2019 June 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 June 2019

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

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CONTENTS June 2019 • Issue 201

WHAT'S INSIDE 10

ONLINE

feature

instant

10 Social Media and The Hardwood Industry: What You Need To know

TOP POST OF THE MONTH at facebook.com/NHLAOfficial Join us for our second edition of Live with the Chief!

departments 6 In The News 8 Legislative Log USMCA - The Other Trade Agreement

Hits a Critical Period for Implementation Before 2020 Elections

16 Rules Corner How Much Wane Is Too Much? Follow us

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

Kevin Gillette Tioga Hardwoods, Inc. Rules

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

Darrell Keeling Northwest Hardwoods Structure

NHLA STAFF

Mike Powers Maley & Wertz, Inc. Industry Advocacy & Promotion

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

Jon Syre Cascade Hardwood, LLC Membership & Networking COMMITTEE CHAIRS

ADVERTISER INDEX

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

Stephanie VanDystadt DV Hardwoods, Inc. Membership

IFC DMSi

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

Rob Cabral Upper Canada Forest Products, Ltd. Promotion & Advocacy

DV Hardwoods, Inc.

Frank Miller Lumber Co., Inc.

King City/Northway Forwarding

Trisha Clariana Office Manager

Matson Lumber Co.

Desirée Freeman Controller

IBC Pike Lumber Company, Inc. 5 RossiGroup 13

TallyExpress by DMSi

15 20

TMX Shipping Co. USNR

Wood-Mizer, LLC

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Julia Ganey Member Relations Manager

Garner Robinson Robinson Lumber Company Convention David Mayfield Mayfield Lumber Co. Inspection Services

Rich Hascher Inspector Training School Instructor

Bruce Horner Abenaki Timber Corp. ITS/Continuing Education

John Hester Director of Membership and Business Development

John Griffin Frank Paxton Lumber Communications & Marketing

Debbie Horn Executive Assistant/Project Management

Joe Snyder Fitzpatrick & Weller, Inc. Rules

Jens Lodholm Data Administration Specialist

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

Carol McElya Accounting Assistant & Publications Becky Miller Inspector Training School Administrator Vicky Quiñones Simms Membership Development Manager Dana Spessert Chief Inspector

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Rachel Spiers Marketing Associate r.spiers@nhla.com

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

STATE OF THE ASSOCIATION

s I have just returned from the NHLA Board of Managers’ meeting, I thought it would be appropriate to focus this month’s article on the “State of the Association” as seen through the eyes of the dedicated volunteers who provide us with their time and expertise to ensure our success.

For generations, industry leaders have kept our association growing through good and bad times. Today, that legacy of commitment and service to the hardwood industry has been entrusted to your current Board’s care. First, an update on the NHLA current Strategic Plan. A focus of the plan was – to create new technology-enabled member value and communications strategies to help our members prosper. Since the plan was finalized, NHLA has implemented new communications strategies with the goal of enhancing member engagement and awareness of the value we offer. We are also building the expertise of our National Inspectors and Chief Inspector to create new “Members Only” value, like the NHLA Yield Analysis and Quality Control Programs. Both programs are designed to help members recover lost profits. Members who have used both are already recovering hundreds of thousands of “lost profits” through the increased operational efficiencies and effectiveness offered by these two programs. An equally important part of the “state” of the NHLA is our bylaws. In fact, the main focus of the April meeting was a review and discussion of the proposed changes to the bylaws offered by our Governance Task Force. We want to say thank you to Brent Stief, the Task Force Chair, and committee members Bruce Horner, Jon Syre, Bucky Pescaglia and Darrell Keeling. I also served as a Task Force member and we received support from our association legal counsel, Bill Bradley. NHLA has two types of “rules” to help us manage the association, the bylaws and standard operating procedures (SOP). Most states require a nonprofit to have bylaws. They are the “rules” that govern how the Board makes decisions and conducts the business of NHLA. The bylaws require the Board to follow certain parliamentary procedures, and govern important issues such as member voting rights, how officers are appointed, and how the bylaws can be changed. In NHLA’s case, an active member vote is required to change the bylaws.

