit late 2007), government spending has done little to improve the situation. When government spends $3 for every $2 that comes in, no budget can survive for long unless in the short term it creates the results that spending was intended for. From my vantage point, I cannot see a return. I’m fed up with hearing about all the new energy jobs that are being created. Great (although I think that is even debatable), but what about the rest of industry? Like many, I am concerned about how much national debt has been created for so little return. You can spin it any which way you like, but current policies are just not cutting it and aren’t going to get us back on the right track. And, when we have already wasted billions of dollars, we do not have the means to boost the economy with real tax cuts. For me as a business owner, what encouragement is there to invest, with credit impossible to get and the risk/reward ratio offering no incentive to do so. In fact, I have never seen a time less compelling to invest one’s life savings in starting a business with so much uncertainty amid an anti-business climate. So what has happened recently to hinder the recovery? Two things: the news of Greece’s financial woes and on May 6 an already edgy stock market plunging 1,000 points in a matter of minutes followed by wild swings almost every day since—more down than up. So why is such a small country and market (sorry, to my Greek readers) playing havoc on the world economy? Many will say, so what if it goes bankrupt? Our economy has been doing okay and recovering slowly, but one tiny blip on the radar suddenly sends the whole worlds stock markets in a tizzy. The Euro drops at record pace and may continue to fall. Except for us tourists, a high dollar is not a good sign, as it will greatly impact exports and certainly encourage more imports. Of course, the real issue becomes who is next on the list? Spain? Portugal? Why not closer to home? Perhaps a U.S. state, such as my own, California? And what if the Chinese economy slows? We now more than ever are interminably linked globally. Since many European governments have done even less than we did to prop up the economy, the price they’ll have to pay will impact their economies for years—perhaps decades—to come. Their citizens are in for a great shock because, as many of you saw on TV, Europeans are not prepared to give up the great social benefits that are unsustainable with an aging population. Cutting benefits will drive up unemployment and the spin down in the rest of the European economies will multiply. All these things will not help our business overseas and will have an impact here at home. These two issues have again turned the psyche of us consumers. While I sincerely hope I’m wrong, the mood of the country just does not feel right! With such uncertainty, you cannot but question yourself on every expenditure your family makes, and it is that uneasiness that drives up the level of the misery index, maybe fueling even more unemployment and certainly not encouraging people to move and buy new homes. And, yes, that is what impacts us! O THERE WE WERE
Alan Oakes, Publisher ajoakes@aol.com
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Building Products Digest July 2010
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, Jay Tompt 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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Treated wood helps d-i-y yards turn the corner
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solution—treated lumber—to their “Pressure treated lumber has always UMBERYARDS THAT BEGAN switchneeds seems to be winning over the provided exceptional value when it ing to a strict pro focus during the other alternative products.” comes to choosing products for outbuilding boom of the late 1990s are Yet price alone won’t make the door building. In addition to being once again wooing consumers, and sale. “In a tight economy, consumers economical, it offers fantastic pressure treated wood has become a longevity and is a renewwinning lure. able resource. New preserv“With the slowdown in ative processes also helped new home construction, raise the bar when it comes many yards have turned to to performance, both prodthe d-i-y market—primarily uct and environmental, and outdoor landscaping and overall appearance.” remodeling,” confirms That said, pricier highDennis McWhirter, sales tech plastics, composites, manager at Exterior Wood, hardwoods, redwood and Washougal, Wa. cedar continue to sell well McWhirter notes that in certain markets and are recent trends in treated poised to regain their shares wood—Good Housekeepas fortunes rebound. ing Seals and other environ“The composite producmental merit badges, next ers,” Layton points out, generation preservatives that, among other attributes, TREATED WOOD, affordably priced and easy to install, may be standing up “have continuously upgraded the performance of their look prettier on a retail stronger in the recession than higher-priced alternatives. products over the years, and rack—are particularly con– Photo of ProWood Micro from Universal Forest Products I have no doubt that in the sumer friendly. future, a less cost-conscious Treated wood also offers will be less apt to make impulse purconsumer will return to their normal easy installation, without special chases and more likely to spend time purchasing habits as soon as the econtools, clips or caps. researching purchases in order to find omy shows signs of long-term But the primary selling point is the best value,” stress Steve O’Leary improvement.” that, in the middle of a severe recesand Kim Sheehan, authors of the new sion, treated wood is priced signifibook Building Buzz to Beat the Big cantly less than most other alternative Treated Wood Sales Ammo Boys: Word of Mouth Marketing for materials. (from the RealOutdoorLiving Small Businesses. “People have been under financial “Treated Wood Sales Sheets”) Consequently, dealers should be distress for much of the last 18 • Pressure treated wood is the most affordarmed with the latest sales tools to months,” observes George Layton, able material for outdoor building projects. make the case for treated wood, general manager, treated lumber at including warranty information, safeCanfor/New South, Myrtle Beach, • No other material is as easy and functional to work with (no special tools or skills ty sheets, and installation guides. S.C. “What they would like to spend required). Effective “Treated Wood Sell Sheets” on a project has been balanced with can be downloaded as PDFs from what they feel they can afford to • Nothing is maintenance-free. Simple, www.realoutdoorliving.com. spend, knowing that a return on capiyearly maintenance is all that’s needed to keep treated wood looking natural and James Riley, chief marketing offital through home appreciation is highbeautiful. cer for Great Southern Wood ly unlikely for the foreseeable future. Preserving, Abbeville, Al., notes: Thus, a resurgence of a less expensive Building-Products.com
July 2010 Building Products Digest
9
INDUSTRY Trends Transportation Shortage
Haul Gone
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LBM distributors grapple with trucking shortage
RASTICALLY LOWER SALES of building materials have stung those who produce and sell them—as well as those who ship them. In fact, with the severe drop-off in freight, an estimated 200,000 trucks have been pulled off the road over the last two years. That translates into more than 3,000 trucking firms going out of business in 2008 and more than 2,000 going under in 2009. Analyst Donald Broughton, Avondale Partners, predicts another 2,000 trucking companies will close this year due to higher operating costs and lower demand. And, as lumber distributors painfully discovered during this spring’s uptick in business, fewer trucks mean more work to find a shipper and higher freight rates. Just imagine the hassles once the lumber industry finally does rebound. BPD asked several industry professionals for their insight on the current transportation challenges:
LONGER DELAYS Jim Vandegrift, sales mgr., Bennett Lumber Products, Princeton, Id. “No doubt trucking has become substantially more expensive and more difficult to procure. Our customers all arrange their own trucks, but what used to be a two- to three-day delay between release and pickup of an order now averages eight to 10 days.”
MANY COMPLAINTS Dean Sturz, sales mgr., F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Co., Columbia Falls, Mt. “We don’t control the trucking out of our facility, we sell FOB Mill, so I don’t deal with the truckers directly. I have heard many complaints, though, from our customers on the subject, and we have seen that it takes longer for our
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Building Products Digest July 2010
customers to find trucks for their purchases at our mill because there are less trucks on the road to choose from. They have also mentioned that freight rates have increased, in some cases dramatically.”
TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS Butch Bernhardt, Western Wood Products Association, Portland, Or. “I’ve heard from some of our mills that getting trucks is more difficult now. There also have been a lot of centerbeam lumber rail cars that railroads parked when markets dropped that are slow to move back into service. “We predicted that transporting lumber to market would be an issue once things pick back up. So far, shipments are only up 11% from last year, which was one of our lowest years for volume. And look at the transportation problems that rise caused. Once home construction activity comes back for real, it may uncover more problems like this.”
ROLLERCOASTER RIDE Heidi Pierson, logistics assistant, Sun Mountain Lumber, Deer Lodge, Mt. “Arranging the freight for our outbound loads is my daily task. In the last three months, since I have started arranging trucking, the availability of haulers has been greatly reduced. Trucking companies and brokers have gone from providing trucks in a day or two down to not being able to provide trucks for up to two weeks in some cases. One factor that is driving the shortage is diesel prices. This rise has caused truckers to demand more money per mile. “Another factor would be the destination of each load. We have had many loads going into the Dakotas and are finding it almost impossible to arrange freight into these Building-Products.com
states. I am told by many of my truckers this is due to available materials and loads returning from there—pretty much nothing comes back this direction. Truckers would rather wait for another available load than take one into North and South Dakota, even though they are offered more money per load. “Another trend I have noticed was the lumber market took a long up-rise in the past couple of months, driving the demand up. We had buyers wanting large volumes of material due to the price they were receiving from consumers. This caused freight all over to be in large demand because buyers were needing these materials quickly before the market started to fall off. “Now that the market has started to fall, for about the last month, I am seeing less demand for materials and freight. We have gone from arranging several trucks a week down to one, two at the most. Although this is the case, I am still finding some of the shorter hauls hard to arrange freight for. Truckers are waiting out to take longer hauls to make more money, causing our cost to rise as well so we can get trucks to commit. “On the other side, I am receiving inquires from many smaller trucking companies looking for possible loads, telling me that things have slowed down dramatically—but not enough to get truckers to loosen up and take loads. Hopefully, freight will free up somewhat, allowing mills to move what materials they have sold cheaper and more quickly. All in all, it has been a rollercoaster ride in the freight world with so many ups and downs in recent weeks. It has been very difficult to predict freight availability and price from one day to the next with all the uncertainty.”
MOVING TO RAIL Robert Harris, lumber sales, Jordan Lumber & Supply, Mount Gilead, N.C. “Trucking has been very tough this year. It seems that certain lanes have been more difficult than others. It has been particularly tough to get trucks from Georgia to eastern Tennessee and back to North Carolina. We have had to rely on rail shipments much more than in the past and expect this to be the trend going forward.”
HUNTING FOR TRUCKS John Morgan, sales mgr., Morgan Lumber Co. “Trucks this year have been very difficult. I have had to spend at least two hours a day finding and booking trucks. I have heard that over 25,000 trucking firms have shut the doors or are off the road in the last two years. “We are definitely seeing the effects of this and with the fuel increase and lack of trucks, freight has gotten very costly. Some areas of the Northeast, especially Pennsylvania, are very hard to get to because the trucks say there are no backhauls out of this area. It is slowly coming to the point to where it will take a part-time employee just to handle booking trucks for our company.”
FEWER SMALL FIRMS Rick Kitch, Silver City Timber, Chattaroy, Wa. “I do see fewer trucks available, but I think more due to smaller independent guys just getting out of the business. I used to have quite a list of truckers who had just one to five trucks and would work very hard to keep shippers happy. Many of the trucks we see now are part of bigger concerns and their equipment is heavy, or not equipped with tarps and such. Building-Products.com
“We have seen the rates move up over the last six months due to fuel increases, but as of late we have been able to back that down a little because fuel has come down. “We have had to change the way we chase trucks in order to move our loads.”
D-I-Y: DRIVE IT YOURSELF Bob Quickstad, Hills Products Group, Spearfish, S.D. “We have had more difficulty hiring both inbound and outbound trucks the last two years. In some areas we have had to run our own trucks round-trip to keep deliveries going.”
NO REGULAR ROUTES Steve Ondich, operations mgr., Commercial Forest Products, Fontana, Ca. “Inconsistency in sales volume has caused erratic shipping schedules. Many truckers do not have regular routes anymore. We’re doing more LTL work and using more carriers than we used to. If we had to rely on only a couple of haulers to move material, we would have a lot of disappointed customers.” YOU NEED PARTNERS Terry Baker, sales mgr., Tri-Pro Cedar Products, Oldtown, Id. “Our long-range transportation model works in times like these. We use only a few trucking firms, with whom we have set formulas, fuel rates, etc. We work hard to keep them busy in the slow times and they work hard to cover our needs when trucks are tight. If we have to go outside the circle of our normal truckers, then, yes, it’s very difficult and expensive to get the loads covered.”
DEALING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES Steve Merchant, Landstar Carrier Group, Birmingham, Al. “We have always focused on those customers that have been willing to allow us to develop a long-term relationship as a partner in their transportation needs. This means that we have asked them to pay fair and competitive rates, adjusted for fuel prices and market conditions at the time. “The lumber business has for the most part been addicted to back-haul rates, heavy loads (48,000#), and in many cases their shipments require 8-ft. tarps, also known as lumber tarps. Unless one has ever tarped a load in winter or summer conditions, and I have only done one back when I was a young lad, I can tell you it is one of the worst parts of
TULSA, OK.-based industry giant Arrow Trucking was one of thousands of trucking firms to file bankruptcy in the last two years. July 2010 Building Products Digest
11
the flatbed movements, and drivers will choose not to tarp and take different freight when they have the choice, as they do in the current market conditions. “Very few of the lumber mills have developed real relationships with those carriers that have capacity, because in the past few years the market collapsed for trucking companies. Customers were able to find trucks at ‘mercenary rates,’ which the lumber mills took advantage of. I am not saying they should not have done this, but as with any decision there is a consequence, and they are now experiencing that consequence. “Now many of those trucking companies that hauled freight at rates that did not really cover their operating
expenses have succumbed over time and left the market due to hauling freight at unsustainable rates. The market has flipped over the last few months to where transportation demand is up and the total number of trucks available has declined. We continue to provide capacity to those customers who treated us as partners, such as McShan Lumber, and while prices have gone up, our partners still get preferential pricing, while those people that call us trying to be our new friends are put at the bottom of the list, and charged accordingly. “We have a long-term outlook for our business, and we do not focus on loads, but rather providing consistent quality service to those businesses that will in return treat us
Transloads help LBM shippers ramp up en route to recovery
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ICK UP A PAPER, read a business journal, or check your electronic data, and get a dose of gloom and doom. Figures show the slump in construction continues in the residential and non-residential sector. The seasonally adjusted volume is the lowest recorded in seven years. There is light at the end of the tunnel, albeit a little dim, but for those in business who survive they may find a pot of gold as well. The recession causing the dominos to fall has taken its toll. Housing is in a slump, and the forest industry closed mills, laid-off workers, and sold inventory to avoid bankruptcy. Hundreds of empty lumber rail cars from throughout the West are parked indefinitely along miles of sidings in Washington, California and Montana, to the chagrin of residents and sportsmen who live with the vagrants and negative graffiti they attract. Trucks are idle with no drivers. It’s a bad scene. Although LBM inventory is down, transload facilities are warehousing, storing inventory, and providing shortterm staging. Products are moving domestically and internationally, but are hampered by equipment shortages. Railcar equipment shortages? What about all those miles of stored cars? Many railroads are re-positioning stored cars to put them back in service. It’s all about demand, logistics and getting the cars rolling again. According to BNSF, the company is returning about 1,100 railcars to service. Some cars have been stored on the rail line for three years because of the global economic downturn. The company is experiencing increased demand and is activating idle cars. Although the railroads are having problems getting back “on track,” consider the trucking industry. The American Trucking Association recently completed a study that shows there is a shortage of 20,000 truckers in the growing trucking industry. If this continues, the number of truck drivers needed to keep pace in the expanding industry will reach 114,000 by 2014—a sobering figure in light of the amount of the goods transported by truck across the country every hour of every day.
