The Merchant March 2018

The

MERCHANT

MARCH 2018

Magazine

THE VOICE OF THE WEST’S LBM SUPPLY CHAIN — SINCE 1922

THE EVOLVING MARKET FOR WESTERN RED CEDAR • NICHES IN REDWOOD

DON’T JUST GO STRONG. GO LONG. ALWAYS BUILDING. PARALLAM® PSL Let your customers bring wide-open spaces into their next build. Parallam® PSL beams open up great rooms, ceilings and floor plans with the trusted strength and stability of engineered wood. Carry the beam that opens up a world of design options, reliably supporting your customer’s best work.

Call 888.453.8358 or go to Weyerhaeuser.com/woodproducts to find your Territory Manager and closest Trus Joist® dealer.

Weyerhaeuser, Trus Joist® and Parallam® PSL are registered trademarks of Weyerhaeuser NR. © 2018 Weyerhaeuser NR Company. All rights reserved.

Building-Products.com

March 2018 n The Merchant Magazine n

3

The

MERCHANT

OUR MARKET MOVES QUICKLY… DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND!

Magazine

President/Publisher Patrick Adams padams@building-products.com

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Vice President Shelly Smith Adams sadams@building-products.com Publishers Emeritus Alan Oakes, David Cutler Managing Editor David Koenig • david@building-products.com Editor Stephanie Ornelas sornelas@building-products.com Contributing Editors Carla Waldemar, James Olsen, Alex Goldfayn, Claudia St. John, Dave Kahle

Merchant 11-16 Layout.qxp_D SigNov03-1-8,41-48 10/25/16 10:06 AM Page 1

Merchant 2-17 Layout.qxp_D SigNov03-1-8,41-48 1/27/17 9:23 AM Page 1

Contributors Tim Burr, Simon Cameron, Jay Lemke, Brian J. Mandrier

The

MERCHANT

THE VOICE OF THE WEST’S LBM SUPPLY CHAIN — SINCE 1922

FEBRUARY 2017

The

Magazine

The

Magazine

THE VOICE OF THE WEST’S LBM DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS – SINCE 1922

1-17 Layout.qxp_D SigNov03-1-8,41-48 12/21/16 1:21 PM Page 1 SECRETS FOR BETTER BUYING • OSB FORECAST • DECKINGMerchant & RAILING TRENDS

Director of Sales Chuck Casey • chuck@building-products.com

MERCHANT

NOVEMBER 2016

MERCHANT

THE VOICE OF THE WEST’S LBM SUPPLY CHAIN — SINCE 1922

FALL DECKING SPECIAL ISSUE • TREATED WOOD SPEC TOOLS • LVL BEAMS JANUARY JA ANUA AN UAR ARY RY 2017

Trusted Brands, Trusted Performance

Magazine

2017: THE YEAR AHEAD • WESTERN WOOD PRODUCTS • IMPORT DUTY CONFLICT

Eassy on the eyes.

Easy to o install.

Advertising Sales

(714) 486-2735 Chuck Casey chuck@building-products.com

Koppers Performance Chemicals is a leader in the research and development of new products and services in all areas of lumber preservation. We provide innovative wood preservative products, advanced engineering services and customized marketing to our valued customers.

We are a premier supplier of wood preservatives, globally recognized for our successful development and diversification of wood preservative technologies.

Patrick Adams padams@building-products.com

Subscriptions

For more information visit www.kopperspc.com

info@building-products.com (714) 486-2735

NatureWood pressure treated wood products are treated with Alkaline Copper Quaternary Compounds or Copper Azole. CCA pressure treated wood products are treated with Chromated Copper Arsenate. NatureWood, Advance Guard, FirePro, and CCA treated wood products are produced by independently owned and operated wood treating facilities. NatureWood®, Advance Guard®, and FirePro® are registered trademarks of Koppers Performance Chemicals Inc. © 10/2016

g Outdoor Acc ents decorative hardware . Y Yo our customers can easily Introducing nd strength to their outdoor proje ects. The new Simpson Strong--T Tie Outdoor add style an Accents line e of structural connectors featu ures an innovative screw and washer set that combines the ease of installing a screw with the look of a bolt. And, with a black powderr--coa at finish, this hardware offers st yle that’s designed to last. ®

®

To T o lear n mo ore about Outdoor Accents decorative hardware, visit our web bsite strongtie .c com/outdooraccents or call (800 8 ) 999-5099.

©2017 Simpson Strong-Tie Company Inc. OA16-D

The LBM supply chain’s leading publication for qualified industry decision makers!

STAY IN THE LOOP! • Update your subscription • Sign up key colleagues • Enroll multiple locations

A publication of 526 Media Group, Inc.

151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. D200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Phone (714) 486-2735 Fax 714-486-2745 CHANGE OF ADDRESS Send address label from recent issue, new address, and 9-digit zip to address below.

POSTMASTER Send address changes to The Merchant Magazine, 151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. D200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

The Merchant Magazine (ISSN 7399723) (USPS 796-560) is published monthly at 151 Kalmus Dr., Ste. D200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 by 526 Media Group, Inc. Periodicals Postage paid at Newport Beach, CA, and additional post offices. It is an independently-owned publication for the retail, wholesale and distribution levels of the lumber and building products markets in 13 western states. Copyright®2018 by 526 Media Group, Inc. Cover and entire contents are fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission.

All Rights Reserved. We reserve the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it. Opinions expressed are those of the authors or persons quoted and not necessarily those of 526 Media Group, Inc. Articles are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial or business management advice.

Volume 97 • Number 3

4

n

The Merchant Magazine n

SUBSCRIBE by emailing info@Building-Products.com or calling (714) 486-2735

The

MERCHANT

Magazine

is available on a qualified requestor basis to senior management of dealers and distributors of lumber & building materials in the western U.S. and to others at the rate of $22 per year. Subscribe by emailing info@building-products.com or calling (714) 486-2735

March 2018

Building-Products.com

Building-Products.com

March 2018 n The Merchant Magazine n

5

CONTENTS

March 2018 Volume 97 n Number 3

Stay connected between issues with www.building-products.com

facebook bpdmerch

twitter @bpdmerch

10

instagram @bpdmerch

pinterest bpdmerch

16

26

Inside

Features

Departments

26 VIRTUAL REALITY TRAINING

10 FEATURE STORY

8 ACROSS THE BOARD 18 OLSEN ON SALES 20 THE REVENUE GROWTH HABIT 22 TRANSFORMING TEAMS 30 MOVERS & SHAKERS 42 SELLING WITH KAHLE 46 NEW PRODUCTS 55 ASSOCIATION UPDATE 56 IN MEMORIAM 56 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE 56 ADVERTISERS INDEX 57 DATE BOOK 58 FLASHBACK

FORKLIFT MANUFACTURER RAYMOND INTRODUCES A GROUND-BREAKING VIRTUAL REALITY SIMULATOR THAT PROVIDES ON-THE-SIMULATED-JOB LIFT TRUCK TRAINING

THE FUTURE OF REAL CEDAR IN AN EVOLVING BUILDING MATERIALS MARKET

12 INDUSTRY TRENDS

CALIFORNIA REDWOOD ASSOCIATION SETS A NEW COURSE

14 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT The

MERCHANT

MARCH 2018

Magazine

THE VOICE OF THE WEST’S LBM SUPPLY CHAIN — SINCE 1922

THE EVOLVING MARKET FOR WESTERN RED CEDAR • NICHES IN REDWOOD

REDWOOD TIMBERS & VINEYARDS: A MATCH MADE IN CALIFORNIA

16 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

COLORADO DEALER MAKES OUT BIG IN SMALL TOWN

28 NAWLA: THINKING AHEAD A FRESH APPROACH TO HIRING: PLANNING IS PARAMOUNT

Merchant 3-18 Layout.indd 1

2/22/2018 1:19:15 PM

The Merchant Magazine Digitial Edition at www.building-products.com

52 EVENT RECAP

HUMBOLDT HOO-HOO CRAB FEED

The Official Publication of

6

n

The Merchant Magazine n

Proud Supporters of

March 2018

Building-Products.com

Building-Products.com

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

75

ACROSS the Board

By Patrick Adams

I asked for it… e careful of what you ask for because you just might get it. I’ve heard that expression throughout my life and it never made sense to me.

I asked to win the lottery… nope. I thought being a professional golfer might be a good way to make a living… we know where that stands. I suppose that saying is for those impulsive, unthinking individuals but certainly not me! I think things through, plan everything out, and am always 10 steps ahead. In fact, I can’t even remember the last time anything really surprised me—which I consider to be a good thing!

As you may know by now, by some standards we got a late start on being blessed with our family. It’s an interesting and amazing experience being a parent to two small children. Watching them learn and grow through older, wiser (and more tired) eyes is something that I can imagine is much different than if you did it in your 20’s! I often joke that my 18-month-old son, if placed in a room full of monkeys, clowns and toys would immediately race to the nearest electric plug and try to stick his finger in it! If I had a tenth of this energy, I would be dangerous!

My amazing daughter at 7 was just awarded our city’s “Citizen of the Year” for her work with the local police department in helping those less fortunate… yes, 7… going on 47! There is not a minute that goes by that she is not asking a question about something akin to the meaning of life. In that same minute, she ponders whether her life’s ambition is to be a teacher (to be a role model to kids), to be an artist (because there is so much beauty to capture), or to be a Marine (because someone needs to protect us and she says they are the bravest).

It’s also probably no secret that I’m a bit compulsive about wanting to serve this industry as well as we possibly can. Whether it’s the constant improvement of our almost 100-year-old flagship magazine or launching new publications or websites, I want it to be the “best” at providing our industry with exactly what they need and value. We have been fortunate that while our industry continues to improve from those times in the recent recession, so has the embrace from our readership and clients! The shortage in labor has not just affected you and I could write several humorous to horrific stories about the challenges of trying to find competent candidates with values and work ethic. Like many of you, this shortage of help has turned a normal full time job into something akin to an hourly fire drill!

Did I mention that while we recently had our entire back yard being renovated that I decided it would be great if

B

the kids had a German shepherd puppy to grow up with?

In case you don’t have direct experience, these two things fit together in a VERY similar way as a bull and a china shop—in the end, the bull wins and there is no china shop (note to self: a very small puppy is capable of digging a LOT of big holes).

As a side note to this, every knock on the door has me worried that social services has showed up asking why my daughter looks like she was in a fight with an alligator (note to self: puppy teeth and claws are sharp)!

I wake up some days and think, “Oh boy, today is going to be crazy!” Other days, I get home and see the daily tally of destruction of my three little monsters and remember our “peaceful” home before them. These are only passing thoughts that I’m sure everyone has because I am quickly reminded that this is all that I’ve ever asked for in life—a family, a business, a team, an industry, a cause to serve.

No, it’s not always easy, but they say the best things in life never are.

I am careful about what I ask for, and I’m thankful when I receive it. My point is simply this: life is never easy. In bad times, we wish it was better. In good times like these, we wish we had more help or more free time. But, in all times I am reminded of the times when I was less fortunate, when I asked for what I now have and how now, I wouldn’t trade my worst day for anything else!

I hope this year brings you all that you have asked for and like me, that you’re thankful for it! I’m grateful for the responsibility of providing and serving and look forward to the challenging days ahead!

Patrick S. Adams Publisher/President padams@building-products.com

8

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

Building-Products.

Peace of Mind We Can Count on Orgill’s Products, Pricing & Service

“Since we converted to Orgill, we have access to all the hardlines products our customers need and we never have to worry about our in-stock position.”

Kevin Dussault l Big Creek Lumber, California l An Orgill customer since 2010

Market Expertise

Business Insights

“We’ve dealt with other distributors in the past, but after

“Orgill provides us with insights and guidance into which

working with Orgill, I can say their representation in the field is second to none.”

Keeping Us Competitive “Not only do we love the product selection with Orgill, but the prices keep us competitive with anyone in the market.”

hardlines product lines make the most sense for our customers.”

Access to Information “Orgill provides us with the information we need to make good

buying decisions. At the Buying Markets, Orgill provides us with a comprehensive purchase history report. This lets us spend more

time finding innovative products to bring back to our customers.”

For more information about how Orgill can help you grow your business, contact us today!

1-800-347-2860 ext. 5373 • information@orgill.com • www.orgill.com • Orgill, Inc. 4100 S. Houston Levee Road Collierville, TN 38017

FEATURE Story

By Western Red Cedar Lumber Association

The future of cedar in an evolving market ost would agree there are few industries with as many unpredictable variables as those found in the softwood lumber business. In fact, the last two years can be described as tumultuous, at the least. The year 2016 saw

M

OVER 1 BILLION bd. ft. of western red cedar—most of it grown in Canada—is consumed by the U.S. each year.

10

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

the end of the Softwood Lumber Agreement. With pricing uncertainty on the horizon and a strong U.S. economy and lumber prices, shipments to the U.S. soared.

However, as if to underline just how erratic the market can be, heavy snowfall at the start of 2017 followed by a severe fire season limited production and market supply.

Demand increased (housing starts were up), but new duties resulted in record prices which prompted some consumers to start looking at alternative products. As competitive composite materials continued to gain more traction, this posed an additional threat.

Furthermore, the role between distributor and retailer saw significant change, and will continue to do so. Given the unsettled nature of the market, what can 2018 and beyond look like for real cedar products?

In the search for insight, the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association worked with Home Innovation Research Labs (HIRL, formerly National Association of Home Builders) and MSC Marketing Solutions Consulting to quantify the U.S. residential WRC market and identify growth opportunities.

The HIRL research estimates that over 1.066 billion bd. ft. of western red cedar was consumed in the U.S. in 2016 in selected residential applications, in both new construction and the repair and remodeling sector, with the majority of this volume used in the latter.

Current indications are for continued economic and housing start growth, with a stable and sustainable supply of WRC to meet demand.

