Merchant Magazine - June 2005

(Sistet Wbtication 8{lilttl Pt&ucls Digest *N6 frE East)

PUBLISHER Alanoakes {ajoakes@aol.com)

PUBLISHER EiIERITUS David Cutler

EDITOR David Koenig (dkoenig@building-producls.c0m)

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Karen Debats (kdebats@building-products.c0m)

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Dwight Curran, Carla Waldemar

AD SALES IIANAGER Ghuck Casey (ccasey@building-product$.c0m)

CIRCULAI|ON Healher Kelly ihkelly@building-products.com)

ADMINISTBAfl ON DIRECTOR/SECRETARY Marie Oakes (mfpoakes@aol.com)

How to Advertise

Cont8ct ou adverlising ofticgg lor ratesi

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'. c.ogler hom9$

You could be making yourself more profitable with TechShield@ radiant barrier sheathing, an energy-saving upgrade that homebuyers are willing to pay for. TechShield sheathing, with its thin laminated aluminum layer, prevents up to 97% of the radiant heat transfer from the panel into the attic. So if you're not using TechShield sheathing, stop wastrng your energy. Ask for it by name.

ALAN OAKES publisher ajoakes@aol.com

Who are you?

If you are thinking about overnight deliveries, you think Fedex. If you think about soda, you think Coca-Cola or Pepsi. If you think about sport shoes, you think Nike. If you think about coffee, you think Starbucks. What do your customers think about when your company name comes up?

A year ago for our May issue we put together a directory of alternative decking product manufacturers. At the time, we were quite shocked when we came up with about 80 companies. As we learned later, there were several others we missed. It does not matter which industry you choose, it will be a similar situation. In almost every sector, in every industry, the picture of a

very crowded competitive market is the same.

So how do you differentiate your company and its products from one or many other competitors? What happens when a well-known competitor moves into your town? What if your products and/or services are similar in features, benefits and price to a competitor? If you want to expand the geography of your company's marketplace, and potential customers do not know who you are, what do you do? Do your employees or branches work completely differently from one another, and have no consistent way of dealing with the customer? If your company is struggling with any of

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Pt'MItEnfL is a fire-retardant treatment for lumber and plywood for interior applications and is recommended for structural applications such as roof sheathing, trusses, rafters, floor joists, sheathing, load bearing walls and many other interior applications. Smoke toxicity-tested.

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these questions, then maybe your company needs to consider branding or re-brandins.

Now, many of you might answer that you are too small to brand, that branding is only for the big guys. I would argue that would be a big mistake. Too many companies dismiss branding as being about solely an identity or placing an ad in a magazine or newspaper. But it is far more. It is really about a well-orchestrated coordination of every single way that your company interacts with customers and potential customers, in order for them to want to do business with you. It is about aligning your strategic business plan and marketing plan and insuring that every part of the marketing mix is consistent and focused on adding value for the customer.

In the end. it is about getting customers to choose you over someone else. And why would do they do that? Because, you have found a way to differentiate your brand and position yourself in a better way, over perhaps dozens of others selling exactly the same thing, at the same or even a better price.

Intriguingly, how many times do you see a perceived inferior product sell better than a less expensive product? The reason is better branding.

Everyone faces competitors who when they cannot make it in the marketplace will resort to heavy discounting. But, experience has taught me that when a company stands for something, when it stands tall, gets itself out of the gutter and clutter, it has a much better chance to grow revenue and profits than those that sell solely on price. How often do we buy at the lowest price and live to regret it?

If you are the only game in town, it is probably not an issue, but I guarantee that will not be the story forever. The time to start worrying about your market status is when you are ahead of the curve. not behind it. There are many who never could have imagined a big box store up the road, but now there may be one if not two, or even three within easy driving distance.

Now, as they sit trying to develop that brand, many companies have a dream of what they would like to be. The reality is often far different. The safest way to find out who you are is to starl with your customers. They are your best market research, and perhaps have a view of you that is completely different than how you view vourself. Go on. I dare vou to find outl

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"I ulw-tt\:.s kttovt v'hut I cutt goirtg to gc t .fi'ottt Rrt.s bttrtt. P ro.fe s s ionu I :;crvice, tlcpcntluble shipntents end graut q uu I i tt p rotl ttc t.t."

- Murk Millcr Meeks

I nde p?ndent wh o le1alert ar? under attackl

Bv Bob Brovles

[NDEPENDENT wholesale distributors are under attack.

IThe assault is coming from several different directions at the same time.

First, the distributors' customer base is being chipped away by new competitors from outside the traditional supply chain. Big box retailers such as Home Depot have been selline to small contractors for a decade on a cash basis.

a close customer relationship. All of these are being weakened by the new competition.

With a customer base that is being courted by new competitors or a product base that is constantly under pressure, what's a midsize independent wholesaler to do?

l. A good offense is a good defense: Pick your market specialty and grow it.

The Internet is breeding

a whole genre of suppliers that specialize in selling only one thing.

Their longer store hours have made them attractive to the single-person businesses.

Home Depot has since begun opening a chain of "Home Depot Supply" stores. The first of the chain are in Dallas, Tx.; Phoenix, Az., and Colma, Ca. This supply chain is aimed directly at the traditional middle-of-the-market wholesale customer.

An interesting parallel development is rapidly taking place. A whole new segment of the industry is evolving as "logistics suppliers" who are targeting the needs of large customers with services directly aimed at taking the fat out of the supply chain. Second, the distributors' product base is being chipped away by new competitors.

The Internet is breeding a whole genre of suppliers that specialize in selling only one thing. These specialty suppliers are popping up in the two areas where the Internet model makes sense-smallish items where freight is not too large a hindrance and specialty items where the Internet's large customer base can make stocking the items a worthwhile venture.

For another example, look no further than the plumbing business and the growth of on-line faucet sales. For the past decade a new breed of wholesaler has been emerging in the "specialty vendor." Whether it's wire, lamps or controls, the electrical industry has been breeding these vendors.

The traditional formula to justify the existence of a wholesaler has been a four-pronged approach consisting of local stock, available credit, product knowledge, and

2. Continue to cut the cost: For the past two decades, wholesalers have invested in computer technology and received extraordinary returns in terms of automated procedures and better inventory control. Now the returns may not be a large, but the need for investment is just as critical.

3. C"t closer to your customer.

These suggestions are only a beginning. These skirmishes are the daily battles in a war of who will control the supply chain in the future!

- Bob Boyles is founder of Smarter Distribution Inc., (972) 304- 1 1 80 ; www. smarterdistribution.com

Ihe lillion llollar 0ub

Two- Step W holesale D istributors with 2004 sates of LBM exceeding $1 billion

1. Weyerhaeuser Go., Federatway, wa. 2. Forest City Trading Group, LLC, poruand, or. 3. HueLinx Holdings, Atanra, Ga. 4. Guardian Building Products Group, Greenvitte, S.C. 5. Boise Cascade Co., Boise, Id.

6. UniversalForest Products, Grand Rapids, Mi. 7. mcsupply, Beroit, wi.

North Pacific Group, Porttand, or, 9. Allied Building Products, Easr Rutherford, N.J.

PrimeSource Building Products, carrottton, Tx.

More Americans side with vinyl F

TrHE LATEST census data confirms vinyl siding's posiI tion as the number one choice for exterior cladding for single-family homes-it is selected nearly twice as often as the closest competitive materials.

According to the Vinyl Siding Institute, progressive planners, developers, construction professionals and homeowners recognize that significant advances in the manufacture and installation of vinyl siding make it a great choice-whether for remodeling or new construction-for long-term durability, beauty and value.

"There's no property more personal than a home," said VSI president Jery Y. Huntley. "Over the last decade, vinyl siding manufacturers have focused on advancing the technology and engineering of their vinyl siding products, and they've also responded to homeowner demand by introducing a dramatic range of colors, trim styles and profiles. With progressive design considerations and vinyl siding as a high-performance option, communities can reflect the individual styles of their residents, and count on the homes in the neighborhood to look great for decades down the road."

In fact, vinyl siding manufactured today typically includes warranty coverage among the longest in the

Shipments of Mnyl Siding and Soffit Squares

VINYL remains the most popular choice for siding-and demand is again growing, despite an onslaught of competing materials.

cladding industry. Thanks to a third-party administered vinyl siding certification program sponsored by VSI, 96% of vinyl siding manufactured in the U.S. is certified to meet or exceed the industry standard, ASTM D3619.

In addition, VSI can help link your homeowner customers with qualified vinyl installers through its new Certified Installer Program. Installers must complete a rigorous course of study and examination on the proper installation techniques for vinyl siding, soffit and accessories, based on the ASTM D4756 standard.

"Viny1 siding has a proven history of service in demanding applications," said Huntley. "Certified vinyl siding and certified installers offer the peace of mind that city planners, developers and architects demand. They can count on enhanced overall appearance of a home, while homeowners get the ease of maintenance and durability they expect."

Another reason confidence is high in vinyl siding is the value it adds to a home. According to a recent study, homeowners who remodeled with vinyl siding recovered more than 98Vo of the cost when they sold their home (the average value recovery for home improvement projects overall isjust 867o).

And the National Association of Home Builders Model Green Home Building Guidelines recognized vinyl siding as a building material that requires no additional finish resources to complete application on site.

Even historic homes undergoing renovation can benefit from the improvements in vinyl siding, as profiles and colors have been designed and engineered with the flexibility to match historic period details. A National Park Service Preservation document states that for historic residential buildings, vinyl siding is an acceptable alternative if the existing exterior cannot be adequately repaired, if the substitute material can be installed and still maintain the architectural features and trim of the building, and if the substitute materials can match the historic materials in size, profile and finish so that the character of the historic building remains intact. Vinyl siding can meet each requirement.

lthy Vinyl?

According to the Yinyl Siding Institute, vinyl remalns the leadlng type of siding for good reasons' including...

I cladding of choice

Vinyl siding is the number one choice of exterior cladding across the U.S. Twice as many homeowners side their homes with vinyl as with any other maierial.

2 versatility

Homes in all price ranges side with vinyl. Vinyl is the most popular cladding for homes priced up to $300,000, and is second only to stucco for homes priced between $300,000 and $500.000.

3 aesthetics

Vinyl siding offers a broad palette ofcolors, profiles and trims to assist architects, builders and homeowners in customizing their new construction and renovation designs, and can complement historical restoration projects. Manufacturers have also increased the availability of darker eolors (and the lighter ones, too) with improved colorhold.

4 nurability

With the ability to withstand high winds and resist heat, cold and moisture, vinyl siding retains its original appearance and performance capabilities over time, Warranties are among the longest in the cladding industry.

5 value

Vinyl siding is the most affordable exterior cladding on the market today. It offers the lowest total installed cost, as well as the lowest life cycle cost, over the life of a home. In addition, re-siding a house with vinyl ranks among the best home improvement projects for cost recovery.

6 performance

When properly installed, certified vinyl siding will perform to the strictest requirements-ASTM D3679.

7 safety

Vinyl siding meets fire protection requirements and restricts the spread of fre. Moreover, viryl siding is listed among the materials acceptable to UL's Fire Resistance Rating-ANSI llJI-263.

I Responsibiliry

The production of vi'nyl siding utiliies few natural resources, and the installed product requires no additional finish resources. Nearly all scrap generated during the manufacture of vinyl siding is recycled back into a finished product. Upkeep is simple and involves only common, household products.

I easy tnstallation

Lightweight vinyl siding is one of the easiest cladding materials to install, as long as the contractor is trained in proper installation techniques such as by using VSI's Vinyl Siding Installation Manual and following the manufacfurer's instructions.

I O easy Maintenance

Vinyl never requires painting; a simple rinse with a garden hose or the use of household cleaning products on tough stains can restore the cladding material's original beauty.

math on the side

Calculate the right siding for each customer

By Dennis Connelly PrimeTncH Grafton, Ma.

f ET'S talk about siding choices. .lJFirst of[. nothins is "no maintenance.

On second thought, everything is no maintenance. It all depends on the results you are looking for. Unpainted red cedar shingles will last 100 years. I've seen naked OSB pass for siding on an appropriately-styled house and go years with no further treatment. It looked gray and curled a bit in places, but that didn't seem to bother the inhabitant. And, of course, vinyl is final if you like it that way.

Beauty is subjective, and the need for maintenance is not always clear. How nice do you expect the exterior of your house to look? What color might work well? When should you fix what's broken on the outside of your home? Everyone draws that line in a different spot.

Note the pictures above of some siding products that the owner has yet to "maintain." Vinyl, aluminum and hardboard are among them. How long did it take to get to this point? Certainly. wood alternatives are not meant to last an infinite amount of time. They are finite after all, no less than wood clapboards.

The builder can help by anticipating the true life-cycle of a siding product and ask the question, "What products should you provide your customers to meet their needs com-

bining beauty, maintenance and costs?" In fact, perhaps we can measure needs and compare alternatives using what we'll call the beauty/maintenance-cost quotient or BMC.

Let's use a lO-point system for each of these factors and create a formula. Beauty squared divided by the ploduct of maintenance and cost or BZl(MxC) for short. If, for example, we give vinyl a 5 for beauty out of a possible 10, we are saying it's in the middle where 10 is best. Some think it looks great and some wouldn't be seen standing near it. For the maintenance part, let's assume that the lower the number, the less maintenance is required. Let's give vinyl a 3 out of 10 for maintenance because you don't have to do much, but still have to pressurewash it frequently and occasionally repair damage. For cost, how about a 2 out of l0 where l0 is the highest cost.

To get our quotient, we square the beauty (5) and divide by the product of maintenance (3) times cost (2). In this case it's 5 squared or 25 divided by 6 (3x2), with a final result of 4.17. We'll call this our benchmark and note that the higher the number, the better the choice for an individual customer' s preferences.

Now let's look at fiber-cement siding. If you polled a whole bunch of people, you'd get a number different

than the one I'll make up here. How about an 8 for beauty, a 3 for maintenance, and a 4 for cost. It looks much better than vinyl with no j-channels and no double seams. And since it has to be painted someday (every 15 to 25 years depending on coating choice), it has a higher maintenance number. Its cost is, on average, a little higher than vinyl. The final quotient is 8 squared divided by (3x4) or 5.33. For our fictional customer, fiber cement is a better choice than vinyl.

How about wood clapboard siding with a 10 for looks and a 6 for cost? For maintenance, it would be a 7 if installed raw, then painted after installation. If factory pre-primed, then the maintenance should be a 3, the same as fiber cement. Using our formula, the result is 2.38 without factory priming and 5.55 with factory priming. So, if the siding is pre-primed, it's the best of the three choices.

Now it's your turn. Each of us might get different results, but the choices that our customers make could change if given a measuring tool for their joy and pain in one easy formula. What fun. I'll bet the kids will cancel their evenins activities to join in, wouldn't you?

NOTHING'S completely maintenance free, not hardboard (left), vinyl (middle) or aluminum (right).

- Dennis Connelly is chief operating fficer of PrimeTacn and a member of the Joint Coatings/Forest Products Committee ofthe U.S. Forest Service.

TO FULLY APPRECIATE

THE O UAL ITY , SCRATCH THE SURFACEI

SilvaStarrM primed fascia and trim is fully coated with long lasting Olympic- latex primer, but what you might not realize, is what's underneath. In fact, from the billions of board feet of kiln-dried SPF lumber that Canfor produces, SilvaStar products are made from only the very best. Available up to 24 feet in length, straight, square and carefully primed. And that makes for a quality finish on a quality product.

