WESlIERN ASS0C[ATt[0N NEWS

Mountaln States Lumber & Bulldlng Materlal Dealers Assoclatlon passed its presidency from Lee Jordan, Jordan Building Centers, Wheatridge, Co., to Mark Statham, BMC West, Glenwood Springs, Co., at the 1993 fall management conference Nov. 4-5. (Other officers installed will be listed next month.)

Conference attendees learned how to cut the competition down to size from John Zapor at the opening educational session Nov. 5. Following a panel discussion by industry members on "Shrinkage and Theft," Walter Foxworth, Foxworth Galbraith Lumber Co. president and MSLBMDA legislative coordinator, brought the audience representing the association's six-state region up to date on national legislative issues. After lunch, Mark Neely and Patrick Thebus, The Everest Group, presented a three part session covering management, benefit plans and finance.

Saturday morning's program focused on civil rights, medical leave, sexual harassment with Gus Achey, Mountain States Employers Council, discussing "Where Are We With the State of the Employment Law?"

Golf, a reception and banquet and a program for spouses completed the annual conference at the Hyatt Regency Tech Center, Denver, Co.

The annual Products Expo and Building Materials Buying Show is scheduled for March 17-18 at the Holiday Inn/JQ Hammons, Denver. Basic product knowledge seminars were held in Farmington, Albuquerque and Roswell, N.M., during October.

Almost 100 players participated in the MSLBMDA Western Slope Golf Tournament in Rifle, Co., Sept. 10. Gordon Harbert, Harbert Lumber Co., Grand Junction, Co., chaired the annual event.

Lumber Merchants Assoclatlon of Northern Californla's board has approved moving the annual convention to the first weekend of November and changing elections to coincide with the association's fiscal year. The current slate of board members and officers will hold office until Jan. 1. 1995.

The annual Owner's Seminar will be Nov. 20-22 at Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, Az. John MacKay, Profit Planning Group, who conducted the NLBMDA cost of doing business survey, will speak during an allday hands-on session on money management. According to Bruce Pohle, Southern Lumber, San Jose, chairman, dealer owner members from other federated associations are welcome to attend.

"LMA'S 1993 membership campaign continues to be successful despite a down economy," reports chairman Kathleen Patterson, Central Valley Builders Supply, St. Helena, Ca. Ten dealers including one with eigbt locations and l6 associate members have joined LMA during the campaign. All sponsors will participate in a drawing for a weekend in Monterey.

LMA will host tbe elected leadership of the seven Western Regional NLBMDA federated associations and NLBMDA officials Feb. 4, L994, in the Napa, Ca., area. Roundtable discussions will focus on association management and service to members.

Computer Firms Join Forces

Computer System Dynarnics, Inc., Denver, Co., is acquiring substantially all assets of ProfiMaster, Austin, Tx.

"The combined customer base of the two organizations, which will exceed over 550 companies and 800 locations, will position the firrr as one of the largest suppliers of computer systems to this specialized industry nationwide," said Bob VanZant, CSD president.

ProfiMaster, which was fonned in 1982 by a group of lumber dealers belonging to a wholesale buying coop, will remain in Austin as a separate division of CSD. Approximately 30Vo of CSD's customer base consists of multi-location lumber yards, home centers and hardware store chains. The fimr was founded in 1975.

Last Breath At BE

Following a furious going-of-outbusiness sale, culminating in markdowns from 807o off to "no reasonable offer refused," Builders Emporium, Irvine, Ca., permanently closed its 97 stores Oct. 27.

Meantime, its agents have been steadily lining up buyers for the prop- erties. Vons Cos., mostly seeking to shut out its competitors, is in escrow to assume 53 BE leases. The deal is slated to close in January.

Since transfonning the home centers into supermarkecs would require significant remodeling, analysts predict Vons will only convert six or eight buildings and sell the others to non-rivals after commercial rents rebound.

Michael Hecht, BE pres. and c.e.o., said a nurnber of other stores have been sold, but would not disclose if any of the buyers were home center chains.

CBS Creditors Sue Board

Officers and directors of Central Builders Supply (CBS), the Sturgis, Mi., dealer-owned cooperative which entered bankruptcy earlier this year, are being sued for fiduciary responsibility by the crediton commicee.

