April 2020 Hardwood Matters by National Hardwood Lumber Association

TH E VOIC E O F THE HARDWOOD IN DUSTRY

H A R D W O O D M AT T E R S April 2020

DOMESTIC MARKETS

Setting New Revenue Standards in 2020 T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E N AT I O N A L H A R D W O O D L U M B E R A S S O C I AT I O N S T R O N G R O O T S . G L O B A L R E A C H . | W W W. N H L A . C O M

2x4s are strategically placed between packages to guarantee proper weight distribution. At Pike Lumber Company, our packages are carefully stacked on laser leveled bunks, then topped with lumber covers to ensure the flattest lumber possible.

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Flat and straight lumber doesn’t just happen. It starts with precision placement of air drying sticks.

SINCE 1904

Getting the Details Right..

CONTENTS April 2020 • Issue 210

WHAT'S INSIDE feature 8 Domestic Markets—Setting New Revenue Standards in 2020

8 6

departments

ONLINE TOP POST OF THE MONTH at facebook.com/NHLAOfficial Today is National Worship of Tools Day, so we are showing love to one of the best tools in the business — lumber grading sticks! How long did your grading stick last after graduation?

6 Legislative Log Preparing the Workforce of the

Future by Dana Cole

16 Rules Corner Kiln Drying Lumber: The Why and

How of Checks and Stain by Chief Dana Spessert

reader services 4 18 20

President’s Message Educational Calendar Job Board

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H A R D W O O D M AT T E R S T H E VO I C E O F T H E H A R DWO O D I N D U ST RY

National Hardwood Lumber Association PO Box 34518 • Memphis, TN 38184-0518 901-377-1818 • 901-382-6419 (fax) info@nhla.com • www.nhla.com

THE MISSION OF NH LA To serve NHLA Members engaged in the commerce of North American hardwood lumber by: maintaining order, structure and ethics in the changing global hardwood marketplace; providing unique member services; promoting North American hardwood lumber and advocating the interest of the hardwood community in public/private policy issues; and providing a platform for networking opportunities.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

MISSION LEADERS

Darwin Murray McClain Forest Products President

Bucky Pescaglia Missouri-Pacific Lumber Co., Inc. Unique Services

Jeff Wirkkala Hardwood Industries, Inc. Vice President

Ray White Harold White Lumber Inc. Rules

Brent Stief Huron Forest Products, Inc. Past President 2016-2018

Joe Pryor Oaks Unlimited Industry Advocacy & Promotion

NHLA STAFF Lorna D. Christie CEO l.christie@nhla.com Amanda Boutwell Marketing and Communications Manager a.boutwell@nhla.com

ADVERTISER INDEX

Renee Hornsby Director of Communications/Editor r.hornsby@nhla.com

Melissa Ellis Smith Graphic Designer m.ellis@nhla.com

Baillie Lumber Company

IFC Pike Lumber Company, Inc.

IBC DMSi

3 RossiGroup

5 King City/Northway Forwarding

Sii Dry Kilns Wood-Mizer, LLC

Ohio Wood Products

For advertising contact: John Hester, Director of Membership and Business Development at j.hester@nhla.com or 901-399-7558 or Vicky Simms, Membership Development Manager at v.simms@nhla.com or 901-399-7557

■■■ Rachel Blossman Marketing Associate r.spiers@nhla.com Denise Lopez Executive Assistant/Accounting Assistant Desirée Freeman Controller Julia Ganey Member Relations Manager

Jon Syre Cascade Hardwood, LLC Structure David Mayfield Mayfield Lumber Co. Membership & Networking COMMITTEE CHAIRS Stephanie VanDystadt DV Hardwoods, Inc. Membership Rob Cabral Upper Canada Forest Products, Ltd. Promotion & Advocacy Dennis Mann Baillie Lumber Co. Convention Scott Cummings Cummings Lumber Company, Inc. Inspection Services Bruce Horner Abenaki Timber Corp. ITS/Continuing Education