What’s driving usage? The HIRL study determined the R&R sector accounted for 88% of total volume (interior products and non-res construction were excluded from the study), and new construction consumed 12%, although as noted growing housing starts may increase this.

The areas of highest WRC usage were the Pacific Northwest, including Northern and Southern California and Hawaii; West South Central (Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana); East North Central; and the South Atlantic. The West South Central and East North Central areas saw the highest growth rate, while the Pacific remains the area with the largest consumption.

Building-Products.com

Siding is identified as an important WRC application, as is decking, outdoor structures and living areas, and fencing. The study noted that application usage varies by region, which is very useful information from both a distribution and marketing view.

For the consumer perspective, the WRCLA engaged consumer researcher Strategic Growth Insights to determine and track WRC awareness and attitudes among homeowners, builders and architects, particularly in comparison to those of competitive composite products. Baseline data was first collected in 2014, comparative data in 2017, and additional research was done in January and February of this year and will be available shortly.

The SGI study found that western red cedar scored highly and outperformed composites on emotional drivers such beauty of the product, natural appearance, pride in my home, and, character, as well as more pragmatic values like, adds value to my home. Composites have a perceived advantage over WRC in ease of maintenance and cost. Awareness has increased overall since the 2014 baseline in regions where real cedar is actively conducting promotions, and competitors have gained ground in regions where no promotional activity was done.

REPAIR and remodeling is driving the majority of western red cedar demand, according to a new WRCLA study.

The two studies revealed detailed data on which benefits and aspects of WRC are most compelling to consumers. The data is segmented by area, usage by region, usage by application and price sensitivity (a model was created from the data to predict the point at which an increase in WRC cost

would trigger a loss in market share).

The data allows the WRCLA to tailor more targeted and effective messaging for both a consumer and professional audience, and deliver it more accurately. It also sheds light on what opportunities exist or can be created by geographic region and application, and the association can engage their manufacturer and distribution network to capitalize on those opportunities.

While there are numerous factors that will effect change in the softwood market, the rise in cost to the consumer due to new duties is arguably the most significant. Through continued consumer and market research, the WRCLA is able to continue to build awareness for WRC and position it as a premium product. The data also allows a market approach that focuses on key strategic segments and higher volume consumption regions to mitigate threats and maintain market share during this disruptive period.

With a consistent and sustainable supply, and the HIRL Consumer Practices Survey showing a positive trend in market share for WRC products, cedar appears to be adapting to an evolving market fairly well.

- Established in 1954, the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association is the voice of the cedar industry and has members in over 131 locations throughout North America. Find more info at www.wrcla.org.

WRC IS FAVORED for a wide range of exterior applications, with usage varying by region. (Photo

by Ema Peter Photography, courtesy of Sarah Gallop Design) Building-Products.com

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

11

INDUSTRY Trends

By Brian J. Mandrier, California Redwood Association

California Redwood Association sets a new course

he California Redwood Association is one of the oldinclude those manufacturers in addition to remanufacturers, est trade associations in the United States. For over 100 wholesalers, retailers, forest landowners, and any associated years it has provided lumber suppliers, landscape archior affiliated business seeking value in a consolidated redtects, contractors and homeowners with information on wood industry. the grades, uses and application of redwood lumber. They Members will receive their logo, company description, specialize in design ideas, and contact information project plans and technion the CRA Redwood cal specifications.

Locator. Members of the Last year, CRA began CRA will now have their an exciting transition to own dedicated website set the course for the next along with the consumseveral years. It appointer-focused website. ed Hauck & Associates, The main focus of the Inc. to provide full assoCRA will be to continue to ciation management serprovide the redwood comvices to the organization. munity a place to come Brian Mandrier, senior together to share ideas and vice president of Hauck promote redwood. & Associates, will serve The CRA will continas CRA’s executive direcue to promote the many tor. The new headquarters advantages of using redis located in Healdsburg, wood. Its long-lasting Ca., which is right in the beauty, dimensional stamiddle of Northern Cali- A REVIVED California Redwood Association is for the first time in its 100-year-old bility, and natural durahistory opening its membership up to all industry segments involved with redwood bility (naturally resistant fornia redwood territory. products. (Photo by CRA) “Hauck brings plenty to decay and insects) conof quality experience in tinue to make it a favorite the association management field and will be able to guide material for builders, in addition to its light weight but strong the California Redwood Association for many years to in nature, ease in nailing, sawing and drilling. Redwood is come,” said CRA past president Charlie Jourdain. also one of the best softwoods for holding stains, paints and CRA has just announced new memberships are available other coatings. Also, it can be restored repeatedly with minifor 2018 with new membership categories, revamped bymal cost and effort along with significant environmental adlaws, and a new board of directors slated to begin work in vantages over composite decking. California redwood also second quarter 2018. meets strict fire codes.

Throughout its history, membership in the CRA was limFor more information or to become a member of CRA, ited to a small number of large manufacturers. Today the asvisit www.calredwoodassociation.org. sociation is seeking to significantly broaden membership to

T

12

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

Building-Products.com

Building-Products.com

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

13

PRODUCT Spotlight

By Tim Burr, Humboldt Redwood Co.

Redwood timbers and vineyards: A match made in California

edwood and vineyards. They’re no doubt California cultural icons. As vineyards along the West Coast prepare for a future that blends agriculture with retail experiences, the choice of building materials matter. Whether achieving green certification or reinforcing the natural roots of the products enjoyed by customers, redwood and vineyards have more in common than you might think.

After all, the naturally occurring tannins in redwood give redwood its unique color and durability; while the tannins in grape skins give wines their unique flavor, color, aroma and other qualities. And as customers want to know more about the origins of the products they purchase, the sustainability of the product only adds to the brand’s reputation.

It only follows that redwood is a natural choice for vineyards and wineries improving their public facilities.

R

Redwood is naturally strong and durable, shrinks and swells less than other woods, and is less likely to warp or split. This natural strength, combined with its environmental benefits, makes redwood an ideal choice for any number of landscaping designs like pergolas and arbors.

Take, for instance, the Jeriko Estate Resort and Winery in Hopland, Ca. Situated just north of wine country neighbors Napa and Sonoma, Jeriko is a winery, working organic farm, and overnight resort. The owners wanted to highlight the beauty of the natural surroundings on the property and honor their Tuscan design roots. To achieve that, two redwood timber pergolas were installed on the winery grounds. While visually beautiful, the natural redwood timbers also supported the Jeriko commitment to sustainability and responsible consumption; the working farm is certified organic and biodynamic.

TUMWATER Reserve Vineyard, West Linn, Or., used redwood timbers to define an outdoor patio space for the vineyard’s Barrel House. It is used for public and private events, and also serves as a gateway to a neighboring residential development.

(Photos courtesy Humboldt Redwood Co.)

14

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

Building-Products.com

A little bit of California traveled to West Linn, Or., where Tumwater Reserve Vineyard also used redwood timbers to define an outdoor patio space for the vineyard’s Barrel House. It was the perfect complement to the main building’s timeless post and beam construction. It is used for public and private events, and also serves as a gateway to a neighboring residential development.

As the vineyard is enrolled in the Low Impact Viticulture and Enology (LIVE) program, building sustainability into every aspect of the business was critical. Humboldt Redwood timbers are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC C005200) certified. Through FSC guidelines and modern forest management practices, more redwood trees are grown each year than are harvested.

While there are many fine qualities to elevate redwood as a product when designing and building a new structure, its durability and biodegradability are important factors for the life of the project. With minimal maintenance, redwood timbers last for decades and will withstand the elements of time and weather while continuing to look great. Less time spent on maintenance means vineyard staff can spend more time focusing on farm and winery operations, and attending to their guests’ overall experience. At the end of its useful life, redwood is biodegradable, returning to the earth to help grow more trees.

The durability and versatility of redwood timbers is not limited to just vineyards, though. There’s a good chance that some of your customers are planning projects that would also benefit from the natural qualities that make redwood truly one of a kind.

- Tim Burr is a well-known redwood expert with 30 years of experience in the industry. Tim also appreciates an old vine Zinfandel.

Building-Products.com

LOCATED just north of the Napa and Sonoma wine countries, the Jeriko Estate Resort & Winery, Hopland, Ca., is a winery, working organic farm, and overnight resort. The owners wanted to highlight the beauty of the property’s natural surroundings and honor their Tuscan design roots. To achieve that, two redwood timber pergolas were installed on the grounds.

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

15

COMPETITIVE Intelligence

By Carla Waldemar

Small town, big success ver heard of Kremmling, Colorado? Me neither.

I had to haul out a magnifying glass to search my battered Rand McNally for the location of this tiny (pop.

1,500) town, midway between Steamboat Springs and Vail.

But those two ski meccas are part of the success story of Northwest Ranch Supply, at home here in Kremmling.

“We’re in the central mountains of Colorado, an hour from 10 major ski resorts,” explains Tim Menhennett, who launched the outfit 25 years ago, “and skiing is the number-one industry in Colorado.”

E

He’s from here, but he’s not lumber-born. Tim formerly owned a fencing company in town, which operated from his great-grandfather’s livery barn of 1902, doing nicely until he received a telephone call out of the blue—after which, Tim did even better. The local historical society, said the phone voice, was looking to acquire the historical building to add to its Heritage Park Museum. “Of course, you wouldn’t be interested in selling, would you?”

Short answer: Sure! Well, that’s not exactly true. Tim actually donated the property to the cause. “And that pro-

COLORADO’S Northwest Ranch Supply was a long-vacant lumberyard, first purchased by Tim Menhennett (far right, with wife Tami and son Rory) for his fencing business, but eventually morphed back into a full-service building material supplier.

16

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

Building-Products.com

pelled me to purchase a lumberyard that had been closed down since the late ’80s. I reopened it and ran the fencing company from it for a couple of years,” during which “things evolved.” The operation grew to encompass lumber and hardware, “so in 1994, I sold the fencing operation in order to build up inventory. Since then, it’s continued to evolve into a very strong farm and ranch business. In fact, we recently remodeled the entire store.” More on that later.

Northwest’s business with builders—it’s 70% pro, 30% retail—is what Tim calls “residential.” I’d call it “palatial”: retirement and second homes for Denver residents who yearn for ski retreats. “Very high-end. Large private estates,” Tim qualifies his niche. (“We have a jet-accessible airport, named after my great-grandfather, because he’d owned the property.”) Yes, Northwest still sells a lot of traditional fencing—wire to treated wood—and animal feed (he’s a Purina dealer), but also entire building projects like the one for Grand River Ranch, whose owners, for their own enjoyment, wanted to construct a complete, old-time Western town on their mega-acres—saloon, hotel, jail and all. “We got the entire project,” Tim reports. “We deal with that scope. It’s really terrific.”

There’s robust competition, of course, including a big box 35 miles down the highway and a respected indie here in town. So how, then, does Northwest capture those big-time clients? The answer, as you’re heard many times before, is all about relationships: “You develop them over a period of time, through good delivery service and prices that are competitive (though we’ll never aim to be the fish on the bottom). Those are the primary considerations, and the pros respect that. We’ll never drive a builder crazy with five guys sitting idle on a site, waiting for material.

“We have salesmen with product knowledge who offer personalized service, do take-offs, build relationships” populating Northwest’s staff of 15, which includes Tim’s wife, Tami, and son Rory, 27, who’s being groomed to take over the business some time in the future. As a little kid put to work by Dad, young Rory once submitted an invoice titled “Jobs” that listed seven billable functions, from “cleaning back office” and “organizing your desk” to “counting money and going back home.” Laughs Tim: “Like those Am Ex ads, it’s priceless!” And framed above his desk.

“My wife and son and I are here together every day, spending time with our staff” (Northwest is open seven days a week, by the way), “setting an example of service, building a sustainable business.”

Now let’s pause for a minute and talk about the recent recession. It wasn’t the first and won’t be the last, so there are always lessons to be learned. “After the recession, we’re doing things differently,” Tim reports. “Sales dropped off quite a bit. And ever since, the high-end has cooled off somewhat; the trend is away from those huge homes, toward energy-efficient homes.

“During the downturn, we made a decision: NOT to cut expenses. Instead, we went all-out. We opened up seven days a week. We took on a new line of snow blowers and outdoor equipment. We hired a guy to handle all types of service calls, a new niche we developed. And, lo and behold, it worked! No layoffs! Our volume is better than ever, and we’re experiencing double-digit sales increases.

“We’re doing lots of remodeling, additions and decks as well as new-home construction. We developed a nice postframe business for the farming community after the recession; we developed a reputation for that, another niche.

And we also recommend contractors for peoples’ projects.

Building-Products.com

SMALL TOWN dealer confronted the recession head on by expanding instead of cutting back.

That, too, builds our pros’ loyalty.

“We added a Design Center after the recession as well.

We’d had a building on site which we’d rented to an architect, who now needed to pare his expenses. The Center had been in our plans all along, so now we had the space. We use it as a showroom for windows and doors, kitchens and bath, carpet, tile, etc, and it’s doing really well.” (Having a separate showroom building is a bonus, Tim notes, for those moments when a husband and wife get a little, um, vocal when discussing different points of view about kitchen cabinets.)

So, what spiked that sales increase? Factor in all of the above and the thinking behind those savvy moves. Then add the sad fact that the town’s six former lumberyards have dwindled to just two left standing. And, as Tim opines, “the other one is a good competitor, but they’re overwhelmed with business and can’t serve the smaller contractors as well.”

Then, there’s the recent storewide remodel. “With dwindling competition, we certainly didn’t have to. But it showed that we continue to step up and provide for the community. We added new fixtures, new LED lighting, Valspar paint, and new SKUS, and deepened those in tools and hardware. It’s now attracting more women shoppers.”

Some new customers are drawn by social media, others by print ads. But (as usual) it’s word of mouth that’s proven most effective, “especially with contractors,” Tim attests.