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Building Products Digest July 2010
The total tonnage to be transported by truck is expected to grow to 13 billion tons by 2014. Without enough truck drivers there’s no way to move this by truck. Many trucking companies have simply shut their doors because they’ve been unable to attract qualified drivers. The ATA study predicts the need for over 200,000 new long-haul drivers in the next 10 years. To satisfy the need for drivers, leading trucking and transportation employers are targeting women and minorities. Drivers looking for a career in long-haul trucking will never find a better time than now. It’s “business as usual” at many transload facilities. Transloads provide numerous integrated transportation services for building materials between manufacturer and final destination. They ship railcars of product, handle the truck freight, trans-loading, warehouse/yard storage, documentation and rail freight all in a seamless transaction. Many transloads provide “value-added bundled services” such as high-production surfacing, detailed moulding and sticker patterns, special cut orders, mix and match, T&G and customer patterns, custom milling, and lumber resurfacing to service needs in optimum volumes required by contractors and builders. Most transload distribution centers operate a fleet of service trucks and offer custom load building, job site packaging, cut packs, and inventory management for JIT delivery. “Distribution services are the values added that make the difference between a building owner and a service provider,” says Chuck Kantner, c.e.o. of Ohio’s AIP Logistics. “We are in the transportation business for one reason only—to provide a dependable and comprehensive logistics program for our customers. We keep our wheels turning and your costs down.” In addition to their warehousing and other transload services, AIP specializes in “fill in” work, taking on short haul or plant support work to keep their drivers and equipment pre-positioned. They work with customers to design delivery schedules, while maintaining flexibility for unscheduled services. “Drivers like working for AIP,” Building-Products.com
fairly. That does not describe the average lumber broker from the perspective of the trucking industry. The old saying is ‘Live by the sword, die by the sword.’ The mills for the most part have always lived by cheap rates and relied on the desperateness of the trucks for freight. Thus, in times when the market flips, they are left in a bad situation.”
CAUGHT IN A LUCKY SPOT Janet Corbett, Warm Springs Forest Products, Warm Springs, Or. “We are lucky to have local trucking companies close by in Central Oregon that have been very available for our
shipping needs. We also have many wood manufacturing companies around us that have products hauled in to remanufacture, and those truckers need to get back out of the area and are very receptive to calling on us for outbound loads. (That’s) not to say that I am not calling a lot during the day to find them and coordinate the effort, but we have been able to find trucking for our prompt timeframes to meet with ship loadings. “At one point California was a tough destination, as no trucks were going that way from our area. But at this time, all seems to be fairly smooth. We do not ship by rail any longer, as we just go over the mountain to Portland with export, so trucks are our best option.”
Kantner adds. “Our drivers are home every night and With their rail access to BNSF and UP, Cascade know their customer’s needs, since they see them nearly Warehouse has added food-grade storage, warehousing every day on their routes.” and distribution. Handling frozen foods, food products, Transloaders bundle integrated solutions for the and many other commodities augments their declining unique supply chain needs of builders: from distribution lumber business. centers to special retail packs, from truckload to LTL Transload operators add value for their customers. deliveries. Transloaders have the capabilities to develop Railroad Distribution Services, a wholly owned subturnkey logistics programs. sidiary of Pinsly Railroad Co., has been reloading and Saddle Creek Transportation, a premier transload with transloading since 1985 and has operations in western operations in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Central Florida, and Arkansas. All staff Illinois, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, and equipment operators are experienced in the wareTennessee, Texas and Virginia, provides customers addihousing and distribution of dimension lumber, wallboard, tional capacity during business surges to optimize traffic plywood, OSB and various other panel products, palpatterns, control costs, and transportation management. letized products, and specialized building materials. They offer asset-based and non-asset-based transportaIn addition to managing all storage and inventory tion/distribution solutions to accommodate increasing requirements, RDS provides flatbed trucking services for demands of competitive markets. on-time deliveries. RDA has received Lowe’s highest Saddle Creek helped fiber cement siding manufacturer honor—its Gold Team Award—for three consecutive Nichiha USA when the company opened its first U.S. years based on their reliable service record. plant. Nichiha needed a strong logistics partner to build – Patricia Schlaeger is executive director of the Transload momentum and meet its business goals. Saddle Creek Distribution Association, West Linn, Or. Reach her at (503) became an extension of Nichiha’s image in everything 656-4282 or transloadmeeting@ yahoo.com. Find a transload from product handling in the warehouse to driver conduct in your area by browsing TDA’s directory at www. at time of delivery. transload.org. Equipment shortages have been eliminated by transloaders who have their own fleet of railcars and trucks. Westran Services Ltd., New Westminster, B.C., has made it a priority to eliminate equipment bottlenecks by acquiring sufficient equipment to meet customer’s needs. Their system includes 225 railcars of varying capacities and types to handle any demand. Being adjacent to BNSF gives them flexibility to switch twice daily and provide rapid transload between truck and rail. Commodity diversity and providing additional value-added services during the recession has helped transloaders keep their doors open. Cascade Warehouse operates three facilities in Salem, Or., for rail car loading, handling plywood and lumber boxcars. They provide ample inside warehouse space for storage, along with current orders for timely shipment. Lumber can be handled in a variety of ways: standard inbound/out-bound, mixing materials from various mills, and stock in storage waiting for sale. Cascade also has facilities in TRANSLOAD FACILITIES, such as Cascade Warehouse, Salem, Or., are strategically Chehalis, Wa.; Junction City, Or.; Las Vegas, located along major transportation routes across the country to offer distribution by truck, rail or container. Nv., and Colton, Ca. Building-Products.com
July 2010 Building Products Digest
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FEATURE Story By Jeff Buckley, iLevel by Weyerhaeuser
5 tips to upsell structural framing packages
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Hendrix once said, “Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.” No doubt he wasn’t thinking about his local lumberyard, but he makes a point all of us in LBM should remember: When interacting with customers, take time to fully comprehend their challenges before offering solutions. Understanding the advantages that specialty lumber and engineered wood products provide over commodity lumber can help a sales team recognize customer challenges, needs and goals. Such information provides a foundation for listening effectively for ways to add value to the builder. To this end, below are five tips regarding higher-performance framing material options to better meet customers’ needs and land the sale. UITAR LEGEND JIMI
Fulfill unrecognized needs
If you ask builders what new framing material types would benefit them, they may or may not have a clear answer. For example, all have experienced the frustration of culling through stacks of commodity lumber to remove defective boards, but may not have considered that affordable alternatives are available. With advances in forestry, manufacturing, testing and grading, some manufacturers are now offering higher performance lumber. New features include boards that are much less likely to warp after installation, “crown up” labels that remove the need for visual inspection or guesswork on the jobsite, and application of mold inhibitors at the mill. Such features help products look great in the yard and perform well during construction, reducing time and money currently used to cull commodity lumber and helping reduce the risk of call-backs. Another potentially unrecognized
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Building Products Digest July 2010
ENGINEERED LUMBER reportedly is much less likely to warp after installation.
need is tall wall construction. For walls over 10-ft. high in entries, foyers, and great rooms, builders are accustomed to platform framing (i.e. stacking shorter walls since longer lumber lengths may not be available). This creates a hinge point that is susceptible to drywall cracks and leaks, especially around windows. Several engineered lumber products, including laminated strand lumber and parallel strand lumber, provide solutions that enable single-length studs in walls up to 30 ft. high, while meeting load-carrying requirements and providing clean wall lines.
Paint a picture
Specialty lumber and engineered wood products may be unfamiliar to some builders and homeowners, so explaining the benefits in clear, concrete terms they recognize can be helpful. For instance, someone in our company was speaking with a friend who had a valuable art collection and wanted to showcase it in his new home. The friend had never heard of LSL or thought about structural framing, but after a brief conversation about how LSL studs could provide straighter walls on which to hang his collection, said he would ask his Building-Products.com
builder to use them. A visual representation can also underscore the benefits. Some dealers have built simple, side-by-side comparisons of higher-performing framing materials versus commodity lumber to show how framing material selection is critical to craftsmanship of the finished home.
Emphasize quality and value
While price is still often king, builders may be willing to purchase an upgraded framing package if there is a clear benefit, such as a higher-quality finished home, fewer call-backs, less labor or a product warranty. Specialty lumber and engineered wood products can support these goals for homes of all types. For example, since custom builders stake their reputations on craftsmanship, higher-performance framing materials can help ensure quality construction throughout the home. The products’ greater consistency and straightness can help ensure smooth and even walls, in curving staircases and in rooms with millwork and other high-end finishes. Production builders may wish to incorporate engineered lumber throughout a home or to balance performance and cost by using different products in specific locations. This could include LSL in kitchens and baths, where straight and even walls are most important; specialty lumber in other visible interior walls such as living rooms, bedrooms and hallways; and commodity lumber in closets and
LSL offers greater consistency and straightness to help ensure smooth and even walls.
other locations where finish is less important.
Put price in perspective
When customers focus on the perstick price, relating the incremental cost of higher quality materials to the overall framing package or total home cost can be helpful. This could include calling out facts specific to the project, such as “high-performance LSL wall framing throughout this home could add less than 1% to the total cost” or “for $500 more, you can get top-quality framing in this $30,000 kitchen.” Higher-performance framing also lends itself well to packaging with other products. For example, you may wish to offer LSL or specialty lumber
PARALLEL STRAND lumber can enable single-length studs in walls up to 30 ft. high, meet load-carrying requirements, and provide clean wall lines. Building-Products.com
studs with cabinets and reiterate to the builder how straight studs can help reduce labor costs.
Take solutions to next level
Because builders are under increasing pressure to streamline the construction process, the market for selling pre-manufactured framing components is growing. Consider supplying precision end-trim and labeled kits of framing materials. These can help speed installation and improve quality, and provide a way to evolve your services into panelized framing components, if desired. The process does not need to be difficult, since your wood product manufacturer may be able to assist with consultations on equipment, software and operations. Another way to show value to builders is to highlight how high-performance framing materials can fit into green building. Such materials may be SFI certified or carry other independent evaluations such as the NAHB’s “Green Approved” products rating or ICC-ES SAVE program (Sustainable Attributes Verification and Evaluation). Manufacturers can provide details on their products’ certifications, and what these programs mean for builders. Product options are always increasing, and framing is no exception. The range of performance characteristics available provides dealers ample opportunities to develop packages that best meet customers’ specific needs.
– Jeff Buckley is the southeast division general manager of wood products for iLevel by Weyerhaeuser, www.ilevel.com; (888) 453-8358. July 2010 Building Products Digest
15
COMPETITIVE Intelligence By Carla Waldemar
Fighting with a sword “R
ECESSION?” DECLARES Rick Pogue, general manager of Arrowhead Building Supply. “We chose not to participate in it.” “Everyone is looking for ways to cut costs,” he observes. “But we take a different approach. Arrowhead fights with a sword, not a shield.” So April was as good a time as any to expand to a fifth St. Louis-area location, this one in Hollister, Mo. The exterior supply company was founded in 1997 by Rick’s dad, company president and owner, who brought with him years of experience in a previous yard. Rick signed on in earnest (“I’ve been here all my life”) 10 years ago and started right in making changes. “Oh yeah,” he acknowledges that dust-up with a satisfied smile you can hear across the telephone wires. “We had 35 employees and no plans for expansion, but having built a good team, I could plan ahead and not spend my time on the day-to-day nuts and bolts of the operation.”
He pushed for a second store in 2001, a third operation in 2006, number four in ’08, the fifth this spring, and the end’s nowhere in sight. Says Rick, “We’ve got a model we can take anywhere: Whatever market we enter, we can do well.” “Our model is the best there is,” he continues. And it’s not a fancy, Harvard MBA-type scheme. It’s simply this: “We don’t tell our customers what they want; they tell us. We don’t dictate. We listen.” And what Arrowhead hears, over and over again, is: Time is money. Contractors need those shingles (or whathave-you) yesterday. And right there on the rooftop, so they don’t have to hoist them from the mud. “Everything we do is built around expediency,” Rick spells out what he’s mandated as the company’s unique niche. “For instance, we design and build our own truck equipment, including a pull-and-lift bed so workers don’t need to climb on and off the truck.” Expediency also is the basis of Arrowhead’s marketing mantra, touted via its 3/15 slogan. Call in your order, and Arrowhead pledges to deliver it—not same day, how old is that? Even Arrowhead’s competitors now can make that happen—but within three hours, a feat others haven’t got the fleet of vehicles to match. Likewise, a contractor can phone in his order for a box of nails with no need to park and cool his heels at the counter. It’s waiting at Hollister’s brand-new drive-in window in 15 minutes, the McDonald’s of the industry. This kind of out-of-the-box thinking is nothing new to
ARROWHEAD’S large, free-wheeling 40-truck fleet allows it to guarantee delivery within three hours.