Rich Hascher Inspector Training School Instructor

Brin Langmuir Falcon Lumber Ltd. Communications & Marketing

John Hester Director of Membership and Business Development

Joe Snyder Fitzpatrick & Weller, Inc. Rules

Jens Lodholm Data Administration Specialist Carol McElya Inspector Training School Administrator Roman Matyushchenko Associate Dean of Education Vicky Quiñones Simms Membership Development Manager Dana Spessert Chief Inspector

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

THE MEASURE OF A MAN

“ T

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” hat quote rings true when I think of Orn Gudmudsson Sr.’s service and commitment to NHLA and its members. He was a man that I respected, not only for his contributions to this great industry of ours but to me personally.

When I learned of his passing, my mind went to the time when I met Orn Sr. many years ago while attending one of my first industry conventions. Years later, I was seated beside him when I was called forward to be sworn in for my first term on the NHLA board of managers. It was a humbling experience to realize that I would be working alongside industry legends. Upon returning to my seat, Orn congratulated me with a smile, and we spent time reminiscing on how we met and our years in the business. By the end of the conversation, he had offered to be available anytime I needed him and always provided positive and supportive remarks. He was a true leader, a visionary, and strongly believed in the power of collaboration. There is no better evidence of those character traits than his support of the creation of the Hardwood Federation, which was finalized in 2004 during his tenure as President of the NHLA Board of Managers. He also held frequent meetings with other association leaders to share information on both industry challenges and opportunities.

His time as President really demonstrated Orn Sr.’s passion for our industry. While he certainly did not mind sharing his opinion, he also listened well, observed everything, and wasn’t afraid of changing his mind – as long as you made a good case that was in our members’ best interests. He strongly believed in the NHLA Board’s responsibility for what he called a “hand to hand contract with our members.” That contract included, among other value, a Safety Program for mill workers. He was a strong advocate for the NHLA Rules and the importance of Inspection Services. Orn met the standard for the measure of a man in so many ways. He served his country, loved his family, and loved the hardwood industry. His commitment to NHLA was not about title, but about giving back to an industry that gave him so much. His was a life well-lived, and he was well-loved. We will miss Orn Sr. and, based upon his service to our association and industry; I will forever have him on the MVP list. May God rest his soul and provide comfort to his family. Thank you for sharing him with us.

Darwin Murray, NHLA President McClain Forest Products dmurray@mcclainforestproducts.com

I understand that Orn Sr. ran a tight board meeting. A true believer in planning, he created a strategic plan that set a model for those who followed him. The minutes of his meetings clearly demonstrated that during his tenure, every agenda had a goal, and every goal had a plan.

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LEGISLATIVE LOG

Preparing the Workforce of the Future by DANA COLE, Executive Director Hardwood Federation

lthough we are well into spring and have moved on mentally and physically from the gray days of winter, we wanted to look back briefly to February. An important issue for the entire manufacturing sector that is highlighted in February each year is the investment in career and technical education or CTE. February is officially known in Washington as Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month. There were a number of briefings on the Hill about the need for ramped up spending in this space as well as in an increased policy focus on apprenticeship programs. The presumption that a traditional, four-year college degree should be the primary career path for most U.S. students ignores the ever-changing needs of learners and employers. As we know, CTE programs focus on much-needed concrete, in-demand skills and provide students with opportunities to apply those skills immediately in the workforce. These courses deliver to students the academic and technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in current or emerging professions. According to

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a study by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, U.S. manufacturers will need to find an additional 2 million qualified candidates to fill 3.5 million openings by 2025. The U.S. Congress has long supported career and technical education as a pathway to success. According to the Brookings Institute, the first federal law providing funding for vocational education was passed in 1917, even before education was compulsory in every state. In 1984, Congress passed the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (or Perkins Act for short) “to increase the quality of technical education.” The legislation has been instrumental in helping close the skills gap and U.S. manufacturing competitiveness by supporting secondary and post-secondary career and technical education programs at the state and local levels. Funding for the Perkins grant programs that were established by the Perkins Act is a fixture in the annual Congressional appropriations negotiations. The good news this year is that the Trump W W W. N H L A .C O M

According to a study by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, U.S. manufacturers will need to find an additional 2 million qualified candidates to fill 3.5 million openings by 2025.

