CSI& Osmose To Jointly Market AGQ

Chemical Specialties, Inc., Charlotte, N.C., and Osmose, Inc., Griffin, Ga., have agreed to work together to expand the availability of CSI's Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ), an arsenic- and chromium-free preservative that protects wood against rot, decay and termites.

The deal comes when consumer and specifier demand is growing for an alternative to traditional treated wood products.

Osmose now can manufacture and sell ACQ worldwide under CSI's

Tap The Noise Control Market

Sales of soundproofing insulation would go through the roof just by homebuilders making the upgrades available to home buyers, according to a new study by Johns Manville.

One-third of recent home buyers said they would have made different decisions about sound control if they had been given more information.

Fully 857o of homeowners surveyed are at least "somewhat bothered" and nearly half "very bothered" by unwelcome sounds penetrating patent, but under its own brand name. "Osmose acquired the rights for ACQ in Australia and New Zealand through its recent acquisition of Fernz Timber Protection Group," said Paul Goydan, Osmose's executive vice president. "This agreement and the Fernz acquisition allows us to globally market this proven alternative technology." through walls, ceilings, floors, from noisy appliances, water pipes or the like. Yet, 507o of consumers claimed never to have thought about sound control before.

Osmose's licensed treaters are now considering whether to add ACQ to their line-up of treatments. Osmose says currently only a small fraction of the plants offer similar "niche" products.

"Our research demonstrates the residential consumer market for sound control is untapped, and builders could create consumer interest and demand by simply offering sound control upgrades," said JM research engineer Larry Gelin. Among lTVo of consumers who were offered sound control upgrades, 70% bought them.

"Why take a bow when you've got to get ready for Act II? Great athletes don't take many days off. That's my style. I thrive on this kind of excitement."

- Bob Nardelli, ceo, Home Depot, on why he immediately plunged into his new job after 28 years at GE

Lumber

Chain

Certified Golden State Lumber. Petaluma. Ca., has been certified by SmartWood, assuring that its products are produced from certified forests.

Golden State operates yards in Petaluma, American Canyon, Newark and San Rafael, plus Sierra Point Lumber in Brisbane, Ca.

There are a lot of good reasons for carrying L-P Solid Start' products: wide variety, a limited lifetime warranty and the fact that they build great homes.

Full line now available in stock: r LPI'20 and 32 series l-joists (solid sawn flanged)

. CTR" 150 and 250 series l-joists (Gang-Lam'LVL flanged) o LPI 36 and 56 series l-joists (Gang-Lam LVL flanged)

. Gang-Lam 2650 Fb and 2950 Fb beams in standard and billet thicknesses (1-314" to 7" thick)

. Solid Start rim board

For more information, including a copy of our warranty, contact Huff Lumber.

HomeBase Scales Down Conversion Plan

Citing weakening economic condi- a pair in El Paso, Tx., will not be tions, HomeBase has scrapped plans reopened. to convert 67 of its 89 stores into its A few weeks earlier, three units in House2Home home-furnishing for- Albuquerque, N.M., and Oakland, mat, and instead will convert only 42 Ca., were added to the list of permaof the units and shutter the rest.

The last 26 HomeBase stores nent closures. The company said in December recently began 11-week liquidation that it was closing all of its sales. The stores, in Salt Lake City, HomeBase units and would convert Murray and Orem, Ut.; Beaverton, most of them to House2Home locaSalem and two in Portland, Or.; tions (see Jan., p.71. Englewood, Arvada, Littleton, Instead of an eight-phase, yearHighlands Ranch, Aurora and two in long conversion process that gradualColorado Springs, Co.; Tacoma, ly created a regional chain, the openSpokane, Kirkland, Bellingham, ings will be completed by July and Lacey, Silverdale, Renton, Everett will be primarily in California. and Vancouver, Wa.; Boise, Id., plus

Dealers Go Online To Comply

Members of the National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association, buying group Builder Marts of America, and online B2B marketplace EqualFooting.com now have online access to regulatory compliance services.

Virtual Compliance links to OSHA and HazMat standards, Material Safety Data Sheets, and a Digital Expert for managing their compliance.

Retailers can now, according to Virtual Compliance ceo David C. Frankil, "tell us what they are doing, and we will tell them what they have to do to comply, and give them the opportunity to buy the services. supplies, and training they need to do it right. The fact that we can turn a twohour, or two-day process, into 20 clicks of a mouse is a quantum leap in efficiency and effectiveness."

NLBMDA is using an OSHA grant to train its 8,000 members to use the service. The first training session was set for March 9 in Dallas, Tx.

Builder Marts of America is promoting the service to its customer base of 4,500 dealers via marketing and financial, equipment and incentive programs.

PR Campaign In High Gear

The industry's "Be Constructive" campaign gets into full swing late this month with the introduction of television and print ads touting North America's abundant forest resource.

Organized by the Wood Promotion Network, the $45 million public relations campaign in its first month generated at least 44 TV, 30 radio/internet and 20 print stories (including the Wall Street Journal), translating into over 25 million media impressions (see March, p.23).

WPN also is preparing to launch forestinformation.com and several PR events.

And, the group sponsors a monthly contest soliciting imaginative and humorous ways to Be Constructive at work, home or play. The best idea wins a "Be Constructive" shirt.