Taking the long view

to less toxic and more eco-efficient products from socially responsible producers. Competition between "big box" chains and independent dealers will continue, with increasing activism from localization groups. The green d-i-y and urban agriculture movements will continue to take root across the country. And a host of global and domestic macroeconomic factors will attenuate or amplify these opportunities and threats.

65fN rHE LoNG nur.r, we'll all be dead." That unfortunate lutterance from a now-dead economist has provided a handy excuse for shortsighted business planners focused only on extracting the maximum profit from the here and now. That kind of thinking is responsible for many business failures, yes, but also many environmental problems more daunting even than the federal deficit. Failure to consider the future implications of decisions made today virtually guarantees a legacy of difficulty and hardship for the next generation.

Taking the long view, on the other hand, is at the heart of green thinking. Therefore, this January, I encourage you to forget about 20ll's top trends for a moment and invest some quality time considering the next decade, and the opportunities and threats it will present to your business and community.

The best place to start is at the end-what will your business look like in 20202 Has it been passed down to your children? Acquired, shut down or thriving with you securely at the helm? Is it connected to the same old supply chain? Is the local economy vibrant and strong, or struggling along? Most importantly, what do you want your business to look like and what sort of realistic scenarios will lead you there? To answer these questions, one must first consider the long-term forces reshaping our industry.

The next decade will see plenty of change and probably as many surprises as the last. Obviously, green building is on its way to becoming the new normal. Whether it's LEED or another approach, it creates new opportunities for growth. Transport fuel prices are trending higher with the very real possibility that periodic episodes of price volatility will devastate marginal businesses. Households, businesses, and governments will continue to shift purchasing

But underlying whatever scenario one wants to envision for the next l0 years, there is the inescapable reality that the global climate system is changing, most likely due to human activity. The last decade was the warmest on record, but more important to consider are the local and regional impacts. Extreme weather is becoming more common. NASA has published a slideshow depicting the number of temperature anomalies each decade going back to 1880 (earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/worldofchange/). The trend is unmistakable, which should be cause for concern, especially in the context of the massively destructive heat wave that hit Russia last summer.

Regional climate patterns are changing in ways that dealers and distributors should understand and anticipate. The U.S . Global Change Research Program (www.globalchange.gov) provides useful analysis for each region of the country. Depending on your location, expect more drought, more fires, more floods, more heat waves and cold snaps, and more precipitation when it comes. And when these "anomalies" occur, they will probably be at the wrong time, disrupting water supplies, agricultural harvests, supply chain logistics, and more.

These broad trends suggest that merchandising and business model innovations will be required to sustain a successful business. Households, businesses and governments will be forced to invest in mitigation and adaptation strategies. Dealers will, too. But the long-term planners among them will be prepared to weather whatever the decade has rn store, with solutions that will help their customers and communities, too.

JaY TomPt Managing Partner William Verde & Associates (415) 321-0848

Hutchison Lumber has closed its store in Fairplay, Co., and Bryan Hutchison has stepped down as president. Matt Morrow will oversee the remaining yards, in Pine Junction and Florissant, Co., as general mgr.

Former Fairplay yard mgr. Bill Kelz may expand his new business, South Park Stove & Solar, to sell windows, doors and some lumber.

ProBuild's TimberROOTS, Butte, Mt., is now distributing Lite. Steel beams throughout Montana.

Channel lslands Do lt Best Hardware, Port Hueneme, Ca., has added a new store in Carpinteria, Ca. (Don Johnson, assistant mgr.), and a kitchen design centelshowroom in Ventura, Ca,

Ace Hardw?ro, Everett, Wa., was opened Dec. 7 by Judith Moratti (Sonia Mills, assistant mgr.).

Home Depot is negotiating with city officials to build a new store in San Juan Capistrano, Ca.

The chain expects to open 10 new stores in 2011.

Lowe's opened new 94,000-sq. ft. home centers Dec. 27 in Covina. Ca. (Jim Phillip, store mgr.), and Sonora, Ca. (Heather Farris, mgr.).

The chain also purchased 11 acres in Fairfield, Ca., for a 139,000-sq. ft, store; received planning commission approval to build a 153,000-sq. ft. store in Thousand Oaks, Ca.; is waiting to move to a site in Poway, Ca., currently occupied by a car dealership; is wrangling for economic incentives from the city of Salinas, Ca., to build a store to anchor a proposed 200,000-sq. ft. shopping center, and is scouting sites in Union Gap, Wa., for a 120,000-sq. unit.

Habitat for Humanity relocated its ReStore discount LBM outlet in Durango, Co., to larger, 8,000-sq. ft. quarters and moved its HabiStore in Tucson, Az., Jan. 5 to a bigger, 18,000sq. ft. home.

Stone+Wood Outlet added its fourth retailstore in Portland. 0r.

Door to Door Store,

Wenatchee, Wa., has relocated after 23 years from a millwork shop to a 1,500sq. ft. showroom.

BMC Finds New Denver Home

BMC West is moving its two-acre distribution yard in Denver, Co., to a larger, l0-acre site.