Administration, which released its FY 2021 budget request in February (CTE Month), included a nearly $900 million increase in spending for CTE. This figure represents a $680 million increase, or over 50 percent, for Perkins Basic State Grants and over an $80 million increase (more than 100 percent) for Perkins National Programs. Whether that figure will withstand Congressional scrutiny and make it back to the President’s desk at anywhere near that level is uncertain, but it is a good start nevertheless. Also in February, Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Tim Kaine (D-VA)—co-chairs of the Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus—introduced S. 3273, the Assisting Community Colleges in Educating Skilled Students (ACCESS) to Careers Act. The bill would set up a community college and career training grant program with the goal of increasing college and career readiness. Specifically, S. 3273 would provide resources to states and community colleges to address the evolving demands of the labor market. The bill aims to boost student success and career readiness by increasing work-based learning opportunities. Such opportunities ensures students have access to support services like career navigators and W W W. N H L A .C O M

counselors. The result is the creation of new career pathways that meet the changing skill demands of the U.S. economy. Also pending in both the House and Senate is H.R. 989/S. 431, the PARTNERS (Promoting Apprenticeships through Regional Training Networks for Employers’ Required Skills) Act. The bill would establish a grant program to support the creation and expansion of industry partnerships to help small and medium sized businesses develop work-based learning programs and provide mentoring and support services for workers. These legislative proposals are just a couple of at least two dozen measures that are under serious consideration in the U.S. Congress. Lawmakers have heard loud and clear from the manufacturing sector—including ours—about the need for education programs in this country to adapt to the skills and qualifications that manufacturing facilities demand from the workforce. Investment in CTE and apprenticeships is a bipartisan issue, and we remain hopeful that 2020 will yield major progress on these fronts.

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DOMESTIC MARKETS Setting New Revenue Standards in 2020 W W W. N H L A .C O M

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As the hardwood industry breathes a sigh of relief over the trade war with China, many businesses wisely continue to build on domestic markets. Hardwood companies are making great strides in multiple sectors, primarily due to the robust housing market, which plays a vital role in many areas of the hardwood industry. For manufacturers of flooring, doors, furniture, and more, a healthy housing market spells industry success.

low-interest rates and many builders beginning to focus on entry-level houses.

According to Virginia Tech, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and the U.S. Forest Service, housing starts in December of 2019 were reported at 1,608 million units, the highest number since 2006. Single-family starts surpassed 1-million units for the first time in 13 years. Virginia researchers credit two factors for the growing numbers: mild weather and a significant increase in the Midwest region’s housing starts.

Thanks to healthy increases in the housing and remodeling markets, the hardwood furniture market is experiencing a boom. According to Grand View Research, Inc., wooden furniture surpassed a market share of 60% in 2018 (the latest data available).

The strong housing market doesn’t seem to be going away. The February 7th Atlanta Fed GDPNowä model forecasted an eight percent increase in housing starts in 2020 thanks to historically

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Not only is there an increase in the construction of new housing. Home remodeling is also growing. The Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) says to expect slight gains in residential remodeling in 2020. The LIRA projects that home remodeling expenditures will increase by 1.5-percent in 2020 because today’s healthier housing market will ultimately lead to more home renovation and repair. What’s more, is that homeowner improvement and repair spending is expected to grow this year to over $330 billion.

