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WHITE PINE SPECIAL ISSUE REDWOOD & CEDAR OSB & PLYWOOD FORECAST

Building Products Digest

SEPTEMBER 2011

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

(866) 751-4779

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September 2011

Volume 30 Number 7

Building Products Digest

Special Features

In Every Issue

8 FEATURE STORY

6 TOTALLY RANDOM

GLOBAL CONCERNS IMPACT POSSIBLE OSB, PLYWOOD REBOUND

16 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

11 MARGIN BUILDERS

18 OLSEN ON SALES

REDWOOD FOR PLANTER BOXES

20 GREEN RETAILING

12 INDUSTRY TRENDS

34 MOVERS & SHAKERS

EPDS: CEDAR AMONG FIRST TO RIDE COMING WAVE IN ECO-LABELS

35 NEW PRODUCTS 43 ASSOCIATION UPDATE

14 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT SELLING COLOR-MATCHED FASTENERS

15 COMPANY FOCUS NORTHEAST DISTRIBUTOR BOSTON CEDAR ON THE MOVE

27 SPOTLIGHT: NELMA ON WHITE PINE SPECIAL SECTION HIGHLIGHTS TECHNOLOGY

38 PHOTO RECAP: SFPA ANNUAL EXPO 40 PHOTO RECAP: SLMA CONFERENCE

43 IN MEMORIAM 44 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 45 DATE BOOK 46 IDEA FILE 46 ADVERTISERS INDEX

Online

BREAKING INDUSTRY NEWS & INDUSTRY PHOTO DOWNLOADS BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM (FOLLOW LINK FOR PHOTOS)

Building Products Digest September 2011

BPD: DIGITAL VERSION THE LATEST ISSUE CAN NOW BE VIEWED AT BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM Building-Products.com

TOTALLY Random By Alan Oakes

BPD

Building Products Digest www.building-products.com

A publication of Cutler Publishing

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

What now?

HE BEST-LAID PLANS are often those that fail first. I, like many I suspect, was so incensed by the debacle of the debt limit negotiations that I made it the focus of this month’s column, before leaving for a vacation. The last-minute, cobbled-together debt deal not only failed to attack the issues this country faces, but was, in my humble opinion, government at its worst—frankly, an embarrassment. About 48 hours later as I landed in Europe, I learned of the downgrading of debt and realized that the stock market would crash come Monday and we would return to the wild swings we witnessed the prior week. Sadly, I was proved right—and then realized I had to rewrite my column. First, all of us will have our own political opinion and bias and will pass blame on opposing camps. But as if the downgrade was not enough, stock traders and press piled on to create a crisis-a-day panic, centering first on the downgrade, then on Italy defaulting, the French banks going under, the rest of the E.E.C. about to fall into the sea, and finally that it was a Friday and it was raining. The violent swings managed to wipe out $3 trillion of assets that hurt both business and us as individuals. This, in turn, has created uncertainty that leads to a fear of spending, investing and the possibility of a double-dip recession. I take great interest in what is going on in Europe. Many countries in the E.E.C. face the same issues as the U.S. In all cases, the government is spending more than it is taking in, and unemployment is too high. There is the chicken and egg. Fewer jobs means less tax revenues and more social costs to help the unemployed, meaning higher spending. The question I keep asking is, where are the jobs—real jobs—going to come from? Today, we have an official 9.1% unemployment. We all know that’s only half the story; the real number’s likely around 20%. Among those, 44% have been unemployed for over 27 weeks. Many have given up. Others have succumbed to the over-55, never-again-finding-a-job syndrome. About seven years ago, following my first visit to China, I wrote a column that the West better wake up fast and protect itself. We have been so willing to sell our technology to the East that our traditional manufacturing industries have been decimated. Even when the economy picks up, many of the long- and short-term unemployed will still not find a real job. If they do, it will be often at substantially less pay than what they earned in their last job. Technological advances and changes, along with low- and now medium-skilled manufacturing jobs moving to the east, as well as companies finding these past few years that they can produce more with less people, will mean fewer and fewer manufacturing jobs here, service industry pay levels for all but the highest skilled, and less and less tax revenue. When you have a situation in which 49% of potential tax-payers pay zero payroll taxes, the percentage will only increase over time. This means the tax burden will have to be spread over an ever-shrinking tax-payer pool. We face a frightening future unless we can find a way to compete with the likes of China. The sad thing is that not only have we allowed this to go on for the last 20 years, but no one seems capable of stopping the rot or willing to halt the migration of jobs. We are losing the fight, and it is clear so is most of the rest of the West.

Alan Oakes, Publisher ajoakes@aol.com

Building Products Digest September 2011

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

How to Advertise

Chuck Casey Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 ccasey@building-products.com Alan Oakes www.building-products.com Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 ajoakes@aol.com.

CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE David Koenig Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 dkoenig@building-products.com

How to Subscribe

SUBSCRIPTIONS Heather Kelly Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 hkelly@building-products.com or send a check to 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, CA 92660 U.S.A.: One year (12 issues), $24 Two years, $39 Three years, $54 FOREIGN (Per year, paid in advance in US funds): Surface-Canada or Mexico, $49 Other countries, $65 Air rates also available. SINGLE COPIES $4 + shipping BACK ISSUES $5 + shipping

BUILDING PRODUCTS DIGEST is published monthly at 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660-1872, (949) 852-1990, Fax 949-852-0231, www.buildingproducts.com, by Cutler Publishing, Inc. (a California Corporation). It is an independently owned publication for building products retailers and wholesale distributors in 37 states East of the Rockies. Copyright®2011 by Cutler Publishing, Inc. Cover and entire contents are fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission. All Rights Reserved. BPD reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it.

Building-Products.com

FEATURE Story OSB & Plywood Forecast

Global issues influence OSB, plywood rebound

in the short term, an increasingly positive global economic outlook will drive the demand for plywood and oriented strand board over the five years from 2011 to 2015, according to business research and forecasting firm BIS Shrapnel. ESPITE SOME RISKS

OSB 2011

LOUISIANA-PACIFIC, Nashville, Tn., is the largest OSB manufacturer in the U.S., but that fact didn’t shield it from a tough market. Late last year, LP indefinitely curtailed production at its OSB mills in Thomasville, Al., and Chambord, P.Q. “Our results for second quarter (2011) reflect significantly lower OSB pricing and decreased volume of shipments in all product lines compared to the same quarter last year,” said c.e.o. Rick Frost. “Demand continues to be weak.” He added that the “focus in this product line is low-cost manufacturing, while producing to our customers’ needs. Additionally, we aim to grow value-added OSB products.” To this end, LP has added a new product to its line of FlameBlock fire-rated OSB sheathing. “In much of the country, 7/16 LP FlameBlock panels are particularly well-suited for roof decks in multifamily buildings with multiple fire walls,” according to Judy Musgrove, OSB marketing manager. “The availability of these panels provides a cost-effective way for builders to meet code requirements while also offering design flexibility.” Outside the U.S., LP South America acquired the remaining 25% equity interest in its joint venture with Masisa S.A., an OSB plant located in Ponta Grossa, Parana, Brazil, that opened in 2003 and has annual production capacity of 390 million sq. ft. “The completion of this purchase is an important next step in our strategic focus on growing business in South America,” said Rick Olszewski, LP’s executive vice president of sales and president of LP South America. LP SA also owns two OSB mills in Chile with a combined annual production capacity of 290 million sq. ft. 8

Building Products Digest September 2011

BIS Shrapnel forecasts strong growth in the production and consumption of plywood and OSB as the global economy strengthens. The economic upturn will be driven by housing construction, furniture manufacturing, and other sectors where plywood and OSB are used. BIS Shrapnel says that housing construction in the U.S. is now in the early stages of an upturn and is expected to strengthen considerably from 2011 to 2015. “Stronger growth in housing construction and economic growth in the United States will be supported by growth in the emerging markets of Asia and South America, which will have a positive impact on Europe and Australasia,” says Bernie Neufield, report author and BIS Shrapnel

OSB 2011

NORBORD, Toronto, Ont., reported OSB sales dropped from $296 million to $241 million in second quarter 2011. “While I am cautious about North American OSB prices in the face of declining U.S. housing numbers, I am confident that Norbord’s diversified customer base and limited exposure to new home construction will minimize the impact of this uncertain pricing environment,” said c.e.o. Barrie Shineton. On the plus side, the company’s OSB mill in Cordele, Ga., received a first-place safety award for 2010 from APA.

WEYERHAEUSER, Federal Way, Wa., continues to operate six of its OSB mills in the U.S. and Canada. Its OSB mill in Wawa, Ont., which has been idle since late 2007, is now slated for permanent closure. “During the first quarter, we continued to make progress in our drive to improve our financial performance despite anemic housing market conditions,” said c.e.o. Dan Fulton. “We are leveraging our strength in the export markets to take advantage of increased demand from Asia. Even in these challenging economic times, we have continued our commitment to innovation and quality.” Building-Products.com

Forestry director and senior manager. “While the recent shocks to the global economy, such as the tragic earthquake and tsunami in Japan, will have a negative impact on the demand for plywood and OSB in the short term, the outlook over the longer term is positive,” continues Neufeld. “There are at least three large plywood plants in the Miyagi prefecture, and the destroyed plants supply an estimated 25% of plywood produced in Japan. This will reduce production capacity in Japan in the face of much stronger demand due to the reconstruction process. Together with a strengthening global economy, the reconstruction effort in Japan will boost demand for plywood and OSB, and will present export and investment opportunities.” He also notes there has been a rapid change in plywood and OSB markets over the past decade. “There has been a shift of plywood production from traditional sources such as South Asia, North America, and Europe to China,” says Neufeld. “There has also been a shift of production and consumption of OSB as a cost effective substitute for plywood, from North America to Europe and South America. Over the forecast period China, Eastern European countries, and Russia will emerge