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The Standard Operating Procedures are administrative and include roles and responsibilities of staff and administrative processes such as how membership applications are managed. They are related, but very different management documents. SOPs can be changed, depending on how administrative practices evolve. Bylaws require a member vote. BYLAWS REVIEW In 2018, we realized that the current bylaws have not been updated since 2010, so the Board appointed a Governance Task Force to review the need for any changes. The Task Force has been hard at work over the past year and a half reviewing the bylaws. They presented several recommendations and changes for the Board’s review. The majority of the proposed changes were administrative in nature, and therefore more appropriate for the SOPs rather than the bylaws. After a lengthy, thorough, and sometimes spirited discussion, the Board overwhelmingly approved the changes presented by the Task Force. NEXT STEPS Again, Active members will have the final vote on the proposed bylaws changes at the annual convention in New Orleans. You have my commitment that over the next several months, NHLA will be providing you with specific information on all of the articles that were revised, and the new articles proposed. As we move forward, we will also provide you with opportunities to ask questions and address any concerns you may have about the changes. Your vote and your voice matters. As the information is distributed, I encourage you to review the recommendations and ask any questions. We need to hear from you to ensure we are doing the right thing to keep NHLA ready to serve our members today, and in the future. I sincerely hope you will participate.

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

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A new beginning for the Gold Standard for Cherry from Emporium, PA The Rossi Group announces the launch of its new State of the Art high-tech sawmill at Emporium in Pennsylvania to serve domestic and export markets from the sustainable Allegheny Forest resources with the highest quality Cherry and many other hardwood species.

Rossi Group LLC, www.rossilumber.com Tel: 1(860) 6323505

IN THE NEWS

3-D PRINTER HAILED FOR POTENTIAL TO CREATE WOOD-BASED PRODUCTS On May 3, officials announced a new research collaboration between the University of Maine and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory that they say will advance efforts to 3D print with wood products, creating a new market for Maine’s forest products industry. Among the officials are U.S. senators Susan Collins, center; Lamar Alexander, third from right; and Angus King, third from left; and Daniel Simmons, the assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy at DOE, as well as leaders from UMaine and ORNL. The officials were in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, May 2, 2019, to announce the launch of this large-scale bio-based additive manufacturing program. (Photo courtesy office of Sen. Susan Collins) A pellet made of poplar and plastic rests on a finger. These pellets are fed into a large 3D printer and later extruded, making items such as molds to create hulls for boats.

A partnership between the University of Maine and Oak Ridge National Laboratory will use ground-up trees and bioplastics to make “very strong plastics” that can be used in 3D printing, officials said Thursday. The 3D printing, which will print items one layer at a time, could be used to make boat hull molds, shelters, building components, and tooling for composites and wind blades, among other possibilities. The $20 million project will be funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office.

Researchers use local species to expand market for cross-laminated timber

FOREST SERVICE ANNOUNCES 2019 WOOD INNOVATION GRANT AWARDS Public–private partnerships spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service create jobs, support fire-safe communities, restore healthy forest conditions, and spur environmentally sound innovation. Today, the Forest Service awarded over $8.9 million through the Wood Innovations Grant program. Thirty-nine business, university, nonprofit and tribal partners in 20 states are matching the grants with an additional $8.8 million. Of the 41 projects selected, 29 focus upon expanding markets for wood products and 12 seek to increase markets for wood energy. Some projects involve the design of new mass timber buildings, such as a courthouse and K‒12 schools, while others explore using mass timber in high velocity hurricane zones. Additional projects will help fuel small-scale, combined heat and power projects and biochar market development. Projects will take place in 20 states including Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. More information on the program is available online at the Forest Service Wood Education and Resource Center. Of note is the funding of the “Multi-State Effort to Overcome Barriers to Low-Value Hardwood Lumber for CLT Manufacture” project submitted by Henry Quesada, Associate Professor Department of Sustainable Biomaterials at Virginia Tech. NHLA will be following this project in particular and bringing you updates as more details emerge. For a full list of grant recipients visit: https://www.fs.fed.us/news/ releases/forest-service-announces-2019-wood-innovation-grant-awardsreducing-wildfire-risk-and