“They talk to each other.”

Northwest believes in giving back, too. Since 1990 the company has sponsored a charity golf tournament that raises scholarship funds to send high-school grads on to college.

Never a dull moment? That’s exactly what keeps Tim pumped.

“I love the challenge of growing the company. I just enjoy coming in each day and dealing with challenges, making things better. I love to help it grow and leave it in a better place.”

Maybe he’ll have to invoice Rory for that some day down the line.

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

17

OLSEN on Sales

By James Olsen

Stopping a slump art of what makes sales exciting is that we don’t know how it’s going to go. Sales is a results job. It doesn’t (exactly) matter how hard we work; we have to get our customers to say yes. Like the comedian, hard work is important, but we still have to get them to laugh/buy.

What do we do when we have gone a couple days—or weeks—without an order? How do we break a slump?

P

Self-Talk

What are we saying to ourselves? “Oh, here we go again….” Or “Okay, I’m probably going to be high on this one… again… but here goes.” Or “This guy. He ALWAYS says no….”

Any negative thoughts must be purged from our mind.

We must fill our minds with positive images before we enter the call: “She’s going to LOVE this deal.”

“This is a GREAT deal. Of course he’s going to buy it.”

“He’s probably going to want three.”

A lot of sellers psyche themselves out; we need to PSYCHE OURSELVES UP. Positive self-talk works.

Don’t Commiserate

When we get on a negative roll it’s natural to seek comfort. Don’t. “Everyone is slow right now.” “Even our best guys aren’t selling; of course I’m slow.” Or “This market is terrible.”

We do not allow ourselves to wallow in the self-pity of no sales. We do not participate in down markets. We are hard on ourselves when things are tough. If not us, who?

Check Our Tone

A defeated tone is felt whether in person or on the phone. Many sellers enter conversations with a “please kick me” tone and wonder why customers oblige. They can’t help it. Customers will treat us how we act. Lose the defeatist attitude. Act like you’re killing it. It’s important for our own fragile psyche and our customer’s. If we enter a sales call with a defeated attitude, then we ARE defeated before we start! We must act like we just sold 20 on the last call and we KNOW we’re going to sell 20 on the next.

Go Big

Proposing volume to customers is a great slump-stopper.

The fallback from 1 is 0; the fallback from 10 is 9-8-7….

Exercise

I am far from a health-nut, but have found that a vigorous program of exercise makes us feel more energized, which helps us make more (and better) calls and is also

18

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

felt by our customers. When we exercise, we feel like winners—people want to associate with winners.

No Chairs

I knew a sales manager who took away all the salespeople’s chairs. When you got a sale, you got your chair back. Do you think the sales calls of the last few salespeople standing were intense enough? Are YOUR sales calls intense enough?

Call in a Favor

This is not my favorite technique, but it works. We do not over-use favors; then they stop being favors. But in dire circumstances we need to pull a favor from good customers. “What if none of my customers owe me a favor?”

Us: “Susan, I know you don’t owe me any favors, but if you do me a solid on this one I will owe you TWO favors.”

I don’t like asking for favors, but I like being in a slump even less, so every once in a while ask for a favor.

An Hour Early

When we are in a serious slump, we need to change things up. Come into work an hour earlier than normal. We can get a lot of work done before the office starts to buzz.

Coming in early helps us make MORE calls and gives us a feeling of, “Gosh darn it, I deserve the business.”

Closing on the Opening

Most sellers are not getting to yes/no conversations often enough. The Opening-Close puts us in yes/no from the beginning: Us: “John, if I had a 2x4 way below market would you be in the market?”

“Claire, get your P.O. book out.

I’ve got three trucks that you are going to love.”

“Good morning, Charlie, and what’s your order number? I’ve got 2x10s you are going to love.”

Many sellers think this kind of approach is too bold. These same sellers are in lifetime slumps.

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

THE REVENUE Growth Habit

By Alex Goldfayn

Olympic perseverance in sales mong the many amazing achievements we got to watch in the recently concluded Winter Olympics, two stand out in my mind for the deep lessons they can teach us as salespeople.

The American Chris Mazdzer won a stunning silver medal in luge. And yet, here is what he posted on social media just three weeks earlier: “What kills me and has been driving me wild for over a year now is the fact that no matter what I do, my top speed and ability to be with the top guys in the world has disappeared, and I don’t know why… There comes a point where giving it everything you have and believing in yourself starts to fade away and I am almost to that point.”

Three weeks after openly musing about quitting, he wins the first American medal.

This is often how it goes in sales, too. You can do everything right, and not get the sale. Repeatedly. You can make the calls, set the appointment, have a great meeting, write an excellent quote or proposal, follow up repeatedly, overcome objections correctly, and still get rejected. Over and over. And this can happen for months and even years.

You might feel like the sales will never come. You might say, “I’m doing everything right, and they’re not buying,” and you’d be right. You might feel like giving up.

Do not. Keep going. Keep doing the right things. Even if they are not generating the results you are looking for, keep doing the right things. It won’t be easy, but don’t stop.

We must continue doing the things that are in our control. Communicating with customers and prospects, that is in our control. Making the calls. Making the visits.

Following up. Telling our customers how else we can help them. We control the mechanics and energy of our work.

That’s up to us.

Conversely, whether the customer buys is not up to us.

There are all manner of variables out of our control—timing, the customer’s need, the customer’s mood, the customer’s budget, the customer’s interactions with his family that day, whether the customer is dealing with a fire when we call, and dozens of other possibilities.

But what we do is totally within our control. Our approach. Our repeated efforts. Our communications. Our perseverance. Keep doing the right things. Keep trying to help your customers as much as you can, as best you know how. That’s the work. Keep going.

A couple of days after Mazdzer medaled in luge, the ageless Shaun White won the gold in the snowboard halfpipe by ripping off the highest-scoring run in his third and

A

20

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

final effort. He had fallen on his previous run.

White is famous, and quite rich, and nearly twice the age of many of his competitors. “He’s an industry by himself,” was how the NBC announcer described him. He already had two gold medals. But he had failed to medal in the previous Olympics, and decided that’s not acceptable.

He doesn’t need to do this. He’s incredibly successful and comfortable without this, and yet, there he was, breaking down in tears while celebrating his win.

That’s because about four months earlier, he wiped out so hard and was injured so badly during a pre-Olympics competition that he had to be airlifted out. He fell directly onto his face, tearing up his money-maker.

After treatment, he left the hospital and went back to work. He landed a perfect 100 point score in the Olympics qualifier. And on the very last run of the competition, he won the Olympic gold medal.

Even after big failures, keep going. Even after long-term failure, try again. If it didn’t work the previous 18 attempts, who cares about the 19th? It’s no worse. In fact, it’s pretty much exactly the same number of failures as 18. But you never know if that next effort will be the one that makes everything happen.

Even when you feel like you have nothing else left to give, like the silver medalist Mazdzer, don’t you quit. Stay in the game.

Keep doing the right things. Keep trying to help people. And one day soon, maybe today, you may find yourself enjoying the biggest, most important sale of your life. A sales success of Olympic proportions.

Alex Goldfayn Revenue Growth Consultancy alex@evangelistmktg.com (847) 459-6322 Building-Products.com

from Western Wood Preserving Co.

Benefits of NatureDeck • 25 year limited warranty • Appearance grade decking • Pre-stained for a natural finish

• Wood is a renewable resource • National Green Building Standard (NGBS) Green Certified Product*

Western Wood Preserving also supplies NatureWood® Advance Guard® , FirePro® , and CCA treated wood products.

westernwoodpreserving.com • 253-863-8191 • 800-472-7714 *NatureDeck, NatureWood and Advance Guard are NGBS Green Certified Products.

NatureWood pressure treated wood products are treated with Alkaline Copper Quaternary Compounds or Copper Azole. CCA pressure treated wood products are treated with Chromated Copper Arsenate. NatureWood, Advance Guard, FirePro, and CCA treated wood products are produced by independently owned and operated wood treating facilities. NatureWood®, Advance Guard®, and FirePro® are registered trademarks of Koppers Performance Chemicals Inc. © 2/2018

Building-Products.com

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

21

TRANSFORMING Teams

By Claudia St. John

Sales vs. customer service:

Natural conflicts in the workplace A client called recently with a major worry. “We have a big problem with our customer service representatives (CSRs) not getting along with our salespeople. Our CSRs are not being supportive of the new sales associates that we just hired,” she shared. “If our company is to survive, we need these new sales associates to be motivated and productive and I’m worried they may quit. Can you do anything to help?”

Ah yes, the old customer service vs. sales professional smackdown—a frequent source of headaches for many business owners. So why does it happen and how can it be resolved?

The simple answer to why these breakdowns occur relates to behavioral style. Behavioral styles are the natural ways that individuals process information, make deci-

Q. We are rolling out a new performance management program. Is there one that you prefer?

A. While I don’t have a specific program to recommend, I will confess that I remain underwhelmed with the vast majority of them. The annual process of setting goals and then reviewing goal accomplishments 12 months later is fraught with challenges. Annual conversations are hardly sufficient to truly manage performance. Oftentimes the goals change throughout the year but usually the performance goals don’t, meaning that employees are evaluated based on out-of-date criteria. And there is always the problem with recency errors—we forget about the accomplishments or failures early in the 12-month period and put added weight on the performance in the months and weeks leading up to the annual review.

Instead, I prefer quarterly goals that require ongoing feedback and communication. And if you want to tie performance to some sort of incentive pay, be sure: • The criteria upon which the incentive pay is based is transparent and understood by employee.

• The employee legitimately has the ability to affect results.

• The incentives are aligned to employee’s unique motivators.

• The program is easy to administer.

• The financial incentive is meaningful.

22

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

sions, solve problems, and relate to one another. We all have behavioral preferences and there is no such thing as a “right” or “wrong” style. That said, certain styles do have competing preferences and, unfortunately for my client and others like her, clashes in behavioral style—particularly between sales and customer service professionals—are both common and can be detrimental.

One tool for assessing personal behavioral preferences is the DISC assessment. It is the brainchild of William Moulton Marston, who also created the lie detector and the Wonder Woman comic book character. Fascinated with the way our personalities affect workplace performance, in 1923 he developed an inventory of personal behaviors and classified these behaviors into four basic categories: Dominant (problem solvers), Influencer (people oriented), Supporter (team players), and Controller (process oriented)—hence the acronym DISC. According to Target Training International, Inc. (a company that developed a commonly-used DISC assessment), three quarters of successful sales professionals are either highly Dominant, Influencers or some combination of the two. These behavioral preferences make them wonderful at what they do—they are friendly, establish relationships easily, and are confident, enthusiastic, articulate and strategic.

They are also competitive, extroverted, have a high sense of urgency, and are able to handle adversity with optimism.

This makes them natural-born sellers. They also are not detail oriented and require frequent change and personal Building-Products.com

interactions to be happy.

Meanwhile, most CSRs are natural Supporters and Controllers, opposites from Dominant and Influencer types.

CSRs are organized, structured and methodical. They are logical thinkers, detail oriented, good listeners by nature, and are very private. They don’t like change, are introverted, have a low sense of urgency, and need time to process information and make decisions. They are the ones that get things done.

And this is where the conflict arises. While the sales professional has a high sense of urgency and is willing to take risks, the customer service representative is committed to processing all that is on his or her plate in an orderly fashion. The CSR is naturally risk averse and is made uncomfortable by the fast-acting, fast-talking sales professional.

Despite these differences, the two rely upon each other.

Without the vitality, confidence and energy of the sales professional, there are no orders and revenue. And without the CSR’s eye to detail and commitment to process, sales professionals would be forced to execute their own orders— something they are behaviorally ill-equipped to do.

Fortunately, there are some things business owners can do to help bridge these differences and ensure their teams function well:

1. Understand style – Most conflicts that exist between salespeople and CSRs relate to behavioral preference, not personal animosity. The CSR’s lack of urgency isn’t because he or she doesn’t care, nor is the sales professional’s “dump and run” an act of disrespect—instead each is simply hard-wired to be this way. By understanding these traits about each other, your team can begin to appreciate both the differences and strengths that each behavioral type brings to the company.

2. Appreciate differences – I have yet to meet a CSR that would be happy prospecting for new clients. Likewise, few sales professionals would be fulfilled by the detail work required of the CSR position. Try to change the dialogue from conflict to appreciation. When sales and CSR teams have the opportunity to express their appreciation of each other, it leads to deeper recognition and improved morale.

3. Learn to flex – Encourage your teams to flex to accommodate the style of each other. How can your CSR accommodate the sales professional’s difficulty with details? How can salespeople accommodate your CSR’s seemingly low sense of urgency? They can’t change each other (despite their greatest efforts), so they should learn to accommodate each other.

4. Repeat steps 1-3 – Don’t make conversations about style a one-time occurrence. Use them every time important conversations occur—either in conflict or in celebration.

Understanding style is a powerful management tool. With a better appreciation of behavioral strengths, weaknesses and differences, your sales and customer service teams will transform. I guarantee it.

Claudia St. John Affinity HR Group claudia@affinityhrgroup.com Building-Products.com

At Royal Pacific you’ll pay no more, but get extra. We guarantee it.

Hi-bor® brand treated wood is a borate treated wood product designed for interior house framing in Hawaii. Hi-bor treated wood resists attack

by Formosan and subterranean termites and numerous household insects and pests, as well as fungal decay. Hi-bor borate treated wood is also backed by a 20 year limited warranty*.

FirePro® brand fire retardant treated wood is treated with a patented formulation that contains no phosphates and has been shown to exhibit exceptional fire performance properties without compromising other critical engineering properties such as strength, durability, corrosivity, and hygroscopicity. FirePro treated wood is also backed by a 50 year limited warranty*.