With annual sales said to be in the range of $300 million and a net worth of approximately $1.8 million, the company's financial bailout reportedty left wholesalers and manufacturers with six figure receivables and retail lumber dealer members with enonnous liability. Several members also are reported to owe CBS large sums.

In addition to filing suit against the officers and directors, the creditors committee earlier filed suit against the company's auditor/accounting ffum Deloitte and Touche, which they feel allowed CBS to maintain an inadequate reserve against bad debts.

U.K. Co. Acquires U.S. Mfrs.

With the acquisition of 20 manufacturing subsidiaries and divisions in the U.S. and Canada and 30 in the United Kingdom and continental Europe, MB-Caradon plc is now the U.K.'s largest producer of building products. Better-Bilt Aluminum Products Co., Peachtree Doors, Inc., Season-all Industries, Inc. and Thennal-Gard, all pnrducers of residential windows and doors, are included among the acquired companies.

MB-Caradon acquired the businesses from The RTZ Corp. PLC for $1.2 billion (U.S.). Sales of the acquired companies totaled $1.766 billion (U.S.) last year. MB-Caradon had sales of $1.195 billion (U.S.) in 1992. The company's U.S. office is in WestPort' Cr

Arizona Home Centers Stock Certified Lumber

Eleven Arizona Home Depot stores

This infonnation reflects how SCS are now stocking lumber with a label evaluates a timber company's operacertifying that it was logged with tions on a scale of 0 to 100 in three sound forest management p,ra.ctices. categories, explained Debbie Harnmel, Sold in bookshelf-sized pieces, the director of forestry programs at the lumber, which is competitive in price certification company. They deterwith other lumber products, comes mine if the lumber is from a sustainfrom Collins Pine Co.'s Almanor For- able forest by comparing the rate of est in Chester, Ca. One of the first to harvest to the rate of replanting and have its lumber products certified by growth. The impact of logging on the ScientificCertificationSystems,Oak- surrounding ecosystem, including land, Ca., the Portland, Or., company wildlife, and the social and economic also grows timber in Oregon and benefits the company provides the Pennsylvania courmunity also are consiclered.

The label, which has a green cross logo, states "This wood was harvested from a State-of-the-Art Well-Managed Forest." The company and forest are identified on the label which lists its Certification Score with the notation "100 = Maximum Possible Score." Collins received 86 for Sustainable Harvest; 81 for Ecosystem Health, and 89 for Community Benefits.

New Nail Schedule For Roofs

Dealers can expect an increase in sales of 8d common nails and a decrease in the number of 6d common nails sold with the adoption of new nail schedules by the American Plywood Association.

Following field investigations that determined inadequate fastening allowed loss of roof sheathing during Hurricane Andrew, three new roof sheathing nailing schedules tlat enhance wind resistance have been developed by APA.

For most of the country 8d common nails are recommended for applications where 6d common nails were previously acceptable. In regions with high wind exposures, such as the Gulf Coast and the Eastern Seaboard, APA recommends spacing 8d common nails six inches on center on all roof framing members. Panels over gable ends are an exception and should be nailed four inches on center on all framing members. Pending changes in wind design requirements may lead to use of thicker roof sheathing in coastal regions, but these will be independent of the new nailing recommendations.

The recommendations are under consideration in a number of local code jurisdictions including areas of southern Florida. Although model code revisions will oake about two years, builders may follow APA recommendations prior to their adoption.

"We're the first mass merchandiser to bring certified wood to market," said Mark Eisen, Home Depot environmental marketing manager, at Atlanta, Ga, headquarters.

In a recent survey, Western Wood Products Association found 22Vo of the retailers reported customers requesting environmentally certified wood. Critics claim certification is a marketing gimmick because lumber companies must pay $30,000 or more to be evduated. Certification firms counter that they risk losing their credibility if their appraisals are shown to be dishonest.

ldaho Building Total Hits New Record

Building in ldaho continues to grow with July's $145 million total construction exceeding the previous $140.9 million high established in Aprn 992.

The state has a cumulaive 5.3?o inprovement over 1992 for the frst seven months of the year with tbe incr€ase notably higher in some localities. Post Falls, with a $5.5 million level of activity for the flrst seven months of 1992, jumped to $15.8 million for the sane 1993 period; Boise from $19.6 million to $40 million; Lewiston, $3.6 million to $10.2 million, and Bannock County, $0.8 million to $8.5 million.