OSB 2011

AINSWORTH, Vancouver, B.C., completed the purchase of the remaining 50% of Footner Forest Products and its OSB facility in High Level, Alb., from Grant Forest Products. Ainsworth will continue to keep the High Level mill on a care and maintenance basis until market conditions support restarting production, which was indefinitely curtailed in December 2007. The company’s three other OSB mills have been operating at above 90% capacity. C.e.o. Rick Huff said, “In the first quarter of 2011, we continued a strategic plan that advances our ability to deliver innovative, value-added products, increases the geographic diversity of our sales, and positions the company for longterm growth. As part of this plan, we are targeting growth through key overseas markets, particularly Japan and China.” According to Robert Fouquet, v.p. of marketing & sales, sales to Japan increased after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. “The phone lines in our office in Tokyo started to ring and there was an onslaught of inquiries coming in about buying our OSB, because it disrupted Japan’s plywood mills, with a 30% loss in capacity,” he said. “We reacted immediately by ramping up volumes of Japanese-grade OSB at our mills and met the demand.’’ GEORGIA-PACIFIC, Atlanta, Ga., reports that three of its

six OSB mills continue running. Its mills have been idle in Skippers, Va., since June; in West Hope, W.V., since February, and in Grenada, Ms., since last year. G-P is spending $30 million to complete construction of a new OSB mill in Clarendon, S.C., which it acquired last May from Grant Forest Products. Also included in the sale were OSB mills in Allendale, S.C., and Englehart, Ont. “We expect it will take most of this year to complete construction on the plant,” said Mark Luetters, president of wood products. “Having now operated an identical plant at Allendale, we believe we will be able to quickly and efficiently begin producing OSB.” Building-Products.com

as significant OSB-producing regions, which will have a major impact on the dynamics of the market. “In the past decade there has been massive substitution of less expensive and more resource-efficient OSB in place of plywood, especially for sheathing in housing construction in North America,” says Neufeld. “It is unfortunate that many of the OSB facilities in North America were closed as a result of the housing downturn. This would not have happened if producers had aggressively developed export markets as a hedge to downturns in North America. Over the next five years, producers will need to be more

OSB 2011

HUBER ENGINEERED WOODS, Charlotte, N.C., continues to operate its five OSB mills, while launching a new marketing campaign for its ZIP System OSB wall sheathing that focuses on the energy-efficient performance benefits of the sheathing when installed with ZIP System tape. “Building performance has become increasingly important to builders due to new energy code requirements and homeowner preferences for energy savings and comfort,” said general manager Charlie Robinson. “You can reduce air leakage by 99% compared to housewrap by taping panel seams with ZIP tape, to reduce air leakage into and out of the home. This helps protect the R-value of insulation, which reduces heating and cooling costs by an average of 10%.”

ROYOMARTIN, Alexandria, La., is moving into its fifth year of operation at its OSB facility in Oakdale, La. “Manufacturing and selling high quality value-added products is an important facet to accomplishing our longer-term operating objectives,” said Terry Secrest, vice president of the OSB unit. “We focus considerable time and energy on manufacturing, marketing, and selling radiant barrier roof panels, Eclipse-Energy Guard wall panels, and WindBrace extended length panels.” The company’s radiant panel products are available FSC-certified and have earned third-party verification from Reflective Insulation Manufactures Association International. “Emphasis has been placed on translating the Eclipse radiant barrier product from a singular roof decking application to a wall sheathing application, which replaces traditional housewrap,” said Tony Rocha, senior field sales and business development representative. “Eclipse-Energy Guard is gaining recognition in the market as a housewrap replacement. Builders are saying they save time and money by using Eclipse-Energy Guard panels.”

TOLKO, Vernon, B.C., now offers T-Grade, a new, reengineered OSB flooring for the residential market. The product is the first result of a $3.2 million upgrade to its Meadow Lake OSB facility, which began in the last quarter of 2010 and was completed in March 2011. “We asked our customers how we could help them be more successful and T-Grade is the result,” said Michael Sivucha, manager of strand-based marketing and sales. “Builders tell us they’re looking for reliable, versatile products for use in custom, semi-custom, and production homes—TGrade meets their needs.” LANGBOARD continues to produce OSB products at its plant in Quitman, Ga. September 2011 Building Products Digest

aware of global developments as the closed facilities are brought back into production.” While plywood is still a preferred product for many applications on the basis of its quality, other regions will increasingly use OSB as a substitute where cost and resource constraints are a factor. BIS Shrapnel predicts OSB could be the next new product to emerge in China and other Asian countries. The firm forecasts global consumption of plywood to grow at an average rate of about 5% per year, and OSB at 11% over the five-year forecast period. The rate of growth projected for plywood consumption is higher than the fore-

Lights! Camera! OSB!

Ainsworth has released a series of short, educational videos on working with engineered wood products. “Today’s builders are certainly knowledgeable, and to some, these tips may come as refreshers,” said Robert Fouquet, vice president of marketing and sales at Ainsworth. “There’s always value in looking at essential tips that can ensure a successful installation. Our goal is to share some valuable how-to information that can save builders time and money.” Hosted by John Wagner, a nationally recognized green building expert, the six short videos are designed for all levels, from beginners to seasoned pros. • The Tightest Floors: Tips for Framing with Rim Board • Solid Subfloors: Tips to Reduce Callbacks • Prepping for Perfection: Underlayment Tips & Techniques • OSB 101: Tips for Successful Wall Sheathing • Rough Openings: Tips to Make Them Accurate Every Time • Stair Master: Tips for Building Stairs Right the First Time The entire series is available online at www. ainsworthengineered.com/tips-videos or on YouTube’s Ainsworth Engineered channel. Smartphone users can also download the videos by scanning QR codes found in Ainsworth print ads. “Builders and contractors are increasingly using portable technology in the field, and we expect this trend to continue,” said Fouquet. “These videos will be available to viewers on the jobsite—right when and where they’re needed.”

SHORT EWP installation videos are new—and free—from Ainsworth’s website.

Building Products Digest September 2011

casts for production, while the rate of growth for consumption of OSB is lower than forecasts for production. This suggests that there may be an undersupply of plywood and an excess supply of OSB, which will likely result in considerable substitution of OSB in place of plywood. Production of plywood is projected to increase from 2.5 billion cubic ft. in 2010 to 2.97 billion cubic ft. in 2015, and OSB from 636 million cubic ft. to 989 million cubic ft. respectively, based on current expansion plans and estimated capacity utilization rates. By 2015, North Asia will be producing 54% of the world’s plywood, down marginally from 56% in 2010, and North America will be producing 77% of the OSB. “However, Asia is facing a shortage of forest resources, which will only become more severe over the forecast period, and this will eventually have a negative impact on the production of plywood in the region,” says Neufeld. “As resource supply tightens, there will be an opportunity for producers of resource-efficient engineered wood products, such as OSB, to export to North Asia, or to establish OSB production facilities in that region as a substitute for plywood. “On the other hand, Russia has a huge potential resource of logs, which have traditionally been exported to North Asia and, to some extent, Europe. This supply will dwindle as Russia implements strategies to add value to its forest resources by taxing the export of logs. This will also present opportunities for establishing plywood and OSB production facilities in Russia with a view to supplying domestic and export markets.” BIS Shrapnel Forestry is forecasting strong growth in prices as the global economy moves into an upward phase. Over the five years, from 2011 to 2015, plywood prices are expected to increase by an annual average of between 6% and 8%, and OSB prices between 11% and 12%. The price increases will be driven by much stronger demand in all regions. OSB producers could be caught short when housing construction moves into a stronger upward phase over the forecast period, considering the many plant closures in North America over the past five years. “Upward pressure on prices is also expected to come from rising input costs as companies voluntarily, or are forced to, shift to more stringent emissions standards,” says Neufeld. The key plywood importing regions are North America (mainly United States and Mexico), Europe and Australasia. Although Japan and South Korea are net importing countries, China is a major exporter, and North Asia as a region is a net exporter. South Asia is also a major net exporting region, although India and Vietnam are net importers. These patterns are not expected to change significantly over the forecast period, although production in Africa may increase as a result of taxation on the export of logs, which will enhance export capacity. The increased production of softwood radiata pine plywood in South America and Australasia will have a positive impact on future supply to importing regions. North America has been a small net exporting region of OSB over the past five years, but is expected to revert to a net importer over the forecast period, as the capacity that has been closed will not be brought back into production quickly enough to meet rising demand. There is also expected to be a shortage in Europe and North Asia, based on BIS Shrapnel’s production and consumption forecasts. Building-Products.com

MARGIN Builders Redwood Planter Boxes

Planter box promotions grow redwood sales

Building-Products.com

ture redwood, they help sell more than lumber. “We recommend our customers put wire across the bottom of their planter boxes to help keep critters out,” says Thom. “It’s also important that they use the right connectors to keep the building process fun. It all adds up.” Redwood is readily available in sizes popular for building planting boxes. Boxes are often built with 2x12 boards used at full length, and projects can be scaled down depending on the space available or how ambitious homeowners are with their gardens.

California Redwood Association has several easy-to-follow project plans available for free download (www.calredwood.org), including plans for more elegant “Petaluma Planters.” “Building planter boxes with redwood makes a lot of sense,” Thom notes. “People who want to grow their own vegetables are often interested in sustainability, and choosing a natural product from sustainable forests is a good fit for that lifestyle. Plus, redwood planter boxes look nice and home-grown vegetables taste great!”

Photo courtesy J&W Lumber

OME RETAILERS ARE tapping the locally grown, organic food movement to boost redwood sales. “More and more people are interested in growing their own vegetables to save money at the grocery store,” says Charmaine Jennings, J&W Lumber, Escondido, Ca. “Planter boxes help them do that and, because redwood is such a naturally durable product and easy to work with, it is great for building planter boxes. Plus, redwood is a renewable, sustainable product, which fits with the green movement.” Planter boxes make excellent gardening areas, even in yards with limited space. They can be built in an afternoon and are often fun projects for the whole family. “Our redwood planter box promotion was quite successful,” says David Thom, owner of Bruce Bauer Lumber, Mountain View, Ca. “It was a great way to bring people into our store, and planter boxes are relatively easy to build so they lead to high customer satisfaction. Redwood makes excellent planter boxes because it is naturally durable, so you don’t have to worry about any unwanted chemicals making their way into the soil.” “We offer customers guidance on how to build the planter boxes,” Thom continues, “and even assemble and deliver boxes for customers who ask. But fun is where it’s at with planter boxes. They’re great family projects, and you get to watch your food grow.” While planter box promotions fea-

MARKETING PLANTER BOX projects helps dealers harness the organic gardening craze to drive sales of redwood. September 2011 Building Products Digest

INDUSTRY Trends By Jennifer O’Connor, FPInnovations, and Jack Draper, Western Red Cedar Lumber Association

EPDs: The coming wave in eco-labels

REEN CONSUMERS are getting more sophisticated. Tired of “greenwash” and confused by the hundreds of eco-logos in use worldwide, leading-edge buyers want real evidence of a product’s environmental footprint. This is why North America is beginning to join a wave currently

sweeping through Europe and Asia: a transition from eco-logo certifications to environmental product declarations, or EPDs. Eco-logos serve a useful purpose, by providing a recognizable symbol on a product label indicating that the product meets the environmental cri-

WESTERN RED CEDAR was among the first building materials to look to environmental product declarations to assure buyers of its green bonafides.