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Building Products Digest July 2010
Building-Products.com
Rick. In 1992—again, with his contractors’ needs in mind—he came up with the idea of offering dumpster service to roofers. It works like this: Buy new shingles from Arrowhead and they’ll haul off, grind up and recycle the old ones. And it’s free. “It’s a neat idea,” its author agrees. “I developed it to steal customers from our competition, and it’s working. Last year it brought in $1 million in business.” Neat idea? He’s full of them. How about this one? Rick pulled an inside salesman off the floor, gave him a list and a phone, and turned him into a telemarketer. The man’s job is simply to call existing customers and thank them for their orders. “It’s amazing how much new work you get out of that,” says Rick—the “oh, while we’re on the phone” $4,000 orders. He also reaches new customers via radio ads. Hey, wait a minute! How Old School is that? As he explains, “A friend—the biggest contractor in town—talked me into it, and it’s drawn a lot of new people. It’s paid off, and I’m happy. You can’t be afraid to try something new”—including Facebook, where Arrowhead now boasts a page. Oh, but here’s one modern device you won’t encounter (thank goodness): voicemail. “I won’t allow it,” the boss is adamant. “Everyone gets to talk to a real, live person.” And on its website, it now includes another smart-thinking feature: a link to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration weather reports. As Rick instructs, “Storms bring lots of business to our contractors; they love ’em. So they watch to see when and where, and then head over.” The website also acts as a match.com service to unite homeowners looking for professional help with a vetted list of contractors. Plus, the new Hollister showroom allows these pros to bring in their homeowner customers and turn them over to Arrowhead’s staff. Arrowhead also offers a bit more structured instruction through Arrowhead University—just “don’t call them workshops! That has a bad name!” Here, the company presents new products and practices, such as how to install a skylight or metal roof, as well as techniques for sales in the home—“and our contractors love them. We offer 20-25 a year and 15 to 40 contractors show up.” And get a swell free lunch, besides. Another big reason to do business with Arrowhead is its Builders Club affiliation, rewarding every $10 purchase with two points to apply toward a free vacation. “It costs us 1.2%,” says Rick, “and it’s well worth it.” Clearly, Rick walks the walk. He also talks it. As a member of an 185-company-strong buying group, he’s seen both good independent businesses and others doomed to fail. To encourage the laggards to commit to change, he’s written a pamphlet called “A Declaration of Independents,” which warns owners that “You can’t just wait around for something to happen. Home Depot will always offer lower prices, so do something different to compete. “Independents have the advantage over the chains by being able to adapt to change—make a quick command decision—while places like ABC take years, like steering a battleship. And independents can take each customer on a case-by-case basis, not having to look to corporate policy.” Yet, he laughs, “Home Depot and Lowe’s aren’t Arrowhead’s competitors; they’re our customers. They can’t get the roofing material onto the roof, so they buy from us and we use our equipment. Same for other lumberyards: Instead of them buying a whole carload of shingles, which sits around as it’s doled out, little by little, simply Building-Products.com
MISSOURI CHAIN offers services other dealers can’t, aided in part by equipment it’s custom-designed itself—including the Load Warrior, which transfers recyclable shingles from its fleet of 200 rental containers to larger containers.
buy whatever amount you need from us: We’ll deliver it so you never even have to touch it, while you’ll still make $100 or $200 on the order.” In fact, Rick has created two market networking groups to share job leads and go after new business in Missouri, and Arrowhead has gained over $2 million of that new business through these groups. This GM’s not just talkin’. When you pin him down to numbers, be prepared to be impressed. As he says, “When the recession started in 2007, our competition closed branches and laid off people; they walled up and protected their top customers. We do just the opposite. We went after everybody’s customers to add contractors, even if their business was slow. Later, they’d remember us. So in the past 18 months, we’ve added 700 new accounts. In the past two years, our sales have been the best ever. We’d had our best year ever in 2002 at $22 million. By 2008, we hit $25 million, and then $27.5 million last year.” Another reason is that Rick hires astutely—“by attitude, not experience. I look for someone who’s positive, magnetic, passionate. I don’t want to babysit my employees. We have the very best salespeople in the business, and I have my own list of what I critique them on—the six As: attitude, ambition, autonomy, assertiveness, awareness and accuracy. Their job is to get new customers to try us. Once they do, we usually have their business going forward because we meet and exceed their needs.” More innovative schemes ahead? “Well, I’ve got dad breathing into a paper bag. His hair’s turned white,” Rick laughs. But, it looks like his retirement home won’t be the poorhouse. Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net
July 2010 Building Products Digest
17
OLSEN On Sales By James Olsen
Increase your sales velocity “W
not. Nothing derails sales velocity more than working accounts that do not fit our profile. If our “ideal” customer isn’t exactly clear to us, we: • Look at our current best accounts. This is a great place to begin to define our ideal target. • Look at the great sellers around us. What kind of accounts are the monster sellers doing business with?
E’RE ALL GOING to be millionaires; it’s just a question of how long it’s going to take us to do it.” – Sven Melbo
How do we make things happen faster? I work with salespeople who are great once they get in front of the customer, but it takes them too long to get in front of the customer! Not only does it take them too long, they have a tough time moving the process along with the customers they do get in front of. We’ve talked about the fear of being “pushy.” The difference between master sellers and those that struggle is that the struggling seller thinks about being pushy and the master seller thinks about helping customers and winning. Master sellers aren’t pushy; they’re persistent. How we are persistent is our choice but the non-persistent salesperson doesn’t exist. At every step in the sales process, with existing or new customers, there are steps we can take to increase our sales velocity. One way to think about sales velocity is to think about our sales career as a boat that has a constant leak. The master seller bails (sells) faster than the leak, the good seller bails at about the same rate, and the struggling seller doesn’t even know they need to bail until the boat hits the bottom of the ocean.
Prospecting: Be Prepared.
We need a good list. Many sellers prospect one at a time. They get on the internet, look up a company, and call them. When this call is done, they look up another and do it again. This is slow work. We need to create a good list first, during non-selling time. After the list is created, we keep it in our “Prospecting” file for ready use.
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Building Products Digest July 2010
Prospecting: Scripts
Scripting gets a bad name. We don’t want to sound like robots, but writing out the objections we will face and our best responses will accelerate our sales process. The majority of sellers we compete against will shirk this basic but major velocity tool. “I already know what I’m going to say,” “I don’t want to sound mechanical,” and other excuses are used to avoid this intellectual leadership sales preparation. Don’t be one of them. Nothing will make us sound more natural and confident than being prepared. We don’t read our scripts. Scripts are the preparations we make to move through initial resistance more quickly. If we want to set ourselves apart from the crowd, we need well thought out responses to common objections. Preparation allows for improvisation. The act of thinking through and putting our responses in writing will give us the conviction it takes to sell well, to convince others quickly. When asked, most sellers say they are “relationship sellers,” which means they act nice and hope for the best. Master sellers act nice and prepare for all possible sales situations.
Prospecting: Qualification
We must know exactly which customers we can help and which we can-
Measuring Sales Velocity
“How long will I call an account without an order before I move on?” “What is a profitable account?” “Which accounts are too small?” “Which fish is too small to keep in the boat?” Without answers to these questions, we will spend hours of wasted time and energy on accounts that are too small to ever help us.
Connect All Calls
We must connect all calls. Phone sellers are easy to forget and blow off, road salespeople cannot afford to miss an appointment. When we finish with any call, we simply say, “Susan, when should I call you back on this?” Or the more assumptive, “John, I’ll call you back today at 2:55. Will you be around then?” Be specific. Tomorrow morning isn’t good enough. Tomorrow at 8:55 a.m. is. Building relationships and trust takes time. Working on sales velocity in our sales process will help us reach our goals faster! James Olsen Reality Sales Training (503) 544-3572 james@realitysalestraining.com Building-Products.com
OVER THE Counter By Mike Dandridge
Build up your sales counter
VERY ELEMENT in the sales counter can be a tool of mass persuasion or an instrument of sales prevention. Whether customers feel like welcome guests or troublesome pests depends upon how well these elements are engineered. First, understand that everything matters. From the broken caster on the display to the empty toilet paper dispenser, customers unconsciously grade your company on a mental scale that weighs their expectations against the service that you actually deliver. The performance of most dealers falls sadly short of customers’ expectations. No one sets out to make a poor impression. A newly launched sales counter, well organized with productfilled shelves and walls, underscored by the smell of fresh paint, is something to behold. But then the phone rings and customers are waiting and it just happens over time—dust gathers, signs fade, and paint peels. It occurs gradually, but the impact is immediate. Customers believe that you no longer care as much you once did. That’s when it’s time to stand back and take a look at what the counter has become. This article will help you transform an aging sales counter into a tool of mass persuasion. While most of the suggestions will seem familiar and easy, it’s their simple nature that makes them so often overlooked or deemed unimportant. To recognize just how critical these elements are to major players in the construction industry, take a surveillance trip to Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, or Grainger. You’ll see that these businesses show a healthy appreciation for the elements of persuasion. Now, for the health of your own branch, here are seven ways to amp up your sales at the counter:
Price it. Traditionally, items sold at the sales counter are not priced, but this could change if industry consultants and marketing experts have their way. Citing research from surveys and statistics, both groups make a convincing case that in sales counters where
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Building Products Digest July 2010
Photo by Johnstone Supply
E
the merchandise is priced, sales climb as much as 20%. The reason for this is two-fold: first, some customers will not ask a salesperson for a price so they just don’t buy the product, and second, some customers believe if it’s not marked, it must be expensive. Adding price tags overcomes both of these objections. Clean it. The downside of growing up is that mom’s not around to tell you when it’s time to clean your room anymore. So, take a good hard look at your counter area. Is there dust on the displays and cobwebs on the ceiling? Abandoned soda cans and cups of moldy coffee on shelves? Wipe down all horizontal surfaces and anywhere else that dust gathers. Buy a shop vac to reach the corners and under displays. Don’t forget to clean the mud and fingerprints off the front door. Cleaning is a task that is never complete. Make your mom proud; take out the trash before it overflows.
Paint it. If the walls of your store still look dingy, faded, and tired, it’s time for a fresh coat of paint. It’s an inexpensive and fairly easy way to give any sales counter that new-andimproved appearance. Light, neutral colors are best for persuasive environments. Special note: If your sales counter is still sporting brown pegboard from the ’60s, it’s time for a makeover. A bucket of paint provides a lot of bang for your buck.
Move it. Even positioning a gondola a certain way can make a difference in product sales. Don’t get stuck in an
old-school merchandising rut. Be bold and innovative. Moving displays around every other month or so gives your sales counter a new look and keeps your customers alert to make new discoveries.
Upsize it. If high school kids can persuade customers to “add fries to that burger” then anyone can learn how to “upsize” orders at the sales counter, too. Some may think that selling add-ons is too “high-pressure,” but the truth is most customers appreciate the extra attention. Trust is essential in add-on selling. Avoid recommending an item unless there truly is a benefit to your customer. Selling up creates a professional image that identifies you as a specialist in your industry. It pays to sell up.
Reduce it. Most branch managers equate “having a sale” with “taking a loss” on old products. But, with careful planning, a sale can be a moneymaking opportunity. Instead of displaying only the obsolete products, mix in some new products as well. Before the scheduled sale, take advantage of vendor promotions and buy for the sale. Display the new products at a slight discount alongside the sale merchandise.
Throw it out. If it’s damaged and not returnable, or if it’s an obsolete item that survived the sale, get rid of it. Scrap it, give it away, whatever. Don’t tie up inventory dollars and valuable shelf space with material that’s going to be written off at your next inventory anyway. This isn’t a one-time fix, but an ongoing maintenance plan. Relentlessly focus on the elements of persuasion to ensure that the performance you deliver exceeds your customers’ expectations.
Mike Dandridge mikedan@mac.com
Building-Products.com
Cedar Creek Buys Alamo after Equity Firm Takes Reins
Weeks after being acquired itself by a private equity firm, Cedar Creek, Tulsa, Ok., has purchased three wholesale distribution yards in Texas from Alamo Forest Products, San Antonio, Tx. The acquisition adds yards in San Antonio, Houston and Harlingen to Cedar Creek’s nine locations. Charlesbank Capital Partners had just picked up a majority stake in Cedar Creek, vowing to expand into new geographic areas. As part of the recapitalization deal, William Adams was installed as chairman and c.e.o. of Cedar Creek. Clark Wiens, David Bond, and D. Wayne Trousdale will retain minority equity stakes as well as senior executive positions with the company.
Poulin Growing in Vermont
Poulin Lumber, Derby, Vt., is expanding into central Vermont with the addition of a new yard in Williamstown. Poulin expects to open its fourth location July 16 at Lacillade Lumber’s recently shuttered 36-acre complex, which included a 28,000-sq. ft. show-
Building-Products.com
room, 18,000-sq. ft. warehouse, and 8,000-sq. ft. truss plant. The main building is currently being renovated into a two-story Ace Hardware plus drive-thru warehouse. It will open with six to 10 workers, but predicts that number eventually could rise to 20 to 25. “We expect to seriously grow in the next four years,” said general manager Scott Flynn.
Remodel Anticipates Rebound
Sanford & Hawley has renovated its flagship location in Farmington, Ct.—the largest makeover in the yard’s 126-year history. The $500,000 project included demolition of three buildings and part of a fourth, construction of a new 9,000-sq. ft. warehouse, and relocation of an 1890s house, used for offices in busy times, to elsewhere on the site. “We tend to do our projects in down years,” said v.p. Frank Sanford, one of three brothers who run the family business. “It’s getting in position for the next upswing.” Sanford said that the lumber business is beginning to show signs of stabilizing, mostly from an increase in remodeling, and is optimistic housing will begin to improve later this year.
DEALER Briefs
84 Lumber is closing its yard in Lake City, Fl., consolidating operations into other stores in the region.
T.H. Rogers Lumber Co. suffered nearly $1 million in damage June 3 when lightning struck and set fire to the home decorating center next to its Vinita, Ok., lumberyard.
Home Hardware Center , Winnfield, La., has acquired Builders Mart True Value, Tylertown, Ms., as its 17th location (Chase Holmes, mgr.), a month after opening #16 in Marksville, La. (Keith White, mgr.).
Elliott’s Hardware has placed its flagship Dallas, Tx., store up for sale, in hopes of relocating to a smaller building. Mayfield Hardware Co. , Covington, Ga., will focus on housewares and home care items at its store on the Square, after eliminating its hardware department and transferring its repair/maintenance specialists to its Newton Plaza location.