Selecting the ri c,ht air 5 arri er lor the igp

fT CAN be confusing at times to ldetermine what tvoe of air barrier is the best choice *h.n .ontttucting a home or building. According to the Air Barrier Association of America, by definition, air banier systems are a component of building envelope systems that control the movement of air

into and out of buildings. There are many types of air barriers to choose from and there are many important factors to consider when determining the best barrier.

Using an air barrier system will result in energy cost savings, as well as reduce the amount of air borne pollutants that result from the combustion of energy producing fuels.

The U.S. Department of Energy has concluded that up to 40Vo of the energy consumed to heat or cool a building is due to air leakage into and out of buildings. A properly installed air barrier system will substantially reduce the amount of air leakage of a building envelope system, thus reducing the building's energy consumption.

Water accumulation in building envelopes is a consideration to weigh when choosing the right barrier system. Water is stealthy and has many ways of penetrating the building envelope. Wind can drive rain through tiny cracks or holes in materials. Capillary action at cracks, holes, or in porous materials draws water towards the interior. And water vapor transported by air or by diffusion can condense on cold surfaces

hidden within the building envelope.

Air leakage, in particular, has proven to be a significant potential source of condensation and moisture accumulation in building envelope assemblies, according to several studies completed in the last decade. Thus, in addition to preventing water intrusion with design and construction details that protect against wind driven rain water entry, minimizing air flow through the building envelope with an air barrier system is also important. An air barrier system that reduces air leakage and is waterproof, is an efficient way of preventing moisture deterioration of building materials.

Energy codes in the U.S. have begun to require air tightness of the building envelope, but they are not specific about levels of air permeability. The generally accepted level based on National Building Code of Canada requirements is 0.02 L/(s-p') at 75 Pa pressure (0.004 cfmlft' at L57 psl).

While many common building materials like plywood and gypsum wallboard meet this standard, a sheathed wall assembly will not perform well as an air barrier unless the joints are treated with an air barrier material. The sheathed wall assembly with treated joints then becomes an air barrier sub-system of the total building envelope air barrier system. The total building envelope air barrier

FLUID-APPLIED wateroroolino air baniers are rolled or sprayed onto sheathing or masonry substrates to become oart of the structural wall.

system consists of all the interconnected air barrier materials-for example, wall sheathing with joint treatment, roof membrane, foundation waterproofing, windows and doors, and the air barrier connection materials between them.

So, just what are the choices among air barriers? One choice is a new category in the market, a fluidapplied waterproofing/air barrier. Fluid-applied air barriers for wall assemblies have actually been manufactured in North America for more than 25 years. Only recently has their use become more popular as air leakage becomes recognized as a potential source of moisture accumulation in walls, and some of their unique benefits are realized.

Fluid-applied air barriers are rolled or sprayed onto masonry substrates or sheathing and become part of the structural wall. Because of the way they are applied, there are no fastener holes where water penetration may occur, and there is no potential for mislapping or tearing, as with many sheet goods. There is no need for tape or flashing because of the way it is applied. During construction, a fluid-applied barrier will cover the substrate completely, and does not have to be covered immediately with a cladding, as many of them are UV resistant.

Another important distinction of a fluid-applied waterproofing/air barrier in wall assemblies is that it can mitigate or eliminate one of the major forces that causes water infiltration into walls: pressure difference. A fluid-applied waterproofing/air barrier, in combination with venting and compartmenting, enables the pressure behind the cladding material to equalize with the pressure outside. This prevents rainwater penetration caused by pressure differentials. This pressure equalizing effect is only possible when the air barrier is structural, as is the case with fully adhered fluidapplied waterproofi ng/air barriers.

By designing and constructing an "airtight" building envelope, the risk of moisture problems-mold growth, decay, corrosion, loss of insulation value and indoor air quality problems-that can occur because of air leakage and condensation are minimized. Fluid-applied waterproofing/ air barriers distinguish themselves from many sheet good products by providing structural integrity, UV resistance, and waterproofing, in addi-

tion to air tightness, and the ability to design a pressure-equalized wall assembly.

Another type of air barrier is a housewrap or sheet good product. These materials are usually applied under a home or building's siding and over the sheathing. It is important to consider the climate when selecting one of these types of air barriers, as some weather better. are more waterresistant, and more resistant to tearing.

They come in a variety of sizes for different purposes. They are wrapped around the exterior of a house during construction and cut around windows and doors. Housewrap tape is used to seal the joints and flashing is applied. There are many factors to consider when choosing, but there are some key distinctions between the many types of barrier systems on the market today. Ask these key questions when selecting the barrier system for your customers' next project:

Is it an air tlarrier? An air barrier reduces risk of condensation caused by air leaks through the wall construction. It reduces energy costs by reducing heating/cooling loads.

Is it a waterproof coating? A waterproof coating minimizes risk of water damage to sheathing and associated repair or replacement costs.

Is it vapor permeable? A vapor permeable choice is breathable and minimizes the risk of moisture getting trapped in the wall cavity.

What about the structure? If it is applied correctly, there should be no air leakage or moisture intrusion between the sheathing and the barrier.

Is it seamless? You don't want tears, holes or mislapped joints that can compromise performance in service.

Is it durable? Make sure your barrier system will not tear or lose its effectiveness with exposure to weather during construction or while in service.

Does it resist UV degradation? If it does, it will give peace of mind if construction delays occur, as you won't have to worry about extreme UV rays deteriorating performance.

No matter what type of barrier system is selected, the benefits of using an air barrier system and the energy costs savings will far outweigh and offset the initial cost of installins these systems.

- Lisa Petsko is associate market manager for Sto Corp., Atlanta, Ga., producer of cladding and coating systems for building construction, maintenance and restoration.

HOUSEWRAPS are typically installed between a home's sheathing and siding.

etitive ence

Second generation builds on success

Bv Carla Waldemar

A TTENTfON. all geezers wheezla.ine about the end of the world as we kno-w it (at least. the world of lumber) because kids these days would rather eat nails than sell them, much less take over the family business.

Meet young (very young) Dan Gilbreath, who not only jumped at the chance to fill his dad's work boots, but has outgrown them several times over as he's steadily driven the business he bought into in 1999.

Don was nine when his father purchased Tuttle Lumber, deep in the heart of San Matteo, Texas. Early on, the kid swept the floor, manned the forklift, drove the delivery truck "and a lot of other things that might not be strictly legal," he recalls with the bravado that's the birthright of folks from these parts.

Lest you think that even for a Texas lad the kid's too sood to be

true, let's get Dan to 'fess up that the path to the president's office wasn't always a sure trail. When contractors asked the boy if he planned to take over someday, Don looked them straight in the eye. "I didn't say 'no,"' he recollects. "I told them. 'Hell. no!' I was gonna get just as far away as I could." So he headed off to business school.

But you can't forget about family. Don chose to go to college right there in San Matteo so he could be close to his beloved father.

"Dad and I had an incredible relationship. I loved to work in the yard, the labor-intensity of it, the people." Still, he held back after graduation, working first as a paramedic and then as a realtor before yielding to his father's gentle blandishments.

"I finally figured that the opportunity only comes around once. You could attempt it and make a mistakeor you could decide not to attempt it and make a worse one. So I told my father, 'Man! Let's see how it goes."'

Like wildfire, that's how. Cut no slack as the boss' son (hey, they'd known him since he was a snot-nosed kid), he started in on the ground floor-sweeping that floor, cleaning, restocking-until a medical emergency put the yard manager out of commission and Dan. at 23. was tapped for the post.

"My role was suddenly defined"the best thing that could have happened to me," he says. "It was a wild summer! Then, when the original manager was able to return to work, I joined my dad inside on sales and purchasing functions."

When two generations suddenly are asked to share visions and management styles, oftener than not, sparks fly as a patriarch who's grown the company resists changes that the younger generation has in mind. That could have been the story we're about

to tell at Tuttle, for Gilbreath senior, born in 1917, was of the old guard, according to his son: "very controlling-very little he'd let go. He'd never delegated before."

Yet the man was blessed with the wisdom to ease up, to maybe listen a little to the kid fresh from business school. "He backed off," Dan reports. "He was the most incredible dad-my best friend, my partner, my mentor.... He taught me strategy, integrity, morality and ethics."

Today Dan credits those core values for Tuttle's success. He's driven

would like to see Tuttle go out of business, but that won't happen! They study what we've been doing, but they don't have our passion."

revenues to $5 million in this town of 26,000 by putting his 22 employees first. "People are everything," he preaches the gospel according to Gilbreath:"There's very little turnover, which means a wealth of knowledge and experience as well as F loyalty. I set an example, and, like it's supposed to, that legacy trickles down, making the environment so positive. I so productive-and customers feed off that."

"We're making working at Tuttle i as much fun as shopping at Tuttle," he i continues. "That's how we're evolving from 'good' to 'great.' At our meetings, I reference us as an athletic team. I'm the coach and everyone has his position. Every day's a game day, and we're out to beat the competition."

Yes, there's plenty, starting with a

"[The competition]

HIGH SPIRITS: Employees enjoy themselves while working hard. Michael Wren, Bart Gamblin and Josh Beck llank the Pink Panther. oatron saint of insulation.

nearby Lowe's and outposts of Home Depot. "We also compete locally with McCoy's, which has its [multi-branch] headquarters here," Dan adds.

And just how do you do better than all that competition, a reporter asks. "Service, man!" he spells it out for those of us who may be slow in learning-the service that only an independent can provide: "We sit on a major highway between Austin and San Antonio, but people prefer us, the hometown lumber company. Being an independent, we can change with agility-have the ability to react quickly, not call out of state or refer to a procedures manual. We have complete and instant control over our pricing, HR, finances, the receivables. I'll be the one to make those calls."

Tuttle offers all those ditzy services a one-size-fits-all outfit must provide, such as lock rekeying, glass cutting, saw sharpening and tool repair. But, harking to the needs of its 857o pro customers, Dan has added new equipment, including trucks and cranes with a drywall boom, and all-weather curbside storage trailers; blueprint interpretations: small engine repair: a showroom area; and a new tool-rental division, driven by pro demand.

He's joined buying groups-True Value for hardware and Allied (ABS) for commodities, which, he finds, ease the road for independents such as Tuttle.

He's also instituted contractor breakfasts. Why? "For feedback, man!" This way, "We've learned things that need to be corrected, like modernizing our fleet and facility." (He's built a 20,000-sq. ft. warehouse addition, added products, such as roofing, and upgraded the computer system.) "We're now able to do a tremendous amount of special orders," which, he testifies, prove lucrative.

He's also taken the plunge and hired Tuttle's first-ever outside salesman. "He's awesome," Dan shoots off his favorite adjective. "He's very wellloved in the community, and all fired up. He's got the competition licking their wounds. They'd like to see Tuttle go out of business, but that won't happen! They study what we've been doing, but they don't have our passion.

"We're dedicated to exceeding expectations," Dan underscores. Pin him down beyond the revival-tent exhortations, and he ticks off just a few: "We'll open up after hours if someone needs us; we'll package

something in a particular way to suit themt we'll stay on the phone as long as it takes to answer their questions. And, we keep on top of market pricing, adjusting our commodity pricing weekly and passing any savings on to the contractors. I'll even extend our credit terms if someone falls on bad times.

"I've recruited people, grown with our people, and diversified our market, especially our pro business. It now includes custom builders, remodelers, government and commercial accounts. By diversifying, we've grown sales."

Never a day goes by that Dan doesn't bless his dad, who passed away in February. "Yet, I want to achieve more balance in life than my father, who was 987o business, 2%o

family. I have a wife and two little boys. Still," he's quick to note the obvious, "I love to come to work. I really do!

"The growth down here is explosive. lt's been an amazing journey. and we've made it happen. It's up to us to be competitive, but not on price"-Coach Dan knows what a losing game that is-"but on service. It's awesome," he says. "Incredible.

"We're rural. small-town-minded here, in the Texas good-old-boy style: You either fit in or you don't. And we're a good fit."

- A former award-winning LBM trade magaTine editor, Carla Waldemar writes frequently on the lumber and building material industry. Contact her at cwaldemar@mn,rr.com.

PERSONAL SERVICE: Pat Klaerner helps contractors figure out material for a job.

ALWAYS THERE to helo: Yardman James Rivas loads a customer's Dine order

Rrrlrrrs

84 Lumber Co. simultaneouslv opened 20 new locations May |i, including stores in Grand Junction, Co., and Tucson, Az., and a component plant in sacramento, ca.

Shur-Way Building Centers is looking for sites in the Vancouver, Wa./Portland, Or., area to build its third store

Kolpack Outdoor Supply Yard, Sonora, Ca., will phase out most of its construction-supply business and rent a portion of its property to Tuolumne County Transit, which must vacate its old yard to make way for anew Lowe's

Re Building Center, Portland, Or., has added two new warehouses totalling over 28,500 sq. ft. ...

Lowe's Cos. opened a new store June l5 in Twin Falls, Id.; proposed demolishing a former WaIMart in Sonora, Ca., to build a 111,196-sq. ft. store, and has approached the city council in Santa Cruz, Ca., about moving into a 160,000-sq. ft. building vacant since 2003 ...

Lowe's expects to open 116,000sq. ft. stores with 31,000-sq. ft. garden centers in 4th quarter 2005 in North Colorado Springs, Co.; in lst quarter 2006 in Sunnyvale, Ca.; in 2nd quarter 2006 in Salt Lake City, Ut., and by 2nd quarter 2008 in Iwilei, Hi. ...

Lowe's has filed a petition with Salt Lake City, Ut., to allow the closure of portions of two streets so a new store can be built; received a zoning map amendment of 14.41acres that allows the chain to go forward with plans to build in Tooele, Ut.; plans to move from its leased 132,000-sq. ft. store in Sandy, Ut.. to a new- commercial development 3 miles away

Home Depot opened a new store April 28 in Oak Harbor, Wa.; is building a new store in Placerville,

Ca.; has leased a new 650,000-sq. ft. DC in Industry, Co., for its Home Depot Supply division, and received approval to build a 103,000-sq. ft. store in Phoenix, Or., and a 124,000-sq. ft. store in Barstow, Ca. ...

Home Depot has begun construction of a 140,000-sq. ft. store in Tulare, Ca.; will build a 125,000-sq. ft. store with 29,000sq. ft. garden center and 30,000-sq. ft. outdoor lumberyard in Thatcher, Az.,for an early 2006 opening, and is evaluating possible store sites in Bellevue. Id.. includins the current home of Sun Valley Girden Center

Home Depot submitted plans to build its first store in Long Beach, Ca., on an inactive petroleum storage-tank facility and hopes to build a 104,000-sq. ft. store in La Mirada, Ca., one mile away from a site it recently abandoned due to neighborhood opposition ... the chain will close 15 of its 54 Expo Design Centers and convert five others to its traditional warehouse format ...

Grainger relocated its Long Beach, Ca., branch May9 to a larger facility with a 2,500-sq. ft. showroom (Anthony Caraveo, branch mgr.) ...

Wror:slrrrs/tllutrcunrns

American Moulding & Millwork Co., Stockton, Ca., is closing July 15 after 95 years, laying off 64 employees; 52 positions were cut inJanuary...

FAX us your news!

Have a notice of your recent expansion, promotions or other company changes published in the next issue of The Merchant Magazine.