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Lloyd Lovett - CEO

J U N l.lovett@kingcitynorthway.com E 2 0 1 9 H A R D W O O D M AT T E R S |

LEGISLATIVE LOG

USMCA - The Other Trade Agreement Hits a Critical Period for Implementation Before 2020 Elections by DANA COLE, Executive Director Hardwood Federation

he ongoing trade dispute with China has consumed many in the industry, for very good reason. However, the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) is also top of mind for those who play on the international field. The Trump Administration is ramping up lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill to recruit support for USMCA. The new Democrat majority in the House has made the fate of this agreement far from certain. Concerns generally fell into three baskets: Labor provisions, pharmaceuticals and enforcement. On the labor front, there is concern that wages for workers in Mexico are artificially low and have served to not only depress wages for workers across North America, but have led to manufacturers moving operations south of the border. Pharmaceutical pricing has taken center stage as well. The issue is around a class of drugs known as biologics. There is language in the agreement that allow biologics manufacturers a 10 year extension on their patents. The effect of this is that generic drugs would not be able to enter the market over that time period, thereby increasing costs for consumers. Drug pricing has been a hot topic on Capitol Hill over the last year or so and this provision will certainly attract more scrutiny in the coming weeks. Finally, the issue of enforcement was a point of emphasis. Mexico’s legislature is poised this month to approve a comprehensive set of labor

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reforms that the country committed to during USMCA negotiations. This will be critical for building support for the deal in the House. Complicating the situation is the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (RIA) has said repeatedly over the last month or so that the deal would not move forward in his committee while these tariffs are still in place. The Administration has not yet submitted USMCA implementing legislation to Congress. Once the legislation is submitted, its consideration must begin in the House, first with the House Ways & Means Committee and then the full chamber. Only a simple majority is needed to pass each chamber, however securing the 218 votes necessary in the House will require Democrat support. U.S. Trade Representative Bob Lighthizer and National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow have been working House Democrats aggressively over the last couple of months to build support for the proposal. The goal is for Congress to act before August. That timeline is the “make or break” for USMCA. If consideration slips beyond August, Washington will be consumed with the Presidential election in 2020 and the requisite posturing by the many candidates that have entered the race, making meaningful consideration doubtful. As always, we will continue to monitor this and all other ongoing trade issues and do our best to keep you informed about the potential impacts on the Hardwood industry. W W W. N H L A .C O M

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Social Media & The Hardwood Industry What You Need to Know “I don’t have time for social media.” “My customers aren’t on Instagram.” “Nobody is using Facebook anymore.” Three common reasons businesses give to explain why they aren’t on social media. The reality is that most of these assumptions are just that – assumptions. You do have time for social media. Your customers ARE on social media, and yes, people still use Facebook. A lot of people. The reality is that social media is a tool that businesses can’t afford to ignore. 10

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ocial media encompasses all forms of electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and blogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (such as videos). It has fundamentally changed the way people communicate. From how we interact with family and friends to how we receive our news, social media is everywhere, and it is powerful. Social media has been growing consistently over the past decade and has yet to reach its peak. Every day, over three-billion people use this form of communication worldwide. That’s 42-percent of the population of the planet. And the number of users continues to grow. Your customers ARE on social media. All you have to do is figure out which social platform your customers use, and to do that; you need a little demographic research. There are dozens of social media outlets, but we are going to primarily focus on the three most popular: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Each platform has a unique audience. Imagine your average customer. How old are they? Knowing which generation your customer belongs to plays a significant role in figuring out which social media platforms they use. Generally, 90-percent of Millennials, 78-percent of Generation X, and 48-percent of Baby Boomers are active social media users. Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn all provide an opportunity for you to increase your brand recognition, grow your business, and make more sales. Social media is a venue for you to genuinely connect with your potential customers and build relationships with them that will translate to increased business. Social media is where your business can demonstrate its expertise, build trust, and show value to an audience that is actively looking to connect with you. Your primary goal on social media is engagement, and the most effective way to engage your customers is through quality content. This is where the misconception of “I don’t have time for social media” comes in. The definition of ‘quality content’ varies based on your business type. What

