BPD
HI-TECH APPS FOR LBM GUIDE TO HOUSEWRAPS SIDING FORECAST
Building Products Digest
JUNE 2010
INDUSTRY NEWS & MONEY-MAKING STRATEGIES FOR LUMBER & BUILDING MATERIAL DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS
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BPD
June 2010
Building Products Digest
Special Features 9 INDUSTRY TRENDS EXTERIOR SIDING FORECAST
10 INDUSTRY TRENDS IPHONE
Volume 29 Number 4
APPS FOR THE LBM BUSINESS
12 FEATURE STORY COMPLYING WITH THE LACEY ACT
15 MANAGEMENT TIPS SECURE THE RIGHT DOMAIN NAME
16 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT HOUSEWRAPS & RAINSCREENS
28 SPECIAL FOCUS: SOUTHERN LUMBER 14-PAGE SPECIAL SECTION DEVOTED TO SOUTHERN FOREST PRODUCTS
48 PHOTO RECAP NELMA ANNUAL IN BOSTON
In Every Issue 6 TOTALLY RANDOM 18 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE 20 OLSEN ON SALES 42 MOVERS & SHAKERS 44 NEW PRODUCTS 47 IN MEMORIAM 51 ASSOCIATION UPDATE 52 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 53 DATE BOOK 54 IDEA FILE 54 ADVERTISERS INDEX
50 PHOTO RECAP NAWLA NORTHEAST REGIONAL
Online
BREAKING INDUSTRY NEWS & INDUSTRY PHOTO DOWNLOADS BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM (FOLLOW LINK FOR PHOTOS)
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Building Products Digest June 2010
BPD: DIGITAL VERSION THE LATEST ISSUE CAN NOW BE VIEWED AT BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM Building-Products.com
TOTALLY Random By Alan Oakes
E
Are you another Toyota?
at your auto dealership to get your gas accelerator or your braking system fixed, you have certainly heard of the issues Toyota has gone through these past few months. What was most surprising was that, whether or not we drove a Toyota, most of us shared the view that it was a great company that produced superior cars. So how was it possible that such an iconic brand failed to deal with obvious problems, got chewed up in the jaws of the press, and seemed to go into hiding? They showed that not only may their cars not have been what they were positioned to be (considering around 8 million of them were recalled), but also that as a company they had no clue how to handle a crisis. Maybe egos were too large. Perhaps, while lives were at stake, Toyota’s top brass was in denial. Similar problems can crop up at any company, in any industry. Nobody escapes untarnished these days—nor, if they’re guilty, should they. In the world of LBM, we have faced our own maulings, either as individual companies or as part of our industry sector. Whether it was clear-cutting, lead paint, CCA, mold, defective decking, and any number of other issues, we learned that in an age when you cannot control information or its speed of flow, you cannot bury your head in the sand and hope crises evaporate. They don’t. In some cases there may not be a shred of truth in the accusations, but as with CCA, the charges get completely overblown, facts get distorted, and those who shout the loudest create the perceived truth in people’s minds, even if completely wrong. Today you have to recognize the truth, and then fess up and tell the absolute truth—the whole truth and nothing but. You cannot allow others to fill in the blanks on parts of the issue you feel uncomfortable with. You have to give a complete account of what went wrong, why, and how you will fix it. Too many companies lack leaders who are willing to listen to the truth and a culture that allows the truth to percolate up. Employees may be fearful of bringing up bad news. Do you shoot the messenger? Are your meetings conducted in a way where issues can be presented, or does bad news never get past the water cooler? You also need to get ahead of the issue. So many companies bury problems until they are exposed from the outside. They are then reactive instead of being proactive. Damage control is much more difficult and expensive when someone else breaks the bad news. It costs more to rebuild a brand than to build it in the first place. Your message must be clear, precise, and consistent for all audiences, including your own staff. Filtered, watered-down, wishy-washy responses do not work. One message for your board, another for the staff, and another for outside ears and Wall Street puts out a confusing message. In fact, you are left trying to explain over and over again, completely destroying the credibility you are trying to rebuild. Tripping over your own tongue is not what you want to be seen doing. The media can break you fast. But it can also be a great tool. The Web can be used for offense as well as defense. Rumors can be dispelled and your positive actions can be announced quickly and accurately— not allowing for others to twist your words. Be active in the story you want put out. The more evasive you are, the more bad press will come your way. And, in the end you will be found out and pay an exponentially higher price. When the media are banging on your door, don’t run. Engage them, answer fully to the best of the known facts, and start protecting yourself. And, if you see me banging on your door, a few cookies might just work! VEN IF YOU WERE NOT LINING UP
Alan Oakes, Publisher ajoakes@aol.com
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Building Products Digest June 2010
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Building Products Digest www.building-products.com
A publication of Cutler Publishing
4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Publisher Alan Oakes ajoakes@aol.com Publisher Emeritus David Cutler Director of Editorial & Production David Koenig dkoenig@building-products.com Editor Karen Debats kdebats@building-products.com Contributing Editors Carla Waldemar, James Olsen, Jay Tompt Advertising Sales Manager Chuck Casey ccasey@building-products.com Administration Director/Secretary Marie Oakes mfpoakes@aol.com Circulation Manager Heather Kelly hkelly@building-products.com
How to Advertise
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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®2009 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.
INDUSTRY Trends
Siding forecast
Fiber cement expects to overtake wood
R
Photo by James Hardie
ISING DEMAND FOR fiber cement should allow the material to overtake wood as the second-most popular type of siding in the U.S., behind only vinyl, according to a new forecast by the Freedonia Group. The research company anticipates overall demand for siding will climb 6.5% annually through 2014 to 101.5 million squares worth $11.3 billion. Advances will be driven by an expected rebound in housing completions from the depressed levels in 2009 that reflected the sharp declines in housing completions between 2007 and 2009. Although housing comple-
AFTER 25 YEARS of steady gains, fiber cement is poised to become the second most popular material for siding. Building-Products.com
tions will remain below the level reached at their cyclical peak in 2006, the recovery will fuel above-average gains in the residential siding market through 2014. Brick and fiber cement siding are forecast to see the most rapid demand advances through 2014. Demand for brick siding (rising 14.9% annually to the equivalent of 10.4 million squares by 2014) will be spurred by the rapid rise in housing completions in the South, the region of the U.S. where brick is most commonly used. Homeowners continue to desire brick siding due to its aesthetic properties, durability and fire resistance. Fiber cement siding demand, jumping 9.5% per year to 11.8 million squares by 2014, will be promoted by its durability and ability to be made into siding that resembles more expensive materials, such as wood or brick. Advances will also be derived from the material’s popularity in the South and West regions of the U.S., which are forecast to see above-average growth in population and housing activity through 2014. However, the material’s market penetration will decelerate, as use of fiber cement in the Midwest and Northeast remains comparatively low. Vinyl siding, which accounted for the largest share of the market in area terms in 2009, is projected to remain the market leader through 2014, increasing 6.3% to 40 million squares. Demand will be supported by the material’s low cost, ease of installation, and durability. Efforts by manufacturers to broaden the range of available colors and textures will also promote gains. However, more rapid advances will be checked by rising competition from fiber cement and
stucco siding, which can offer enhanced long-term durability and fewer maintenance requirements. Stucco, EIFS, concrete and other siding accounted for the secondlargest share of siding demand in 2009. Through 2014, annual demand for these materials is forecast to advance 9.3% to 10.6 million squares, as rising population growth and construction activity in the South and West regions—where stucco is most commonly used—drive gains. Advances will also be derived from increased use of EIFS systems due to their ease of installation and insulation properties. Wood siding is expected to lose market share through 2014 as consumers select materials that last longer and require less annual upkeep. Wood is predicted to inch up 2% per year to 10.4 million squares, dropping it to a tie for fourth most popular siding choice, from its current spot at second. All other siding types combined will rise 3.2% annually to 18.3 million squares. Most significantly, polypropylene siding is expected to see above-average gains. Consumers will opt for the material due to its resemblance to natural wood siding while being far less susceptible to rotting and degradation. The residential improvement and repair market was the largest market for siding in 2009, reflecting the low level of new housing activity in that year. Demand for siding in residential improvement and repair applications will rise modestly through 2014. Homeowners will be less likely to take out home equity loans, the most common method of financing such projects as siding replacement, if financing is more difficult to obtain.
June 2010 Building Products Digest
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INDUSTRY Trends LBM iPhone Apps
Get Appy
iPhone meets the LBM industry
P
well beyond mere communications, iPhones are fast becoming powerful tools to help LBM dealers and manufacturers work with, market to, and better serve their customers and prospects. Using specialized applications (or “apps”), iPhones can calculate job lists and lumber dimensions, hold digital product samples, and even locate and provide directions to the nearest home center—thanks to the $0.99 Home Improvement Store Finder app. Bear Creek Lumber, Winthrop, ACKED WITH CAPABILITIES
Wa., equipped its entire sales force with iPhones, so reps can respond to customer inquiries more quickly and be constantly connected via email and the Internet. To encourage customers to work with them via iPhone, Bear Creek also developed two of its own apps: • LumberCalc ($0.99) permits board foot calculations, paneling coverage conversion to board feet (for patterns such as log cabin, tongueand-groove, shiplap), and flooring calculation. • Board Feet Calculator (free)
MARVIN’S Window Shopping app allows homeowners to view what their own home would look like with new windows and doors.
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Building Products Digest June 2010
helps builders, architects and homeowners with calculating board footage and prices from known lumber dimensions. Enter the price per thousand board feet and they’ll get board foot price and linear foot price for that particular dimension. (Another company offers a similar app, with the same name, for $0.99.) Rick’s Custom Fencing & Decking, Hillsboro, Or., devised The Rickʼs Fence Material Calculator (free), to help customers figure out the materials they’ll need for a particular fencing project. They input their preferred fence style, materials and length, and receive a comprehensive list of required materials. Then the list can be forwarded to their local Rick’s location for a quick quote. Other apps provide digital “product samples,” before directing consumers to the nearest retail showroom to make their purchase. With Marvin Windows & Doors’ Window Shopping (free), homeowners snap a photo of an interior exterior space that could use an upgrade, then arrange new Marvin windows and doors over the photo. “Once a homeowner creates and saves a design idea, a Marvin dealer can bring the design to life by helping personalize windows or doors with the desired hardware, wood choices, colors, energy-efficiency ratings, and so Building-Products.com
on,” said Marvin’s John Kirchner. “A dealer-locator tool is built into the app, which makes it easy to turn a homeowner’s design dream into a reality.” Likewise, Lumber Liquidators’ Floor Finder (free) contains nearly 200 flooring samples. “Lumber Liquidators wanted to provide another way to make their products easily accessible to their customers,” said Marco Pescara. “With the new app, the floor searching and buying process is very convenient and user friendly. By allowing users to access flooring samples right on their handheld screen, there is no need for bulky samples that end up being thrown away, making it also very eco-friendly.” Using Sherwin-Williams’ Color-Snap or Benjamin Moore’s Color Capture (both free), iPhone users can snap a picture of any color inspiration and instantly match it to the closest hue among the manufacturers’ paint offerings. Palettes Lite (free) and the upgraded Palettes ($9.99) can also be used to visualize color schemes for an entire home, inside and out. Also for designers, I.D. Wood ($2.99) contains over 50 raw cut and unfinished wood samples with species, botanical and colloquial names, origins, descriptions, common uses, and properties for durability, sustainability and woodworking. Associations are also getting into the act to promote their members’ products. Western Wood Products Association’s new Lumber DesignEasy Joist/Rafter Spans application ($0.99) allows architects, engineers, building code officials, and other design professionals to quickly calculate simple joist and rafter spans for western lumber structural grades. Users select the size and loading conditions and generate a table of spans for the structural grades in six different western species groups. Adjustments can be made for load duration, deflection, and incising for pressure treated wood. Comparing spans for different western species can be done with just a few touches. The app remembers the size and loading conditions selected, so users can choose a new species and then immediately create an updated table of spans. Similarly, Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association recently included several of its top references and marketing tools in NeLMA To Go (free). The app includes “Standard Grading Rules for Northeastern Lumber,” “Standard Patterns for Eastern White Pine,” the white pine series of Architectural Monographs, and eastern white pine grade and end-use photos. “Our goal is to continually look for unique ways to make it easy for potential customers to design, specify, and build with Northeastern softwood products,” noted NeLMA president Jeff Easterling.
Advanced construction-math calculators include BuildCalc Pro ($19.99) , Carpenterʼs Helper Pro ($9.99), Carpenterʼs Helper Lite (free). BalusterPro ($2.99) calculates baluster spacing, while Builderʼs Formulator ($9.99) contains over 200 formulas from electrical, carpentry, plumbing, concrete and financial formulations. FIS Dimensional Calculator ($9.99) calculates LBM dimensions in feet, inches, and fractions of an inch. Applications are so versatile that some have replaced actual tools on contractors’ tool belts. A-Level, Dual Level, Quad Level ($0.99 each), and iHandy Level (free) turn an iPhone into a level. Quad Level, in fact, can be used horizontally, vertically or diaganolly—and reports exactly how far out of level something is. iRuler and Ruler ($0.99 each) convert an iPhone’s screen to tick marks, for precise measurements in inches or centimeters. Flashlight and myLite (both free) change the iPhone’s screen to bright white, in effect allowing the phone to be used as a flashlight. iHandy Carpenter ($1.99) features a level, plumb bob, ruler, and protractor. Apple’s iTunes App Store now offers more than 100,000 different apps for download to iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads. And it’s only the beginning. Every day should bring something new.
iPhone in the Tool Belt
Once homeowners and contractors decide what products they want, another group of applications can help them figure out how many. Handy-Man Sidekick ($1.99) and Home Improvement Calculator ($4.99) calculate the amount of material needed for a range of projects, including paint, wallpaper, tile, decking, fencing, concrete, gravel, mulch, brick, and flooring. Drywall Calculator ($0.99) calculates the square footage of any room to determine how many sheets of drywall will be needed. ConcreteCalc Pro ($0.99) analyzes how many cubic yards of concrete are required for a project. Building-Products.com
WWPA’S new app calculates and compares spans for six different western lumber species. June 2010 Building Products Digest
11
FEATURE Story By Elizabeth Baldwin, Compliance Specialists
Complying with the Lacey Act—
W
or else
HAT DO MERANTI PLYWOOD,
ipé decking, sapelli lumber, bamboo flooring, and a guitar’s wenge fingerboard have in common? They are all covered by the Lacey Act, and distributors and dealers who trade in these products and others face civil and criminal penalties if they fail to comply with the Act’s requirements. If you trade in wood products, regardless of their source or your own position in the market, you should know your responsibilities under the law. You must not only document your own direct imports, but also conduct “due diligence” on the imported products you are purchasing domestically. Even if you trade only in domestic species and production, you have obligations and liability under Lacey. The Lacey Act consists of three
What is Lacey?
basic provisions: (1) It is a United States federal offense to trade in illegal or “tainted” plants and plant-based products; and the action that made the product illegal (“tainted” the product) does not have to occurred within the U.S. Included in the long list of ways to “taint” a product are actions such as harvesting it illegally, trading it without proper duties or other fees being paid, or smuggling/stealing it. (2) Importers need to declare both what species they are bringing in and where it came from. (3) Don’t lie to the government! (While this seems like common sense, the government has to specifically state that it’s wrong so they can prosecute you if you do it.) The Lacey Act applies to everyone in the U.S., from the individuals and companies doing business in wood to the final retail consumer—the law
NEW PROVISIONS of the Lacey Act just came into effect April 1, 2010, to ensure wood products didn’t originate in illegally logged forests. Everyone—from manufacturer through distributor and dealer to end-user—is responsible.