Just Fax your news to 949-852-0231 or email to kdebats@ building-products.com. h lree service)

AFA Forest Products, Bolton, Ont., is leasing a 56,000-sq. ft. facility with 2.5 acre yard in Tualatin. Or.. for its first U.S. distribution center

For s b erg Inte rnational Lo gistic s Consulting, Ridgefield, Wa., has been launched by R. Lynn Forsberg, formerly of Fremont Forest Group Corp. ..,

Tata Enterprises, Inc., Berkeley, Ca., has moved to new offices in Alameda, Ca. ...

Vaagen Brothers Lumber is installing a new planer line in its Colville, Wa., mill, to be operational by July

BlueTarp, Inc., has changed its name to BlueTarp Financial, Inc. to better reflect the range of financial services it offers to the building materials industry

Georgia-Pacffic was offered $4 million by the Califurnia Coastal Conservancy for 35 coastal acres of its shuttered 430-acre mill complex in Fort Bragg, Ca.

Atessco, Inc., Santa Rosa, Ca., is now stockin g Ti g erw o o d hardwood decking...

Atlas Lumber Co., Chino, Ca., is the exclusive distributor for SmartStile engineered hardwood door stiles

Screw Products Inc., Gig Harbor, Wa., is now distributing DeckLok brackets from Morse Technologies...

Anniversaries: Foster Lumber Yard, Yallejo, Ca., 85th ... ButlerJohnson Corp., San Jose, Ca., 45th Alpine Lumber, Sandpoint, Id., 20th ... Rupert Lumber & Paint, Burley, Id., lst

Housing starts in April (latest available figures) rebounded llTo to a seasonally adjusted annual rate (Please turn to page 48)

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Listings are often submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend.

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Western Wood Preservers Institute - June 12-13, summer retreat, Jackson Hole, Wy.; (8OO)729-9663.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association - June 14, golf tournament, Eagle Isleta Golf Course, Albuquerque, N.M. ; (303) 793-0859.

Tacoma Olympia Hoo-Hoo Club - June 18, annual auction, Tacoma, Wa.; (206) 399-0002.

Western Building Material Association - June 18, Young Westerners Club trustees meeting, Best Western, Tukwila, Wa.: (888) 551-9262.

Forest Products Society - June 19-22, international convention, Qu6bec City, P.Q.;(608) 231-1361.

Association of Consulting Foresters of America - June 19-22, national conference, Stevenson, Wa.; (703) 548-0990.

Ecobuild America - June20-23, Orlando, Fl.; (202) 628-'7400.

Southern Forest Products Association - June 2l-22, annual machinery expo, Atlanta, Ga; (504) 443-4464.

Leight Sales - June 23, expo, The Fairplex, Pomona, Ca.; (310) 223-1000.

Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau - June 23-24, annual meeting, Manteo Resort, Kelowna, B.C.; (253) 835-3344.

Tuolumne Lumber Jubilee - June 23-26, Tuolumne, Ca.; (800) 266-6436.

Western Hardwood Association - June 24-28, annual meeting, Sunriver, Or.; (360) 835-1600.

American Hardware Manufacturers Association - June 26-29,

executive conference & annual meeting, Loews Coronado Bay Resort, San Diego, Ca.;(847) 605-1025.

National Retail Federation - June 27-29, loss prevention conference & exhibition, San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, Ca.; (202) 783-797 l.

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Temperate Forest Foundation - July 6-9, Western Canadian Teachers' Tour, Vancouver, B.C. ; (503) 57 9 -67 62.

Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center - July 10-14, international conference, Bar Harbor, Me.; (207) 581-2123.

Tacoma Olympia Hoo-Hoo Club - July 15, annual golf tournament, Tacoma, Wa.; (206) 399-0002.

Lumber Association of California & Nevada - July 15-17, 2nd Growth weekend conference, La Quinta Resort & Club, La Quinta, ca.; (800) 266-4344.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association - July 18, golf toumament, Ranch Golf & Country Club, Westminster, Co.; (303) 793-0859.

Inland Lumber Producers - July 18-19, 22nd annual golf tournament, Coeur d'Alene Resort, Coeur d'Alene, Id.; (208) 3846646.

National Retail Hardware Association - July 18-20, annual convention and meeting, Vail Marriot Mountain Resort, Vail, Co.: (317) 290-0338.

Western Red Cedar Lumber Association - July 20-23, annual member conference, Couer d'Alene, Id.; (604) 684-0266.

Black Bart Hoo-Hoo Club - July 22, annual golf & BBQ, Ukiah, Ca.; ('/07) 462-3700

Umpqua Vaffey Lumber Association - June 22-24,7th anntal Mill Week, Douglas County, Or.; (541) 672-5711.

Western Building Material Association - July 24-26, board & committee meetings, Sun Valley, Id.; (888) 551-9262.

International Woodworking Fair - July 27-29,Las Vegas, Nv.; (770\ 246-0608.

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Northern California

Mark Hronicek

Marc Silveira

Dan Scherber

Tyler McKenna

Western Washington

Robert Horstmann

Mike Biever

Russell Hester

Eastern Washington

Jim Devaney

Oregon

Roland Carlson

Brian Wilson

Preston Paakkonen

Garrett Alford

ldaho

Cristina DeBoer

Utah

Jim Jensen

Lumber Association of California & Nevada will hold its 2nd Growth annual summer conference July l5-17 at the La Quinta Resort & Club, La Quinta, Ca. A golf tournament will be held the first day, followed by an opening reception that evening.

Day Two will feature a product knowledge session with vendors. Cal Poly forestry professor Doug Piirto will speak on the need for wood in our everyday lives, and Donn Zea, California Forest Products Commission, will discuss upcoming industry challenges. The evening's keynote speaker will be Mike Robbins, former pitcher for the Kansas City Royals.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Materials Dealers Association and the Colorado Wood Council are hosting a golf tournament July 18 at the Ranch Golf & Country Club. Westminster. Co

North American Wholesale Lumber Association elected Steve Weekes, Weekes Forest Products, chairman during its recent spring conference in San Antonio, Tx.

New lst vice chairman is Tom Rice, Conner Industries; 2nd vice chairman Greg Riley, Bloch Lumber; secretary/treasurer Steve Sprenger, Sprenger Midwest, and president/ c.e.o. Nick Kent.

National Lumber & Buitding Material Dealers Association has moved to new headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The association has extended the deadline for applications for its new safety awards program to June 30. NLBMDA will present National Achievement in Safety Awards to all dealer applicants who achieve specific safety criteria. The National Industry Leader in Safety Award will be pre-

sented to two dealers: one with fewer than 50 employees and one with more than 50.

BC Wood, a non-profit trade association dedicated to growing British Columbia's secondary wood products manufacturing industry, is hosting the 2005 Global Buyers Mission Sept. l5l7 in Whistler, B.C.

More than 80 manufacturers will be showcasing their wood products at the Whistler Conference Centre for international buyers from the U.S., China, Korea, Japan and Europe. Major retailers, wholesale distributors, builders and developers are invited to explore new value-added products and suppliers from western Canada.

BC Wood is also offering free accommodations and meals for the first 40 qualified buyers from the U.S. For more information and to register, visit www.bcwood.com.

so they won't rust and pose a safety hazard over time.

sensible ronmenlqlist

By Dr. Patrick Moore

Dear Dr. Moore:

I love the look of a wood deck, but I need something that resists moisture and termites. Is treated wood safe?

Yes, absolutely. There are a number of treated wood protects that are highly effective at resisting bugs, mold and rot-and are also safe in terms of human health and the environment.

Over the last few years, there has been some concern about lumber treated with CCA (copper arsenate). CCA has been used successfully for decades. But, because it contains arsenic. people began to question whether small amounts could leach

out of the wood and cause harm. As a result of this concern (and please note that the science itself is inconclusive), CCA is no longer available for residential use.

In its place are a number of alternatives, but the most popular are ACQ (alkaline copper quat), CBA (copper azole), and SBX (sodium borate)-all approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. For outdoor use, ACQ and CBA are recommended, as borate becomes less effective when repeatedly exposed to water. However, if you're building the deck yourself, note that ACQ and CBA are corrosive to metal. Make sure to use galvanized or stainless steel nails, fasteners and connectors,

For those who have used CCA lumber in the past, there's no cause for alarm. The EPA sees no reason to replace existing structures - including decks and playground equipment. The phaseout of CCA was a precautionary measure, taken voluntarily by the wood industry. If you're concerned about exposure, the EPA suggests applying a penetrating coating, such as a semitransparent stain. on a regular basis.

As a sensible environmentalist, I agree that reducing the use of arsenic is a reasonable precaution-and I'm glad the wood industry has taken the initiative and provided other options. I prefer wood over alternatives such as plastic and steel because it's renewable and sustainable over the long term. It also requires less energy to produce and results in fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

- Dr. Moore has heen a leader of the environmental movement for more than 30 years. A co-founder and fttrmer president of Greenpeace, he holds a PhD in ecology and a BSc in forest biology. Send questions to pat r ic k@ se ns ib e env ronme ntalist.com.

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Founder Sells ldaho Timber

Idaho Timber Corp., Boise, Id., has been acquired by New York buyout firm Leucadia National Corp. for an undisclosed amount.

Chairman Larry Williams, who founded Idaho Timber in 1979, sold his majority interest in the company and has retired after 35 years in the industry.

Chief executive officer Ted Ellis will stay on along with most of the current management operating team. including newly promoted v.p. of finance Scott Beechie. Also retiring are Lake City, Fl.-based southern v.p. Mike Johnson after 30 years in the business and v.p./chief financial offi-

cer Bryant Rudd after I 1 years.

Idaho Timber enjoyed record sales of $420 million in 2OO4 and in 2005 produced 800 million bd. ft. of lumber. Operations include sawmills in Troy, Id.; Espafrola, N.M.; Carthage, Ar., and Wiergate, Tx., and manufacturing plants with sales offices in Boise and Weiser, Id.; Whitefish, Mt.; Lake City, Fl.; Halstead, Ks.; Fort Worth, Tx.

Leucadia is a diversified holding company with substantial assets in real estate, manufacturing, and banking and lending, with smaller holdings in wine producing and gold mining.

Boise Cascade Ditches IPO

Boise Cascade has cancelled its proposed $400 million initial public stock offering, citing adverse market conditions.

The company had hoped to sell 16 million shares and begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "BCC." Yet days before the IPO, Boise lowered the estimated

price by roughly 30%a to a range of $17 to $19 per share.

"We concluded that it was in the best interest ofour existing shareholders not to proceed in the current climate," said c.e.o. Tom Stephens.

The business was acquired eight months ago for $3.7 billion by private equity firm Madison Dearborn Part-

ners LLC, which promptly sold off its timberlands.

While the decision to scrap the IPO was a difficult one, Stephens said Boise would now "rededicate our efforts to running our businesses and executing our business strategies."

Fire Claims Manke's Dry Kiln

Manke Lumber, Sumner, Wa., sustained $500,000 in damage from a May 23 fire at its dry kiln building

The fire broke out about 4:50 a.m., and fire crews did not begin arriving for more than I I minutes. Emergency dispatchers first thought the 9ll call came from Manke's headquarters in Tacoma, Wa., and mistakenly sent firefighters there.

More than 50 firefighters needed 90 minutes to control the blaze. but managed to keep flames from spreading to nearby piles of lumber.

One large bay of the metal kiln building- containing gas-fired dryers-burned to the ground. Still, the on-site sawmill was operating later in the day.

No injuries were reported, and investigators are trying to determine the cause of the fire.

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Bloedorn Scouts Colorado

After a year of negotiating to build a new store fell through, Bloedorn Lumber Co. is now looking for a new site to replace its outgrown Loveland, Co., yard.

Bloedorn had hoped to rezone 3 acres to construct a larser store and

Roofing Up Only Slightly

U.S. roofing demand is expected to increase l.4%o annually through 2008 to 259 million squares, with its value to rise 3.5Vo yearly to $12.5 billion, according to a new study by Freedonia Group.

Among roofing materials, plastic and metal will enjoy the fastest growth, benefitting from a rebound in nonresidential markets.

Thermoplastic polyolefin roofing will continue its inroads against builrup and elastomeric roofing.

Another plastic roofing product that will see healthy gain is sprayapplied roofing, as advances in application technology boost usage.

Metal roofing will benefit from a rebound in industrial construction

warehouse with rail spur. creating a regional lumber hub that could also serve other Bloedorn locations. The company backed out due to the project's expected cost, which would have included steep, city-mandated capital expansion fees.

Among the properties now being

as well as continue its incursion into residential uses, where metal panels and shingles are being used as alternatives to roofing tile and asphalt shingles.

Asphalt shingles will remain the dominant roofing material, accounting for more than 6O7o of the total installed area in 2008. However, demand for asphalt shingles is projected to rise less than l%o annually, due to a sluggish outlook for residential roofing.

In addition to a weak new housing market, the reroofing segment will be limited by a smaller base of houses with shingles in need of replacement, since the late 1980s represented a period of declining numbers of housine starts.

considered is the old Deines Lumber yard, which closed seven years ago.

"We have not signed any agreement on that or anything else," explained John Herbst, treasurer for the Torrington, Wy.-based chain. "We're just trying to find a bigger place."

Loveland is already home to a halfdozen lumber yards and a Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse is coming to town this summer.

New Owners To Move Store

Bill and Syd Myers have agreed to sell Fortuna Hardware, Fortuna, Ca., to two fellow Ace Hardware owners who will relocate the newly-acquired business to the site of a vacated Safeway supermarket.

Taking over are Jerry King, owner of Hensel's Hardware & Gifts, Arcata, Ca., and Jack Rieke, owner of Shafer's Ace Hardware, Eureka, Ca., and Shafer's Lawn & Garden, Fortuna. Rieke will relocate his lawn and garden center to the new site, enlarging it to 7,000 sq. ft. In all, the new location will boast nearly 30,000 sq. ft.

The new owners will hold a grand opening later in the year.

Outlook on hardwood lumber

By Mark Barford, CAE, CF President Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers, Inc.

IDRODUCTION of hardwood

lum-

I ber began in this country when the first settlers used hardwood for repairing their ships for the return trip to Europe. Over the years, the industry has had many ups and downs, and a look at the current hardwood lumber business climate reveals a number of challenges.

Changes over the past few years have been catastrophic to some companies, with hundreds of sawmills going out of business and others struggling. These struggles have caused some shifts in the way the industry does business, and a shift to new customers that are buying hardwoods. Yet while annual hardwood lumber production today is about 207o less than in 2000, it is still above the 40 year production average.

The hardwood industry is dependent upon a forest resource that primarily it does not own or manage. There are nearly 10 million individual hardwood timber landowners providing the vast majority of trees to be harvested. The good news is that while the timber resource pie is being shared by more owners, the total size of the pie is increasing dramatically. The U.S. Forest Service estimates that hardwoods are generally growing at about twice the rate they are being harvested, with average tree size increasing as well. We know we will have trees to harvest in the future despite the limitations imposed by government regulations. In short, the U.S. has a healthy, growing, well managed forest, that will sustain the hardwood lumber industry for decades to come.

And what species grows in the forest? Primarily oak, and lots of it. The

Forest Service says that 38Vo of the standing forest is oak. Over the years, the wood consumers have learned to use oak for many structural and decorative purposes, and it is the wood of choice for floors, furniture and cabinets.