"This property substantially expands our capacity for lumber and building materials in one facility that is strategically located," said c.e.o. Peter Alexander. "The size and location of the lumberyard was a critical factor in our decision as it is very scalable, and we can easily meet the demand for our customers on time and on budget."

The leased facility. set to open in first quarter 201 I, will be overseen by

Smartest ntages In Siding

Doug Whitin g, area operations manager for Colorado, and serve as a hub for distribution of all LBM in the state.

EcoBlu Unveils Own Formula

EcoBlu Products, Vista, Ca., has discontinued offering Bluwood mold treatment and instead has developed a proprietary line of non-toxic lumber treatments to protect against fire, mold and wood-ingesting insects.

Utilizing advanced polymer technology, the SubSurfaceFilm antimicrobial wood protection formula includes fire resistance as a standard feature.

Redwood Empire, San Jose, Ca., purchased the former Piedmont Lumber facitity in Calpella, Ca.

No word on its plans for the 18-acre site, but it is expected to complement sister operations, including Pacific States Plvwood. Pacific States Treatino'. Redwood Emoire Sawmitb]'ano Redwood Enipire distribution operations.

Swanson Group has laid off about 100 workers-half the workforce-at its plywood plant in Springfield, 0r., with hopes to return to full production in the spring.

Premier Building Systems, Tacoma, Wa., has moved operations from its plant in Phoenix, Az., to a plant in Dixon, Ca., run by its parent company, Insulfoam. lts operations in Fife, Wa., will relocate later this year to Insulfoam's olant in Tacoma.

Ganfor. Vancouver. B.C.. will spend $120 million this year to upgrade its mills and another $5 million for maintenance.

ProBuild Closes 2O Facilities

ProBuild, Denver, Co., has shuttered 18 facilities-half of them in the West-with two more closures yet to be announced.

According to a company spokesperson, ProBuild is aligning its business with current market needs by closing facilities in markets where customer demand no longer requires multiple locations or where market demand does not exist.

Some facilities were consolidated with nearby locations, while others are being mothballed in hopes of quickly reopening once the construction market improves.

In the West, closures included lumberyards in Newberg, Or.; Sequim, Wa.; Sacramento, Ca.; Cottonwood, Az., and Orem, Ut.; a home center in Poway, Ca.; framing plant in Auburn, Wa., and truss plants in Phoenix, Az., and National City, Ca.

Also closing were lumberyards in Jackson, Wi., and North Charlotte, N.C.; lumberyard with gypsum and millwork plants in Jacksonville, Fl.; framing/gypsum facility in Augusta, Ga.; millwork/window shop in Gainesville, Va.; components plant in Franklin, Tn.; gypsum facility in Easton, Md., and truss plants in Waldorf, Md., and Dry Ridge, Ky.

Trex Throws Contractors a Curve

Trex Co. has entered into a licensing agreement with Curvelt LLC, Castle Rock, Co., to market a device for heating and bending composite decking, railing and trim on the jobsite.

Trex CustomCurve bends all varieties of Trex products and features adjustable legs to simplify on-site lev- eling. The lightweight unit can be transported easily between jobsites and no specialized crew is required for operation.

As the first on-site board-bending system made exclusively for contractors, it can achieve a lO-ft. radius and accommodates 8-ft. board lensths.

An unidentified S0-vear-old worker at Lassen Forest Products, neo Bluff. Ca.. was killed Nov. 10 when he fell into a wood chipper.

Exterior Wood lnc., washougal, Wa., has entered the redwood market, with distribution out of its new warehouse in Newark, Ca.

All-Coast Forest Products will distribute Nova Batu decking products from Nova USA Wood Products, Portland, Or., from its facilities in Chino, Ca., and Englewood, Co.

Humboldt Redwood Co., Scotia, Ca., agreed to pay $330,000 to settle more than $4 million in fines from water quality violations by its bankrupt oredecessor. Pacific Lumber Co.

Ainsworth, Vancouver, 8.C., has earned Sustainable Forestry lnitiative certification at its three Canadian mills. All Ainsworth wood oroducts are now available chain-ofcustody certified under SFI and PEFC.

Ainsworth also agreed to acquire the remaining 50% interest in Footner Forest Products and its OSB mill in High Level, Alb., from joint venture partner Grant Forest Products.

Jefferson State Forest Products is relocating production from Hayfork, Ca., to Grants Pass, 0r.

AbitibiBowater emerqed from Chapter 1 1 bankruptcy.

GMI's CraftMaster doors have been certified for pre-consumer recycled wood content bV SCS.

MoistureShield's new Decklife online design tool is free from www, moistu resh ield. com/deck-desig n-tools.

Paper giant Domtar Corp., Montreal, P.Q., is completely out of the lumber business, after selling its 12% share in Elcotvt Timber Corp., Vancouver, 8.C.. for $24 million.

Columbia Forest Products was awarded the Healthy Home checkmark from Green Parents' List for its PureBond hardwood plywood.

Parr Lumbor, chino, ca., has launched a new website at www. parrlumberchino.com.