Advance Guard® borate pressure treated lumber is recommended for sill plate, furring strips, joists, studs, roof trusses, blocking, rafters, beams, and other framing applications. Advance Guard is also recommended for fascia, trim, wall sheathing, roof sheathing, and sub-floors. Advance Guard borate pressure treated lumber is also backed by a lifetime limited warranty*.

Providing Customer Satisfaction in All We Do

P.O. Box 75 • McMinnville, OR 97128 503-434-5450 • FAX: 888-TSO-WOOD (888-876-9663) 28770 Dike Road • Rainier OR 97048 503-556-1297 • Fax: 503-556-1709 * See product warranty for details. Hi-bor®, FirePro® and Advance Guard® treated wood products are produced by independently owned and operated wood treating facilities. Hi-bor®, FirePro® and Advance Guard® are registered trademarks of Koppers, Inc. ©10/2014

March 2018 Royal Pacific Merchant ad 9_14.indd 1

n

The Merchant Magazine n

23

10/27/14 4:14:53 PM

in place deliver on our synergy cally reject such an offer. As a result, the buyerstoface supplies of small-knot, dense, Douglas fir veneers). The Big Plans for Montana Ace commitments and provide a seamless ‘adverse only sellers who will accept $750 “market for lemons” is likely having a major effect on the Great selection’—the Falls Ace Hardware, Great transition for our customers other today. are those unloading lemons. size of and this market Falls, Mt., will build a larger replacestakeholders.”

“Smart buyers foresee this problem.

Knowing they ment store adjacent to its current facilBMC isfor negotiating to sell its Together, company the Market could be buying a lemon, move-in. they offer only $500.

Sellers the of combined Overcoming Lemons ity, targeting a September vacant Stock Building Supply has would a highly productiveHow and can diverse the The lemons up with samelargprice they have individual panel producers overcome this new end building will the be 20% facility in Camarillo, Ca., to botan of nearlymarket” 2 mil- problem, their industry’s “race to the received were there no ambiguity. peaches all portfolio stay “lemons er and feature an improved layout.But It the timberland unnamed buyer. lion acres, with approximately 1.1 milin theallow garage. tom,” and depressed industry sales levels? They can offer will the“Information business to asymmetry” expand on kills the market for lion acres in the U.S.company-specific South, 600,000 product performance guarantees. good cars.” existing and new product lines, up the Supply , Wenatchee, Wa., is wooddepartment, panel buyersand rely upon qualified acres in inspecIdaho, and 150,000 acres in Another approach is toAgmore aggressively brand prodsizeStructural of its service add opening its 6th Ace Hardware store tion testing like the APA to routinely testItand Minnesota. also operates wood ucts. eight In either case, the mill’s products need to be clearly six toand eight new agencies employees. next competitors’; month in Mosesas Lake, certify the quality of the products they buy.products This creates an differentiated from their we Wa. discovered manufacturing facilities, incentive for individual panel producers to “push” the stanearlier, industry-wide, third-party quality certification is including six lumber mills, one MDF Potlatch, Deltic Timber Ply Like GemcarHoldings , Cary,buyers N.C., dard.

A passage from Ackerloff’s famous paper: important not sufficient. buyers, panel plant, and one industrial plywoodbut mill, Finalize Merger will merge withwhen Atrium & “There many markets which buyers use asome paying peach prices theyWindows may actually providing combinedwon’t lumberchance capacity PotlatchareCorp., Spokane,in Wa., , Dallas, Tx., after both compaDoors market statistic to judge the quality of prospective purchasbe buying a “dressed up” lemon. of 1.2 billion bd. ft. annually. has completed its merger with Deltic acquiredproduct by private investes.

In this case El there is an incentive For some structural nies panelwere producers, differentiaTimber Corp., Dorado, Ar., in anfor sellers to market ment firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. poor quality merchandise, since the returns Pope for goodCloses quality 2 Timber tion requires Deals a major change in company culture. For all-stock transaction. accrue to the entire group whose is affected very difficult to produce innovative, differenPope Resources, instance, Poulsbo,it is Wa., Themainly combined company has statistic forifHumanity moved rather thanits to name the individual seller. As a result there tends tiated products for the endHabitat use market the company doescompleted thetoacquisition of 36,900 changed to PotlatchDeltic its Hilo, Hi., ReStore to a new facility. be a reduction in the average quality of goods and also the n’t also adapt a different supplier-buyer mindset.

Supplieracres of timberland, through two purCorp. and its shares will trade on the size of the market.” partners aretotaloften critical to the structural wood panel prochases by its ORM Timber Fund Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker When the industry is young, industry production ing $113.9 techmillion. ducer’s differentiation. Huttig Building Products , PCH. St. Louis, Mo.,towas recognized the nologies vary little the andbeginning raw materials homo-include 20,000 As industry comes focus more andbymore The deals acrescompetition “Today marks of aare relatively Construction Marketing Association geneous OSB), this isn’t a major problem.

Butinit is a upon only one located southwest Oregon and of the “4P’s of marketing”—price— stronger(e.g., PotlatchDeltic, positioned STAR Awards as the 2017 serious problem the inspection agencies “lemons” tend to proliferate and industry salesMidwest volume 16,900 acres in western Washington. for growth,” saidwhen chairman and CEOand testing Construction Marketer of the Year. find it difficult or impossible to keep up with a very rapidly tends to decline.

Pope Resources and its subsidiaries Mike Covey. “We are thrilled to be changing industry.

An example overlaid now own or manage a total of 245,000 celebrating this milestone and would eager be today’s – Roy Nott is president ofAnniversaries: Surfactor Americas LLC, & Aberdeen, Oman Son Douglas fir plywood industry.

There are rapid changes acres of timberland and development to begin integrating our business and Wa., a German-owned producer of overlays, glue films, and press , Long Beach, Builders Supply underway on both the demand side (e.g., much higher alkaproperty in Washington, Oregon capturing significant merger benecleaning films and for the global wood panel industry, with manufacWa., 75th. linity concrete mixeshave are now “pulping” conCalifornia. turing operations in Finland, Germany and Malaysia. Reach him fits. Our businesses solidessentially plans form panels) and on the supply side (e.g., much reduced at roy.nott@surfactor.com.

SUPPLIER Briefs

The beauty of the forest is yours to sell Fencing • Decking • Timbers • Dimension • Siding

Big Creek Lumber’s sawmill, in Davenport, CA, produces a wide variety of redwood lumber products to independent wholesalers, stocking distributors, and remanufacturing facilities.

Big Creek is well known for producing high quality redwood products and providing an outstanding level of personalized service.

Proven History

Flexibility

70 years of milling superior redwood products

Full, mixed or partial truckloads

Selection

Peace of Mind

Wide range of grades, dimensions, timbers, fencing, patterns

Quality, consistency & personal service

3564 Hwy. 1, Davenport, CA 95017 • jimb@big-creek.com • Call

Building-Products.com 24 n The Merchant Magazine

n

March 2018

(831) 457-5039

September 2017

The Merchant Magazine 15 Building-Products.com

NEW

!

Build Profits with Aluminum Railing + CableRail

Feeney’s new DesignRail® Aluminum Railing Kits with CableRail infill make it easier than ever for your customers to create professional quality railings outdoors or in. The pre-packaged, component-based kit system not only simplifies railing design and installation but also makes in-store stocking a breeze, offering dealers an incredible opportunity to expand sales.

• Highest quality products made from 6000-series aluminum with a durable AAMA-2604 powdercoated finish

+

• Pre-packaged kits for posts, rails, and accessories • Low initial investment and strong margins

+

• Free merchandising displays and materials • Advertising & promotional support • Partnering with the leading CableRail company

POST KITS

LEVEL & STAIR RAIL KITS

CABLERAIL KITS

For more information call 1-800-888-2418 or visit www.feeneyinc.com/merch-bpd Building-Products.com

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

27

FORKLIFT manufacturer Raymond’s new Virtual Reality Simulator helps train both novice and experienced lift truck operators, using an existing vehicle.

Virtual Reality Simulator Trains Forklift Drivers The Raymond Corp. has launched a Virtual Reality Simulator to serve as a supplemental tool to assist in the development of new and existing forklift operators.

The simulator allows the user to enter a simulated warehousing environment utilizing an existing Raymond forklift truck by plugging into the company’s patent-pending Simulation Port. After the vehicle is no longer needed for instruction, the sPort can be disconnected and the forklift can be placed back into operation in the warehouse. Leveraging existing assets eliminates the need to purchase or store purpose-built training trucks.

The tool allows operators to become familiar and comfortable with the forklift and its controls prior to operating within the physical ware-

housing environment, thus building confidence and avoiding potential incidents.

The simulator is preloaded with forklift lesson modules for reach, orderpicker, and stand-up counterbalanced lift trucks. Each truck model will include a series of guided lessons that increase in complexity and build upon principles learned in earlier lessons, providing the user with a consistent experience all while reinforcing desired behaviors.

An instructor’s panel allows the instructor to see exactly what the operator sees through three vantage points for optimal instructor visibility. This allows the instructor to provide realtime feedback to the operator. The simulator will collect and generate an operator report, providing documentation of the operators’ progress and to

communicate to the instructor which areas need to be focused on and reinforced.

“Raymond consistently strives to enable customers to be as productive and efficient as possible. By providing an enhanced simulator experience that allows the user to operate within a fully immersive virtual experience, the operator can have an extra layer of confidence before entering the actual warehouse floor,” said Dave Norton, vice president of corporate quality and customer care at Raymond.

“With the Raymond Virtual Reality Simulator, our goal is to educate operators in a stable environment and provide a baseline to evaluate them in the future.”

Additional customer benefits of the Raymond Virtual Reality Simulator include: • The ability to pre-screen incoming forklift operator applicants.

• Supplementary instruction between the classroom and handson forklift truck operation, as well as refresher instruction.

• The capability to provide experiential learning in alternative scenarios.

CLT Producer Expanding

Months after announcing it would build a second CLT manufacturing plant in Montana, Columbia Fallsbased SmartLam is searching for a site in Maine to build a new manufacturing facility, to meet rising demand for cross-laminated timber in the East.

SmartLam secured a $3 million grant from the non-profit Maine Technology Institute to assist with the $23.5 million construction cost. It is expected to finalize its site choice within the next month.

SmartLam currently produces more than 1 million bd. ft. of CLT per month.

In Need of Clears? Yes!

RFP Lumber is one of the largest stocking distributors of clears in Northern California with over 1 million board ft.

Incense Cedar

Clear • Duty-free Made in America Decay & insect resistant

Redwood Clear Highly durable • Beautiful color Decay & insect resistant Douglas Fir Clear Superior strength • Industrial Full Sawn • Vertical Grain

Pine / Whitewoods Clear Paint grade • Light in color Western Red Cedar Clear Decay & insect resistant Only the finest

530-538-4400 • rfplumber.com

2x8 Incense Cedar Clear S1S2E

26

n

The Merchant Magazine n

Milled to standard patterns or specifications on site with our team of over 250 years combined experience Shipping to all 50 states & international • LTL • Containers • Truckoads March 2018

Building-Products.com

Building-Products.com

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

27

THINKING Ahead

By Anthony Muck, DMSi Software and NAWLA Marketing and Leadership Summit Committees Member

A fresh approach to hiring ringing in new talent is serious business today, including for lumber companies. The goal is isn’t just to make a hire but to bring in someone who’s right for the role, happy in the job, and in it for the long haul.

To get those results at DMSi, we dig past the glossy resume and impressive references to find out whether a candidate might be a good

B

fit in our firm. And our method is proven, if measured by a high retention rate and a satisfied and motivated workforce. Here’s how we do it:

The DMSi Way

Our process starts with OAD LLC’s character-trait survey. The questionnaire grades candidates on assertiveness, expressiveness, patience or pace, level of detail,

emotional control, and creativity.

The survey generates a five-page profile that offers greater insight into how a prospective employee might think or react under different scenarios. This helps us identify prospects who might be naturally suited for the available position.

The next step is an in-person interview. We may use the applicant’s character trait profile to guide

DMSi’S INTENSIVE hiring processes contribute to high productivity and low turnover.

28

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

Building-Products.com

A Special Series from North American Wholesale Lumber Association

the conversation to confirm the applicant matches up on paper and in real life. For example, we might ask them to recall a difficult decision he or she was forced to make and what was learned from it, or to explain a situation where he or she struggled to complete a task because of a perfectionist attitude.

Candidates who have desirable profiles for the open slot, who line up with those profiles in person, and who appear to be a good fit for the DMSi culture advance to the next stage of the interview.

Those who advance will have a second in-person interview, this time with three to five additional company representatives. These may include someone currently working in the same position being filled, another manager, and another supervisor-level employee. The aim is to get independent feedback from these other participants about whether they (1) believe the candidate can understand the DMSi product and how we serve our customers, (2) sense the candidate can get along in our team environment and company culture, and (3) would feel comfortable putting the candidate in front of any customer.

A “no” response on any question generally disqualifies the prospect from consideration, while “yes” or “maybe” usually justifies a third interview. That final session is a face-to-face with our executive vice president, president or owner, who then provides input on the same three questions in order to finalize the hiring decision.

Why Lumber Should Care

This is DMSi’s process, and it works for us because of who we are and what we do. Our retention numbers bear out the success of our approach, which has produced solid outcomes for 20-plus years. Our tenure rate currently averages about 11 or 12 years, and we’ve grown roughly 20 to 25 employees over the past two to three years. We rarely lose employees, because we find the right ones from the start.

To get similar results, your company must craft a screening strategy specific to its particular needs. For instance, the OAD survey could certainly help finetune recruitment of Sales reps. A candidate with a good “patience” rating probably might flourish at inside sales, owing to a high level of patience when interacting with customers and handling orders day in and day out.

Someone with a lower patience rating but who ranks higher on assertiveness or expressiveness might excel more in outside sales, thanks to a social, competitive and detailed-oriented nature.