12
Building Products Digest June 2010
does not exclude anyone. Violations of the new law will be met with steep penalties if the government is able to prove that an individual or a corporation has knowingly traded in illegal material or has misreported an imported product. Ten years of imprisonment is a possible penalty, and corporate fines can go as high as $500,000.
The Documentary Burden for Importers
The initial focus by most companies is on the documentary burden. Lacey affects everything containing plant-based materials—even the wood burl veneer on a car’s dashboard must be documented. The total number of items affected is expected to exceed 90,000. Every importer must file a detailed declaration for incoming agricultural products specifying species and country of origin no matter where the final product is produced. This includes material from Canada and Mexico— NAFTA doesn’t eliminate any Laceyrelated compliance requirements. The international wood products trade often has a very complicated supply chain. An engineered floor might be made in China, but contain a meranti plywood core made in Malaysia and a top veneer of red oak originally from the U.S. The declaration requires that the importer know the source countries and exact scientific species for each component, including material originating from the U.S. While difficult enough for a company importing a single type of solid decking, this will be a significant challenge to companies that import mixed species production, such as furniture or kitchen cabinet companies. Wood is traded under a commercial or trade name, but is rarely purely a single species of tree. A meranti plywood core might require a declaration of over 50 species (out of over 250 possible). The top veneer might come from several countries and include dozens of species within the one genus. Developing a system to document and track the species is one of the challenges Lacey puts on companies. In many cases, a freight forwarder or broker will file the declaration, but the company must provide the information for them. U.S. Customs is trying to accept information electronically, but is still receiving the majority of declarations on paper. They have developed a rolling implementation schedule, requiring declarations for Building-Products.com
Hardwood Decking Buyers, Beware
“What everyone fails to mention is the importance of being Lacey Act safe. Everyone who buys ipé needs to be comfortable asking their suppliers about the legality of the fiber. “With the market fluctuations and emerging imports from other countries, especially Indonesia and places other than Brazil with cheaper labor costs, it has become attractive to look to those places from a cost standpoint for alternatives. What many don’t realize is that a good majority of this fiber will not pass the litmus test for Lacey compliance. A lot of importers do not have direct ties to the production and many don’t care. It’s the guy with the inventory at the end who gets the fine. We ensure that all our wood is Lacey safe because we want to and have to.” – Sean Burch, Redwood Empire, Morgan Hill, Ca.
different HS Codes to start on different dates. An updated listing of items subject to declaration (listed by HS code) is on the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service website at www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/ lacey_act/index.shtml.
The Legality Burden for absolutely Everyone
The potential for legal liability falls on everyone in the chain. On an absolute level, Lacey allows for the confiscation of goods from anyone— even to the point of allowing the government to enter a home to pull up a living room floor, rip out the kitchen cabinets, or seize Johnny’s new bunk bed. Now, in the real world, that’s just not going to happen, but that’s the potential extent of liability. Anyone in the chain, from the importer to the retailer to the homeowner, and even the trucking companies, technically share the risk for the legality of their wood in the product. Most people define Lacey’s start date as when their specific import declarations are required. This focus can be dangerous since the legality requirement is already in effect—as of May 22, 2008, it is against U.S. law to trade in any illegally harvested agricultural product. Every one of us is currently Lacey liable. While the greatest burdens and risks will be on the actual importers, distributors and retailers should also be asking some questions of their suppliers, if only to be able to respond to Building-Products.com
June 2010 Building Products Digest
13
their customers’ questions. In some markets, domestic producers are using Lacey as a scare tactic in their marketing to try to pull customers away from imported products. It’s important to note that Lacey does not specifically require importers to document the legality of their material at time of entry and there is no specific burden of documentation or labeling for anyone further down the chain of custody. So, technically, there is no immediate legal obligation to compel a company to ensure the legality of their supply chain. However, forcing companies to trace a product’s chain of legality is most definitely the intent and the expectation of the government, and the government can prosecute based on a failure to do so if they determine that you’ve traded in “tainted” material. Furthermore, ignorance will not be considered a sufficient defense. Even if a company or an individual had no idea that a product was tainted, they can still face fines or confiscation if the government believes that they should have reasonably known. The good news is that the U.S. government bears the burden of proof. For criminal charges, they must demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that you knowingly committed the crime or knowingly traded in tainted material. To assess civil penalties, they must show, again beyond a reasonable doubt, that you failed in your professional due diligence and truly should have known that a product was tainted. The greatest challenge is that under Lacey, material can become tainted even if the law being broken is not an American one. The illegal action can occur at any point in the chain. From that point further, the wood is considered tainted, thereby becoming a violation of Lacey to import or sell it within the U.S. So, importers must ensure not only that their immediate purchase is legal but also attempt to trace the origin of the material back to it’s original point of harvest, confirming that each step along the way was made in accordance with local and international laws. Many people assume that FSC certification protects them. It does not. While being certified or carrying/ purchasing a certified product (be it by FSC, SFI, PEFC, MTCC or by any other internationally recognized program) does not specifically protect companies from prosecution under
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Building Products Digest June 2010
Lacey, it does help show that a company is doing its due diligence. Although it will certainly be considered a sign of good faith, the U.S. government does not accept any third party verification regarding the legality (or illegality) of material. Finally, it should be noted that foreign companies and individuals can also be prosecuted under Lacey and in past cases (for fish and wildlife, not wood), foreign nationals have been arrested during a visit to the U.S. and subsequently tried and jailed.
Trade in U.S. woods is also covered by Lacey. For example, if the government can prove that a log was taken from the wrong side of a property line, that would be a Lacey violation and the U.S. company would be liable for any applicable penalties. Furthermore, all American domestic woods need to be declared upon their re-entry into the U.S. If a foreign company utilizes American red oak or walnut for a floor, pecan for a kitchen cabinet, or SPF for plywood, those species will be subject to Lacey declaration requirements when the final product is imported into the U.S. So while much less likely to be targeted for investigation, a certain level of due diligence should be done regarding the American supply chain as well. Many American manufacturers are anticipating an increase in their domestic market share as both downstream producers and retail customers shift from imported species to the “safer” domestic hardwoods. Certainly there is likely to be a change in that area, but U.S. companies should not neglect their opportunity to utilize the Lacey Act to increase their export opportunities as well. U.S. companies should be offering their overseas customers who intend to export a finished product back to the U.S. documentation to show that their production has an extremely low risk of being considered tainted. Such documentation can include the FSC’s own assessment of American hardwoods as “low risk,” or copies of reports by the American Hardwood Export Council, Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers, and other industry organizations. Local universities often have studies (Purdue has an excellent one on Indiana timber) that can be quoted. Companies with good documentation packages should become preferred suppliers to nervous overseas buyers.
Lacey & U.S. Woods
The Future of Lacey around the World Lacey’s goal is to protect the world’s forests by encouraging more detailed questioning of supply chains and by providing a means of enforcement against egregious offenders. So whether you choose to take action because it’s the right thing to do or because you are afraid of potential prosecution, you will be following the spirit of the law, perhaps even more so than the letter. Finally, the international demand for legality documentation is here to stay, and it’s not just for the U.S. Japan began requiring some forms of legality statements more than five years ago, and the United Kingdom is debating the issue. The European Union is currently developing legislation similar to Lacey that will cover international trade with all of the countries in the Euro-zone. (It is rumored that this legislation may require the submission of legality documentation at the point of entry, which Lacey currently does not require). So the work you do today may help you far beyond just complying with the Lacey Act. The documentary conditions created by Lacey may well become the default condition for the international trade of wood products. – Elizabeth Baldwin is president of Compliance Specialists, Eugene, Or., and author of Complying with the Lacey Act: A Real World Guide. Reach her at (541) 4840983 or ebaldwin@baldwinresources.com.
For more on compliance…
A bit of due diligence on your part can reduce or mitigate potential penalties as well as significantly diminish your overall risk of being the target of an investigation. Revised this spring, Complying with the Lacey Act: A Real World Guide provides practical instructions to help you organize and manage your species information and legality documentation, and coordinate your internal and external communications. The printed guide—complete with sample databases and documentation—will assist you in preparing for the import declarations, learning how to document product legality, and educating yourself, staff, suppliers and customers regarding the potential impact of the Lacey Act. Also included is a CD-ROM containing assorted templates and documentation with recommendations for use with domestic customers and international partners, and a reference file linking to online resources. Sample purchase order text has also been provided in multiple languages common to many key supplying regions. Visit www.laceyactresources.com.
MANAGEMENT Tips Naming Your Website
Choosing a masterful domain name
I
business— whether for your company’s initial foray on the Internet or to expand into a new niche—a foremost consideration is your choice of domain name. Few decisions have more impact on the success of convincing customers and prospects to visit your site. Consultant Gemma Darcy offers five tips: N LAUNCHNG AN ONLINE
1. Short vs. Long
According to Darcy, the main consideration when choosing a domain name for your Internet business is how long or short it should be. The name needs to bear as much resemblance to your website as possible. Although you can register a domain name of up to about 65 characters, you need to remember that people need to be able to easily find you. Why make it hard for them? Occasionally, a long domain name is better than a short one. For example, closeoutbuildingmaterialsforless.com will be easier to remember than cobmfl.com. Choosing the shortest, most easily recognizable name is always best, particularly if it matches the brand name you want for your online business.
2. Do’s & Don’ts
Select a name that is going to be easy to remember. Avoid using hyphenated names like “how-to-install-windows-like-a-pro.” It can often be difficult when advising somebody over the telephone of your website name, if they ask, “Is that a hyphen or a dash or a slash?” However, if the non-hyphenated name is no longer available, you can still get near the name you want. Avoid having the same letters next to each other, such as is in “mouldingSSpecialoffer.com.” People Building-Products.com
will often spell the name with one “s” instead of the two.
3. .Com or Not .Com
Often, your best option for a domain name is obvious—placing a .com at the end of your company name. Other times, you can come up with a snazzy, memorable name that describes what you do or sell (in the way that Superior Hardwoods & Millwork, Missoula, Mt., registered its online presence as www.reclaimedlumber.com). Yet, now 15+ years after the Internet has gone mainstream, well over 100 million domain names have been registered, meaning there’s a good chance that your ideal name has already been snatched up. An easy solution is to use an alternate suffix, such as .net, .biz, or .us. If you do settle for a non-.com name, make sure you always advertise the full name of your site. Even then, a certain percentage of customers and prospects will inevitably end up at the .com site, so make sure it’s not a direct competitor. Other companies tweak spelling or use abbreviations. Just make sure the alterations aren’t so random that they confuse potential visitors. A www.smithlmbercmpny.com would never become a highly trafficked site.
4. Register Now
“Domain names are being picked up quicker than candy on Halloween night,” Darcy notes. She advises that if you search and find a name that you really want, sign up for it straight away as it may not be available once you’ve gone to all the effort of actually building the site. In fact, registering a domain is so inexpensive (most services charge less than $10), it may not be a bad idea to register multiple names, which can all
A QUICK SEARCH on www.whois.com will let you know if your domain name is still available.
direct potential customers to the same website. Georgia-Pacific’s www.gp. com, for example, can also be accessed via www.georgiapacific.com or www.georgia-pacific.com. Remember, if you don’t use it, your competitors might!
5. Don’t Overpay
Because securing a domain name is so affordable, countless marketablesounding Web addresses have been bought up by companies precisely to resell them to the highest bidder. So it’s possible to spend thousands of dollars for a name if such a company has beaten you to it. So don’t. Darcy advises shopping around for something an equally effective name. “Your domain name is the center of creating your own website,” Darcy says. “It will represent you on the Web.” June 2010 Building Products Digest
15
PRODUCT Spotlight
Selecting the right moisture management system
M
OISTURE MANAGEMENT t
systems—such as water resistive barriers, housewraps, and rainscreen systems—can be a potent weapon against mold and mildew buildup behind exterior walls. Persuading customers to invest in such protection requires a thorough understanding of the performance characteristics of each product type—and the climate in which it will be used. Increasingly, building professionals are viewing moisture management solutions not as “nice to have” extras, but as essential elements of exterior wall assemblies. These products are designed to protect against the potential effects of mold damage, especially in areas that experience heavy, winddriven rain, or high temperatures and humidity. Even in drier climates, professionals looking to preserve the life of exterior cladding are turning to moisture management systems as added insurance against expensive call backs, remediation, and/or litigation. Building professionals are often confused by the array of moisture management systems available and
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Building Products Digest June 2010
unsure as to when and where to use each solution. To compound the problem, the building industry uses terms like rainscreen and housewrap interchangeably, when in fact they play distinctly different roles. In addition, housewraps and building papers are available in dozens of varieties. At present, there are few standardsbased methods to help professionals evaluate these products. The International Residential Code and International Building Code require a means of draining water that enters the assembly to the exterior but does not describe how to achieve drainage. In Canada, on the other hand, the National Building Code requires the use of “a drained and vented air space not less than 10mm deep behind the cladding over the full height of the wall” in areas that exceed a certain annual rainfall threshold. A study commissioned by Benjamin Obdyke indicates that a building’s location and the choice of exterior cladding are central to the decision of which building envelope solution to use. Here is a basic primer for to select the right system for each job:
Water Resistive Barriers
Photos by Benjamin Obdycke Inc.