The markets for hardwood lumber have seen changes in recent years. The 11.5 billion bd. ft. of lumber production last year indicates that after pallets, the number one market for lumber is now flooring. Furniture use of hardwoods is down 507o from just five years ago, and that is a market unlikely to return. The Chinese now produce over 60Vo of the wooden furniture sold in the U.S., with many new factories yet to be built in China, as well as in Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Surprisingly, export markets have not kept pace. Although exports to China have increased dramatically, they have been offset by the decline in other export markets to countries such as Japan, Korea and Germany. Exports in total are still about 107o of our total lumber production, and have remained at about that level over the past 20 years.

The tremendous growth in hardwoods for flooring, cabinets and decorative moldings, particularly in the remodeling market, have picked up some of that lost demand. The traditional industrial markets, including pallets and ties, has remained fairly steady, with the pallet decline due to the increase in the number of recycled pallets utilizing less new hardwood. American woods are still highly favored in new construction projects around the world that want to appeal to an international clientele. such as

hotels and offices.

Like many manufacturing industries in the U.S., the hardwood lumber business has some challenges in the future in order to keep production in the country. Some of those challenges include:

Cash flow drives business (With high expenses for new machinery, many companies have had to use bank loans to grow, and find the need to turn over their money quickly.)

. Overhead costs escalating (The costs for taxes, health, insurance and safety compliance are increasing much faster than company profits.)

. More timber growing, but less available to cut (Despite the tremendous expansion of the forest resource, trees are becoming less available for harvest due in part to forests being subdivided to parcels that are too small to operate in.)

. Government regulations

Trucking and shipping issues

r International competition

A Look Ahead

The hardwood lumber industry has been in a consolidation phase for the (Please turn to page 34)

Town Wooing D-l-Yer Stores

The city of Frisco, Co., has a prime 9.4-acre parcel for sale and is courting several developers representing competing home improvement stores.

So far, six developers have submitted formal proposals. The town council hopes to narrow the field down to a single, best candidate in time for voters to decide in a November election.

The early favorite, as ranked by Frisco's crtizen economic development committee, is a 130,000-sq. ft. Home Depot, since its proposal also includes affordable housing, a playground, recycling drop-off site, added buffer distance to nearby wetlands, and "environmentally sensitive design principles."

Close behind are a 138,000-sq. ft. Lowe's Home Improvement and a 115,000-sq. ft. Wal-Mart, which might lease part of the property to another big box retailer such as Home Depot or Lowe's.

The long-shot isa 15,000-to35,000-sq. ft. Ace Solutions store that would occupy 2 acres of the site.

Activists Make A Buck

Eight nonviolent protestors who had pepper spray swabbed in their

eyes by Humboldt County and Eureka, Ca., law enforcement officers were awarded $l each in damages.

The protests took place in 1997, at then-representative Frank Riggs' Eureka office, at the headquarters in Scotia of the Pacific Lumber Co., and on PeLco timberlands in Bear Creek. The plaintiffs were protesting the Headlands agreement, which allowed cutting of old-growth redwoods. Pepper spray was used when the activists chained themselves together to resist arrest.

"We're obviously delighted that they found this application of pepper spray was unreasonable excessive force," said attorney Tony Serra. "The plaintiffs were never in it for the money. We won this on principle."

Hardwood Outlook

(Continued from page 32 )

past 50 years. Some historians estimate there may have been at one time over 10,000 commercial sawmills, and the number is now under 500. That trend will continue, but with the changes in technology, overall production levels should not vary much.

This consolidation allows primary wood consumers to do more "one stop" purchasing as one company now has a greater variety of species and products.

With the new technology also comes increased accuracy in production, and more ability to meet the needs of a particular customer. The addition of drop sorters and limited secondary processing allows lumber suppliers to work with customers better. Better training for mill workers and loggers makes hardwood lumber production a more desirable profession, and the addition of new personnel and systems bodes well for future competitiveness.

The hardwood lumber industry has come through some tough years better prepared to meet the needs of our customers in the future. With a plentiful resource of well-managed forests, a modern updated industry, and companies understanding that they need to adapt to change, the future looks very positive.

- Based in High Point, N.C., Appalac hian Hardwood Manufacturers is an 80-year-old trade association with 200 members in l2 states that promotes Appalac hian- g r ow n hardw ood lumber.

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Sears May Shed Orchard

Sears Holdings Corp. plans to sell its Orchard Supply Hardware division and refocus on the opportunities presented by the March 2005 merger of Sears and Kmart. The retail chains merged to fight off competition from Wal-Mart.

San Jose, Ca.-based OSH's 82 home and garden centers operate throughout California, selling about 45,000 items in an average of 41,000 sq. ft. The chain had sales of $532 million in 1996, when its 60 stores were purchased by Sears.

In both size and national reach, OSH has been dwarfed by Home Depot and Lowe's, whose stores average more than 100,000 sq. ft., with another 20,000 to 30,000 sq. ft. for outside garden areas.

"We believe Orchard would be a good fit for big-box home improvement retailers, such as Home Depot or Lowe's, looking to fill in markets surrounding their core stores and spur convenience-related sales," said Gary Balter, an analyst at USB Securities. He said that the company's strong

"I've studied the boxes for years. In searching out our niche, we choose not to fight the price battle. We fight the quality and service battle."

- Scott Williams, president Brown Lumber Co., Traverse City, Mi.

cash flow also could make it attractive to financial buyers. Balter estimated that OSH could sell for as much as $300 million.

Penofin Says No To Giants

To keep jobs in the U.S., Penofin Performance Coatings, Inc., Ukiah, Ca.. fi red its biggest customer in January to concentrate on distributing its wood finish products to independents and smaller regional chains.

"We were forced to make a choice," said Castle Newell III, company president. "Move our manufacturing overseas to continue to do business with one of the largest retailers in the nation, or say good-bye to this customer and keep those jobs from moving offshore."

The problem, said Newell, is that the big boxes want more rebates, more time to pay, have added surcharges, and make monetary demands that have forced American businesses to send manufacturing jobs elsewhere.

Fortunately for companies like Penofin, local stores that focus on customer service are becoming more popular with shoppers. "We were apprehensive at first, but to our amazement we have added hundreds of independent stores across the U.S. and Canada," said Dr. Barbara Newell, c.e.o. and founder.

"We are a family-owned company," said Dr. Newell. "Our children, many of our employees' children, neighbors and friends have worked here. We are not about to make a buck at the expense of our employees."

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What does it take to make the best lumber in the business?

Certainly we believe it takes the best Timber and the latest Technology. But our biggest asset is our Talent - the exceptional people who make Riley Creek the largest lumber company in ldaho.

At Riley Creek, our facilities are a campus where we learn every day. Our people hold the highest quality ratings in the business. They take real pride in each finely crafted piece of lumber that we ship to you.

In other words, excellence has a face. lt's the people who show up every day at Riley Creek, determined to send you exactly the product you need, every time.

Biomass Plant Offers New Promise

Warm Springs Forest Products Industries, Warm Springs, Or., wants to build a $30 million biomass plant that would benefit the company, the surrounding community, and the environment.

A new boiler that will provide steam for the sawmill's lumber-drying process-and could also serve a biomass plant-is already under construction and should be operational by September.

The new boiler would require five fewer workers, be more efficient, and reduce accidents, said c.e.o. Larry Potts. Injuries such as back strain and eye injury occurred during cleaning of the old boiler and accounted for half of the accidents at the mill. Fewer injuries would cut worker's compensation costs.

The plant itself would create about 60 jobs at the sawmill. By burning the small trees that feed forest fires, the plant could reduce air pollution from proscribed burns and forest fires and decrease gases that cause global warming. By creating electric energy from waste, the plant could help cut Oregon's dependence on fossil fuels.

Small trees would provide half the fuel for the plant; the other half would be sawmill waste such as bark, sawdust and shavings. Wood waste from orchards and construction projects could also be used to fuel the plant.

Potts is working on a lO-year deal with the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to obtain small trees thinned from 10,000 acres a year in the Mt. Hood, Ochoco and Deschutes national forests.

"It sounds like a big number," said Potts. "But they need to treat 100,000 acres a year for hazardous fuels."

Potts also needs to find a consumer market for the energy generated by the biomass plant. The Oregon Public Utilities Commission mandates that utilities must provide energy at the lowest possible cost, and biomass energy costs more. Current market price is a little over 50 per kilowatt hour, while biomass plants can produce electricity for 6A 6 9q. On the plus side. Oregon consumers increasingly appear willing to pay more for energy from renewable resources

WSFPI energy manager Darrel

Kelly thinks there's a good chance the biomass plant will be built because studies have proven both its feasibility and its environmental benefits. "When everyone realizes it is more beneficial to burn hazardous forest fuels in the controlled environment of a boiler rather than leave those fuels in the forests and contribute to catastrophic wildfires, the project will move forward and be successful," he said.

The biomass plant would help the company, as well. "We [would] be replacing power-generating equipment that was originally installed in 1921," Kelly explained. "Although the existing power plant is still operating today, it lacks adequate pollution controls, is relatively inefficient, and is labor-intensive and expensive to operate and maintain."

Small mills are looking for new markets to survive. "From a strategic standpoint, you have to pencil it out and find other ways to compete," said Butch Bernhardt, spokesman for the Western Wood Products Association. "The biggest product may not be lumber. The residuals with biomass or other specialty products can make for a better business."

fls aHampton Affiliates regular customer, you'll never have toworry about tight supplies, delayedshipments orsubstandard product. 0ur streamlined operation is tunedtogetyouexactly what youneedand deliver it when and where youneedit - without fail. r This isbecause we run a fulty integrated business, from tree planting and resource management to relationship-based brokerage and shipping services. Supply is stronger than ever. Since t997 we've doubled annual production to r.4 billion board feet, making us the fifth largest producer in the U.S. Hampton's mills are among the most efficient in the industry - our Willamina mill is one of the top volume producers in the country. With tight inventory control and smoothly coordinated distribution using our railcar fLeet, we keep this dependable supply movingtoourcustomers to meetiust-in-time needs. o Talk to us soon.We'll give youcommitments, notexcuses.

That's what makes PrimeSourcet the leading nationwide distributor of building materials for the residential, industrial, new construction and remodeling markets.

o A nationwide network of distribution centers

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To learn more, contact us at 800-676-7777, or visit primesourcebp.com. PrimeSourceglobal reach, hometown service.

The#l sowce for fasteners is also the frst choice for everythitg else.

Steve Hagen and Kevin Dolan, both ex-Unity Forest Products, have opened a Penn Valley, Ca., sales office for Western Woods. Inc.. Chico, Ca.

Doug Jenks has joined Weber Plywood & Lumber Co., Tustin, Ca., as the new purchasing agent. Doug Hosford is new to sales.

Orville Chedester has retired after l8 years with Stockton Wholesale Lumber Co., Stockton, Ca., and moved with wife, Susan, toLaPaz, Mexico.

Kathy Rangel is new to sales at U.S. Timber Co., Eagle, Id.

Kelly Delacy, ex-Snavely International, has opened a new Portland, Or., office for Willamette Forest Products, a division of U. S. Timber.

Perry Schlitt has been promoted to v.p. of sales & operations at Disdero Lumber, Clackamas, Or.

John Neubauer has joined Capital Lumber Co., Phoenix, Az., as national account mgr. Also new are Bill Bieker, sales mgr., Boise, Id.; Ed Brown, ex-Weyerhaeuser, assistant division mgr., Chino, Ca.; Shayne Fitzpatrick, ex-Universal Forest Products, account mgr., Chino; Millard Meeks, ex-Collins Pine, account mgr., Healdburg, Ca., and Brendon Bolton, account mgr., Denver, Co.

Carolyn Atkinson, ex-Weyerhaeuser, has joined Lumbermens, Olympia, Wa.. as marketing support services mgr.

Clark S. Binkley, ex-Hancock Timber Resources Group, has been elected to the board of TimberWest Forest Corp., Vancouver, B.C., replacing Anthony Petrina.

Greg Gainer was named v.p.-sales & marketing for International Aluminum Corp., Monterey Park, Ca.

Seth Martin, ex-Georgia-Pacific, will cover Northern California for Bluelinx, Denver, Co. Pat Ragan is now handling the Denver and Albuquerque, N.M., markets.

Garry Tabor has been promoted to president and chief operating officer of Building Material Distributors. Inc.. Galt. Ca. Steve Ellinwood is now chairman and c.e.o. Darcey Jerrom, ex-LouisianaPacific, has joined BMD's engineered wood products division, Walnut Creek, Ca.

David Larsen has been named v.p. of corporate communications for Weyerhaeuser Co., Federal Way, Wa. Larry Fitzgerald, Hot Springs, Ar., retired June I after 33 years in the industry.

Mary Jane Keller is now office manager at Western Pacific Building Materials. Bend. Or. Ken Roberts joins the company as a sales rep.

Chad Ziller has joined 84 Lumber Co., Greeley, Co., as a mgr. trainee. Matt Korinek and Rodney Stalker are new mgr. trainees in Henderson, Co. Promotions at 84 Hq. include: Frank Cicero, executive v.p. for store operations; David Cochran, v.p.-Southwest store operations, and Scott Wagner, v.p. of manufacturing.

Dan Kingery has been named western regional sales mgr. for Crestline and Vetter Windows & Doors. New district mgrs. include John Fuchs, covering Northern California and western Nevada; Niki Depew, Southern California, and Jim Quillen, New Mexico, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nv., and El Paso, Tx.

Robert L. Phillips has been elecred to the board of directors of West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd., Vancouver, B.C., replacing Larry S. Hughes.

Dick Rose, Srock Building Supply, is retiring July 3l after 33 years in the industry, the last nine with Stock. Joe Appelmann succeeds him as senior v.p.-logistics. Jim Major is the new v.p.-finance & strategic planning.

Anna Gilbert has joined the National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association, Washington, D.C., as program assistant.

Thomas D. Bell, Cousins Properties Inc., and Jon A. Boscia, Lincoln National Corp., were elected to the board of directors of GeorsiaPacific Corp. Re-elected to the board were G-P chairman and c.e.o. A. D. ttPete" Correll, James S. Balloun and John D. Zeglis.

Bill Burke has been promored to group president of Newell Rubbermaid's North American Tool Group. Bob Heisner succeeds Burke as president of the Lenox division.

Mike Lewis. North American distribution mgr., has been named North American sales mgr. for Dow Chemicalsubsidiary ANcus Chemical Co. and Dow Biocides, succeeding Greg Jorjorian, who has retired.

James Hoff, Firestone Building Products Co., has been named the chairman of the EPDM Roofing Association. He replaces Nick Shears, Carlisle SynTec, who remains on the board of directors. Stan Choiniere, OMG Roofing Products, and John Murphy, Milliken & Co., are new to the board. Mari Killian, Carlisle SynTec. is communications committe chairman, and James Jannasch, Firestone, technical committee chairman.

David Fleisher has been named v.p. and c.f.o. forHuttig Building Products Inc.

Marvin Schmidt. owner of Escalon Hardware, Escalon, Ca., received the Golden Hammer award from supplier California Hardware, Ontario, Ca., recognizing his more than 50 years in the business.

Lotta Clutter will head an office clean-up project at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

Plywood Yard Boarded Up

After 40 years, Stop Buy N' Save Plywood in Gresham, Or., has closed its doors.

"I loved my job," said Jim Zeller, owner of the discount plywood yard. "I quickly realized that this was a wonderful community made up of great people. My customers became my friends."