While the OAD questionnaire is applicable across industries, there are many other options, including the Myers-Briggs test, four-quadrants test, 16Ph survey, DISC assessment, and the Caliper profile, to name a few.

The key to achieving success with a screening approach is to, first, define what exactly it is you’re hiring for and

Building-Products.com

what kind of person you want to fill that vacancy.

If you can identify what those traits are and what you’re trying to measure and what a successful employee will be, then you can identify the processes that are available or the personality tests that are out there or whatever other resource you might use in the hiring process to match those objectives.

The Bottom Line

The benefits of personality profiles and similar tools don’t end once your make a hire. Supervisors can use this data to be more effective managers of their different team members. It might tell them whether a monetary reward or another form of recognition is more valued by a worker for a job well done, for example, or reveal the best way a person learns—a quick study or someone needing a little more handholding.

Personality profiles also can inform decisions on the best person to put on an upcoming project. As a manager at a lumber firm preparing for a trade show, you probably don’t want to assign someone with a low expressive score—basically an introvert—to man your booth.

Everything from hiring, training, onboarding, and more can be enhanced through investment in an approach like the one we have at DMSi. To be sure, it is an investment. We subscribe to OAD’s services and pay each time a prospect completes the questionnaire. We also invest a significant amount of time in making our decision, and the drawn-out time frame does mean that a few good eggs have slipped through our hands. Nonetheless, the time, energy and money that goes into our process is more than worthwhile.

If you weigh the nominal cost of the OAD survey against the cost of months of training and wages lost when a hire walks out the door, it’s a no-brainer. It’s a small price to pay to identify competent prospects who can become happy, long-term members of your team.

– Anthony Muck is manager of customer support for DMSi Software, Omaha, Ne. (www.dmsi.com), and a member of NAWLA’s marketing and Leadership Summit committees.

About NAWLA North American Wholesale Lumber Association is the association that delivers unparalleled access to relationships and resources that improve business strategy and performance through sales growth, cost savings, and operational efficiencies for wholesalers and manufacturers of forest products and other building materials that conduct business in North America.

Learn more about how NAWLA can help your business at www.nawla.org.

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

29

MOVERS & Shakers Steve Killgore, ex-Roseburg, has been appointed chief executive officer of Timber Products Co., Springfield, Or. Joe and David Gonyea, who managed daily operations for more than half a century, will continue as owners and co-chairs of the board of directors.

Bill Carr has been promoted to branch mgr. at Boise Cascade, Lathrop, Ca. He succeeds Brad Terrell, who has resigned after 40 years with BC. J.T. Taylor, ex-Roseburg, has been named director of sales for Herbert Lumber Co., Riddle, Or. Laurie Creech, ex-Weyerhaeuser, has been appointed VP of purchasing for Allweather Wood, Washougal, Wa. Curtis Crane has retired after 35 years with Hunts Building Center, Flagstaff, Az. He closed the yard last year and sold a branch in Chino Valley, Az., to A2Z Home Center.

Bonnie Camarena, ex-Granite Valley Forest Products, is new to sales with Hardwoods Specialty Products, Riverside, Ca.

30

n

The Merchant Magazine n

Matthew Brauch has joined the sales team at General Builders Supply, Tukwila, Wa. Phil Adams has been promoted to director of timberlands for Roseburg Resources Co., Springfield, Or. Gabe Crane is now director of resource operations & sales, and Tony Powell is director of resource technical services.

Shane Black is now operations mgr. at Universal Forest Products, Magna, Ut. Amanda Binswanger has been named controller for Dolan’s Lumber, Concord, Ca. Eric Cremer, Johns Manville, Denver, Co., has been promoted to chief human resources officer.

Brandon Koger is a new territory mgr./builder specialist with International Wood Products, Clackamas, Or. Kent Bowie has been promoted to president and CEO of Metrie, Vancouver, B.C. Shawn Jesson, ex-Alpine Lumber, is a new design technician at ZyTech Building Systems, Glendale, Az.

March 2018

Adrian Blocker, senior VP-wood products, Weyerhaeuser, Seattle, Wa., and Eric J. Cremers, president and CEO, PotlatchDeltic, Spokane, Wa., have been appointed by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to represent the U.S. West on the Softwood Lumber Board.

Also newly appointed to threeyear terms were Fritz R. Mason, Georgia-Pacific, Peachtree City, Ga. (South); Caroline M. Dauzat, Rex Lumber, Miramar Beach, Fl. (South); Ted Seraphim, West Fraser, Vancouver, B.C.; Don Demens, Western Forest Products, Vancouver, B.C.; and Hugues Simon, Barrette, Quebec. Jack P. Jordan, Sr., Jordan Lumber & Supply, Mt. Gilead, N.C., will complete a vacant term ending in December 2018.

Darren Schulz has rejoined Boral Roofing, Irvine, Ca., as president.

Dave Storfa, ex-Wausau Supply, is now business development mgr. for EDCO Products, Great Falls, Mt. Felix Austead is working his 365th consecutive day at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

Building-Products.com

The go-to screw from foundation to rafters. © 2018

Simpson Strong-Tie Company Inc. SDWSFRAME17

The versatile Strong-Drive® SDWS Framing screw is a code-listed, high-performance screw designed for a wide-variety of remodeling projects. The screw’s SawTooth™ point gets you started fast with no predrilling, while the serrated threads reduce torque in every drive.

Load rated to replace 16d, 10d and 8d nails in most framing applications, try the new SDWS Framing screw. To learn more, visit go.strongtie.com/framingscrew or call (800) 999-5099.

SDWS Framing Screw

Building-Products.com

March 2018 n The Merchant Magazine n

31

• Gazebos – providing more shelter LP tests than a pergola, gazebosOSB offer a point to the extreme of retreat and greater protection

LP Building Products is once again from the isolating putting its elements products towithout the ultimate test. inhabitants.

Last year, the company proved just how tough its FlameBlock fire-rated –OSB • Exposed Timber structures the sheathing is by lighting structures natural color and graintwo of redwood on fire, one withsupport FlameBlock timbers lendcoated a solid to a and the structural other not. design.

The second structure greater was left diminished, and the coated one Decks – tall. a redwood deck can last still• standing a lifetime when it’s builttested and mainThis year, the company its LP tained well.

Legacy OSB subflooring. The product went through– two harsh,and fast-paced • Planters non-toxic all natscenarios to prove its durability and ural, redwood is ideal for garden long-lasting strength. boxes and planters to hold flowering “As herbs, we were developing this camplants, even vegetable gardens. paign, we really wanted a way to dif• Furniture – any form seating, ferentiate our product from of everything tables, benches all deliver the promise else in the market,” said business marof a comfortable place to gather keting manager Lorriane Russ. when “One built to with way doredwood. that is to show the performance of the in memorable a completelytrandif• Arbors –board create ferent and unique way.

And what better sitions from one part of a yard to the way do redwood that than arbors. to pit the product in next to with some really extreme conditions that go the you trends emerging in far Among beyond what might see on even landscaping design, there’s no better the harshest jobsite.” fit For for bringing beauty, color and presthe first test, the LP team trekked ence the intoBritish an outdoor space wilderness than redinto Columbia wood. with over its longevity, and sentCombined an OSB panel a 70-foot and environmental redwood waterfall, then left qualities, it soaking in the

wake for 24 hours. When the team retrieved the board from the river, the panel showed some bumps and bruises, but no signs of swelling.

The second expedition took them into a muddy rainforest during a storm, where pro athletes Ollie Jones and Kevin Landry built bike ramps using LP Legacy panels, then showed no mercy as they rode, jumped and pounded through a torrential storm to showcase the strength and moisture resistance of the subflooring. Short videos on each test can be viewed at www.lpcorp.com.

LP used extreme testing to prove the durability of its OSB products.

INCREASINGLY backyard builders are realizing that the best contemporary design materials aren’t grown in the lab, but out in unfiltered nature.

is the top choice among landscaping trends. It is a choice any consumer can make with confidence, and reaffirm their wise decision year after year.

– Jessica Hewitt is director of marketing at Humboldt Redwood Company. HRC is working to cultivate a lasting legacy of environmentally responsible forestry and sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution of top-quality redwood lumber products.

PRO CYCLISTS Ollie Jones and Kevin Landry built ramps using LP Legacy panels, then rode, jumped and pounded them through a torrential storm.

Santa Fe Springs, Ca • www.hufflumber.net

(800) 347-4833 EWP •

Big Timbers/Long Lengths

• Distressed Wood • D-Blaze® FRTW

Wholesale distributor of a wide range of Big Timbers & Long Lengths, including

DOUGLAS FIR – #2&BTR & SEL STR Green/Dry DF S4S Dimensional Lumber 2×4 – 2×14 up to 32’ #2&BTR DF S4S 3×4 – 3×12 to 24’ & 4×4 – 4×14 #1&BTR DF S4S 6×6 – 6×14 Larger pieces available depending on current inventory

Rough Timbers 3×4 – 3×12 (8’ to 40’) 4×4 – 4×12 (8 to 40’) 6×6 – 6×12 (8’ to 40’) 8×8 – 8×12 (8’ to 40’) 10×10 – 10×12 (8’ to 40’) 12×12 ( 8’ to 40’) Up to 16’ x 24’ – 48’

32 n The Merchant Magazine Building-Products.com

n

March 2018

the finest timbers available, delivered to customers accurately, honestly & on time.

March 2017

Building-Products.com The Merchant Magazine 15

Building-Products.com

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

33

Roseburg Teams Up to Introduce New Decorative Composite Panels

Mass Timber Conference Booth #409

Roseburg Forest Products, Springfield, Or., is partnering with PanelArtz Inc., Kent, Wa., to bring European decorative panel technology to the North American market.

PanelArtz operates the first and only fully automated PET lamination facility in North America. Popularized in Europe, PET is an environmentally friendly, low maintenance, protective finish that offers exceptional style, durability, and scratch- and fade-resistance for interior applications. Using state-of-the-art technology, PanelArtz applies a high gloss or super matte PET finish to the surface of composite wood panels for a modern, elegant and sophisticated design aesthetic.

Under the new partnership, PanelArtz PET finishes are now available exclusively from two Roseburg product lines: Roseburg Arreis MDF, a no-added formaldehyde, recycled, sustainable MDF panel that is highly specified for all types of interior casework, millwork, cabinetry and furniture applications, and Roseburg Duramine Thermally Fused Laminate decorative panels.

PCBC Specializes Programming to Engage Remodeling Segment

Letting you make all the noise.

BECK Fastener Group®, SubLoc®, SCRAIL® and FASCO America® are registered trademarks of the BECK Fastener Group.

Master Distributor:

FASCO America Inc. 800-239-8665 | www.fascoamerica.com

34

n

The Merchant Magazine n

BPD and Merch Mag_3.25x10 inch.indd 2

March 2018

PCBC 2018, the West’s premier housing event, will launch new programming to meet the professional needs of the growing remodeler industry segment.

Homeowner expenditures on improvements and repairs are projected to rise 7.5% in 2018 from last year to approach $340 billion, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity released by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

To support this important community of builders, professional remodelers from around the country are invited to participate in the new Remodelers Leadership Forum, a two-day educational event connecting remodeling professionals with the business strategies and critical metrics used by the most successful remodelers in the country. The Forum is dedicated to providing remodelers with the tools and resources they need to grow their businesses—the newest trends, tips and techniques in the renovation and remodeling space.

“Homeowners are employing remodeling contractors to make residential properties more comfortable, make energy saving improvements or to extend their homes to accommodate growing families,” said Linda Baysari, senior VP, meetings & conventions. “Remodelers are an essential segment to the PCBC attendance. They bring vital experience to share with the community and will benefit from interacting with leading remodeling firms for unparalleled networking, results-oriented education and an exhibit floor showcasing more than 350 leading manufacturers and suppliers.”

The expanded exhibit floor will give the remodeler community access to residential building products and services, giving them new ideas and products to immediately use in their business.

Bringing together remodeling professionals with the larger home builder community stimulates an important exchange of ideas, peer-to-peer learning and network building, which provides a unique opportunity to gather insights and inspiration, vital to the growth of the industry. These connections occur at celebrated marquee events like the Gold Nugget Awards and Hall of Fame Gala and in educational sessions that create organic networking environments.

Building-Products.com

26.09.2017 08:50:52

Healthy Outlook for Siding Demand

NAWLA REGIONAL MEETINGS Access trending industry insight and participate in valuable networking opportunities with local customers and suppliers in your area.

Montréal Regional Meeting March 20, 2018

Vancouver Regional Meeting April 26, 2018

Birmingham Regional Meeting May 10, 2018

San Francisco Regional Meeting June 26, 2018

Minneapolis Regional Meeting August 23, 2018

Learn more and register at www. nawla.org/regionals

36

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

U.S. demand for siding will continue to grow through 2021 due to increased construction activity, primarily in the West and South, according to a new Freedonia Group study. A rise in residential re-siding projects will further support growth.

In the commercial segment, an expansion in nonresidential construction spending will boost siding demand for offices, restaurants, hotels and retail stores.

Vinyl will remain the leading siding material due to its continued popularity in the single-family housing market.

Homes are often constructed using vinyl siding because of its low cost. Additionally, wood-like vinyl siding is popular because it resembles natural wood siding but is more durable and has fewer maintenance requirements. The large stock of homes with vinyl siding also will support replacement demand, as homeowners often replace their existing siding with the same materials.

Fiber cement is projected to increase its share of the siding market going forward, as consumers increasingly opt for this material because of its durability and ability to mimic the appearance of higher cost materials. In addition to natural wood, this includes brick and stone siding, which vinyl is unable to mimic. Additional improvements in fiber cement product design will allow even better imitation of products like cedar shakes or lap panels, further boosting share gains.

Stucco siding is forecast to register the fastest percentage gains through 2021, driven by growth in building construction, particularly in the West and parts of the South, where the material is most popular because of a long tradition of use on buildings that demonstrate a Spanish colonial influence. Stucco will also gain market share because of its low cost and minimal maintenance requirements.