By Michael Coulton Benjamin Obdyke
Water resistive barriers are the part of an exterior wall system designed to prevent air and water from entering the stud wall cavity from the outside. In effect, they perform like a shell for buildings: liquid water that has penetrated the exterior finish does not pass through, yet water vapor from the interior can escape so that the framing and wall cavity can dry, reducing the threat of mold and rot. There are three basic types: Building Papers and Felt: A paper sheet or felt material coated or impregnated with asphalt to increase its strength and water resistance; primarily used as a drainage barrier. Housewraps: Engineered plastic sheet membranes wrapped around a house or other low-rise construction, designed to resist the movement of water in the liquid state while allowing the movement of water in the vapor state. Housewraps are not designed to channel the direction of water movement. While helpful when allowing moisture vapor from the inside of the structure to exit, it can also allow moisture vapor to be driven Building-Products.com
into the wall. Enhanced Housewraps: Also engineered synthetic membranes, these products offer the features of housewraps or building papers but also include a drainage space to promote bulk water drainage through channels engineered into the sheet.
Rainscreens
The laws of physics state that moisture will always seek a drier plane. Thus, even with a drainable housewrap, water may still seep through crevices in exterior cladding into interior assemblies, especially in regions prone to heavy rainfall, high temperatures, and high humidity—and sometimes even in climates that receive low or average rain. This, in turn, can lead to mold and mildew buildup. When a more effective water management solution is called for, a rainscreen system should be considered. This system works by creating a pressure-equalized air space immediately behind cladding, in conjunction with a water resistive barrier. The air space helps neutralize the forces that draw water into the assembly. Any water that does enter the wall is managed by allowing it to enter and exit through an opening at the bottom of the wall. Rainscreens provide the additional benefit of providing ventilation drying of any residual moisture from the back side of the cladding. There are two ways to construct a rainscreen system airspace. The first is nailing wood furring strips over wall studs after applying a building paper or housewrap. The second is using “void space” products that use a threedimensional plastic matrix to create a vented continuous rainscreen. Building professionals can choose from a plastic matrix that can be applied directly over a water resistive barrier or bonded, one-step installation products that combine the plastic matrix with a water resistive barrier.
hilltop exposures receiving high (40” to 60” annually) or extreme (60” or more annually) rainfall, a rainscreen assembly is generally the best solution. It is also advised for areas that experience high winds in addition to rain, as wind-driven rain frequently manages to penetrate small openings in cladding. In climates that experience moderate rainfall (20” to 40” annually), protection against rain penetration should include an enhanced housewrap. And in areas of low rainfall (less than 20” annually), a housewrap or building paper should offer sufficient water resistance.
Cladding Choice a Factor, Too
In selecting a moisture management solution, cladding choice must be considered. Some claddings are more moisture absorbent than others, and therefore could benefit from enhanced housewraps or rainscreen systems. Wood Cladding: All woods are highly susceptible to moisture penetration and absorption, and require air space protection. The best option is a rainscreen system. Stucco or Stone Masonry: The porous nature of stucco and stone absorbs water and therefore benefits from air space protection. Drainable housewrap may suffice in certain dry climates, but not all enhanced housewraps optimize drying. Over time, small cracks will appear in stucco,
requiring water drainage behind cladding. A rainscreen or enhanced housewrap is the best choice. Fiber Cement: This material is less susceptible to moisture infiltration and absorption than wood, but it can trap water like stucco. A rainscreen system or enhanced housewrap will provide optimum protection. Vinyl Siding: This product is nonabsorbent, does not trap water, and has a low potential for rot. Good-performing building paper or housewrap is recommended to optimize long-term performance. Brick: The nature of brick construction practice creates sufficient moisture protection and air movement with 1” and 2” air space. However, clear drainage at weep areas must be maintained. Use a “knuckle” space and mortar deflection product. As the state of building science continues to progress, more standards will be developed to assist building professionals in the decision-making process. But in the meantime, armed with the knowledge of the roles and performance characteristics of rainscreen systems and the distinct types of water resistive barriers, building professionals are in a better position to make the right choice.
– Michael Coulton is director of product development for Benjamin Obdyke, Horsham, Pa. (www.benjaminobdyke.com), and president of the Building Enclosure Moisture Management Institute.
Selecting the Right Product
Product performance, however, is only one variable in selecting the right moisture management system. According to building experts, rainfall is the single most important factor to consider when designing for wall durability. The main rule of thumb in choosing such a product is to first determine the amount of rain control needed. For extremely wet and/or humid climates, such as coastal areas and Building-Products.com
RAINSCREEN SYSTEM is constructed with “void space” products with a three-dimensional plastic matrix to create a continuous rainscreen. June 2010 Building Products Digest
17
COMPETITIVE Intelligence By Carla Waldemar
Love at first site
A
spend your honeymoon, Kevin? Visiting a lumberyard that was for sale. True love. That was back in 1985 when Kevin Kilbourne, a young 20something, got the call. Growing up in Whalen, a tiny town in rural, upstate New York, he’d spent summer vacations working on roofing and siding crews and had gotten to know the yard’s owner. “It was a good, old-time business—lots of room and a very loyal following,” Kevin recalls. “So I told him, ‘Whenever you’re ready to sell, give me a call, no matter where I am’”—honeymoon included. Be still, my heart. Nothing tops falling in love with this crazy business. The owner of Whalen’s Rogers & Tenbrook had just died and his son, of retirement age himself, who wanted out, picked up the phone. Kevin, with a degree in mechanical engineering and close to ND HOW DID YOU
UPSTATE NEW YORK dealer waited patiently for years to acquire a second site.
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Building Products Digest June 2010
an MBA, was already on the executive-development track at Mobil Chemical when he got, um, distracted. “Okay, I’ll be there tomorrow,” he said. Upon meeting, the owner offered to hold onto the mortgage for the real estate if Kevin could come up with the cash to cover the inventory. So he turned his graduation assignment— assembling an imaginary, 50-page, minutely detailed business plan—into a real-life proposal to take to the bank. “Never saw anything like this before,” they gee-whizzed. “How much do you want?” The kid walked out with $275,000. And on April 1, 1985—no fooling—the business was his—all 400 sq. ft. of retail space, potbellied stove included. By 1987, he’d expanded the place to 4,000 sq. ft., built up the SKUs, joined Do it Best, and business was doing fine, as predicted. Then he got another call. A yard in nearby Danville was for sale—“a larger town, where it was doing a fair amount of business. It was an important market for us, so, although at 31 I was not too excited about the further debt, I bought it. You’ve gotta expand,” he realized. “And you’ve gotta protect your flank.” Along with the store, he purchased a boom truck, because shingles represented an important product niche and sheetrock had become a strong natural outgrowth, along with landscaping blocks. “You’ve got to provide a little more service,” he figured. By 1992, having tripled his employee base to 18, he added another 3,600 sq. ft. onto the 1990 renovation and bought a couple more booms. On a roll, by the mid-2000s, Kevin began thinking about building a store
in Danville, where he’d been leasing the property—“not ideal. It was dirty and didn’t protect the products. Not a good situation,” he knew. But just then Home Depot announced plans to move into town, so Kevin decided to wait and see. Four years later, the Depot decree had come to nothing, so Kevin decided to make his move. He bought a derelict nursery—“a nice space in a good location”—and kept the sheds, but tore down the office to erect a new retail store, which opened in June 2009, in the pit of the worst recession he can remember—only to be followed by one walloping winter snowstorm after another. But, as he explains, “The decision had been made earlier. Plus, one little advantage of being in a rural community is, you do many things, sell lots of different products—plumbing, roofing, insulation, drywall, lumber, hardware—so because we’d diversified, we had a pretty good selection to offer our customers and were not dependent on new-home construction—rather, maintenance of real estate, remodeling, and agricultural needs.” “Sure, it’s more challenging today,” he’s honest to admit, “to keep additional product lines up to date and competitive. It’s more labor-intensive, but it also better serves the community. I tell people, ‘Northern New York State went into recession 20 years ago; you people are just catching up!” (It was back then that Rochester, a 20mile workers’ commute away, lost Kodak and Xerox overnight.) “Compared with metro areas, we don’t experience deep downturns. But this time around,” he adds, “it’s been pretty heavy on us.” Kevin keeps his customer mix at Building-Products.com
60% retail and 40% contractor business—“and even that is a blend, because people buy their lumber themselves and then call on a contractor to do the work. We do hold contractor events, and both yards have separate contractor salesmen who expedite, give quotes, and speak the language. Plus, those contractors like that we itemize each of their jobs separately, not just one big bill. “We still do accounts manually, not with a POS,” Kevin declares. “I have to have a reason to spend money—such as, to improve service—and I’m just old enough that I don’t scream, ‘We’ve got to have technology!’ But we do use our computer system to enter Accounts Receivable and Payable. Now that the [POS] system capabilities have been improved, the prices have dropped and they do a lot more things than they did at first, like scanning, I’m probably ready,” he allows. “But, physical projects first”—like the brand-new Danville store, filled with old-time eye candy like tonguein-groove wood ceiling and a high 16ft. peak, plus a greatly expanded kitchen and bath showroom, which serves Whalen’s customers, too. “Also, now everything’s under cover in the yard, with drive-through facilities. We expanded most lines and added a housewares department; we’re still learning that. It’s still all evolving, but it’s built for future capacity. With more space, we’re adding what we hear customers want. For instance, for the first time, we had a Christmas section, and we learned a lot. One step at a time. We also added Sunday hours, after comments we’d heard from customers. “We want to fill the needs of the area and keep business local, not send them to Lowe’s 20 miles away.” Plus, what this owner calls “other strong local, well-run, very similar independents” are raising the bar. Together, these dealers have joined a local coop to increase buying clout. Yet, this winter has been particularly challenging because the season’s mainstay— drywall work—has dried up: no new houses. None of Rogers & Tenbrook’s 28 employees have been laid off, however, thanks to participation in a work-share program offered by New York State, which gives everyone four days at regular salary, then a fifth at reduced wage. Launching the new store was distinctly the right move, Kevin is conBuilding-Products.com
vinced—and, more important—so are his fellow townsmen. “It’s important to a small community to have small businesses, and once one is lost, there’s no capital to bring it back. And people are beginning to realize that if it’s lost, it’s gone forever, so they’re consciously deciding to spend locally. Indirectly,” he points out,” they’re helping themselves. When people come into the new Danville store and say, ‘Gee, thanks for investing in the community,’ it makes me
remember why I enjoy this business. It’s very rewarding. You get a sense of accomplishment when, after 25 years here, they say, ‘We’re lucky to have you!’ It makes my day.”
Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net
June 2010 Building Products Digest
19
OLSEN On Sales By James Olsen
Questions lead to sales
M
Customer: “I’m okay right now.”
great listeners. They are also great questioners. Let’s talk about some specific question/sales situations. ASTER SELLERS ARE
The Introductory Call
Many of us talk too much on the introductory call. Too many sellers spend the time of first contact with customers talking about themselves and their company. We already know about ourselves and our company; what we don’t know about is our customer and their company. Our introduction time with customers is short (three to five minutes). If we spend this time talking about ourselves and our company, we will: • Bore the customer. Great products, great service, great value… they’ve heard it all before. Want to stand out? Ask questions! • Force ourselves to re-prospect the customer. Because we talked the whole time, we found out nothing about the customer’s specific needs. We must have specific details to sell. • Lose the opportunity to meet with the customer again. Prospecting can be difficult, but not as difficult as getting a hold of a customer who we have bored to death on our first call. What we say about ourselves in introductory calls should be brief and informative. Give just enough information to pique the customers’ interest and demonstrate that they are talking to the right person. But not more than that. After we make our introduction, we begin to interview (read qualify) the customer. We know we can help customers; what we don’t know is if this particular customer fits our needs. Asking questions will: • Qualify the customer. One of our biggest time-wasters is working for customers who are too small or don’t fit our company profile. Sellers who are afraid or unprepared to ask questions waste time on non-customers. • Give us confidence. It will give us a sense of power/control to interview the customer. • Inspire confidence. Qualifying the customer instead of qualifying our-
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Building Products Digest June 2010
selves inspires confidence. Customers will feel they are meeting our criteria instead of the other way around.
No Free Questions
Questions from customers are buy signs. Whenever a customer asks us a question, we follow up with a question of our own. We are not information dispensers! After we answer, and sometimes before we answer, we ask a question in return. Customer: “What’s your price on 2x10?” Seller (Information Dispenser): “We’re $350 on 2x10.” Customer: “Thanks.” The dispenser then either leaves it there or offers a different product.
Try this: Customer: “What’s your price on 2x10?” Seller: “We’ve got a great price on 2x10. How much do you need, and for when?” The first example is dispensed information, the second leads to sales conversations (information exchange).
Leading with Questions
When someone tells me where to go, I bristle. When someone asks me where I want to go, I gladly tell them. The same can be said of our customers. We know where we want to take our customers. Questions will get them to that place more easily than telling them to go there. Seller: “I’ve got a great deal on 2x4; the market is racing, etc.…”
Instead consider: Seller: “What do you think of the market on 2x4?” Buyer: “Not great.” Seller: “How long will your current inventory last?” Buyer: “About two weeks.” (It often takes a couple of questions to get our answer, so be prepared to ask more than once.) Seller: “What kind of ship times are you hearing on 2x4?” Buyer: “Two to three weeks.” Seller: “If the ship times are out two weeks, don’t you think we’ll need to put some on to get it to you on time?” Buyer: “I might look at one for two weeks out.” Bringing customers to the “moment of close” with questions will help ease the friction of the sales process.
The Turn Around
The person asking the questions controls the conversation. Struggling salespeople answer, answer, and answer some more. Use the “turn around” to gain control. Example #1: Customer: “What are the colors, sizes, ship times?” Seller: “We have many colors. Which do you prefer?” Example #2: Customer: “What price do you have on 2x4?” Seller: “We’ve got great prices. How many do you need?” Questions are the light saber of the master seller. Questions allow us to learn, lead and close.
James Olsen Reality Sales Training (503) 544-3572 james@realitysalestraining.com
Building-Products.com
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DEALER Briefs
Stock Building Supply , Raleigh, N.C., has agreed to acquire the assets of 8-unit Bison Building Holdings, Houston, Tx., which filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy one year ago. The deal is set to close June 29. Edward Hines Lumber , Buffalo Grove, Il., has acquired Wille Lumber, Alsip, Il., from Gerry Wille, who will remain as a partner.
Schilling Lumber, St. John, In., acquired Edward Hines Lumber Co.'s former lumberyard in Mokena, Il.
Discount LBM dealer McCarren Supply, Carlisle, Pa., has purchased the town’s shuttered The Lumber Yard from The Wolf Organization, York, Pa.