Building Products Digest September 2011

teria of a particular program. These programs make it easy for buyers— the logo conveys a seal of approval. But transparency is sacrificed for simplicity: the details of the program criteria and the product environmental data being examined by the program are not necessarily accessible. The buyer is asked to trust the judgment of those who administer the program. Comparability is also a problem. A buyer may be considering several competing products, each of which bears a different eco-logo. Which one is best? EPDs are not as simple as an ecologo, but they provide transparent, credible environmental footprint data in a standardized manner that allows buyers to fairly compare one product to another. The kind of information typically included in an EPD addresses energy consumption, water consumption, global warming, waste, and air emissions, among other common environmental metrics. Much like the nutrition label on food packages, an EPD simply provides data and makes no judgment about the product. Where a grocery shopper may be concerned about sodium, a building product consumer may be concerned about fossil fuel depletion. With an EPD and a nutrition label, the buyer decides what’s important and the criteria for selection. An EPD doesn’t tell the whole story about a product—human health issues such as VOCs and forest management assurances, for example, are addressed by well-established certification programs and legislation—but Building-Products.com

an EPD is a complete picture of what is normally meant by the term “environmental footprint.” EPDs are based on life cycle assessment data, which is developed by expert practitioners following international standards. Life cycle assessment (LCA) means that all impacts related to a product are accounted for, from the initial extraction of raw materials through manufacturing, transportation, use, maintenance and final disposition at the end of the useful service life. There are hundreds of EPDs in circulation globally, for products as diverse as food packaging, consumer goods, and building materials. This is a trend just starting in North America, with only a few EPDs currently produced. Many more are likely to come in the near future, as several industrial groups are currently developing EPDs and EPD standards are underway in the US. One possible market driver for EPDs is the popular green building rating program LEED, with a newly released experiment in EPDs and LCA. In an effort to

ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATIONS, such as for western red cedar decking and siding, help purchasers make a more “wholeprocess” decision about what’s really green. A next step might be actual labels or point-of-purchase sheets to market such products’ attributes.

motivate more sophistication and rigor in environmental data, the LEED program will reward building projects that include products with validated LCA information or with an EPD. The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association is among the pioneers looking at EPDs as an effective vehicle for meeting buyer interest in better environmental data. In 2009, WRCLA commissioned the Canadian forest products research institute FPInnovations for a life cycle assessment study of cedar decking and siding. The resulting data allowed WRCLA to then work with FPInnovations to create the first North American EPDs for wood products. – To learn more about western red cedar EPDs and WRCLA, visit www.wrcla.org or call (866) 778-9096. Building-Products.com

September 2011 Building Products Digest

PRODUCT Spotlight Color-Matched Fasteners

Selling colormatched fasteners

aesthetically seamless surfaces on siding, colormatched fasteners are increasingly being introduced for high-end decking and other building materials. Building Products Digest asked Kim Pohl, marketing manager for Maze Nails, to size up the ins and outs of selling color-matched nails. BPD What are the primary advantages of color-matched fasteners? Pohl Painted nails to match popular fiber cement sidings, PVC trimboards, cedar and redwood sidings,

done electronically to match specific brands.

Photo by Maze Nails

ONG USED TO CREATE

BPD How does the price compare to non-painted nails? Pohl Painted nails only cost about 20% more than unpainted, so it really is a nominal upcharge considering the overall cost of the project.

LATEST INNOVATIONS in fasteners are polyurethane hammer caps that reduce paint abrasion on colored nails.

and metal roofing and siding provide a high quality, finished look to the homeowner. Maze has been pre-finishing nails to match roll formed metal for the post frame industry for years. In addition, Maze paints all of the nails for Hardie Colorplus and Certainteed ColorMax fiber cement technology.

BPD Mechanically, how are the colors matched? Pohl All Maze hand-drive nails are completely immersed in the paint drum. With collated sticks and coils, only the heads are painted. Maze uses a high-quality automotive paint system. Paint matches are

Building Products Digest September 2011

BPD Are the colormatched fasteners produced in large quantities for dealers to stock, or are they custom-manufactured per job, or...? Pohl Maze paints and stocks many of the more popular colors. Collated nail applications are painted on a specific job basis.

BPD What process does the dealer use to sell, spec and order these products? Pohl One of the benefits of ordering from Maze is that a lumber dealer can order as little as a 5-lb. box of painted nails to match Hardiplank siding, for example. With collated stick and coils, a dealer can order as little as one carton. BPD Any marketing advice to help dealers sell more of these products? Pohl For all of the above mentioned popular sidings and trims, promoting and selling painted nails is easy, affordable and logical. In addition, Maze painted nails are available in both double hot-dipped galvanized and stainless steel for ultimate corrosion-resistance. For handdriven painted nails, hammer caps are available to eliminate paint chipping. Building-Products.com

COMPANY Focus Boston Cedar

Northeast distributor relocates to larger facility

CEDAR RECENTLY opened a new office and distribution facility in the 850-acre Cabot Business Park in Mansfield, Ma., and will soon add an education center to the site. “We feel as though we have created and staffed a facility that will expertly serve Boston Cedar’s customer base for the next 25 years and beyond,” says president Joe Cusack. “Situated here, we are exceptionally efficient and we have instituted a more disciplined inventory picking system that includes a new rack-and-storage system. Moreover, we have the ability to efficiently run our electronic truck routing software from this single campus in Mansfield.” The move comes after more than 26 years of successful operations and OSTON

growth at Boston Cedar’s original location in Holbrook, Ma. “The list of benefits of this new facility just grows with each day,” states Jim Mulligan, manager of oper-

BOSTON CEDAR’S new office and distribution facility at the Cabot Business Park in Mansfield, Ma., offers room to grow and space for a new education center. Building-Products.com

ations. “One simple example would be the fact that suppliers have easier access to us and we can house and protect more inventory than we could in our original location.” The company distributes a wide selection of lumber and building products, including the full AZEK Building Products line, A BACO decking, Latitudes decking, RDI railing, a wide range of coastal western red cedar products, and the complete T YPAR Weather Protection System from Fiberweb—which recently honored Boston Cedar as Distributor of the Year for the second consecutive year. The company also distributes a wide range of green products, including FSC-certified western red cedar, TiO2 trim boards, and NAHB “Green Approved” T YPAR and A ZEK Trim, Moulding, Porch, and Deck. Looking ahead, Boston Cedar will soon begin construction of a new education center that will be directly integrated into the company’s sales center. “We will be able to host product introduction and training events right here in our own facility, which will occupy several thousand square feet of office space when complete,” says Paul Colliton, v.p. of sales and marketing.

September 2011 Building Products Digest

COMPETITIVE Intelligence By Carla Waldemar

Back in business

N 1949, LINCOLN TIBBETTS bought Cox Lumber, his first lumberyard. When he retired, as the largest independent lumber dealer in Florida in 2005, he sold off 28 locations. Nice run. Good timing. Happy golfing. End of story? No, hang on. We’re just getting to the good part. A funny thing happened on the way to the old folks’ home. In 2009, as the recession spread through Florida faster than its infamous kudzu weed, Mr. Tibbetts stepped back in. Sixty years after his initial debut in the lumber business, he repurchased the St. Pete site—this time calling it Tibbetts Lumber, no longer Cox—as an immense, full-service yard on a threeblock stretch the family owned, which had sported a ProBuild store. Then he hired Juan Quesada as president. Mr. Quesada himself has been in the lumber business for 45 years, so let’s take time out for his backstory. “I joined Cox in 1979, after working for another lumber company through its period of growth and accession.” When that owner decided to sell, Juan was reviewing his options: stay on with an unknown boss or move along? A phone call decided his future. “I was contacted by Cox, a local independent we’d competed with,” Juan says. “We respected each other. Their manager took me to dinner”—and you already know the outcome. “They had a very good team, were very supportive, and were geared for growth and expansion—but,” he adds with a pregnant pause to make sure a listener gets the message—“they were also very conservative”—a deal-clincher for someone like Juan, who respected their way of doing business. “They didn’t buy a yard until the previous one was paid off.” So, let the good times roll—which

they did, until “in 2005, at the peak of the boom, Home Depot contacted us—we were not for sale—and made an unsolicited offer. Mr. Tibbetts was in his 80s”—matter of fact, this past summer he turned 87—“so decided it was the right time to exit.” (He kept the Grand Cayman and Tibbetts export business he’d founded, which we’ll hear more about in a minute.) Following the sale, the recession was growing deeper and deeper, so many of those 28 yards he’d sold shut down. Which left old customers really, really unhappy. Oh, they didn’t miss the Home Depots that had then occupied the space; they longed for the glory days of good service, efficient business practices, and promises kept. So all Tibbetts heard was, “Open back up!” The family listened. But alas, in the flurry of gearing up again, they overlooked one little thing. They failed to

NOW 87, Cox Lumber founder’s retirement was brief, as Linton Tibbetts bought back several of the yards he sold a few years prior.

Building Products Digest September 2011

let Quesada know. So he walked into Tibbetts’ office to tell him that, because of the shut-downs, he’d accepted another job. “You can’t do that!” came the response. So—long story short—he stayed on. This time, as president. And the St. Petersburg store reopened as Tibbetts Lumber, the only independent in town (back in 1949 when Tibbetts got started, there were 14 competitors). Next, the Tibbetts family repurchased its former Land O Lakes location, a distribution and manufacturing site of 100 acres (we’re also talking a return to manufacturing trusses and doors) and turned it into a full-service retail center. “Now we can compete! We’re getting back where we used to be!” Quesada crows—well, only as gustily as his soft-spoken manners will permit. Next up, Lehigh Acres, another truss, door and rail-line location from the former portfolio. Also Fort Myers. And the Palm Bay location, sporting the same truss, door and rail amenities, is being readied once again as we speak, expecting a grand opening celebration in early autumn. Plus… “Plus, we’re looking at 10 or 12 yards for future growth,” says Quesada. “We’ll carry our old footprint.” And just why did that succeed in the good old days? “We sell service,” Quesada contends: “old-time service. Lots of specialty work, and a knowledgeable team,” many of whom were former Cox employees, eager to return to the mothership. “We adhere to the basic principles such as Do what you say you’ll do. Never renege. Be the flagship, be the leader. But”—another pay-attention pause—“make a profit. We’re not apologetic about that; we’re Building-Products.com

TIBBETTS LUMBER now includes yards on Grand Cayman Island, in addition to St. Petersburg (top), Land O Lakes, Palm Bay, and Fort Myers (lower), Fl.

here to do business and people respect that.” He offers, as example, the kind of story ad dollars cannot buy. “At a social gathering in St. Pete last week, a lady asked me, ‘How can you compete with Home Depot?’ Another man stepped up and said, ‘I’ll answer that! At my business, a fire inspector told me I needed fire-retardant doors. So I called Home Depot and was on the phone 25 minutes without an answer. Then I called Tibbetts, and, within an hour, a sales rep was out; he let me know I also needed fire-retardant hardware and door jambs to be in compliance, so that saved me another hassle. Home Depot has seen the last of me!” That’s service. Service also means, according to Quesada, “If there’s a mistake or a problem, you fix it.” Another example: “A customer called because she was having problems with her windows. She had purchased them elsewhere, but our sales rep went out and adjusted them. We’ll always send a sales person to do measurements to get them right rather than have a homeowner just phone them in,” he adds. Extras like those—plus free delivery, free take-offs, and estimates for all Tibbetts’ contractor customers (80% to 85% of its trade are pros) and d-i-yers—are backed by Building-Products.com

expertise. “They’ve had good training because they’ve worked for us in the past and came over from the competition.” Why? Because the same philosophy that applies to customers also extends to staff. Or, as Quesada puts it, “fair pay for fair work”—and a chance to advance. “A driver just became a foreman, as we develop our footprint. And I myself didn’t start out as president,” he chuckles. During those brief “retirement” years, Linton Tibbetts retained his robust export business to the Cayman Islands and Caribbean. Now, in his golden years, he’s ramped it up, too. (One advantage: To do business in the Caymans, you must be a Cayman Islands citizen. And Tibbetts was born there.) He exports anything and everything, from calico to Cadillacs, but first and foremost, lumber. By the mid-80s, he’d launched a generous retail store: building materials, appliances, furniture, the whole nine yards (still called Cox). It flourished, so he opened a second location that included a truss plant and door shop. He also opened the first cabinet shop on the island (since sold). Today, the island empire consists of the retail store, a contractor warehouse, and a third site to debut any moment. Another reason for its financial success: Only two taxes are levied on the islands: import duties and land transfer. Talk about a friendly business climate! Not the case in Florida. Opines Quesada: “The economy here will not be quick to turn around—and NASA layoffs are coming, which will be a tremendous setback. Currently, we’re doing a lot of business in remodeling projects—purchases of foreclosed houses that need improvements. That keeps us fairly active. But 50% of our business is in new custom homes.” Little starter units? Oh no, he laughs. “The folks who build have money.” Still, “the competition’s fierce. Everyone’s trying to survive. We feel blessed because we started up again from zero—so each day is better than the day before. We’re hiring, while other yards are laying off. That helps morale. “Vendors are glad to see us back, too. I made a mill tour to let them know we were back in business, but I wasn’t looking for special deals. We’re just back in business, with the same philosophy.” Well, except for one thing, and that’s the Internet. Tibbetts’ website needs improvement, and Quesada is the first to admit it. “I got a call from the Dominican Republic because they couldn’t find what they wanted on our site. ‘You need to fix that,’ they told me. But I’m too old and I’m too busy.” (Possibly another new hire is on the horizon?) As we end our phone conversation, he takes a moment to confide, “I never give interviews because reporters always get everything wrong and just say what they want to say, anyway. This is the first….” Okay, then, I’ll just go ahead and say what I want to say, and it’s this: Welcome back! You guys are masters. Keep on truckin’. Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net

September 2011 Building Products Digest

OLSEN On Sales By James Olsen

Quotronics:

The 10 rules of non-closing

– n. 1. The art and science of working for free in a professional, commissioned-based selling environment. Quotron – n. 1. A person who works in the sales field who confuses quoting prices with selling or closing: I’m at $350, what do ya think? UOTRONICS

2. A person in the sales field who feels that the customer is inherently more important than they are, resulting in a lack of partnership selling an,d consequently, a lack of partnership treatment, margins, professional life, etc. 3. A lazy salesperson. Prefers to have the customer do all the work: What d’ya need and where do I need to be? <Origin> 1600 Latin quota. The original sense “mark a book with numbers or with marginal references.” Am. Eng. circa 1981 I’m Just a Waitron Unit coined by Nick Bartoli to note the futility of slingin’ hash. Converted to Quotron Unit by

Building Products Digest September 2011

the author in late 1990s. The Quotron has 10 rules for nonclosing:

I. Do not act or talk like you will get the business. The Quotron is embarrassed to be a salesperson and acts like it. This embarrassment infects the customer. People want to do business with winners and people who are proud of what they do. The Quotron’s attitude of submissiveness and defeat are selffulfilling prophecies. II. Do not build rapport. Some Quotrons think that the deal is the thing. They are efficient and work hard, but they only work hard at the business piece. The professional seller creates rapport with their customers. Many become friends, while the Quotron stays uninvolved, quoting prices and hoping they are the cheapest. III. Do not be thorough in needs analysis (inquiry, RFQ). Because of indolence or intimidation, Quotrons are not thorough in the needs analysis portion of the sales call (i.e., quantity, shipment, price range). Detailed questions such as “When will you place the order?” are not asked. This slapdash approach to inquiry gives the Quotron only a vague idea of what the customer really wants, which produces vague results. IV. Do not ask for the order. Quotrons do not ask for the order. They repeatedly give up after the first Building-Products.com

objection. Frequently the customer does not even have to give an objection! The Quotron’s quotronity is so engrained, they don’t even think to ask for the order. The attitude of the Quotron is, “I will give you a price and you decide.”

V. Do not ask for the order more than once. If we only ask for the order once in closing situations, we will fail in sales.

VI. Do not close on objections. Objections are a cry for help. If a customer is giving us an objection, they are thinking of a way our proposal will work. What is that way? Finding out and closing is the master seller’s job!

VII. Ask for the order before need or desire has been established. “Close Often and Close Early” is an example of a sales myth that really is a myth. Closing is timing. When we try to close before need has been established, it is irritating to the customer and non-productive in general. We must build rapport, be thorough in needs analysis, and then ask for the order. VIII. Confuse value statements with closing statements. Struggling sellers present features

and benefits without closing. Telling the customer how great the product is or how great it will work for them without asking for the order is common amongst those with quotronitis.

IX. Always talk (before the customer) after asking for the order. When it is the customer’s turn to talk, let them talk. Do not take their turn! It is the customer’s turn to talk after we ask for the order. We will not always get the order if we shut up after asking for it, but, 100%-positivefor-sure, we will not get the order if we talk after asking for it. It also shows enormous insecurity, which will weaken further closing attempts (see rule #5) and negotiations.

X. Answer questions without closing or asking a question in return. Quotrons are information dispensers. Quotrons see questions as opportunities to serve, while closers see questions as opportunities to serve and close. This difference in attitude and action makes all the difference. Don’t be a Quotron— close!

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

Biewer to Buy Pine Tech Mills

Biewer Lumber, St. Clair, Mi., is acquiring the sawmill assets of Pine Tech Inc., which operated two sawmills in Gladwin and Lake City, Mi. The deal is set to be finalized next month. The facilities will be operated as Biewer Sawmill-Lake City LLC and Biewer Sawmill-Gladwin LLC. “The synergy of both companies will give us the opportunity to better serve our customer base throughout the Midwest,” said Tim Biewer, son of company founder Richard Biewer. “We are ready to take the company to the next level.”

OSBMarket Now PanelMarkets

Silvaris Corp., Bellevue, Wa., has launched a new website to sell offgrade panels and industrial OSB. Building-Products.com

PanelMarkets has the same userfriendly features as Silvaris’ previous site, OSBMarket, but greatly expanded selection of grades and manufacturers. Accessed at panelmarkets.com, the online marketplace focuses on selling furniture grade plywood and OSB, low grade panel products, MDF, particleboard, and other building panels. It features TrueMarket prices, which means buyers can select products at regionally delivered prices depending on their shipping locations. “PanelMarkets is a great innovation in our industry,” said Kurt Bray, president and c.e.o. of Silvaris. “Through e-commerce, we are able to help our suppliers sell their hard-to-move products more efficiently, simultaneously delivering cost and availability advantages to our customers. ” September 2011 Building Products Digest

GREEN Retailing By Jay Tompt

Hot cities and cool roofs T

HIS SUMMER’S

MOST COOL roofs are painted a heat-reflecting white.

heat waves have been horrendous. Hot weather is known as a silent killer and is responsible for more weather related deaths than tornados, hurricanes, and blizzards combined. Summer days are hotter than they used to be, setting all kinds of records, but even worse are the hot nights. Overnight lows are also setting records for high heat, making it much more difficult for at-risk populations, such as the very young and very old, to recover. In cities, the problem is worsened by something called the Urban Heat Island Effect. Cities are paved with asphalt and built up with concrete and other materials that absorb solar radiation during the day and re-radiate it during the night. Cities can be 15° hotter in the daytime and 22° warmer overnight than nearby suburbs. More city heat means more air conditioning and more electricity con-

FORECAST: RAIN

FOLLOWED BY A LIFETIME OF FLAT FLOORING.

Cost more? No. Work better? Yes. End of story.

sumed, leading to blackouts and, of course, more carbon emitted into the atmosphere. The heat island effect has been understood for a long time—I first learned about it in high school. But more recent scientific knowledge indicates that we should expect more extreme heat waves like those we experienced this summer. I’ve argued in this column and elsewhere (check out our in-depth report, “The Future of Home Improvement,” at www.williamverde.com) that dealers and distributors have an obligation to learn to anticipate changing climate and weather patterns in order to serve their communities, as well as boost their revenue. In fact, as purveyors of building supplies, we are in a prime position to take the lead on mitigating the effects of hot summer nights and urban heat islands. There are a variety of ways we can make our cities cooler, simply and affordably. Replacing high thermal mass materials with trees and green space is one effective strategy and where we need to go, long term. Living roofs are being boosted in major cities for just this reason. But there’s another strategy that can deliver results in the short term, is less expensive, and offers opportunities for most dealers and distributors, right now. Increasing the ability of surfaces to reflect solar radiation, using special paints and coatings or reflective roofing materials, can dramatically reduce heat gain and electricity demand. A white roof, for example, can reflect almost 90% of the sun’s radiation, reducing interior heat and the need for air conditioning. And the savings are not trivial. The White Roof Project (www.whiteroofproject.com) reports that about 10% of electricity produced by cities is used to compensate for the

urban heat island effect. If enough roofs were painted white, the nation could be saving billions of dollars and hundreds of lives. And dealers could be doing well, while doing good. Two excellent resources to help you stock appropriate roof coatings for your community, or improve your existing product mix, are Energy Star (www.energystar.gov) and Cool Roof Rating Council (www.coolroofs.org). Keep in mind that reflective shingles and roofing tiles offer effective solutions for residential applications, too. But don’t stop there. Develop a promotional strategy that combines in-store materials with larger-scale efforts in the community. In-store signage should educate customers, highlight rebate opportunities, and promote city-wide campaigns. Get involved and get your manufacturers involved. Dealers can create their own “white roof projects” in conjunction with local city agencies or nonprofit organizations. Last but not least, teach your staff about the urban heat island effect and the importance of taking measures to reduce it. It can literally save lives.

Jay Tompt Managing Partner William Verde & Associates (415) 321-0848 info@williamverde.com

The outlook is always sunny for builders who install pointSIX™ Flooring. And no wonder. With pointSIX Durastrand Flooring, there’s no sanding, no cost surcharge, and no headaches caused by edge swell thanks to a patented tapered-edge technology. There are no guarantees on weather. All the more reason to choose flooring that’s guaranteed for life.

You can’t predict the weather. But you can choose better flooring.

www.pointsixflooring.com

DEALER Briefs

Norfolk Sash & Door, Norfolk, Va., closed July 29

after 118 years.

McGehee Lumber & Hardware, McGehee, Ar., has been opened by Mike Fuller (Paul Tyrone, store mgr.; Lisa Dilbeck, assistant store mgr.).

H.K. Buzby & Sons, Clinton, N.J., held a liquidation auction Aug. 9, following the 91-year-old building supply’s closure in late June. Contractors Wholesale, Youngstown, Oh., opened its 42,000-sq. ft. warehouse to the public, after serving solely pros for the last three years.

Fisher Lumber & Building Supply, Fisher, Il., closed July 30 and liquidated its inventory and equipment. H.H. Hankins & Bro., Bridgeton, N.J., lost part of its

lumberyard in a July 24 fire.

Kitzman’s Lumber & Building Materials closed its Loves Park, Il., lumberyard and Rockford, Il., design studio July 29 after 32 years. Home Hardware Centers parent Central Network Retail Group, Natchez, Ms., has purchased Cole’s Home Solutions’ store and drive-thru lumberyard in Ripley, Ms. Cole’s retains its store in Millington, Tn.

White’s Lumber, Pulaski, N.Y., has reopened in a larger facility with a drive-thru warehouse, one year after being destroyed by fire. Meek’s celebrated the Aug. 4 grand re-opening of its store in Shell Knob, Mo. Lowe’s expects to reopen in Sanford, N.C., Sept. 8—less than five months after the store was destroyed by a tornado.

Smith Lumber, Hartford, Mi., reopened one day after an Aug. 2 storm blew off its roof. Morales Hardware Center, Bronx, N.Y., was submerged in 3 ft. of water July 27 when a water main burst.

PLAQUE from the local historical commission honored 88 years and four generations at Ulrich Lumber & Builders Supply, Warren, Mi. (Left to right) Becky Betcher, Warren Historical Society; State Rep. Lesia Liss (D-Warren); Robyn Roose Beckett, mgr.; Doris Roose, owner; mayor James Fouts, and Mark C. Roose, mgr.

Building Products Digest September 2011

Building-Products.com

SUPPLIER Briefs

Paint/drywall distributor Merit Group, Spartanburg, S.C., has been acquired by N.Y. private equity firm Centre Lane Partners.

Hancock Lumber has added a

Weinig moulder to its mill in Pittsfield, Me.; is expanding the moulder operation at its plant in Bethel, Me., and will expand its planer mill in Casco, Me., later this year.

B&B Lumber, Jamesville, N.Y., was cited by OSHA for dozens of safety violations, six months after the accidental death of a millworker.

Coastal Idles Hardwood Mills

Coastal Lumber Co., Charlottesville, Va., closed its offices and eight sawmills Aug. 12, a move that president and c.e.o. Victor Barringer hopes is “only temporary.” The closures came after the company’s bank would not support its reorganization plan unless Barringer made “concessions,” which he would not agree to. Coastal is seeking alternative financing to reopen and be financially stronger, but still provide “excellent, quality” service to customers. The company has been in business since 1937, expanding from a single

hardwood mill to become the largest hardwood lumber manufacturer east of the Mississippi, employing nearly 900 at plants in North and South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Seven D Expands into Ohio

Seven D Wholesale, Altoona, Pa., has purchased 84 Lumber’s former lumberyard in Perry, Oh., to open a DC by first quarter 2012. The 8.78acre site has 50,000 sq. ft. of enclosed storage and access to a rail spur. Seven D has offices and DCs in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Florida.

Weyerhaeuser completed the sale of its hardwoods division to

American Industrial Partners

for $108 million. Operating out of existing Tacoma, Wa., offices as Northwest Hardwoods Inc., it has branches in Alabama, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin.

Kleer Lumber, Westfield, Ma., now offers its trimboards with TruEdge, a sealed edge that resists staining from dirt and grime.

Window/door extruder Chelsea Building Products, Oakmont, Pa., was sold by Tessenderlo Group to Graham Partners , Newtown

Square, Pa., owner of window manufacturer Graham Architectural Products, York, Pa.

Masonite will invest $14 million in automated production equipment at its door plant in Denmark, S.C.

LP Building Products introduced LP Wood-E Design 2011.2, inhouse design software to create floor, roof and wall designs using LP engineered wood products.

Railing Dynamics, Egg Harbor Township, N.J., received ICC-ES code approval for its Endurance QX Rail. Focal Point , Charleroi, Pa., launched a new website at www. focalpointproducts.com.

Haida Forest Products , Burnaby, B.C., is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Building-Products.com

September 2011 Building Products Digest

Midwestʼs Lyman Lumber Files Bankruptcy, Finds Buyer

Lyman Lumber Co., Excelsior, Mn., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and agreed to sell its Midwest operations to SP Asset Management LLC, an affiliate of N.Y.-based Steel Partners Holdings L.P. “We are very excited about the prospect of working with a strong and credible financial partner,” said c.e.o. Jim Hurd. “The sale would allow Lyman to continue to provide market leading service to our customers.” Formed in 1897, Lyman operates Lyman and Woodinville Lumber retail yards, installer Carpentry Contractors Corp., and component producers Automated Building Components and Tri-County Truss. In late June, it closed its wholesale division, Mid America Cedar. It plans to use the Chapter 11 process to restructure debt obligations and shed non-performing assets such as its land holdings and construction-lending portfolio.

DEALER Briefs

Weiss Do it Best Lumber , Perryville, Ar., suffered extensive damage to its lumberyard in an Aug. 6 fire.

Lezzer Lumber Co. remodeled its showroom in Lancaster, Pa., creating separate areas for kitchen & bath and windows & doors.

Ace Hardware, Caldwell, N.J., is looking for a “shop mate” to share its 17,000-sq. ft. location.

Geneva Hardware closed Aug. 1, six months after relocating from Geneva, Il., to St. Charles, Il.

Homefolks Hardware & Gifts, Henderson, Ky., held an Aug.

27 going-out-of-business auction to sell remaining inventory, store fixtures, and seven parcels of real estate.

Norfleet’s Hardware, Warrenton, N.C., has closed after 60 years. Smart’s True Value Hardware, Lincoln, Me., added a 3,400-sq. ft. annex down the street from its 4,400-sq. ft. store.

Habitat for Humanity renovated its ReStore discount LBM outlet in Chattanooga, Tn. 24

Building Products Digest September 2011

Building-Products.com

Welcome to BPD’s

Eastern White Pine Special Issue,

brought to you by the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association and its members. In this issue, we invite you to take a closer look at eastern white pine by using the Quick Response (QR) codes published throughout the magazine. QR codes allow you instant access to more information about the product or service you are reading about. Here’s how it works: 1. Download a free QR Reader app onto your smartphone from the appropriate mobile platform app store (e.g., iTunes, Android Market, or App World) 2. Scan the QR codes found throughout this section with your QR Reader App and learn more about each article or product. Each QR code will take you to a webpage with richer content. That’s it. Have fun. And, thanks for taking a closer look at eastern white pine.

QR ADVERTISER GUIDE

HANCOCK LUMBER

LIMINGTON LUMBER

J.D. IRVING

Building-Products.com

SEABOARD INTERNATIONAL

SANDY NECK TRADERS

WARREN TRASK CO.

September 2011 Building Products Digest

Eastern White Pine Special Issue

From mill to master bedroom,

NELMA uses technology to communicate

VER THE YEARS , N E LMA has earned a reputation as one of the most innovative marketers in the lumber industry. Much of this is attributed to their use of technology to enhance their marketing programs, such as the use of QR codes in this issue of Building Product Digest. Here’s a run-down of N E LMA’s current and planned use of technology to connect and grow the industry.

At the mill.

For the past year, NELMA inspectors have been using a custom app built for mobile phones to perform inspection services at wood packagers, as part of the ISPM15 compliance program. In the next six months, they will begin beta-testing a similar application for lumber mill inspections. This app will increase P P A TION INSPEC the efficiency and accuracy of inspections and reporting requirements.

For the retailer.

With over 100 retailers listed in its online directory, NELMA is focused on adding value throughout the supply chain. Listing for retailers is free. For a list of retailers, visit www.nelma.org/member-locator/ locate-a-lumber-retailer.

For the homeowner. ONLINE DEALER DIRECTORY

In addition to publishing beautiful end-use photos of eastern white pine, this winter NELMA will be launching a new web feature—an interactive

For the contractor.