The residential market will post larger gains through 2021 than the commercial market in both volume and value terms. Advances will be driven by growth in new single-family housing construction. Additionally, a rise in the number of home renovation projects will boost product demand, as homeowners replace damaged siding or switch to more durable, low-maintenance siding materials.

Growth will benefit in particular suppliers of vinyl, fiber cement, and stucco siding, which account for two-thirds of the residential market total.

Hines Supply Celebrates 125th Anniversary with History Book

Chicago area building material distributor Hines Supply, Buffalo Grove, Il., has released a new book celebrating the company’s 125 years in business.

Hines Supply: The Extraordinary Story of the Edward Hines Lumber Company chronicles the evolution of the company, from delivering lumber using horse-pulled wagons to an industry leader providing a full range of lumber and building products.

Lavishly illustrated with hundreds of photographs from across more than a century of history, the book takes readers through the decades, recounting Hines’ formative years at the turn of century, first use of trucks in 1915, supporting the war effort during World War II, growth into a neighborhood institution during the ’60s and ’70s, and joining with U.S. LBM in 2010 and subsequent expansion.

The book was unveiled to the company’s associates and customers at Hines’ 125th anniversary party.

Building-Products.com

Building-Products.com

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

37

Colorado Mill Proposes Expansion

Montrose Forest Products has proposed investing $20 million to expand its mill in Montrose, Co., pending approval of long-term timber supply deals with the San Juan National Forest in southwest Colorado.

Expecting the upgrades could be completed in two years, the facility would produce 1x4, 1x6 and 1x8 lumber for construction and decking.

BNSF Invests in Pacific Northwest

BNSF Railway Co. will spend $3.3 million this year maintaining, upgrading and expanding its rail network— much of it centered in the Pacific Northwest.

BNSF will spend approximately $160 million in the state of Washington and $135 million in Montana, most of it for replacing and upgrading rail, rail ties, and ballast, which are the main components for the tracks on which BNSF trains operate.

Over the past five years, BNSF has invested $940 million on expansion and maintenance in Washington and $835 million in Montana. This year, the maintenance program in Washington includes approximately 490 miles of track surfacing and undercutting work, as well as replacing about 40 miles of rail and close to 230,000 ties. Along the Fallbridge Subdivision, BNSF will install new double-track between Washougal and Mt. Pleasant. The company will also begin to install new double-track along the Spokane Subdivision between Hauser, Id., and Spokane. Two bridge replacement projects are also slated to begin this year in Home Valley and North Bonneville. The construction of a new unloading track and additional parking capacity at the

Orillia Automotive Facility is also planned for 2018.

This year, the maintenance program in Montana includes approximately 820 miles of track surfacing and/or undercutting work as well as the replacement of nearly 60 miles of rail and about 200,000 ties. Multiple projects are scheduled on our Kootenai River Subdivision, which runs between Sandpoint, Id., and Whitefish. BNSF will signalize various sidings on the subdivision between Sandpoint and Whitefish to enable Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) and make improvements to the Flathead Tunnel, the seven-mile long railroad tunnel in northwest Montana.

Overall, BNSF will devote $2.4 million to maintenance and $500 million to expansion and efficiency projects.The majority of those projects are focused on key growth areas along its Northern Transcon route, connecting the Pacific Northwest to Upper Midwest, and Southern Transcon route, linking Southern California with Chicago.

The company has also allocated $300 million for freight cars and other equipment acquisitions and $100 million for positive train control as it moves toward meeting the Dec. 31, 2018, implementation deadline. BNSF is the only Class I freight railroad to have completed the installation of PTC on all its federally mandated subdivisions and is currently running hundreds of trains daily with PTC as it tests revenue service across its mandated territory.

“Every year we work to ensure our capital investment plan enables us to continue to operate a safe and reliable rail network as well as anticipates the needs of our customers,” said Carl Ice, BNSF president and chief executive officer.

“Our attention to safety and service, along with our investments in our network, provide a solid foundation for our ability to grow with our customers today and in the future.”

Book now – 2018 season filling fast!

A favored destination for lumbermen

Located on Southwest Alaska’s renowned Naknek River, the King Salmon Lodge is the dream destination for your next company retreat.

We offer gourmet dining and cocktails, world-class fishing, bear viewing, and outdoor adventure trips. Enjoy: • Fully-guided fishing on the river, bursting with salmon, trophy rainbows, arctic char, grayling and northern pike, plus float planes to remote rivers, lakes and streams.

• Easy access to nearby Katmai National Park, haven of brown bears

• Ranger-guided safaris to view the epic scenery and wildlife

• A/V equipment for conferences • Group rates, including whole lodge packages (18 to 36 guests).

With 18 modern rooms with private baths, two suites, and 10 cabins, The King Salmon Lodge is just 1.5 miles from the King Salmon Airport, served by major airlines from Anchorage.

907-246-8643 • 707-489-0155

kingsalmonlodge.com

Let us be the personal concierge for your next company event.

* Mention The Merchant Magazine and Willits Redwood to receive Special Lumberman’s Pricing *

38

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

Building-Products.com

Western pallet group keeps building at annual meeting Western Pallet Association completed its 44th annual meeting with huge participation from its members. Winter in Palm Springs this January saw 80-degree golf tournament weather, sizzling bidding during its auction, hot topics discussed by outstanding speakers, and networking opportunities boiling over.

Nearly 250 members seized the opportunity to make new contacts and

1

greet current customers during the exhibit showcase, receptions, meals and golf. The group welcomed 23 new members.

During the event, Dr. World Nieh, USFS, laid out a vision of a future bioeconomy and how the forest and forest products will play a major role. Paul Kanitra, Lobbyit, analyzed the 2017 legislative accomplishments and pre-

2

3

4

5 AT THE DAIS [1] 2018 Western Pallet Association president Lindsey Shean. [2] Joyce & Greg Vipond, Lindsey Shean. [3] Melissa & Scott Gutierrez. [4] New WPA officers Beatrice Vasquez, Lindsey Shean, Dave Uppal, Annie Montey. [5] Derek Sampson, Tod Kintz, Dave & Jazzy Upall, Annie Montey, Tyrone Konecney, Jason Saunders, Rod Lucas.

40

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

viewed the 2018 legislative calendar.

Kahled Mabrouk, an operational engineer, discussed how companies can combine automation and their immigration policy as a solution for their labor problems. Chaille Brindley, Industrial Reporting, presented five key factors that are altering the pallet industry landscape including changing supply chains, market development, labor issues, advanced automation, and lean business practices. And Dr. Brad Gething, National Wooden Pallet & Container Association, described the evolution of the current fire code language on the outdoor storage of wood pallets at manufacturing and recycling facilities.

Over 90 golfers teed off in the annual best ball scramble. To be in the money, teams needed to shoot a sub-par round. Speaking of money, the silent and live auction, featuring auctioneer extraordinaire Bill MacCauley of John Rock, raised over $75,000, eclipsing last year’s record of $70,000, to benefit The Pallet Foundation and Nature’s Packaging, which aids the entire wood packaging industry.

For the first time sponsorships were made available. Sponsors included Coralli-USA, Mid-Continent Steel & Wire, Pioneer Pallet & Lumber, and Viking Engineering and Development.

Lindsey Shean, Valley Pallet, was elected as the new president, succeeding Dave Uppal, Pioneer Pallet & Lumber. Annie Montey, American Pallet, is now vice president, and Beatrice Vasquez, Oxnard Pallet, treasurer; Newly elected board members are Baxter Gladden, Propak, and Scott Guiterrez, Commercial Lumber & Pallet, and associate board members Ryan Greenwood, Crane Point Industrial, and Tod Kintz, Pelican Bay Forest Products.

Next year’s annual conference will be held Jan. 18-22, 2019, at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort, Rancho Mirage, Ca. Building-Products.com

Building-Products.com

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

41

SELLING with Kahle

By Dave Kahle

Just listen!

recently came across research confirming what many of us in the profession of educating salespeople have known for years: that purchasers would be “much more likely” to buy from a salesperson if that salesperson would just “listen” to the customer. The survey found that some of the worst offenders were experienced salespeople.

Listening is one of the four fundamental competencies of a professional salesperson, and yet, the profession is, in general, so poor at it that most customers remark on our inability to do it well. Wow! If there is anyone I wouldn’t want thinking I was a poor listener, my customers would be towards the top of the list.

Why is listening such a powerful sales competency? In my book Question Your Way to Sales Success, I describe a number of reasons. Here are a few.

First, it is our primary way of digging beneath the surface of a customer’s needs and uncovering deeper and more powerful needs and motivations. That makes it a primary tool—of which the skillful use separates the master salespeople from the mediocre. For example, it doesn’t take any skill whatsoever to pick up an RFQ, a set of blueprints, or to write down a list of what the customer says he needs. You don’t have to be a master listener to do that.

But to dig deeper and uncover deeper issues, that takes the ability to listen.

I

42

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

Here’s an example. In a routine sales call with a regular customer, the customer says, “We’re thinking of going to X product. What’s your price?”

Lots of salespeople would look up the price and provide it. There. Job done.

The master would hear the words “Thinking of going…” and dig a little deeper. “What makes you interested in that?” he says.

The customer replies: “Well, we’re looking for a solution for a problem with our widget production line, and one of the key operators mentioned it as a possibility.”

“I see. What sort of problem are you having in that production line?”

“An abnormally high reject rate.”

“I may have some other solutions. Can I talk to your production manager?”

I don’t have to take this scenario much further to make the point. A visit with the production supervisor could very well result in a deeper understanding of the problem and the development of an alternative solution with a whole lot more gross margin to it. The master salesperson, exercising excellent listening skills, hears opportunities where many salespeople don’t. Listening is the primary tool for digging deeper and uncovering deeper and more significant issues in our customers.

But that’s not all. When we listen, we send a powerful message that we care about the other person. Conversely, when we don’t listen, we send the message that our agenda is far more important than the customer’s trivial ideas and issues. That makes effective listening one of the all time great relationship-building devices.

Listening requires us to take in information, ideas and opinions that are outside our comforts zones. It is, therefore, one of the primary tools we use to grow intellectually, to broaden our views, and ultimately, to become wiser and more knowledgeable. If we never listen to someone with a different perspective, we never consider the possibility that we might be wrong.

From a salesperson’s perspective, the more we listen, the more different positions, motivations, opinions and nuances we are able to understand and accommodate. The wiser and more capable we become. Since we are able to understand an ever-growing panoply of positions and opinions, we are able to feel a rapport with more and more customers, and move closer to a consensus position with them.

(Continued on page 44) Building-Products.com

Just Listen!

(Continued from page 42)

Listening positions us as a consultant—not a peddler—in the eyes of the customer. Ultimately, listening provides us our competitive edge.

So, how do we do it better?

Here are two specific techniques to help you improve your listening effectiveness.

1. Listen constructively.

My wife is a crisis counselor. She talks about “listening empathetically.” That means she listens in order to understand what a person is feeling.

That is very appropriate for that type of work. However, we are salespeople. It is more important that we listen “constructively.” Think of “constructively—construction—building.” We need to listen for things upon which to build. Listen for opportunities, problems, opinions, etc., on which we can build our solutions.

One way to do this is to plant a couple of questions into our mind before every sales call. These are questions for which we want to gain the answer.

You could, for example, say to yourself before a sales call, “What is the

one thing that is this customer’s most pressing challenge today?” And, you could ask yourself, “On what basis will this customer make the decision to buy or not?”

By planting those questions into your mind, you sharpen your sensitivity to what the customer says, enabling you to listen more constructively to the customer’s conversation.

2. Discipline yourself to build the habit of responding to your customer’s comments.

Here’s how we think the sales interview should go. a. We ask a question. b. The customer answers. c. We ask another question.

When you exercise the habit of responding, you change the format.

Now, it goes like this: a. We ask a question. b. The customer answers. c. We respond to the answer. d. We now ask another question.

Notice that we have intervened in the process with something we call a “response.” A response is a verbal or non-verbal signal that we send to the customer that we are listening, and accepting what the customer says.

It flatters the customer, makes him/ her feel good about answering, and encourages him/her to answer in more depth and detail.

Here are two powerful responses: A. Select one or two words out of the customer’s conversation, and repeat them back to the customer, nodding your head.

Here’s an example. You ask the question, “Which of these challenges are most pressing for you?”

The customer responds by talking for a few moments about his challenges. When he pauses, you say, “back orders” and nod your head. “Back orders” was one of the issues he talked about. You just repeated it, and nodded your head.

That’s a powerful response because it shows the customer that you have listened to the point that you have captured and repeated one of his main thoughts. That feels good to the customer and conditions him to answer the next question with even more depth and detail. Just as importantly, since you were focused on finding a key word or two to repeat, you had to listen to the customer’s conversation! This technique forced you to listen more effectively, and made the customer feel good in the process.

B. Summarize and rephrase what the customer has said, and repeat it back to him.

This is similar to the one or two word techniques discussed earlier, only more intense. When the customer has finished answering your question, you say something like this: “Let me see if I understand you correctly. In other words, what you are saying is....”

Paraphrase and give him back your understanding of what he just said.

Like the prior technique, this is a powerful tool because it forces you to listen, engages the customer, and seeks agreement. Using this a couple of times in the sales interview will make the customer feel good about you, ensure that you understand him, and create an atmosphere of agreement.

Ultimately, your ability to listen more effectively evolves out of your discipline to apply these techniques regularly and methodically. If you’re going to listen more effectively, you must first make the commitment to expend the effort.

– Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales authorities. He has presented in 47 states and 11 countries, and has written 12 books including the new Good Book on Business. Reach him via davekahle.com.

