Boise Gascade be bar coding lumber

OISE Cascade. Inc.. has become the first major U.S. wood products manufacturer to automate the bar coding of lumber, initially offering universal price coding on two-byfour and two-by-six premium and contractor "stud" products produced at the company's Elgin, Or., mill.

"Bar coding is the wave of the future, particularly for home centers, where lumber has historically created inventory and cost control problems," said Vern Veron, Boise Cascade Timber and Wood Products Group vice president and general sales manager.

"With Boise Cascade bar coded lumber products, home center managers will be ensured of accurate pricing and faster customer service at the checkout counter. ln addition, Boise Cascade bar coding virtually eliminates shrink problems, in which premium-grade products are sold to consumers at low-grade prices," Veron added.

Automated equipment will affix color-coded, pressure-sensitive universal price code labels on the end of the studs.

"Even though bar coding is designed to be recorded by hand scanners, the color coding of each piece also makes it easy for clerks to tell at a glance if the lumber is of all the same grade; then, they can simply scan one piece, then accurately input volume," Veron said.

Bar Code Recorunendatkrns

The National Forest Products Association's Electronic Information Standards (EIS) subcommittee will release its bar coding recommendations for the forest products industry in mid-September, according to subcommittee chairman Dave Brewster of Georgia-Pacifi c Corporation.

"The recommendations will be available so all retailers and manufacturers can implement the voluntary bar code standards for l990," says Brewster.

The recommendations are intended to provide all segments (retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers) of the forest products industry with guidelines for bar coding for both piece code and shipping unit identification.

The subcommittee, comprised of wood products manufacturers, six of the 10 largest home center chains, single outlet retailers and major wood products trade associations, was created in September 1988 when manufacturers began receiving pressure from retailers to develop a Universal Product Code (UPC) system for wood products.

The first deliveries were made in early August to HomeClub's Los Angeles, Ca., locations, according to Ed Orona, the chain's merchandising manager for lumber and building materials.

"lt's great that lumber has joined the computer age - my hat is off to Boise Cascade," Orona said.

"Over the years, we have seen virtually our entire warehouse inventory switch to bar coding, with lumber products the last holdout," Orona explained. "As such, lumber products represent some of our biggest inventory and cost challenges. It's great to have the tools to begin to resolve the problem; it will save us both time and money."

Mike Modansky of Home Depot noted that the new development is a welcome one.

"The industry has taken some great leaps forward, in terms of the level of technology and sophistication, but for the effort to be successful, suppliers also must raise their level of sophistication," said Modansky, wood products merchandiser for Home Depot. "lt's great to see that Boise Cascade is on the cutting edge in meeting the needs of the home center industry."

The new machinery is being installed in Boise Cascade's Elgin plant, with fine-tuning and testing of the new technology supervised by Boise Cascade Northeast Oregon production manager Bob Funkhouser. The Elgin mill is the sole source for Boise Cascade premium stud products.

Story at a Glance

Firstbar coded lumber from Boise Cascade due in Home Club stores this month. .. Elgin,Or., mill equipped to apply color coded UPC labels to studs more accurate pricing, better customer service promised.

The Elgin mill will offer bar coding on four premium-grade siudsincluding 96" lengths of white wood, hem-fir and fir-larch two-by-fours, as well as on 96" premium hem-fir two-by-sixes. Bar coding also will be available on the mill's 92 5/8" contractor-grade two-by-four studs. Orders for the bar coded studs will be taken as special orders, and will include a small additional charge.

"Since introduction into the market five years ago, the Boise Cascade premium stud has been the favorite of the home center industry, " Veron said. "With bar coding we are giving them even more value."

Bar coding of premium and contractor studs may be just the first step for Boise Cascade, according to Veron.

"lf the demand is there, we will consider expanding our bar code technology to other Boise Cascade products serving the home center industry, such as plywood panels and pine boards."