Old Growth Douglas Fir Green, Rough or Sufaced

Invisible Glove

A protective cream to keep hands clean from dirt, grease, grime and paint is new from Borden, Inc.

Forming a protective shield that keeps stains from getting into the skin and under the nails, the product also gives users a firm grip on the objects they are handling and washes off with soap and water.

Non-flammable and non-toxic, it is available ina3-oz. tube containing approximately 25 applications.

Oak Veneer Mouldings

A new pre-stained harwood veneer moulding has been introduced by DG Mouldings.

Available in walnut, unfinished oak and two shades of finished oak, it is made by wrapping real oak veneer around a wood-like substrate. The veneer is adhered to the substrate with a hot glue in a process that prevents peeling.

The product reportedly will not warp because its core material has zero moisture absorption. In addition, there is no need for sanding, staining, varnishing, or pre-drilling nail holes to prevent splitting.

Power Cleaning System

Central vacuum systems for superior, convenient cleaning power for every part of the house are new from Broan.

Each system consists of a stationary power unit, wall inlets, lifetime PVC tubing and a lightweight 30-ft. flexible hose with a variety of cleaning attachments.

For noise-free cleaning, the stationary power unit should be installed in the basement, garage or utility room. Three or four wall inlets can usually service a house of up to 3,000 sq. ft.

Featuring bagless cyclonic filtration, the three models provide from ll0 to 212 cu. ft. per min. of air flow and from 3.5 to 8 gallon capacity dirt canisters.

Siding Side Orders

Vinyl siding accessories colormatched to both horizontal and vertical profiles are available from Gold Bond.

Vertical siding accessories include /+" J-channels, F-channels, head flashing, undersill trim and vertical starter strips.

Horizontal siding accessories include starter strips, window/door head flashings, undersill trims, both insulated and non-insulated J-channels, inside comer posts and outside comer posts. They are available in eight colors.

Builders Express, Inc. PO. Box 741623 Dallas. Tx.75243

Questions ?

Send them to this magazine at 4500Campus Dr.,Suite 480,Newport Beach,Ca. 92660.WallyLynch will answer them in future issues. This is your chance to take advantage of his expertise in cutting your costs.

E vgnv year_about this time. someone h gets word that so and so is opening a new store in .his trading area. We hear about it because of a concern on how to best combat this new market presence. This poser most often comes by phone a week or two before the intruder is scheduled to open its doors. Sometimes it is fortunately up to a couple of months before the newcomer's grand opening is planned.

When an operation opens up, you can bet the family jewels that it is doing so because of a firm conviction that the endeavor can and will be profitable. This in itself identifies a marketing weakness within the community which the alien believes he has spotted, identified and will exploit.

The first priority that the late comer must and will pursue is to change the buying habits of the customers within the area. From an operating standpoint, this is done by pre- senting an image conducive to bringing the customer into physical contact with the facility and its sales force. There the impression is either solidified, destroyed or settled somewhere in between.

Images are generated and sustained in many ways, but the first rule of survival is to be competitive. In terms of the long time entrenched dealer, this involves understanding and identifying the new image so that operating judgments can be made regarding a competitive posture.

Images have infinite identities. Some cannot be matched without great expense, others are just difficult to duplicate because of their cost and still others can be provided with new disciplines at little or no additional outlay. While the possibilities are broad, most identifiable image makers fall into six categories.

(1) Location: Only one entity can operate from each site. Each outlet has that edge, be it good or bad over everyone else.

(2) Open Hours: Daily and weekends.

(r) Wbqlj! !&I9d_&r_14!9: The product lines offered are sometimes minimal and sometimes dominant. Recently great emphasis has been placed on broad assortments within issues. (57 varieties of one tool or fixture - we are the headquarters for this kind of item. etc.)

(4) How are sales transacted: How many ways can the customer pay? Will it be delivered? Do they install, maintain and/or guarantee (warranty).

Bunyan

Paul does not rest on his fame as the lumberman's symbol of accomplishment. New requirements and changrng conditions keep him dert to progress.