July 2010 Building Products Digest
21
GREEN Retailing By Jay Tompt
Get up on green roofs
U
LTIMATELY, THE WAYS IN
which homes are designed and built influence the kinds of products and solutions
that make their way into the “shelter supply chain.” The green building movement has blossomed over the last 10 years, and the thinking at its core has, too. References to “systems thinking” occur more frequently in conversations concerning all aspects of building science and practice. Buckminster Fuller would be happy. But it’s early days and there is much more progress to be made. The carbon footprint of the building industry is still two or three times above where it will need to be in order to meet whatever carbon reduction target eventually becomes national policy. The next waves of innovation are pushing forward more holistic solutions, creating new opportunities for the long term. Savvy dealers and distributors could do well to begin making moves into green roofs and modular shelters. A green roof is exactly what it sounds like—plants growing on the roof. The idea is old, but current approach-
LOOKS LIKE WEATHER
es are based on the latest systems thinking. A good green roof system takes in the entire building ecology and watershed. Storm runoff is managed; perhaps rainwater is harvested and reused within the building. The plants effectively filter rainwater, provide habitat, and maybe even food for inhabitants. The building’s energy requirements for heating and cooling are reduced, as are heat island effects. Organic wastes are composted, loops are closed. The overall CO2 footprint is reduced. A green roof provides many services for the building, its occupants, and its neighbors, what a permaculture practitioner would call “stacking functions.” The number of green roof installations is growing and there could soon be tax credits to keep it growing. Savvy dealers would do well to start learning about green roofs, visit local projects, and scout products. New product innovations are coming to market that are contributing to better systems with greener materials, built faster with easier maintenance, etc. Consider the whole system and how you might innovate within your own organization to grow this aspect of your business next year. Learn more at Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (www.greenroofs.org), an industry association. Most importantly, build relationships with local green roof designers and builders. The other wave of opportunity is with modular shelters, a perfect example of holistic design that contributes to sustainability and self-reliance. This may not seem obvious, but at bottom, we are really in the business of providing shelter. Rather, the shelter is the continuing service that customers are getting from their building system, the components of which are sourced from various places and assembled by various workers. Why not provide shelter
more holistically? There has been growing interest in green prefabs and modular building for use on homesteads, backyards, and even roofs. New designs incorporate the greenest materials, are solar powered, collect rainwater, and even come with a green roof. (For an example, see Tensen Eco Buildings at www.tensenbuildings.co.uk). It’s not hard to see the appeal. These products are much less expensive and more feasible than buying a bigger house or financing a room addition. Building permits may not even be necessary. As more people seek to become self-sufficient, growing their food, and simplifying their lives, these cool little shelters are even becoming preferred ways to live. A hundred years ago, this supply chain sold goods to people with sod roofs and even sold homes. Thinking of your own dealer or distribution business as a member of the “shelter supply chain” will help position it for the inevitable low-carbon future to come.
Jay Tompt Managing Partner Wm. Verde & Associates (415) 321-0848 info@williamverde.com
DEALER Briefs
Zarsky Lumber , Victoria, Tx., purchased Coast Lumber, Port Aransas, Tx., during foreclosure proceedings. Terryville True Value Hardware, Terryville, Ct., is
closing after nearly 100 years.
Hermon True Value Hardware, Hermon, Me., has been opened by Tom Tillson and Richard Pfirman, owners of Tillson True Value, Dexter, Me.
Turbyfill Hardware, Denver, N.C., is closing after 35 years, with the retirement of founders Joe and Jean Turbyfill.
Chuck and Sally Allen, owners of Rockford Ace Hardware, Rock-ford, Mi., have acquired the neighboring Ray Kunst Garden Center from Pete Kruer.
Lowe’s has acquired a 20-acre site in Commack, N.Y.
Menards has broken ground for a new store on 16 acres in Columbus, Oh., for a February 2011 completion.
Ace Fence, Plano, Tx., held a grand opening June 11 for its newest location in Tyler, Tx. (Mike Klueppel, mgr.). Habitat for Humanity opened a 6,000-sq. ft. ReStore discount LBM outlet in early June in Traverse City,
Mi., and unveils a ReStore July 16 in Newbury Township, Oh. (Meredith Ashkettle, mgr.).
Missouri Lumberyard Reorganizes
Galloway Lumber, Kirksville, Mo., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection May 5, but intends to reopen after restructuring. Kim Galloway, who co-owns the 30-year-old yard with her son, said the business would reopen June 18 “under new management and operating under a new business model.” They also plan to sell part of the property and lease another part.
New Owners Spruce Up Iowa Yard
GCI Building Supply, Belle Plaine, Ia., has been renamed Belle Plaine Lumber by new owners Doug and Amy DeMeulenaere, who hosted a May 15 open house. “We want to tie the community to the business a little,” said Doug. “It’s more than just a place to buy a board. The business is built around the community.” Inside the store, changes include new inventory, updated displays, and installation of a new point-of-sale inventory and sale system. Contractor referral services are available, and the business offers free estimates and local delivery. Outside, a storefront adjacent to the business is available for rent to a commercial tenant, as is a recently completed 1,500-sq. ft. extension at the business’ west end. “I’m trying to turn it into a mini shopping center,” said Doug.
CertainTeed Restarts Roofing Plant
To meet increased demand for asphalt roofing in the West South Central region, CertainTeed will rebuild and upgrade its plant in Ennis, Tx., closed since February 2007. The Landmark shingle facility is expected to be fully operational in early 2011, adding 50 new jobs.
WEATHER OR NOT,
REVOLUTIONIZES FLOORING.
New England Building Material Dealer Ups Stake in Lumber
Waltham Lime & Cement Co., Waltham, Ma., is increasing its stock of lumber products after changing its name to Waltham Lumber, effective June 1. The company began in 1930 as a distributor of masons’ and plasterer’s supplies. It started adding other construction supplies, including drywall, in the 1960s and expanded to wood products in the 1990s. Lumber now makes up a large portion of its business. “We felt increasingly that our old name, in spite of a sentimental attachment that comes with an 80-year association, no longer accurately portrays the breadth of our business,” said president Robert M. Derderian. He added, “While we remain committed to our traditional product lines and customers, we want to offer local area contractors and homeowners an independent, family-owned lumberyard as an alternative to big box stores.”
Westlake Hit with Second Wage Suit
A second failure-to-pay-overtime lawsuit has been filed against Westlake Hardware, Lenexa, Ks., one month after a previous case reached a settlement agreement. A district court judge conditionally certified a potential class of over 300 supervisors and managers. The suit also seeks unpaid overtime and damages for alleged wage and hour misclassification under federal law. Westlake maintains that the allegations have no merit. In the earlier case, Westlake agreed to pay $125,000 in overtime and penalties plus $130,000 in attorney fees and court costs to 16 employees. Westlake settled to avoid the costly litigation, insisting it had not violated the law.
SUPPLIER Briefs
MacDonald & Owen Lumber , Sparta, Wi., has acquired PW Hardwoods, Brookville, Pa.
USP Structural Connectors, Burnsville, Mn., has acquired an equity interest in construction design software developer Structural Soft, Palo Alto, Ca.
Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., has completed the $400million acquisition of Grant Forest Products’ OSB facilities in Allendale and Clarendon, S.C., and Englehart and Earlton, Ontario.
Morgan Lumber, Red Oak, Va., is increasing its drying capacity with the addition of a new USNR counter-flow kiln system and a direct-fired burner.
Tolleson Lumber, Preston, Ga., is adding a vision upgrade for its LHG planer mill grade scanning system.
South Shore Millwork, Norton, Ma., is seeking tax concessions to add 30,000 sq. ft. to its plant.
Columbus Wood Products, Columbus, Oh., has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation—three months after falling into receivership.
SRS Acquisition Corp. has purchased 4-unit window, roofing and siding distributor Pace Supply Corp. , Lansdale, Pa. Former owner Al Edwards and his management team will stay on, continuing to operate under the Pace name.
Get ready for a whole new approach to dealing with edge swell: pointSIX™ from Ainsworth, an engineered subfloor solution designed to accommodate whatever wet stuff the weather serves up. It does so thanks to a patented tapered-edge technology that actually offsets the effects of prolonged moisture exposure. The result: floors that go down flat and stay that way—no sanding required.
PointSIX takes its name from research results indicating a minimum .6mm taper depth to be most effective in reducing edge swell.
SUPPLIER Briefs
iLevel by Weyerhaeuser is now distributing CMPC’s Selex radiata pine plywood and beaded paneling across the U.S.
Cook & Boardman Group, Charlotte, N.C., acquired SBS Commercial Door & Hardware, with 13 locations among four divisions—Martin Architectural Products, Raleigh, N.C.; Hollow Metal Specialists, Sarasota, Fl.; Precision Doors & Hardware, Alexandria, Va., and Architectural Building Supply, Salt Lake City, Ut.
SBS’ Chris Robinson has joined Cook & Boardman as executive v.p. and c.o.o.
Oldcastle Materials, Atlanta, Ga., purchased 12 ready mixed concrete locations, two block plants, and one aggregate distribution terminal from Schwab Industries’ bankruptcy proceedings. Acquired were Twin Cities Concrete,
Quality Block & Supply, Medina Supply Co., Schwab Ready-Mix, and Eastern Cement Corp. facilities in northeast Ohio and southwest Florida.
VT Industries, Holstein, Ia., is rebranding its IDEAL Door lines under the VT Architectural Wood Doors brand. VT had maintained the name since acquiring IDEAL’s plant in New Albany, In., two years ago.
Arch Wood Protection has had the Good Housekeeping Seal extended to include all forms of Wolmanized wood products. Since August 1, 2005, the Seal has applied to certain types of Wolmanized Residential Outdoor wood.
NEW CORPORATE-OWNED location is a “lab” for True Value.
True Value Opens Company Store
True Value held a May 13-16 grand opening for its first corporate-owned location—a larger-format 12,300-sq. ft. store located near its headquarters in Chicago, Il. “This is a lab for us,” said Lyle Heidemann, who has served as True Value’s c.e.o. since 2005. “It’s about, ‘How can we help our retailers become more efficient?’” The store measures nearly 50% larger than the typical True Value, providing additional space for wider aisles,
Look for standard pointSIX Flooring (turquoise edge) to deliver solid performance when costs count, and premium pointSIX Durastrand Flooring (purple edge) for projects that demand the “best of the best.”
Cost more? No. Work better? Yes. End of story.
more remodeling products such as decorative hardware, and a bigger paint department—to better attract female shoppers. “Women are the majority of homeimprovement shoppers and make the majority of home-improvement decisions,” said analyst Marti Barletta. “Men tend to repair this and that. Women tend to take on the projects that involve ‘let’s redo the bathroom’ or ‘let’s redo the cabinets.’” Heidemann said that the new store helps those at headquarters understand what independent storeowners experience every day. Even though corporate employees don’t work at the store, they decide how it operates and are responsible for its sales and profits. In less than three years, 105 of True Value’s 3,500 stores have converted to the same large format—and posted an average 10% increase in revenue. Another 175 stores are expected to convert by the end of this year.
Reload Opens in New England
The CrossGlobe Group, Glen Allen, Va., has added a new outdoor transfer yard at its rail-sided warehouse in Monson, Ma. Kirk Bryant, ex-Quaboag Transfer,
has joined Cross-Globe as general mgr. of the New England region. Tom Stokes, ex-Quaboag, is now sales director for New England.
Double-Arsonist Convicted
An employee of Home Depot, Bainbridge, Oh., has been convicted of twice setting fire to the store.
The fires on July 24 and July 31, 2009, were started in various places throughout the store, including inside merchandise boxes and behind a counter. Fingerprints found on evidence from the fire were traced to Ariel J. Alcaide, 22. As part of his sentencing, he must pay $259,477.24 restitution to Depot.
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APA SPECIAL SECTION
Studies in sustainability
Wood is demonstrating its green credentials by example
T
today that the sustainability movement and green building in particular are here to stay. Green building criteria are, in fact, now codified in numerous building codes and national standards, and increasing numbers of local jurisdictions are adopting green building requirements. Nor can there remain much doubt—given both the objective data and a growing body of real world case studies—that wood, and engineered wood in particular, can and does make an important contribution to the worthy goals of sustainability and green building. The common sense and scientific support for the green credentials of wood is substantial, long-standing, and well documented. • Wood’s strongest suit is perhaps its most obvious—wood is the only naturally renewable building material. That fact is made all the more compelling by the corollary truth, contrary HRE CAN BE NO DOUBT
By Jack Merry
to common misperception, that forest growth in North America has exceeded forest harvest for decades. • Advancements in wood product manufacturing technology continue to improve wood’s sustainability quotient. The industrial output per unit of wood input has increased 40% over the past half century. That trend has accelerated with the advent, acceptance and wide use in recent years of modern engineered wood products, which use more of the available resource with less waste and which in many cases can be produced from fast-growing, underutilized and less expensive wood species. • Wood products are made from forest resources harvested under a number of internationally recognized sustainable forest management certification programs, including the Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Canadian Standards Association, and American Tree Farm System. These programs provide
THIS PRIMARY SCHOOL in Gunter, Tx., is a 60,000-sq. ft. wood-frame structure.
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Building Products Digest July 2010
assurance that wood fiber resources are sustainably grown and harvested. • Life cycle assessment (LCA) research shows that by a number of “cradle to grave” sustainability measures, wood is substantially more environmentally friendly than alternative construction materials. Wood products, for example, make up 47% of all industrial raw materials manufactured in the United States, yet consume only 4% of the total energy needed to manufacture all industrial raw materials. • As noted in one of the real world case studies below, wood products are recyclable, a fact of increasing importance and relevance to carbon sequestering efforts. • And as also noted below, wood can be and today is easily and commonly incorporated into residential and nonresidential building designs recognized under a number of green building rating systems. Despite all of the above arguments, uninformed bias against the green merits of wood still exists in some quarters. But for skeptics looking for proof in the pudding, they need not look far. Take, for example, the Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach, Ca., completed in 2008 for a non-profit of the same name that serves at its community’s foremost authority on ecological responsibility, sustainable practices, and environmental education. The 8500-sq. ft. mixed use complex contains administrative offices, classrooms, a museum, and a gift shop—all protected and aesthetically enhanced by an exposed wood roof system and wood-frame shear walls. The complex—a main building housing public areas separated from an administrative building by a Building-Products.com
Building-Products.com
July 2010 Building Products Digest
29
GLULAM BEAMS and framing support the roof of Gunter Primary School. The largest beam is 12 inches wide, 7 ft. deep, and 82 ft. long.