An excellent example of the growth in the domestic furniture market can be found with Bassett Furniture, one of the leading furniture manufactures in North America. As of January, Basset reported that 80% of their products were domestically produced, which is a considerable increase from their low point of only 50%. W W W. N H L A .C O M

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The Henry Counter Enterprise interviewed Jeb Bassett, COO of Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc. about their growth. Bassett was excited about their domestic furniture lines saying, “We made a lot of tough decisions in the late 1990s and early 2000s with the whole globalization of the furniture industry. What made Bassett different from most of the other furniture companies was we were proceeding with our own retail distribution network.”

In the past, a majority of interior doors were made using softwood, mostly stripped pine that was painted or artificially grained so that it looked like hardwood. But, real hardwood is taking its rightful place in the market. Hardwood doors are being used increasingly due to their durability, beauty, timelessness, and sustainability. According to QY Research, the most popular hardwood choices for interior doors are American Black Walnut and Oak.

In January, Bassett Furniture celebrated the fifth anniversary of its Bench Made facility, a domestic producer of household furniture using real North American hardwoods for consumers in the U.S. In 2019, the Bench Made facility had $23 million in wholesale sales.

George C. Swaner, the VP of Purchasing at the Swaner Hardwood Company (an NHLA member) provided some insight into the hardwood door sector, telling NHLA “the increase in housing starts, and the uptick in remodeling is obviously a good thing for our industry in general. We usually see things pick up towards the end of those cycles since we service the finished side with interior mouldings, flooring, doors, and more.”

This year, Basset expects that number to rise to $25 million. Another market experiencing growth, thanks to the current housing market, is interior doors. QY Research reports that the domestic market for wooden interior doors is growing at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 2.9 percent each year. QY’s Research also projects that the interior doors market will grow to 80 million units sold by 2024 (in 2019, it reached just over 70 million units).

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Unlike other materials, hardwood doors work well as both exterior and interior doors. Hardwood exterior doors provide the needed strength and security to protect homes, while hardwood interior doors give the house a luxurious feel and incredible durability.

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“The increase in housing starts, and the uptick in remodeling is obviously a good thing for our industry in general.” A hardwood door can last centuries with minimal maintenance effort. Swaner also commented on how the market is trending so far in 2020, saying, “January and February were actually quite good with customers restocking from low inventories at the end of last year and some architectural millwork projects getting pushed out the door.” Strong housing starts are positively impacting hardwood flooring as well. Still, according to the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), hardwood flooring manufacturers are expected to face another challenging year, thanks primarily to rising competition from waterproof rigid core luxury vinyl tile (LVT), declining sales, and increasing prices. During 2019, wood flooring declined to 6.7 percent of total square foot sales. Meanwhile, LVT increased by 23.2 percent. Hardwood

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flooring manufacturers are combating the inroads made by LVT by introducing water-resistant coatings to seal the edges. Overall, NWFA predicts a one percent increase in dollars and square feet this year. Even hardwood sectors that don’t depend on the housing market are experiencing growth. The Rail Tie Association (RTA) reports great news, with wood maintaining “a 93%+ share of the market for rail ties installed in North America.” Considering that there are over 200,000 miles of railroad track in the United States, comprised of about 800 million crossties, it’s no surprise that RTA is forecasting growth of 2.8 percent in 2020 and a 4.2 percent growth in 2021. Expanding your business to include products needed domestically is proving to be a great way to continue to see earnings growth in 2020, despite what happens in the global market. And, as housing starts continue to grow, they deliver the hardwood lumber industry some much-needed encouragement for the future. W W W. N H L A .C O M

CALL FOR

LUMBER DONATIONS The Inspector Training School Educational Foundation (ITSEF) is seeking donations of lumber on behalf of the NHLA Inspector Training School. The lumber will be used by students at the School for practice on board runs and testing. Any hardwood species is acceptable, and the lumber grades should be mixed as 3A Common & Better. We are asking that donations and delivery of lumber be made by August 3, in time for the next Inspector Training School program in September.