Millennals

(born between 1981 and 1996)

77.5%

Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980)

48.2%

Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964)

Millennals

90.4% 77.5%

Generation X Baby Boomers

48.2%

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When you think of social media platforms, the first one to come to mind is most likely Facebook, which makes sense because Facebook is the most popular social media platform in the world, with over two-billion active users every day. It is the most popular platform among all age demographics, except for teenagers. In the hardwood industry, Facebook is where you will most likely find businesses that manufacture, custom kiln-dry, wholesale, or distribute hardwood lumber, plywood, and related products. While Facebook is the most popular platform, Instagram is the fastest growing social platform, with a 19- percent increase in total users over the last year. Instagram now has over one billion active users and is the second most popular platform among all age demographics. Because it focuses on photographs, Instagram is where you will find businesses that consume hardwood lumber, like manufacturers of cabinets, flooring, furniture, molding, millwork, and pallets. Pretty pictures = more sales. Often overlooked by the younger generations, LinkedIn is a powerhouse in its own right. If your customers are over 30-years-old, they are likely to be on LinkedIn. This social platform now has 590 million users, with 260-million users that are active every month. LinkedIn is where you’ll find your decision makers, and it performs almost 300-percent better than Facebook when it comes to generating visitor-to-lead conversions. It is ideal for building relationships with other businesses. In the hardwood industry, you are most likely to find companies that supply services, materials, or equipment on LinkedIn. Facebook shares an audience with LinkedIn, so you will also find a large number of businesses that manufacture, custom kiln-dry, wholesale, or distribute hardwood lumber on LinkedIn as well. is engaging to hardwood flooring customers isn’t what is engaging to hardwood distributors. Learning what defines quality content to your business is where you’ll spend the most time, but once you have learned what it is, everything is less time-consuming.

Social Media Users by demographic

90.4%

Which Social Media Platform Do Your Customers Use?

Finding your sweet spot for engaging content can be accomplished by asking yourself a few critical questions about your business. What does your company do that makes you better than the rest? What problems do your services solve? What value do you provide? What makes you special? Why should customers choose your company over the rest? Your answers to these questions can be turned into quality content. Another source for engaging content is your customers themselves. What questions do your customers ask the most? Focus on making social posts that answer those questions. Ask your most loyal patrons what they like about your business and create content around them. People love to share their moment of fame with their personal social network - and potential customers find it easier to identify themselves through the experience of someone that they relate to. W W W. N H L A .C O M

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SOCIAL MEDIA DICTIONARY: • ENGAGEMENT: Engagement is a metric used to describe the amount of interaction a social post receives such as likes, shares, and comments. • HASHTAG: Represented with the “#” symbol, a hashtag is used to categorize or tag posts. • REACH: The total number of unique people who viewed your content. • IMPRESSIONS: The total number of times your content was dis played to people, including people who saw the content more than once. • ORGANIC REACH: The number of unique people who viewed your content without paid promotion. The distinction between organic and paid reach is that organic reach is free. People come across this content through the feeds, streams, posts, pages of their contacts—friends, family, coworkers, or trusted companies. Companies Making Waves on Social Media An example of a company successfully using Facebook to engage with customers is Northwest Hardwoods (@NorthwestHardwoods). All of the content on their Facebook and LinkedIn pages is relevant to who they are and what they do. It includes a stream of sharable photos, videos, and links. Northwest Hardwoods also does an excellent job of reading the comments that people leave on their page, answering questions, and engaging with their followers. Your company doesn’t have to be huge to get a boost from social media. Another shining example of a company using Facebook to build engagement is Newman Lumber (@NewmanLumber). They effectively use Facebook by applying the 80/20 rule. 80-percent of their posts contain engaging, quality content related to the hardwood industry as a whole, while 20-percent of their posts involve self-promotion. This is a strategic move. Newman Lumber understands that if you only make social posts that look like advertisements, customers have no incentive to follow you, but if at least 80-percent of your content is interesting and engaging, the opposite is true. You will gain followers, and those followers are more likely to engage with your posts regarding self-promotion. Meanwhile, Crow Works (@crowworks) does an exceptional job capitalizing on Instagram’s focus on images. Crow Works posts beautiful photographs of their furniture being used in homes and businesses, which is exactly why Instagram is an excellent place for companies that manufacture cabinets, flooring, furniture, molding, millwork, and pallets. Crow Works also takes advantage of hashtags. Hashtags are represented with the “#” symbol and are used to categorize or tag posts. Hashtags are especially popular on Instagram because they allow potential customers to quickly see posts related to their products. Meanwhile, on LinkedIn Continental Underwriters (@continentalunderwritersinc) does an excellent job using the platform to communicate with decision makers. From posting infographics and articles about their services to highlighting their employees, they are active on LinkedIn. Another LinkedIn feature the company uses effectively