APA-TRADEMARKED 14-inch deep I-joists were used for the Gunter Primary School rafters.
breezeway—uses Structural I APA Rated exposed plywood roof sheathing, dimensional lumber subpurlins, glulam purlins, and wood I-joist roof framing. Wood shear walls employ dimensional lumber studs and plywood sheathing. Budget considerations were a factor in many of the building’s design features. The exposed wood roof framing system, for example, reduced the need for traditional ceiling materials and finishes. In some areas, partial-height wood wall studs also were purposely left exposed to showcase the structure’s dedication to design efficiency and low environmental impact. This not only helped lower initial construction costs, but also minimizes ongoing
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Building Products Digest July 2010
interior maintenance expenses. The many sustainable features of the center, including the structural wood envelope, are themselves now a highlight of the ENC’s educational programming and are identified in signage placed throughout the structure. One exhibit, for example, notes the structure’s LEED Platinum designation, the highest level of LEED certification and a first in Orange County, Ca. The project received 55 out of 69 possible LEED certification points, and met or exceeded standards in six LEED categories, including materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and energy and atmosphere. Across the country in Annapolis, Md., meanwhile, the Chesapeake Bay
Foundation also successfully used wood in pursuit of sustainability goals for its Philip Merrill Environmental Center. The foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to protecting Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, wanted a building design that supported its sustainability message by minimizing the impact on surrounding habitats. “Our philosophy is that the greenest building is the least amount of building we truly need, built with the fewest number of materials,” said Chesapeake Bay Foundation President and c.e.o. William Baker. To that end, a variety of structurally efficient engineered wood products was used—plywood subfloors, parallel strand lumber, wood I-joist framing, and structural insulated panels faced on both sides with oriented strand board. Much of the wood is left exposed to both capitalize on the aesthetic qualities of the material and reinforce the “less is more” sustainability message. Completed in 2000, the 30,000-sq. ft., two-story Philip Merrill Environmental Center was the first to receive the LEED Platinum rating and continues today to be recognized as one of the world’s greenest buildings. It also was the second highest rated building among a survey of 20,000 occupants of 150 buildings for overall building satisfaction, including aesthetics, acoustics, light and air quality. The survey was conducted by the Center for the Built Environment at the University of California, Berkeley. “The facility is a major recruitment tool,” said Mary Tod Winchester, the foundation’s v.p. “It has been a magnet for the audiences whose building projects we want to influence.” Schools, too, are a natural end-use market for wood design because when completed they can themselves be used as dramatic case histories and effective teaching tools for broadening understanding of the sustainability attributes of wood building materials. Gunter Primary School in Gunter, Tx., serves as one such example. Completed in 2007, the 60,000-sq. ft. facility includes classrooms, a computer lab, a kitchen and cafeteria, gymnasium, and administration offices. The school’s unique design employs wood in both exposed and hidden structural applications. APA Rated wood structural panel sheathing was used to enclose the building’s walls. Wood I-joists were used for rafters in combination with glulam Building-Products.com
All RoyOMartin panel products are APA rated and are available FSC certified. Made in the USA
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timber support beams. And a laminated lumber decking with tongue-andgroove edges was used in combination APA Rated plywood sheathing for diaphragm strengthening in the roof system. “I’ve been in business for 35 years, and I enjoy doing projects with wood,” said project superintendent Donald Hampton. “I’ve put up large buildings before, but with the overall building height and length of spans, it (Gunter Primary) was different. One of the glulam beams is 12 inches wide by 7 ft. deep and 82 ft. long.” Although the project was not certified under any green building program, Gunter Primary School’s abundant use of wood satisfies sustainability goals by a number of measures— use of energy efficient materials, quality of indoor environment, durability, low maintenance, and availability of materials regionally produced to lower transport energy consumption. Gray Middle School in Tacoma, Wa., underscores another way to achieve stunning sustainability through the use of wood—recycled material. In this case, the product was glulam beams—more than 200 of them—that were salvaged from an old high school that formerly occupied the site. The beams support the primary roof structure for the new facility’s commons area, science rooms, and central gallery. The recyclability of wood products, particularly those with both structural and aesthetic qualities, is a material attribute likely to assume greater
importance as the nation’s inventory of residential and nonresidential buildings ages and is replaced. Products that were once relegated to the waste stream are increasingly viewed today as viable and valuable elements of sustainable design strategies. The sustainability of wood construction is equally relevant, of course, to the residential market, even in areas where non-wood practices have traditionally held sway. Along the Gulf Coast, for example, raised wood floor construction is gaining new appreciation as an alternative to concrete slab on grade practices. Key reasons are improved performance under storm surge flood conditions, better accommodation of expansive soils that prevail in some areas, and growing awareness of the sustainability benefits of wood. An instructive example of raised wood floor construction is the winning entry of a design competition co-sponsored recently by The Rice Design Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of architecture, urban design, and the built environment in the Houston region, and the Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The competition, part of the City of Houston Land Assemblage Redevelopment Authority’s effort to revitalize older inner-city neighborhoods using public and private funds to build new housing units, set as key requirement that designs, once built, be offered at a maximum sale price of $99,000. One of the criticisms of green
THE 99K HOUSE in Houston, Tx., features a raised wood plywood floor, plywood shear walls, and a wood roof system.
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Building Products Digest July 2010
building, regardless of materials used, has been the belief that sustainable construction is of necessity more expensive and thus prohibitive to all but high-end residences. The 99K House, as it is called, helped prove that sustainability and affordability can go hand in hand. The winning design, since built as a prototype in Houston’s Fifth Ward, was submitted by Owen Richards Architects and HyBrid Architecture, both of Seattle. Their entry, called CORE, was a 1,250-sq. ft., two-story, wood-frame structure featuring a raised wood plywood floor, plywood shear walls, and wood roof system. While some might assume that a slab on grade design would be the only way to meet the project’s low cost requirement, architect Owen Richards said his team quickly determined that a pier and beam raised wood floor was the better approach. “A raised wood floor design was best for Houston’s soft soils and allowed for better natural ventilation,” he said. Raised floor construction is also environmentally superior in terms of embodied energy, a major factor in determining sustainability. According to a Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials study, the consumption of fossil fuels associated with a wood joist floor system is less than half that required for a concrete slab and just 20% of that consumed by a steel joist floor. Bob Clark, a senior engineered wood specialist and Gulf Coast raised floor project manager at APA—The Engineered Wood Association, said he found it interesting, though not necessarily surprising, that three of the five competition finalists used raised wood floors. “Most low budget homes in the Houston area are built using slab on grade,” he said. “However, these architects started with a raised wood floor, took all the pennies out of it, and made it very cost effective.” Houston AIA’s Barrie Scardino said sponsors were not surprised either to see wood play such a big role in the winning design, or in so many of the 184 other entries from 16 countries. “Wood is a versatile, affordable building material,” she said. “We were pleased to see how creatively people used wood, which shows that good design doesn’t need to be expensive.” And wood design, one might add, is also showing by countless examples across North America that it is sustainable design. Building-Products.com
APA SPECIAL SECTION
Raising floors builds profits
A
of raised wood floors in the Southeast has begun to pay dividends for the wood products industry. The Raised Floor Living campaign was launched just two years ago but it has already directly resulted in incremental wood product use valued at $2.9 million. An additional $25.8 million dollars worth of prospective builder conversions from slab-on-grade to raised wood floor foundations are targeted. Builder conversions equate to more dollars spent on wood products, the end goal of Raised Floor Living. The program aims to get those conversions by delivering construction strategies, product support, and educational outreach to home builders and buyers in a broad-based effort to increase awareness, acceptance and use of raised wood floors. The campaign targets the Gulf Coast and other Southeastern U.S. markets where the risks of storm N EFFORT TO EXPAND THE USE
flooding and expansive soils make raised wood floors a natural choice over traditional concrete slab-on-grade construction. The Raised Floor Living initiative is a joint effort by the Southern Pine Council, APA–The Engineered Wood Association, their member manufacturers, and other industry partners. Although some of the oldest homes in the U.S. are built on raised wood floors, interest in the system peaked just a few years ago following the massive flooding and property damage caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Compared with other options—concrete slab atop dirt fill or slab on a backfilled perimeter wall, for example—the raised wood floor system often is the most practical and cost-effective way to protect buildings and meet local building ordinances in areas prone to flooding. Growing consumer preference for
sustainable houses has also drawn favorable attention to wood as a green building material. Wood products are manufactured from a renewable resource, and the manufacturing process is energy efficient. Woodframed foundations are built to last and meet both the structural and sustainable requirements of new home construction. The raised wood floor system provides numerous other benefits as well, including excellent insulating properties, ease of improving or repairing utility lines and mechanical systems, durability, uplifting comfort, classic style, and enhanced curb appeal. The prospects for increasing wood industry share of the residential floor market is strongly supported by the results of a National Association of Home Builders consumer preference survey. For the U.S. as a whole, 42% of consumers prefer wood-framed first
THE RAISE the Floor Design Challenge winning design, under construction in Northeast Florida, features a pier-and-beam foundation system and advanced 2x6 wood wall framing.
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Building Products Digest July 2010
Building-Products.com
floors, compared with 25% for concrete slab, according to the survey results. The remaining one third had no preference, were unsure, or didn’t know. While the preference for concrete slabs was only 25%, concrete represents 53% of total first floor area, suggesting a wood floor promotion campaign, such as that now being conducted by Raised Floor Living, could yield positive results. In Northern Florida, for example— a recent target of the Raised Floor Living initiative—wood currently commands just a 1% share of the single-family first floor market, providing a substantial target-rich opportunity for market share gain and hence greater demand for wood products. A home with a wood first floor in lieu of a concrete slab creates approximately one-third more business for the dealer. The Raised Flooring Living program employs a wide variety of educational tools and promotional tactics, including professional seminars and training events, demonstration projects, trade and consumer publicity, advertising, local television coverage, publications and a website (www. raisedfloorliving.com) that features comprehensive raised floor details, construction tips, and other information. APA activities are aimed at educating builders, framers, designers and building code officials about the merits of wood construction, while SPC is working both to create consumer awareness of raised wood floor features and benefits and to complement APA’s design and construction education efforts. Campaign updates are at www.apawood.org/raisedwoodfloors. Direct interaction with the building community through face-to-face meetings, educational events, and sales calls is a key to building awareness and acceptance of raised wood floors. Last year, Raised Floor Living launched its market development efforts in North Florida with the Raise the Floor Design Challenge, inviting home builders and designers to compete for the chance to design and build an award-winning raised wood floor home. The competition, co-sponsored by the Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA) and the Florida Wood Council, kicked-off with a promotional event at NEFBA headquarters that drew more than 200 building professionals. Twenty-three designers entered the contest. Construction of the winning raised wood floor home design began on
36
Building Products Digest July 2010
RAISED WOOD floor system often is the most practical and cost-effective way to protect buildings and meet local building ordinances in areas prone to flooding.
April 1. The building site is doubling as a demonstration home—a classroom for educating local builders, designers and material distributors about innovative products and energyefficient building systems. The first two open houses, which showcased the raised wood pier-and-beam foundation system and advanced 2x6 wood wall framing, drew an audience of more than 110 building professionals, thanks in large part to NEFBA, the local American Institute of Architects, the local chapter of the American Institute of Building Designers, and the local Residential Engineers Associa-tion, all of which widely publicized the events. A third open house is scheduled to highlight energy-efficient building systems. The positive response to last year’s design challenge led Raised Floor Living to coordinate two mini design competitions this year in Houston, Tx., and Charlotte, N.C. Although smaller in scale than the original design challenge, the corresponding Design Your Dream Home promotion for consumers—in which one homeowner from each market was awarded design fees for a raised wood floor home—was heavily promoted through a series of in-depth television features that highlighted the benefits of building raised from the homeowner’s perspective. From 2009 through the first quarter of 2010, Raised Floor Living hosted 69 educational events, demonstrations and seminars in markets like Houston,
Charlotte, and Pensacola, Fl., with a total attendance of over 2,400. According to post-seminar surveys, 69% of attendees said that they were more likely to build or specify raised wood floors because of the seminar. Another 19% said they were possibly more likely to build or specify raised wood floors. Raised Floor Living is targeting national builders and regional builders of all sizes in its effort to influence conversions from elevated concrete slab foundations to raised wood floors. Value-engineering, custom evaluations that help to debunk misconceptions about the economies and longterm performance advantages of wood construction, is a key strategy. Raised Floor Living’s value-engineering services can include a customized cost-comparison report between raised wood floor and concrete slab construction, computer-generated design comparisons, or assistance creating a complete set of architectural and engineering plans. Though these services represent a significant commitment of time and resources, the effort is validated when a builder decides to convert. “Displacing concrete slab floors, particularly in traditionally concrete markets, is a long-term challenge,” said APA project manager Bob Clark. But the program is gaining momentum, and “we’re seeing tangible results in terms of both awareness of the raised floor alternative and actual conversions.” Building-Products.com
APA SPECIAL SECTION
A
New standard simplifies glulam use
NEW PERFORMANCE STANDARD for stock glulam beams has been published by APA. In response to customer requests for a simplified product offering and reduced SKUs by distributors, the association worked with its member glulam manufacturers to develop APA PRG-305 Performance Standard for APA EWS Stock Glulam Beams. With an emphasis on 1.9E-2400Fb and 2.2E-3000Fb design properties, PRG glulam can be easily compared to the design properties published for other commonly used engineered wood beam and header products. In addition, PRG-305 glulam offers the following benefits:
• Standard widths of 3-1/2” and 51/2” to match conventional 2x4 and 2x6 framing
• I-joist compatible depths (IJC) of 9-1/2”, 11-7/8”, 14”, 16”, and 18” • Balanced layups that have the same load-carrying capacity irrespective of the beam orientation • Zero camber
• Framing appearance classification
• Meets the national product standard and building code requirements
By dialing in on two common framing widths in the 1.9E and 2.2E design combinations, building material distributors can reduce the number of SKUs while offering and substituting PRG IJC glulam. The standard also streamlines the selection and specification process for building designers who are working with com-
GLULAM BEAMS produced under the new PRG-305 standard come in I-joist compatible depths.