The lumber business wasn't ZeIler's first career choice. In 1964 he was working on a history degree at the University of Oregon, when he took a part-time job at Serve-N-Save Plywood in Eugene.

After a year of learning the lumber business, Zeller was asked to move to Gresham and open a new retail lumberyard. He left the university and never regretted the choice. "I just loved the lumber business too much," he said.

In 1981 Zeller purchased the business he loved and rarely missed a day of work. "There were many days here when I hated to see the day end," he said.

Now 63 years old, he said the time is right to close. "I can still do very well here, my customers are loyal, but the Home Depots and Lowe's and big-

ger yards are taking a greater percentage of the business."

Roseburg Expands Melamine

Roseburg Forest Products, Roseburg, Or., has expanded its thermallyfused melamine production capabilities by adding a state-of-the-art melamine press at its Missoula, Mt., particleboard facility.

Placing melamine capacity in the Missoula facility gives the company a better ability to serve its customers in the Midwest through more efficient transportation. "In addition to meeting the growth requirements of our customers, this incremental capacity contributes to our long-term strategy and focus of increasing our valueadded products," said president and c.e.o. Allyn Ford.

Currently, the Missoula plant produces particleboard and a full line of prefinished panels. The addition of a melamine press will create a fullyintegrated laminating facility.

The new press line will increase the company's total melamine production capacity by 30Vo. The Missoula plant will begin producing the full line of solid, pattern and woodgrain melamine products offered in the

Roseburg Melamine Collection by the third quarter of 2006.

Canfor Seeks New Directions

Canfor Corp., Vancouver, B.C., recently leased 150 rail cars to move lumber products from its transfer facility in Edmonton. Alb.. to major customers in the U.S. In addition, the company has arranged for a ship to transport its lumber to the U.S. this summer.

Canfor supplies panels, studs and 2x4s to retail lumber dealers, including big box stores such as Home Depot. At its annual meeting, transportation problems were blamed for lower first-quarter profits.

"If we can find a way of being closer to a supplier, as opposed to some sort of middle man. that is what Canfor is trying to do," said c.e.o. Jim Shepherd.

The company is also looking at new markets around the world. The increasing use of engineered wood products, said Shepherd, may lead Canfor into acquisitions or joint ventures.

"We are looking very hard at expanding Canfor's sphere of operations well beyond Canada," he said.

CertifiablyOre$on €rown

By Bob Maurer Swanson Group Glendale, Or.

f-tER-ti-fy (sur'te f() v. l. to con-

\-, firm formally as true, accurate. or genuine, esp. in writing b. to guarantee as meeting a standard.

Cer-ti-fi-ca-tion (sur'te fi ka'shen) n. the act of certifying.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that certification is one of those industry bttzz words that appears to be on everyone's agenda. Speakers at conventions address it. roundtable groups discuss it, marketers embrace it, builders applaud it, retailers try to figure out how to buy it, and manuf'acturers scratch their heads and ask, "Isn't this what we've always done?"

But the bottom line is that no mat-

ter where you stand in the food chain, certification is going to affect the way you do business. Because the concept of certifying the forest products industry and the subsequent finished products they generate is one that has not only caught on but is here to stay and will continue to grow in importance.

Yet there are still a lot of pressing questions concerning the execution and administration of these programs, such as: Who will bear the cost? What is the difference-if any-in the various programs? Is there an appreciable value in the finished goods? And-perhaps most important-are we really doing anything different in the woods or are we just creating a

paper record to verify we've done our jobs properly?

Unfortunately, much of this confusion can be credited to the competing certification bodies themselves and other environmental associations who all claim to have our natural resources best interests at heart, yet point fingers at each other and disagree on what constitutes basic standards of sound forest practices. One would think that if the industry is doing a better job of maintaining sustainable growth, harvesting in a more responsible way, being the good stewards of the land as they claim they are, then ALL parties

(Please turn to page 46)

To them, it's a dream

To you, it's a sound business

Sqga4Sioe"

Builders who use LP" SmartSide@ lap siding and exterior trim build homes with the kind of craftsmanship and attention to detail your homebuyers demand. Plus, you can rest assured our highly engineered wood products will

provide warm, natural beauty for many years to come. Simply stated, allordable LP SmartSide products help make you and your homes look better.

For more inlormation on durable, beautiful LP SmartSide lap siding and exterior trim, visit www.lpsmartside.com.

Certifiably Oregon Grown

(Continued from page 44)

would be pleased with the progress the industry has shown. But that has never appeared to be the case.

As much as I think I understand a little about competition, I've never seen such a battle for "market share" as I have among these non-profit organizations. There must be a lot of money to be made in non-profit work or else there are hidden agendas at play here that I don't know about, but for sure the spirit of cooperation, compromise and conciliation is missing from this picture.

Five years ago I moved to southern Oregon. Although I have been in the lumber and building material business more than 30 years, I had never before lived in a "producing" region, at least not one as prolific as the state of Oregon. It has been quite a learning experience as I find myself living in the midst of the emotional battle over how to manage the forests. During my brief tenure in this state, I have witnessed the largest wildfire in the history of Oregon (the Biscuit Bum in 2002); an attack by the Earth Liberation Front, which burned the corporate office of a local forest products company, and various protests and demonstrations against any kind of logging.

What I haven't seen or heard any mention of is the Oregon Forest Practices Act. And that is too bad, because the Oregon Forest Practices Act was in essence, certification before certification was even a seed of an idea in any organization's head.

The Oregon legislature approved the nation's first Forest Practices Act in 197 1. more than 20 years before

any of the current certification agencies came into existence. In 1972,the standards set up and established by the Oregon Forest Practices Act became law. At the time these standards (which covered such actions as reforestation, road construction, streamside buffer strips, and many other issues) were far and away the most stringent in the country. (States later adopting similar acts often used Oregon as their model.) And though the standards were advisory in nature, they were specific and, more important, enforceable. More impressive was the fact that over 6,800 people completed a Forest Practices Act training program.

During its 34 years of existence, the Act has continually updated its standards, adopted amendments to cover additional issues from quality water protection to clearing rules, and, most crucial, enforced the law. These regulations apply to forest operations on all of Oregon's non-federal lands (private, state-owned, county-owned, and cityowned). Operations on lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are not directly regulated, but both agencies have agreed to meet or exceed the Oregon Forest Practices Act requirements. Of course, the federal lands available for harvesting today have shrunk to virtually nothing.

The only flaw I can find with the Oregon Forest Practices Act is that they don't do enough to promote their activities. They prefer, it appears, to spend their time in the woods making sure the rules of engagement are adhered to rather than becoming a certification agency. Many certifying agencies award certification for a period of five years after the initial audit and then only come back to audit once a year. The folks in Oregon aren't nearly as generous, as they're always in the woods and if you're found to be out of compliance you'll be fined and shut down. It's simply the law. This is a huge distinction from associations who "market" and promote their standards and practices to the architects and specifiers ofthe world.

Today there are two large, high profile programs in the certification game in the U.S., the Forest Stewardship Council, founded in 1993, and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, founded in 1994. Both of these organizations have done a goodjob ofpromoting certified forests and the finished wood products from such, of educating the general, consuming public, and explaining their own programs as to what constitutes sound forest practices. Both have strong supporters and together they are bringing sustainable forest practices to the public's attention and increasing the awareness of the benefits of sound forest practices. That is a good thing.

Still, for many companies that want to choose a certification agency there is uncertainty over which way to go. It's a little like trying to pick the right horse to back during the Triple Crown races. They're all thoroughbreds and in excellent shape, but which one will run a little better than the others? It's a problem. But there may be a simple solution if you're confused and concerned about what type of certified wood to buy. The answer would be to play it safe and buy wood that is manufactured in the state of Oregon and from trees harvested in that state. Not only are all the forest practices on all the non-federal lands there regulated and monitored... it's the law.

- Bob Maurer has more than 30 years of experience in the lumber and building materials business. He has worked for retail Iumber chains, wholesale distribution, buying groups, and manufacturing companies.

n,,,1 highly recommend working with a professional team,"

'We all knew fhis uvas going to be a huge underlaking, but I don't think any of us (at C. H. Carpenter Lumber) realized just how big it turned out to be. We saved time and money,and got a lot of extras we didn't even know about - by working with people who had experience and expertise in fhls type of project."

"Our layout, designed for optimum materials handling, has increased our efficiency and has almost eliminated product damage."

trl am very pleased with the resultstt

- Frd Meier, C, H. Carpenter Lumher Lakeville, Minnesota

News Briefs

(Continued from page 20)

of 2.038 million ... single family starts were tp 6.3Vo, multi-family up 35Vo regionally, starts climbed 2.5Vo in the West ... permits rose 5.3Vo

Weyerhaueser Co., Federal Way, Wa., donated $1 million in grant money and lumber harvested from Mt. St. Helens to Habitat for Humanity Weyco is considering expanding its U.S. homebuilding business through acquisitions after

record profit last year from sales of residential property, particularly in hot markets such as San Diego, Ca., and Las Vegas, Nv. ...

Andersen Corp. agreed to buy Eagle Window & Door

Brink Forest Products, Prince George, B.C., will open a sawmill by the end of the year

Ptrco, Scotia, Ca., secured two loans totalling $65 million to pay off its revolving credit debt with Bank of America ...

Ain sw orth Lumb e r. Vancouver. B.C., will spend over $400 million to build two OSB plants in Prince George and Quesnel, B.C., if its high bid for two large pine stand licenses in the central Interior offered by British Columbia's Ministry of Forests is accepted

Terranova Forest Products has been renamed Masisa S.A., following the merger of Latin American parent companies Terranova S.A. and Masisa S.A. ...

G-P Gypsum plants in Tacoma, Wa., and Wheatfield, In., were certified for recycled content by Scientific Certffication Systems

Elk Composite Building Products purchased the principal assets of RailWayz Inc.

Correct Building Products relocated its composite decking production to alarger facility in Biddeford, Me. ...

Ace Hardware Corp. honored Hampton Products International, Charlotte Pipe & Foundry Co., Colorite Plastics, Shell Lubricants Channel, and Vanco Internutional as 2005 Vendors ofthe Year...

Specialty Construction Brands renovated and expanded its R&D laboratory in Palatine, Il. ...

The Empire Co. Inc., Zeeland, Mi., has purchased Kok's Woodgoods, Inc., Zeeland

LP Weatherbest added a Tuscan Walnut color to its Premium Grain decking...

Cascade Capital, Tacoma, Wa., celebrated its fourth year without an accident ...

Johns Manville offers the only full line of formaldehyde-free fiber glass insulation. \\'lrrrr ;.rsiir'<1, li1)tr,' o1 { {)ri5r*r{'r\ rrr,rrlrl

r'itcristr li;rrli;11elq.:lrYrlr'-ll-r'r'irrrul;ttlttn. rrnil 7ilt,r, rrtrrlrl 1l:rr;r

Pir:uriuut.l,rr il.1\'itlr ilt:tolativr: l)r{)(lr1( l{lil', !..,'' !,tP ,1,, r, -

:fiH,ru:ffi ;]ffi It'.s Comfoning to l(rorv \\ie're There. 48 TuB Mnncslxr MlcnzrNB Jur.re 2005

Issaquah Cedar & Lumber Co., Issaquah, Wa., is installing an eight-user bisTrack business software system

Protecto Wrap Co., Denver, Co., is now a feature sponsor of DIY Network's Best Built Home 2005 promotion

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THE wav Garrv Tabor sees it. |. doing business globally is good for companies and good for the world.

"It improves U.S. relations in the area by forging a new business partnership," said the recently named president and c.o.o. of Building Material Distributors (BMD), Galt, Ca. "When you do business with another culture, you can't help but understand them better."

In late May, Tabor flew to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. to formalize an exclusive arrangement to import and distribute collated nails produced there. The deal is the first in the Middle East for BMD. which also imports construction fasteners and wire products from Korea, China, Taiwan and Japan.

(Please turn to page 52)

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SENIOR MANAGEMENT (Front row, l-r): Kirk Koning, v.p. & c.f.o.; Steve Ellinwood, chairman & c.e.o.; Gany Tabor, president & c.o.o. (Back row, l-r): Margie Olsen, director of human resources; Mike Garrison, v.p. & general manager, millwork; Bruce Ganett, group mgr., forest products.

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(Continued fntm page 50)

Up until eight years ago, BMD's primary market was in California. Last December, the company opened its sixth California distribution center in Stockton-the city where BMD got its start back in 1943.

At the same time, however, the company acquired its first distribution center outside California when it purchased Whitewater Forest Products in Spokane, Wa. A two-step distributor, Whitewater served Washington state and parts of ldaho and Montana.

"Whitewater filled a void in the marketplace for us," said Tabor. "A big part of what we're doing now is getting a larger profile throughout the West." The company's goal, he said, is to have distribution centers in Portland, Or.; Denver, Co.; Boise, Id., and Salt Lake City, Ut.

"We apply the same equation to each acquisition opportunity," he explained. "Each one must benefit the rest of the company, by adding extra value and fitting into our ongoing plans for each of our divisions."

BMD already maintains sales offices in Vancouver. 8.C.. and

Phoenix, Az. The Phoenix office will expand to include a commodities trading center. A sales office in Tokyo, Japan, opened in 1995, two years after BMD started doing business there.

"Most of our customers in Japan specialize in high-end, western-style

Roseburg Froming System'

1uality Engineered Wood Products for Today's BuildeP

houses and condos," said Alan MacDougall, international sales manager. "In mid-May, we shipped products for the first 20 houses of a 200house project north ofTokyo."

At company headquarters in Galt, (Please turn to page 54)

Stochton Wholesale Lumber

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LUXURY HOUSES, such as this one in Japan, are built using complete custom home packages exported by BMD.

THE STRAIGHT TALK ON GIUALITY LUMBER

Think all lumber's the same? Think again. That's because from forest to millto lumber yard, we do everything we can to consistently deliver the highest quality lumber. Like using the latest laser technology and optimally kiln-drying it to help keep it straight and true. Why? So when you sell a higher level of lumber'", your customers get the straight goods, and that's good for business.

B}|ll Goer Global

(Continued from page 52 )

BMD has an international sales office and 100,000-sq. ft. export warehouse. On-site shops produce pre-hung doors and custom countertops. Long-term relationships with manufacturers and suppliers, said Tabor, allow the company to offer one-stop shopping for hundreds ofbuilding products.

A western-style subdivision outside Beijing, China, illustrates BMD's export philosophy. Named "Napa Valley," the high-end development has been built with products that BMD has exclusive contracts to export to a distributor in China.

As befits the development's name, "Napa Valley" was designed by architects, engineers, landscape designers and interior decorators from California. Even though the homes measure 5,000+ sq. ft., the development has been so successful that design of "Napa Valley IV" is well underway.

The same developer has started construction on "Luxe Hills" 200 miles away in Chengdu, with more than 100 western-style luxury homes near a private golf course and country club. Here, too, BMD is the sole supplier for the project. "We have been very successful distributing to the east coast of China, from Shanghai to Beijing," said Tabor.

In November, he will accompany Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and others on a trade mission to China' The group will visit Japan next January.

"Trade missions are all about developing relationships and fostering cooperation with both the public and private sectors," said Tabor. "The governor wants to see firsthand the influence on trade relations that California companies have had."

lN CHINA, everything for the three phases of the Napa Valley development was supplied by BMD.

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UTVERYONE uses ne-sotiation tac|,ltics to get what they want. whether they're haggling over the price of an item in a garage sale or discussing potential salary with a future employer.