44

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

Building-Products.com

Prefinished to perfection

Advanced machine-applied primers, finishes and stains from a global industry leader Homeowners, builders, architects and lumber retailers have trusted PPG machine-applied coatings for more than 90 years. Whether you use wood, fiber cement or composite substrates, our machine-applied coatings offer significant performance advantages over field-applied coatings, including edge-to-edge substrate protection, more consistent film builds and color, and improved durability. Substrates arrive at the job site fully coated and ready to install.

Our team works alongside machine applicators to assist with line design, equipment setup and troubleshooting. Once you get going, you’ll receive continuous support that includes color matching, performance testing and regular line audits.

Our regional or local distribution and inventory management programs mean you’ll always have access to our renowned MACHINEPRO™, MACHINEPURE®, MACHINECOAT® and DURACOLOR® coating products exactly when you need it.

To learn more, visit ppgmachineappliedcoatings.com or call 1-877-622-4277.

Duracolor, MachineCoat, MachinePure and the PPG Logo are registered trademarks and MachinePro and We protect and beautify the world are trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. ©2017 PPG Industries, Inc. All rights reserved.

NEW Products

Durable Porch Flooring Fencing Innovations

CertainTeed’s newest designer horizontal fence innovation, Bufftech Brookline vinyl privacy fencing offers homeowners a durable, contemporary privacy fence featuring steel reinforcement for added support.

Available in two textures–Smooth or CertaGrain– it provides a striking, custom look to enhance any outdoor living space. The Smooth texture creates a clean, modern appearance, while the CertaGrain texture delivers the tried and true beauty of wood without the burden of frequent or expensive maintenance. n CERTAINTEED.COM (800) 233-8990

Pros and their customers can now get the durability of patented Eovations technology for the front of the home. Deckorators has introduced porch flooring in three colors that offer the traditional look of painted wood: Chicory (brown, variegated), Kettle (gray), and Macadamia (beige, non-variegated).

It is available in two profiles: tongue-and groove: 3-1/8”x7/8” in 10’, 12’ and 16’ lengths, and solid 3-1/8”x7/8” in 12’ lengths.

Because Eovations technology allows virtually no water absorption, it is backed by a 25-year structural, stain-and-fade, and removal-and-replacement limited warranty that covers water and ground contact. n DECKORATORS.COM (800) 332-5724

Beachy Keen Shakes

Tando Building Products’ Beach House Shake is now available in two additional colors: Hatteras, a mid-tone gray that emulates weathered white cedar, and Pacifica, offering the appeal of brand new western red cedar.

They join the line’s initial color, Sandcastle, which has the look of freshly installed white cedar.

Unlike real wood, the shakes require no upkeep and will not deteriorate. Impervious to moisture, they are lightweight and can be used at the roofline or ground level without issues.

A new hinged roof connector by Simpson StrongTie makes it easier for modular builders to construct stick-frame roofs in the factory that will fold flat during shipping.

The patent-pending MMHC connector features an innovative hinge that rotates easily from open position to folded. It nails in place for easy installation. The connector has been tested and load-rated in multiple directions. An offset nail pattern allows for installation on both sides of the roof rafter assembly.

n TANDOBP.COM (844) 698-2636

n GO.STRONGTIE.COM/MODULARBUILDING (800) 999-5099

46

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

Hinged Roof Connector

Building-Products.com

Power-Packed Bags

Porter Cables’ expansion of its 20V MAX cordless tool battery system comes with the introduction of the 20V MAX Charging Storage Bag and 20V MAX Charging Radio.

Both new products have a charging capability so users can charge their 20V MAX batteries. n PORTERCABLE.COM (866) 375-6287

Sturdy Storage

Pelican Products introduces the Pelican Air Case line, three new tool storage cases that are deeper, yet up to 40% lighter.

The 1557, 1607 and 1637 offer increased versatility, portability and durability. They are built of lightweight HPX resin, and come in nine sizes, in both long and, now, deep options. n PELICAN.COM (800) 473-5422

Building-Products.com

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

47

11th Annual

Don Gregson Memorial Golf Tournament June 8

Los Serranos CC, Chino, CA. Southern California Hoo-Hoo Club 117 proudly invites you to our 11th annual Don Gregson Memorial Golf Tournament.

Please join club members and our 12 Marine guests from 29 Palms Combat Center and Camp Pendleton Wounded Warrior Battalion June 8, 2018, at the Los Serranos CC in Chino.

The fee for each player is $134.99. Tee signs are available at $124.99 each. You may sponsor a Marine for $124.99.

There will be a club-sponsored Closest to the Pin Contest for all par 3’s. A donation putting contest will be held prior to tee-off.

For reservations or sponsorships, contact Michael Nicholson, (323) 559-1958 or nicholson.men@gmail.com. A sign-up sheet and payment options can be found on the club website: hoohoo117.org. Raffle prize donations gratefully accepted.

Barnwood Stone Veneer

Barn Wood by Environmental StoneWorks combines the natural look of wood with the beauty, quality and installation ease of stone veneer.

The veneer can be used in vertical and horizontal installations. n ESTONEWORKS.COM (800) 891-5402

Spray-On Weather Barrier

The DuPont Tyvek Fluid Applied WB+ System combines superior air and water barrier and vapor permeability into a reformulated fluid-applied membrane for ease of use on most commercial substrates.

The next generation product provides a durable, weather barrier with enhanced spray characteristics– for fast, effective application in nearly any weather condition, saving customers time and money. n FLUIDAPPLIED.TYVEK.COM (302) 415-2400

48

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

Building-Products.com

The Right Kind of Level

Bosch’s Brute Turbo is the world’s first breaker hammer with GPS tracking that makes sure jobsite managers know where this powerful tool is at all times. A retrofit option (GPS25-4) brings the same capability to all current Bosch SDS-max hammers.

The GPS device and the SDS-max hammer retrofit offer always-on location tracking.

Redstick Concrete Levels by Milwaukee Tools are built for concrete and offer an industry-first, three-inone solution for a variety of screeding and smoothing applications.

The levels take a three-tool operation down to one by allowing users to screed, smooth and level with the same tool. Their magnesium base features a 2” wide working surface with a rounded edge for smoothing and an angled edge optimized for screeding and striking.

Their overall design makes them easy to clean after the messiest concrete jobs.

n BOSCHTOOLS.COM (877) 267-2499

n MILWAUKEETOOL.COM (800) 638-9582

Never Lose Your Turbo Hammer

TREATERS WITH INTEGRITY, TAKING CARE OF TOMORROW’S NEEDS TODAY ACQ ACQPreserve • Borates

D-Blaze® Interior Fire Retardant Heat Treating ISPM 15 Compliant • Custom Drying Rail Served BNSF • TPI Third Party Inspected

909-350-1214

15500 Valencia Ave. (Box 1070), Fontana, CA 92335 Fax 909-350-9623 • email – fwl-fwp@pacbell.net

www.fontanawholesalelumber.com

C&E LUMBER COMPANY 1 1/2” to 12” Diameter in Stock.

SPECIAL QUOTES

Building-Products.com

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

49

Contemporary Laminates Rustic Composite Decking

Deckorators has added a third color choice to its popular Heritage line of composite decking: Ciderhouse. With a light brown hue and the distressed embossing characteristic of the Heritage line, Ciderhouse has the rustic look and feel of distressed hardwood.

Ciderhouse joins Riverhouse (dark brown) and Smokehouse (gray) in the Deckorators Heritage family, which delivers a natural appearance and texture with the ultra-low maintenance performance of wood-plastic composite.

Inspired by the timeless beauty of wood, Wilsonart introduces Material Celebration, a collection of 25 new laminate designs that marry nature with the beauty of manmade design, 11 of them mimicking wood.

Also included is a collection of marquetry, blocking, herringbone and modern contemporary chevrons.

They range from large-scale patterns that make powerful vertical statements as focal points and wall application, to other materials such as lace, with its delicate appeal and as a complement to woodgrains. n WILSONART.COM (800) 288-7888

n DECKORATORS.COM (800) 332-5724

VISIT

ALL NEW BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM THE

Woodsy Shingles

Timberwood is a new color now available for TAMKO Building Products’ America’s Natural Colors collection.

The new hue is part of the Heritage laminated asphalt shingle line, adding a return to nature with its woodsy brown tone achieved through its blend of soft grays mixed with a varying pallet of rich buff hues.

Resembling the beauty of wood, Timberwood is crafted with the company’s unique color drops and shadow tone process to develop an unmatched visual dimension with deep shadowing. n TAMKO.COM (800) 560-9068

50

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

Building-Products.com

Building-Products.com

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

51

Photos by The Merchant Magazine

HUMBOLDT CRAB FEED

Humboldt crab feast

1

2

3

4

6

7

9

8

10

11

12

HUMBOLDT HOO-HOO Club held its annual Crab Feed Jan. 25 at Eureka Elks Lodge, Eureka, Ca. The club honored Bruce Burton as this year’s Lumberman of the Year. [1] Members spent the night networking and sharing business ideas with fellow Hoo-Hoos. [2] Jeff Ward, Steve Keach, Rich Giacone. [3] Alan MacDougal, Bob Maurer, Bob Kuester. [4] Tom Von Moos, Terry Baribault. [5] David Jones, Pat Zan, Gary Gamble. [6] Brian

52

5

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

13 Pierce, Jan & Edgar Massoletti. [7] Doug Weaver, Marco Brito. [8] Tim Hummel, Matt Trullinger, Jeff Donahoo. [9] Alan MacDougal, John Kime, Tom Miller, Mike Beckley, Arnie George. [10] Dan Fini, Bill Sullivan, Gene Pietila. [11] Sheila Vinum, Nikki Bird, Shira McGaw. [12] Chloe Valdez, Rich Graham, Sara McGregor. [13] Mike Vinum, Annie Montey, George Blanco. (More photos on next two pages) Building-Products.com

15

16

18

20

19

21

23

24

22

25

27

26

28

30

31 DURING THE annual Crab Feed in Eureka (continued from previous page), [14] Rich Giacone presented Bruce Burton with the 2018 Lumberman of the Year Award. [15] Tony Leonardo, Dave Carter, Larry Ford. [16] Stacey Jones, Angela Robershotte. [17] Jim Frodsham, Steve Pankowski, Doug Willis. [18] Steve Christophel, Sandy & Pat Zan. [19] Scott Nelson, Dustin Heusser. [20] Ray Lamari, Sandy Zan, John Taylor. [21] Joel Hamel, Bill Scott. [22] Joe LaBerge, Todd Murphy, Jake Mortini. [23] Dave Dahlen, Building-Products.com

Photos by The Merchant Magazine

17

HUMBOLDT CRAB FEED

14

29

32 Cindy & Kent Bond. [24] Gene Pietila, Julie Wright. [25] Randy Jenkins, Laurie Ervin. [26] Randy Johnson, Eric Pitner. [27] Kevin Caughron, Charles McKerras. [28] Erika McNamara, Joel Hamel, Lee Iorg, Stacie Nickerson. [29] Danny Sosa, Rick Dean, Rod Kautz. [30] Dan Harvey, Betsy Bendix. [31] Jake Morris, Tawnya Morris, Jason Woods. [32] Chase Morrison, Greg Simpson, John Morrison.

(More photos on next page) March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

53

HUMBOLDT CRAB FEED Photos by The Merchant Magazine

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

46

44

47

CRAB FEED (continued from two previous pages): [33] Snark Robyn Beckett Young shared a club update. [34] Ken Fonti, Craig Smalley, Rich Bonfiglio, Mike Stone. [35] Max Corning, Dan Harvey. [36] Joe LaBerge, Kevin Dodds, Grant Phillips, Kevin Bruce. [37] Rob McLaughlin, Heidi & Michael McLaughlin. [38] Ken Timmins, Jeff Hoggard, John Pasqualetto.

[39] Steve Shamp, Lesa Connell, Matt Carlton, Eric Shelby, Ron Borges,

54

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

48

45

49

Aaron Sulzer. [40] Logan Weiper, Tim Efraimson, Stuart Titus, Randy Huffman. [41] Jeff Squires, Sandy Zan, Jean Henning. [42] Terry Baribault, Rudy Ramos. [43] Bill Sullivan, Tom Miller, Rich Graham. [44] Ken Dunham, Robyn Beckett Young. [45] Matt Turner, Stephanie Navarra. [46] Mark Bergenske, Deen Kerstetter. [47] Scott Stutsman, Gordan Watts. [48] Jeff Tornai, Cameron Cole. [49] Chris Freeman, Jerry Kelley.

Building-Products.com

ASSOCIATION Update Western Building Material Association is presenting an introduction to building material sales seminar April 10, followed by an estimating workshop April 11-12, both at the Clarion Inn, Pocatello, Id., led by WBMA exec Casey Voorhees.

West Coast Lumber & Building Material Association is offering a series of seminars to update members on the recent Prop 65 changes that will go into effect this August.

New regulations include changes in warning signs and presentation. The meeting is designed to educate on how members of the LBM industry can comply with the new guidelines. The next seminar will be March 14 at Hilton Garden inn, Fairfield, Ca. On April 12, WCLBMA stages its Southern California golf tournament at Black Gold Golf Course, Yorba Linda.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association is getting ready for its annual bowling tournament March 25 at Arapahoe Bowling Center, Greenwood Village, Ca. National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association is looking forward to its spring meeting & legislative conference March 19-21 at The Wink Hotel, Washington, D.C. Speakers include Senator Joni Ernst and Congressman David Young.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association is reminding members to save the date for its annual leadership summit April 8-10 at Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa, Tucson, Az. NAWLA’s 25th annual University of Innovative Distribution will kick off March 11-14 at JW Marriott, Indianapolis, In. NAWLA is also holding West Coast regional meetings April 26 in Vancouver, B.C., and June 26 in San Francisco, Ca., leading into PCBC.

Respecting the forest, honoring the past, building the future.

A nation’s pride you can build on.

