The Merchant Sept 2018

The

MERCHANT

SEPTEMBER 2018

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

NEW OSB TECHNOLOGIES • MINING SOCIAL MEDIA DATA • REDWOOD & CEDAR

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

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

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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 Contributors Bob Berlage, Allan Burk, Bobby Byrd, Simon Cameron, Jessica Hewitt, Bhupinder Jhajj, Paige McAllister, Michelle Overbeck

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FIRST CHOICE. BEST CHOICE. SM

At Do it Best Corp., we’re committed to keeping our focus on what matters most – helping our members grow and achieve their dreams. We continue to deliver the right products and the best programs to be the first and best choice for independent home improvement entrepreneurs.

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CONTENTS

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Special Look

Features

Departments

10 OSB UPDATE

14 INDUSTRY TRENDS

8 ACROSS THE BOARD 22 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE 24 OLSEN ON SALES 26 SELLING WITH KAHLE 28 TRANSFORMING TEAMS 36 MOVERS & SHAKERS 38 NEW PRODUCTS 59 ASSOCIATION UPDATE 60 IN MEMORIAM 60 ADVERTISERS INDEX 61 DATE BOOK 62 FLASHBACK

• THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY • MANUFACTURER REPORTS • PRODUCTION IS GROWING • INDUSTRY FORECAST • AND MORE

THE HIGH COST OF LOW GRADE LUMBER

16 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW REDWOOD?

18 MARGIN BUILDERS

REDWOOD PERGOLAS BRING LUXURY FINISH TO OUTDOOR PROJECTS

The

MERCHANT

SEPTEMBER 2018

Magazine

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

NEW OSB TECHNOLOGIES • MINING SOCIAL MEDIA DATA • REDWOOD & CEDAR

20 MANAGEMENT TIPS

MINING SOCIAL MEDIA DATA TO BOOST WESTERN RED CEDAR SALES

32 THINKING AHEAD

HOW ONE COMPANY GAMBLED ON ME

48 PHOTO RECAP

WESTERN WOODS’ OPEN HOUSE

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

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UMPQUA VALLEY MILL WEEK

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September 2018

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ACROSS the Board

By Patrick Adams

Act like a dog was about 8 years old, growing up in a tough neighborhood. I didn’t have many friends and getting into scuffles was a weekly certainty. Walking to and from school was akin to a tactical exercise of survive, evade, resist and escape.

My route to school in the morning took me around our block and by our back fence. It was there I typically ran into my neighborhood’s finest, who one particular morning decided this would not be a good start to my day. After quickly realizing that conversation was not an option, the only other option unfolded in a dirty three-against-one scuffle with kids much older than me. It was not going well and to be honest, most of it is a blur in my memory and hard to distinguish from other days.

What I do remember is this morning turning out differently. Unbeknownst to me, our family German shepherd was listening through the fence. She was my pal and honestly, one of the few positive refuges from my childhood. Shortly after the scuffle started, with me very quickly getting outgunned, she literally knocked a section of our 8-ft. back fence down and decided to level the playing field.

As I looked up from the ground, the three amigos were looking on in disbelief. In seconds, one was down and two were sprinting away with my dog in chase down the street and around the corner. I got up and tried to chase after her and as I got around the corner, saw her limping back. We walked the rest of the way home, both looking like soldiers returning from war but with a slight smile knowing that our enemies were worst off.

What is it about our bond with dogs? Yes, we have family, friends and coworkers. From our earliest years to our senior years, we create bonds with those around us. Due to a variety of factors, some stick around; most do not. In our hearts we want to believe that these relationships are authentic, sincere and will last forever. That people will feel the way about us that we feel about them. We remember our first best friend or our first love because it happened before we became cynics. Before life taught us that sometimes people are cruel. That sometimes, there are conditions or that not everything is a two-way street.

But I can make a universally true statement about dogs.

They are man’s best friend. Nobody can say they’ve had a dog of any breed where that wasn’t true. No matter their training, their living conditions, or how you treated them, they unconditionally love you and want to make you happy—every day of their lives. They’re up for going for walks with you any time of the day or night, hunting in the worst conditions, hiking through impossible terrain, or

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simply sitting with you during the best and worst times of your life. They never tell your secrets, never judge you, and give you that look that tells you they will happily lay down their life for you should the need arise.

I think about that a lot now as a German shepherd joined our family so my kids can have that same experience. But perhaps, it’s more about examples for all of us? Maybe I want them to see what truly unconditional love and devotion looks and feels like. Maybe I need my own good example.

Maybe we should all be more like dogs and seek those more like dogs in our friends and staff.

A good friend told me a story about when he and his wife were struggling with their marriage, they agreed to live every day by the motto, “Don’t let the dog beat you to it.”

It meant basically to be the first to give that smile, that hug or kiss, or to show gratitude simply because that person is important to you—before the dog gets a chance to beat you to it. It’s a wise way to live—like a dog. Loyal, brave, happy with what you have, and showing love unconditionally to those close to you while happily risking your life to protect and serve them.

Live like a dog… it kind of makes life a bit easier with that perspective. I know I want to be known as that kind of friend, that husband, that boss. And, even though I know she won’t judge me, I want to try to show I’m worthy of all our “best friend” gives to us. As for “cat people,” all I can say is that I’m very suspicious of you!

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful summer full of family, fun and memories that will last a lifetime. As always, I am honored to serve you and this industry!

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

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FEATURE Story

By Allan Burk, LP Building Products

New OSB technologies offer solutions to old problems f you’re still categorizing OSB as a commodity or treating it as an afterthought, it’s time to rethink your approach. Thanks to advances in manufacturing, OSB has evolved into a category where dealers can sell panels based on builders’ specific needs, from budget to functionality to labor concerns. Options abound, with some premium panels offering performance like never before.

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Addressing Key Challenges Increasingly, OSB isn’t just the home’s structural panels, but a key component to building systems that address more codes or challenges that impact the roof, the walls, and the floors. For example, top of mind with many builders are increasingly stringent energy codes, particularly in California where all new homes must be built net-zero by 2020. Radiant bar-

rier sheathing offers always an exceptional value while blocking up to 97% of radiant heat in the panel from emitting into the home’s attic.

Similarly, on the walls, OSB panels with specialty fire coatings are helping builders more easily address both new and old requirements. Panels with a specialty treatment may offer the same structural design values, allowing them to be used for exterior and interior load-bearing wall assemblies, such as party walls, while eliminating extra layers of gypsum, thereby saving material and labor costs.

Higher Quality Underfoot

FIRE-RATED OSB sheathing like LP FlameBlock meets code and provides strength and design flexibility. It can help build fire-rated wall assemblies faster—and at a lower cost—than many common alternatives. (Photos by LP)

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Those same advances are happening at the sub-floor. Dealers now have a range of performance values to offer builders, from commodity panels to several premium options, creating a good-better-best scenario that allows them to match their sub-floor to each project’s individual expectations and budget.

High-performance sub-flooring typically offers improved moisture resistance, increased density, and better fastener holding. These attributes can reduce or eliminate the potential for nail pops and movement that can lead to squeaks or cracks in the finished floor above.

This evolution to high-performance sub-flooring is particularly crucial today as consumers increasingly Building-Products.com

OSB Producers 2018 North American production of oriented strand board— and prices—continue rising, despite mills already operating at or near full capacity. The difference is that industry capacity has increased over the last 12 months, thanks to new plants coming on line and mothballed facilities returning to service.

LP LEGACY premium sub-flooring is one example of the advancing technology and increasing options for OSB. The panels offer superior moisture resistance, have a “Covered Until It’s Covered” no-sand warranty, and have a high density ideal for installation under hardwood floors and tile.

desire nicer finishes such as hardwood flooring. Many Baby Boomers, for example, are downsizing their homes but still want to splurge on custom finishes that they expect to perform for the long haul. For builders, that should mean paying attention to what’s underneath as much as what’s on top.

Those same properties also are helping with labor woes, which the NAHB recently identified as one of builders’ top two challenges this year. Premium OSB sub-flooring typically does not need edge sanding, reducing installation time, and higher performance reduces the likelihood of dreaded callbacks. On the walls, longer-length panels of 9 and 10 ft. equate to fewer joints and may reduce hardware like hurricane clips and straps, shortening installation time while resulting in an overall stronger house.

Selling the Value The focus on performance is only set to continue, as manufacturers are upping the ante on features and benefits that address the challenges both existing and upcoming.

For instance, as housing density near metro areas increases, expect solutions that address noise transmission and more options for addressing fire codes.

For dealers, these evolving attributes emphasize why helping builders navigate options—and understand the broader picture—is so important. Like many product categories, education can help buyers determine which products will fit their budget and offer the performance they expect.

It also can demonstrate how investments in pricier panels can ultimately net savings in the form of reduced installation time and fewer hassles down the road.

Savvy dealers should get to know each project’s specific requirements and help customers select products that will ensure performance, steering them away from considerations solely based on price or tradition. And check with your OSB manufacturer for product knowledge sessions, for both staff and customers, to raise awareness of these growing options as well as ensure they’re specifying panels that meet—and exceed—expectations.

- A licensed civil engineer specializing in wood engineering, Allan Burk is the supply chain planning manager for LP Building Products’ OSB and EWP business. He has worked in R&D, manufacturing and sales throughout his career in the wood industry.

Building-Products.com

Norbord, Toronto, Ont., in the latest quarter increased North American OSB shipments by 9% year-over-year and 10% quarter-over-quarter due to seasonally higher productivity and uptime, as well as additional production from its mill in Huguley, Al., which restarted in late 2017. Overall, its 13 active North American OSB mills are running at 98% of capacity, with Huguley remaining in ramp-up mode.

Norbord is currently rebuilding its shuttered facility in Chambord, Quebec, for an eventual restart; expanding capacity in Grande Prairie, Alberta, by 100 million sq. ft. annually; and planning a rebuild and automation of the wood handling section of its Huguley mill, which could add another 100+ million sq. ft. of capacity.

Louisiana-Pacific, Nashville, Tn., saw OSB sales rise 18% during the first six months of 2018, with profits jumping over 50%. Its 12 OSB plants in the U.S. and Canada (10 operating) can produce up to 5 billion sq. ft. a year.

Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., can produce up to 3.7 billion sq. ft. of OSB at its six active plants.

Weyerhaeuser, Seattle, Wa., increased sales by 19% in the latest quarter at its six North American OSB mills, while average sales prices rose by 24%. Last year, the plants exceeded their combined listed capacity of 3 billion sq. ft. of OSB by 1%.

Huber Engineered Wood, Charlotte, N.C., is now producing OSB products at five facilities, following the springtime restart of its Spring City, Tn., which had been shuttered since 2011.

Tolko, Vernon B.C., this past spring restarted its long-dormant OSB mill in High Prairie, Alb., complementing facilities in Meadow Lake, Sask., and Slave Lake, Alb. RoyOMartin, Alexandria, La., this spring brought on line a new OSB plant in Corrigan, Tx., targeting 750 million sq. ft. of production per year and joining plants in Oakdale and Chopin, La. Arbec Forest Products, St. Leonard, P.Q., has about 700 million sq. ft. of OSB capacity at its mills in SaintGeorges-de-Champlain, P.Q., and Miramichi, N.B. The latter is currently undergoing a $10-million upgrade.

Langboard can produce up to 440 million sq. ft. of OSB per year at its Quitman, Ga., mill.

Forex Amos began production of OSB this spring at its Amos, P.Q., headquarters.

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INDUSTRY Trends

By Bobby Byrd, RoyOMartin

What to expect in OSB emand for u.s. housing is trending steadily upward.

One reason for this is shifting demographics. Certain key markets are experiencing a significant influx of new residents, creating immediate demand for housing and opportunities for OSB manufacturers to finetune their product mix and market positioning. Additionally, recent numbers show that the average size of a U.S. single-family home is up slightly, and wall heights greater than 8 ft. are becoming more common, furthering the demand for wood products like OSB. There is definitely more demand for OSB products. Although RoyOMartin does not currently produce OSB flooring, our customers often ask for it. More raised floors are being specified by building codes in traditional flood-plain areas, as well as in new flood-prone areas, such as Houston. Structural panels are an efficient building product for raisedfloor applications.

As consumers become more energy conscious, more builders are

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opting for radiant barrier laminated to OSB for roof decks. The U.S. Department of Energy and Oakridge National Laboratories have a radiant-barrier calculator that allows consumers and builders in all climate zones the ability to better understand the return on investment of a deckapplied radiant barrier. Calculating the efficiency of a radiant barrier can be complicated; however, with this tool, users can easily answer four questions online and receive their expected ROI. It’s important to note that OSB is not just for the traditional housing market. We are seeing increased demand for OSB in recreational vehicles, manufactured housing, furniture, and transportation-related projects. OSB has the unique ability to be produced in a variety of densities, thicknesses, and dimensions.

