WWPA AnnualMeeting To Allow Retailers

To boost attendance, the Western Wood Products Association is inviting lumber retailers to its annual meeting, as well as adding business sessions and social events, including a golf tournament.

Now dubbed "Viewpoint 2002," the meeting March 9-12 at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort, San Diego, Ca., offers opportunities to network with lumber sales and production professionals, hear perspectives on the top issues facing the industry and develop new business.

"Relationships are an important part of the lumber business. The Viewpoint meeting is a unique venue where the major lumber producers in the West are in one place, ready to talk business with those companies handling their products," said WWPA president Michael O'Halloran.

In addition to the West's top manufacturers, the meeting also draws lumber producers from the South and Canada, wholesalers from across the country and transportation companies.

Widening the admission policy seems a reaction to competing events. such as the NAWLA Traders Market, that "actively restrict attendance by

The program features presentations on European and South American lumber, California construction markets, and the impact of changing power markets on lumber manufacturers. Keynote speaker is Mark Rey, undersecretary of natural resources and environment. who oversees the U.S. Forest Service, speaking on American forest policies.

Forest Service Claims New Direction

After one year on the job, U.S. Clinton-era policies that timber repreForest Chief Dale Bosworth has been sentatives have seen as confusing and both demonized by environmentalists too regulatory. and hailed by the timber industry as a To date, Bosworth and President antidote to an unchecked bureaucracy. Bush have promised to review three

In charge of over 192 million acres major policies: of federal lands, Bosworth and the The roadless provisions, which Bush Administration have been for- closed 58.5 million acres of forest to mulating a strategy to counter many most logging and road construction.

. A transportation policy that manages more than 383,000 miles of forest roads to reduce a maintenance backlog and protect undeveloped areas.

. Regulations that give local officials guidance for drafting l0- to 15year forest management plans that could limit logging, skiing, and other activities that protect ecosystems.

The Bush Administration's review of these policies has brought criticisms from environmentalists, who fear a trampling of protected lands, but Bosworth insists that Clinton's initiatives simply didn't work. "Those (Clinton policies) got all intertwined, and our folks in the field had an awful time trying to understand what it is we really wanted," said Bosworth.

Chris West of the American Forest Resource Council said the timber industry has one consistent message for the federal government: "Get us off the total dead stop. Right now, the system is broken."

Treatment Penetrates Spruce, Fir

A Swedish firm claims that they have become the world's first company to offer a commercially viable technology that impregnates coniferous wood other than pine.

Lign Multiwood says its technology uses environmentally friendly agents and is able to penetrate to the core of such woods as spruce and Douglas fir.

"The global construction industry has been waiting for impregnated construction timber from conifers other than pine," said Lign's Curt Lindhe.

He added that this new technology is the first to allow timber to regain its original dimensions after impregnation.

Depot Looks Three Years Ahead

As Home Depot closed the year with sales approaching $53 billion, the company announced plans to open 200 stores a year for the next three years.

Depot also plans to add more square footage to approximately 184 warehouses throughout 2002, while constructing 10 new Expo Design Centers.

The future will also include four new Home Depot Pro stores, the first which is scheduled to open February in Mesquite, Tx.

Additionally, the company will unveil its new Home Depot Urban stores in Chicago and New York City, which feature a smaller size format aimed at the convenience customer.

Not all the news is optimistic however, as Home Depot recently sold off its unprofitable stores in Brazil and Argentina, while also scrapping its four prototype Villager's Hardware stores, which focused on the convenience hardware market. The shuttered New Jersey hardware stores will reopen as Urban format stores.

On the retail floor level, Depot has completed a plan to have more workers free for customer service during peak hours, with product stocking to be done during slower periods.

Additionally, company officials said there will be a greater emphasis on tool rentals, with rental programs put into 608 stores by the end of 2002 and in 1,300 stores at the conclusion of2OO4.

Home Depot also plans to focus on the smaller professional customer with its pro initiative program, to be in 966 stores by the end of 2002.

For larger commercial/industrial customers, Depot plans to introduce its HD Supply in 2002 as well as test its Home Depot Pro format, which offers product assortments and services similar to wholesale supply houses.

HD Supply, in turn, will utilize company account managers and the outside sales staff of Depot's Maintenance Warehouse, Apex Supply and other related businesses.

Retailer To Offer Home Services

Home Depot has partnered with ServiceMaster Co. to offer residential maintenance services in a co-branded test market program starting early this year.

Approximately 30 Home Depots will begin offering home services such as landscaping and lawn care, drain cleaning, carpet and upholstery cleaning and home warranties, among others.

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