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is community hashtags like #insurance and #forestproducts. These hashtags work just like the ones on Instagram, highlighting your business to people interested in each community. Once you are up and running on the platforms of your choice, you’ll begin to receive analytics on how your posts are performing. This is where you learn which posts are effective and which ones are not, so you can start to hone-in your messaging. Social media analytics uses its own vocabulary. It’s essential that you understand what each term means to know how you are performing. The most significant metric that people have a difficult time understanding is the difference between reach and impressions. The best way to keep the two terms straight is to remember that reach refers to the total number of unique people/accounts that have seen your post (content). Impressions measure the total number of times users saw your post or story – and can include people who saw your post more than once. An effective post on social media has a high reach with high engagements. Read your analytics so you can learn which of your posts are the most successful. Once you know what your audience wants, you can provide more, and increase both the reach and engagement of your page. The hardwood industry (as a whole) has been slow to join social media. It can feel overwhelming to get started, and as a result, many businesses have completely ignored it. It’s time to take a step forward and embrace the benefits it can provide for your business. You don’t need thousands of followers or a flashy marketing campaign to begin using social media. You can start small and build your social presence over time. That said, we invite you to follow NHLA on social media. Facebook: @NHLAOfficial Instagram: @NHLA_Official LinkedIn: @NHLAOfficial Twitter: @NHLA_Official W W W. N H L A .C O M

RULES CORNER

How Much Wane Is Too Much? by DANA SPESSERT, NHLA Chief Inspector

he trend over the last couple of decades for hardwood manufacturers has been to implement optimization technology. With the more widespread use of optimization technology comes the question of how much wane is too much? I will attempt to answer this question with some quotes from the 2019 version of the Rules for the Measurement & Inspection of Hardwood and Cypress. Listed under “Standard Grades” on page 14, paragraph 57 a limitation for the grade of FAS: “Wane shall not exceed on either edge of the piece over one-half the length in the aggregate.” Listed under “Standard Grades” on page 16, paragraph 64 a limitation for the grade of FAS One Face (F1F):

Another paragraph in the rules book that should also be considered is on page 5 as well and is under the heading of “Manufacture”, paragraph 8. “Lumber should be properly manufactured of good, average width and lengths. It should be edged and trimmed carefully to produce the best possible appearance while conserving the usable product of the log. Shipments of rough lumber will admit 25% of surfaced lumber when it is of the specified rough thickness. Contracts for green lumber should specify dimensions required to provide for shrinkage in drying.” In conclusion I would like to say that although the Rules Book does not limit wane in the grades below Selects, careful consideration should be given to the product that you are selling and representing.

“Wane on the No. 1 Common side is limited to the following: the width of wane from both edges, when added together, cannot exceed 1/3 the total width of the piece. The total length of wane on either edge cannot exceed 1/2 the length.”

As always, I stand at the ready to answer your lumber grading questions. Contact me at d.spessert@nhla.com or at 901-399-7551 or send me your questions on Facebook Live with the Chief.