Furthermore, OSB can be precision trimmed at the manufacturing plant, allowing the sidewall panels to be installed by attaching the bottom plate all the way to the top of the top plate.

This eliminates the need for further strapping and offers an ideal structural

DALLAS HOME features RoyOMartin’s newest OSB product, Eclipse Weather Resistant Barrier.

(Photos by RoyOMartin)

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OSB PRODUCTS in RoyOMartin’s warehouse in Oakdale, La.

solution for wind-prone areas—like the Gulf Coast—that experience seasonal hurricanes.

We’re seeing a few positive indicators: (1) an increase in North American OSB capacity appears imminent, (2) new OSB operations are starting up, and (3) the growth of those operations are spread out over time, as operations begin to stabilize and efficiencies are gained. Each month, we should see improvements at those facilities, and I would agree that over the next five years, we should see a 5-6% increase in capacity.

I also think this additional capacity will be disbursed into several market regions—including globally—and that product diversity will increase. As stated earlier, OSB is being discovered as a viable alternative in a variety of industries outside of traditional housing.

– Bobby Byrd is director of OSB sales & marketing for RoyOMartin. For more information visit www.royomartin.com.

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Building-Products.com

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INDUSTRY Trends

By David Koenig

The high cost of low grade lumber he grades may be considered low, but the demand for it—and consequently the prices for it—are anything but.

Pallets, crates and many other industrial applications rely on lowgrade lumber, but at a time of a strong economy and rising orders, material supply appears to be shrinking. One buyer reported that in late spring he visited a massive sawmill in Georgia.

The facility was running at maximum capacity, while telling all callers they’d love to sell them lumber, but didn’t have a stick to spare.

“The current situation boils down to supply and demand,” explained Annie Montey, a partner at American Pallet, Inc., Oakdale, Ca. “For much

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of 2018, the demand for low grade has exceeded the available supply, causing prices to surge to record levels. Several pallet and crating companies in California that use low grade lumber have had record-setting years and with a strong economy throughout the United States, demand for low grade lumber used for wood packaging has been strong. This has led to supply and demand imbalances that have helped propel prices to record levels.”

The supply equation is also constricted by optimization improvements, new technology, and retrofit strategies that have some mills now categorizing less than 5% of their production as low grade.

LOW GRADE lumber for pallets, cratings and other industrial and agricultural uses has increased in price far more quickly than higher grades. (Photo by Custom Forest Products, Spartanburg, S.C.)

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Over the past two-and-a-half years, the lumber composite price has risen about 150%, while the low grade index is up approximately 180%.

According to Bob Crews, a broker with Western Lumber Co., Medford, Or., “Years ago we had mostly cutting mills going after more old growth trees, which developed a much higher percentage of Economy and #3 than we do now. Most of our current production is second and third growth trees, which yields 2x4 and 2x6, 4x4 and 4x6, with a much smaller percentage of low grade with the D grade factor being mostly wane.

“With all of the modern technology we have now, put together with all the managers’ dreams of more Clears and no Economy coupled up with a larger market for low grade, we have the perfect storm.”

In addition, tariffs on Canadian imports have similarly reduced the available supply of low grade lumber and pallet stock in the States, said Mark Berger, lumber buyer for American Pallet. “Couple strong demand with a 20-plus% tariff on your largest source of imported lumber and you’ve got the makings of a supply crunch, which would logically lead to an increase in prices for those products.”

A.J. Cheponis, director of sales and marketing for Pallet Consultants Corp., Pompano Beach, Fl., said if you dig deeper, there are many more Building-Products.com

factors contributing to the industrial lumber crisis.

They include: • There’s less U.S.-based furniture manufacturing today than a decade or two ago. This decreases industrial lumber availability, as industrial lumber is a byproduct of high-grade furniture lumber.

• China is now importing whole logs from the U.S. instead of select premium boards.

• More competition for the raw material due to increased home construction.

• The industrial workforce has decreased. In spite of automation and technology, not many people are telling their kids to become a logger.

• Increased gas and oil pipeline construction in the U.S. has consumed much of the industrial timber. These large timbers, which were normally used for pallet and crate manufacture, are used for temporary roads for cranes and heavy equipment.

These timbers are a critical com-

ponent to this industry and as such, pipeline builders are willing to pay a premium for these materials.

• Rising costs of other raw materials, such as pallet nails, and of shipping, due to higher fuel prices and a shortage of available drivers.

• More frequent forest fires and rainy seasons are leaving us with less lumber to harvest.

Solutions are not easy to come by.

“Back when the market crashed in 2007-2008, a lot of lumber mills shuttered up. No one was buying lumber for about four years,” Cheponis said.

“A lot of those old mills were center points for a town. They built towns around those mills. I don’t think you can go in and start them back up. It’s not easily done, and building a new one can be hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Cheponis added that many pallet users are turning from new to used stock, stressing the pool of recycled pallets. “The long-term effects of this will be felt in the forthcoming months and years as the replenishment of new pallets into the recycled pool are dwindling,” he said.

INTRODUCING PACIFIC

After more than two years of increases, low grade lumber prices have actually cooled in recent weeks, at least for softwoods (hardwood prices have held). Supply remains tight.

“Right now,” noted Western Lumber’s Crews, “we have the on-grade market falling off, so time will tell if it falls enough for the low grade users to go after the better yielding on grade wood, which will put the low grade in a tail spin. Quite a dilemma!”

American Pallet’s Berger agreed that, after peaking, prices have begun trending toward more reasonable levels. “How far this downturn will go is anyone’s guess,” he said. “In my opinion we will see overall higher price levels in the future, especially if tariffs and strong demand continue. Prices will go up and down, they always do, but I believe that overall, with these factors in place we will see elevated pricing as compared to the recent past.

“Sawmills must reduce output to bring lumber supplies back into equilibrium with demand. If you over-produce a market, you’ll drive the price into the ground. Supply and demand must find a balance or you will have price distortions in the market.”

CEDAR DECKING

Our Pacific TruRed Cedar Decking is a proprietary select grade of coastal Western red cedar which has been manufactured to strict quality tolerances to ensure a uniquely premium tight-knot product. Pacific TruRed is custom cut from select second growth logs which are sourced from Vancouver Island, B.C. After cutting, the rough cedar is sorted for quality prior to kiln drying (KD) to an average moisture content of 15%. Once the moisture content of the complete kiln charge has been confirmed, the KD rough lumber is moved to our finishing mill where it is sorted again to remove any pieces degraded in the kiln prior to dressing, trimming and packaging. The result of this quality-intensive process is our Pacific TruRed Cedar Decking: Truly, a Decking Product for the Discerning Homeowner.

SELECT Tight-Knot, S4S Kiln Dried (KD), 1/8”r 4-Eased Edges

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● 2x4 (1-1/2”x3-1/2”) 8’-20’ evens only, 104/unit ● 2x2 (1-1/2”x1-1/2”) 4’-12’ evens only, 52/unit

A complete line of Western red cedar timbers, boards and uppers are available to complete your decking project.

CEDAR DECKING Building-Products.com

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PRODUCT Spotlight

By Bob Berlage and Michelle Overbeck, Big Creek Lumber Co.

How well do you know your redwood? ike many things, the usage of redwood has evolved: In the 1800s to early 1900s redwood was used to create split products. Split pickets, posts, railroad ties, grape stakes, shakes and shingles were used as building materials.

Years later, sawn redwood lumber was used primarily for home construction including framing, siding and framing timbers. These days the primary use of redwood is for decking, fencing, outdoor structures, and for fine interior architectural uses.

Here are other tid-bits you should know about redwood, its properties, and its history: Redwood was used to make water pipes: In the 1800s redwood was a great choice for making water pipes, flumes and tanks. A benefit of redwood was that the heartwood did not add any flavor to the water as it passed through. Pieces of redwood were placed together and banded; when the wood would get wet, the wood would expand and be a leak proof pipe solution.

Redwood is resistant: The heartwood of this species naturally has significant amounts of tannins which make the lumber highly resistant to fungus and insect intrusion.

It also has very little resins and oils which makes it fire resistant. If redwood does burn, it burns much slower than other types of wood.

Redwood is resistant to rotting and was a common coffin material for many years: When the body of Junipero Serra was exhumed a century after being buried at the Carmel Mission for identification, the redwood coffin was found perfectly intact. Although not as popular, redwood coffins are still available.

Redwood can be sustainably harvested for centuries: Coast redwood regenerates naturally by sprouting from the

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stump after a tree is cut. It is also one of the fastest growing conifer trees. If managed properly it can be harvested sustainably for centuries. Redwood lumber is completely renewable and one of the most sustainable building materials available today.

California’s redwood forestlands consistently grow more forest mass annually than what is removed by harvesting.

Redwood is climate friendly: A U.S. Department of Agriculture study determined that: “Using wood in building products yielded fewer greenhouse gases than other common building materials, such as concrete and steel.” According to the report, which analyzed dozens of peerreviewed scientific studies, 2.1 tons of greenhouse gases were saved for each ton of carbon in wood products versus non-wood materials.” A peer reviewed study found that redwood lumber was especially effective for minimizing the carbon footprint of construction projects.

Redwood has been used worldwide: While redwood has been used almost exclusively in California, it has been recognized and utilized worldwide as a premier product. Its natural beauty and durability make it an easy choice.

The first surfboards were made out of redwood: In 1885 Hawaiian princes brought surfing from Hawaii to California when they surfed redwood O’lo boards in Santa Cruz, Ca. The nephews of King David Kalakaua made the 17-ft. surfboards themselves. Their surfing caught on and became so popular it changed the course of California history.

- Bob Berlage is director of communications and Michelle Overbeck marketing manager for Big Creek Lumber, Davenport, Ca. (www.bigcreeklumber.com).

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IT ALL STARTS

HERE. NEVER SETTLE. You stock your shelves with the best treated lumber.

And your customers depend on you for it. We get it. That’s why our lumber is meticulously treated to standard and inspected by a third party. Call us Type A. But that’s why you can be confident—even with your toughest customers.

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DECKING | FENCING | RAILING | TIMBERS

MARGIN Builders

By Jessica Hewitt, Humboldt Redwood Co.

Redwood pergolas bring luxury finish to outdoor living spaces uilding Custom homes for more than 24 years, Palomar Builders prides itself on building each project with the care and quality homeowners expect, with the value and affordability they prize.

For its newest community, Salt Creek Heights, in Redding, Ca., Palomar wanted to set the standard with the development’s first home and decided that a pergola would connect with the natural surroundings as well as beckon people from indoors to enjoy the outdoor space. The best material for the project, he discovered, was redwood.

“We use only high-grade construction materials, and when it comes down to premium exterior living space,

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there is nothing better than redwood,” said Palomar co-owner Jeb Allen.

The backyard of this first home features a custom-designed pool. As Allen considered the options for defining the space around the pool, he knew the pergola would help draw attention to the space. Some other builders, though, would use materials like composite or aluminum. “The real redwood brings the texture, a different feeling, a richer sense,” Allen explained. “It’s more inviting if you’re standing inside the house and look out the window to see this redwood pergola, and further in the background see some of the gorgeous natural surroundings that just perfectly frame the scene.”

Allen reached out to Meek’s

CUSTOM BUILDER opted for redwood to craft an eye-catching pergola for the first home at its new development in Redding, Ca. (Photo courtesy Humboldt Redwood Co.)

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Lumber & Hardware, Redding, to find the redwood for the project. Humboldt Redwood was chosen for its aesthetic appeal, as well as the ease with which it supported the custom, sophisticated design.

Redwood also underscored some of the sustainable features promoted within this community. With solar panel hookups, tiled roofs, and quartz countertops, the homes already feature products that support sustainable living. Modern forestry practices, including those of Humboldt Redwood, mean that more redwood trees are grown each year than are harvested and additional protections are put in place around old growth stands, flora and fauna, and water courses, to name a few. Redwood is naturally strong and durable, making it the ideal building material for weekend DIYers and career pros like Palomar Builders.

The first pergola was so well received by the homeowners, Allen ordered another eight pergola kits and is offering them as a design option when customers visit the Palomar design studio to create their dream homes. “Based on our experiences so far, we can see that more of our customers will appreciate the durability, beauty, and sustainability of redwood timbers used in these pergolas,” Allen explained.

- Jessica Hewitt is director of marketing for the Mendocino Family of Companies (Mendocino Forest Products, Mendocino Redwood Co., Humboldt Redwood Co., and Allweather Wood). For more information, visit www.mendoco.com.

