Get certified in cedar sales

I'f.I TODAY'S extremely competitive &etail building products environment, sales people with superior product knowledge have an exha advantage in selling and serving the customer.

Whether the customer is a large contractor purchasing for a tract, a small custom builder or a home handyman, he feels more comfortable dealing with a person who really knows the products he is selling. With a specialty product such as cedar, expertise is a musL

To help retailers acquire the necessary knowledge, the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association has innoduced a new cedar certification education and training progran for dealers and their sales staffs. The free training is targeted specifically to the needs of the retailer and covers all aspects of cedr ftmr grades and uses to product range, specification and finishing. Environmental concerns are covered with reforestation information and facs about cedar's role as a natural building material and renewable resource.

Course material includes a new WRCLA publicarion, Guidc to Selling Cedar. A convenient quick reference guide, it contains a selection of WRCLA literature containing information about cedar's properties, grdes, specification and installation.

"This new program is part of our on-going service to dealers who are stocking and selling or.tr menber's products," says WRCLA's Ken McClelland" "\ile are a service crgmization and it's our job O provide information and marketing support. We want dealers 0o lnow they can count on the WRCLA for up-to-date and accurate infonnation about western rcd cedar as well as help in sourcing any products they need for special ordefs."

BECOilE an exp€n on all westem red cedar applietions including decks (top photo), waryedged knotty grade bevel siding (centoD and bevel sidino (lbwer oholo) bv enrollino in the WRCLA Cdir Cenificai,on triirns prolram.

McClelland, who likens the program to a free and infomnl cedar college, says gr"duates will receive special Cedar Certification certificates and T-shirts. Stores will be awarded attractive signs that announce their Certified Cedar Dealer status. Brightly colored banners, posters, stat€ment surffefs and advertising artwork are available to help a dealer pubtcize the certification.

Area managers Arnie Nebelsick

Story at a Glance

How retail sales people can become certified cedar salesmen ... association program awards certificate & special recognition ... free training through regional offices.

and Tony Bonura will conduct the new training classes as pzut of the WRCLA's Super Cedar Service. This program provides answers to cedar questions, aranges seminars and lectures, distributes cedar literature and helps customers source cedar products.

Bonura reports a positive response from dealers. "Because there are so many products out there, dealen really appreciate a targeted and comprehensive information program available without charge in their stores. When you sell cedar you iue selling a unique product with many special properties such as stability and durability, so it's important for a dealer to be able to pzrss that infomution along to the customer."

More information on cenified cedar training is wailablc from regional ofices (708) 369-2828 or (516) 643-9725 or WRCIA (604) 64426 - Editor.

l?O PROBLEM! There will be lll plenty of cedar available this - ! year. That's Oe word from the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association.

They promise cedar Products will be in good supply for the coming year with member mills estimating 1994 shipments will be in excess of 800 million board feet measure.

The association doesn't talk about price, but executive director Ken McClelland guarantees member mills will have a wide range of products available. His 18 members typically manufacture exterior siding, interior panehng, patio decking, trim boards, fascia, fencing and other products from rough boards to garden lumber, kiln dried and green.

Near the end of January, Shawn Church, assistant editor, Random Lengths market report, gave "ball park' quotes of $475 mbf for basic 2x6 cedar dimension, $550 mbf for selected decking and $859 mbf for 51/4x6 radius edge decking.

Explaining cedar prices depend on variables such as quality and packaging, Church gave approximate prices of $555 mbf for #2 and better, no holes, full sawn rough cedar fencing, $500 mbf for standard rough, $485 mbf for S1S2E, $620 mbf for 3/4x8 dry bevel siding and $540 for 11/16.

"In many respects 1993 was a tough year," McClelland explained. "But with housing starts on the rise and the econonic recovery gaining a finner foothold, the industry is looking to the coming year with a renewed