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Building Products Digest July 2010
mon framing applications. Since most of these applications are in concealed floor, roof, and wall locations, a framing appearance classification was determined to be suitable. PRG-305 stock glulam beams are classified based on a “true E” rating, similar to the system used by most IJC engineered wood products. This makes it easier for building material suppliers and their customers to compare and equate the design properties and cost of PRG-305 stock glulam beams with other I-joist compatible engineered wood products, including laminated veneer lumber, parallel strand lumber, laminated strand lumber, and oriented strand lumber. “While the PRG standard is new, IJC 3000F glulam has been a mainstay of the glulam industry and we are improving on long-established sizes for beams, and putting more emphasis on the value proposition and availability of beams in I-joist compatible depths,” said Kerlin Drake, vice president of marketing for Anthony Forest Products and chair of APA’s glulam management committee. “The manufacturers are committed to producing and supplying the range of products that our customers want, but the standard enables us to offer a simplified approach for common beam and header applications. By focusing on the 1.9E and 2.2E beams, we can work with our customers to ensure the beams that are used and sold for these typical uses are easy to specify and readily available.” The I-joist compatible depths mean that builders can install floor systems with flush framing and don’t need to invest extra time and materials in special furring. The balanced layup elimBuilding-Products.com
inates the concern of the “right side up” in simple-span or multiple-span installation, and means the glulam can be installed just like lumber and other engineered wood products. The connections between the wood components are simple, too, since they are basic wood-to-wood connections that can be made with common carpentry tools and fasteners. For customers who are looking for glulam in other sizes and configurations, the products are still available from manufacturers. One of glulam’s greatest attributes is that it can be manufactured in a wide range of shapes, sizes and configurations. Whether the designer is looking for high appearance quality for exposed applications, curved members to meet the requirements of a unique design,
4
or camber to meet the requirements of a long span, glulam manufacturers are able to produce the right product for the job. Some of the more popular features include the ability to choose from appearance classifications that range from framing to industrial to architectural classifications, the ability to notch and drill beams in recommended locations, cantilever and multi-span capabilities, the availability of preservative treated product, and custom options for curves, long spans, fabrication services, and specialty species such as Alaska yellow cedar. Whether ordered in the simplified sizes of the new standard or in custom configurations, glulam delivers excellent value for builders who are looking for green, sustainable building materi-
als. Glulam meets many of the criteria stipulated under green building standards and rating systems, including the National Green Building Standard, ICC-700. Nearly all glulam beams sold in North America are manufactured with wood that is harvested from managed forests and certified under the Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Canadian Standards Association, or American Tree Farm System. Glulam also meets the green building standard requirements for resource-efficient materials, is manufactured with energy derived in part from renewable resources, and scores well in Life Cycle Analysis. The new standard, along with additional design and product information, can be found at APA’s glulam web page: www.glulambeams.org.
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July 2010 Building Products Digest
39
APA SPECIAL SECTION
APA honors mills for safety
L
P’S ORIENTED STRAND BOARD mill in Tomahawk, Wi., earned the coveted Innovation in Safety Award in the latest Safety & Health Awards Program sponsored annually by APA for the structural wood panel and engineered wood INNOVATION IN SAFETY AWARD LP (Tomahawk, Wi.) for outside debarker and conveyor system SAFEST COMPANY AWARDS Companies with 4+ mills Norbord
Companies with 1-3 mills Stark Truss
Average WIR*
Average TIR**
4.58
1.12
0.0
ANNUAL SAFETY AND HEALTH HONOR ROLL Hours WIR Division I (Under 400,000 hours) LP (Panguipulli, Chile) 320,966 0.00 Norbord (Nacogdoches, Tx.) 294,889 0.00 LP (Roxboro, N.C.) 245,528 0.00 Division II (400,000+ hours) Norbord (Cordele, Ga.) G-P (Camden, Tx. ) G-P (Warm Springs, Ga.)
409,982 1,162,974 653,509
417,208
TIR
0.00 0.00 0.00
0.00 0.17 0.31
THREE-YEAR SAFETY AWARD (2007-2009) Avg. Hours Avg. WIR Division I (Under 400,000 hours) LP (Wilmington, N.C.) 261,777 0.33 Division II (400,000+ hours) LP (Panguipulli, Chile)
0.0
0.00 0.17 0.31
Avg. TIR
1.12
0.33
0.11
SAFETY IMPROVEMENT AWARD Division I (Under 400,000 hours) WIR and TIR from 2007 to 2009 LP (Carthage, Tx.) 100% improvement Division II (400,000+ hours) LP (Panguipulli, Chile)
100% improvement
INCIDENT FREE HONOR SOCIETY Hours Norbord (Cordele, Ga.) 409,982 LP (Panguipulli, Chile) 320,966 Norbord (Nacogdoches, Tx.) 294,889 LP (Roxboro, N.C.) 245,528 LP (Carthage, Tx.) 234,243 G-P (Fordyce, Ar.) 221,131 G-P Grenada (Duck Hill, Ms.) 182,637 Anthony (El Dorado, Ar.) 129,405 LP (Wilmington, N.C.) 113,979 LP (Red Bluff, Ca.) 102,735 Stark Truss (Beach City, Oh.) 46,374 Shelton Lam (Chehalis, Wa.) 34,872 G-P (Ocala, Fl.) 31,554 Rosboro (Springfield, Or.) 27,212
WIR 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
* WIR: Weighted Incident Rate, ** TIR : Total Incident Rate
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Building Products Digest July 2010
TIR 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
products industry. The LP plant took the innovation prize for designing and deploying a special outside debarking and conveyor system for stringy bark species that mitigates debarker discharge plug ups and the risks associated with clearing the raw material bottlenecks by hand. Among the criteria for the Innovation Award is demonstration that the innovation reduced occupational injuries or illnesses. The entry can be submitted by a mill, a group of mills or an entire company. Twenty-four Innovation entries were submitted in 2009, more than doubling the 10 entries in 2008. Norbord, Toronto, Ont., and Stark Truss Co., Canton, Oh., also won Safest Company Awards in their respective categories. Norbord, a leading North American manufacturer of OSB, earned top honors among companies with four or more mills with a 2009 average Weighted Incident Rate (WIR) of 4.58. Stark Truss, which produces glulam timber and wood I-joists, won its award in the category for companies with three or fewer mills. The company posted a perfect 0.00 WIR for 2009. The awards program, begun in 1982, honors the managements and employees of companies and mills with the lowest severity-weighted incidence rates based on guidelines established by the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration. It employs a Weighted Incident Rate that is calculated using both the number and severity of recordable incidents. Since 2008 was the first year that WIR was used, awards and reports for 2009 continue to also show Total Incident Rate (TIR), the measure used in previous years. Ninety-three APA member structural wood panel and engineered wood product facilities in the U.S., Canada and abroad participated in the 2009 program. A total of 16 mills representing seven APA member companies—Anthony Forest Products Co., Georgia-Pacific Wood Products, LP, Norbord, Rosboro, Shelton Lam & Deck, and Stark Truss Co.—earned awards in various competition categories of the 2009 program. Some of the mills were multiple award winners. All major product categories produced by APA’s membership were represented among the winning mills, includBuilding-Products.com
ing OSB, plywood, glulam timber, wood I-joists, and LVL. In addition to the Safest Company and Innovation awards, other competition categories were Safety Improvement, Annual Safety & Health Honor Roll, Three-Year Safety Average, and Incident Free Honor Society. Fourteen mills achieved a zero incident rate for the year and thus were named to the Incident Free Honor Society. The annual honor roll, three-year average and safety improvement categories are divided into two divisions based on hours worked annually—more than or fewer than 400,000 hours. While the program awards are limited to APA members, data is collected from both member and non-member mills in order to provide a broadbased industry performance benchmark. A total of 118 mills reported data for 2009. The 2009 industry Total Incident and Weighted Incident Rates were 2.18 and 10.64, respectively, up slightly from 1.99 and 10.02, respectively, in 2008. The winning facilities and companies will be recognized and their safety accomplishments celebrated during the chairman’s dinner at APA’s annual meeting in October in Tucson, Az.
Building-Products.com
Award plaques also will be presented to the winning mills by APA president Dennis Hardman or other APA management staff. The 2009 safety awards program was the second year under a revitalized safety program effort spearheaded by an APA Safety & Health Advisory Committee comprised of several APA member company safety professionals. Under the committee’s guidance, three main goals were established: make the APA program the industry’s premier safety awards program, encourage the sharing of best practices to improve the industry’s safety culture and programs, and, most importantly, improve the industry’s overall safety performance. To those ends, several new initiatives are under way, including plans for industry safety workshops, the first of which will be held immediately following the APA annual meeting this fall; development of an industry safety professional database for more effective sharing of best practices and safety alerts, and expanding the safety and health section of the APA website to make it a more useful industry safety information clearinghouse and networking tool.
July 2010 Building Products Digest
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MOVERS & Shakers Mark Henry, ex-Amerhart Ltd., is a new outside sales rep covering Wisconsin and northern Illinois for Boise Cascade, Boise, Id. He replaces Sarah Haenel, who was promoted to sales mgr. at the office in New Rochelle, Il. Kurt Field has been named store mgr. of McCoy’s Building Supply, League City, Tx. Scott Sternadel is now store mgr. in Weimar, Tx. Brett Barton, president, Barton Forest Management, is taking a more active role with the family business, as director of sales & marketing for Barton Lumber Co., Barnstead, N.H. Maribeth Coleman and Katie Mumau have joined the human resources department at Gorell Windows & Doors, Indiana, Pa. John Cashmore, ex-Market Resource Associates, has joined Ascendancy Research, St. Louis Park, Mn., as v.p./senior research director. Rich Gutermuth, ex-Spruce Computer, has formed LBM Employer Services, Atlanta, Ga., offering Web-based payroll and HR services.
Christoper Terrels has been named president of Railing Dynamics Inc., Egg Harbor Township, N.J., succeeding the late Andrew Terrels (see obituary, p. 44). Jon Gronow is now executive v.p. Ray Tassini, ex-Berry Plastics, is now mid-Atlantic market development mgr. for the Opus Roof Blanket sales & marketing dept. of Propex Operating Co., Chattanooga, Tn. William Clement has been promoted to president of CSX Intermodal, Jacksonville, Fl., succeeding Jim Hertwig, who has retired. Scott Young has been promoted to president and general mgr. of Dow Roofing Systems, Midland, Mi. Doug Mancosh, president, Fiberon, Providence, R.I., was elected president of the Composite Lumber Manufacturers Association. Paul Bizzarri, v.p.-innovation, TimberTech, Wilmington, Oh., was named secretary/treasurer. Owen Yu is the new accounts payable mgr. Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.
One-sided fastening – it’s a cinch.
Falling Load Crushes Worker
An employee of Mill Town Woodworks, Bay City, Mi., was crushed to death and a co-worker injured when an 8-ft. stack of lumber slid off a forklift and on top of them. The men were sorting through the wood May 27 when it toppled. Todd Gilliam, 44, was declared dead on the scene. His unidentified 40-year-old co-worker was rushed to the hopsital and is expected to recover.
Mill Cited for Truck Violations
Heacock Lumber, Plumsteadville, Pa., and one of its truck drivers were cited for a May 25 traffic mishap. Two right rear tandem trailer tires flew off a truck driven by Duval I. Denlinger, bounced across the median, and struck the left side of a MercedesBenz. The motorist was treated at a local hospital and released. After police impounded the rig and investigated the accident, they cited Denlinger for driving a tractor-trailer 5,000 lbs. over the weight limit. The sawmill was cited with three vehicle inspection violations for cracked or excessively worn brakes, brakes that were out of adjustment, and for not properly securing the air reservoir.
The Strong-Drive® SDW structural wood screw fastens multi-ply truss assemblies and engineered-wood applications without gapping or flipping heavy girders. The thread design firmly cinches together 2, 3 and 4-ply trusses or 1 3⁄4" engineered lumber from one side. Unlike typical hexstyle screws, the SDW features a large, flush head which makes installing drywall and connectors much simpler since the head doesn’t protrude from the girder. The deep head recess also reduces spinout and makes driving faster and easier. To learn more about the benefits of the Simpson Strong-Tie® SDW screw, visit www.strongtie.com or call (800) 999-5099.
©2010 Simpson Strong-Tie Company Inc. SDW10
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Building Products Digest July 2010
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Deck Thief Gets Probation
A “habitual offender� was placed on probation after pleading guilty to stealing a truck and two loads of composite decking boards from Mans Lumber & Millwork, Canton, Mi. On March 20, Robert Dale Wilber, 51, filled a company truck with Trex decking. He was apprehended after he tried to transport a second load to a nearby storage unit and it fell out of the truck onto the roadway. When officers responded to the accident, the suspect drove the stolen truck back to the yard—with officers in pursuit. “He jumped out of the truck while it was still rolling, and it hit another company truck that was parked at the site,� said officer Mark Gajeski. Police nabbed Wilber after a short foot chase.
Hard Luck Robbery?
Police arrested a man who said he broke into Al Lorenzi Lumber, Washington, Pa., because he was out of work and needed money to buy his son a birthday gift. After an alarm rang at 1:20 a.m., police arrived to find John Shrader Jr., 36, hiding in nearby weeds. He was charged with using bolt cutters, a framing hammer, and a large screw-
driver to break into the building and steal two DeWalt power tools.
were loading up their vehicle,� said sgt. Michon Morrow. She added that the vehicle was “pretty jam-packed with flowers� when officers arrived. When asked why the man was cited rather than jailed, Morrow said that the individual lived in Lincoln, had been very cooperative, and had “returned all the flowers graciously.�
Flower Lover Visits Ace
On May 25, police got a call that someone was helping themselves to flowering plants left outside of Westlake Ace Hardware, Lincoln, Ne. “The store was closed and they
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July 2010 Building Products Digest
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IN Memoriam
Bernard “Bernie” Bernstein, 73, founder and owner of Mid-State Lumber, Branchburg, N.J., died May 24 in Martinsville, N.J. He founded the company in 1975.