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MANAGEMENT Tips

By Western Red Cedar Lumber Association

Mining social media data to grow WRC sales ining and analyzing data from social media platforms has received a lot of press as of late, and not all of it good. The Facebook – Cambridge Analytica scandal, the Google student data heist, and an alleged election hacking have all illustrated the invasive side of accessing online personal information.

However, there are also many non-nefarious, and legal, uses of data gathering and analytics. In particular, data use employed by advertisers and marketers to better target potential customers and increase sales. This is the case in the western red cedar business.

The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association represents a significant portion of North America’s WRC manufacturers, distributors and retailers, and supports their members’ business through programs including advocacy, education,

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REAL CEDAR Facebook post targeting DIYers around Father’s Day. (All photos by WRCLA)

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ADS LIKE this were posted on Instagram, monitored for results, and adjusted to optimize results.

and advertising and marketing; of which social media has been playing an increasingly bigger role.

Following a downtrend in Real Cedar (the WRCLA’s brand) traffic and Google keyword rankings, the WRCLA’s agency, Bare Advertising and Communications, created a comprehensive audit of their audience for Real Cedar products; what they were looking for, and what would engage them.

This became a priority project for the WRCLA as customer retention and revenue in the WRC business were being affected by growing competitive threats from composite materials, and, perhaps more significantly, new softwood lumber duties.

The first thing the audit revealed was that while a robust online presence was still key, potential WRC customers were spending less time using search engines like Google, and more time on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to seek information. Much of the reason for this is information on Google can quickly become outdated and thus receive a lower ranking, meaning someone would be less likely to find it in a search.

People also generally have more confidence in information and recommendations from peers on social media, and are therefore spending more time on these platforms.

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The key difference in the consumer data that marketers can access from Google and, in particular, Facebook, is the depth and accuracy of personal information. Based on the type of website somebody visits, Google will predict what that person’s age, sex, location and, to a lesser degree, hobbies or interests are. But Facebook has all that plus where you like to go on vacation, how many kids you have, the renovation you did to your house, and everything else based on what you’ve posted. It is this type of information that allows marketers to target potential customers with impressively accurate and relevant ads and posts.

To stimulate awareness—and ultimately sales—of Real Cedar, the WRCLA engaged in an analytical breakdown of both the type of content that was generating results, and a holistic analysis of who was engaging with WRC content online. This included looking at specific topics such as who was interested in garden-related topics like how to build a cedar planter box, versus videos on designing and constructing a western red cedar timber frame carport, for example.

Facebook and Instagram data was also mined to understand who the base audience on social media was; it was with this information that Real Cedar ads were then tailored to each social media platform with content aimed at audience interests. Each ad also had a specific call to action, either directing traffic to realcedar.com, or liking a specific comment or post.

Once the ads were launched, all activity was then monitored to determine which ads were generating the

SHORT VIDEOS were posted on Facebook promoting free downloadable project plans like this WRC tiki bar.

highest results and why, and the tactics were then refined to optimize results.

If, for example, an ad promoting downloadable plans for a WRC bench was generating a high percentage of female consumers, ad spending on a male audience would be reallocated to maximize success among women.

A tactic known as remarketing was also employed and proved to be very effective at generating awareness and interest in western red cedar products and creating follow-up actions.

Remarketing allows a marketer to connect with visitors to their website who may not have made an immediate purchase or enquiry. In the case of the WRCLA, this would be used if a potential customer was interested

in decking, for example, but hadn’t looked for a Real Cedar retailer yet (the assumption being they were still comparing products). It allowed the WRCLA to position targeted Real Cedar ads in front of this defined audience as they browsed elsewhere around the internet.

And the results? Web traffic from social media to realcedar.com alone grew by 379% over the same period last year; total visits to the site (from all sources) increased by 23%; Real Cedar followers on Facebook doubled; and followers on Instagram almost tripled. It should be noted that these are all users seeking more information on WRC. All of which illustrates the growing role analytical tools and targeted marketing now play in keeping softwoods like western red cedar in front of customers, particularly in a market crowded with composite competitors.

Moving forward, the WRCLA plans to continue monitoring and analyzing who their base audience is, and where to reach them. The use of social media to promote Real Cedar has proven to be ideal, not only in engaging consumers already familiar with the product, but to also expose new customers to the value and benefits of using WRC. Being able to predict what products customers will most likely be interested in by region is also a boon for distributors and retailers, who are able to coordinate efforts with the association to meet demand.

– Established in 1954, the WRCLA is the voice of the cedar industry and has members in over 131 locations throughout North America.

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COMPETITIVE Intelligence

By Carla Waldemar

Build-Rite lives up to its name

DESPITE ITS isolated location, the staff of Wyoming’s Build-Rite Do it Center tries to be forward thinking and mindful of competition outside of the city limits.

hen you think of Wyoming, you think of wide, open spaces—no acres of tract developments, no skyscrapers slicing the pristine skyline—and you’d be right. Rawlins, Wy., where Build-Rite Do it Center stands, is “110 miles from any big city—Laramie, Rock Springs, Casper”—says Matt Arnold, the third-generation (by marriage) owner, who wedded his college sweetheart, who happened to be the boss’s daughter. Six kids later, he’s in the boss’s chair himself, returning after his father-in-law retired three years ago.

The outfit he took over had been launched back in the Fifties by the owner of a construction company. He kept encountering difficulties getting the materials he needed, so he launched his own little yard. Since then, it’s changed locations three times, most recently in the Eighties to a 3.5acre spot housing 10,000 sq. ft. of retail space.

That’s right-sized to serve this community of 10,000, where Build-Rite is the only act in town, if you don’t count the Farm & Ranch and hardware stores. Its customers

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range from rural ranch and farm owners to an industrial refinery, with its repeated servicing needs, to the local contractor crowd plus the town’s walk-ins. Rawlins’ biggest employers are the state penitentiary located here and Sinclair Wyoming Refinery Co., one of the biggest in the Rocky Mountain region. The railroad, too, Matt adds.

New housing? “Rawlins is kind of land-locked, so it can’t expand. So we do home remodeling, additions, barns. A new high school project. Things like that.”

Matt welcomes the diversity. He’s here to help with it all. He’d done some construction work, so he knows those ropes. Back when he first started at the yard, he loaded trucks and hauled materials, then moved inside to serve as a salesperson. He took a break and left to start his own construction company. “I built homes for 10 years, so I’ve gained a lot of hands-on experience I can pass on to others.”

By the time he and his wife returned on the eve of her father’s retirement, no sooner did he get settled in the boss’s office than the economy crashed. “Everything died,” he recalls. “The energy sector that’s prominent here took a big dive. Lots of people in town got laid off. (In fact, BP just last week laid off another 30.) So I scaled back on the number of employees, from 35 to our present 22, and cut back on a couple of niches. We’d housed a Radio Shack and taken on some clothing lines, but we went back to our roots as a lumberyard.

“Our managers had been in place forever—our yard foreman, our inside floor gal—so even though we were short-handed, we carried on. Our goal remains to take pride in opportunities to help everybody with their projects; to provide knowledge so those projects come out right,” Matt declares.

Despite being 110 miles from anywhere—yes, there’s competition. “Because we’re an isolated community, people enjoy leaving town on weekends, driving away for entertainment. And while they’re on the road, they’ll pass a big box.

“Folks here are very price-conscious—very. And we’re Building-Products.com

THREE GENERATIONS: (Back row, left to right) Current leadership Matt and Maureen Arnold, her parents Janet and Steve Olson, who retired in 2016. (Front row) MarJeanne and founder Linne M. Olson, who passed away in May at age 94.

not the cheapest. We counter that by providing more product info—like how to hang rock siding. People have become extra price-conscious because of the volatile market in the (nearby) oil industry: up and down, boom to bust. It’s tough,” Matt acknowledges.

To counter that, he says, “we find the best deals we can. We’re not the cheapest: We carry very nice things— things I’d use in my own home, quality that Walmart and Amazon don’t supply. Our contractors are pretty savvy.

They’ve been in business a long time and know what they’re doing. They like that we try to be a little different, carry a higher grade of lumber. (The competition handles cheap, gnarly wood. Ours is nice-looking, and if there’s ever an issue, we take care of it, not put them off.)

“Plus,” Matt adds, “I like to introduce new products.

Because I built homes for 10 years, and owned a construction company, I have a lot of experience. And I keep up with what’s new, fancier, nicer, easier. I’m very familiar with new products and pass on that information. ‘We used this in my own home,’ I say, and invite them to stop by and take a look. ‘It’s super-easy, so drop by,’ I tell them.

“To attract new business, our sales guy visits with people. We had a hailstorm just come through town, so he’s out there. And we use Facebook to draw younger, newer customers. My generation was very hands-on, but younger folks, just out of school, haven’t had that opportuBuilding-Products.com

nity. They’re a little scared to take on a project, so we urge them, ‘Use our advice and help.’

“To draw female shoppers, we highlight Pinterest projects. If they want to build one, we’ll cut the lumber for free. Quite a few women are into it, and they’re every bit as talented and gifted as the guys. A couple of gals in town run a business of home-décor signs, and they buy a lot of wood from us, too. To draw more women shoppers, we’ve added SKUs and tripled our styles of moulding, which is doing really well.”

Build-Rite also has won a rep for providing the best Christmas trees and decoration selection in the county every holiday season—“something my father-in-law started,” says Matt, who carries on the tradition by building a winter scene, using a model train set, that takes him over a week to assemble. “We also decorate with poinsettias and trees and add some gift-type items for the season.”

The company acquired a second location back in the Eighties in Saratoga, Wy., an even smaller town (pop.

3,000, give or take) 40 miles distant. “We’d already been kind of competing there,” Mike explains. “Saratoga is more of a resort area, with Brush Creek Ranch at the base of the mountains. Ivanka Trump spent a week there. The Kardashians, too. It’s pretty remote, a quiet spot” that draws celebs who seek a private retreat. “Our store there has done really well, especially when the economy was down”—which didn’t deter that deep-pocketed crowd from building second or third homes in Saratoga, eager to get away from the hustle and bustle of Colorado.

“And the contractors there are very loyal to us,” Matt adds.

“Why do I like working here?” he repeats a reporter’s question.

“Coming back when my father-inlaw retired gave me freedom. The flexibility, say, to take off time to attend my kids’ games.”

What about those six kids—a fourth generation in the making? “Too soon to tell,” Matt counsels. But he’s got his fingers crossed.

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net September 2018 n

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OLSEN on Sales

By James Olsen

Nudge for the business eing too pushy is the number one fear of underachieving salespeople. Because they are so afraid of being pushy, they don’t push at all. They present product, sometimes speaking about the benefits, but mostly just the price, and then dutifully wait for the customer to decide. They do not attempt to sway the customer one way or the other; they just wait. Master Sellers know when and how to push for the business. It makes all the difference.

Master Sellers care about their customers. They see them as partners. They’re winners who want their partners to win too. When customers believe we have their best interest at heart, that we’re not just there for the order, we can push with gusto and our customers welcome and appreciate it.

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Great Service But Not Servile Struggling sellers do everything in their power to mitigate friction. They do this by agreeing with the customer on everything. When the customer side-steps their questions, they let them. This begins the Master/Servant training process. For example: First Call – Qualifying questions Salesperson: “OK. You use 2x4 Utility. Great. How much of that do you use per month?”

Customer: “We go through a fair amount.”

Salesperson: “Great.”

Master Seller: “OK. You use 2x4 Utility. Great. How much of that do you use per month?”

Customer: “We go through a fair amount.”

Master Seller: “Could you give me a ballpark number?

Just an average?” (Keeping the tone casual, but with the expectation of an answer) Customer: “We probably use about five trucks a month.”

This may seem like a minor example. It is not. Relationships—and how they will go—are established early, if not immediately. The first salesperson above trains the customer that it’s OK to give vague answers to their questions.

Customers will oblige them right up to the moment of close: “OK, thanks for the number. I’ll let you know.”

The Master Seller trains the customer from the first interaction that there are no frivolous questions and that we expect a DIRECT answer to our questions. If we do not get a DIRECT answer, we will re-ask our question(s) in as charming a way as possible, but re-ask we will! This trains ALL the Master Seller’s customers to treat them as a partner. (And vice-versa for the subservient seller) When Giving the Price Most sellers give the price and say, “Whaddya think?” or some other weak question asking for the customer’s opinion. Stop doing this and you’ll sell more guaranteed! When we give the price, it’s closing time—ask for the order!

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Customer: “What do have for a price on 2x4 Utility 12’16’?”

Servant Seller: “We can get that done for $578/MBF” (Then silence or “Whaddya think?”)