Most of the time, when you enter a negotiating situation you can expect the other party to use certain maneuvers to tip the scales in their favor. For

and you can use them and still maintain your negotiations on an honest level. In other words. the use of tactics doesn't necessarily mean tricking or manipulating people.

case, you can counter with the next tactic.

Iactic #l - ru",,""

Some tactics

are simply tools to expedite the negotiation process; others are used to take advantage of the other oerson. example, you can expect a potential employer to offer you less money than they are actually willing to pay to give themselves negotiating room. And a buyer will usually act surprised at your stated price, no matter how reasonable it may be. to pressure you into lowering it.

Everyone uses these tactics, but that doesn't mean that negotiations can't be fair. Some tactics are acceptable, while others are downright sleazy. Tactics are part ofthe process,

Some tactics are simply tools to expedite the negotiation process; others are used to take advantage of the other person. To be successful in sales and business, you must be able to differentiate between the fair and unfair negotiation tactics so you can use the good ones to your advantage and deflect the questionable ones. Consider the following l0 negotiation tactics and the methods you can use to deflect them:

facic #l -tn"wince

The wince can be explained as any overt negative reaction to someone's offer. For example, you might act stunned or surprised when your negotiating counterpart names their terms. This tactic tells your counterpart that you know your limits, which isn't under-handed or dishonest. And wincing at the right time can potentially save you thousands of dollars. Keep in mind that when deals are negotiable, your counterpart will start high.

Of course, you won't always be the wincer. Many times, especially in the sales profession, you'll be on the receiving end of the wince. In this

In the negotiation process, silence can be your strongest tool. If you don't like what your counterpart has said, or if you've made an offer and you're waiting for a response, just sit back and wait. Most people feel uncomfortable when conversation ceases, and they start talking automatically to fill the void. Almost without fail, your counterpart will start whittling away his or her position when you use this tactic.

So what if you find yourself negotiating with a person who understands the importance of silence as well as you? Rather than wasting time in silence, restate your offer. Don't make suggestions; just repeat your terms. This maneuver forces the other person to respond, and more often than not, they respond with a concession.

faCic #l - cooa Guy/Bad Guy

This sleazy tactic is often used in movies, where two detectives are interrogating a person who's just been arrested. One detective seems unreasonable and inflexible, while the other tries to make it look like he or she is

(Please turn to page 58)

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( Continued.[rom page 56 )

on the suspect's side. This tactic is designed to get you to make concessions without the other side making any in return.

If you find yourself in a good guy/bad guy situation, the best response is to ignore it. Recognize this game for what it is, but don't play along and don't allow the good guy to influence your decision. The best technique is to let your counterparts play their game, while you watch out for your own interests.

factic #l - ",-n"d Authority

This tactic is a variation on the good guy/bad guy routine, but instead of two people working over you, the one person you're dealing with tells you that he or she must approve any deals with an unseen higher authority.

Sometimes, this higher authority exists, but other times your counterpart will create this figure to gain an edge in the negotiation process.

So just because your counterpart tells you, "It's out of my hands," don't automatically assume the person is being honest. In this type of situation, two options exist: one, ask to deal directly with this so-called higher authority; or two, test the limits of your counterpart. You may find that although the other person has used this tactic to force you into backing down, if you keep at him or her, you may get what you want.

Tactic #i - tn. Red Herring

This technique comes from fox hunting competitions, where one team drags a dead fish across the fox's path to distract the other team's dogs. At the bargaining table, a red herring means one side brings up a minor point to distract the other side from the main issue. Effective and ethical negotiators generally agree that this tactic is the sleaziest of them all.

When your negotiation process is bogged down with a minor problem, and your counterpart insists on settling it before they'll even talk about more important issues, then you are probably dealing with a red herring. In this case, use extreme caution, and suggest setting the issue aside temporarily to work out other details.

factic #6 - tn. Triar Banoon

Trial balloons are questions designed to assess your negotiating counterpart's position without giving any clues about your plans. For example, you may ask your counterpart, "Would you consider trying our services on a temporary basis?" or "Have you considered our other service plans?" Essentially, these types of questions put the ball in your counterpart's court, and the nice part about them is they aren't really offers. They allow you to gain information without making a commitment.

When you're on the receiving end of a trial balloon question. you may feel compelled to answer it thoroughly. To maintain your edge, resist this temptation and counter with another question. For example, if someone asks, "Would you consider financing the house yourself?" respond, "Well, if I did, what would your offer be?"

Tactit #? - row-nauing

Low-balling is the opposite of the trial balloon. Instead of tempting you to make the first offer, your counterpart will open the process with a fantastic offer. Then after you agree, they start hitting you with additional necessities.

For example, say you see an ad for a product priced lower than other stores. But then after you agree to buy, the sales representative uncovers the hidden costs, such as shipping or installation. In the end you probably pay more than you would have at another store listing a higher price on the product. To avoid falling victim to this tactic, ask your counterpart about

additional costs before agreeing to any deal.

Tacic #8- tn" Bait & Swtch

Similar to low-balling, the baitand-switch tactic should be avoided. Your counterpart may try to attract your interests with one great offer, but then hook you with another mediocre one. This tactic will almost always burn you, unless you can recognize it. If your counterpart were really able to offer a genuinely good deal, they wouldn't have to resort to bait-andswitch.

Tactic #9- o,r,r"*eous Behavior

Outrageous behavior can be categorized as any form of socially unacceptable conduct intended to force the other side to make a move, such as throwing a fit of anger or bursting into tears. As most people feel uncomfortable in these situations, they may reduce their negotiating terms just to avoid them.

However, the most effective response to outrageous behavior is none at all. Just wait for the fit to die down before reacting, because emotional negotiations can result in disaster.

Tactic #l0- rhe written word

When terms of a deal are written out, they often seem non-negotiable. For example, when was the last time you negotiated a lease, a loan, or even a service contract that was typed up in advance in an official-looking document? You probably assumed these deals were non-negotiable, and for some reason most people make the same mistake of accepting terms that appear in writing.

The best defense against this tactic is simply to question everything, whether it appears in writing or not. You'll inevitably run into some standard, non-negotiable documents, but it never hurts to ask questions. You may be surprised how many contracts actually are negotiable when challenged.

Before you rush into your next negotiation situation, make yourself aware of these tactics and how theY affect the process. When you learn the uses and defenses of these negotiation techniques, you can reach more mutually beneficial agreements and win more sales on better terms.

- John Patrick Dolan is a speaker and author of r/le Negotiate Like the Pros. Fle can be reached at (888) 830-2620 or www.ne gotiate like thep ro s.com.

Dreamy Deck Products

Thermal Industries has added two products to its line of Dream Deck composite decking.

crete columns with Loctite adhesive. With steel columns, powder-actuated fasteners can be used. After drying, drywall installation can begin.

- Please contact (888) 562-8483 or v i s it www.fastframe. loc t ite.c om

Great Mouldings

Great Mouldings are crafted for exterior use from solid white cellular PVC for the look and feel of wood. Available from Advanced Trim Works, the line includes 20 mould-

Provenance line from Hanson Roof Tileis a departure from typical Mediterranean roof tile desisns.

Dream Deck with Vy-Grain is a vinyl deck plank with a textured woodgrain pattern that comes in white, earthtone and gray. The tongue-and-groove design eliminates the need for spacer tools and gives the deck's surface a clean. fastener-free appearance.

The Dream Composite Plank has a rough-sawn finish with a top Vgroove design, and is available in sandalwood or gray.

- Please contacl 800) 245-1540 or vi sit www.t he rma I ndu s t rie s.c o m

Speedy Column Framing

Loctite Fast Frame column framing system from the Henkel Group reolaces standard stud and track installation with brackets.

Fast Frame can be attached to con-

ings in popular profiles and sizes. All come in 16' lengths, except the dentil mouldines in 8' and 10' lengths. The comfany can also replicate custom or historical profiles.

- Please contact (877) 822-7745

o r v i s it www.advanc e dt rimw orks.c om

Planning Software

Pondersosa Warehouse Management System was developed by Computer Associates for the building materials and millwork industry.

The system uses laser bar code technology and wireless handheld scanners to improve accuracy, control and productivity in all facets of warehousing operations.

- Please contact (800) 422-4782

o r v i sit www.c tti soft.c om

Traditional Roof Tiles

By emulating the limestone roof tiles of Cotswald cottages, the

Available inl4 colors and three finishes, the new concrete tile lends itself to a wide variety of architectural styles, including English and French country, Cape Cod and American traditional.

- Please contact (800) 41 1-8453 or v i sit www. hans o n r o oJt i I e.c om

Durable Work Gloves

The Illinois Glove Co. offers new high-performance work gloves for orofessional and home use.

The framers glove is made of premium-grain goatskin with half-finger construction at the thumb. first and second finser.

Also made of premium goatskin, the regular work glove has reinforced palm patches, knuckle-padding, and a spandex back.

- Please contact (800) 342-5458 or visit www.illinoisglove.com

Fancy Wood Mouldings

Carved and pierced wood mouldings from Outwater LLC are available in hard maple, cherry and oak in five design profiles.

pump.

The device moves up to 8 gallons of water per minute at l0 ft. of lift.

- Please contact (800) 645-5428 or v is it www.ame ricanp lumber.com

Luxury Vinyl Flooring

The Good Living Collection from Tarkett was redesigned to offer the look of weathered stone and classic wood in easy-maintenance vinyl tiles.

Blocks of Cool Color

Glass Block Innovations' preassembled glass block products are now available with fiber optic technology that provides diverse color and lighting effects.

Predrilled opposing holes in each end can be joined together with simple wooden dowels for consistent, uninterrupted designs.

All pieces are presanded and ready to be stained or painted.

- Please contact (800) 835-4400 or visit www.outwater.com

Variable Decking

TimberTech's Floorizon composite decking is available with a VertiGrain surface that ensures one-of-a-kind appearance variation from plank to plank, like real wood.

Java, aged marble and canyon rock are available in 12"x12" tiles; woodlooks come in 4" and 6" olanks and a variety of wood colors.

- Please contact (800) 227-4662 or visit www.tarkett.com

All-ln-One Measuring Tool

Great Neck Saw has develooed Mark & Measure as an all-in-one product for do-it-yourselfers.

The measuring tool incorporates a square, 16' tape measure, a carpenter's pencil and sharpener. The front edge can be used as a saw guide, and an angle marker indicates all typically used angles.

- Please contact (800) 457-0600 or v is it www. preatnecksaw.com

Because there is no electricity in the fiber optic cable, the product provides safe and energy-efficient illumination in block windows, shower enclosures, walls or partitions.

- Please contact (877) 664-7688 or vi sit www. gbwindow s.com

Benchtop Miter Saw

Metabo USA has added a 12" miter saw to its line of benchtop woodworking tools.

Formulated of plastic resins and oak wood flour, the decking comes in three colors and requires litile maintenance beyond periodic cleaning.

- Please contact (800) 307-7780 o r v s it www.timbe rtec h.com

Flood Insurance

American Plumber's l2-volt battery-powered back-up system protects against flooding of basements due to power outages or failure of the main

The KGS 305 was designed to crosscut material Dp to I2-112" wide and 4-314" high.

Roof pitch angles are indicated on the miter scale for quick, precisae cuts, although users can set their own miter indent for repetitive cuts with no existing stop. Dust is collected in a trough at the base of the saw.

- Please contact (800) 638-2264 or visit www.metaboltse.cqm

Freedom 600 and 800

MW Windows & Doors has introduced its Freedom 600 and 800 series of clad-wood windows and patio doors.

Freedom 600 is a competitively priced, pre-finished line of clad-wood windows and patio doors. Freedom 800 is a oremium line with a PVC exterior cladding over a solid wood sash and frame.

Both include warm edge insulating glass, come in a variety of standard sizes, and a wide variety of accent windows and architectural shapes.

- Please contacr (800) 999-8400 or visit www.mwwindows.com

Copperhead Wood Screws

Copperhead wood screws from Pe,v Technology have an anti-corrosion coating and are recommended for use with ACQ, CBA-A and CA-B treated lumber.

Designed for use with Pev's Pl3 autofeed screwdriver system, they are available in collated strips of 50 screws in 2".2-112" and 3" sizes (sharp point and type 17).

- Please contact (704) 394-3141 or visit www.pamfast.com

Spray and Go

Ekho thermoset adhesive from Westech Aerosal Corp requires no dispensing equipment, making application easier and less expensive.

The oroduct dries in l0-15 minutes and can be used in place of hot melt, polyurethanes, and two-part and multi-stage epoxy adhesive systems.

- Please contact (877) 674-2010 or visit www.ok2 sorav.c om

Instant Decking

Integrated Composite-Technologies, Inc., the manufacturer of Evergreen Wood Composites, has developed a new overlayment product.

EverDeck composite tiles snap together to cover any reasonably flat and solid surface. They can be used to cover cracked or stained concrete, or to create a garden path or entertainment area over bare earth or grass.

i-bo>

BORATE TREATED WOOD

.Hi-bor@ brand treated wood is a borute lrez product desimed for interior house framing i .ili-bor' treated wood resists attack by Foim -urubterranean termites and numerous hbuseho gnd pes6, as well as fungal deca,v. triEr* r4fl

A patented grid system on the back speeds installation and allows air to flow under the tiles, keeping them dry and preventing mold and mildew. The surface can be swept of debris and cleaned with water or mild detergent.

- Please contact (877) 304-1028 or go online at www. ict-composites.com

Insulated From Noise

Noise Reducer from CertainTeed is a new 3-112" fiberglass accoustical batt designed specifically for wood-stud construction.

brand interior fire retardant is the construction industry's newest and most advanced fire Drotection svst€m {or wopd. The unique FirePro chemisry is a p4tent peirding formrrlation thal con-tains no phoqphorou3-based comlounds.

--1 The product's facing is white, with graphics and tabs that make installation on interior walls ouick and easv. It helps control sound by breaking the path of sound vibrations and absorbing unwanted noise.

- Please contact (800) 233-8990 or go online at www. certainteed.com

Many-Colored Tape

Colored DucTape from Intertape brings creativity to even mundane fixit tasks.

In addition to traditional silver. the tape now comes in l1 colors.

- Please contact (800) 474-8273 or vi sit www.intertapepolyme r.c om

Decorative Glass Spacer

Decoseal is a warm-edge spacer IG system for decorative glass installed in windows and doors.

tlve panels. The system is wrapped around the perimeter of a decorative panel between two additional lies to create an energy-efficient IG unit.

- Please contact (216) 910-1500 or v s it www.t ruseal.com

Flame Resistant Vent

Air Vent Inc. has added flame retardants to its externally baffled, shingle-over ridge to create ShingleVent II- 9 A.

Available in 9" width. the oroduct is charcoal gray to coordinate with most roof shingles. When properly installed, the vent is code compliant and won't ignite even when temperatures reach 1400.

- Please contact (800) 247-8368 or visit www.airvent.com

Polymer Trimboards

Versatex free-foam cellular PVC trimboards reportedly offer greater resistance to moisture, weather and insects than wood.

Developed by TruSeal Technologies, it reportedly reduces assembly steps by accommodating and supporting the center lite of glass or decora-

The boards are reversible with a smooth matte finish on one side and the Timber Ridge rough cedar texture on the other.

The boards can be cut, routed, fastened and painted like wood.