Rum River Lumber Co., Coon
Rapids, Mn., has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Forked Deer Hardware ,
Dyersburg, Tn., suffered heavy smoke damage in a May 13 fire.
Bartonʼs Sells 7 to Meekʼs
E. C. Barton & Co., Jonesboro, Ar., has sold the assets of seven Barton’s stores in southwest Missouri to Meek’s Lumber, Springfield, Mo. Meek’s has taken over the stores in Mount Vernon, Nevada and Shell Knob. When the deal closed May 7, stores in Carthage, El Dorado Springs, Kimberling City, and Monett were closed and consolidated with nearby Meek’s locations. Barton’s retains locations in Malden and Kennett, Mo., as well as 10 stores in Arkansas.
Harrigan Restarts Sawmill
Encouraged by strong lumber prices, Harrigan Lumber Co. restarted its Monroeville, Al., sawmill this month—15 months after a shutdown that left it with a backlog of lumber. President Patrick Harrigan is operating with a leaner first shift and hopes to add a second shift “when we feel conditions warrant.”
Hammond Adds Maine Yard
Hammond Lumber, Belgrade, Me., has acquired Downeast Energy’s 79year-old Downeast Building Supply, which operates adjacent to Downeast
LOOKS LIKE WEATHER
Energy’s headquarters in Brunswick, Me. The sale includes the building supply’s retail store, kitchen showroom, and lumberyard. The division’s 30plus employees will all be retained.
ABC Supply to Buy Bradco
ABC Supply Co., Beloit, Wi., has agreed to acquire Bradco Supply Corp., Avenel, N.J., creating a national distributor of exterior building materials with nearly 500 locations and over $4 billion in annual sales. ABC currently operates more than 350 branches in 45 states plus the District of Columbia. Founded in 1966, Bradco has 129 locaitons in 30 states. The deal is expected to close by the end of June.
Boston Area Hardware Chain Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Economy Hardware, which has stores in Cambridge, Brookline, and Boston, Ma., voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 21. Second-generation owner Larry Friedman said the 61-year-old company “ran into some challenging years”
that ultimately prompted the filing. “We have no intention of winding down,” he said. “I expect to have the stores as they exist now.”
Stock Sells Commercial Unit
Stock Building Supply has sold its commercial door and hardware division to five-unit Cook & Boardman Group, Charlotte, N.C., to focus on the residential market. The division, SBS Commercial Door & Hardware, has 13 locations, including Martin Architectural Products, Cary, N.C.; Hollow Metal Specialists, Sarasota, Fl.; Architectural Building Supply, Salt Lake City, Ut., and Idaho Falls, Id., and Precision Door & Hardware, Washington, D.C. Stock retained its fully integrated commercial door and hardware operations in New Mexico and California.
Wholesaler Opens Up to the Community For a Day
Rawles-Aden Building Products, a wholesale distributor based in Petersburg, Fl., celebrated its 50th anniversary with an open-house sale for the general public. “The sale helped celebrate our 50 years in business and moved old
stock,” said owner Jack S. Aden, son of one of the co-founders. “It was an opportunity to get rid of stuff our dealers didn’t want.” He said that all of the sale items were discontinued or overstock inventory. As an example, a local property manager purchased a beige railing system that had been in the warehouse a long time. “He didn’t care what color it was,” said Aden. “We’re not going to hold a sale every month, but we might hold another one next year,” he said. “Our dealers understand that we’re all in the same boat.”
Fire Destroys Maine Sawmill
A May 11 fire destroyed the milling operation at Stillwater Lumber, Old Town, Me., but the retail portion of the business was untouched. Investigators have pinpointed the cause to a generator at the rear of the sawmill building, which was connected to a diesel tank, which also burned. Tom Bernard, son of owner “Pete” Bernard, said that the mill building and the equipment it houses are a total loss. Once the investigation is complete, he said, “then we’ll tear it down and rebuild” the sawmill.
DEALER Briefs
Collinsville Do it Best, Collinsville, Il., is being opened this summer by Jim Reisch, David Hemsath, Tom Schulte, and Tom Wehde. Markesan Do It Best Hardware, Markesan, Wi., has remodeled, adding 1,000 sq. ft. of display space. Additions include a new paint mixing station and UPS shipping center.
Home Depot opened a 102,000sq. ft. home center April 29 in Bethesda, Md. (Julie Welsh, mgr.)— reportedly the chain’s only new store planned for 2010.
Lowe’s opened new stores April 30 in Claremont, N.H. (Cal Hickman, store mgr.), and Salem, Va. (Joe Tucciarone, mgr.). Jeffers Millwork, Salem, Ma., has closed after 123 years. Fourth-generation owner John Jeffers has joined the custom millwork team at Moynihan Lumber , Beverly, Ma., which purchased most of his machinery.
Yard Goes on Summer Hiatus
Emerson & Sons Hardware and Lumber Yard, Groveton, N.H., has closed after 68 years, but hopes to reopen by early August. Owner Jim Emerson liquidated most of his inventory through late April, then closed the doors for an estimated 100 days—about the time it
will take to process his application for a business development grant. “There’s no sense in being open because there’s not much to sell,” he said. “So, hopefully somewhere around the first of August, we’ll reopen with bigger and better things. We’ll reorganize—starting from scratch.”
DEALER Briefs
Ring’s End Lumber added a paint & design center in Norwalk, Ct.
Arrow Ace Hardware , St. Peter, Mn., expects a mid-July opening for its 11th location, an 11,000-sq. ft. unit in Chaska, Mn.
Waterbury True Value, Waterbury, Vt., held a grand reopening May 14 to celebrate an extensive remodel. Palos Ace Hardware , Palos Heights, Il., is eyeing a downtown site for a possible relocation.
Habitat for Humanity opened a 10,000-sq. ft. ReStore discount LBM outlet April 8 in Findlay, Oh., and held a May 15 grand opening for a new ReStore in Bond Hill, Oh.
“B” Electric & Hardware , Bronx, N.Y., will rebuild following an April 28 blaze.
Mill Creek Lumber, Tulsa, Ok., is opening a 16,000-sq. ft. Mill Creek Flooring Center in Wichita, Ks.— the first of three coming to the area.
WEATHER OR NOT,
REVOLUTIONIZES FLOORING.
New Store Bullish on Maine
Three Rivers Hardware opened in late April, in a 12,000-sq. ft. historic building in Milo, Me. The store replaces the former Milo True Value, which was destroyed by an arson fire in 2008. The Do it Best-affiliated store created four jobs in a region plagued by high unemployment and stocks Maine products, such as homemade jams, syrups and wood pellets.
Connecticut Hardware Store Closes
Whalley Hardware & Supply, reportedly the last small hardware store in New Haven, Ct., sold its inventory and closed April 30. “We’ve been doing this for 20 years and have decided there are other things we want to pursue,” said Shelia O’Neil, who co-owned the store with Steve Yee.
Royal Mouldings Enjoys Good Times
Since the beginning of the year, Royal Mouldings has hired 15 new employees at its plant in Bristol, Tn. “And we’re still hiring,” said new plant manager, Mark Leszczynski. “We definitely see growth and expansion in this facility over the next few years.” The plant in Bristol, plus one in Marion, Va., manufactures synthetic shutter components, window components, and exterior trim mouldings. Art Ramey, business development director, said demand has increased for these products as aging baby-boomers become less interested in natural materials that can rot and need maintenance. He also believes that the slow housing market has helped his company, because more people are remodeling their homes rather than buying new ones.
SUPPLIER Briefs
W.D. Cowls, North Amherst, Me., shuttered its planing mill, three months after idling its sawmill. The firm still operates Cowls Building Supply and manages timberlands.
Georgia-Pacific’s former plywood plant in Gaylord, Mi., is being eyed by developers for conversion to an ecoindustrial park featuring a biomass power plant, lumberyard, mill and wood pellet plant. Musser Lumber Sales, Rural Retreat, Va., suffered a
May 8 fire in a storage facility.
Biewer Lumber is expanding its Lansing, Mi., DC to increase inventory and assortment by 40%.
Black Snake Lumber, Roan Mountain, Tn., suffered at least $50,000 in damages in an April 30 fire, possibly sparked by an electrical short. Owner Stanley Largent said his 30-year-old sawmill was uninsured. SRS Acquisition Corp., McKinney, Tx., has acquired roofing distributor H&S Building Material, Houston. H&S will now operate under the Southern Shingles name, with Grady Ashleyas branch mgr.
Roofing Supply Group, Dallas, Tx., has acquired the assets of Northwest Roofing Supply, including Hq. in Oklahoma City, Ok., and satellite office in Lawton, Ok. Branch mgr. Rick Misurac remains in charge of the operation.
Get ready for a whole new approach to dealing with edge swell: pointSIX™ from Ainsworth, an engineered subfloor solution designed to accommodate whatever wet stuff the weather serves up. It does so thanks to a patented tapered-edge technology that actually offsets the effects of prolonged moisture exposure. The result: floors that go down flat and stay that way—no sanding required.
PointSIX takes its name from research results indicating a minimum .6mm taper depth to be most effective in reducing edge swell.
DEALER Briefs
ABC Supply Co. opened a new store in Benwood, W.V. (Gary Laurie, branch mgr.), and relocated one of its Fort Lauderdale, Fl., branches to a larger facility in Pompano Beach, Fl.
Do It Best Home Center, Providence, Ky., is opening a kitchen and bath showroom, Cabinets By Design 2, this month in Hanson, Ky.
Collinwood Shale Brick & Supply Co., Cleveland, Oh., with $3 million in debt, has been forced into receivership by its creditors. Closed were Horning Builders Supply yards in Kent, Garrettsville and Middlefield, Oh., plus Collinwood Concrete, Hugo Sand & Gravel , and Smith & Cowan Coal & Supply concrete facilities. True Value Hardware, Litchfield, Ct., held a May 15 grand re-opening to celebrate its recent remodel.
Ace Hardware, Cherry Hill, N.J., has reopened, one year after a devastating fire. Cave Spring Hardware, Cave Spring, Ga., has been
opened by Scott Kinney, owner of Morgan Do It Best Hardware, Rockmart, Ga.
Ace Hardware, Duluth, Mn., is closing after 66 years, with the retirment of Mark Jeronimus, owner since 1985.
Fire Strikes West Virginia Mill
A May 3 fire in a chipper building at Coastal Lumber’s mill complex in Dailey, W.V., has been ruled accidental. Investigators traced the $150,000 blaze to a spark from overheated machinery in the area of the dust blower.
Stores Robbed of Firearms
Police have arrested six suspects for stealing guns from building material stores in Louisiana and Florida. Four men and a 16-year-old were arrested on burglary and gun possession charges in connection with the April 27 theft of three assault rifles from St. Landry Lumber Co., Opelousas, La. The following week, authorities arrested an 18-year-old for allegedly helping to steal 25 to 30 handguns from Ace Hardware, Lithia, Fl. The weapons were then used to rob a nearby convenience store and shoot two clerks. About 1 a.m. May 7, thieves rammed a pick-up truck into the store, then broke into a glass display case to reach the guns. “We added a security alarm system and invested in these metal doors, thinking that would deter some sort of break in,” said owner Kathy Atchison. “I’m just so thankful that it didn’t happen while we were open.”
Adhesive Producer Consolidates
Royal Adhesives & Sealants has completed consolidation of its epoxy and urethane adhesive production at its newly expanded manufacturing and research center in South Bend, In. The $4.3-million expansion included the addition of an 8,300-sq. ft. manufacturing area, 5,100-sq. ft. product development lab, and 22,500-sq. ft. warehouse.
Look for standard pointSIX Flooring (turquoise edge) to deliver solid performance when costs count, and premium pointSIX Durastrand Flooring (purple edge) for projects that demand the “best of the best.”
Cost more? No. Work better? Yes. End of story.
Photo courtesy Indiana Dept. of Agriculture
SUPPLIER Briefs
TURKISH BUYERS toured John M. Wooley Lumber, Indianapolis, In., on May 6. Hosts were Bruce Sweet, lumber sales mgr. at Wooley (5th from left), owner Jeff Wooley (7th from left), and Joseph Kelsay, state director of agriculture (9th from left).
Indiana Sawmills Host Turksʼ Tour
On May 6, three hardwood companies in Indiana played host to a delegation of log, lumber and veneer buyers from Turkey. “It was a pleasure to showcase some of our Indiana hardwood companies,” said Joe Kelsay, state director of agriculture. “Indiana hardwoods offer tremendous opportunity for our economy.” Host companies were Pike Lumber, Akron; Indiana Veneers Corp., Indianapolis, and John M. Wooley Lumber Co., Indianapolis. Last year, a group from Indiana visited the Intermob Furniture Fair in Istanbul, Turkey, and came away with 35 trade leads for lumber and veneer manufacturers in Indiana.
Bostwick-Braun, Toledo, Oh., has acquired fellow Pro Group wholesaler Southern Hardware, West Helena,
Ar. Tom Miller remains president/c.o.o. of Southern Hardware, which becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bostwick-Braun.
Tri-State Forest Products, Springfield, Oh., opened
a service center in Saginaw, Mi.
Boston Cedar , Holbrook, Ma., was named 2009 Distributor of the Year by Typar manufacturer Fiberweb Inc., Old Hickory, Tn.
Weekes Forest Products, St. Paul, Mn., now distrib-
utes iLevel EWP in Michigan.
BlueLinx Corp. is exclusive distributor of AERT-manufactured ChoiceDek decking and accessories to Lowe’s stores throughout North America.
F.P. Supply Co. distribution centers in Indianapolis, In., and Columbus, Oh., are now supplying AZEK products to Indiana, No. Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Oh., markets.
Arch Wood Protection’s Wolmanized Outdoor wood has been listed as a Green Approved product by the NAHB Research Center.
Osmose’s Advance Guard and Hi-Bor boarate preservatives have been awarded GreenGuard Children & Schools Certification from the GreenGuard Environmental Institute.
FORECAST:
PEACE OF MIND. The tapered-edge treatment on pointSIX™ Flooring is small, but the difference it makes in dealing with edge swell is huge. What’s more, Ainsworth offers unprecedented delamination guarantees, warranting pointSIX Flooring for 25 years and pointSIX Durastrand Flooring … for life.