Andrew Terrels, 53, co-founder and president of Railing Dynamics Inc., Egg Harbor Township, N.J., died of a heart attack April 24 while traveling overseas. He co-founded the business in 1989 with his brother, Christopher Terrels, and had served as president since that time.
Beverly J. Ohm, 69, Arpin, Wi., former president and board member of Arpin Lumber & Supply, Arpin, Wi., died June 2 in Marshfield, Wi. She was a board member for 17 years. She and the board had recently closed the business in anticipation of retiring and auctioned off its remaining inventory and real estate May 8. Glendon Sullivan, 81, founder and owner of W.G. Sullivan Lumber, Northport, Al., died May 26 in Northport.
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Building Products Digest July 2010
He joined the U.S. Army after high school and served in Korea. In 1955, he partnered with his uncle in a small sawmill operation. The following year he became the sole owner after his uncle retired, changed the company’s name to W.G. Sullivan Lumber, and eventually shipped products throughout the U.S., Europe, and the Caribbean Islands. He was active in the business until he became ill about a month ago.
Charles E. Childs, 88, retired owner and operator of Gaston-Rench Lumber, Gaston, In., died June 10 in Fort Wayne, In. He served with the U. S. Army during World War II and was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service. After the war, he joined his father-inlaw, A.M. Rench, in the family’s lumber and hardware business. He retired in 1990.
John Donvito, 89, owner and operator of Clarks Summit Building Supply and Clarks Summit True Value Hardware, Clarks Summit, Pa., died May 13 in La Plume, Pa. He joined the U.S. Marines after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and was awarded the Purple Heart after being
wounded in Okinawa. He founded the two stores in 1950.
Lloyd Gaymond White, 88, former manager at Benson Lumber, Hominy, Ok., died June 6 in Hominy. Mr. White served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He managed Benson’s location in Hominy for 46 years, retiring in 1995. Mary L. Hall, 71, former administrator and assistant treasurer for the American Wood Protection Association, died March 26 in Beaumont, Tx. She worked at AWPA from the early 1990s until her retirement in 2003. She is survived by her husband, John F. Hall Sr., who retired as AWPA’s executive vice president.
Marion Wayne Parker Sr., 66, retired salesman with Stock Building Supply, Fredericksburg, Va., died May 21 in Summerfield, Fl. Mr. Parker served with the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War.
Randi Ann Huntley, 25, sales clerk and receptionist at East Coast Lumber, East Hampstead, N.H., died June 1 after being attacked by her exboyfriend, who is the father of her
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four-year-old son. She had worked at East Coast for the last five years. The company has started a fund to benefit her son. Her assailant has been charged with firstdegree murder and is awaiting trial.
Dollie Bauer, 80, former manager of Coast to Coast Hardware, Rochelle, Il., died May 8 in Compton, Il.
TALK Back
GLULAM SHAKE-UP The glulam product line is currently receiving some muchneeded publicity. Glulams are the most cost effective solution for beams and headers on the market today. However, we would like to note that Rosboro’s launch of the X-Beam has polarized the industry (see May, p. 10-11). That polarization is based on one issue—the appearance of the full-framing-width beam and the raw material it takes for the rest of us [glulam manufacturers] to achieve that appearance. Rosboro touts an architectural appearance; the rest of us specify framing appearance, efficiently utilizing available raw material. Based on feedback and questions we’ve received since the release, several points need to be clarified. While Rosboro preempted the rest of the manufacturers with its product launch, APA members have been working on the PRG 305 for some time and reached consensus in January of 2010. PRG 305 standardizes glulam specification to directly compete and be positioned with other engineered wood products. The PRG standard was never intended to be for architectural application. Glulams that match standard framing and other engineered products have been on the market for several years. The fact is, two-thirds of the applications for glulams today are concealed and do not require an architectural appearance. Ask yourself, when was the last time a customer used LVL for an exposed beam? As the article states, time will tell if the X-Beam gains traction. However, the major suppliers of lamstock lumber universally stated they were not going to change sawing sizes to accommodate this product. For the rest of the glulam industry, that means the X-Beam is a single-source Building-Products.com
situation. We do not believe that benefits the industry over the long haul.
Steve Killgore Calvert Co., Inc., Vancouver, Wa. steve@calvertglulam.com
MONTHLY SALES TOOL I have in hand the June issue of BPD. While many of your articles deal with products outside of our scope on a given project, we always find it informative to track industry trends. For instance: As woodworkers, we are chagrined to learn that fiber cement siding is poised to overtake wood as the second product of choice
TRIM
FASCIA
behind vinyl. Discovering the trend toward the use of iPhones will cause us to reconsider our form of communication. James Olsen’s article encouraging the correct use of questions will be shared with our salespeople, and the article that deals with southern pine mills reopening to profitability is not only a source of encouragement, but will enable us to gain additional access to a species being used more in the custom millwork market. Richard A. Ungerbuehler, Sr. Federal Millwork, Fort Lauderdale, Fl. rau@federalmillwork.com
SIDING
NATURE’S DESIGN TECHNOLOGY’S A SSURANCE www.lifespanoutdoor.com
Based in Annapolis, MD, Fletcher Wood Solutions® is the largest manufacturer of defect-free, appearance grade radiata pine products in New Zealand. Distributing our clear boards, mouldings, LIFESPAN® treated wood, and lumber to the North American market through our proven and completely integrated supply chain, Fletcher Wood Solutions® maintains direct access to one of the largest FSC certified® pine plantation forests in the world.
1.866.FSC .WO O D July 2010 Building Products Digest
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NEW Products
A Radiant Choice
Enerflex radiant barrier from Universal Forest Products helps save energy and qualifies for the American Recovery Tax Credit for insulation. The barrier can be installed between rafters on the underside of the roof, in both new and existing homes. It reportedly blocks up to 96% of radiant energy and keeps attics up to 30% cooler.
ENERFLEXFOIL.COM (800) 598-9663
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Building Products Digest July 2010
Under the Roof
TAMKO’s new Peel-N-Stick Felt underlayment makes installation easier. A release-film backing allows direct installation on roof decks; no cap nails or staples are needed.
TAMKO.COM
(800) 641-4691
Building-Products.com
In The Moment
Simpson Strong-Tie expanded its line of pre-engineered Strong Frame moment frames. Available options now include a 16’ tall column and 14’, 18, and 20’ wide beams. Custom sizes use current plate girder geometries. Downloadable software can create a list of available frames, ranked by price, with anchorage options.
STRONGTIE.COM (800) 999-5099
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Composite Railing
Integra Rail was designed by Green Bay Decking for commercial and residential applications. Formulated with Fibrex, the composite railing has a two-piece top rail, hidden bracket system, and mechanically attached balusters. Kits include 6’ or 8’ lengths, with connectors and hardware, in colors to match GeoDeck composite deck boards.
GEODECK.COM (877) 804-0137
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GENERAL & HEAVY CONSTRUCTION • HIGHWAYS & BRIDGES MARINE/AQUATIC • AGRICULTURE/AQUACULTURE MILLWORK • EXPORT • SAWN LUMBER & TIMBERS ROUND TIMBER PILING (MARINE, FRESH WATER, & FOUNDATION) GLUE-LAMINATED BEAMS, COLUMNS & ARCHES THE INDUSTRIAL TSO SPECIALIST
ACQ CHEMONITE® ACZA PENTACHLOROPHENOL TYPE A 50-50 CREOSOTE PETROLEUM CLEAN CREOSOTE (P1/13) SALES & ACCOUNTS MGR. JERRY FARLEY 1-503-618-9155 JFarley@JHBaxter.com
CUSTOM TREATING KILN DRYING (KD & KDAT) HEAT STERILIZATION • WWPI BMPS 5 RETORTS: FROM 50’ TO 156’ RAIL SERVICE (UP & BN)
EUGENE, OREGON 1-866-960-9703 www.JHBaxter.com
CUSTOMER SERVICE MGR. MARTY MARTIN 1-541-689-3801 x2 MMartin@JHBaxter.com
JHBaxter & Co. is WBE Certified Affiliations: AWPA • IOHH • LACN • PCCHM&PM • PWLA • WCLIB • WWPI July 2010 Building Products Digest
47
Clear VG Engineered Panels
Pacific Cedar Supply’s CedarTec engineered panels are produced from 100% western red cedar or western hemlock. The lightweight panels are offered in brushed, Vgrooved, or smooth-sanded face textures, with threeply or edge-glued construction in sizes ranging from 20” x 48” through 48” x 96.” Both FSC and SFI chain-of-custody certification are also available.
PACIFICCEDARSUPPLY.COM (909) 633-4107
Colorful Fiber Cement Coatings
Woodtone has added three new colors to its RusticSeries fiber-cement coating program. With the introduction of mountain cedar, coastal gray and evergreen, eight unique color palettes are now available.
WOODTONE.COM (800) 663-9844
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Building Products Digest July 2010
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SOUTHERN PRODUCERS Photos by SFPA
SOUTHERN FOREST PRODUCTS Association based its May 26-27 mid-year meeting at the Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, La. Attendees
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included: [1] Debbie Burns, Mike Warren, Jay Moore. [2] David Richbourg, Richard Gouldin, Mike Hubbard, Hank Scott. [3] Joe Patton, Kerlin Drake. [4] Marc Brinkmeyer, Tom Searles, Brian Luoma. [5] Digges Morgan, Matthew Yaun. [6] Greg Gordillo, Jeff Miller. [7] Steve Lovett, Dennis Hardman. [8] Adrian Blocker, Cees deJager. [9] Tyler McShan, Lynda Anthony. [10] John Rhea, Jim Loy. [11] Janet Swift, Robin Swift, Eric Gee. [12] Russell Richardson, Mark Richardson. [13] Donnie Oney, Dennis Hanlon. [14] Pat Patranella, Bob Glowinski.
July 2010 Building Products Digest
49
AWPA Photos by Arch Wood Protection
THEY WALK AMONG US: Some unexpected visitors turned up at the American Wood Protection Association’s annual meeting May 23-26 in
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Building Products Digest July 2010
Savannah, Ga., claiming the mostmiles-traveled award. [1] Pat Thomasson. [2] Mikee Johnson. [3] Susan Thomason, Kim Merritt. [4] Craig Forbes. [5] Marty Olhiser. [6] Steve Shields & Patty WoodsShields. [7] Rodrigo Elizondo, Guillermo Garza, Bill Latunen. [8] Randy Deweese. [9] Les Lonning. [10] Ken Laughlin. [11] Bessie Woodward. [12] Hap Person, Mark Manning. [13] Grady Brafford. [14] Charlie Faulds. [15] Dan Brimhall. [16] Bob Palacioz. [17] Greg Campbell. [18] Patti & Ross Worsham. [19] Herb Guerry. [20] Darrell Smith. [21] Cliff Eddington. [22] Mike Freeman. [23] Hollis Ervin.
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ASSOCIATION Update Michigan Lumber & Building Materials Association has moved to new offices in Lansing, Mi. Coming events include its 14th annual golf outing Aug. 5 at Hawk Hollow Golf Course, Bath, Mi., and Aug. 17 executive committee meeting.
Kentucky Building Materials Association installed Jack Coleman, Coleman’s Home Center, Harrodsburg, as its president. The new v.p. is Woody Graham, A.W. Graham Lumber, Flemingsburg; secretary/treasurer Freddie McWhorter, CBS Do it Best Home Center, London, and chairman of the board Joe Palumbo, Palumbo Lumber, Lexington.
Asheville, N.C. The event begins with plant tours of East Coast Millwork, Wilkesboro, N.C.; Stiles Machinery, High Point, N.C., and Weinig, Mooresville, N.C.
Northeastern Retail Lumber Association affiliates have added several events to their summer calendars. Central New York Retail Lumber Dealers Association has set aside July 17 for its annual day at the races at Oswego Speedway, Oswego, N.Y., and Aug. 19 for its 7th annual clam-
Ohio Construction Suppliers Association re-elected Michael L. Thomas, E.P. Gerber & Sons, Kidron, as its 2010-11 president at its May 27 board of directors meeting. George S. Miser, Lumber Service, Carrollton, was re-elected 1st v.p. overFor 30over years30 For over 30 years years Scott King, King Lumber, Logan, isFor For over 30 years For over 30For years over 30 years ForElder over 30 years Elder Wood Preserving Co, Inc.Co, Inc. For over 30 Preserving years Elder Wood Preserving 2nd v.p.; Evan Jones, Jones Lumber & ElderWood Wood Preserving Co, Inc. Co, Inc. For over 30 years ElderElder Wood Preserving Co, Inc. Wood Preserving Co, Inc. Elder Wood Preserving Co, Inc. For over 30 years has provided a range of Millwork, Columbus, treasurer; provided aa range of Elder Wood Preserving has provided aof rangeCo, of Inc. For overhas 30 hasyears provided range Elder Wood Preserving Co, Inc. has provided a range of has provided a range of has provided a range of lumber, Elder Wood Preserving Co, Inc. wood products from Robert Walter, Buckley Elder King, wood products from lumber, has provided a range of wood products from lumber, Wood Preserving Co, Inc. wood products from lumber, has provided a range of wood products from lumber, wood products from lumber, wood products from lumber, has provided a range offrom decking, timbers, plywood, Columbus, secretary; Jeffrey has Crowl, products lumber, decking, timbers, plywood, decking, timbers, plywood, provided awood range of decking, timbers, plywood, wood products from lumber, decking, timbers, plywood, decking, timbers, plywood, decking, timbers, plywood, wood products from lumber, Crowl Lumber, Malvern, immediate deck accessories, and decking, timbers, plywood, deck accessories, and more. more. deck and more. deckaccessories, accessories, more. wood products from lumber, decking, timbers, plywood, deck accessories, and more. deck accessories, and more. past president & east central chairperdeck accessories, and more. decking, timbers, plywood, We maintain high ideals, deck accessories, and more. Weplywood, maintain high ideals, We maintain high We maintain high ideals, ideals, decking, timbers, deck accessories, and more. We maintain high ideals, son; Thomas Lawyer, Granville We Lummaintain high ideals, We maintain high ideals, deck accessories, and more. excellent service and We maintain high ideals, excellent service and excellent service excellent service and deckexcellent accessories, more. service and Weand maintain high ideals, ber, Granville, national director; excellent service and excellent service and We maintain high ideals, and quality products. quality products. excellent service quality products. quality products. We maintain high ideals, quality products. excellent service and David Clay, Strait & Lamp Lumber, quality products. quality products. excellent service and quality products. excellent servicequality and products. Hebron, alternative national director; quality products. quality products. Mitchell McCabe, Ansonia Lumber, Ansonia, west central chair; Joel Lebowitz, PrimeSource, Strongsville, northeast chair, and John Francis, Francis-Schulze Co., Russia, associate advisory chair. Florida Building Material Association has booked ESPN analyst Lee Corso as keynote speaker at its annual convention and show Sept. 22-24 at Walt Disney World’s Dolphin Convention Center, Lake Buena Vista, Fl. Continuing education seminars on the use of wood products will continue under the new name of The Southern Design Symposium. A two-hour Florida building code update will also be offered.