Master Seller: “We’ve got a great number on that. We can pick up a car out of ABC for $579/MBF. You love that stock; the tally and the shipment fit your inventory perfectly. What’s your order number?”

The closing percentage with the second approach will be much higher, but more important is the fact that the Master Seller trains ALL their customers to EXPECT to be asked for the order when the price is given, while the struggling seller does the opposite. The first approach doesn’t even ask for the order!

When We Get the Order The best time to ask for business is right after receiving business.

Customer: “OK. I’ll take one of those at $459/MBF for two weeks shipment.”

Salesperson: “Thanks, John. I really appreciate the business. Anything else I can get for you?’

Customer: “No. That’ll do me for now. Call me next week and we’ll look at some other stuff.”

Master Seller: “Great thanks. John.

This is a great deal at $459. We should put another one on for four weeks out.

The market is strong, and you love the stock, so do you have one more order number for that one?”

Pushing is not the problem. If we are pushing in a professional way, it’s not a push, it’s a nudge.

A professional, well prepared, confident nudge that makes all the difference.

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

SALES by Kahle

By Dave Kahle

Be an astute planner

ere’s one of the foundational principles for sales success: You’ll always be more effective if you think about what you do before you do it.

Can you imagine a football team not creating a game plan or not practicing before the big game? A doctor not reviewing the X-rays and the procedure prior to a major surgery or a lawyer barging into a case without having planned it? Of course not. In every event of any importance at all, professional, effective human beings plan and prepare beforehand. It’s an essential step toward success.

The same is true for salespeople. If we think about what we do before we do it, provided we think about it in the right way, we’ll significantly improve our performance.

Unfortunately, many salespeople are often guilty of the mindset that our intuition and incredible spur-of-the-moment, ad-lib skills will get us by. WRONG! You have a great treasury of wisdom and insight you’ve acquired through a rich set of life experiences. Much of it can be directly applied to your sales job, if you will only tap into it and use it. Of course, you’ll be able to tap into some of that accumulated expertise on the spur of the moment, but you’ll be far more effective if you take the time to tap into it before you get into the situation.

If you’re going to be effective, you’ll think about what you do before you do it—about every sales call, every customer, every presentation, every interaction with customers and prospects. Yet it’s not enough to think about what you do before you do it, you must also think about it in the right way. Good planning is a matter of asking yourself the right questions, then answering them with detail and precision.

An amazing thing happens when you ask yourself questions—you think of the answers! What sounds so elementary is really a powerful key to unlocking your success.

To implement this principle, you’ll need to master two basic processes: the prioritization process and the planning

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process. Prioritization helps you make good decisions about where to spend your time and what to plan. There’s just not enough time in the day for you to plan everything. So, you must first prioritize those things that are important enough to plan. Then follow that up with the planning process.

Planning is a matter of asking yourself seven questions, in the right sequence, and answering them in writing. The written answers become your plan. Use this process to plan anything worth planning—your territory, your approach to key accounts, each sales call, your month, your week, etc.

Step One. Start with a goal. Ask, “What’s the objective?” Always, the first step in the creation of a plan is the identification of the purpose of the plan. If there’s no purpose, why have a plan? The purpose is your objective.

Regardless of what aspect of your business you’re working on, you must begin with an answer to this question.

Step Two. Assess the situation. Ask, “What’s the situation?” Describe, as accurately as possible, the current situation as it relates to the area about which you’re thinking.

Step Three. Identify the obstacles. Ask, “What will hinder me from achieving the goal? Identifying obstacles will give you incredible confidence and positive power to achieve your goal. Your answers form the next step in the planning process.

Step Four. Identify your strengths and resources. Ask “What do I have available to me that I can use to accomplish my goal?” Soberly consider your strengths and your resources. What do you have on your side? Do you have some personal skills that you can apply? Has your company provided you with helpful tools, strategies or competitive advantages? Is there something working in your favor?

Step Five. Create an overall plan. Ask, “How am I going to accomplish my objective?” This is the heart of the process. Now, you must consider the best way to reach your goal, taking into consideration the current state of affairs, obstacles you must face, your strengths and assets.

Step Six. Identify the materials and tools you’ll need.

Ask, “What will I need?” Identify all the tools and materials you’ll need.

Step Seven. Create a detailed action plan. Ask “Specifically, what steps should I take?” This requires you to think very specifically, and to create a to-do list precisely identifying each step you’ll need to follow, to put them in sequence, and to assign a deadline completion date to each.

When you’ve finished this simple planning process, you’ll have in place a specific strategy for accomplishing your goal, along with a checklist of tasks and dates by which to measure your progress.

– Dave Kahle is a high-energy, high-content consultant and instructor who has written 12 books and presented in 47 states and 12 countries (www.davekahle.com).

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TRANSFORMING Teams

By Paige McAllister

Supervisor training

upervisors and managers serve as a company’s direct connection to their employees. The larger the company, the more essential supervisors and managers are for increasing sales and production, implementing company policies and procedures, communicating company goals and values, and handling any issues that arise day to day.

Consequentially, these supervisors and managers increase a company’s legal exposure as the company is liable for their actions and words.

Whether a supervisor or manager is promoted from within or hired in as a new employee, training is a critical requirement to ensure that the company’s expectations are properly communicated and met. Some areas of training are common sense, but others should be considered to help mitigate liability by (hopefully) preventing unacceptable behavior.

Job duty training: Supervisors and managers must understand the duties of those they supervise in order to train, step in if needed, and properly manage expectations.

If the supervisor is promoted from within, (s)he probably understands at least some of the job duties as well as company expectations and culture. A new-to-the-company supervisor will need to be trained in both of these areas even if they have experience from a previous company.

Supervisors must also learn how to delegate responsibilities and that, even if they can do it quicker or better, they must now mentor other employees and allow them to figure out the best way of doing the job their way. This is often a struggle for newly promoted supervisors and should be considered an area for training and development in order to ease the supervisor’s transition into the new leadership role.

Additionally, supervisors need to learn company-specif-

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ic procedures such as scheduling, processing and managing time off, and handling leave requests.

Management training: One of the greatest challenges for recently promoted supervisors and managers is making the transition from performing the duties of a job to supervising and managing others to perform those duties.

New supervisors should be trained on this new role, particularly how to handle challenging performance issues with employees who may previously have been peers and, conversely, how to avoid favoritism. This transition period is critical to whether the new supervisor will be successful in his or her new role.

Safety training: In addition to the OSHA and safety training given to all employees, supervisors require additional training in what actions to take if an employee is injured (providing first aid, assessing equipment for safety, documenting and reporting injury, etc.). They should also be trained in reasonable suspicion drug testing standards and procedures, such as when it is okay to send an employee for testing, what’s the safest way to transport them to the testing facility, and how to document such situations.

Unfortunately, supervisors also need to be trained in how to handle workplace violence situations (i.e., what to do during a violence conflict between co-workers or with a customer and employee).

Performance management training: Perhaps their most important role, we believe that managers share a co-equal responsibility for their subordinates’ performance.

Q. We want to maintain a safe workplace, free from discrimination and harassment and free from violence. Do you have any recommendations on where to get that training?

A. Of course, we at Affinity HR Group are happy to provide assistance with any training that you may need! Other excellent sources of training materials include your local chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the national SHRM (www.SHRM.org). They can often recommend in-person training and online options as well. Also, for harassment and anti-discrimination training, your local attorney can often provide such training.

Finally, for workplace violence and safety training, we recommend contacting your local police department to see what type of business partnerships they can provide. They can often visit onsite to provide ideas on how to create a safe and violence-free workplace.

Building-Products.com

This includes: (1) ensuring employees know what is expected of them in their job; (2) ensuring they have all the necessary tools, equipment, training and structure necessary to be successful in their role; (3) providing the ongoing feedback that employees need to ensure they know how they are or are not meeting expectations and what they can do to meet those expectations; and (4) holding employees accountable for the performance standards that you have mutually established. Employees also need to know how what they do contributes to the larger success of the company.

Training in critical conversations is always a good idea to ensure supervisors have the tools to have difficult discussions (such as those relating to poor performance, terminations, workplace conflict, etc.). Part of performance management also includes timely progressive discipline.

Managers need to be trained on the company’s discipline procedures so they are ready to discipline as soon as an inappropriate or unacceptable action is known.

Harassment/sexual harassment/discrimination/retaliation training: In order to maintain a safe and compliant workplace, all employees should receive training on the company’s harassment and discrimination policies. Supervisors require additional training into what to do if they witness this behavior or if they receive a complaint because supervisors are held to a higher standard. How they handle claims of harassing, discriminatory, or retaliatory behavior will have a significant impact not only on the parties involved in the behavior, but also on the company’s exposure to liability. In addition, regular training is an important part of an affirmative defense if there is a complaint.

It’s important to know some states go so far as to require that supervisors receive this training annually or bi-annually.

Business skills training: Managers often have expanded duties in areas not covered by employee training or experience. This basic business training includes: • Documentation – how to properly document and file any issues, requests, investigations, discipline, performance management, etc., so it can be referred to later if needed.

• Communication – how to communicate effectively in multiple formats (in person, over the phone, via email, etc.) with employees, fellow supervisors, vendors, customers, prospective clients, etc.

• Project management – how to keep projects on time, on budget, and on track.

• Finance/budgets – what do the numbers mean and how to manage the department’s finances.

• Computer/software skills – how to use computers or management software more often or in new ways to get the job done, track performance, submit documentation, etc.

Finally, it’s good business practice to get a signed acknowledgment from each participant who has participated in training, regardless of which training you conduct.

This sort of documentation should be kept in employee personnel files so that you can track employee training and verify to a court of law, should you need to, that you provided the necessary training to ensure a safe and productive workplace.

Paige McAllister Affinity HR Group contact@affinityhrgroup.com

Thank you to our loyal customers and vendors for 20 years of success and growth.

Kruse Enterprises was launched as a lumber wholesale and consulting company in Albuquerque, NM in September of 1998 by Don and Greg Kruse, longtime leaders of Sagebrush Sales.

Sadly, Don became ill in 1999 and passed away in 2001. Greg has continued running the company.

In 2004, Kruse Enterprises diversified and added a division for steel reinforcing products and specialty fasteners. Today, the company wholesales lumber, panels and steel reinforcing products through reload facilities in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Texas.

Lumber Products

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Studs • Truss Lumber Dimensional Lumber Commons Pallet & Crate Materials • Industrials

th

Panel Products

OSB • Plywood • Sanded Plywood Flooring • Forming Panels • Specialty Panels

Steel Products

Rebar, Remesh & Metal Roof Fasteners & Accessories from ST Fastening Systems

Building-Products.com

(505) 889-3385 • kruseenterprises.com September 2018 n

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Lowe’s Pulls Plug on OSH

RISI Buys Random Lengths

Lowe’s Cos. will close all 99 of its Orchard Supply Hardware stores, as well as its distribution center in Tracy, Ca., by Feb. 1. Liquidation sales began Aug. 23 at all locations.

Lowe’s paid $205 million for the then-72-store, San Jose, Ca.-based chain in 2013, hoping its format would create the template for a chain of smaller home centers.

The industry’s leading price reporting agency, Random Lengths, Eugene, Or., has been acquired by London-based Euromoney Institutional Investor, the parent company of RISI, Inc., Boston, Ma., for $18.2 million.

Founded in 1944, Random Lengths provides unbiased and consistent price assessments and market reporting for the global wood products industry, with a core focus on the North American lumber and panels markets, publishing over 1,500 prices each week. Random Lengths will compliment and expand RISI’s existing wood products price reporting.

“Random Lengths is a leading source for prices in the lumber and panel markets, with a rich history of delivering trusted, unbiased insights,” said Daniel Klein, CEO of RISI. “We are excited for customers and the market to receive the most comprehensive offering of pricing data and information across the entire forest products supply chain, through the combination of RISI and Random Lengths, and as a core part of Euromoney’s cross-commodity PRA division.”

“Combining Random Lengths with RISI and Euromoney’s commodities price reporting organization is an exciting step,” said Random Lengths president Jon Anderson. “It enables Random Lengths’ customers and the market to continue relying on our price guides and market information, while enhancing Random Lengths’ business with RISI’s and Euromoney’s extensive resources and worldwide footprint.”

RISI global head of price reporting

Arauco Buys Panolam’s Albany Operations Arauco, Atlanta, Ga., has purchased Panolam’s industrial operations in Albany, Or. The Panolam complex, which will be called Albany Treating & Lamination, sits about 10 miles from Arauco’s existing particleboard and TFL operations in Albany. The site includes two thermally fused lamination lines, as well as two impregnation lines and warehouse capacity.