SOURCES: https://www.woodproducts.sbio.vt.edu/housing-report/ casa-2019-12a-december-main.pdf https://www.woodproducts.sbio.vt.edu/housing-report/ casa-2019-12b-december-econ-cond.pdf https://hardwoodfloorsmag.com/2019/12/23/u-s-wood-flooring 2020-outlook-an-uncertain-market-environment/

If your company would be willing to donate, please contact Roman Matyushchenko, Associate Dean of the Inspector Training School at 901-399-7569 or email r.matyushchenko@nhla.com. Donations made through ITSEF are tax deductible.

Hardwood Floors: Industry Outlook 2020 (NWFA) Grand View Research: Kids Furniture Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report (www.grandviewresearch.com) Grand View Research: Kids Furniture Market Size Worth $39.96 Billion By 2025 (www.grandviewresearch.com) PR Underground (prunderground.com/us-wood-interior-doors market-to-touch-over-80-million-units-qyresearch-inc/00179977/) RTA Crossties Magazine: rta.org/crossties rta.org/faqs-main George C. Swaner, Swaner Hardwood Company henrycountyenterprise.com/local-news/bassett-furnitures bench-made-line-best-story-decade/ W W W. N H L A .C O M

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RULES CORNER

Kiln Drying Lumber: The Why and How of Checks and Stain with Chief Inspector Dana Spessert

ardwood lumber must be dried to a certain moisture content (MC), in most cases, prior to its use in production.

For most grade lumber (3a Common & Better), the moisture must be taken down to a final moisture content of between 6% to 12%. In order to achieve this level of moisture content, the lumber typically requires kiln drying. Kiln drying is a process by which heat and airflow are applied to the lumber to force the moisture out of the inner cells of the wood. When lumber is first sawn, the lumber is anywhere from 40% to more than 100% water weight, and most of this excess moisture can be removed by simply placing piling stickers between the layers and allowing nature to dry the wood. Defects from Drying Most lumber drying defects occur prior to the dry kiln process. Lumber that is freshly sawn has a lot of free water. Free water is held in the cell cavities and is much easier to remove than bound water, water that is held in the cell walls. Free water is the moisture loss achieved from the green stage to approximately 30% MC, fiber saturation point. This is the point where the bound water is the remaining moisture. At the fiber saturation point is when most of the defects occur because the shell of the board starts shrinking, and the interior of the board does not. When the shell shrinks and the interior does not shrink, checking begins to occur. Checking is a natural occurrence, but it must be minimized in order to avoid degrading the boards beyond recovery. One of the best ways to reduce checking is to avoid fast-drying conditions on the air-drying yard for check prone species, such as oak. The use of shade dry cloth, rooftops, T-Sheds, and pre-dryers are a few examples of protection and subsequently reducing checking. The opposite of checking is stain, which is caused by drying the free water too slow. Stain, fungal, or enzymatic are defects that can cause degrade and value loss of lumber. Stain is caused when the free water

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has not been removed soon enough, and fungus growth or chemical reactions occur. Stain can be minimized by improving airflow and eliminating free-standing water near the packs of air-drying lumber as well as dipping the lumber in fungal killing chemicals. NHLA has ways in which we can assist our members in achieving the desired results of proper drying and thereby avoiding losses due to these types of factors. We can help by consulting and assisting in the development of quality control measures that can be implemented to monitor these problem areas.

NHLA will host a Kiln Drying Workshop, May 4-7 with instructor Eugene “Gene” Wenger – “The Wood Doctor.” I hope you will plan on attending! Register at: http://bit.ly/KD_Workshop If anyone would like to learn more about proper drying, consulting and QC programs, please visit NHLA.com, contact your area National Inspector, or reach out to me at d.spessert@nhla.com.