Listed under “Standard Grades” on page 16, in the second half of paragraph 68 a limitation for the grade of Selects:

SAVE THE DATE: JULY 11

“In pieces 6” and wider, wane on the No. 1 Common side is limited to the following: the width of wane from both edges, when added together, cannot exceed 1/3 the total width of the piece. The total length of wane on either edge cannot exceed 1/2 the length.” “In pieces 4” and 5” wide, wane on either face is limited to the following: the width of wane from both edges when added together cannot exceed 1/3 the total width of the piece. The total length of wane on both edges, when added together, cannot exceed 1/2 the length.” The Rules Book lists the minimum requirements for all grades and therefore some boards could just meet these requirements and the rest should exceed these requirements as stated on page 5, paragraph 6: “These rules define the poorest piece in any given Standard or Special grade, but the respective grades shall contain all pieces up to the next higher Standard or Special grade as defined in these rules.”

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RULES CORNER GOES LIVE Have you seen our new “Live with the Chief” broadcast on Facebook? Once a month we invite you to join us as NHLA Chief Inspector, Dana Spessert, answers your lumber-grading questions LIVE on Facebook. Please follow us on Facebook at NHLA_Official to receive notifications on our live broadcasts. The next “Live with the Chief” will be held on July 11, 2019 at 1:00pm Central. Everyone is welcome to send in questions in advance by emailing r.spiers@nhla.com. W W W. N H L A .C O M

IT’S ALL ABOUT

WHO YOU KNOW

NHLA helps hardwood companies achieve profitability and solve their top business challenges with data-driven, expert advice and hands-on training with our dedicated team of National Inspectors. How Can We Help You Reach Your Goals? Let's Talk!

Meet Tom Byers

Specialty: Dispute Resolution, Lumber Inspection, Training and Walnut Inspection Territory: USA-Northeast Tom specializes in offering members education and hands on training programs, inspection services, including walnut inspections.

Tom can be reached at 814-431-5699 or by email at t.byers@nhla.com.

He is a Pennsylvania native who started in the hardwood lumber industry working for local sawmills immediately after his high school graduation. Other positions followed before he decided to advance his career by enrolling in the NHLA Inspector Training School (95th class) in 1988. His dedication and expertise is reflected in the fact that he graduated first in his class. After graduation, Tom worked for several global companies, including ITL Lumber and JT Shannon Lumber before being hired as a NHLA “National” Man in 2006.

To find the National Inspector in your area visit NHLA.com.

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EDUCATION & TRAINING For hardwood business owners and their employees Register for classes at www.nhla.com.

JUNE

3-5

4-6

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: Dabney S. Lancaster College Clifton Forge, VA

Venue: North Carolina State University - Hodges Wood Products Lab Raleigh, NC

Instructor: Barry Kibbey NHLA National Inspector

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

10-13

8-10

8-19

12-23

Intro to Hardwood Lumber Grading

Inspector Training School Progressive Program BLOCK 1

Inspector Training School Proagressive Program BLOCK 1

Venue: Ron Jones Hardwoods Franklin, PA

Venue: NHLA Headquarters Memphis, TN

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

Venue: Yoder Lumber Company, Inc. Millersburg, OH

Venue: Ron Jones Hardwoods Franklin, PA

Instructor: Barry Kibbey NHLA National Inspector

Instructor: Mark Depp NHLA National Inspector

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Instructor: Tom Byers NHLA National Inspector

Two weeks of hands-on training.

Instructor: Tom Byers NHLA National Inspector Block 2: Online study Block 3: Three weeks handson training and final testing at NHLA headquarters.

Two weeks of hands-on training.

