Product - Performance - Personal Service

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Cement Board fN THE past, many retail dealers lcounted on engineered wood inventories from nearby distributors to supply their builder customers. Today, the growing demand for engineered wood and longer order files are causing more dealers to take control of their own distribution.

An increasing number of retail dealers are now stocking I-joists, laminated veneer lumber, and glulam beams at tteir own yards to serve the booming engineered wood products (EWP) market. That's the report from manufacturers and distributors who supply EWP for residential and commercial construction.

Having engineered wood beams available at their yards speeds availability for builders, an important factor for customers who change specs or need same-day delivery.

As EWP beams replace the traditional 2x8 and 2xl0 conventional framing, today's lumber business has become as different from the past as has a computer from a typewriter.

Distributors such as North Pacific Lumber, Vallejo, Ca., are encouraging retail dealer customers to rethink their operations to increase supply and technical services for contractors, builders, and other pro customers.

North Pacific's Paul Johnson conducts EWP training sessions for many of the company's dealer customers in the Bay Area. Johnson recently met with the sales staff of Sierra Point Lumber, Brisbane, Ca., which has seen its EWP sales increase more than 100Vo over the past three years.

In a wide-ranging session to review EWP sales techniques, Johnson concentrated on several points, including: o More builders are looking to their dealers to do materials take-offs and review construction plans from structural engineers. Dealers should look to their distributors and suppliers for span tables, technical literature, computer software and other assistance. o Retail dealers should learn basic questions to ask their builder customers when they call in for EWP information. For example: "Do you