Manufacturers of 6 million bd. ft. monthly of • 5/4 & 6/4 Ponderosa Pine Shop • 4/4 Premium Pine Board Programs State-of-the-Art Hewmill & Headrig Mill Contact Sheldon Howell

(509) 874-1163

Yakama Forest Products 3191 Wesley Rd., White Swan, WA 98952 Fax 509-874-1162

www.yakama-forest.com

West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau will hold its annual meeting April 19 in Portland, Or. International Wood Products Association is gearing up for its 62nd World of Wood conference March 14-16 in New Orleans, La. New this year will be a Supplier-Importer Exchange to help make connections between domestic importers and overseas suppliers.

Hardwood Manufacturers Association’s conference & expo will take place March 21-23 at Hyatt Regency Greenville, Greenville, S.C. Hoo-Hoo International has elected Robyn Beckett Young as their Snark of the Universe for a second year.

Western clubs with meetings this month include Black Bart Hoo-Hoo Club March 15 in Santa Rosa, Ca.; Tacoma-Olympia Hoo-Hoo Club March 21 in Tacoma, Wa.; and North Cascade Hoo-Hoo Club March 28 in Mt. Vernon, Wa. Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman’s Club’s next meeting is April 12 in Orange, Ca. Building-Products.com

888-807-2580 Bend, OR

www.pelicanbayfp.com DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS Colton / Fontana / Modesto / Salinas / Stockton, CA PRODUCTS & SERVICES Framing Lumber / Pallet Stock / Industrial Lumber / Softwoods Hardwoods / Cedar / Fencing / Decking / Redwood Custom Cut Stock / Treated Lumber / Tile Battens 3-Hole & Slotted Vents / Custom Cutting / Remanufacturing Heat Treating / Fire & CCA Treating

“Focused on the future with respect for tradition” March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

55

CLASSIFIED Marketplace Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word minimum). Phone number counts as 1 word, address as 6.

Centered copy/headline, $9 per line. Border, $9. Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished “camera-ready� (advertiser sets type), $65 if we set type.

Send ad to david@building-products.com. Make checks payable to 526 Media Group, 151 Kalmus Dr., Suite D200, Costa Mesa, Ca. 92626. Deadline: 18th of previous month.

Questions? Call (714) 486-2735.

HELP WANTED AVON PLASTICS, INC. is seeking to retain an experienced Manufacture Representative or Company for Building Material Products. Territory: Washington, Oregon, Idaho. Competitive commission and training provided. Please complete application and submit resume at Avonplastics.com.

Is this your copy?

Subscribe to

The

MERCHANT Magazine

info@building-products.com

IN Memoriam Greg Newenhof, co-owner of City Lumber, Astoria, Or., died Jan. 28. He was 61.

A 1978 graduate of Portland State University, Greg and his brother, Jeff, inherited City Lumber in 1991 from their parents, who bought the 114-year-old lumberyard in 1975. Last year, the Western Building Material

Association awarded the brothers the Distinguished Dealer Award.

George Otto Bonitz, 95, 60-year veteran of wood products importing and exporting, died of lymphoma Jan. 5 in Northridge, Ca. He began his career at age 16 with Penokee Veneer, Mellen, Wi. He

ADVERTISERS Index

graduated from Northland College in Ashland, Wi., and was highly decorated as a bomber pilot in World War II and the Korean War. After Korea, he relocated to California to work for Regal Door Co., before moving to Taiwan in 1960.

There, he served as vice chairman of Pacific Wood Products in Taipei and later became president and chairman of Findley Millar Timber Co. in Manila, Philippines. He returned to the U.S. in the late 1980s. He ended his career as a consultant with GOB International, Los Angeles.

Wayland Wayne Gentry, 85, longtime commercial lumber salesman, died Jan. 29 in Roseburg, Or. Before retiring, he spent decades in sales and as a core layer with Evans and Nordic Veneer Plywood mills.

Jerry Machacek, 73, former owner of Eureka True Value Hardware, Eureka, Nv., died Jan. 11.

A graduate of Northrup University, he opened the store in 1993 and ran it for 23 years, until he was forced into retirement due to poor health.

Norbord [www.norbord.com]

5

Big Creek Lumber [www.big-creek.com]

24

Norman Distribution Inc. [www.normandist.com]

57

C&E Lumber [www.celumber.com]

49

Orgill [www.orgill.com]

9

Pacific Woodtech [www.pacificwoodtech.com]

7

Capital Lumber [www.capital-lumber.com]

Cover I

CMPC [www.selex.cl.com]

35

Pelican Bay Forest Products [www.pelicanbayfp.com]

55

DassoXTR [www.dassoxtr.com]

44

PPG [www.ppgmachineappliedcoatings.com]

45

Fasco America [www.fascoamerica.com]

34

Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com]

Feeney [www.feeneyinc.com]

25

RFP Lumber [www.rfplumber.com]

526 Media Group Inc. [www.building-products.com]

Cover III

37, 39 26

Roseburg Forest Products [www.roseburg.com]

Cover IV

Fontana Wholesale Lumber [fontanawholesalelumber.com] 49

Royal Pacific Industries

23

Grabber Construction Products [www.grabberman.com]

15

Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com]

31

Huff Lumber Co. [www.hufflumber.com]

32

Siskiyou Forest Products [www.siskiyouforestproducts.com] 47

Humboldt Redwood [www.getredwood.com]

41

Southern California Hoo-Hoo Club [www.hoohoo117.org]

48

Jones Wholesale Lumber [www.joneswholesale.com]

30

Swanson Group Sales Co. [www.swansongroupinc.com]

13

Keller Lumber

50

Universal Forest Products [www.ufpedge.com/shiplap]

19

King Salmon Lodge [www.kingsalmonlodge.com]

38

Viance [www.treatedwood.com]

Maze Nails [www.mazenails.com]

27

Western Wood Preserving [westernwoodpreserving.com]

21

Mid Valley Lumber Specialties [www.midvalleylumber.com] 48

Western Woods Inc. [www.westernwoodsinc.com]

33

National Hardware Show [www.nationalhardwareshow.com] 51

Weyerhaeuser Co. [www.weyerhaeuser.com]

3

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. [nawla.org]

Yakama Forest Products [www.yakama-forest.com]

55

56

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

36, 43

Cover II

Building-Products.com

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

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman’s Club – March 9, meeting, Chino Hills, Ca.; www.lahlc.net.

Tacoma Remodeling Expo – March 9-11, Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center, Tacoma, Wa.; www.homeshowcenter.com.

Portland House & Outdoor Living Show – April 6-8, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Or.; www.homeshowcenter.com.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association – April 8-10, Leadership Summit, Austin, Tx.; www.nawla.org.

Western Wood Products Association – April 8-10, annual meeting, Austin, Tx.; www.wwpa.org.

International Home & Housewares Show – March 10-13, Chicago, Il.; www.housewares.org.

Western Building Material Association and Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association – April 10, intro to building material sales class; April 11-12, estimating workshop, Clarion Inn, Pocatello, Id.; www.wbma.org.

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. – March 11-14, University of Innovative Distribution, Indianapolis, In.; www.nawla.org.

National Wood Flooring Expo – April 11-14, sponsored by National Wood Flooring Association, Tampa, Fl.; www.nwfaexpo.org.

West Coast Lumber & Building Material Association – March 14, Prop 65 warning changes seminar, Knott’s Berry Farm Resort Hotel, Buena Park, Ca.; www.lumberassociation.org.

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman’s Club – April 12, meeting, Orange, Ca.; www.lahlc.net.

International Wood Products Association – March 14-16, World of Wood annual convention, New Orleans, La.; www.iwpawood.org.

West Coast Lumber & Building Material Association – April 12, Southern California golf tournament, Black Gold Golf Course, Yorba Linda, Ca.; www.lumberassociation.org.

Black Bart Hoo-Hoo Club – March 15, concat dinner, Cricklewood Restaurant, Santa Rosa, Ca.; www.blackbarthoohoo181.org.

Panel & Engineered Lumber International Conference & Expo – April 13-14, Atlanta, Ga.; www.pelice-expo.com.

Redwood Region Logging Conference – March 15-17, Ukiah, Ca.; www.rrlc.net.

Forest Resources Association – April 16-18, annual meeting, New Orleans, La.; www.forestresources.org.

Ace Hardware Corp. – March 15-18, spring show, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Dallas, Tx.; www.acehardware.com

Tacoma-Olympia Hoo-Hoo Club – April 18, board meeting, Tacoma, Wa.; (253) 531-1834; tbilski614@aol.com.

Pasadena Spring Home Show – March 17-18, Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, Ca.; www.pasadenahomeshow.com.

West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau – April 19, annual meeting, Portland, Or.; www.wclib.org.

National Lumber & Building Material Dealrs Association – March 19-21, legislative conference, Washington, D.C.; www.dealer.org.

Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association – April 21-24, 63rd annual convention & leadership conference, Loews Coronado, San Diego, Ca.; www.kcma.org.

Window & Door Manufacturers Assn. – March 19-21, spring meeting & legislative conference, Washington, D.C.; www.wdma.com.

Mass Timber Conference – March 20-22, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Or.; www.masstimberconference.com.

Tacoma-Olympia Hoo-Hoo – March 21, board meeting, Tacoma, Wa.; (253) 531-1834; tbilski614@aol.com.

Hardwood Manufacturers Association – March 21-23, national conference & expo, Greenville, S.C.; www.hmamembers.org.

LMC – March 21-23, annual meeting, Tampa, Fl.; www.lmc.net.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association – March 25, Colorado Council’s 26th annual bowling tournament, Arapahoe Bowling Center, Greenwood Village, Co.; (303) 7930859; www.mslbmda.org.

American Wood Protection Association – April 22-24, annual meeting, Seattle, Wa.; www.awpa.com.

Composite Panel Association – April 22-25, spring meeting, Victoria, B.C.; www.compositepanel.org.

Southern California Hoo-Hoo Club – April 25, meeting, Chino, Ca.; www.hoohoo117.org.

Olympic Logging Conference – April 25-27, Fairmont Empress Hotel, Victoria, B.C.; www.olympicloggingconference.com.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association – April 26, regional meeting, Vancouver, B.C.; www.nawla.org.

Transload Distribution Association – April 30-May 2, annual conference, Leesburg, Va.; www.tdana.com.

Superior Service, Products & Support 100% of the Time

Distributed By

P.O. Box 1802, Medford, OR 97501 • Fax 541-535-3288

(541) 535-3465 • www.normandist.com Building-Products.com

March 2018

n

The Merchant Magazine n

57

FLASHBack 58 Years Ago This Month

F ifty-eight

years ago, The California Lumber Merchant (The Merchant Magazine),, reported on a panel of building supply experts who gathered from across the country to advise retailers on “101 Ways to Build Store Traffic During the Weekday.”

Much of the advice was timeless, stressing the importance of marketing and customer-centric service.

Evergreen suggestions included increasing sales training, providing installation services, expanding into “more products that women buy,” and stocking everything a customer needs to complete specific projects (as well as packaging related items together).

Several of the ideas, however, sound rather unique, even unconventional now 58 years later: 13. Distribute shopping lists and idea sheets. The customer can check off the items he needs, either before or after entering the store.

28. Arrange for a gas station nearby so customers can have their car greased and oil changed, while shopping in lumberyard.

32. Follow department store technique for directing store traffic to different areas where more profitable items are displayed. Have lines or arrows painted on floor to lead customers to the most profitable items.

70. Have a baby sitting service. Put in a circular pen with toys for both boys and girls, or a rack with comic books.

75. When a father buys a saw, for example, give a toy saw for his child.

SIGNALING a move to racier advertising, Twin-City Lumber kicked off the 1960s on the cover of the March 1960 issue with a new ad campaign that would picture sets of pretty twins.

81. Buy garden gloves and send one of the gloves to women, telling them they can get the other glove by coming into the store. Do the same with pairs of nylon hose.

The customer gets the other stocking in the right size by visiting the store.

99. Rent space in a nearby supermarket parking lot to set up a small display: “This is one of 2,000 items found at So-and-So Lumber Center.”

Other headlines in March 1960: • Nineteen panel manufacturers teamed up to form the National Particleboard Association, as an Illinois non-profit. The NPA was charged with establishing industry standards, developing new markets, and promoting particleboard to architects and the construction industry.

Charter members included International Paper, Pope & Talbot, and Weyerhaeuser.

In 1997, the National Particleboard Association would merge with the Canadian Particleboard Association into the Composite Panel Association.

• Weyerhaeuser opened a new lumber and plywood warehouse five minutes from Disneyland in Anaheim, Ca., to better serve east Los Angeles. The facility, 33 miles east of its downtown L.A. location, was its eleventh.

• Harmon “H.F.” Anawalt, founder of Southern California lumber dealer Anawalt Lumber, died Feb. 21, 1960, at the age of 93. He had retired at age 84 from the firm he founded in 1921, leaving the operation of his three yards to his children and grandchildren. He was “known and respected for his forthright opinions, which he expressed with frankness and vigor.”

• Sterling Wolfe announced that Marquart-Wolfe Lumber Co., Hollywood, Ca., was adding a branch March 1 in Santa Ana, to serve dealers in Orange, San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. A few years later, Wolfe would move the entire company to nearby Newport Beach. He retired in 1992 and passed away in 2001.

UNION LUMBER introduced nicely wrapped, easy-to-handle bundles of its Noyo brand redwood.

58

n

The Merchant Magazine n

March 2018

• Simmons Hardwood Lumber added a new moulding storage shed at its wholesale complex in Downey, Ca. Today, the property features a Coca-Cola bottling plant.

Building-Products.com

It’s here.

Completely redesigned. Continuously updated. Conveniently mobile.

www.Building-Products.com Another investment in serving the LBM industry since 1922

The

MERCHANT

Magazine

Wood done right Engineered Wood Products / Studs & Timbers Real Wood Siding / Softwood Plywood Roseburg.com

800.245.1115