Want to know how to frame and trim a barrel ceiling (and be able to charge more for doing it)? Check out NELMATV on YouTube to learn how. This series is an effort to bring classic building practices back into the modern world.

COMING SOON: WHITE PINE VISUALIZER will allow homeowners to select and view online options in paneling and wainscoting.

Building Products Digest September 2011

Building-Products.com

white pine visualizer. This new tool will allow homeowners to go online to select and view different profiles for both paneling and wainscoting, before they buy.

For the architect.

iPAD APP

Building-Products.com

The new iNELMA iPad app allows architects to view NELMA grade specifications (including photos of each grade) and inspires homeowners with end-use photos of eastern white pine. Architects can even read back issues of the revitalized historic White Pine Monographs.

September 2011 Building Products Digest

Eastern White Pine Special Issue

Introducing NELMATV N

Association launches new how-to series on YouTube

E LMA WAS A PROUD

sponsor of JLCLive in Providence, R.I., this year. In addition to displaying at the show, NELMA was able to provide three one-hour “how-to” seminars as part of the show’s green building session. Led by master builder Rick Arnold, the seminars showed contractors the appropriate way to prepare a wall for eastern white pine siding, proper installation techniques, and the math and installation tricks behind building a high-end barrel ceiling. The entire tutorial was caught on video and has been edited down into eight educational videos perfect for

THINK WOOD Think Warren Trask for the most comprehensive Eastern Pine inventory! Since 1924, Warren Trask has been committed to being the number one source for Eastern White Pine. Think Warren Trask for all your Eastern White Pine needs.

1•800•752•0121 28

www.trask.com

Building Products Digest September 2011

NELMAtv is fast becoming a go-to stop for lumber industry videos.

builders, remodelers and contractors. The following tutorials are available at www. youtube.com/nelmatv: • Exterior Siding: Weatherizing and Vapor Barriers • Exterior Siding: Prepping the Wall and Nailing • Exterior Siding: Setting the Course on a Wall with a Story Pole • NELMA Green Building, Episode IV: Exterior Siding (Bevel and Drop105) • Building a Barrel Ceiling, Part I: The Math Behind the Curves • Building a Barrel Ceiling, Part II: Laying out the Template • Building a Barrel Ceiling, Part III: Framing the Ceiling • Building a Barrel Ceiling, Part IV: Finishing with Eastern White Pine Beadboard NELMATV is quickly becoming a channel to bookmark for videos about the lumber industry. In addition to the how-to series, you will find time-lapsed video of a day in the life at a N E LMA mill, as well as videos comparing eastern white pine to competitive products. Watch the videos at www.youtube.com/nelmatv or scan the QR code: Building-Products.com

Eastern White Pine Special Issue

Online retailer directory adds value

OR THE PAST few years, NELMA has been quietly offering free online listings for lumber retailers. It’s one part of an ongoing, long-term strategy to connect the lumber industry in new and innovative ways. Today, with nearly 100 retailers listed in the database, this added-value service for the lumber industry is becoming a go-to resource for builders and do-it-yourselfers looking for local sources of softwood lumber. Jeff Easterling, president of NELMA, says that offering a free directory listing to retailers is part of NELMA’s commitment to connecting buyers and sellers of important softwood species of the Northeast. “It’s really about our members, the mills,” Easterling explains. “They work hard producing the highest quality

Manufacturers of Quality

Eastern White Pine

• Producing 16 million bd. ft. annually • Weinig Waco maxi planer specializes in pattern stock • Nine Irvington Moore dry kilns – total capacity 360,000 bd. ft. • All shipments via truck or van are paper wrapped • Marketing throughout the U.S. and Canada via Wholesale & Wholesale Distributors

Sales: Win Smith, Jr. win@limingtonlumber.com (207) 625-3286 • Fax (207) 625-7399 www.limingtonlumber.com

Building Products Digest September 2011

lumber available, and we want to support them. Building a robust community directory of mills, wholesalers, support services, and retailers creates new opportunities for the entire lumber community.” The desire to connect is part of NELMA’s overall marketing philosophy, as evidenced by their use of social media and mobile devices designed to connect the building community to content that will help them grow their businesses. “I think one of the association’s job is to make the industry feel smaller than it is by increasing the connections. We’re doing that through social media and making sure our publications are available in many different formats. It’s about providing connections and access to resources. Today’s builders and homeowners are online and hunting for information. By providing an opportunity for retailers to ‘be found,’ we are creating more business for our members,” Easterling says. While the majority of the listed retailers are in New England and New York, retailers selling Northeast-manufactured softwoods in Arkansas, South Carolina, California, Canadian provinces, and other areas have also registered for their free listing. Retailers can sign up for their free online listing at www.nelma.org/retailers. See if your competitor is listed yet: Building-Products.com

Eastern White Pine Special Issue

Reaching out to future architects

The Sustainable Versatility Awards

ALK THE FLOOR at any building tradeshow or conference and you will notice one thing: the market is flooded with synthetic substitutes for lumber. The market saturation of plastics and composites over the past decade has created two other trends: (1) consumers are returning to the authenticity offered by wood, and (2) future architects and builders are well trained and versed in the marketed value of these alternatives to wood, but are lacking experience with the “real thing.” To address this, the Sustainability Versatility Design Awards is being launched to inspire the next generation of architects to “return to wood.” Open to architect students enrolled in an accredited program, this competi-

Building-Products.com

tion encourages them to “design the sustainable structure of the future featuring eastern white pine.”

The competition is part of N E LMA’s continued dialogue with and for the industry that reminds architects, builders and consumers that wood is the most renewable and sustainable building materials available. At the same time, the workability and historical significance of eastern white pine makes it an amazingly versatile species. Submissions will begin later this month, with winners announced at the

NELMA annual convention in Boston next April. A panel of judges from across the industry will be reviewing the submissions. Subscribe to “Ask NELMA,” the association’s newsletter, to stay informed about the competition.

September 2011 Building Products Digest

Eastern White Pine Special Issue

White pine monograph exposed!

April Fools issue inspired by 1920 original

of an original April 1920 White Pine Monograph that told the story of a fictitious New England town called Stotham, Ma., a recent issue of the Monographs (published April 2010) sparked curiosity and interest in the town of New Milford, N.H. N THE SPIRIT

The April Fools’ joke of publishing a Monograph of a fictional town doesn’t happen often enough to be a tradition, but it is an important part of the history of the Monographs. “Part of the importance behind revitalizing the Monographs in the first place was to ensure that the rich

Building Products Digest September 2011

history and quality of the originals would be both preserved and expanded upon,” says Jeff Easterling, president of NELMA, which publishes the White Pine Monograph. “Included in that history is a special issue from 1920 in which a creative tale was told about a fictitious town. It was exciting

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More about the White Pine Monographs

EASTERN PINE monograph profiling the fictional town of Milford, N.H., was inspired by a similar April Fools’ joke 90 years prior.

to create the New Milford issue in a similar light, knowing that it too would be a special issue, expanding upon the original premise of a town built of eastern white pine.” While the fiction behind the original 1920 Monograph took nearly two decades to be exposed, it was only a year before curiosity surrounding New Milford piqued the interest of inquiring minds. The creative tale was first made public by a reporter from a local newspaper near where New Milford was supposed to be located. The local paper started doing some research, which began with the Milford Historical Society, but it kept leading to dead ends. Ultimately, the state’s Department of Historical Resources was called in, and the truth was revealed. They

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could not confirm the existence of a town called New Milford. They did, however, commend the authors on the level of detail and accuracy that went into to designing this fictional town on paper. Ultimately, N E LMA was contacted and confirmed that, indeed, New Milford was a fictional town in an homage to the classic prank pulled in the 1920s by the original publishers of the White Pine Monographs. “Aside from the New Milford issue, every revitalized Monograph is written with legitimate facts and true stories,” says Jeff Easterling. “We knew the truth would come out eventually, and we learned a lot about mill towns researching for this special fictional issue, just as I’m sure they did back in 1920.”

Making their debut in 1915 and running through 1940, The White Pine Series of Architectural Monographs became an industry favorite, gaining readership across the country and earning a valuable place in architectural literature. For those fortunate enough to track down copies, the originals can often be found preserved in libraries, homes and vintage bookstores across the nation. Architects, designers and building professionals are encouraged to share their knowledge and experience of working with eastern white pine for future, revitalized issues. Story ideas, photos and well-written articles can be submitted to monographs@easternwhitepine. org. Read the White Pine Monographs online here:

September 2011 Building Products Digest

Jim Doyle, Jacksonville, Fl.-based district sales mgr. of BASF’s Wall Systems business for the Southeast, has been elected president of the Florida Wall & Ceiling Contractors Association. John Cashmore has launched Opinion Dive Market Research & Consulting, Minneapolis, Mn. Joe Brakhage is now Northeast regional sales mgr. for Delta Power Equipment Corp., Anderson, S.C. Rick Carr, ex-Senco Brands, is now Midwest regional sales mgr.; Curt Thomas, Southeast regional sales mgr., and Dennis Mickelson, West regional sales mgr. Julius Miller, Forest Products Transports, Columbia, Ms., was elected chairman of the board of the Mississippi Trucking Association. Jim Daniels, v.p.-product development, Parksite, Batavia, Il., will keynote Principia Partners’ annual WPC 2011-Decking & Outdoor Living Products conference in Charlotte, N.C. Pat N. Pending now heads research & development at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

MOVERS & Shakers Jim Kaake, ex-Georgia Pacific, has joined the sales staff at Tolleson Lumber, Perry, Ga. Jim Muthersbaugh has been promoted to Mid-Atlantic regional mgr. for Lumbermens Merchandising Corp., Wayne, Pa. Mark Gosline has joined Timber Trading Group, Worcester, Ma., as account mgr. for its Maine business. Ryan Hudson is new to sales at Purvis Forest Products, Purvis, Ms. Shirley Craig, 83, retired July 29 after 39 years in hardware sales, the last 17 at West Side Lumber Ace Hardware, Macomb, Il. M. Lee Reees has been promoted to senior v.p., deputy general counsel, and assistant secretary for Lowe’s Cos., Mooresville, N.C. Mark Sherman, Plum Creek Timber Co., L’Anse, Mi., has been promoted to senior resource mgr. for the Lake States region. He replaces Scott Henker, who relocated to Maine to serve as senior resource mgr. for the New England region.

Barbara Hudson has joined Forest2Market, Charlotte, N.C., leading its recycled fiber practice and driving sales of Market2Mill. Rose Hunter, accounts receivable, has retired after 44 years with Morsches Builders Mart, Columbia City, In. Dorvin Lively has resigned as c.f.o. and executive v.p. at Ace Hardware Corp., Oak Brook, Il. Dave Dickman, commodity mgr., has retired after 36 years with Andersen Windows, Bayport, Mn. Eric Zimmerman has been appointed v.p.-operations and general mgr. of Gaco Western, Waukesha, Wi. Allen Hunter, ex-Universal Building Products, has been named Kansas City, Mo.-based channel mgr. for Laticrete’s specialty products division. Joseph Still is a new Tampa, Fl.-based technical service rep, serving the Southeast. Ben Gann was named director of legislative affairs & grassroots activities for National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association.

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Building Products Digest September 2011

Building-Products.com

NEW Products

Pneumatic Stapler

Finish Nailer

Bostitch’s new 15-gauge finish nailer can be used to install moulding and trim, flooring, and door/window casings. The N62FNK-2 has a rear exhaust, to direct air away from users and eliminate blowback. An onboard dust blower can clear work surfaces of dust and debris. In low-light situations, an integrated LED work light allows for precise fastener placement.

Duo-Fast’s DF150-CS pneumatic stapler can install staples and plastic button caps in a single operation on roofing felt, plastic sheathing, and housewrap. An in-line magazine with an open-loading design holds up to 240 caps and 110 staples. Users can easily switch between three firing modes: bump, sequential, and staple-only.

DUOFASTCONSTRUCTION.COM (888) 631-2020

BOSTITCH.COM (800) 349-9329

Lightweight Table Saw

A portable table saw from Bosch is light enough for one-handed carrying on jobsites. The GTS1031 includes an expandable tabletop to meet cutting needs up to 18”. An optional, 14-lb. folding table saw stand is also available. With a 4.0 hp and 5,000 rpm motor, the saw can cut through rough lumber, sheet goods, flooring, stair treads, shelving, and trim.

BOSCHTOOLS.COM (877) 267-2499

Building-Products.com

Portable Spray Pack

Graco’s ProPack portable spray pack has a 1-gallon container that allows longer continuous spraying on one battery charge. An ergonomic design evenly distributes weight on the back, while adjustable support straps ensure a comfortable fit. Also included are extra-large storage pockets, easy to read meter, air compressor with 9v battery, and a 5ft. material and drain hose set.

GRACO.COM/CONTRACTOR (800) 345-4109

September 2011 Building Products Digest

Radiant Barrier Plywood

Radiant barrier structural panels from Timber Products Co. reduce attic temperatures and save energy. The plywood panels are constructed of domestic fir with no added urea formaldehyde. The pre-applied foil wrap blocks 97% of radiant heat, for attic temperatures up to 30 degrees cooler. Standard 4’x8’ panels come in thicknesses of 15/32”, 19/32”, and 23/32”.

TIMBERPRODUCTS.COM (800) 547-9520

Patriotic Bricks

Boral Bricks has launched four new brick collections for commercial construction projects. The Freedom and Liberty collections are traditional commercial brick in a modular style. Freedom offers seven colors (citadel, Manhattan, pebble, regiment, sunset, varsity, wheat), Liberty offers six (battleship, bisque, cannon, freedom, merlot, and slate), and the Main Street collection has 13 colors, including chocolate wirecut, meltone range, red wirecut Bostonian, and select smooth red. The 17th Century collection has slight irregularities and a softer shape for a historic look. It’s available in a range of colors in both modular and queen sizes.

BORALBRICKS.COM (800) 526-7255

Building Products Digest September 2011

Building-Products.com

Insta-Guardrails

Safety Makerâ€™s ParaShield simplifies installation of a temporary guardrail on short vertical walls. Uses include concrete block construction, window openings, and vertical parapet walls common to residential and commercial flat roof construction.

SAFETYBOOT.COM (800) 804-4741

Building-Products.com

Synthetic Underlay

Tam-Shield synthetic underlayment from TAMKO Building Products is protected against the harmful affects of UV rays for up to 180 days. Offered in 5- and 10-square rolls, the strong, lightweight product is skid and tear resistant. A light-gray color provides a cooler working surface, compared to traditional black felt.

TAMKO.COM

(800) 218-2656

Electric Stackers

Mitsubishi had added two new heavy-duty electric walkie straddle stackers for warehousing and stacking applications. PWT15 and PWT18 models feature an AC-power drive motor and optional electric power steering, for precise control at any speed; auto-shutdown, to save energy and increase run-time, and regenerative braking, to reduce wear on components.

MIT-LIFT.COM (888) 648-5438

September 2011 Building Products Digest

SOUTHERN FOREST PRODUCERS Photos by BPD

SOUTHERN FOREST Products Association met Aug. 9-10 in Atlanta, Ga., for its annual meeting and expo. [1] Russell Richardson, Erik Ipson, Hans Bentzan. [2] Bryan Smalley, Ryan Hilsinger. [3] Scott Vande Linde, Ross Lampe,

Craig Myers. [4] Griff Stanley, Mike Gulledge. [5] Joe Kusar, Tyler McShan, Joe Patton. [6] John & Debbie Hammack, Wade Camp. [7] Ron Coker, Scott Elston. [8] Kermit Baker, Richard Wallace. [9] Huck DeVenzio, Jeff Kern.

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Building Products Digest September 2011

[10] William Almond, Len Barker. [11] Chuck Casey, Chris Kollwitz. [12] Richard Kleiner, Adrian Blocker. [13] Terilynn & Tony Sellers. [14] Suzanne Hearn, Kim Drew. [15] David DeVries, Jim Rabe. [16] Thomas Mende, David Conner, Mark Richardson. [17] Pat Patranella, Tami Kessler. [18] Mark Brinkmeyer, Diana Blenkhorn. (More photos on next page) Building-Products.com

SOUTHERN FOREST PRODUCERS Photos by BPD

MORE SFPA (continued from previous page) in Atlanta: [1] Sean McLaren, Jim Loy, Ray Ferris. [2] Tom Fitzgerald, Crystal Collier, Pat Schleisman. [3] Tom & Ethel Rice. [4] Robin & Janet Swift, Patrick

Harrigan. [5] Kevin Binam, Will Lampe. [6] John Batson, Mac Lupold. [7] Brian Luoma, Tom Corrick. [8] Julie Brumfield, Tami Kessler. [9] Cathy & Kerlin Drake. [10] Sandy Miller, Brian Hayson, Debra Lee & Tim Brown.

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September 2011 Building Products Digest

SLMA CONFERENCE Photos by BPD

SOUTHEASTERN LUMBER Manufacturers Association hosted its annual conference July 20-23 at Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Fl. [1] Alan Robbins, Rachel John, Daniel Dickert. [2] John Smith, Chris Crucitt. [3] Tom Cator, Bob Dixon. [4] Kevin Binam, Adrienne & Dave DiPonzio. [5] Shelly Long, Brian Shepley. [6] Patrick LeBlanc, Mireille Blanchard, Emily & Chris de Milliano. [7] Jordan Smith, Chuck Smith, Caroline Smith. [8] Zoltan Van Heyningen, Fredrik Broen. [9] Jill & Jimmy Brewer.

Building Products Digest September 2011

[10] C.J. & Dana Griffin. [11] Mark & Jennifer Tucker. [12] George & Margo Varn, Sandy & Jeff Miller. [13] Leslie Oney, Brittney Oney, Alison Oney. [14] J.D. & Beverly Hankins, Doug Eubanks. [15] Ashley Long, Mike Pastore. [16] Brent & Tracy Steed, Ben Garrison. [17] Charlie & Lisa Thomas. [18] Christian & Byron Altman. [19] Danny & Sheila White. [20] Daphne & Bryan Smalley. [21] Kim Drew, Brad Staggs. (More photos on next two pages) Building-Products.com

SLMA CONFERENCE (continued from previous page) offered both business news and recreational activities. On hand: [1] Denise Sapp, John Beach. [2] Beverly Knight, J.T. McShan. [3] Bill & Sue Exley. [4] Melissa &

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Robert Harris. [5] Kathy & Steve Reeder. [6] Andrea Howard, Jamie Hotchkiss. [7] Steve Keadle, Jack Jordan. [8] Don & Sue Exley. [9] Cally & Bob Dixon. (More photos on next page)

September 2011 Building Products Digest

SLMA CONFERENCE Photos by BPD

AMELIA ISLAND, Fl., was gathering place for the Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association (continued from previous two pages): [1] Jack Coward, Cindy & Bill Sheppard. [2] Chuck & Cheryl Watkins. [3] Fred Stimpson, Buddy Klumb. [4] Christy Jordan, Teresa Bailey. [5] Kristina Brewer, Lucy Parr, Sammy Yellott. [6] Diddy & Jim Anderson. [7] Margo Turner, John Hunter Allgood. [8] Joe & Andrea Kusar. [9] Donna Whitaker, Jerry Schoendienst, Ginger & Chris Pierce, Casey

Building Products Digest September 2011

Pierce. [10] Doug Fenwick. [11] Jim Loy, Paul Lentz. [12] Dickie Elliott, John T. McShan, Carl Tucker III, Bryant Beadles. [13] Jesse & Melissa Griffin. [14] Jennifer & Brad Knighting. [15] Jim Bartelson, John Rhea, Ken Burttram. [16] Mitch Shackleford, Furman Brodie. [17] Kurt Nebiker, Doug Gonterman. [18] David Haddock. [19] Jay Moore, Erica Strickland, David Conner. [20] Dave Gagnon, Beth & Dan Mathews. [21] Kelly McCloskey, Kerlin Drake. Building-Products.com

ASSOCIATION Update Southern Forest Products Association appointed Adrian Blocker its new president, replacing Digges Morgan, who resigned July 31. During its recent annual meeting (see photos p. 38-39), SFPA handed out sawmill safety awards to Cox Industries (Woodstock, Al.; Ramseur, N.C.; Leland, Tx.); Elder Wood Preserving, Mansura, La.; Georgia Pacific (Crossett, Ar.; Monticello, Ga.; Fayette, Al.; Camden, Tx.; Gurdon, Ar.); Fortress Wood Products, Greensboro, N.C., and Weyerhaeuser (Holden, La.; New Bern, N.C.; Bruce, Ms.; Philadelphia, Ms.)