HAVE A HARDWOOD LUMBER QUESTION? Tune in to my monthly Live with the Chief on Facebook, and I’ll answer your question in real-time! SAVE THE DATE: April 23 at 4 PM CST

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NHLA PROVIDES EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO IMPROVE YOUR BOTTOM LINE Register for classes at www.nhla.com/Education. ! MAY

New

4-7

Complete Kiln Drying Lumber Workshop

From fundamentals to advanced: students will learn not only what to do but how and why. New kiln operators, trainees, supervisors and managers can advance their skills by attending. Venue: NHLA Headquarters Memphis, TN Instructor: Gene Wengert – “The Wood Doctor”

JUNE

1-5 Intro to Hardwood Lumber Grading

! MAY New 6-7 Advanced Kiln Drying Lumber Workshop

This class is designed for people who have some experience running drying equipment. Basic procedures such as measuring moisture content are NOT covered. Students should bring real-life problems to the instructor for evaluation, discussion and resolution. Venue: NHLA Headquarters Memphis, TN Instructor: Gene Wengert – “The Wood Doctor”

JUNE

JULY

8-11

27-29

27-31

Intro to Hardwood Lumber Grading

Intro class to gain a basic understanding of the NHLA hardwood lumber grading rules and how the rules affect the value of lumber.

Venue: Hardin County Extension Office Elizabethtown, KY

Venue: Yoder Lumber Co., Inc. Millersburg, OH

Venue: Franklin Industrial Commercial Development Authority - Emerging Technology Center Franklin, PA

Venue: Rowan County Courthouse Morehead, KY

Instructor: Mark Depp, NHLA National Inspector

Instructor: Barry Kibbey, NHLA National Inspector

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Instructor: Tom Byers, NHLA National Inspector

Instructor: Mark Depp, NHLA National Inspector

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UNTRAINED EMPLOYEES ARE COSTING YOU MONEY! Employee turnover, low employee morale, and hiring new employees are costly! 40% of employees who receive little or no training quit in the first year. Entry-level positions face the highest level of turnover (65-80% annually) Improve Efficiency, Reduce Costs, and Increase Retention & Morale

AUGUST

10-21 Inspector Training School Online Training Program MODULE 1 Two weeks of hands-on training.

Venue: NHLA Headquarters Memphis, TN Instructor: Rich Hascher, NHLA ITS Instructor Module 2: Online study Module 3: Three weeks handson training and final testing at NHLA headquarters.

SEPTEMBER

1-Nov. 20 Inspector Training School 193rd Class

Traditional 12-week hands-on training to achieve the certificate of completion in Hardwood Lumber Inspection. Venue: NHLA Headquarters Memphis, TN Instructor: Rich Hascher, NHLA ITS Instructor

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SEPTEMBER

14-18 Intro to Hardwood Lumber Grading

Intro class to gain a basic understanding of the NHLA hardwood lumber grading rules and how the rules affect the value of lumber. Venue: Wood-Mizer, LLC Indianapolis, IN Instructor: Barry Kibbey, NHLA National Inspector

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NHLA JOB BOARD Here you will find our current job listings. To see more details or to post a job, visit www.nhla.com/industry-services/job-board. HEAD SAWYER Billsby Lumber Company is looking for an energetic experienced Head Sawyer with at least three years of sawing experience for a sawmill operation in Michigan. The ideal candidate would be an NHLA graduate and have knowledge of hydraulics and electrical. Must be able to diagnose saw problems and assist in minor mill maintenance. Must be a team player and have a can-do attitude. Compensation and full benefits package will be based on experience and qualifications.Call (989) 539-9842 with any questions. Qualifications & Skills Required: Three years experience in a sawmill. Would prefer a NHLA Graduate. Knowledge of hydraulics and electrical. Must be able to diagnose saw problems and assist in minor mill maintenance. Salary & Benefits: Paid Vacation, Paid Holidays, Simple IRA with company match, Life Insurance, Blue Cross. Compensation and full benefits package will be based on experience and qualifications. How to Apply: Please send resume with references and a letter of application with wage requirements to info@billsbylumber.com or mail to: Billsby Lumber Co., 2725 Larch Rd. Harrison, MI 48625 Billsby Lumber Company 2725 Larch Rd. | Harrison, Michigan 48625 Phone: 989-539-9842 | www.billsbylumber.com HARDWOOD LUMBER INSPECTOR AHC Huntersville Hardwoods is seeking hardwood lumber inspector(s) to grade green & KD lumber.