Instructor: Rich Hascher, NHLA ITS Instructor Block 2: Online study Block 3: Three weeks handson training and final testing at NHLA headquarters. W W W. N H L A .C O M

EDUCATION IS KEY TO YOUR COMPANY’S SUCCESS “In January 1973, E. N. Beard Hardwood sent me to Memphis. This opened the door to a lifelong wonderful career. Sales, purchasing (green and kiln dried) for over 40 years but more importantly, I inspected/graded at least once a week. I served three years on the Rules Committee and being semi-retired I still enjoy turning boards at least three days a week on a contract basis. Needless to say the school, I feel, was the opportunity of a life time.” — Robert Clark

SEPTEMBER

3-5

3-14

4-Nov. 22

23-27

Intro to Hardwood Lumber Grading

Inspector Training School Progressive Program BLOCK 1

Inspector Training School 190th Class

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: Northwest Hardwoods Marion, NC Instructor: Mark Bear NHLA National Inspector

Two weeks of hands-on training.

Venue: Northwest Hardwoods Marion, NC Instructor: Mark Bear NHLA National Inspector Block 2: Online study Block 3: Three weeks handson training and final testing at NHLA headquarters.

OCTOBER

28-30

28-Nov. 9

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: Purdue University West Lafayette, IN Instructors: Barry Kibbey, and Kevin Evilsizer, NHLA National Inspectors

W W W. N H L A .C O M

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

Venue: Wood-Mizer, LLC Indianapolis, IN Instructor: Barry Kibbey NHLA National Inspector

DECEMBER

2-13

Inspector Training School Progressive Program BLOCK 1

Venue: Purdue University West Lafayette, IN

Venue: NHLA Headquarters Memphis, TN

Instructors: Barry Kibbey, and Kevin Evilsizer, NHLA National Inspectors

Instructor: Rich Hascher, NHLA ITS Instructor

Block 2: Online study Block 3: Three weeks handson training and final testing at NHLA headquarters.

Two weeks of hands-on training.

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

Two weeks of hands-on training.

J U N E 2 0 1 9 H A R D W O O D M AT T E R S |

JOB BOARD

LUMBER GRADER

Located in beautiful West Jefferson, NC, Cobble Creek Lumber, a family-owned business with roots stretching back 50+years, is looking for a qualified Lumber Grader! This position offers full-time hours and weekly pay. In this position, the Lumber Grader will apply NHLA grading rules to inspect lumber at production rates, while maintaining the required grading accuracy. Examine hardwood lumber visually for knots, holes, splits, and other defects and sort for further drying, trimming, or re-manufacturing. Ensures customer specifications (length, width, grade, etc.) are being met. EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: NHLA Certified or equivalent experience. New NHLA graduates are urged to apply! PERKS: Full-Time hours, Weekly Pay, Medical and Dental Insurance. To apply email resume to mbest@cobblecreeklumber.com.

LUMBER INSPECTOR

Northwest Hardwoods is looking for a qualified lumber inspector for their hardwood sawmills in Buena Vista, VA. EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: NHLA Certified Grader. Production lumber grading experience is a plus. PERKS: Northwest Hardwoods has very competitive benefits including health and dental insurance, matching 401K savings plan, paid vacation and holidays, and paid personal time. To apply email resume to john.holte@nwhardwoods.com or call 540-261-3430. Northwest Hardwoods 403 East 29th Street | Buena Vista, VA 24416 Phone: 540-261-3430 | www.northwesthardwoods.com

Cobble Creek Lumber 626 East Buck Mountain | West Jefferson, NC 28694 Phone: 336-844-2620 | www.cobblecreeklumber.com

* To view current job postings or to post a job, visit www.nhla.com/industry-services/job-board.

J U N E 2 0 1 9 H A R D W O O D M AT T E R S

W W W. N H L A .C O M

Picture Perfect.

Inspired by Quality, Service and Forest Stewardship since 1904.

Our 4/4 through 8/4 White Oak Rift and Quarter Sawn lumber is made from specially selected logs and dried to perfection. Combined with exceptional service and 100% guarantee

Pike Brand ® Hardwoods are picture perfect. Try us once, you’ll be back for more!

P.O. Box 247 Akron, Indiana 46910

(800) 356-4554 (574) 893-4511 (574) 893-7400 fax

Sales@PikeLumber.com www.PikeLumber.com

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