(5) Housekeeping: This is difficult to judge initially at new insrallarions, but the ultimate evaluation is would your wife entertain her family and friends there, given the state of their rest rooms and displays.

(6) Advertising: This is the sum total of the retailer's efforts to invite the customer to a profit party. This is how the customer knows about the new kid on the block. Conversely, it's how the retailer who doesn't invite people to a party passively helps to change buying habits.

If the "old guard" can put their arms around these six areas, they can begin to adjust to the intruder. The actual adaptation has to do with answering three questions within each of the six areas above

(1) Do you have a similar policy or gram?

(2) How can you compete or adjust?

(3) How can you best convey your adjusted image so that customers remain loyal?

Price, while recognized as important, is not the perfect image maker it is reputed to be. Early on in the newcomer's initial advertising. it will seem that price is omnipotent. but price finds its level rather quick_ly as either profits or Chapter ll bankruptcy rears its ugly head.

Print Power for Selling

More than 6O pieces of literature dealing with western woods are available to the retailer from the Western Wood Products Association.

Eight publications billed as "what you need to increase lumber sales,"are designed to help the dealer sell more western wood by promoting new uses such as wood interiors, wood decks, raised wood floors and wood frame designs. The first kit or copy of a brochure is free.

Other available literature also is free for nominal numbers and relatively inexpensive for quantities considering that much of it is done in color.

Three four-color leaflets are designed to be used by retailers as mailers or as invoice stuffers. They invite the customer to come to the store for additional help and information.

Other booklets are designed to stimulate ideas from the d-i-y or remodeling contractor. The almost 30 titles in this series include a number of plans

The Merchant Magazine for building items ranging from patio furniture to an additional room.

Those needing technical information will find a wide selection of publications explaining lumber grades, machine stress-rated lumber, structural data and design tables.

Product information catalogs can be used by retailers, architects and builders as well as sophisticated do-ityourselfers. A series called "Spec Points" details specification information on lumber including pressure treated and fire retardant.

An eight book series is designed to help the retailer buy and sell. It can serve as a reference library or as material for training employees.

The 1985 product information literature list and order form is available from the Western Wood Products Association, Yeon Building, Portland. On972M.

Firm Celebrates its Founding : OA$i* xl

(1) Sue & Dennis Richardson. Roger & Pat Branrger (2) Harvey Scott. Gordon MacDonald. Lorne LaCasse. Wayne Holm, (3) Rod Kautz, Ronda Ward. Pete Clough (4) Doug Willrs

(5) Andy Ersek. Bob Bonniksen (6) Jim & Alice Rossman. Jim Frodsham.

'l'he con.rpany having the open house pictured here is Oregon Canadian Forest Products of Califbrnia. rvhich celebrated the rccent fbunding of their contpan\, u'ith this party at their new offices in Oran_ce Cu.

The neu firm vu'as fbunded by Roger Braniger and Dennis Richardson in atTiliation with Oregon Canadian Fitrest Products of North Plains. Oregon. The parent firnt is an Ore_gon specialtl' company which nranutirctures and rentanuthctures

Douglas I'ir clear lumber. Thc Calitornia companv is an ofTice wholesaler specializin-u in ntarketing and distributing fine western finish soflu'oods in Dor.rglas fir. western cedar, sprr.rce. redwood and henrlock.

Industrl \'eterans Richardson and Braniger had both worked previousll' tirr a number of years fbr South Ba1' Forest Pxtducts of Orange, Ca.

CELEBRATI0N of the 15th million flush door coming off the production Itne at Srmpson Door Co s Vancouve; Wa,, plant included 14 employees who have been with the company since it opened in 1973 Front row fleft to right). Lew Snodgrass. production mgr., Dick Andersen. Cal Fletchet Rudy Derrah, Don Francis, John Wheeler, Back row: "Sarge" Cain, Paul Eckman. Vic Bisback, Ed Addis Bill Newman, Bill Simpson, Jr. Glft certiicates and special caps were part of the celebration.