Doors can open the way to more business

I\OORS can be an entry ro a l/market less vulnerable to dips in homebuilding as demonstrated by Weyerhaeuser's door and millworl division in Cerritos. Ca.

An orientation toward product specialization and customer service has been yielding higher sales volumes and profits. Last year the company signihcantly increased sales and earnings over the previous years. With a customer base of over 700 locations, they anticipate establishing new locations and taking on additional door and millwork product lines.

The 18 year old facility, which began as a lumber and plywood supply outlet for Simpson Timber Co., was purchased in 1985 by Weyerhaeuser as a door and millwork distribution center. When Art Olsen was named general manager of the facility in August, 1986, he brought a new direction and a new marketing philosophy.

Olsen and his team realized that focusing on residential new construction products left the company vulnerable to periodic depressions in homebuilding. They moved its emphasis from commodities to high value specialty products - stile and rail exterior doors, interior doors. clear hr lumber for moldings and millwork, and redwood for spas. Since the change in marketing emphasis, louvered doors, octagon wood-framed windows and, just recently, Stanley steel doors have been added. There is a strong emphasis on top quality, name brands with strong pull-through power.

"We've hung our reputation on our door lines," says Olsen. "Simpson is the top supplier of residential wood doors, Stanley the number one supplier ofsteel doors. In doors. our facility serves four customer segments: pre-hangers, retail outlets for sash and door shoppers, traditional lumber yards and home centers."

According to Art Olsen. ,,In a market where customers face a growing number of options we need to be sensitive to customer needs. In our selling program we sit down with customers to explore possibilities for increasing their profits. Sometimes a different product is suggested to meet a need. At other times we show the customer how the upgrading of a product will result in fewer call-backs and yield greater profits."

"The quality of products is unsurpassed," says Dave Fenner, purchasing agent for Fine Finish Construction Co. "We supply interior finish for homes that sell for one million dollars and the only doors we use are Simpsonbecause they are the best."

Weyerhaeuser at Cerritos participates in a number of promotional programs which are an integral part of its overall marketing plan. Among these are specifter shows, mailings to architects, and promotions such as "Door of the Month." This program is five years old. This year it has taken on a two-pronged approach: One features Simpson's stile and rail fir doors; the other Simpson's Private Collection. The goal of such a program is to create demand through displays and sell at discounted prices, so that maintaining this inventory can be justifted.

Story at a Glance

How to use door sales as a hedge against building lulls... ways a Weyerhaeuser division increased sales and earnings by specialization, innovative marketing and excellent customer service.

The facility participated recently in a company-wide sales extravaganza, involving all six Southern California branches. at the L.A. County fairgrounds. This was the division's most extensive promotional effort. Says Olsen, "It was our biggest thing ever!"

At Weyerhaeuser, Cerritos

(whose market area includes all of Southern California, Las Vegas and part of Arizona) the customer is indeed number one. It's not unusual for a sales person to truck one or two doors 40 or 50 miles to a customer at no extra charge.

Exceptional customer service, innovative marketing and the move toward product specialization have given Weyerhaeuser at Cerritos a story to be proud ofa story ofsuccess.