Learn more and download your free white paper by visiting
www.pointsixflooring.com
SOUTHERN FOREST PRODUCTS
Southern sawmills restart as profitability jumps
P
ROSPECTS FOR SAWMILL profitability have increased significantly in 2010, leading curtailed and closed sawmills in the South to reopen, according to Forest2Market. In recent months, two Arkansas mills—JP Price Lumber, Monticello, and Victory Lumber, Camden—have started accepting logs. Other mills have added shifts to keep up with orders. Forest2Market’s lumber price database, Mill2Market, shows southern yellow pine prices have risen 25% from an average of $247 per thousand bd. ft. (MBF) in 4th quarter 2009 to $308/MBF in 1st quarter 2010. The price that mills receive for their residuals—the sawdust and shavings created as a by-product of the lumber milling process—also increased, by 3% quarter over quarter. “While we’ve seen a 28% increase in revenue at the mill, input prices have been rising much more slowly,” said Forest2Market’s Daniel Stuber. Sawtimber prices, which make up approximately 75% of a mill’s operating costs, have increased nearly $2 per ton from 4th quarter 2009 to 1st quarter 2010. Though this is an increase of just 5%, the total impact on a mill is higher— representing an increase of roughly 7.5%—because sawtimber costs are such a high percentage of overall costs. “When you compare a total increase in revenue of 28%
next to an increase of 7.5% in raw material costs, the position of sawmills in the market looks significantly better than it did last quarter,” said Stuber. “Assuming manufacturing costs remain the same (and increased production generally leads to a decrease in per unit costs), profitability has improved by more than 20% this quarter. And while this increase sounds considerable, we have to remember that mills were pretty much running at breakeven levels (or at slight losses) in the 4th quarter of 2009.”
Phone: (870) 226-6850 • (870) 678-2277 • Fax: (870) 678-2522 Sparkman, Arkansas
The White Family – Serving the Lumber Industry for Four Generations
High Quality Arkansas Southern Yellow Pine Boards, Pattern Stock and 5/4 Square Edge, Flooring, Beaded Ceiling, 105, 116, 117, 119, 122, 131, 139, 5/4x12 Nosing. 28
Building Products Digest June 2010
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SOUTHERN FOREST PRODUCTS
Battle out of the recession by using free resources to sell more southern pine
P
PLENTIFUL RESOURCES, ranging from printed brochures to online downloads and product locator, are available to help dealers sell more southern pine.
lumber continue to be hopeful that a turnaround in construction activity is nearing. Faint hints of building in scattered markets are suggesting the next 18 months might be the final lap in a crippling recession for the wood products industry. Meanwhile, the Southern Forest Products Association is moving ahead with its marketing program promoting the advantages of using our only renewable, sustainable building material both indoors and outdoors. The inherent strength, treatability and beauty of southern pine make it the ideal choice for a wide range of applications. RODUCERS OF SOUTHERN PINE
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Building Products Digest June 2010
Dealers can benefit from the wealth of product information and other resources available from SFPA. Helpful printed guides and an extensive online presence that includes a handy product locator are just two ways that SFPA provides sales support.
Promotions Inspire Southern Pine Use
The Southern Pine Council is a promotional program sponsored by SFPA members. The council undertakes a variety of activities to boost demand for its members’ products. In recent years, SPC promotions have been concentrated on raised
floor foundation systems. A home built on a raised wood floor uses a third more lumber in the framing package—good news for lumber dealers. This construction technique also provides the homeowner with a long list of benefits impacting comfort, insurance costs, and protection from flooding. Lumber dealers in Houston, Tx., and Charlotte, N.C., may be seeing more interest in raised wood foundations among consumers, thanks to local promotions being sponsored by Raised Floor Living, a promotional activity of SPC and APA. Through early June, a series of six episodes were being broadcast weekly on KHOU-TV’s Great Day Houston explaining the many features and benefits of this proven construction system. Debra Duncan, host of Great Day Houston, interviewed Raised Floor Living’s engineer and architect at raised floor homes in the Heights and Bellaire neighborhoods of Houston. Locations for the series included homes by Jeffrey Harrington Homes and LACON Homes Houston. Following an introductory segment, interview topics covered cost and maintenance, resisting floods, making the home hurricane-resistant, plus improvements to the homeowners’ landscaping and lifestyle. In the Charlotte market, a comparable series of episodes was broadcast weekly on WBTV’s 5 p.m. newscast. Host Lynn White interviewed Raised Floor Living representatives at raised floor home locations in Charlotte’s Conservatory subdivision. Brian Hall of Simonini Builders provided locaBuilding-Products.com
tions for this production. “It’s really nothing new. Homes have been built on a raised wood floor since Colonial times,” explains Cathy Kaake, a civil engineer and certified floodplain manager with Raised Floor Living. “A home properly built on a raised wood floor is ideal for floodprone areas and can handle the most challenging soil conditions.” Each segment of the series encouraged viewers to enter to win the services of a local designer to create their own dream home featuring a raised floor foundation. Hundreds of viewers throughout the Houston and Charlotte metro areas entered the “Design Your Dream Home” promotion online.
of the home, a deck is the ideal play area for children or it can become an outdoor living room for entertaining. Southern pine radius edge decking is the economical material of choice for surface decking. Pressure treated framing materials for a home’s porch and deck, readily available in a wide range of sizes and grades, provide long-term protection from termites
and decay. Raised floor building professionals can promote their services through a Professional Locator at the dedicated website, www.raisedfloorliving.com. All listings are free. Architects, designers and contractors can join the listings, organized by state, so that potential clients can easily find a professional with raised floor building
Porches & Decks Boost Treated Lumber Sales
The design of a raised floor home includes extended outdoor living areas with porches and decks. This inherent design feature is a dealer’s prime opportunity to increase sales of pressure-treated lumber in addition to the standard framing package. The porch is an American architectural classic and treated southern pine porch flooring provides an attractive, durable walking surface. At the rear
RAISED FLOORS (above) are a primary target market for southern pine and often translate into sales of porches and decks (opposite page).
Manufacturers of High Quality, Kiln Dried Southern Yellow Pine Dimension & Small Timbers
Serving Retail, Treaters, Laminators, Industrial & Export Markets Since 1974. Rail Service Available & Close Proximity to Gulf Coast Ports to Serve All Your Export Needs. Harrigan Lumber Company
PO Box 926, 1033 Hornady Dr., Monroeville, AL 36461 Patrick Harrigan – President pharrigan@harriganlumber.com Gary Rice – Sales Manager grice@harriganlumber.com
251-575-3292
www.harriganlumber.com
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Building Products Digest June 2010
Building-Products.com
experience. This site, along with www.raisedfloorlivingpro.com, offers complete information for building professionals and consumers wanting to incorporate this foundation feature in their new home. Helpful publications are also available as free PDF downloads.
Professional deck builders and serious do-it-yourselfers can now findFor overFor 30over years30 For over 30 years years For over 30 years over 30For years the key information needed to For build over 30 years ForElder over 30 years Elder Wood Wood Preserving Co, Inc.Co, Inc. For over 30 Preserving years Elder Wood Preserving Elder Wood Preserving Co, Inc. Co, Inc. For over 30 years safe, durable real wood decks on ElderElder Wood Preserving Co, Inc. Wood Preserving Co, Inc. Elder Wood Preserving Co, Inc. For over 30 years has provided a range of provided aa range of Elder Wood Preserving has provided aof rangeCo, of Inc. For overhas 30 hasyears provided range Elder Wood Preserving Co, Inc. www.prowooddecks.com, a new webhas provided a range of has provided a range of has provided a range of lumber, Elder Wood Preserving Co, Inc. wood products from wood products from lumber, has provided a range of wood products from lumber, Elder Wood Preserving Co, Inc. wood products from lumber, site recently launched by SFPA. has provided a range of wood products from lumber, wood products from lumber, wood products from lumber, has provided a range offrom decking, timbers, plywood, products lumber, decking, timbers, plywood, decking, timbers, plywood, hasmisprovided awood range of decking, timbers, plywood, “There’s a lot of information and wood products from lumber, decking, timbers, plywood, decking, timbers, plywood, decking, timbers, plywood, wood products from lumber, deck accessories, and decking, timbers, plywood, deck accessories, and more. more. deck and more. deckaccessories, accessories, more. wood products from lumber, information out there about the pros decking, timbers, plywood, deck accessories, and more. deck accessories, and more. deck accessories, and more. decking, timbers, plywood, We maintain high ideals, deck accessories, and more. Weplywood, maintain high ideals, We maintain high We maintain high ideals, ideals, timbers, and cons of using real wood decking, versus deck accessories, and more. maintain high ideals, We We maintain high ideals, We maintain high ideals, deck accessories, and more. excellent service and We maintain high ideals, excellent service and excellent service excellent service and composites. It’s time to tell deck people accessories, more. excellent service and Weand maintain high ideals, excellent service and excellent service and We maintain high ideals, and quality products. quality products. excellent service why wood remains the best material quality products. quality products. We maintain high ideals, quality products. excellent service and quality products. quality products. excellent service and available,” said Richard Kleiner, quality products. excellent servicequality and products. quality products. director of treated markets. quality products. The site explains why real wood is the preferred material, offering specification tips for pressure-treated southern pine decking. The deckbuilding process is thoroughly explained in nine sections, covering everything from the deck-framing plan to finishing, maintenance and inspection. A separate section is devoted to building a porch, addressing product selection, moisture concerns, finishing and maintenance. Throughout the site are links to the American Wood Council’s Design for Code Acceptance: Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide.
Bringing the beauty of southern pine indoors provides a notable upgrade. From floor to ceiling, southern pine’s distinctive grain and rich golden color give specialty pattern items an attractive line for dealers to make some value-added sales. A superior choice for interior flooring, Southern Pine is highly resistant to normal wear and enhances any room. For optimum appearance, the grade of C&Btr. provides an excellent flooring surface. To complement a rustic décor or to stay on a budget, dealers can recommend using No. 2 grade flooring. As a general rule, flat-grain flooring is more wide-
New for Deck Builders
Remodelers Call for Southern Pine Patterns
7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG With scant homebuilding activity, 7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG under SCS’s Environmentally Preferable Product 7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG under SCS’s Environmentally Preferable Product 7KH based 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG (EPP) program on Life-Cycle Assessment. remodelers stay in business with7KH room under SCS’s Environmentally Preferable Product 7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG (EPP) program based on Life-Cycle Assessment. under SCS’s Environmentally Product 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿3URFHVV HG Preferable 7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG LV FHUWL¿ HG (EPP) program7UHDWHG based on Life-Cycle Assessment. under SCS’s7KH Environmentally Preferable Product 0LFUR3UR :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG program based on Life-Cycle Assessment. under SCS’s Environmentally Preferable Product additions and home makeovers. under (EPP) SCS’s Environmentally Preferable Product 7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG Assessment. :RRG Preferable 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG (EPP) program based on Environmentally Life-Cycle under SCS’s Product
Building-Products.com
7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV FHUWL¿ HG (EPP) program based Life-Cycle Assessment. (EPP) on program based on Life-Cycle Assessment. under SCS’s Preferable Product 7KH 0LFUR3UR 7UHDWHG :RRG 3URFHVV LV Environmentally FHUWL¿ HG (EPP) program based on Life-Cycle under SCS’s Environmentally Preferable ProductAssessment. (EPP) program based on Life-Cycle Assessment. Elder Wood Ad 3.19.10.indd 1 under SCS’s Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) program based on Life-Cycle Assessment. Elder Wood Ad 3.19.10.indd 1 (EPP) program basedElder on Life-Cycle Assessment. Wood Ad 3.19.10.indd 1
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Th eebest best Th eThebest Th e best Th e best Th Th best e best Th e best choice for Th e best choice for choice for for choice choice for choice for choice for choice for Outdoo r choice for Outdoo r Outdoo r Outdoo r Outdoo r Outdoo r Outdoo r Outdoo r Living Outdoo r Living Living Living Living Living Living Living Living
visit www.greenapprovedproducts.com visit www.greenapprovedproducts.com visit visit www.greenapprovedproduct www.greenapprovedproduct visit www.greenapprovedproducts.com visit www.greenapprovedproducts.com visit www.greenapprovedproducts.com visit www.greenapprovedproduct visit www.greenapprovedproduc Elder Wood Preserving visit www.greenapprovedproducts.com visit www.greenapprovedproducts.com 334 Elder Wood Rd.,
Elder Wood Preserving Mansura, 71350 Elder WoodLA Preserving Elder Wood Pres
Elder Wood Pres 334 Elder Wood Road, Mansura, LA 71350 Tel: (318) 964-2196 Elder Wood Preserving 334 Elder WoodElder Road, Mansura, LA 71350 Wood Preserving 334 Elder Wood Road, Mansura, LA Elder Wood Preservin Tel: (318) 964-2196 Sales Tel: (800) 467-8018 334 Elder Wood Road, Mansura, LA Sales Tel: (800) 467-8018 Elder Wood Pres Tel: (318) 964-2196 Sales Tel: (800) 467-8018 334 Elder Wood Road, Mansura, LA 71350 Tel: (318) 964-2196 Sales Tel: 46 Wood Pre 334 Elder Wood334 Road, Mansura, LA Elder 71350 Fax:Road, (318) 964-5276 Elder Wood Mansura, LA 7135 Tel: (318) 964-2196 Sales Tel: (800) (800) 46 Elder Wood Preserving Fax: (318) 964-5276 Fax: (318) 964-5276 334 Elder Wood Road, Mansura, LA Tel: (318) 964-2196 Sales Tel: (800) 467-8018 Fax: (318) 96 Elder Wood Preserving Tel: (318) 964-2196 Sales Tel:Elder (800)Wood 467-8018 Tel: (318) 964-2196 Sales Tel: (800) 467-801 334 Road, Mansura, www.elderwoodpreserving.com Fax: (318) 96 Tel:Wood (318)Road, 964-2196 Tel: (800) 46 334 Elder Mansura, LA 71350 www.elderwoodpreserving.com Fax:Sales (318) 964-5276 www.elderwoodpreserving.com Fax: (318) 964-5276 www.elderwoodpreserving Fax: (318) Tel:Mansura, (318) 964-2196 Sales Tel:964-527 (800) 334 Elder Wood Road, LA 71350 www.elderwoodpreserving Fax: (318) 96 Tel:www.elderwoodpreserving.com (318) 964-2196 Sales Tel: (800) 467-8018 Fax: (318) 9 Tel:www.elderwoodpreserving.com (318) 964-2196 Sales Tel: (800) 467-8018 www.elderwoodpreserving.com Fax: (318) 964-5276 www.elderwoodpreserving Fax: (318) 964-5276 www.elderwoodpreservin www.elderwoodpreserving.com www.elderwoodpreserving.com 3/2010 3/2010
3/2010
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lar paneling patterns include 1x6 and 1x8 V-groove material that is also available with a center V in the profile. SFPA’s publication, Southern Pine Patterns (#704), is an illustrated index to the properties and features of these and other decorative finish materials, including exterior siding patterns. Installation guidelines and finishing tips are also listed.