Moulding & Millwork Producers7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG 7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG under SCS’s Environmentally Preferable Product Association has scheduled its 47th 7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG under SCS’s Environmentally Preferable Product 7KH based 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG (EPP) program on Life-Cycle Assessment. under SCS’s Environmentally Preferable Product 7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG program based on Life-Cycle Assessment. under SCS’s Environmentally Product 7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿3URFHVV HG Preferable 7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG LV FHUWL¿ HG annual summer business meeting (EPP) for (EPP) program7UHDWHG based on Life-Cycle Assessment. under SCS’s7KH Environmentally Preferable Product 0LFUR3UR :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG program based on Life-Cycle Assessment. under SCS’s Environmentally Preferable Product under (EPP) SCS’s Environmentally Preferable Product 7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG Assessment. :RRG Preferable 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG (EPP) program based on Life-Cycle under SCS’s Environmentally Product Aug. 10-15 at Grove Park(EPP)Inn, 7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG program based Life-Cycle Assessment. (EPP) on program based on Life-Cycle Assessment. under SCS’s Environmentally Preferable Product Building-Products.com
7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV FHUWL¿ HG (EPP) programLV based on Life-Cycle under SCS’s Environmentally Preferable ProductAssessment. (EPP) program based on Life-Cycle Assessment. Elder Wood Ad 3.19.10.indd 1 under SCS’s Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) program based on Life-Cycle Assessment. Elder Wood Ad 3.19.10.indd 1 (EPP) program basedElder on Life-Cycle Assessment. Wood Ad 3.19.10.indd 1
Elder Wood Ad 3.19.10.indd 1 Wood Ad 3.19.10.indd 1 Elder WoodElder Ad 3.19.10.indd Elder Wood1 Ad 3.19.10.indd 1 Elder Wood Ad 3.19.10.indd 1 Elder Wood Ad 3.19.10.indd 1
bake at Hinerwadles Groves, East Syracuse, N.Y. Northern New York Lumber Dealers Association sets out on its 8th annual fishing derby Aug. 11 in Clayton, N.Y. Baseball outings are being organized by New York & Suburban Lumber Association Aug. 11 at Citi Field, Queens, N.Y., and by Northeastern Young Lumber Execs Aug. 19 at Fenway Park, Boston, Ma.
Kentucky Forest Industries Association expects more than 80 exhibitors at its 28th annual Kentucky Wood Expo Sept. 17-18 at the Ballard Convention Center, Madisonville.
Th eebest best Th eThebest Th e best Th e best Th Th best e best Th e best choice for Th e best choice for choice for for choice choice for choice for choice for choice for Outdoo r choice for Outdoo r Outdoo r Outdoo r Outdoo r Outdoo r Outdoo r Outdoo r Living Outdoo r Living Living Living Living Living Living Living Living
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3/19/2010 3/19/201 3/19/2010 P 3/19/2010 2:27:38 PM 2:27:38 3/19/2010 2:27 3/19/2010 3/19/20
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. Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished “camera-ready” (advertiser sets the type),
HELP WANTED
LUMBER TRADER We are a wholesale lumber company looking for an experienced trader. Any species. No restrictions on mills or customers. No relocation. 60% split for trader. Call John at Lakeside Lumber at (623) 566-7100 or email lakesidelumber@cox.net.
WANTED TO BUY
WE BUY AND SELL PANEL STRIPS
Plywood, OSB, particleboard and MDF by the truckloads. Lumber Source, Phone (800) 8741953, Fax 888-576-8723, email LumberSource@hotmail.com.
$65 if we set the type. Send ad to Fax 949-852-0231 or dkoenig@ building-products.com. For more info, call (949) 852-1990. Make checks payable to Cutler Publishing. Deadline: 18th of previous month.
BUSINESSES FOR SALE
SPECIALTY LUMBERYARD FOR SALE Tampa, Fl., 1.5 Acres; Prime Location A small business operating for 20 years in wholesale, contractor and retail sales. Unlimited growth potential for Florida contractor yard with outside sales staff. We are currently a manufacturer of softwood and hardwood patterns. T&G, sidings, moulding, historical reproductions, and dock & deck sales. Two Weinig moulders and sanding facility are on site. Additional small S.C. outlet accommodates log siding and basic patterns. For complete details, contact David Ion, (864) 4413332.
FOR SALE
MANUFACTURERS OVER-RUNS Oak and Hemlock turned balusters Starting @ $0.69 / ea. mrspindle.com or 800-487-9663 Let us quote
CUSTOM LUMBER COVERS
ROLLS • SEALED BAGS Available for Delivery Rolls 10 x 300ʼ Bags 4 x 4 x 8ʼ & 4 x 4 x 12ʼ L. I. INDUSTRIES 800-526-6465
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BPD
HI-TECH APPS FOR LBM GUIDE TO HOUSEWRAPS SIDING FORECAST
Building Products Digest
JUNE 2010
INDUSTRY NEWS & MONEY-MAKING STRATEGIES FOR LUMBER & BUILDING MATERIAL DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS
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FAX 718-793-4316 apronaz@aol.com www.lumbercoversprotect.com
MERCHANT
HI-TECH APPS FOR LBM GUIDE TO HOUSEWRAPS SIDING FORECAST
The
JUNE 2010
Magazine
THE VOICE OF THE WEST’S LBM DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS – SINCE 1922
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Special promotional opportunity for wholesalers, manufacturers and service affiliates The North American Wholesale Lumber Association is teaming with the lumber industry’s leading trade magazines to offer an exclusive marketing vehicle — The August 2010 issues of both BPD-Building Products Digest and The Merchant Magazine will feature an extensive special section devoted entirely to NAWLA and its members. Benefits: • Your ad message reaches all NAWLA wholesalers & their dealer customers. • Discounted ad rates • All ad rates include FULL COLOR • Free ad design • Support your association • Branding your company’s identity with NAWLA’s • And MORE!
Reserve your space by July 12. Call (949) 852-1990 52
Building Products Digest July 2010
Building-Products.com
DATE Book
Listings are often submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend.
Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. – July 14-17, annual conference, Ritz, Naples, Fl.; (770) 631-6701; www.slma.org.
House-Hasson Hardware Co. – July 15-17, market, Duke Energy Center, Cincinnati, Oh.; (865) 525-0471; www.househasson.com.
Central New York Lumber Dealers Association – July 17, day at the races, Oswego Speedway, Oswego, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.
North American Retail Hardware Assn. – July 19-20, convention, Hyatt Regency, Savannah, Ga.; (317) 290-0338; www.nrha.org.
Northeast Window & Door Association – July 19-20, summer meeting & golf outing, Dolce Seaview Resort, Galloway, N.J.; (609) 799-4900; www.nwda.net.
Southeast Building Conference/Green Building Show – July 2224, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fl.; (800) 2619447; www.sebcshow.com.
Southern Building Material Association – July 29-Aug. 1, summer conference, Wyndham Oceanfront Resort, Virginia Beach, Va.; (704) 376-1503; www.southernbuilder.org. Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association – Aug. 2, golf, Watertown, Ma.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.
Temperate Forest Foundation – Aug. 3-6, teachers tour, Catskills, N.Y.; (503) 445-9472; www.forestinfo.org.
Northeastern Retail Lumber Association – Aug. 4-6, roundtable, Northampton, Ma.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.
Indiana Lumber & Builders’ Supply Assn. – Aug. 5, golf, Oak Tree Golf Course, Plainfield, In.; (877) 465-8627; www.ilbsa.org.
Michigan Lumber & Building Materials Association – Aug. 5, golf tournament, Hawk Hollow Golf Course, Bath, Mi.; (517) 3945225; www.mlbma.org.
Virginia Tech – Aug. 5, lean manufacturing workshop, Harrisonburg, Va.; www.woodscience.vt.edu.
Moulding & Millwork Producers Association – Aug. 10-15, summer business meeting, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, N.C.; (530) 661-95914; www.wmmpa.com. New York & Suburban Lumber Association – Aug. 11, baseball, Citi Field, Queens, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.
Northern New York Lumber Dealers Association – Aug. 11, fishing derby, Clayton, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.
Southern Forest Products Association – Aug. 11-12, machinery expo, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga.; (504) 4434464; www.sfpa.org
Handy Hardware Wholesale – Aug. 12-14, dealer market, Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, San Antonio, Tx.; (713) 644-1495.
Orgill Inc. – Aug. 12-14, fall dealer market, McCormick Place, Chicago, Il.; (901) 754-8850; www.orgill.com.
Central New York Lumber Dealers Association – Aug. 19, clambake, Hinerwadles Groves, E. Syracuse, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.
Northeastern Young Lumber Execs – Aug. 19, baseball, Fenway Park, Boston, Ma.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org. International Woodworking Fair – Aug. 25-28, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga.; (770) 246-0608; www.iwfatlanta.com.
Austin Home & Garden Show – Aug. 27-29, Austin Convention Center, Austin, Tx.; (877) 663-6186.
Fort Worth Home & Garden Market – Aug. 28-29, Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth, Tx.; (800) 654-1480.
Northeastern Retail Lumber Association – Aug. 31-Sept. 2, roundtable, Unionville, Ct.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org. Building-Products.com
July 2010 Building Products Digest
53
IDEA File
Over the last two years, Franklin Building Supply, Pocatello, Id., has had to sell to a customer base with a lot less money to spend—contractors with fewer projects to buy for and homeowners with less disposable income for renovations. So when local public school officials recently learned that their wages would be cut by 6.9%, Franklin began advertising that it would offer a discount to make up the difference. In late May, the yard posted a sign reading: “We support teachers. All public school employees qualify for a 6.9% discount.” Most customers graded the deal an A. “We’ve got some employees that used to work here that are now teachers, and all of us have friends and family that are now teachers,” said general manager Bryce Luker, whose mother-in-law is a local high school teacher. “We were talking about what could we do to show our support. We’ve had to take pay cuts working in the building industry. We just feel for them and wanted to show them we’re all in it together.” He hopes other businesses will offer similar discounts for school workers—or at least just post a sign of support, as was done at one neighborhood restaurant. Although Franklin targets pro’s, teachers purchase lumber, flooring and other supplies for projects in their own homes. Several teachers also work in the building trade during their summer break. In addition, the sale isn’t limited to teachers, since administrators and other school staffers have also had their pay or hours slashed. Unfortunately, not every customer is a fan of the promotion. “Since we’ve done it, we’ve heard other people say, ‘What about me? I took a 10% pay cut from where I work,’” Luker said. “We kind of wondered how our contractors would react. So far, they’ve been supportive. But we’ve seen a little bit of people coming in and saying, ‘Where’s my discount, because I’ve been hurt by the economy?’” Classy Promotion
ADVERTISERS Index For more information on advertisers, call them directly or visit their websites [in brackets].
Advantage Trim & Lumber [www.advantagelumber.com]..........47 Ainsworth [www.ainsworth.ca] ................................................22-27 Anthony Forest Products [www.anthonyforest.com] .................35
Auto-Stak Systems [www.autostak.com].....................................21
Biewer Lumber [www.biewerselect.com].......................................3 Boise Cascade [www.bc.com].......................................................41
Boozer Beam [www.boozerbeam.com] .........................................8
Capital [www.capital-lumber.com]..................................................4 Chicago Suburban Lumber Sales .................................................43 Coastal Plywood [www.coastalplywood.com].............................41 Crumpler Plastic Pipe [www.cpp-pipe.com] ................................53
Elder Wood Preserving [www.elderwoodpreserving.com] ........51
Fasco America [www.fascoamerica.com]....................................46 Fletcher Wood Solutions [www.tenonusa.com] ..........................45 Fry Wholesale Lumber ...................................................................53
Hoover Treated Wood Products [www.frtw.com] .............Cover VI J.H. Baxter [www.jhbaxter.com]....................................................47 Landry Lumber Co..........................................................................27
Master Mark Plastics [www.rhinodeck.com]................................49
Matthews Marking Products [www.matthewsmarking.com] ......43 Mississippi Laminators Inc............................................................37
Mr. Spindle [www.mrspindle.com]..........................................52, 54
New South [www.gator-guard.com]................................................7
Nordic Engineered Wood [www.nordicewp.com] ..............Cover II
Osmose [www.osmose.com] ................................................Cover I Quality Borate Co. [www.qualityborate.com] ..............................44
Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com].................................19 RISI [www.risiinfo.com/crows] ......................................................50
Rosboro [www.rosboro.com] ........................................................33
RoyOMartin [www.royomartin.com] .............................................31
Scotch Plywood Co. [www.scotchplywood.com]........................39
Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com]...................................42 Swanson Group Sales Co. [www.swansongroupinc.com].........29
Tank Fab [www.tankfab.com]........................................................48
United Unlimited Sales [www.uusales.com] ................................52
Versatex [www.versatex.com].............................................Cover III
Viance [www.treatedwood.com] .....................................................5
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Building Products Digest July 2010
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