- Please contdct (724) 266-7928 or visit www.versatex.com

Composite

Deck Protection

CorrectDeck CX from Correct Building Products is the first composite decking with SafeGuard, an antimicrobial that prohibits the growth of mold and mildew.

uanbafdf' lhiajlz P*u214

Eansidered the linN waod panels aYailable for residential and commercial construction.

Cedar Valley $hingle Panels are handenfted with the highest grades at Western Bed Gedar.

Applied to each plank during the co-extrusion process, the additive also repels stains and increases traction because it coats the wood fibers with olastic. Concentrated UV inhibitors iesist color fading.

- Please visit www.webrokethemold.com

New, lmproved Fastener

NailScrew from Universal Fastener Outsourcing is available in both l5degree wire coil and 20-degree plastic strip collations for the most popular nall guns.

The Phillips screw head, fine thread and ballistic point make removal or adjustment easy.

Coatings can be applied for use with treated lumber, composite decking or sub floors.

- Please conract (800) 352-0028

density polypropylene plastic, it requires no special tools for installation and offers color-coordinatins screws for a finished look.

It is available in slate gray, buff cedar and cascade redwood, with matching fencing, lattice and railing.

- Vi s i t www.ve randainfo.com

Roofing Tape Measure

The RTl-25 from L.S. Starrett Co. has a custom blade with two scales to assist with the laying of the two most common roofing shingles-conven-

The Flip Side

Veranda composite decking boards reverse from the beauty of wood on one side to a clean. textured finish on the other.

Composed of wood fiber and high-

BVC Doweled

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- Please contact (978) 249-3551 or vi s it www.starrett.com

Flood Insurance

American Plumber's l2-v batterypowered back-up system protects against basement flooding due to power outages or main pump failure.

The device can move up to 8 gallons of water a minute at l0 ft. of lift.

- Please contact (800) 645-5428 or v i s i t www.ame r ic anp I umb er. c om

Printing On The Go

Designed for 3" receipt and label printing, the MtP 300 Mobile Thermal Printer can be used for warehouse label printing and field service documents and receipts.

The printer can be mounted or worn on the body and communicates with other devices by cable or all popular wireless connections. AC adapters, in-vehicle adapters, gang chargers and other accessories are available.

- Please contact (800) 368-4636 or visit www.printek.com

Great American Woodies

The Vintage American Collection of casual furniture is handcrafted of southern cypress and hand-finished with an oil-based stain.

The product can be secured on the edge of a concrete slab up to I l" thick. A high-impact polymer safety boot allows railing to be built from construction- grade 2x4' s.

Similar in design, VersiShield can be installed on concrete stairs.

- Please contact (800) 804-4741 or vi sit www. safe tyboot.com

Doorknob Levers

Leveron adapter from Lind adds a lever handle to standard doorknobs without removing existing hardware.

Floor Shines

Hi-Gloss from Garon Products is a durable top coat for maintaining surface finishes.

Made by Great American Woodies, the collection includes an Adirondack rocker in both standard and high-back styles, a matching footrest, a rectangular side table, and a 24" round table.

- Please contact (330) 865-5559 or v is it www.ric heyind.com

Handy Hand Rails

SurShield from Safetv Maker. Inc.. can be used to build free-standing. OSHA-compliant guardrails.

The handle is molded of thermoplastic in five metallic finishes.

- Please contact (781 ) 237-8177

The product can be used indoors or out for a smooth glossy floor that reportedly improves abrasion resistance of floor coatinss and eliminates the need for frequent-re-coating.

It can be applied on concrete, brick. wood and metal floors.

- Please contact (800) 63 l -5380 or visit www.garonproducts.com

Borole-Treoted Wood

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[oll Croig or Chris

Study Confirms Wood ls Good

Wood is the most environmentally responsible and energy efficient building material for home construction, according to a new study by the Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials.

The independent study found that wood framing uses less overall energy than steel or concrete, has less impact on air quality, and results in fewer greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming when compared to other construction materials.

"There is a significant consumer movement that is interested in green, or environmentally-conscious, construction methods," said Oregon State University professor James Wilson, vice president of the non-profit CORRIM. "We need to have a good understanding of the overall effects that different types of construction materials have in such areas as energy consumption, global warming, air and water impacts, and solid waste disposal."

The study included a life-cycle assessment of different construction materials and techniques. Evaluation included forest growth and harvest, product manufacturing, transportation, construction, use, maintenance and disposal in an effort to understand the overall effect of various building materials on the environment. Researchers also calculated emissions of carbon dioxide. methane and nitrous

oxide to determine the potential of different construction materials to affect climate change.

Analyzed were four residential structures: a wood-frame and identical steel-frame house in Minneapolis, Mn., and a wood frame and an identical concrete-frame house in Atlanta, Ga., last year.

The study found that steel framing used lTVo more energy and contributed 26Vo more global warming potential than wood framing for a typical house built in a cold climate like Minneapolis. Steel construction also produced l47o more air pollution and tripled the level of water emissions of concern.

Concrete framing tsed l6Vo more energy and contributed 3l7o more global warming potential than the house built using wood construction in a warm climate like Atlanta. Concrete also increased air pollution by 23Vo and created 5l7o more solid waste than wood.

The research included the development of a database and modeling system for environmental performance measurements associated with various construction materials. The database will enable architects, builders, consumers and regulators to make consistent comparisons of the environmental performance of various construction materials.

The results of the research are expected to be popular resources for planners who are weighing the value of wood

Cal Coast Wholesale Lumber, Inc.

construction with regard to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. This system, a voluntary national standard for developing high-performance sustainable buildings, addresses the practices of reuse and recycling in the construction of buildings built with concrete and steel, but it noticeably omits the superior benefits of using wood.

"The implications of the findings in this report are farreaching," noted Mary Laschinger, v.p., International Paper's wood products business, Memphis, Tn. "Better material selection and construction design can help property owners reduce their energy demands significantly. Builders and designers who are educated about the virtues of wood will find they have a market advantage and can feel good about contributing to a healthier environment."

The CORRIM report suggests that there are many other opportunities for wood to have a positive effect on construction, including designing to use fewer fossil-fuel intensive products, changing building codes to reduce excessive use of construction materials, and recycling demolition wastes.

Thinning Urged To Prevent Wildfires

The key to stopping wildfires is to return to the forests of the past, according to a visiting scholar at the Forest Foundation in Auburn. Ca.

"Huge fires didn't happen in the past," said Dr. Thomas Bonnicksen. "We need to use our forest history as a guide to the future."

Bonnicksen, a professor of forest science at Texas A&M University, says yesterday's forests averaged 66

trees per acre. Today, the average forest has more than 450 trees per acre.

As a result, he said, "fires are getting bigger and more destructive" and cost more to control and fight. In California alone, it costs 2l times more to fight a forest fire than it did 20 years ago.

The solution, he said, is better management of the forest through partnerships between the public and private sectors. But the costs involved are huge, and federal money is hard to get.

More than 73 million acres across the country need restoration, at a taxpayer cost of $60 billion. The Healthy Forest Restoration Act is supposed to provide some federal funding, but many fire districts have not received any money yet.

Professor Bonnicksen said that the forest itself could subsidize the cost of restoration, through revenue from lumber, biomass and other wood byproducts. "Forests can be managed by the revenue generated from trees on the property," he said.

Standard

.

Rope & Dentil Mouldings

Americans Do-lt-Themselves for Love & Money

Nine out of l0 Americans do-itthemselves to control spending for handymen and other outside help, according to a new national study by Ace Hardware.

The most commonly tackled projects include fixing a running toilet (597o), repairing a leaky faucet (57Vo), installing a light fixture, and maintaining heating and air conditioning equipment (both 51%).

"These numbers indicate a growing level of confidence among homeowners at all levels of experience," said Lou Manfredini, Ace's "Helpful Hardware Man."

Quolity Weslern Cedor Products

When unsure how to proceed, more than two-thirds will actively research or seek help rather than "figure it out as they go." Friends, family and the local hardware store tied as the preferred sources of information and advice.

A majority of respondents add desirable features to their homes (89Vo\ and want to enhance the value of their homes (83%\. Another JTVo said their goal is home protection.

Money isn't the only reason we do it ourselves: 687o of the homeowners said they would perform projects even if they didn't save money. The majority said that the resulting feelings of pride, accomplishment and self-fulfillment were worth the effort.

The study found that Americans have an average of eight projects on their to-do lists, up from five when the same question was asked in 20O2. At the top of most people's lists are painting, remodeling and gardening.

More than 80Vo do their own interior painting. A desire to change the look and feel of the rooms in their homes was cited by 5l%o of respondents, with l47o citing a desire to keep up with decorating trends.

"One beauty of painting is the ease and cost effectiveness to dramatically change a room that has become tired and dull." said Manfredini.

The bedroom was cited by 22Vo as the most recently painted room in the house, followed by the living room (l4Ea), kitchen (l3Vo), and bathroom (l2Vo). The bedroom also came out on top when respondents were asked which room was most likely to be painted next.

secretary/ treasurer Ed Gavotto

SAN DIEGO

presented a secondplace cash prize to architecture student Karl Anloine Hanis, who won Mesa College's 39th annual student design competition, co-sponsored by The San Diego Lumberman, A.l.A., and the local Hoo-Hoo club. Students designed structures featuring wood construction inside and out. Hanis'winning design was a building that housed an outdoor theater, conference rooms and public viewing area overlooking the Pacific Ocean for the Toney Pines National Park.

INTERIOB painting ranked high on homeowners' d-i-y project lists.

Hoo-Hoo Club

(right)

lx4 BOARDS in 4, 5 ond 6'lengths 2x4 MllS in 8-.|0'both rough ond surfoced

2x2 cleor cedor BALUSIERS in 36,

4418 NE Keller Rd.,Roseburg,0R

New Heights For Windows & Doors

U.S. window and door demand is projected to increase 3.J7o annually over the next five years-a deceleration from the last five years due to a sharp drop in single family housing completions, according to a new study by Freedonia Group.

The housing slowdown should be offset by a strong rebound in nonresidential construction. The differing fortunes between these two markets will have a significant impact on window and door materials. For example, demand for wood doors, used primarily in residential buildings, will grow 1.87o a year. Metal doors, largely purchased for nonresidential construction, will advance 4.2Vo a year.

Plastic windows and doors will continue to make inroads as a replacement for both wood and metal products, with demand increasing nearly 8Vo annually. Plastic materials have primarily rivaled wood products in the residential market, due to their advantages of high energy efficiency, low maintenance and relatively low cost. Plastic does not have the durability to heavily compete against metal in nonresidential. Nonetheless, plastic's share of total value demand has risen from 97o in 1994 to 2l7o in 2004 and is forecast to exceed 25Vo by 2009. Its share is even higher when measured in units due to the products' lower cost.

The residential market was responsible for three-quarters of window and door demand in 2004. This is not only due to the size of the residential construction industry, but also because this market tends to place a higher value on aesthetics and energy efficiency, which leads to the use of higher cost products.

Furthermore, several trends in housing characteristics continue to support growth in window and door demand per residential structure, including increases in the average home size and the growing popularity of patios and decks.

The large stock of existing homes also provides a base for improvement and repair purchases. In fact, while the new residential market for windows and doors will be essentially flat through 2009, the improvement and repair market will grow nearly 6Vo ayear.

Demand for windows and doors in nonresidential building is expected to rise 7.9Vo annually through 2009, comprising nearly 3OVo of total window and door demand.

Celebrating over 35 years of fine hardwood man ufacture and distribution

For the finest service in the industry, call on Swaner for a steady, reliable source of quality hardwood products at competitive prices.

Hardwood Lumber / S4S

. Hardwood Plywood

Hardwood Moulding

Custom Hardwood Flooring

5*oo*. /azl.wooJ Co., Cro.

5 West Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, Ca.91502

Fax 81 8-846-3662

(8OOl 368.1 108

HOT WHEELS: ABC Supply has inked a deal to sponsor A.J. Foyt Racing's No. 14 car in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series to be driven by A.J. Foyt lV, grandson of racing legend A.J. Foyt.

JtC LIVE residential construction show came to Southern California May 3-6 at the Anaheim Convention Center. (1)Terry Garrett, Michael Bland (2) Daniel Andrade, Kevin Maloney. (3) Greg Smith, Craig Young, Tom Zimmerman. (4) Ken Piwowar, Phil Brune, Bob Lowe. (5) Paul Mackie, Jim Mace. (6) Len Kasperski, Lisa Martin. (7) Ernie Hurtado. Eric Rau, Dave

Temple, Pete Ganahl. (8) Joe Albert, Jim Miller. (9) Mark Angelini. (10) Andy Jones, Steve Thurgood, Dan Mills, Lynn Goode. (11) Mike Pidlisecky, Chris Logan, Patrick Rozier. (12) Todd Cornelison, Bruce Huewe, Chris Killgore (13) Mike Caputo, John Taylor (14) Geoff Marshall, Duane Engard, Haven Brown. (15) Michael & Theresa Morse. Gavin Tavlor.

AMERICAN lnstitute of Timber Con struction elected new officers at its 53rd annual meeting in Henderson, Nv. (1) New president Mike Giles, Anthony Forest Products, with his wife, Shannon, and Kathy & Ed Jones. (2j Mike & Nancy Baker, AITC past president Craig V-an Cott, Unadiila Laminated Products. (3) Ann Lane, Mike & Victoria Foster. (4) Ellie Filler, Martha Whittle. (5) Julie & Jefl Linville, Trygve & Jitt Rhude. (6) Michelle Hooper, Jesse Neese, Scott & Lucv St-randlein. (7) Elaiire Vlc!ry, MaJy & Bob Powell. (8) Fran Prentice, Obrthea King, Anne Tillett. (9) Mark Seech, Dick Cormier. (10) Mayo Prentice, Lane & Margie Holland. (11) Mike & Barbara Parks, Tommy Hewitt, Mike Giles, Susan

Nichols, AITC treasurer Gary Burley, Enwood Structures, with his wife, Kaye. (12) Bruce Bevard, AITC v.p. Bud Filler, Filler King. (13) Ron Gofi, Ch-eryi Sioughton. (14) Mike Caldwell, Terri Bevardl liSj Snannon Giles, Doug Hucke, Rick Story.

pluce

Rates: 25 rvords for $25, additional words 700 each. Phone number counts as one rvord. address as six. Headline or centered copy. $6 per line. Private box or special border, $6 each. Column inch rate: $45 camera-ready, $55 if we set the type. Send ad copy to The Merchant Magazine, 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach. Ca. 92660, Fax 949852-0231, or call (949) 852-1990. Make checks payable to Cutler Publishing. Deadline for copy: 18th ofthe previous month.

PURCHASING OPPORTUNITY

So. Cal. hardwtnd distributor is seeking candidates for lumber purchasing position. Successful candidates must know hardwood grades and species, be able to build and maintain vendor partnerships, and have computer competence skills. Prior purchasing/negotiating experience is pref'ened. AII replies will be kept strictly confidential. Send your resume to Box 7Ol , clo The Merchant Magazine, 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Nervport Beach, Ca. 92660. or Fax 949-852-0231.

HARDWOOD SALES MANAGER

Established So. California hardrvood distribution yard with on-site milling operation seeks Sales Manager. Duties include sales, superrision of srrles stal'l'. assisting management in attainment of sales goals. Must be experienced and highly motivated. Generous compensations and benefits package. Email resume to hardrvoodsales @ sbcglobal.net.

