Weyerhaeuser revamps distribution policies

IIHERE are times, says Loren I Smith, when it's hard to keep up with all the changes taking place in Weyerhaeuser Co.'s wholesale building materials distribution system.

Like the cutting of the corporate umbilical cord to the 64 Customer Service Centers (CSCs), allowing each unit more independence.

Like the addition of non-wood merchandise-insulation, roofing, nails, rebar, T-posts, barbed wire, remesh-to a Weyerhaeuser distribution inventory mix that traditionally has been limited to wood products.

Like the freedom to buy products from any reputable supplier at the best price, rather than primarily being a funnel for Weyerhaeuser wood products from its mills to the marketplace.

"The company is serious about its intent to be a dominant and competitive force in the building materials supply business in the '80s," says Smith, manager of the CSC in Fontana, Ca. "Management

REMESH and other non wood items have been added to the Weyerhaeuser Customer Service Center in Fontana, Ca., by Loren Smith, mgr, has loosened the strings to let us operate in an entrepreneurial fashion. And it's working."

The chief string-loosener at Weyerhaeuser's corporate headquarters in Tacoma, Wa., is Herb Winward, newly appointed business vice president for building materials distribution.

Winward repeatedly cautions fellow executives to avoid what he calls the "big brain" approach to the company's CSCs. While encouraging his Tacoma staff to develop overall business strategies, he says he wants to ensure that unit managers have enough elbow room to operate more as independent businesses.

Story at a Glance

Weyerhaeuser overhauls dis. tribution system... Gustomer Service Genters can buy from other suppliers, stock nonwood products . . . launches "First Choice" promotion.

The company's goal is to transform Weyerhaeuser into the preferred supplier of a broad-line of wood and non-wood products in markets throughout the country.

Weyerhaeuser's resolve to make a success of its revamped and expanded distribution system is backed by a major advertising and promotional campaign, the first of its kind and size for Weyerhaeuser in several years.

The "First Choice" campaign, begun in October through several trade publications, including Tfte Merchant, is designed to introduce the company's expanding line of building materials. And, it is intended to let customers know of Weyerhaeuser's intent to be their "First Choice" building-materials supplier.

"Our goal, quite simply, is to be first choice with our customers," says Winward, "and our advertising will tell that message. To us, being first choice means providing a full range of quality products with competitive pricing, reliable delivery and

WEYERHAEUSER such as nails, gypsum, rebar, anchor

(continued rrom page 33) lliT;,,1lliil"l.Jiifrfi;,lil..1r?fi,'; of wood and non-wood products dependable service by people who l]]es at each CSC' depending largecare. ly on local market needs, but nearly

..We intend to better serve the all ,of the Weyerhaeuser units have wholesale building -";;;"i;;;r;i added some non-wood products' lumber dealers, home centers,. mobile home manufacturers and industrial customers," he adds.

At Weyerhaeuser's Fresno CSC, Parr

Merges With Sunrise

for example, vineyard wire has been Parr Lumber Co., Chino, Ca., has added to the product mix. merged with Sunrise Forest pro-

"Six months ago we didn't sell ducts, Lake Oswego, Or. vineyard wire," says Dick Hipkins, Parrwillcontinuetooperateunder an inside sales representative at its own name as a subsidiary of Fresno. "Now our customers can get Sunrise at the same location with the it with their treated posts." same personnel, according to Darrell

At the Denver, Co., CSC, Robinson,presidentofSunrise. fiberglassinsulationandsteelstrapp- Pete Parrella, president of parr, ing have created big demand. At will operate the chino facility as well charlotte, N.c., the big non-wood as spend part of his time at Sunrise's items have been asphalt roofing and new Hq. in Lake Oswego. fiberglass insulation. Similar stories

Both men have expressed exciteare repeated throughout the ment about the opportunities for weyerhaeuser distribution system, growth and the development of betwhether it's at Ashburn, Ga., Birm- ter ways to be of help to customers ingham, Al., Sweetwater, Tx., or and suppliers. Miami, Fl.

Parr will now offer expanded serWeyerhaeuser CSC customers are vices, according to Robinson, infinding an array of non-wood items cluding the Sunrise line of ap- pearance lumber products graded and produced for the home center market.

Wood Doors Fire Rated

Wood door frames may now bear a 20-minute fire-rated label if they come from members of the Wood Moulding and Millwork Producers Association manufacturing in accordance with the recently established WM 8-83, industry standard for 20-minute fire-rated wood door frames.

According to Bernard J. Tomasko, WMMPA executive vice president, creation of the new standard is "another step in the wood moulding and millwork industry's continuing program to supply products that meet the needs of the construction industry and its customers. In many applications, major code agencies require that door openings, including both the door and the frame, carry a 2O-minute fire-rated label. The establishment of WM 8-83 allows sash and door jobbers, builders, architects and other users and specifiers to ask for a product that meets those requirements.