Florida Building Material Association’s Sept. 21-24 convention at Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando, Fl., will include panel discussions on “Surviving & Thriving the Next 12 Months” and “The Attributes of a Successful Salesperson.” Northeastern Retail Lumber Association is preparing for its annual meetings, as are several affiliates. NRLA’s annual meeting is Oct. 28-

Building-Products.com

29 at Ocean Edge Resort, Brewster, Ma., kicking off the same day and in the same place as the Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association’s annual meeting. Other annual meetings include Retail Lumber Dealers of Maine and New Hampshire Retail Lumber Association Sept. 9-11 in Portland, (Continued on page 46)

IN Memoriam

John Ellis Cook, 85, retired c.e.o. of Dairyman’s Supply Co., Mayfield, Ky., died June 26 in Mayfield. During World War II, he served with the Marines. He spent over 40 years at Dairyman’s, retiring in 1994.

Robert Howard Myrick Sr., 81, retired co-owner of Economy Supply Co., Hattiesburg, Ms., died Aug. 6. He joined the family firm in 1952, after graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi and serving in the Army, and retired in 1989.

Morris F. Lifshitz, 90, former owner of Foster Lumber, Brooklyn, N.Y., died July 27 in Port Jervis, N.Y. After running Foster Lumber, which was founded by his father, he worked as a salesman for Strober Brothers, Brooklyn. Charles Roy Higgins, 85, retired owner of Higgins Lumber, Roseville, Oh., died Aug. 4 in Roseville. Mr. Higgins served with the Navy during World War II. He and his wife, Marilyn, opened the business in 1957.

Glen Geigley, 58, assistant manager at Nottawa Lumber, Sturgis, Mi., died July 28 in Sturgis.

Edward J. “Jamie” Kempisty, 45, lumber foreman at Leader Home Center, Amherst, Ma., died July 30 in Easthampton, Ma. Philip Reginald McCray, 91, coowner of Clymer Lumber Co., Clymer, N.Y., died July 17 in Erie, Pa. He served with the Air Force during World War II and the Korean War.

G. Janette Pettit Chaudoin, 72, owner of Tri-County Building Supply Co., Tamms, Il., died July 22.

September 2011 Building Products Digest

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…Call Chuck Casey or Alan Oakes at 949.852.1990

Building Products Digest September 2011

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DATE Book

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

Long Island Lumber Association – Sept. 13, annual meeting, Villa Lombardi’s, Holbrook, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

Construction Suppliers Association – Sept. 15-16, annual meeting, Tyrone, Ga.; (678) 674-1860; www.gocsa.com

Blish-Mize Co. – Sept. 16-17, fall market, Convention Center, Overland Park, Ks.; (800) 995-0525; www.blishmize.com.

Kentucky Forest Industries Assn. – Sept. 16-17, expo, Optimists Sports Complex, London, Ky.; (800) 203-9217; www.kfia.org.

Peak Auctioneering – Sept. 17, LBM auctions, Kansas City, Mo.; Sept. 24, Berea, Oh.; (800) 245-9690; www.peakauction.com.

Northwestern Lumber Association – Sept. 19, regional golf outing, Wrightstown, Wi.; (888) 544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

Building Component Manufacturers Conference – Sept. 21-23, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, In.; (608) 310-6722; www.bcmcshow.com. Florida Building Material Association – Sept. 21-24, annual convention & expo, Gaylord Palms Hotel, Kissimmee, Fl.; (352) 3830366; www.fbma.org.

National Hardwood Lumber Assn. – Sept. 21-24, annual convention, Gaylord Opryland, Nashville, Tn.; (800) 933-0318; nhla.org.

Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association – Sept. 22-23, economic forecast & golf outing, Nonantum Resort, Kennebunkport, Me.; (207) 829-6901; www.nelma.org.

True Value Co. – Sept. 23-25, fall market, Philadelphia, Pa.; (773) 695-5000; www.truevaluecompany.com.

Northwestern Lumber Assn. – Sept. 27, golf outing, Panora, Ia.; Sept. 29, clay shoot, Brainard, Ne.; (888) 544-6822; nlassn.org.

Missouri Forest Products Assn. – Sept. 30-Oct. 1, expo, Show Me Center, Cape Girardeau, Mo.; (573) 634-3252; moforest.org.

Eastern New York Lumber Dealers Assn. – Oct. 1, annual meeting, Sagamore Resort, Lake George, N.Y.; (800) 292-6752; nrla.org. Peak Auctioneering – Oct 1, LBM auctions, Indianapolis, In.; Oct. 8, St. Charles, Il.; (800) 245-9690; www.peakauction.com.

U.S. Green Building Council – Oct. 4-7, Greenbuild conference, Toronto, Canada; (800) 795-1747; www.usgbc.com.

New York & Suburban Lumber Dealers Association – Oct. 6, annual meeting, Terrace on the Park, Queens, N.Y.; (800) 2926752; www.nrla.org.

Do It Best Corp. – Oct. 8-10, fall market, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, In.; (260) 748-5300; www.doitbestcorp.com. DeckExpo – Oct. 12-14, McCormick Place, Chicago, Il.; (866) 4756495; www.deckexpo.com.

Remodeling Show – Oct. 12-14, McCormick Place, Chicago, Il.; (866) 475-6495; www.remodelingshow.com.

Ohio Construction Suppliers Assn. – Oct. 13-14, installed sales roundtable, Youngstown, Oh.; (614) 267-7817; www.myocsa.org.

Ace Hardware Corp. – Oct. 15-17, fall market, Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Co.; (630) 990-7662; www.acehardware.com.

Mid-Atlantic IDEAS LBM Trade Show – Oct. 18, Valley Forge Convention Center, King of Prussia, Pa.; www.lbmideas.org. ENAP Inc. – Oct. 18-19, forest products conference, Marriott Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Md.; (800) 456-4300; www.enap.com. North American Wholesale Lumber Association – Oct. 19-21, Traders Market, Mirage Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 527-8258; www.lumber.org.

Peak Auctioneering – Oct. 22, LBM auctions, Harrington, De.; Oct. 29, Middletown, N.Y.; (800) 245-9690; www.peakauction.com.

Building-Products.com

September 2011 Building Products Digest

Association Update (continued from page 43)

Me.; Long Island Lumber Association Sept. 13 in Holbrook, N.Y.; Eastern New York Lumber Dealers Association Oct. 1 in Lake George, N.Y., and New York & Suburban Lumber Association Oct. 6 in Queens, N.Y.

Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association elected John Hall, Industrial Wood Products, Climax, N.C., as chairman at its annual conference (see photos, p. 40-42). Ben Stimpson Jr., Scotch Gulf Lumber Co., Mobile, Al., is now 1st vice chair; Chris deMilliano, Steely Lumber Co., Huntsville, Tx., 2nd vice chair; J.D. Hankins, Hankins Inc., Ripley, Ms., treasurer, and Danny White, T.R. Miller Mill Co., Brewton, Al., past chair. Hunter McShan, McShan Lumber, McShan, Al., and George Georgiev, Tolleson Lumber, Perry, Ga., are new to the board. Next up: fall board and committee meetings Oct. 4-5 at Atlanta Airport Hilton, Atlanta, Ga.

IDEA File

Free seminars

Workshopping Spree

(and complimentary refreshments) are attracting new customers to Eldredge Lumber’s design center in York, Me. The 6,000-sq. ft. space — known as the Atlantic Design Center—features full-size displays of kitchens, baths, and living rooms so customers can envision their own dream projects. On hand to help are 11 design consultants, including Margareta Claesson, who also handles marketing and advertising for the center. It’s her job to get new customers through the door, so they can see for themselves what products and services are available. Claesson got the idea for the seminars after she invited Eldredge’s in-house paint expert to deliver a product info talk for the designers. “He was so knowledgeable and such a good speaker that we decided he had to go public,” she says. “So he was our first speaker.” Eldredge offers six to eight classes each year. In July, artist Pamela Sawin led a seminar on what she calls contemporary gilding, illustrating how to apply metal leaf to glass, pottery, wood, paper, and shells—a natural resource that’s readily available in Maine. This month, the topic is window replacement, presented by Eldredge’s own Marvin Windows expert. After learning about the how’s and why’s of window replacement—including energy savings and the 2011 Energy Tax Credits—attendees can schedule an inhome appointment to begin the replacement process. Claesson says that different topics bring in different customers, but they all enjoy the free refreshments: small tea sandwiches and cookies, plus tea and coffee. “Whenever possible, we also raise money for a good cause, such as the local food pantry or hospice,” she says. “Sometimes it is a suggested donation and sometimes we have a raffle and sell tickets.”

Building Products Digest September 2011

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

Advantage Trim & Lumber [advantagelumber.com] ........41

Ainsworth [www.ainsworthengineered.com] ..............20-21

Anthony Forest Products [anthonyforest.com]......Cover III Boston Cedar [www.bostoncedar.com] ..............................7

California Redwood Association [calredwood.org] .........43

Capital [www.capital-lumber.com].......................................4

Cedar Creek Wholesale [www.cedarcreek.com] ..............41

Chicago Suburban Lumber [chicagosurburban.com] .....38

Crumpler Plastic Pipe [www.cpp-pipe.com] .....................36

EcoVantage [www.ecovantage.com]........................Cover II GRK Fasteners [www.grkfasteners.com]..........................34

Hancock Lumber [www.hancocklumber.com]..................32

Idaho Forest Group [www.idahoforestgroup.com]. ...........3 Irving Forest Products [www.jdirving.com] ......................27 LB Plastics [www.lbplastics.com] .....................................37 Limington Lumber [www.limingtonlumber.com]..............30

Mary’s River Lumber [www.marysriverlumber.com] .......23 NAWLA Traders Market [www.nawlatradersmarket.com] ..45

Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. [nelma.org].29

Parksite [www.parksite.com] .....................................Cover I Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual [plmins.com] ............24

Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com] ...........Cover IV Sandy Neck Traders [www.sntraders.com] ......................31

Seaboard International Forest Products [sifp.com].........33

Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com]..........................5 Tank Fab [www.tankfab.com].............................................22

U.S. Metal Works [www.usmetalworks.com] ..............13, 36

Warren Trask Co. [www.wtrask.com] ................................28 Western Red Cedar Lumber Assn. [www.wrcla.org] ..18-19

Wilson Lumber [www.cypressusa.com]............................39 Building-Products.com