THE DEPARTMENT of Wood Science & Engineering at Oregon State University seeks a creative individual to lead development of the Oregon Wood Innovation Center. For more information see http://woodscience.oregonstate.edu/OWlCD.htm or contact Eric Hansen at (541) 737-4240 or Eric.Hansen2@ oregonstate.edu.

ROYAL PLYWOOD CO., LLC is seeking an experienced hardwood lumber salesperson to join our rapidly growing Hardrvood Lumber Division. The ideal candidate rvill have a minimum of 3 years outside sales experience with a strong firllowing. You will also have available the tull product line of panels that Royal stocks. If you are interested in joining a financially strong company with full benefits, please email your resume to Cliff Duernberger at cliff@ royalp lywood.com.

STOCKTON WHOLESALE LUMBER is seeking an experienced salesperson for Northern and Central Califbrnia. Our product offering includes Doug fir dimension, engineered wood products. flber cement siding and trim. Successful candidate would receive salary, commission plus benefit package. Please send resume to Stockton Wholesale Lumber, P.O. Box 8006, Stockton, Ca. 95208, Attention: Steve Beckham.

INDUSTRIAL WOOD PRODUCTS SALES

Universal Forest Products is seeking an experienced industrial salesperson for the company's Riverside, Ca., facility. Candidates must have comprehensive knowledge of industrial sales processes. We need a hi-ehly motivated, selfstarter. willing to do what it takes to land new busirre:s in a last-paced eompelitive environment. Generous salary and benefit package commensurate with knowledge, experience and ability. If you are interested in joining what Forbes magarine calls "One of America's best managed companies," please e-mail your resume to Tim Gaffney at tgaffney@ufpi.com or Fax to 95 l-826-3013. All replies will be kept strictly confidential. Universal is an equal opportunity employer.

uqrres

Roy H.Carroll, 85, owner of Carroll Moulding Co., Huntington Beach,

Ca., died December 13,2004.

A pioneer of the Southern California moulding distribution market, Mr. Carroll founded the company in 1955. He closed the business and retired inlate 1997.

DMS| Sets User Conference

DMSi will hold its 18rh Partner Conference Sept. 14-16 in Omaha, Ne.

Themed "Solutions in Action," the conference will allow DMSi customers to see the latest technology advancements and enhancements to existing technology and to interact with fellow building material distributors and lumber wholesalers to learn the latest industry trends.

Sessions on hosted solutions will address reducing IT investments with externally hosted software solutions, dramatically cutting costs in the warehouse by using barcodes and real-time warehouse management systems, using e-commerce to drive sales and improve service, and how changing software and industry needs have driven product development.

In addition, attendees will tour the Strategic Air & Space Museum and hear guest speaker Lt. Shane Osborn, Naval pilot and author.

Police Nab Lumber Robber

A 69-year-old man has been arrested after brandishing a handgun at OK Lumber/Ace Hardware, Fairbanks, Ak., and demanding $900 in lumber.

According to police, Robert E. Spiegel did not threaten anyone, so was charged with "fifth-degree misconduct involving weapons."

Potlatch Timberland Certified

The 473.000 acres of Arkansas timberland owned by Potlatch Corp., Spokane, Wa., have been third-party audited and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

A year ago, FSC certified the company's forestlands and its lumber and plywood manufacturing operations in Idaho, making Potlatch the first publicly traded forest products company in the U.S. to become FSC-certified.

le, Ar., is participating in the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Lock-Uo fundraiser to earn "bail" of $600 to help fight neuromuscular disease. See www.mdalockup.org.

W.M. CRAMER LUMBER

Headquarters, Concentration Yard & Kilns in Hickory, N.C.

1.3 MMBF KD Capacity, S2S and SLRTE

Phone (828) 397.7481. Fax 828-397-3763

Sawmill and kilns in Marlinton, W.V. Warehouses in Orlando, Fl., and Atlanta, Ga.

Representing exclusively: Myles Lumber Co., Elkins, W.V 414 lhru 1614 - 5 million BF KD inventorv

626-447-0146

BEHIND BARS "for qood": W.C. Litzinoer. U niversal Fasten n g O-utso u ri n g, Fayettevil

Sournnr Cmrontn

LOS ANGELES AREA

Berkot Manufacturing C0...............................(323) 875-1 163

BMD (Northridge).... .....(800) 537-7091

California Pre-Stain. .....(562) 633-5420

Chozen Trucking Co .....(562\ 427-5672

Conrad Wood Preservin9..................,...........(877) 381-2314

Cramer Lumber Co., W.l/......................,,.....(626) 445-8556

Fremont Forest Group............................,,.....(562) 945-291 1 Gemini Forest Products..........,...,,,,...,...........(562) 594-8948

Hutf Lumber C0.................(800) 347-HUFF (562) 921-1331

lnland Timber Co..... .....e13\ 462-1264

Jones Wholesale Lumber.........................,,.,.(323) 567-1301

Lane Stanton Vance

Pacific Steel & Supp|y,..................................(888) 248-7209

Product Sales Co. ..,,.....(800) 660-8680

Swaner Hardwood.. ......(818) 953-5350

Product Sales C0................(800) 660-8680 (714) 998-8680

Redwood Empire..... ......(909) 296-961 1

Reel Lumber Service (Anaheim)...,....,..........(800) 675-7335 (714) 632-1988

Reel Lumber Service (Riverside)...........,.,....(909) 781-0564

Regal Custom Millwork.......(71 4) 776-1 673 (71 4) 632-2488

Reliable Wholesale Lumber,

Burns Lumber Co. .(619) 424-4185

Dixieline Lumber Co ......(800) 823-2533

Lane Stanton Vance ......(619) 442-0821

Weyerhaeuser Building Materials..................(877) 235-6873

U.S. 80rax..........,....,,., .................(562) 945-3889

Toal Lumber C0.,,...,....

Weyerhaeuser Building Materials ........(661) 287-5400 ........(877) 235-6873

ORANGE COUNTY & INLAND EMPIRE

Allcoast Forest Products,....,.......................(909) 627-8551

Anaheim lvlillworks, ......(714) 533-9945

Anlinson Lumber Sales.,...............................(951 ) 681 -4707

Austin Hardwoods & Hardware.....................(71 4) 953-4000

Bear Forest Products.......... (877) 369-2327 (9091 7 27 -17 67

Bl\40 (Vernon) .....(877) 587-4137

Bl\4D (Ontario) ,............(800) 435-4020

Boise (O.C.)............. .....(714) 255-1949

Boise (Riverside) ............,..,(800) 648-91 16 (909) 343-3000

California Lumber Inspection Service............(714) 962-9994

C&E Lumber Co..... ......(909) 624'2709

Capital Lumber Co.. .....(909) 591-4861

Fontana

llonu & CurnnL Clurcmn

AHCATA / EUREKA / FORTUNA

BMD ..................,.,.. ....,.,(707) 444-9666

Britt Lumber co '1707\822-1779

Simpson Timber Co .......(707) 268-3000

BAKERSFIELD

Pacific Wood Preserving of Bakersfield ........(661 ) 833-0429

CLOVERDALE

All-Coast Forest Products.,.,.........................(707) 894-4281

Redwood Empire..... ......(707)894-4241

FORT BRAGG

Holmes Lumber Co., Fred C. ................

FRESNO

DMK-Pacific.............

OrePac Building Products.........

Weyerhaeuser Building Materials..........

MODESTO

849-0523

291-9075

235-6873

Conrad Wood Preserving C0................,.,.....(800) 499-2662

Thunderbolt Wood Treating(800) 826-8709 (209) 869-4561

REDDING / RED BLUFF

Gemini Forest Products..

Pacitic Wood Preserving

Shasta Cascade Forestindustries, Inc.

223-7440

RggKY fllouilTAgs

Plrnc llonrnwrsr

OREGON

COOS BAY / NORTH BEND

Conrad Forest Products......(800) 356-7146 (541) 756-2595

coos Head Forest Products..........................(800) 872-3388

Warm Spring Forest Products (Bend),,......,,.(541) 553-1148

EUGENE / SPRINGFIELD

Burns Lumber Co....

Cascade Structural Laminators..........

Coos Head Forest Products...............

Gemini Forest Products,.,

Lumber Products...,.,..,,

McFarland Cascade,..,.,...

McKenzie Forest Products

........(866) 686-3009

Rosboro Lumber...... .....(541) 746-8411

Western Woods, Inc.,.,.,....,....,......................(888) 557-91 99

Weyerhaeuser Building Materials..................(8771 235-6873

MEDFORD / GRANTS PASS

Allweather Wood Treaters.,..,.,.,..,.........,,......(800) 759-5909

Lumber Products..... .....(541) 773-3696

Norman Lumber Co. .....(541) 535-3465

Pacific Wood Laminates..,.,..,.,.,,...................(541 ) 469-4177

Swanson Group Inc..........................,....,,,,....(541 ) 935-3010

Waldron Forest Products...............................(541 ) 474-3080

McMINNVILLE / C0HVALLIS / SALEM

Forest Grove Lumber C0...............................(503) 472-3195

Mary's River Lumber.....................................(800) 523-2052

Royal Pacific Industries.,.,..,....,....,,...,.......,...(503) 434-5450

Weyerhaeuser Co. (Albany)..,...........,........,..(541) 926-777 1

GREATER PORTLAND ABEA

Adams Lumber, |nc............. (800) 298 -4222 (503) 245-1 7 96

Collins Pine C0...................(800) 758-4566 (503) 227-1219

Hampton Lumber Sales C0...,.,.,...,..,,......,.,..(503) 297-7691

UB Lumber Sa|es..............(800) 552-5627 (503) 620-5847

Lewis County Forest Products,..,...,..,,.......,,.(866) 336-9345

Louisiana-PacificCorp..................................(503)221-0800

Lumber Products.... ......(800) 926-7103

OrePac Building Products,..,.,.,,.,...,...,,.......,,(503) 682-5050

Pacific Wood Preservin9,.,.,,.,.,..,..,,..,,,......,,.(503) 287-9874

Westridge Forest Products.........,................,.1800) 277 -9737

Weyerhaeuser Building Materia|s..................(877) 235-6873

Simpson Timber Co, ......(206) 224-5000

Western Wood Preserving C0,.,,..,..,......,....,.(800) 472-77 1 4

Weyerhaeuser Building l\,|ateria|s..................(877) 235-6873

Weyerhaeuser Structurw00d.........................(800) 523-0824

SPOKANE

Boise Distribution (Spokane).........................(509) 928-7650

Boise Distribution (Yakima)...........................(509) 453-0305

Capital Lumber Co. .,,.,.,(509) 892-9670

Colville Indian Precision Pine Co. (Omak)....(509) 826-5927

coos Head Forest Products..........................$77\ 922-2213

Lumber Products.,.., ......(800) 926-8231

OrePac Building Products,.....,.......,..............(509) 892-5555

Weyerhaeuser C0... ......(509) 928-1414

Yakama Forest Products....(509) 874-'l 163 (509) 874-8884

VANCOUVER

Allweather Wood Treaters (Washougal).......(800) 777-8134

Boise Distribution.... ......(360) 693-0057

K Ply, Inc................. ......(800) 426-7017

Savannah Pacilic Corp. ......(360) 254-8248 (800) 980-8540

vour lliltionWide source ror custom-made accordion and roll-up doors

For more information and a list of distributors in your area, contact

WOODFOLD.MARCO MFG., INC.

P.0. Box 346, Forest Grove, OR 971 16 Phone (503) 357-7181

Fax (503) 357-7'185 Or www.woodlold.com

Cal Coast Wholesale Lumber

C&E Lumber Co. [www.lodgepolepine.com] ..........................66

Canfor [www.canfor.com] ................ ..................53

Canfor/SilvaStar Iwww.canfor.com./silvastar].........................15

For more inlbrmutbn Jromqdvertisers, use FAX Response nuntbers in brackets, All-Coast Forest Products Iwww.all-coast.com] ......................31

Anfinson Lumber Sales [www.anfinson.com]..........................50

Arauco Wood Products [www.arauco.cl].................................43

Atessco Inc. [www.atesscoinc.com]

Austin Hardwoods & Hardware. .......................73 DMK Pacific Corp.

BC Wood [www.bcwood.com] ...................28

Beaver Lumber......... ....................64

Building Material Distributors Iwww.bmdusa.com]...............48

Buse Timbers & Sales [www.busetimber.com]........................68

B.W. Creative Wood Industries

Iwww.bwcreativewood.com1..................................,..............59

READER SER.VTCE

FAX to 949-852-0231

or call (949) 852-1990 or mail to The Merchant Magazine, 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach. Ca. 92660.

Name (P/ease print)

Position Company Address City Phone

State _ Zip FAX E-mail address

Want to Subscribe? Check the appropriate boxes to begin receiving your monthly issues.

tl I Year ($15) tr 2 Years ($24) tr 3 Years ($30) tr Bill Me tr Mv Check Is Enclosed

News or Comments? we welcome comments on articles, the magazine, or news of your company such as new hires, expansions or acquisitions (a fr e e s e rv ic e). Email dkoenig @building-products.com, or Fax this form:

.........,........49

Oregon-Canadian Forest Products of Ca|ifornia....................62

Orepac Building Products [www.orepac.com].......,.................23

Peterman Lumber Inc. Iwww.petermanlumber.com].............69

Pacific Coast Wholesale Hardwood Distributors Association [www.pcwhda.com]............. ...........................34

Ply-Trim W

PrimeSource Building Products [www.primesourcebp.com].39

Product Sales Co......... ....................6

Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp,com] ..............Cover II, 3 Reel Lumber [www.reellumber.com]

Regal Custom Millwork Iwww.reellumber.com].....................54

Reliable Wholesale Lumber Iwww.rwli.net] ............................24

Riley Creek [www.rileycreek.com] ....................37

Rosboro [www.rosboro.com]............. ...........10, 55

Roseburg Forest Products [www.rfpco.com] ...........................29

Royal Pacific Industries

Savannah Pacific Corp. Iwww.savannahpacific.net] ...............42

Sierra Pre -Finish............ -............62

Simpson Strong-Tie Iwww.strongtie.com]................................64

Stockton Wholesale Lumber Co................................................52

Sunbelt [www.sunbeltracks.com].... ...................21

Swan Secure Products [www.swansecure.com] ...........67 ,77

Swaner Hardwood Co.o Inc. [www.swanerhardwood.com]....71

Swanson Group [www.swansongroupinc.com].............,..........35

Thunderbolt Wood Treating [www.thunderized.com] ...........41

TruWood [www.truwoodsiding.com]

Van Arsdale-Harris Lumber Co............... .........66

Warm Springs Forest Products [www.wsfpi.com]..................46

Western Red Cedar Lumber Association [www.wrcla.org].....9

Western Woods, Inc. [www.westernwoodsinc.com].......Cover I Weyerhaeuser Co. Iwww.weyerhaeuser.com]............................5

W.M. Cramer Lumber Iwww.cramerlumber.com].................75

Woodfold-Marco Mfg. [www.woodfold.com] ..........................77

It's FINALLY HEnp,!

The end as we know it. The end of mold. The end of mildew. The end of stains. The end of fading. The end of all of those enemies of ordinary decking (the kind that lead to callbacks). And the beginning of a whole new type of decking material, exclusively featuringantimicrobial protection.

tNTRoDaJcrNG osard 4 r.A c o rre ctDec k cx w i t h;*dmk3?

E!fifflla brought to you by Correct Building Products

Get more information at www.'WeBrokeTheMold. com