“With this acquisition, we are executing on our strategic plan to strengthen our footprint within the decorative laminate market in North America and expand capabilities to service present and anticipated growing demand,” said Kelly Shotbolt, president, Arauco North America. “These assets provide the perfect platform to increase lamination production, while adding a second impregnation site, complementing our existing impregnated paper site on the East Coast.”

The companies also signed a commercial agreement allowing Arauco to manufacture Panolam-branded TFL for the western and southern U.S.

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Matt Graves will relocate to Eugene to lead the integration, working with Anderson and the Random Lengths team. Both organizations plan to continue their market reporting and publishing schedules as normal.

SUPPLIER Briefs Arrow Lumber & Hardware

acquired Levee Lumber , Ocean Shores, Wa., as its seventh location.

Hassett Ace Hardware this month is closing its 10-year-old store in San Jose, Ca.’s Willow Glen neighborhood, reducing the chain to five stores.

North Clark County Hardware & Supply, Amboy, Wa.,

is liquidating after 77 years after Jeff Strong, owner since 1999, was unable to find a buyer.

Home Depot will now stock Bosch appliances in its U.S. stores MOSO has received its Wildlife Urban Interface (WUI) listing for Cal Fire for its bamboo decking.

Freres Lumber Co., Lyons, Or., had its Mass Plywood Panel certified by APA – The Engineered Wood Association under the ANSI/APA PRG 320 standard, which also covers CLT. Kruse Enterprises, Albquerque, N.M., is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

Building-Products.com

THINKING Ahead

By Bhupinder Jhajj, Canadian Wood Products

An unlikely path to the industry How one company took a gamble on me ’ll never forget the first time I saw the words “LUMBER TRADER” written beneath my email signature. It was a powerful and victorious moment, which I was able to relish only after two trying years of pursuit. This goal was achieved not only though persistence and preservation, but also because one of the many firms I interviewed with dug deep enough to see my real potential.

Like many Millennials, after university I dabbled in several different sectors before figuring out where I wanted to really be professionally. The light bulb went off the very first time I stepped on a trading floor, after responding to a “business development” opportunity that turned out to be a commodity trader position. I knew at once that this was the only thing I wanted to do. I didn’t get that job—or several others that I chased after that—but I was sold on the promise of it all.

The road to success was paved with many, many rejections: it seemed I was either too young or too inexperienced for employers to take a gamble on. I remember taking my resume and walking from firm to firm, trying to pitch someone on

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giving me a chance. Someone finally did, in early 2017, and I began an entry-level position that allowed me to acquire working knowledge of lumber and an understanding of how to interact with suppliers and customers. I knew that I was destined for greater things, but my career just wasn’t moving at the pace that I wanted. While I appreciate my intro-

September 2018

duction to lumber and will always be grateful for that opportunity to cut my teeth, after six months it was time to move on. I started calling trading companies again, but this time I was able to add some relevant experience to my resume.

My big break came in the second half of last year, after running into some employees of Canadian Wood

Building-Products.com

A Special Series from North American Wholesale Lumber Association

Products whom I met at Global Buyers Mission 2016.

Those connections landed me an audience with the company’s senior officials soon after.

The interviews were never really ever too stressful, thanks to the laid-back atmosphere at CWP. Leadership was more focused on uncovering my personality and character than on vetting my knowledge or experience.

At the same time, however, I underwent a rigorous background check, credit check, and personality quizzes.

While this part of the process was somewhat more stressful, I knew a company that put this much effort in the recruitment process was one that also was interested in hiring the right people and retaining them for the long term. With that in mind, I became heavily invested in making sure I made it past every stage; and, in October, I finally received an offer letter.

The ensuing months as a junior trader took me through one of the most demanding learning curves I had ever encountered. My life became memorizing grades, sizes, and markets, etc., and making tons of cold calls. I was equally committed outside of work hours, spending my one-hour commute on Skytrain reading books that I thought would help me to do my job better, including How to Buy and Sell Lumber and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Once I arrived at work, I would list my goals for the day and print them off so I had them in front me at all times. Perhaps my most rewarding habit was my 25/4/1 standard. I decided that every day I would make at least one sale. If I couldn’t make one sale, I would dispatch at least four personalized offers based on conversations that I’d had that day or prior. If I couldn’t find companies to send offers to, I would place at least 25 cold calls trying to get inquires. This way, I could never tell myself I didn’t do enough work that day. I never wanted to get into the habit of neglecting to do my core job, which was making calls and opening customers.

As a junior trader, my start was difficult as I strived to balance learning with conveying my new knowledge to customers who had been in the industry for more than 20

years. I eventually opened enough customers to be able to slowly start shipping every month.

Although my career in the field has just begun, it already is one of the best and most important journeys of my 25-year-old life. My advice to CEOs, presidents, and HR managers looking to hire fresh young talent is to simply take a chance on people. Through my experiences with rigorous hiring processes—both as an interviewee as well as a marketing company owner shortly after business school—one lesson I’ve learned is that there is zero correlation with how much education or experience someone has and how hard they work. People will surprise you in wonderful ways if you just let them. I have seen awkward newbies take on roles where I did not initially see a fit; but, to my amazement, they went on to outperform workers that I had thought might be more suitable in the position. The best thing a firm can do for young people is to take the first step and extend them the opportunity. In addition, it is important to foster loyalty and keep retention levels up.

People can learn lumber jargon, the terms, and tactics, but they can only to a certain point be taught the concept self motivation and hard work. If you can find that characteristic in someone, I say hold them closely before a rival notices that spark and snatches away that young talent and the potential he or she could have brought to the company or industry.

- Bhupinder Jhajj is a lumber trader for Canadian Wood Products.

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.

Building-Products.com

Canadian Wood Products lumber trader Bhupinder Jhajj

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33

Operator Foreclosed cally rejectEyes such an offer. As a result, Oregon Sawmill ‘adverse selection’—the only sellers who

Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metrootherdense, insulation materials hold comparthe buyers face supplies of small-knot, Douglas fir veneers).

The politan area, the second-largest nationatively small market shares.

Measured will accept $750 “market for lemons” is likely having a major effect on the wide. It will join GMS’s by both weight and value, foamed Lumber, lemons.

Eugene, Or., has areWright those unloading size offive thisexistmarket today. ing locations in El Cajon, El Centro, plastics represent the largest share of proposed and restarting shut“Smartleasing buyers foresee thisa problem.

Knowing they Escondido, Palm Desert and Perris, theMarket commercial seeing widetered in Dexter, Or. they offer only $500. Sellers of couldmill be buying a lemon, Overcoming the formarket, Lemons Ca., would to provide coverspread use as insulation in low-slope Dexter had not operated theThe lemons endMill up with the same price they havecomprehensive How can individual panel producers overcome this of Southern roofingtheir and industry’s often specifi ed to forthe usebotin for years were and had into disrepair received therefallen no ambiguity.

But theage peaches all stayCalifornia. “lemons market” problem, “race Themarket CGH for brand name, has structures from concrete. until was foreclosed on byasymmetry” the coun- kills the in theitgarage.

“Information tom,” which and depressed industry made sales levels?

They can offer been in the Los Angeles market for product Theperformance office insulation market is forety lastcars.”

September. good company-specific guarantees.

70 years, the cast rise at the fastestbrand pace of all The site must be panel cleaned up, receive Structural wood buyers rely upon over qualified inspec-will be retained Anotheratapproach is toto more aggressively prodParamount location,ucts. while legacy types through 2022, by: ation passable environmental report, and to routinely and testing agencies like the APA test and In either case, building the mill’s products need to driven be clearly California • growth in office as building construcadd a bridge to accommodate certify the quality of the productsheavy they buy.GMS This locations creates anin Southern differentiated from their competitors’; we discovered will continue to operate under the J&B tion expenditures vehicles before milling operations incentive for individual panel producers to “push” the stanearlier, industry-wide, third-party quality certification is Materials brand name. important but not sufficient.

• the increasing use of prefabricated would allowedfrom to resume. dard. Abepassage Ackerloff’s famous paper: Like car buyers, panel buyers structures office “There are many markets in which buyers use some won’t chance payingconcrete peach prices when in they may applicaactually Commercial Climbs which will boost consumption of marketAdds statisticSoCal to judge the quality of prospective purchas-Insulation GMS Distributor be buying a “dressedtions, up” lemon.

U.S.todemand in structural the rigid fiberglass and product polystyrene boards es.GInMthis market for insulation S Icase n c . , there a l eisa dani nincentive g N o r t hfor sellers For some panel producers, differentiabuilding tion market is foreas these product forms canculture. be attached poor quality merchandise, since the returnscommercial for good quality requires a major change in company For American distributor of gypsum wallcast toisincrease to thosetocomponents accrueand mainly to the entire group whose statistic affected3.0% annually instance,through it is very difficult produce innovative, differenboard suspended ceiling systems, 2022 to tends $3.1 to billion, tiated according to for a the end • the office buildrather than to the As a result there products useexpansion market if of thethe company doeshas acquired theindividual assets ofseller. interior new Freedonia Group report. ing stock, promoting both new and retbe a reduction in the average quality of goods and also the n’t also adapt a different supplier-buyer mindset.

Supplierbuilding products distributor Charles Gains will be supported by are healthy rofit insulation demand.wood panel prosizeHardy of theInc. market.” partners often critical to the structural G. (CGH), Paramount, Ca. growth in office, lodging and When its thefounding industry is industry production tech- retail, ducer’s differentiation.

Since in young, 1946, CGH Parr Converts Software construction.AsSuch struc-competition nologies littlecommercial and raw materials relatively homoindustry comes to focus more and more has been vary serving and res-are institutional Parr Lumber, Hillsboro, Or., has tures use insulation intensively due to geneous (e.g., OSB), this isn’t a major problem.

But it is a upon only one of the “4P’s of marketing”—price— idential customers in Los Angeles and converted its locationssales to thevolume cloudabout reducing utility tend coststo proliferate serious problem when inspection testing agencies “lemons” and33industry the surrounding areas. the CGH offers aand concerns find it difficult or impossible keep up with rapidly energy based K8 ERP solution, which will anda very minimizing consumption, tends to decline. variety of interior building to products changing industry. would be as today’s overlaid allow the chain to integrate all of its well as the continued acceptance of including drywall, An steelexample studs, acous– Roy Nott is president of Surfactor Americas LLC, Aberdeen, Douglas fir plywood industry.

There are rapid changes andofmanufacturing business green building codes such as LEED. tical ceilings, insulation, commercial Wa., a German-owned retail producer overlays, glue films, and compress underway on both the demand side (e.g., muchThrough higher alkaponents into a single operating system.

2022, foamed plastic and doors and hardware. cleaning films for the global wood panel industry, with manufaclinity mixes are now essentiallyfiberglass “pulping”insulation conParrGermany previously ran on-premises will toin Finland, Theconcrete acquisition results in GMS’s turingcontinue operations and Malaysia.

Reach him form panels) on the in supply much reduced software from Epicor and Infor. dominate the commercial market. All first facilityand located the side Los (e.g., at roy.nott@surfactor.com.

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.

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34 n The Merchant Magazine Building-Products.com

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(831) 457-5039

September 2017

Building-Products.com The Merchant Magazine 15

EWP production that towers above the competition

We produce enough EWP to build over 200 homes every day. It adds up.

For the last 20 years, we’ve been a respected manufacturer of private-label EWP, and now we’re producing our own Pacific Woodtech-branded products. We’re doing it all with the same extraordinary quality, service and innovation that have been the foundation of our company for over two decades.

See what we can do for you at pacificwoodtech.com

MOVERS & Shakers Devin W. Stockfish will succeed Doyle R. Simon as president, CEO and board member of Weyerhaeuser Co., Seattle, Wa., effective Jan. 1, 2019. Simons will then serve as senior advisor until retiring on April 1, 2019.

Adrian Blocker will succeed Stockfish as senior VP of timberlands, and Keith O’Rear will replace Blocker as senior VP of wood products.

Ahren Spilker, export sales & sales operations mgr., Idaho Forest Group, Coeur d’Alene, Id., has retired after 27 years in the industry, the last nine with IFG. Damien Fallin has been promoted to mgr. of purchasing & production for Exterior Wood, Washougal, Wa. Chad Taylor is new to sales at Boise Cascade Distribution, Medford, Or. Geoff Doudera has been promoted to president of Liberty Woods International LLC, Carlsbad, Ca. Tom Tidmore, ex-Shaw Industries, has joined Cali Bamboo, San Diego, Ca., as director of business development. Bob Fish, ex-Shaw, is now director of national sales.