Just as builders need tools to build, dealers need tools to sell lumber. The Southern Pine Council has the tools dealers need to sell more of America’s most versatile building material. Everything a dealer needs to sell southern pine lumber is available online as a PDF download. One visit to www.southernpine.com finds the answers. Printed copies are easy to come by, too. An extensive collection of helpful guides for selecting and using southern pine materials is contained on one handy CD—SPC’s Lumber Library (#130). This library of PDFs includes guides to southern pine span tables, design values, and grade descriptions. Illustrated guides to selecting specialty patterns, flooring installation, and maintenance are here, too, along with complete information about pressuretreated lumber. “Keeping a CD handy at the sales counter is a dealer’s key to answering most any question a customer can throw at them,” notes Richard Kleiner, SFPA’s director of treated markets. New for 2010 is an updated edition
More Dealer Resources
SEVERAL RESOURCES, including SFPA’s definitive guide to southern pine flooring, are now available only as PDF downloads.
ly available than vertical-grain material. With limited availability, prefinished flooring expedites installation and is manufactured in several widths and finishes. SFPA’s illustrated publication A Guide to Southern Pine Flooring (#705, available only as a PDF download at www.southernpine.com) is a dealer’s definitive manual for selecting, installing, finishing and maintaining southern pine flooring. There is also a DVD available from SFPA, suitable for sales team training uses,
34
Building Products Digest June 2010
demonstrating the step-by-step installation and finishing of a typical residential southern pine floor. The 16minute program also covers tools and materials required, plus maintenance tips. On the same DVD is a 13-minute companion program detailing the installation of pressure-treated southern pine porch flooring. Southern pine double-beaded ceiling material is a popular choice for interior ceiling and wainscoting applications. It is typically available in a nominal 1x4 pattern. The most popu-
Building-Products.com
of Pressure-Treated Southern Pine (#300), detailing the latest facts regarding specification, selection and application of treated wood. This new edition guides the way for building professionals as new waterborne preservatives continue to enter the market. Other sections are devoted to expanded information to assist in use of pressure treated engineered wood products and marine lumber. A new page devoted to termite-resistant framing explains the features of “whole-house” treated framing for optimum protection in locations prone to termite attack. Also new this year is the 2010 edition of Maximum Spans for Joists & Rafters (#202), 36 pages of span tables covering virtually every structural application of dimension lumber. Span comparisons by species are listed along with reference design values. For the first time, five joist and rafter examples are included to demonstrate use of the tables. For a reference on the job site, SPC offers a handy pocket span card (#204) listing four of the most popular tables for joists and rafters. SPC’s entire lumber library is supported by the Wood Products Help Desk, where dealers can find answers to customers’ southern pine questions. A call to (253) 620-7400 or email to help@southernpine.com may supply the answers that seal the order.
SP Customers Are on the Lookout for Dealers
for suppliers are sure to follow. Local lumber dealers, wholesalers and distributors that stock southern pine materials can benefit from a free online listing in the Southern Pine Council’s Product Locator at www. southernpine.com/joinlocator.shtml. “The Product Locator is a dealer’s best opportunity to list the southern
pine items they sell, as well as to promote their locations and contact information,” explains SFPA’s Russell Richardson, director of industrial markets. “The locator functions as a great resource for both suppliers and their customers. It’s a no-brainer for any dealer selling southern pine to take a few minutes and create their
Quality Southern Yellow Pine A History of Quality & Cutting Edge Technology ~ Dimensional Lumber ~ MSR Lumber ~ Decking ~ Studs ~ Fence Posts ~ Appearance Grade Boards ~ Poles & Pilings
For more info, contact our sales team
850-263-2056
While contractors and handy do-ityourselfers are learning all about building with southern pine, searches
www.rex-lumber.com
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June 2010 Building Products Digest
Or look us up on the web!
35
free online listing,” according to Russell.
In many states, dealers know their professional customers must earn continuing education credits on an annual basis to retain their licenses. SFPA offers an online e-Classroom that pro-
Online Education
vides those needed credits, allowing builders and remodelers to earn credits at their convenience, 24 hours a day. Currently, three classes are offered: Design, Specify, Build; Pressure Treated Southern Pine, and Interior & Specialty Applications. Each unit takes about an hour to com-
plete. Upon completion, participants earn one hour of continuing education credit and can print out a certificate of completion. To get started, visit www.southernpine.com/eclassroom.
America’s Original Green Building Material
Once Captain John Smith landed at Jamestown in 1607, he worked to establish America’s first sawmill. Abundant, renewable southern pine forests have been serving the country’s building needs ever since. Dealers can deliver the basic facts about the benefits of using wood and its contributions to the Earth’s environment by using a new fact sheet available from the Southern Forest Products Association. The facts of wood building materials as a sustainable, renewable resource are clearly presented. This sheet provides space for a dealer to add their own company imprint, too. A free PDF download is available in the publications section at www.southernpine.com.
– Complete information about Southern Pine Council programs and promotions can be accessed online at www.southernpine.com. Publications can be downloaded or quantities ordered from the site. Requests can also be emailed to info@ southernpine.com. With an associate membership in SFPA, dealers can get involved with association activities and network with industry leaders. Visit www.sfpa.org for the details and to review a copy of SFPA’s 2009 Annual Report summarizing recent accomplishments.
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Building Products Digest June 2010
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SOUTHERN FOREST PRODUCTS
Wood videos educate dealers and their customers
P
TREATED WOOD has remained the No. 1 decking product in the country for decades. The Real Outdoor Living (ROL) program, managed by the Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, adheres to the goal of continuing the decking dominance of wood through a strategic marketing campaign aimed at homeowners, retailers and dealers. A key element of the program is the retail outreach arm, designed to inform retailer and dealer employees and educate their customers. Coordinated with both big-box retailers and independent dealers, program elements include sell sheets, informational pocket guides, in-store signage, and education videos. Each piece carries key messages to educate about the RESSURE
benefits of choosing, using and maintaining wood for outdoor projects. “Wood education videos were something we discussed in retailer meetings, and it seemed like a strong, targeted way to reach multiple audiences with our messages,” says Debbie Burns, president of SLMA. “The depth of information that can be covered in a short video, combined with the ability to augment with impactful graphics, resulted in an eyecatching video filled with key information.”
Realizing the opportunity to strengthen the pro-wood message, the ROL team approached two other wood species groups and offered them the
Strategic Partnerships
chance to partner in the wood education video production. Representatives from the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association and Mendocino Forest Products were quick to jump on board.
Videos for Dealers
Based on the success of the initial wood education videos, members requested a version be created to reach out to independent LBM dealers. Shot and edited in January 2010, this series of three videos focuses on the unique needs and opportunities available to independent lumber dealers and their customers. All three independent lumber dealer wood education videos can be viewed at www.realoutdoorliving.com.
PHOTO SHOOT for the Real Outdoor Living program.
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Building Products Digest June 2010
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“The opportunity to enhance our wood message by bringing in other species was just perfect,” says Burns.
Topics to be addressed within the wood education videos came directly from recent research. Through a series of focus groups, key misunderstandings and misconceptions were uncovered within all key audiences (consumer, contractors, retailers, dealers). Based on the issues that came to light again and again, a script outline was developed to include key messages to address all concerns. The script took main messages that translated between all three species and placed them front-and-center, with these sections opening and closing the videos. From there, species-generic sections were created, giving each wood a chance to share its specific information on use, handling, maintenance and life cycle assessment. Brad Staggs, home improvement show host on HGTV, DIY, and HGTVPro and a licensed contractor, has been part of the ROL team for six years, serving as consumer spokesperson in news releases, radio media tours, and satellite media tours. A long-time fan of wood with a deep
Breaking It Down
Building-Products.com
understanding of the product, Brad was a natural fit to narrate the series of wood education videos. Metro Atlanta was chosen as a central shooting point, with specific locations including a beautiful backyard deck and a retail location. The shoot took place in August 2009 with representatives from all three associations in attendance. “Part of the mandate behind the Real Outdoor Living program is to reach out to all major retailers equally,” adds Burns. “This was a real chance for us to edu-
How to Sell Treated Wood
With the videos taking on some of the aspects of working with pressure treated wood, the ROL team decided to enhance the effect with the creation of a pressure treated wood sell sheet. Available as a free PDF download at www.realoutdoorliving.com, the sell sheet breaks down the main selling points of the product, focusing on common myths countered by the facts.
cate our key audiences while also creating an opportunity to spread the word about wood across many additional audiences. You’ll see more projects from Real Outdoor Living along these lines in the coming year, all with the goal of getting the right information out to the right people at the right time.” Completed by early October 2009, the videos can now be found at www.realoutdoorliving.com. Lhf^mabg` mh mZed Z[hnm choice the most popular, economical Pressure-treated wood is still the rs may boast, but wood remains for outdoor building. Pretende strength and earth-friendly, low right choice for its natural beauty, life cycle. ut its througho impact ental environm
^krhg^ par p^ BmÍl mbf^ mh k^fbg] ^o phh]3 eho^ ik^llnk^&mk^Zm^] and the most renewable GZmnkZe Wood is real, natural, there is. Pressure-treated and sustainable building material that makes an authentic wood is the one building material your backyard. connection to nature, right in lumber is very strong and durable. Lmkhg` Pressure-treated nce, wood outlasts any other With proper care and maintena outdoor living. building material available for
wood has character like ;^Znmb_ne Pressure-treated senses. Nothing quite nothing else and appeals to multiple and feel of real wood. measures up to the sight, smell, it real and beautiful, it also costs >\hghfb\Ze Not only is es. up to five times less than alternativ wood can be cooler on your <hhe Literally. Pressure-treated es, on the other hand, feet on a hot summer’s day. Alternativ direct sunlight. can become blistering hot in
wood: your stuff about pressure-treated =hgÍm `^m ;nlm^] Know than humans: h]' Nature is a better engineer k^llnk^&mk^Zm^] ph k^ lmkhg`^k maZg i Frma3 <hfihlbm^l Z to support itself. enough strong material only treated wood can be pressure-treated wood is the m^] phh]' Only pressure^&mk^Z k^llnk ahnm i contact. ^\d \Zg [^ [nbem pbm do not stand up to direct ground Frma3 : \hfihlbm^ ] used for structural support and Composite products cannot be be refinished through used for framing and support. only decking material that can d `hh]' Real wood is the \dl pbee ZepZrl ehh look. Frma3 <hfihlbm^ ]^ in order to restore the original replaced be must decking e sanding and staining. Composit recyclable, and biodegradable. g' Wood is 100% renewable, BmÍl ^Zlr [^bg` `k^^ e and sustainable building material. Wood is the only renewabl against heat and cold. as they were a century ago. Wood is the best insulator are just as healthy and thriving forestry practices, our forests Thanks to sustainable wood than composites. to manufacture pressure-treated It requires less energy
LZe^l ?Z\ml
outdoor building projects. most affordable material for . Pressure-treated wood is the special tools or skills required) and functional to work with (no treated wood looking No other material is as easy all that is needed to keep pressureSimple, yearly maintenance is Nothing is maintenance-free. house. as you own your natural and beautiful for as long
June 2010 Building Products Digest
39
SOUTHERN FOREST PRODUCTS
Real Outdoor Living A bird’s-eye view of a successful wood marketing program Wood Partnerships W Increase Strength of Outreach
It started with wood education videos and continued into trade show media events: the successful partnership between SLMA’s Real Outdoor Living Program, the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association marketing program, and Mendocino Forest Products, Windsor, Ca., has made great strides in educating key audiences about the benefits of choosing wood over alternative products. “We’re stronger together than we are apart,” says Debbie Burns, president of SLMA. “SLMA continues to represent the interests of southern pine producers in the Southeast—this remains our primary goal. With the increased attention brought to the product via the Real Outdoor Living program, we realized that the three main decking species in the U.S.— pressure treated wood, cedar and redwood—all have the same end goal: to sell more wood for decking.” Representatives from the three species first met by phone in late-summer 2009. Continued communication led to the development of shared key messages, as seen throughout both sets of wood education videos produced by the group. An educational media event held at the 2010 International Builders’ Show built on their success, carrying key wood messages even deeper into the industry. Plans are in the works for additional shared activities within the coming year.
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Building Products Digest June 2010
OOD HAS HELD THE NO. 1 spot as the building material of choice in various building applications for decades. Among these is the outdoor decking/project market, in which pressure treated wood has retained the lion’s share over the years. As the industry has fluctuated, several wood associations have launched and maintained solid, successful wood marketing programs for their species. Recognizing the need for a strategic, consistent consumer promotion for southern pine, the Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association launched SPAN (the Southern Pine Awareness Network) in 2005. With the goal of educating consumers as to the merits of choosing southern pine for all indoor and outdoor projects, the SPAN program found early success through a comprehensive program consisting of targeted advertising and significant earned media. In 2008 the Real Outdoor Living (ROL) campaign was launched, with the goal of educating consumers, retailers and detailers about the strengths of pressure treated wood. With a winning combination of targeted advertising, key sponsorships, public relations, retail outreach, and marketing, the ROL program is off to a strong start.
“With several key audiences in front of us, it was very important to target and streamline all of our activities from day one in order to maximize opportunities and return on investment,” says SLMA president Debbie Burns. “Before we committed to any
Program Elements
project sponsorship, any product donation, or any program, we asked ourselves if this choice would help us sell more pressure treated lumber. If it didn’t pass the test, we passed on it.” Five years of solid success within the SPAN program meant a short learning curve for the ROL team. They knew their markets and they knew the product. A strategic longterm plan was developed, incorporating elements needed for strong results.
The marketing part of the ROL program kicked off with consumer research to determine what homeowners knew, where they gleaned their information, and what influences affected their purchasing decisions. Results were sobering: steady misinformation about pressure-treated wood was everywhere. Following the research phase, a creative segment kicked in with the development of a look and feel for the ROL program. Key messages were drafted (based on research results) and www.realoutdoorliving.com was launched. Banner ads on key d-i-yrelated sites drove traffic to the new site, as did a $10,000 backyard makeover contest. Public relations goals were accomplished through the use of varied tac-
The Marketing Mix
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tics designed to spread the pressuretreated wood word across all informational mediums. Homeowners were reached through traditional PR, mat service articles, radio media tours, and a satellite media tour. Product donations resulted in additional earned media on television and in key homeowner magazines. Partnerships with regional magazines included participation in show homes, a fantastic way to
Measurements of Success
While the final program numbers won’t be tallied until July 2010, here are a few high points of the Real Outdoor Living program: One dealer that partnered with the ROL program indicated a 30% sales increase following a specific marketing element deployment. The $10K Backyard Oasis Makeover contest received over 100,000 online entries—more than three times the amount expected. A regional show home featuring a beautiful treated wood deck was deemed one of the most successful in the sponsor’s history and remained open an extra three months, resulting in tens of thousands of additional direct consumer hits for the product. A radio media tour focusing on spring project ideas garnered tens of millions of listeners—the highest amount received in five years of the SPAN program.
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show off the beauty, strength and durability of treated wood decking.
Earlier research revealed that retail employees were a big source of building product information for homeowners. To reach this key demographic where they shop, partnerships were developed with big-box retailers and independent dealers nationwide. Several informational elements were created, each designed to educate. Among them: wood education videos, sell sheets, in-store tear pads, magazine inserts, and employee informational pocket guides.
Retail Outreach
Evaluation and analysis is integral to any successful marketing program. While Real Outdoor Living’s first year is not yet completed, many results are in—and all of them indicate success. “Success to us isn’t just impressions—it’s looking at whether we affected behavior, whether we moved the needle,” says Burns. “It’s easy to get information into the marketplace— it’s like throwing spaghetti against a wall. The success comes with targeted, well-researched information, delivered in precisely the way your audience tells you they’d like to receive it. That’s when you see a change.”
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June 2010 Building Products Digest
41
MOVERS & Shakers Tom Le Vere, ex-North Pacific, is now v.p.-national accounts & marketing at Weekes Forest Products, St. Paul, Mn. Tom Jacobson and Kevin Raines, both ex-North Pacific, are new to sales. Michael Blaisure, ex-Universal, and Tim Worcester, ex-84 Lumber, have joined the sales team at Matheus Lumber, San Marcos, Tx. Chuck Smith, ex-Universal Forest Products, is now sales mgr. at Rex Lumber, Graceville, Fl.
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Building Products Digest June 2010
Tony Hall has been named store mgr. of McCoy’s Building Supply Center, Okmulgee, Ok. Michael Chambless is now mgr. of the New Braunfels, Tx., branch. Shane Short, ex-James Hardie Building Products, has been named general mgr. of Royal Mouldings, Atlanta, Ga. Sharon Koller, ex-Allied Plywood & Lumber, now handles logistics at the Port Arthur, Tx., office of Silvaris Corp., Bellevue, Wa.
Ralph Wagner has joined Wagner Ace Hardware to manage its Coudersport, Pa., location. His wife, Susan Lemons, will serve as secretary/treasurer. Tom Westbrook, ex-BlueLinx, is new to sales at Capital Forest Products, Annapolis, Md. Bob Schneider has joined LouisianaPacific Corp., Nashville, Tn., as market development mgr. for Tennessee. Sal Amico, ex-One Tree Distribution, is heading the Buffalo, N.Y., office of Taiga International. Art Steinhafel, ex-Atrium Windows, has joined Ply Gem Windows, Roanoke, Va., as senior v.p.-sales, overseeing the group’s new combined national sales organization. Peter Gordon, ex-Fraser Papers, has joined the board of Ainsworth Lumber as chairman, succeeding Jay Gurandiano, who resigned. Pierre McNeil replaced Jonathan Mishkin on the board. Robert “Bob” Ritchie, ex-Johns Manville, was appointed senior v.p. and chief technology officer at Masonite, Tampa, Fl. He takes over global R&D leadership for Henry Coghlan, now v.p.-special projects. Phillip Kleiss is now millwork sales mgr. at Arauco USA, Atlanta, Ga. Janet M. Saura was appointed senior v.p. and deputy general counsel at Lowe’s Cos., Mooresville, N.C. David Stewart has been named c.e.o. of aluminum fencing manufacturer Delair Group, Delair, N.J. LeRoy D. Nosbaum was elected to the board of Quanex Building Products Corp., Houston, Tx. Jeff Gooding has been named director of consumer marketing for Ace Hardware Corp., Oak Brook, Il. Bob Moschorak has joined the coop as president and general mgr. of Ace International. David Nothmann has been named v.p.-business & product development at ArborGen, Summerville, S.C. Richard Guinn, ex-Invelope, is now c.e.o. of Hycrete, Carlstadt, N.J. Ed Micklos has been appointed Southeast regional sales mgr. for DriTac Flooring Products, Clifton, N.J., overseeing Florida, Alabama and Georgia. Michael Speller, ex-c.f.o., Millwood Lumber, White Plains, N.Y., pleaded guilty in court to stealing more than $200,000 from the company and not paying income taxes. Building-Products.com
David Hartman is new to Pergo, Raleigh, N.C., as v.p. of sales for North, Central and South America. He replaces Tad Schimmelpfennig, who left to pursue other interests. Mark Rossolo has resigned as Green Building Initiative v.p.-operations to serve as director of public affairs for the Greenguard Environmental Institute. Rusty Dukes, mgr., Dukes Lumber Co., Laurel, De., was named campaign chair for a $505,000 fundraising project to expand Delmarva Christian High School. Dennis J. Hall, managing principal of Hall Architects and chairman of Hall Building Information Group, Charlotte, N.C., has been named president of the Construction Specifications Institute, Alexandria, Va., effective July 1. John P. Hannan, president and c.e.o., Spahn & Rose Lumber, Dubuque, Ia., was elected to the American Trust & Savings Bank board of directors. Corey Ander is spicing up the employee cafeteria at MungusFungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.
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June 2010 Building Products Digest
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NEW Products
Precast-Look Fiber Cement
Nichiha EmpireBlock is a lightweight siding option with the look of precast concrete. The fiber cement panels are 10 ft. long, 18” wide, and 5/8” thick. Each is shiplapped on two long edges for a tight fit.
NICHIHA.COM (866) 424-4421
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Building Products Digest June 2010
Lightweight Soffit Sheet
The new Wain-Sof PVC sheet from KOMA Trim Products was designed for ease of handling and jobsite flexibility in panel and soffit applications. The 3/8” sheets weigh less than 20 lbs. each and are available in two lengths (3’ and 4’). Factory packaging on over-sized pallets further protects critical edges.
KOMATRIMBOARDS.COM (800) 330-2239
Building-Products.com
Certified Particleboard
FreeForm particleboard from The Collins Cos. now meets moisture-resistant specifications for ANSI MR-10. Made from 100% recycled post-industrial fibers, the product is FSC-certified and LEED-compliant. It is also certified under California Air Resources Board CARB Phase 2.
COLLINSWOOD.COM (800) 547-1793
Deck Installation Made Easier
Fasco America’s new InvisiDeck Hidden Scrail fastener system reportedly delivers clean deck surfaces without visible screw heads. The system was designed to install hidden clips three to five times faster than conventional applications. Included are Scrail fasteners, InvisiDeck installation tool, and I-CLP clips for use with both composite and hardwood decks.
FASCOAMERICA.COM (800) 239-8665
Stainless Steel Fastners
Simpson Strong-Tie’s new line of premium stainless steel fasteners are designed for outdoor applications. The nails and screws can be used for decking, siding, roofing, framing, and finish work. They reportedly provide superior corrosion resistance, strength and durability.
STRONGTIE.COM (800) 999-5099
Size does matter. Douglas Fir up to 20” x 20” x up to 40’ Cedar 16” x 16” x up to 32’ R ich ar ds on Tim b er s is a lead er in cu s to m millw o rk a n d m a n u f a c t u r i ng o f cus to m ized tim b er s , w it h capab ilit ies o f d eliv erin g p r od u ct s t hr o ug h o ut th e U .S . S er v in g t h e co ns tr u ct ion i n d u s t r y f o r o v e r 60 y e a r s , b y t a k i n g t h e s p i r i t of t h e o l d a nd c om b i ni n g i t w i t h t h e lead in g tech n o log y o f t o day , R ich ar ds on Tim ber s is a b l e t o o f fe r w h o l e s a l e p r od u ct s w ith u n par allelled s e r v i c e a n d q ua l i t y .
Richardson Timbers Ex clu s iv e d is t rib u to r o f Tru -Dr y F ir in Tex as , O klah o m a & Lo uis iana
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toll free (877) 318-5261
phone (214) 358-2314
www.timbersonline.com
fax (214) 358-2383 Since 1949
June 2010 Building Products Digest
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Rainscreen for Masonry Larger Siding Panels
Quest vinyl siding from Mastic Home Exteriors is now offered in a long-length, 25’6” panel to reduce or eliminate seams. Available in 22 colors, the siding also comes in 12’ and 15’ panels that never need painting or staining.
WWW.PLYGEM.COM (800) 962-6973
Home Slicker rainscreen from Bejamin Obdyke is designed to alleviate moisture problems in stone, stucco, and masonry applications. The product’s vertically channeled matrix forms the air space, while a breathable fabric blocks mortar from seeping into the newly formed cavity and allowing moisture to pass through. Each roll weighs 15 lbs., covers 200 sq. ft., and has an UV exposure of 30 days maximum.
BENJAMINOBDYKE.COM (800) 346-7655
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Building Products Digest June 2010
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IN Memoriam
James Campbell Adams Jr., 82, retired executive at Warren Trask Co., Stouton, Ma., died May 13 in Glastonbury, Ct. He joined Warren Trask in sales in 1951 and worked there for nearly 50 years, working his way up to vice president and president.
Janette Laughlin Breedlove, 94, former owner of Breedlove Lumber, Charleston, Ms., died April 17 in Charleston. Mrs. Breedlove served as president of the Mid South Building Material Dealers Association from 1989-1990,
and was awarded a lifetime membership in 2007. She sold the business after her husband, Harold, died.
Esther F. Anderson, 98, retired co-owner of Anderson Lumber Co., Rapid River, Mi., died May 17 in Gladstone, Mi. She owned the firm with her husband, George, until their retirement.
Robert Dennis Threadgill, 69, owner of Threadgill’s True Value Hardware, Cowpens, S.C., died May 11 in Spartanburg.
Melvin Petiniot, 97, retired coowner of Van’s Lumber & Custom Builders, Dyckesville, Wi., died May 7 in Green Bay, Wi. In the early 1950s, he established Van’s with his brother-in-law. He retired in 1976. George Haman Jr., 86, longtime employee of Nagle Lumber, Oxford and Iowa City, Ia., died of cancer May 16 in Coralville, Ia. He retired in 1988 after 42 years with the company, also serving on the Oxford housing & development board and zoning committee.
SUPPLIER Briefs
Westervelt Co., Tuscaloosa, Al., gained permission to operate a biomass plant to burn wood byproducts.
Pike Lumber , Milan, In., won permission to construct a new building. KOMA Trim Products, Huntsville, Al., now protects all its PVC products with Klean Edge, which smoothes and seals edges so they remain cleaner during storage, handling, and after installation.
National Gypsum, Charlotte, N.C., introduced Green Product Score, an online resource to create customized sustainable materials data sheets for use with green building rating systems. Empire Level Manufacturing Co., Mukwonago, Wi., has agreed to
purchase the American Level product line from M-D Building Products, Gainesville, Ga. Kroy rail products from Ply Gem, Cary, N.C., are now Green Approved by the NAHB Research Center.
Metal Sales Mfg. Corp., Louis-
ville, Ky., opened a 34,000-sq. ft. manufacturing plant in Fort Smith, Ar.
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Based in Annapolis, MD, Fletcher Wood Solutions® is the largest manufacturer of defect-free, appearance grade radiata pine products in New Zealand. Distributing our clear boards, mouldings, LIFESPAN® treated wood, and lumber to the North American market through our proven and completely integrated supply chain, Fletcher Wood Solutions® maintains direct access to one of the largest FSC certified® pine plantation forests in the world.
Auto-Stak, Westwood, N.J., has redesigned its website at www. autostak.com.
Anniversaries: Hall Lumber , Convoy, Oh., 100th … Southern Tier Wood Products, Jamestown, N.Y., 30th … Beyond Hardware, Penfield, N.Y., 1st.
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1.866.FSC .WO O D June 2010 Building Products Digest
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NELMA ANNUAL Photos by BPD
NORTHEASTERN LUMBER Manufacturers Association gathered May 13-14 at The Hyatt Regency, Boston, Ma., for its annual convention. [1] Jeff Easterling, Craig Larsen. [2] Michael Record, Dan Paige. [3] Steve Tulchin, Jack Bowen, Robert Hoffman. [4] Lisa
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Building Products Digest June 2010
Bruckert, John Heroux. [5] Fred Morton, Don Hammond, Stephen Clark. [6] Kevin Hynes, Richard Freeman. [7] Celine Brochu, Lorraine Bisson, Pam Brochu. [8] Zoltan Van Heyningen, Jeff Desjardins, Wil Nance, Paul Lennon. [9] Terry Miller, Gil Adams, Bernie
Nugent. [10] Terry & Cathy Walters. [11] Tammy Elizabeth & Dante Diono. [12] Doug Chiasson, Bill Artigliere. [13] Skip & Verna Hammond, Don Hammond. [14] Randy Zellis, Bill Edwards. [15] Cameron Betts, Boynton Glidden, Dan Harrison. [16] John Benjamin, Jeff Smith. [17] Jimmy & Shannon Robbins, Mary Robbins, Erin Robbins, Noah Robbins. [18] Scott Kenney, Fred Morton, Jason Brochu, Moe Brisson, Bill Ussenfort. (More photos on next page) Building-Products.com
NELMA ANNUAL
Marvin Windows & Doors, Warroad, Mn., is expanding into exterior siding, incorporating the same material it uses in its fiberglass windows. Marvin will produce the new Apex Siding System at its Tecton Products subsidiary in Fargo, N.D., which Marvin co-founded in 1990 to supply fiberglass components to its window plants in Fargo and Roanoke, Va. Hanson Building Products, Ramsey, Mn., was selected as the first Apex distributor and will market the product to area builders, remodelers, and architects. The siding will be marketed as an alternative to wood or vinyl siding, reportedly with a finish four times thicker than paint and offering resistance to rot, mold, fading and warping.
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Photos by BPD
Marvin Expands to Siding
NELMA rode into Boston (continued from previous page) for its annual meeting: [1] Katherine & Doug Britton, Jack & Gail Hedstrom. [2] Darren Zwicker, Bob Burns, Win Smith. [3] Susan Pukall, Richard Wilson. [4] Annette & Richard Freeman, Kate Freeman. [5] Scott & Jessica Brown, Bill & Cathy Christopher. [6] Ron Lamell, Joe Robertie. [7] Kim & Anne Moore.