Writing in the Idalw Construction Report, economist Dr. Kelly K. Matthews said, "The combination of rapid income and employment gains, along with basic fixed mortgage rates near

Canadian Lumber lmports Up

A thfud of the lumber used in the U.S. so far this year, has come ftom Canada, up 8.87o ovet 1992.

Total U.S. lumber imports for 1993 will be 7.6Vo above 1992 levels with Canada leading, the Western Wood

77a, continues to fuel significant increases in the state's housing sector. T\e 30.5Vo single family pemit gain in July helped push the seven month cumulative expansion to 10.5Vo."

Discussing the Boise-Meridian-Ada County area he said this area's July single family p€rmits totaled nl (&% of the state !otal), but "only 12 of 56 locations reported no new residential construction" for that period.

In luly, 170 new aparfiient pernits were issued in Boise for a seven month cumulative gain of 805 units. "This is a substantial gain over the224 multi-family permits issued in Boise during the 1992 January to July period," Matthews said. "Furlhertrrore, Boise's 1993 cumulative average apartment pennit value was $37,114 compared with $32,979 in1992."

Simpson heconfigures Mill

Simpson Timber Co. will reconfigure its Korbel, Ca., mill in January to acconrmodate only young growth logs.

"With the changing nature of the forest resource, we have been faced with difficult decisions about how we continue to stay competitive and operate the mill efficiently within our sustained yield plan. The reconfiguration is necessary to match the operating system with the current supply and size of logs," said David Kaney, Simpson vice president and general manager. "The majority of the redwood and Douglas fir we are processing at the sawmill is smaller in size, averaging 12to 16 inches in diarneter, and the Log Quad is designed to handle logs 4 inches to 30 inches. It no longer makes economic sense to operat€ the headrig, which is designed to process the larger logs, at greatef cost and slower speed. We will run all logs through the existing log Quad."

Products Association forecasts. Eastern Canadian mills have increased U.S. shipments 257o, providing40% compared to367o a year ago, mainly spruce-pine-fir from Ontario and Quebec. British Columbia expors have increase d oriy 24o.

Following the curtailment" annual production is expected to be 160 mm bfof6OVo redwood and407o Douglas fr. Approximately 55 jobs will be eliminated. The mill will operate at current capacity until its regular maintenance shutdown in December.

BMC Shopping For More Stores In Texas

BMC West Corp., Boise, Id., appears to be trying to recapture the position it held in Texas in the early'80s when it was Boise Cascade Corp.'s building materials division.

With six Texas stores (an El Paso location plus five fonner Boise Cascade stores recently purchased from Lowe's, which had acquired them in 1985), the 38-unit chain is shopping for additional Texas home centers. "Wete looking all through the state," said Ellis Goebel, vice presiddnt and treasurer. "We're looking at San Antonio as a potential metropolitrn nutrk, but we're also looking at Houston, Austin, Dallas and other areas."

The recently acquired Temple, Fredericksburg, Marble Falls, San Marcos and Shiner locations join others in Colorado, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Oregon, Nevada and California.

BMC West's 1992 sales exceeded $290 million. The five slores acquired from Lowe's had a combined revenue of $34 million in 1992. Sales price was said to be $10 million although no amount was disclosed.

"'We're extremely bullish on the Texas economy and how it is positively affecting the building materials indus0ry," said Donald S. Hendrickson, BMC president and ceo. "The central Texas region has been especially strong and has played a major role in leading the state's current economic fecovetry."

Goebel said BMC will buy another home building supply retailer by the end of the year. In addition to strengthening its position in Texas, the company intends to expand into the Northwest, Montana" Wyoming, New Mexico and Arizona. They also expect to purchase a door manufacturing operation. At present they operate Spokane, Wa.; Orem, Ut., and Idabo Falls, Id., door plants with pre-hung door facilities under construction in Beaverton, Or.; Fresno, Ca., and Lewiston, Id., due to be in full operation by year's end.

Clinton Retreats On Plastic Use

Following intervention by the wood pallet and forest products industries, the Clinton Administration modified a Federal Recycling, Acquisition and Use of Environmentally Preferable Products and Services order which