Kristin Poyser, ex-Universal Forest Products, has joined Rosboro, Springfield, Or., as EWP business/market development mgr. for Seattle, Wa. Marc Pratt is the new president of Eagle Veneer/Eagle Plywood Specialties, Grants Pass, Or. Mike Phillips, ex-Hampton Lumber, was appointed to the board of Idaho Pacific Lumber Co., Meridian, Id. Nick Van Zante, ex-StoneFly Construction, has rejoined AZEK Building Products, as area sales mgr. for Portland, Or.

Raul Bernal, ex-Bear Forest Products, has joined the outside sales team at PG Forest Products, San Diego, Ca. Geoff Gibor, ex-Vanport International, is now a national acccount mgr. for Alta Forest Products, Chehalis, Wa. Danny Steiger, Hartnagel Building Supply, Port Townsend, Wa., has been promoted to general mgr.

Galen Smith, ex-Fluke, has rejoined Collins Cos., Portland, Or., as project mgr.

Steve Parker, ex-Royal Plywood, has been named VP of sales for McGoldrick Milling, San Leandro, Ca. Wade Gregory was appointed senior advisor for Columbia Forest Products’ new Willows, Ca.-based rice straw MDF operation in partnership with CalPlant I. Conrad Matthiessen will serve as OEM sales mgr. for the operation. Steve Chavez was been promoted to director of MDF sales and will lead the sales team.

Jon Timmerman was promoted to lumber trader for Do it Best, Fort Wayne, In. Other promotions: Teresa Zuber, lumber clerk; Hugo Ponton, global sales & product development mgr.; Lisa Dudeck, member services coordinator; and Amanda Bentley, Jordan Elick, Justin Hanford, Leah Kappen, Skiler Lehman, Jake Sittler, and Haley Toliver, consumer marketing specialists.

Toby Bostwick was promoted to senior VP of business development at Derby Building Products, parent of the Tando and Novik. Mathieu Piché is now R&D mgr., and Jean-François Tanguay, customer service mgr.

Christine Bean, Golden State Lumber, Petaluma, Ca., was honored with a North Bay Business Journal CFO Award.

Gene Poole is reviewing nepotism policies for Mungus Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA •

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SAMPLES ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUESTS.

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THE FINEST TIMBERS AVAILABLE, DELIVERED TO CUSTOMERS ACCURATELY, HONESTLY & ON TIME.

Building-Products.com

Maintaining Our Identity Orgill’s philosophy fits the way we do business.

“We’re known as Trico Lumber Co., and our relationship with Orgill lets us keep our identity while helping make us stronger through quality programs and products.”

Kyle Morgan l Trico Lumber Co., Texas l An Orgill customer since 2008

A Committed Team

A Quality Product

“One of the biggest factors that helps us be successful is

“One of our biggest concerns when we were thinking about

the team at Orgill, which provides a strong support system.

switching primary distributors was how the change would affect

retailing, it’s all about perpetual motion.”

new lines, and our customers have been very pleased.”

I trust them. When it comes to Orgill’s philosophy about

our largest departments—like paint. I’m very comfortable with the

Location, Location, Location

Progressive Programs

“A big influence on our decision to choose Orgill was its network

“Throughout the conversion of our original store and the new

with timely and accurate delivery.”

that support our goals every step of the way.”

of DCs. We have assured access to Orgill’s products and services

ground-up store, Orgill has provided a multitude of programs

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

NEW Products

Fire-Resistant I-Joists Boise Cascade has developed AJS 24 FMJ, a fire-resistant I-joist for unfinished residential basements. The ready-to-install I-joist is a safer solution for the floor above your basement, with wider nailing surfaces and longer, stronger spans for better floor performance.

Joists are lighter than equivalent 2x10 and 2x12 systems and AJS 24 FMJ’s foil-faced insulation board is a critical component for passing stringent ASTM E119 regulations.

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AZEK Building Products’ additional new colors for its AZEK Porch line of high performance, capped polymer porch boards are all variegated colors, inspired by exotic hardwoods, with a wire-brushed, natural matte finish to front porches, screened porches, and covered outdoor living rooms.

The visually-inspiring colors from the Vintage collection include Mahogany, Dark Hickory, Coastline and Weathered Teak.

Building-Products.com

FirePRO® brand fire retardant treated wood (FRTW) is lumber and plywood pressure impregnated with FirePRO Interior Type A High Temperature (HT) fire retardant chemicals. FirePRO brand fire retardant is a patented formulation based on proprietary Koppers technology.

FirePRO brand fire retardant treated lumber is typically permitted for interior, above ground applications such as: roof systems, studs, flooring, joists, sill plates, (when not in direct contact with the ground) blocking and furring, and other interior applications.

The Benefits of FirePRO Treated Wood • Independently Tested • Low Smoke Development Values • Limited Warranty • Superior Strength Durability • Corrosion Resistant • Low Hygroscopicity • Pressure-Treated (not a coating) • Quality Monitored by Independent Inspection Agency • Highly Cost Effective • UL Classified (FR-S Rated) for Surface Burning Characteristics • EPA Registered Pesticide FirePRO Treated Wood Available at:

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For more information, call 800-585-5161 or visit www.kopperspc.com FirePro treated wood products are produced by independently owned and operated wood treating facilities. FirePro® is a registered trademark of Koppers Performance Chemicals Inc. © 8/2018

Building-Products.com

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Thermally-Insulated Openings

Nailing Down the Job Senco’s FinishPro 16XP continues to expand its line of professional grade pneumatic finish nailers, offering contractors the increased power and durability necessary to handle jobs using tougher substrates.

The 16-gauge tool features a unique, stampedspring EZ-Clear latch system, which produces a tighter drive track, allowing for more power to be transferred into the fastener. This significantly increases the tool’s holding power while virtually eliminating misfires, jamming and downtime.

Ply Gem Windows’ 4880 thermally-insulated patio door for residential and light commercial building projects is a cost effective solution for builders looking to create expansive views and unrestricted access from the indoors to outdoors.

The patio door has quickly gained wide praise from builders for its design and superior thermal and impact performance. The door is available in two-, three- and four-panel sliding and pocket configurations and features thermally insulated construction and high-performance glazing packages.

n SENCO.COM (800) 543-4596

n PLYGEM.COM (888) 975-9436

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Building-Products.com

Steely Aluminum Windows Western Window Systems has a new line of energy-smart, thermally broken aluminum windows and doors designed to match the distinctive look of steel.

They sport narrow, clean profiles with beveled glass stops and .875” simulated divided lites. n WESTERNWINDOWSYSTEMS.COM (877) 268-1300

A Handful of Water Protection

Since 1980

In an attempt to make it more convenient to protect balconies and breezeways against water penetration underneath concrete installations, TAMKO is offering a full line of balcony/breezeway products.

When used in combination, the products, which include primer, waterproofing membranes, and mastic, can help prevent water intrusion in elevated areas.

The waterproofing system can also save contractors time by eliminating the need for corner metal flashings. n TAMKOWATERPROOFING.COM (800) 641-4691

The Most Stable & Beau�ful Hardwood Decking & Cladding Available • Environmentally friendly manufacturing process • Made from American hardwoods • JEM™ (Joint End Matched) Machined End Joints • Thermal modifica�on stabilizes the wood, making it 7 �mes less likely to warp, check, bow, cup, twist, expand or contract • Class 1 durability ra�ng

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Mount Storm Forest Products

5700 Earhart Ct., Windsor Ca. 95492 Fax 707.838.4413 • Mill Fax 707.838.9690 www.MountStorm.com • Phone 707.838.3177

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A Quick and Easy Clean-up The new Bosch 18V Cordless Wet/Dry Vacuum Cleaner offers pro performance for cleanup just about anywhere, including the shop, jobsite and truck—and all without the need to plug in.

The 2.6-gallon vacuum offers sustained suction for up to 24 minutes of high-power vacuuming when using a Bosch 18V 6.0 Ah battery.

The proprietary canister design features Boschexclusive rotational airflow technology, which helps ensure consistent vacuum performance.

Portable, handy and powerful, the Bosch GAS18V-3N vacuum weighs only 10.2 lbs. n BOSCHTOOLS.COM (877) 267-2499

Building-Products.com

Photo: Zeke Ruelas

REDWOOD & DOUGLAS-FIR Lumber, Timbers, Uppers Homeowners and specifiers are looking for quality materials to upgrade living spaces, both indoors and out. Are you providing them with a full suite of options?

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Get real. Get strong. Help your customers get the best products for the job. Contact Julie Wright at (707) 764-4450 or JWright@HRCLLC.com for more information and to place your order for Humboldt Redwood and Douglas-fir lumber, timbers, and uppers.

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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*.

Brand Your Underlayment Customization of CertainTeed’s RoofRunner underlayment allows construction companies to brand every jobsite, providing contractors with a new tool that turns each roofing project into a advertisement for their business.

Companies can now have their logo printed directly onto the face of the underlayment sheet.

The underlayment prominently displays a roofing company’s logo on a 24”-by42” print area that repeats throughout the length of the sheet, offering 1,000 sq. ft. of advertising space per roll.

Logos can be printed in up to three colors with a minimum order requirement of four pallets. n CERTAINTEED.COM (800) 233-8990

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*.

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Building-Products.com

Orgill makes splash in Vegas

1 A record-breaking number of attendees from all over the world gathered at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nv., Aug. 23-25 to attend Orgill’s fall dealer market. From new products to great deals, seminars and networking opportunities, guests were submerged in all things LBM, home

improvement, and construction.

Covering nearly 1 million sq. ft. over two floors, the show let retailers meet with vendors, tour concept stores, explore product showcases, and learn more about Orgill’s many retail programs and services. Of course, they could also shop for tens of thousands of products from across all home improvement categories.

“We have thousands of vendors here showcasing a range of products to meet our customers’ needs, and those products will come with great market-only pricing. Our vendors are always ahead of industry trends, and they have plenty of strong merchandising and display ideas to share with our customers as well,” explained Jeff Curler, senior VP of purchasing.

In addition, keynote speakers and educational workshops covered such topics as social media management by

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Charlotte Wells of Tyndale Advisors, email marketing by Mary Richardson, setting your store for promotion by Fred Arthur, and succession planning

by Gary Pittsford.

Orgill also used the show to announce updates, like its partnership with Unilog, a provider of powerful, affordable eCommerce solutions.

Under the agreement, dealers will have shared access to both a new eCommerce website and product content subscription services.

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13 ORGILL SHOW: [1] Dealers arrive on Day One. [2] Retailers gather in the “New to Orgill” meeting room. [3] Karen Meredith, Melissa DeFer, Theresia Merriweather, Owen Ray, Katrice Bonner, Michael Morris. [4] Gary Dunn. [5] Mauro Metastasio, Paul Dunn. [6] Bryan Redding. [7] Bill Building-Products.com

Loos, Kristin Robert, Kurt Wagner. [8] Bob Myers. [9] Tim Pappas, Leo Bryant. [10] Jeff Bratton, Stan Hillard. [11] Vicky Zumberge. [12] Keith Daughtry, Jeff Strom, Peter Donato, Drew Norris, Jeff Pelleschi, Nick Callesis. [13] Ethan Brown, Matt Liuag. (More photos on next 2 pages) September 2018 n

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ORGILL DEALER MARKET Photos by The Merchant Magazine

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ORGILL (continued from previous page): [14] Kingston Fallon, Armando Avalos, Jason Takacs. [15] Raynald Lebel, Bill Wray. [16] Ron Winter, Chuck Lencheck. [17] Cliff Biggert. [18] Michael Murphy, Ricky Cawood.

[19] Greg Groenhout. [20] Kelli Werkman, Eugene McCann. [21] Greg Hartman, Mark Gauck, Jim Winn. [22] Wendy Deaton, David Chase. [23] Ryan Smith, Preston Kaufman, Adrian Marquez. [24] Bob McKinney, Justin Narancich. [25] Alberto Gomez. [26] Jim O’Loughlin, Justin Ward,

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Turner Lacaze, Tlaloc Hidalgo, Tom McGregor. [27] Jay Wrenn, Jeremy Johnson, Steve Rom. [28] Jim Topliss. [29] Per Miller, Ryan Goedhart, Lee Guy, Dustin Goss. [30] Rob Nichols. [31] Ernie Couillard. [32] Craig Koenig, Dean Smithwick. [33] Tim Dykstra, Peter Orebaugh. [34] Corey Wardle. [35] Attendees had two show floors to choose from.