LUMBER GRADER W.M. Cramer lumber has an immediate need for a Lumber Grader to grade both incoming green lumber and kiln-dried lumber utilizing the NHLA hardwood lumber grading rules. Cramer Lumber, headquartered in Hickory, NC, has been supplying the furniture, cabinet, moulding and flooring industry for over 50 years with quality Appalachian, Northern/ Southern hardwoods, cypress, and white pine. Our founder, Wendell Cramer, a former President of the NHLA, is still active in the family-run business. We have a combined kiln capacity of 900,000bdft at our Hickory and Connelly Springs, NC locations. In addition, we have a distribution yard north of Atlanta, GA, and International sales office in Augusta, GA. We are looking for someone to join our team with a great attitude and work ethic. Come see what the mountains of western North Carolina have to offer. Experience: NHLA Lumber grading certificate preferred but will consider candidates with at least two years of on the job training applying NHLA rules Salary & Benefits: Competitive salary and benefits based on knowledge, ability, and experience How to Apply: Please email resume to Mark Vollinger at markv@cramerlumber.com or mail to: W.M. Cramer Lumber Co. PO Box 2888 Hickory, NC 28603 W. M. Cramer Lumber Company 3486 Texs Fish Camp Road | Connelly Springs, North Carolina 28612 Phone: 828-397-7481 | www.cramerlumber.com

Qualifications & Skills Required: Certified NHLA preferred, but also previous on the job experience and/ or a good working knowledge of NHLA grade rules will be considered. Salary & Benefits: Salary negotiable based on experience and education. Industry-leading benefits package including health/dental/vision insurance. Paid vacation, sick leave & holidays. How to Apply: Please send resumes and applications to ccarlin@hardwoodweb.com. Atlanta Hardwood Corporation P.O. Box 666 11701 McCord Road | Huntersville, North Carolina 28070 Phone: 704-875-6587 | www.hardwoodweb.com

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End Tally with Accurate ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

After extensive testing TallyExpress proves to be within 1% of a perfect tally. The app “learns” as it’s used, which makes it even more accurate over time.

Fast

Start to finish – completed end tally takes 60-90 seconds.

Locations “We put a tape measure to each board and wrote the width on the end. Overall we were 99.5% accurate to these tape measure tallies, some sites were seeing 99.8 to 99.9%.” – Northwest Hardwoods

“One day we end weretallies backed Get accurate in up with 12 bundles on our line. seconds with the TallyExpress Normally, it would have taken a app. stressful Just snap30 a photo andto get very minutes the app uses AI to measure those tallied and moved. With each board. Start to finish, TallyExpress, we did all 12 bundles in about a completed end ten tallyminutes takes and it60-90 was aseconds. stress-free experience.” No special – Granite Hardwoods, Inc.

equipment required!

Easy

Not only can TallyExpress be taught in minutes, it is less physically-demanding than having to measure each board.

“Previously, end tallyingnothing. was “The training is almost aPeople huge bottle neck. We were take pictures with their regularly paying 16 man-hours smartphones every day. It’s of overtime Saturdays just very familiaron technology. to catch up. TallyExpress has Basically, you show someone completely eliminated that how to use it on one bundleextra day of tallying because can and they’re ready to go.we It really process bundles faster during does only take a couple of the week.” minutes to train someone.” -Northwest Hardwoods – Allegheny Wood Products

Contact DMSi, your exclusive TallyExpress reseller, to start your free 30-day trial.

(402) 996-2710 | tallyexpress.com

TallyExpress by

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SEPTEMBER 23-25 | THE GALT HOUSE | LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY