Dealers demand quality in hardwood

Co., Memphis, Tn. "Is this imporlant to you?" our editors asked dealers.

Most agreed that they prefen'ed the supplier or his representative to visit their operation. They welcome personal attention and feel it helps the supplier to meet their needs.

Most dealen buy from manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors, selecting the supplier according to the immediate need.

Criteria for selecting hardwood supplier . quality outranks price. . on-time delivery, secure packaging important...NHLAmembers preferred.

One dealer commented that it was easier to deal with a small, family company, adding "they usually have quality products."Another noted large distribution yards have the advantage of more products.

"I look for NHLA members. They go by the rules, know what you want and give it to you. The lowest price is not always the best."

"For special needs I go with the menu and call a company that can routinely fill them rather than someone who can't,"

Questions about shipping got strong reactions from dealers.

"On-time is very important."

"Packages that blow-up and come apart in piggyback containers are my pet peeve. They are hard to unload and checking the block tally to the manifest and comparing the unit to the in- ventory list takes forever."

"If all suppliers are asking the same price, packaging and careful marking of the bundles is the deciding factor for me."

"Are you able to utilize computer ordering?" Although only a few distributors offer the service, dealers who can access their systems like to browse the species and bundle descriptions. Then using the bundle numbers, they place their order with no human contact.

Without exception, dealers called were emphatic on the need for consistent quality, which they described as high grade lumber with consistent col- or and texture, conforming to NHLA rules. The ability to fill special needs rated high as did the availability of straight or mixed loads. Fast service with material delivered on time in good condition and careful packaging got affirmative responses. Consistent supply and business ethics werc mentioned as expectations.

These are the expectations of the dealers, but do the suppliers meet them? The best response to this question came from the lumber buyer for a well established reailer. "All our suppliels are good ...we've had 50 years to filter out the bad guys."