(More photos on next page) Building-Products.com

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AT ORGILL SHOW (continued from previous 2 pages): [36] Milwaukee Tool demonstrates its newest saw blade. [37] Arian Anderson, Murepha Small. [38] Amanda Poole, Scott Campbell. [39] Eric Voskuhl. [40] Thom Terry, James Mynes. [41] Dave Berry, Joe Smith, David Lloyd. [42] Sean Murphy, Chris Dumay, Justin Hewitt. [43] Nathan Hamilton. [44] Dave Dawson, Sam Kossoff. [45] Rick Bauer, Monica Stankiewicz. [46] Ashley Lawson. [47] Tim Pappas, Diane Frazee, Stefanie Snyder. [48] Gary Building-Products.com

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Orsburn, Ben Jansen. [49] Tom Klein, David Paine, James Depriest.

[50] Rodney Ashby, Amanda Rideout, Ryan McClain. [51] Chris Charles.

[52] Karen Meredith, Stephanie Ornelas. [53] Stephanie Bland, Greg Groenhout. [54] Natalia Kukovinets. [55] Jace Swanson. [56] Kraig Berglund, Jason Langley. [57] Taylor Litzinger. [58] Drew Bellem, Darin Curran. [59] Melissa Schneider. [60] Jeremy Good, Jonathan Whitehead. [61] Justin Osborne, Bob Osborne.

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Photos by The Merchant Magazine

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ORGILL DEALER MARKET

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Western Woods, Inc. shows its stuff CHICO, CA.-BASED wholesaler Western Woods, Inc., helds its annual open house, golf tournament, and casino night Aug. July 22-23. At the open house, customers could [1] meet representatives and view samples from their suppliers, [2] tour Western Woods’ manufacturing, priming and warehousing operations, and [3] even spin the wheel for prizes. [4] Even more games of chance were held at a casino night the evening prior. [5] Courtney Richter, with her father Chris Richter.

(More photos on next 2 pages)

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WESTERN WOODS OPEN HOUSE

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Photos by Western Woods

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17 THE ACTION (continued from previous page) moved to the [6] Canyon Oaks Country Club, Chico, Ca., for the annual golf tournament. [7] Winning team Charlie Chima, Jim Stockman, Patrick Adams, Chris Richter, with Rick Richter. [8] Zoey Stapenhorst, Chelsea, Matt Treuel. [9] Jeff Scott, Steve Bertsch, Dan Hart, Jay Decou. [10] Kevin Phillips, Ken Morgan, Danny Osborne, Kevin Richter. [11] Mike Leon, Owen Nostrant, Building-Products.com

18 Dan Harvey, Bryan Callaway. [12] Colby Pryzer, Jeff Waltz, Matthew Currier. [13] Bob Brown. [14] Jonathan Lederer, Nathan Cox, Michael Letson, K.J. [15] Alex Cousins, Bob Mauer, Mike Shorten, Jesus Castro.

[16] Robert Ramos. [17] Tim Murphy, Josiah Clarke, Todd Allen, Dennis Furry. [18] Renee Gramps, Paul Corso, Greg Carter.

(More golf photos on next page) September 2018 n

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Photos by Western Woods

WESTERN WOODS OPEN HOUSE

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WESTERN WOODS golfers (continued from 2 previous pages): [19] David Latimer, Greg Simpson, John Morrison, Chase Morrison. [20] Kevin Kelly, Lance Edwards. [21] Mike Diskill, Craig Rix. [22] Tom von Moos, Bryce Jonas. [23] Greg Reed, Darryl Lindke, Adam Burgess, Bryce Miller. [24] Vince Vierra, Jon Hagan, Mark Borghesani, George Hammann. [25] Tony Pozas, Delaney, Shawn Blofsky, Taylor Wallace.

[26] Patrick Conroy. [27] Allen Bloxham, Jerry Tucker, Brian Declusin. n

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[28] Casey Baker, Joe Hoglund, Sam Leaf, Brian Corriere. [29] Robert Spaulding, Bud Bristow, Josh Gibeau, Rob Rowe. [30] Ben Eckstrom, Ryan Ayers, Larry Baldwin, Steve Ferreira. [31] Glen Kiser. [32] Jim Russel, Rich Graham, Mario Barajas. [33] Ben Sluder, Cary Twing, Richard Langton, Todd Murphy, Kennan Pardini. [34] Todd March, Danny Sosa. [35] Nicholas Rogaski. [36] Merritt Goodyear, Jeff Marterano, Rick Ray. Building-Products.com

Oregon the hot spot for Umpqua Valley event regardless, business goes on. During the Aug 1-3 event in and around Roseburg, Or., sponsor mills opened their doors to show there are still improvements and efficiencies yet to be had while the association put on a series of events that captured all that is great about our wonderful industry.

If the saying “good things are built to last” holds, then the 20th annual Umpqua Valley Lumber Association mill week is just getting started. While there are countless industry events, each with their own benefit, it is rare that one so powerfully combines the strength of fun, networking, education and information that includes the western region’s lumber powerhouses.

In spite of what is becoming the “norm” of western wildfires again attempting to infringe on the event, the perseverance of those in the lumber industry again proved that

For more photos and video of the UVLA event, visit www.building-products.com”

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20TH ANNUAL [1] UVLA event kicked off with an evening reception. [2] The jet-boat dinner at the OK Corral was moved this year due to fire evacuations. [3] The smoke filled haze did nothing to dampen spirits lifted by

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a strong marketplace. [4] The jet boat adventure is something everyone looks forward to for fun…and to cool off!

(More photos on next 3 pages) Building-Products.com

UMPQUA VALLEY Photos by The Merchant Magazine

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UVLA (continued from previous page): [5] Dinner and drinks following the jet boats held at Tap Rock Brewery. [6] Over 250 attended the event’s closing dinner held at a local winery. [7] The log deck at Herbert Lumber proves big logs have not disappeared! [8] The team at Douglas County Forest Products proves that attention to detail pays off. [9] Keshia Owens, Kathy Owens, Quentin Young, Chris Rice. [10] Danny & Kristi Osborne, Karen & Brett Slaughter. [11] Pat & Dave Wright. [12] Kevin Dodds, Ron Liebelt, Grant Phillips. [13] Brian Johnson, Quinn & Shanna Guerrero. [14] Chris Swanson, Terry Baribault. [15] Joe Robinson, Tye Winsor. [16] Angela Dundas, Ron & Joni Hanson, Lynae Williams. [17] Mike McCollum, Tim Lewis. [18] Jesus D’Alessandro, Chris Tritschler.

(More photos on next 2 pages) Building-Products.com

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UMPQUA VALLEY Photos by Merchant Magazine

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UVLA (continued from previous pages): [19] Kris Lewis, Kris Dappert, Joelle McCrorty, Debby Thomas, Leslie Southwick. [20] Jeff Squires, Brian Johnson, Amy Slay. [21] Bill Bourgaize, Josh Dean, Tim Hunt, Kevin Lang. [22] Rex & Jamie Klopfer, Troy Bailey, Jeff Wiesner. [23] David Miles, Bruce Vanleeuwen, Ron McCormick, Scott McCormick, Garrett McCormick. [24] Walt Woliver, Ashlee Cribb. [25] Spencer

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McKinnon, Damien Fallin, Justin Boyer. [26] JT Taylor, Brad Myers.

[27] Lisa & Bill Livingston. [28] Allyn Ford, Mark Gryziec, Kevin Smith.

[29] Jeff Hoggard, Jimmy Swanson, Rod Lucas. [30] Norissa & Blake Keitzman. [31] Brandon Crosier, Aaron Thomas, Andy Owens, James Marston. [32] Becky Chandler, Annie Montey, Michelle Potthoff.

(More photos on next page) Building-Products.com

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UVLA (continued from previous pages): [33] Brandon Thomas, Gary Pittman. [34] Lee & Bonna Greene. [35] Sunny Field, Chuck Danskey, Misty Ross. [36] Kevin Bruce, Frank Peterson. [37] Tim & Leesa Beaudoin. [38] Ken Dunham, Rick Yonke. [39] Mary & Jay Bishop. [40] David Preston, Kevin Murray. [41] Dan Harris, Mary & Dave Rainey.

[42] Kris Lewis, Carter Stinton, Leslie Southwick. [43] Ryan Pearson, Building-Products.com

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UMPQUA VALLEY

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Jacob & Sophia Sutherlun. [44] Dee & Jim Thorp. [45] Tod & Dana Kintz, Larry Mussallem. [46] Scott Hall, Ryan Cornutt. [47] Craig Moser, Darren & Ronda Paschke, Kelly & Kelly White. [48] John Murphy, Rod Lucas.

[49] Rich Giacone, David Johnson. [50] Vangi & Mike Taron. [51] Greg Johnson, Rick Deen.

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SO CAL LADIES WEEKEND Photos by Southern California Hoo-Hoo Club

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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Hoo-Hoo Club hosted its annual Ladies Weekend Aug. 3-4 at Hilton, Palm Springs, Ca. Guests had access to the hospitality suite both evenings and the pool and reserved cabana all day Saturday. On the last night, the club presented framed pin flags from the Don Gregson golf tournament. [1] Ryan Lauterborn, Rob Keyes, Joe Lozano. [2] Mary & Dan May. [3] Chris & Stephanie Richardson. [4] Bryan & Carrie Callaway. [5] Vanesa & Freddie Martinez. [6] Rhonda Riola, Ryan Lauterborn. [7] Rob & Kelley Keys, Catherine McKee. [8]

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Larry & Candy Christensen. [9] Bert McKee, Betsy Bendix. [10] Jared Stamper, Ashley Counts. [11] Joe & Rose Marie Lozano. [12] Lou Anne & Pat McCumber. [13] Kamal & Melanie Hindi. [14] Stephanie & Chad Butcher. [15] Jim & Rose Maddox. [16] Marcia & Michael Nicholson. [17] Rose Marie Lozano, Bill Gaita, Vanessa Martinez, Joe Lozano, Freddie Martinez, Carrie Callaway. [18] Kent & Cindy Bond, Robyn Young, David Tait. [19] Yvonne & Butch Bauman. [20] Bill Gaita, Sandy & Tim Kennedy. [21] Members chilling in Palm Springs.

Building-Products.com

Columbia Signs Sales Pact with New MDF Plant Columbia Forest Products has signed a deal with MDF producer CalPlant I to be the exclusive sales agent for all MDF made at its new plant in Willows, Ca. When complete in the summer of 2019, CalPlant I will be North America’s first commercial-scale manufacturer of no-added-formaldehyde, rice strawbased MDF. The facility will sit on a 276-acre site, with an annual capacity of 140 million sq. ft.

Fortune to Acquire Fiberon Fortune Brands agreed to acquire Fiberon, as part of its new Doors & Security segment, for $470 million.

Close of the deal is expected before the end of September.

Boral Consolidates Brands Under One Division As part of its ongoing transition following last year’s acquisition of Headwaters Inc., Boral is consolidating its siding, trim, shutters and accessories under a single division—Boral Building Products.

The repositioning, which combines Boral’s former Composites group and Headwaters’ Tapco International, preserves some of the industry’s most well-known products and brands while allowing for streamlined internal and external operations.

The new Boral Building Products division will serve as the umbrella over 12 brand names: Atlantic Premium Shutters, Builders Edge, Foundry Specialty Siding, Grayne Engineered Composite Shingles, Kleer Lumber, Mid-America Siding Components, SturdiMount, Tapco Tools, TruExterior Siding & Trim, Vantage, Versetta Stone, and Wellcraft Egress Systems.

“The merging of the Boral and Tapco families has brought together some of the industry’s most well established and well-respected exterior product brands. As we officially re-position the two companies under a single banner, the Tapco company name has been phased out—but its brand legacies remain,” said Joel Charlton, president of Boral Building Products.

The Boral Building Products division is headquartered in Wixom, Mi. Products from the 12 brands will continue to be available from the same suppliers and distribution channels.

Building-Products.com

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It’s here.

Completely redesigned. Continuously updated. Conveniently mobile.

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

ASSOCIATION Update Mountain States Lumber & Building Materials Association is launching its first annual Women in Industry roundtable and conference Oct. 2-3 at Omni Interlocken Resort, Broomfield, Co. The event will lead into its annual leadership conference and board meetings Oct. 3-5, which this year will be held in conjunction with Mid-America Lumberman’s Association. The sessions will touch on LBM trends and provide an economic review, as well as an awards ceremony honoring outstanding sales professionals.

Western Building Material Association is staging an intro to building materials class Sept. 25, an estimating workshop Sept. 25-26, and a Financials for Non-Financial Managers seminar Oct. 25, all in Olympia, Wa. WBMA’s annual convention is set for Nov. 6-8 at Tulalip Resort, Marysville, Wa.

Laramie Sanquist on “What Happens Next When Disaster Strikes;” and Randall Dean on “From Distracted to Productive: Finding Your Productivity & Focus in a Hyper-Interrupted World.” The evening will conclude with the President’s Dinner and awards presentation.

Western Hardwood Association’s annual meeting and convention is just around the corner on Sept.

19-21 at Arlington Club, Portland, Or. Presenters will include Dana Spessert, National Hardwood Lumber Association, and Dana Cole, Hardwood Federation.

National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association has lined up a pair of top speakers for its annual ProDealer Industry Summit

Oct. 17-19 at Radisson Blue Aqua Hotel, Chicago, Il. John Burns, CEO, John Burns Real Estate Consulting, will provide a national housing market overview and forecast. Ed Hudson, director, market research division, Home Innovation Research Labs, will speak on “Trends & Opportunities for Lumber & Building Material Dealers” Forest Economic Advisors has adopted the theme “Stampede to the South” for its 8th annual forest products forum Sept. 25 at World Forestry Center, Portland, Or. Speakers, including Top Wood Jobs LLC’s George Meek, will address the changing landscape in the equipment, residuals, labor and transportation, and their impact on the forest products industry.

The forum is presented in conjunction with the Who Will Own the Forest? 14 conference.

West Coast Lumber & Building Material Association is putting the finishing touches on its annual convention Oct. 23-25 at Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa, Carlsbad, Ca. The event begins with golf and a brewery tour, capped by an opening night reception/exhibitors expo.

The next day will feature meetings, a trio of breakout sessions (best practices, contractors, Prop 65), and speakers, such as Red Angle’s Bradley Hartmann on improving your leadership capabilities, communication skills, and cultural intelligence to increase productivity, safety, retention and sales; Federated Insurance’s

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www.fontanawholesalelumber.com Building-Products.com

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IN Memoriam Marion H. Ward, 87, owner of Ward-Way Lumber, Ukiah, Ca., died July 10.

In 1959, after serving in the U.S. Army, he moved from Grandview, Mo., to Ukiah to work for Padula Lumber Co., Willits, Ca. He then worked for Rossi Wholesale, Calpella, before starting Marion Ward Wholesale. Ward was named manager of Cagle Wholesale Lumber, before starting the fir division of Redwood Coast Lumber Co., which later became a division of GeorgiaPacific. In 1976, he bought the fir division from G-P and started WardWay Lumber Co., operating it until his retirement in 2005.

Fred C. Holmes, founder of Fred C. Holmes Lumber Co., Fort Bragg, Ca., was honored at a celebration of life ceremony Aug. 18 at Georgia-

Pacific’s former mill site in Fort Bragg. The well known redwood broker passed away April 26 at age 99.

A sixth generation lumberman, Holmes graduated from Oregon State University in 1941 with a degree in logging engineering. He then went to work for Rockport Redwood Co., before going into the redwood business with a partner in 1949. In 1950, he purchased a site in Fort Bragg for Fred C. Holmes Lumber, adding a sawmill in Myers Flat in 1966.

In 1974, Holmes was hired by G-P to run its Northern California division in Fort Bragg. He retired after three years, but a year restarted Holmes Lumber, with daughter Phyllis as office manager and son Steve in sales. Fred re-retired in 1979.

Joseph Neal “Joe” Bowman, 89, operator of Bowman Lumber Sales,

ADVERTISERS Index

Cloverdale, Ca., died July 20.

He founded the wholesale lumber company in 1977, then added RidgeCo Truss Co., Cloverdale, in 1980.

Kerry M. Goard, 81, longtime West Coast lumberyard manager, died July 16 in Coos Bay, Or., after an extended illness.

He attended Montana State College and San Jose State College before beginning his 30-year lumber career in 1959 at the former Midland Lumber Co. chain in eastern Montana. He later worked at Dixieline Lumber, Escondido, Ca., before retiring to Oregon.

Daniel “Dan” Craven, 71, a partner in Keene Pallet & Lumber Co., Potter Valley, Ca., died Aug. 15.

A Michigan State grad, he helped launch the business in 1975.

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. [www.nawla.org]

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

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Orgill [www.orgill.com]

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Building-Products.com [www.building-products.com]

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OZCO Building Products [www.ozcobp.com]

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Combilift [www.combilift.com]

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Pacific Woodtech [www.pacificwoodtech.com]

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Deckorators [www.deckorators.com]

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Pelican Bay Forest Products [www.pelicanbayfp.com]

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Do it Best Corp. [www.independentsdoitbest.com]

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Prowood [www.prowoodlumber.com]

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

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Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com]

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Fontana Wholesale Lumber [fontanawholesalelumber.com] 59

Roseburg Forest Products [www.roseburg.com]

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Grabber Construction Products [www.grabberman.com]

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Royal Pacific Industries

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Huff Lumber Co. [www.hufflumber.net]

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RoyOMartin [www.royomartin.com]

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Humboldt Redwood [www.getredwood.com]

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Screw-Products [www.screw-products.com]

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Jones Wholesale Lumber [www.joneswholesale.com]

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Seneca Sawmill [www.senecasawmill.com]

Keller Lumber Co. [www.kellerlumbercompany.com]

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Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com]

Koppers Performance Chemicals [www.kopperspc.com]

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Siskiyou Forest Products [www.siskiyouforestproducts.com] 57

Kruse Enterprises [www.kruseenterprises.com]

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

Matthews Marking Products [www.matthewsmarking.com]

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TruWood-Collins [www.truwoodsiding.com]

Mid Valley Lumber [www.midvalleylumber.com]

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Universal Forest Products [www.ufpedge.com]

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Mount Storm Forest Products [www.mountstorm.com]

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Western Woods Inc. [www.westernwoodsinc.com]

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Norbord [www.norbord.com]

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Weyerhaeuser [www.weyerhaeuser.com]

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Cover IV

Cover I Building-Products.com

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

American Wood Protection Association – Sept. 9-13, technical committee meetings, Marriott Copley Place, Boston, Ma.; www.awpa.com.

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn – Sept. 10-14, Wood Basics Course, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Or.; nawla.org.

World Millwork Alliance – Sept. 11-15, annual convention & show, Memphis, Tn.; www.worldmillworkalliance.com.

Western Hardwood Association – Sept. 12-14, annual convention, Arlington Club, Portland, Or.; www.westernhardwood.com.

Log & Timber Home Show – Sept. 14-16, Cal Expo, Sacramento, Ca.; www.thelogandtimbershow.com.

Home & Garden Fall Expo – Sept. 15-16, Alex Madonna Expo Center, San Luis Obispo, Ca.; www.inspiredexpos.com.

Tacoma-Olympia Hoo-Hoo Club – Sept. 19, meeting, Tacoma, Wa.; (253) 531-1834; tbilski614@aol.com.

Western Hardwood Association – Sept. 19-21, annual convention, Arlington Club, Portland, Or.; www.westernhardwood.com.

Composite Panel Association – Sept. 23-25, fall meeting & symposium, JW Marriott, Nashville, Tn.; www.compositepanel.org.

World Forestry Center – Sept. 25, Forest Products Forum with Forest Economic Advisors; Sept. 25-27, timberland investing conference, World Forestry Center, Portland, Or.; www.wwotf.org.

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumbermens Club – Sept. 28, golf tournament, Black Gold Golf Course, Yorba Linda, Ca.; www.lahlc.net.

Stanislaus County Home & Garden Show – Sept. 28-30, Modesto Centre Plaza, Modesto, Ca.; www.metroexpositions.com.

True Value Co. – Sept. 28-30, Fall Reunion market, Denver, Co.; www.truevaluecompany.com.

Tacoma-Olympia Hoo-Hoo Club – Oct. 2, meeting, Tacoma, Wa.; (253) 531-1834; tbilski614@aol.com.

National Hardwood Lumber Association – Oct. 2-4, annual convention & show, Sheraton Centre, Toronto, Ont.; www.nhla.com.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association – Oct. 2-3, 1st annual women in industry roundtable & conference; Oct. 2-5, fall leadership conference & board meetings, Omni Interlocken Resort, Broomfield, Co.; www.mslbmda.org.

Black Bart Hoo-Hoo Club – Oct. 5, annual golf tournament, Ukiah Valley Golf Course, Ukiah, Ca.; mazzo.massoletti@att.net.

DeckExpo & Remodeling Show – Oct. 9-11, Baltimore, Md.; www. remodelingdeck.com.

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman’s Club – Oct. 11, meeting, Anaheim, Ca.; www.lahlc.net.

Do it Best – Oct. 12-15, fall market, Indianapolis, In.; doitbest.com.

American Architectural Manufacturers Association – Oct. 15-18, fall conference, Tucson, Az.; www.aamanet.org.

888-807-2580

Sustainable Forestry Initiative – Oct. 16-18, annual conference, Westminster, Co.; www.sfiprogram.org.

www.pelicanbayfp.com

Southern California Hoo-Hoo Club – Oct. 17, concat/golf, Chino, Ca.; www.hoohoo177.org.

DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS Colton / Fontana / Modesto / Salinas / Stockton, CA

Tacoma-Olympia Hoo-Hoo Club – Oct. 17, board meeting, Tacoma, Wa.; (253) 531-1834; tbilski614@aol.com.

Bend, OR

West Coast Lumber & Building Material Assn. – Oct. 23-25, annual convention, Westin, Carlsbad Ca.; www.lumberassociation.org.

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

Sacramento Hoo-Hoo Club – Oct. 25, speaker meeting, W. Sacramento, Ca.; jeff.squires@paccoast.com.

“Focused on the future with respect for tradition”

National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association – Oct. 17-19, industry summit, Chicago, Il.; www.dealer.org.

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FLASHBack 93 Years Ago This Month

N inety-three

years ago, The California Lumber Merchant unveiled a five-point plan for lumberyards to target female customers.

(1) Show her what you offer through advertising.

According to a survey of 94 women’s clubs, 57% of females favored newspaper advertising, 13% samples, 7% personal letters, 7% personal or telephone calls, 2% demonstrations, and 2% show windows.

(2) Write her a nice, sincere letter and invite her to call your office and see for herself that you have just what she wants in a home.

(3) Make sure your yard is neat, clean and attractive. (“You know a woman is very particular about her house, and she polishes everything to the last degree when she expects company. She expects the same thing done for her. Your office should be like her parlor. It should be kept so that your woman visitor will feel welcome and at home.”)

(4) Have displays and samples ready. (“Remember that a woman likes to make the same job of buying things that a man does of selling things. She loves to bargain, to shop, to prove the thing before she buys it.”)

(5) Make ideas and suggestions, but listen to what she wants. (“Only in the last few years when the woman has been considered in the building of homes, have homes really become what they should have been long ago.”)

FOR DECADES, Laminex fir doors were a leading product from Wheeler-Osgood. Its Laminex plant in Tacoma, Wa., was closed in 1950 and dismantled a year after its equipment was auctioned off.

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The Merchant Magazine n

September 2018

FRONT COVER of the September 1925 edition of The Merchant spotlighted Lumbermen’s Service Association, a Los Angeles based group offering lumber companies and the industry as a whole merchandising assistance and home plans.

• In other news of September 1925, the Southern Pine Association was lobbying hard to convince leaders in the Chicago market to require that all lumber used in construction be grade-marked.

• Its local supply of southern pine timber depleted, Finkbine-Guild Lumber Co. of Mississippi purchased a large stand of redwood timber in Mendocino County, California. Their plan was to use company-owned ships to transport redwood logs from San Francisco Bay through the Panama Canal and on to Gulfport, Ms., where railcars would take them to company-owned mills in Wiggins and D’Lo, Ms. The scheme, however, would require a year to build a sawmill in Rockport, Ca., for squaring the timbers into cants; sawmill logging railroads for transporting the wood to the coast; and in Sausalito, Ca., wharves with steam-powered cable system for transferring logs from shore to ships.

And since Rockport was so remote at the time, they also had to build a town to have workers close—including houses, a company store, dining facilities, a school, hotel, barber shop, and hospital.

Analysts predicted the new source of supply would keep their five Mississippi mills “in operation for a great many years to come, cutting redwood. Redwood mills in Mississippi are undoubtedly the latest things in lumber.”

Unfortunately, the plan was doomed, adding so much cost to each stick of lumber, that the entire company became unprofitable. Finkbine-Guild shut down the Rockport mill in 1927, sold the redwood timberlands to Southern Redwood Co. in 1928, and sold off its Mississippi operations to Wilbe Lumber Co. in 1929.

• In the parade to kick off the Elks’ recent national convention in Portland, Or., the Tacoma Lumbermen’s Club sponsored a float featuring a massive Douglas fir log, adorned with a sign reading, “Tacoma, the Lumber Capital of America.”

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