June 2010 Building Products Digest
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NAWLA NORTHEAST REGIONAL Photos by BPD
NORTH AMERICAN Wholesale Lumber Association hosted its Northeast regional meeting May 13 at the Marriott, Newton, Ma. [1] B. Manning, Luke Brochu, Bradley Morrow. [2] Dan Paige, James Robbins. [3] Crystal Gavin, Trish Roche, Sheila Michaud. [4] Alden Robbins,
Richard Quitadamo. [5] Doug Chiasson, Matt Pedrone. [6] Mike McLaughlin, Rich Spallone. [7] Scot McGill. [8] John Smart, Glen Albee. [9] Barry Russin, James Robbins, Gary Vitale. [10] Jack Bowen, Matthew Duprey, Vincent Micale. [11] Peter Krihak, Jared Goldman. With Quik Drive® auto-feed screw driving systems, your customers can fasten deck boards in record time. And not just decking, there’s a broad assortment of professionalgrade attachments and quick-loading fastener strips for a variety of construction applications. With the speed and reliability of Quik Drive tools, not only will your customers keep running back for more, but you’ll keep fastener sales at the top of the leaderboard. Increase your selling pace with Quik Drive auto-feed systems and fasteners. For more information and to request a catalog, visit www.strongtie.com/quikdrive or call (800) 999-5099.
So quick, customers keep running back for more. © 2010
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Simpson Strong-Tie Company Inc. QDDECK10-D
Building Products Digest June 2010
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ASSOCIATION Update Mid South Building Material Dealers Association will hold its midyear meeting June 25-26 at Courtyard by Marriott, Biloxi, Ms.
Indiana Lumber & Builders Supply Association scheduled its 16th annual Sycamore Scramble Aug. 5 at Oak Tree Golf Course, Plainfield, In. Proceeds from the event will support the Blair Collings Scholarship Program.
Northeastern Retail Lumber Association affiliates have planned lots of summer activities. Golf outings will be held by Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine June 17 at Spring Meadow Golf Club, Gray, Me., and by Rhode Island Lumber & Building Material Dealer Association July 7 at Green Valley Country Club, Portsmouth, R.I. New York & Suburban Lumber Association scheduled its 1st annual fishing outing for July 11 aboard the Miss Freeport, Freeport, N.Y. The group gathers again Aug. 11 for the Mets vs. Rockies baseball outing at Citi Field, Flushing, N.Y.
Also included will be both fishing and golf tournaments, a children’s dinner, and a cocktail reception and chairman’s gala.
International Wood Products Association presented Excellence Award winners during its 54th annual convention. Veneer Technologies, Newport, N.C., won the Aesthetic Design Excellence Award for its contribution to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center, Atlanta, Ga. Durable Wood Products, Miami Lakes, Fl., won the Innovative Excellence Award for its
Turada Wallaba shingles “Class A” fire-rated roof system. Cikel America, Pompano Beach, Fl., won the Environmental Excellence Award for its commitment to corporate social responsibility.
Southern Forest Products Association has rescheduled its annual forest products machinery and equipment expo to Aug. 11-12 at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga. Southern Pine Council has updated its 36-page booklet on Maximum Spans for Joists & Rafters, which includes 46 span tables covering the most common grades of MSR, MEL, and visually graded lumber. Free copies can be downloaded at www.southernpine.com.
Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association will host its annual conference July 14-17 at the Ritz Carlton, Naples, Fl. Highlights will include a grand opening reception, a keynote session with political analyst Charlie Cook, and a trade expo.
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June 2010 Building Products Digest
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Tech-Savvy Ace Dealer Expands Mobile Service
Last fall, Rick Baalman introduced a new mobile commerce service in the four Ace Hardware stores he owns and operates in the St. Louis, Mo. (see Oct. 2009, page 12). He’s now busy fine-tuning the service, adding new features and persuading other Ace dealers to implement the service. Named Aisle411, the service allows customers to use their cellphones to call a toll-free number, state a location and the store, ask for an item, and receive within seconds the location of the product. It also lets customers create mobile shopping lists and delivers coupons and alerts to those who opt in for these services. Aisle411 system integrates interactive voice and text messaging with
store data. To get the service operational, Baalmann and his employees had to make sure the stores’ product location codes were accurate. Every 4-ft. section in the store was given a location number and every product was assigned at least one location in the point-of-sale system. “That was the heaviest lifting we had to do,” Baalman said. He also worked with Aisle411 to create monthly Ace Helpful Hints. For example, the day before daylight saving time began, customers were alerted to change their clocks and were offered a coupon for smoke detectors and batteries. This spring, customers were reminded to overseed their lawns. “We’re trying to find things that the customer will see value in us
CLASSIFIED Marketplace Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word min.). Phone number counts as 1 word, address as 6. Centered copy or headline, $9 per line. Border, $9. Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished “camera-ready” (advertiser sets the type), $65 if we set the type. Send ad to Fax 949-852-0231 or dkoenig@ building-products.com. For more info, call (949) 852-1990. Make checks payable to Cutler Publishing. Deadline: 18th of previous month.
HELP WANTED
LUMBER TRADER We are a wholesale lumber company looking for an experienced trader. Any species. No restrictions on mills or customers. No relocation. 60% split for trader. Call John at Lakeside Lumber at (623) 566-7100 or email lakesidelumber@cox.net.
WHOLESALE HARDWOODS, outside sales. Work from your region or relocate. Flooring, stair parts, specialties. Mail resume to P.O. Box 11171, Knoxville, Tn. 37939. Top commissions. Employee ownership.
BUSINESSES FOR SALE
SPECIALTY LUMBERYARD FOR SALE Tampa, Fl., 1.5 Acres; Prime Location A small business operating for 20 years in wholesale, contractor and retail sales. Unlimited growth potential for Florida contractor yard with outside sales staff. We are currently a manufacturer of softwood and hardwood patterns. T&G, sidings, moulding, historical reproductions, and dock & deck sales. Two Weinig moulders and sanding facility are on site. Additional small S.C. outlet accommodates log siding and basic patterns. For complete details, contact David Ion, (864) 4413332.
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Building Products Digest June 2010
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reminding them of,” said Baalmann, who admits that the biggest challenge has been getting customers to embrace the service. He markets the service through store displays and by having sales associates explain it to shoppers. So far, 12 other Ace dealers in the area have signed up for the service. “As we get more people in our dealer group on board, we can incorporate it into our advertising,” said Baalmann. “I’m a dreamer when it comes to technology.”
Heavy Storms Damage Mississippi Timberlands
Storms that hit Mississippi May 12 affected 9,252 acres of timberland and caused more than $3.7 million in timber damages, according to state forestry officials. Hardwoods sustained the most damage, at more than $2.8 million, while pine damage reached $719,000, and mixed timber damage reached $156,000. The hardest hit counties were Benton, Tippah, and Lafayette.
Massachusetts Moulding Supplier Joins the Red Sox
Next Day Moulding, Braintree, Ma., hopes it has hit a promotional home run, by signing on as the official moulding company of the Boston Red Sox. The deal includes electronic advertising at Fenway Park during all home games, plus other marketing and merchandising opportunities at the Next Day Moulding Boston Superstore in Braintree.
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Plywood, OSB, particleboard and MDF by the truckloads. Lumber Source, Phone (800) 8741953, Fax 888-576-8723, email LumberSource@worldnet.att.net.
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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.
New Hampshire Retail Lumber Association – June 10, golf, New London, N.H.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.
Oklahoma Lumbermen’s Association – June 11-13, convention, Tanglewood Resort, Pottsboro, Tx.; (800) 444-1771.
Central New York Lumber Dealers Association – June 14, golf, Pompey Golf Club, Pompey, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.
National Lawn & Garden Show – June 15-17, Colorado Springs, Co.; (888) 316-0226; www.nlgshow.com.
Eastern New York Lumber Dealers Assn. – June 17, golf, Orchard Creek Golf Club, Altamont, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.
Retail Lumber Dealers Assn. of Maine – June 17, golf, Spring Meadow Golf Club, Gray, Me.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.
Forest Products Society –June 20-22, convention, Monona Madison, Wi.; (608) 231-1361; www.forestprod.org. Builders Hardware Manufacturers Assn. – June 21-23, meeting, Chicago, Il.; (212) 297-2109; www.buildershardware.com. Long Island Lumber Association – June 22, golf, Rock Hill Country Club, Manorville, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.
Temperate Forest Foundation – June 22-25, teachers tour, Duluth, Mn.; (503) 445-9472; www.forestinfo.org.
Northern New York Lumber Dealers Association – June 23, golf, Potsdam Golf & Country Club, Potsdam, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.
Mid-South Building Material Dealers Association – June 25-26, mid-year meeting, Courtyard by Marriott, Biloxi, Ms.; (601) 8242884; www.mbmda.com. Western New York Lumber Dealers Assn. – June 29, golf, Bristol Harbor, Canandaigua, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.
Rhode Island Lumber & Building Material Dealers Assn. – July 7, golf, Green Valley Country Club, Portsmouth, R.I.; (518) 2861010; www.nrla.org.
Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Assn. – July 8-11, convention/ show, Biloxi, Ms.; (601) 982-1731; www.mslumbermfg.org.
Construction Suppliers’ Association – July 9-11, summer conference, Marriott Baypoint, Panama City Beach, Fl.; (800) 3512255; www.gocsa.com.
Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. – July 14-17, annual conference, Ritz, Naples, Fl.; (770) 631-6701; www.slma.org.
House-Hasson Hardware Co. – July 15-17, market, Duke Energy Center, Cincinnati, Oh.; (865) 525-0471; www.househasson.com.
North American Retail Hardware Assn. – July 19-20, convention, Hyatt Regency, Savannah, Ga.; (317) 290-0338; www.nrha.org.
Northeast Window & Door Association – July 19-20, summer meeting & golf outing, Dolce Seaview Resort, Galloway, N.J.; (609) 799-4900; www.nwda.net.
Southeast Building Conference/Green Building Show – July 2224, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fl.; (800) 2619447; www.sebcshow.com.
Southern Building Material Association – July 29-Aug. 1, summer conference, Wyndham Oceanfront Resort, Virginia Beach, Va.; (704) 376-1503; www.southernbuilder.org. Temperate Forest Foundation – Aug. 3-6, teachers tour, Catskills, N.Y.; (503) 445-9472; www.forestinfo.org.
Indiana Lumber & Builders’ Supply Association – Aug. 5, Sycamore Scramble golf tournament, Oak Tree Golf Course, Plainfield, In.; (877) 465-8627; www.ilbsa.org.
Virginia Tech – Aug. 5, lean manufacturing workshop, Harrisonburg, Va.; www.woodscience.vt.edu. Building-Products.com
June 2010 Building Products Digest
53
IDEA File
ADVERTISERS Index
More Than Just Chicken Feed
For more information on advertisers, call them directly or visit their websites [in brackets].
A dealer in Upstate New York knows it takes more than LBM to attract new customers in a rural area. That’s why Ward Lumber, Jay, N.Y., recently hosted Poultry Night with complimentary pizza, a lecture by an animal nutrition expert, and the chance to network with other poultry aficionados. “We started selling feed a while ago, when I realized how big a need there was in the area,” said president Sidney “Jay” Ward III, who organized the event. “It was mostly from talking to people around town.” Ward Lumber, which also owns a white pine mill in Jay and another store in Monroe, offers free delivery of poultry feed and recently began selling all species of poultry, including chickens for meat and eggs, ducks, turkeys, and games birds such as grouse and pheasant. “We do it through a hatchery in Ohio,” said Ward. “We haven’t yet gotten a huge response and we’re new at this, but we’re hoping for a good reaction.” Guest speaker Terry Cushing, an animal nutrition specialist for Vermont-based Poulin Grain Feed Co., spoke about how to care for poultry in a healthy and cost effective way. He assured the audience that raising poultry isn’t very hard, and stressed the importance of being self-sufficient. “Who knows what will happen in years to come,” he said. “It may be pretty viable to be able to raise your own food.”
AERT [www.aertinc.com].................................................................3
Advantage Trim & Lumber [www.advantagelumber.com]..........43 Ainsworth [www.ainsworth.ca] ................................................22-27 Anthony Forest Products [www.anthonyforest.com] .................31
Arch Wood Protection [www.wolmanizedwood.com].........Cover I Auto-Stak Systems [www.autostak.com].....................................49
Boston Cedar [www.bostoncedar.com] .........................................8
Cabot [www.cabotfactoryfinish.com] .............................................7
Capital [www.capital-lumber.com]..................................................4 Cedar Creek Wholesale Inc. [www.cedarcreek.com] ..................51
Crumpler Plastic Pipe [www.cpp-pipe.com] ................................54 Elder Wood Preserving [www.elderwoodpreserving.com] ........33 Fletcher Wood Solutions [www.tenonusa.com] ..........................47
Guardian Building Products [www.guardianbp.com] ...................5 Hancock Lumber [www.hancocklumber.com].............................19
Harrigan Lumber [www.harriganlumber.com] .............................32
KOMA Trimboards [www.komatrimboards.com] ...............Cover II McShan Lumber [www.mcshanlumber.com]...............................36
New South [www.gator-guard.com]..............................................21
Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. [www.nelma.org]...51
Parksite [www.parksite.com] ..............................................Cover III Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance [plmins.com] .....44 Ray White Lumber ..........................................................................28
Richard Landry Lumber Sales Inc. ...............................................41
Richardson Timbers [www.timbersonline.com] ..........................45
Rex Lumber [www.rex-lumber.com] .............................................35
RISI [www.risiinfo.com/crows] ......................................................41
RoyOMartin [www.royomartin.com] .............................................37 Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com].............................43, 50
Simpson Timber [www.simpson.com] .........................................42 Siskiyou Forest Products [siskiyouforestproducts.com]...........13
Snider Industries [www.sniderindustries.com] ...........................34
Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. [www.slma.org] ....29 Southern Forest Products Association [www.sfpa.org].............35
Sunbelt [www.sunbeltracks.com] .................................................24
Tank Fab [www.tankfab.com]........................................................53
Viance [www.treatedwood.com] .........................................Cover III
Westervelt Lumber [www.westerveltlumber.com] ......................39
Wilson Lumber Co. [www.cypressusa.com]................................46
54
Building Products Digest June 2010
Building-Products.com
BPD
Building Products Digest
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