building products digest july 2010

BPD BuildingProducts Digest

TRENDS IN TRANSPORTATION � TREATED WOOD SURGE � APA SPECIAL ISSUE

JULY 2010

INDUSTRY NEWS & MONEY-MAKING STRATEGIES FOR LUMBER & BUILDING MATERIAL DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS


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44 � Building Products Digest � July 2010 Building-Products.com


July 2010 �� Volume 29 �� Number 5

Special Features9 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

PRESSURE TREATED WOOD

10 INDUSTRY TRENDSLBM SHIPPERS TACKLE TRUCK SHORTAGE

12 INDUSTRY TRENDSTRANSLOADS EASE ROAD TO RECOVERY

14 FEATURE STORYUPSELL TO ENGINEERED FRAMING PACKS

16 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCEST. LOUIS CHAIN CHOOSES “NOT TOPARTICIPATE” IN RECESSION

28 SPECIAL FOCUS: APA14-PAGE SPECIAL SECTION DEVOTED TO

APA & ENGINEERED WOOD TRENDS

48 PHOTO RECAP: SFPA

50 PHOTO RECAP: AWPA

In Every Issue6 TOTALLY RANDOM

18 OLSEN ON SALES

20 OVER THE COUNTER

22 GREEN RETAILING

42 MOVERS & SHAKERS

44 IN MEMORIAM

45 TALK BACK

46 NEW PRODUCTS

51 ASSOCIATION UPDATE

52 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE

53 DATE BOOK

54 IDEA FILE

54 ADVERTISERS INDEX

BREAKING INDUSTRY NEWS &INDUSTRY PHOTO DOWNLOADS

BUILDING-PRODUCTS.COM

(FOLLOW LINK FOR PHOTOS)

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TOTALLY RandomBy Alan Oakes

66 � Building Products Digest � July 2010

We are in a Greecy spin www.building-products.comA publication of Cutler Publishing

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BPDBuilding Products Digest

SO THERE WE WERE all feeling good about ourselves for a change as business started topick up. I myself attended a number of industry events and watched the economists’

pointers going in an upwards movement, and I felt good that 2011 looks to be the year. In late April, we at BPD could hear the sighs of relief and sense broad grins on the

phone as we called round. From your feedback, business in March and April was prettygood (well, at least comparatively). Then May came along to spoil it. I think that sums upthe state of our economy. While technically the recession has been decreed over, it justdoesn’t feel like a recovery, and a consumer-driven economy such as ours will continue tobe gloomy for some time.

It is such an uneven rebound that none of us can predict with any certainty where it willgo. Many of us are frustrated that we seem to be in a U-shaped trough with no clear wayhow to get out. In all my business life in the U.S., I have never seen or felt the misery indexto be so high. There are so many concerning open-ended issues around the world that Ithink will still greatly impact continued recovery here at home.

While writing this column in early June, the new jobs report came out and the marketstumbled immediately. The private sector is still in a non-hiring mode, and the picture forthe immediate future may not be as rosy as spin doctors are saying. What the report alsoconfirms is that, with about 15 million unemployed (more than double the number whenthe recession hit late 2007), government spending has done little to improve the situation.When government spends $3 for every $2 that comes in, no budget can survive for longunless in the short term it creates the results that spending was intended for. From my van-tage point, I cannot see a return.

I’m fed up with hearing about all the new energy jobs that are being created. Great(although I think that is even debatable), but what about the rest of industry? Like many, Iam concerned about how much national debt has been created for so little return. You canspin it any which way you like, but current policies are just not cutting it and aren’t goingto get us back on the right track. And, when we have already wasted billions of dollars, wedo not have the means to boost the economy with real tax cuts. For me as a business owner,what encouragement is there to invest, with credit impossible to get and the risk/rewardratio offering no incentive to do so. In fact, I have never seen a time less compelling toinvest one’s life savings in starting a business with so much uncertainty amid an anti-busi-ness climate.

So what has happened recently to hinder the recovery? Two things: the news ofGreece’s financial woes and on May 6 an already edgy stock market plunging 1,000 pointsin a matter of minutes followed by wild swings almost every day since—more down thanup. So why is such a small country and market (sorry, to my Greek readers) playing havocon the world economy? Many will say, so what if it goes bankrupt? Our economy has beendoing okay and recovering slowly, but one tiny blip on the radar suddenly sends the wholeworlds stock markets in a tizzy. The Euro drops at record pace and may continue to fall.Except for us tourists, a high dollar is not a good sign, as it will greatly impact exports andcertainly encourage more imports. Of course, the real issue becomes who is next on thelist? Spain? Portugal? Why not closer to home? Perhaps a U.S. state, such as my own,California? And what if the Chinese economy slows? We now more than ever are inter-minably linked globally. Since many European governments have done even less than wedid to prop up the economy, the price they’ll have to pay will impact their economies foryears—perhaps decades—to come. Their citizens are in for a great shock because, as manyof you saw on TV, Europeans are not prepared to give up thegreat social benefits that are unsustainable with an agingpopulation. Cutting benefits will drive up unemploymentand the spin down in the rest of the European economieswill multiply. All these things will not help our businessoverseas and will have an impact here at home.

These two issues have again turned the psyche of us con-sumers. While I sincerely hope I’m wrong, the mood ofthe country just does not feel right! With such uncer-tainty, you cannot but question yourself on everyexpenditure your family makes, and it is thatuneasiness that drives up the level of the mis-ery index, maybe fueling even more unem-ployment and certainly not encouraging peo-ple to move and buy new homes. And, yes,that is what impacts us!

Alan Oakes, [email protected]

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LUMBERYARDS THAT BEGAN switch-ing to a strict pro focus during the

building boom of the late 1990s areonce again wooing consumers, andpressure treated wood has become awinning lure.

“With the slowdown innew home construction,many yards have turned tothe d-i-y market—primarilyoutdoor landscaping andremodeling,” confirmsDennis McWhirter, salesmanager at Exterior Wood,Washougal, Wa.

McWhirter notes thatrecent trends in treatedwood—Good Housekeep-ing Seals and other environ-mental merit badges, nextgeneration preservativesthat, among other attributes,look prettier on a retailrack—are particularly con-sumer friendly.

Treated wood also offerseasy installation, without specialtools, clips or caps.

But the primary selling point isthat, in the middle of a severe reces-sion, treated wood is priced signifi-cantly less than most other alternativematerials.

“People have been under financialdistress for much of the last 18months,” observes George Layton,general manager, treated lumber atCanfor/New South, Myrtle Beach,S.C. “What they would like to spendon a project has been balanced withwhat they feel they can afford tospend, knowing that a return on capi-tal through home appreciation is high-ly unlikely for the foreseeable future.Thus, a resurgence of a less expensive

Treated wood helps d-i-yyards turn the corner

solution—treated lumber—to theirneeds seems to be winning over theother alternative products.”

Yet price alone won’t make thesale. “In a tight economy, consumers

will be less apt to make impulse pur-chases and more likely to spend timeresearching purchases in order to findthe best value,” stress Steve O’Learyand Kim Sheehan, authors of the newbook Building Buzz to Beat the BigBoys: Word of Mouth Marketing forSmall Businesses.

Consequently, dealers should bearmed with the latest sales tools tomake the case for treated wood,including warranty information, safe-ty sheets, and installation guides.Effective “Treated Wood Sell Sheets”can be downloaded as PDFs fromwww.realoutdoorliving.com.

James Riley, chief marketing offi-cer for Great Southern WoodPreserving, Abbeville, Al., notes:

“Pressure treated lumber has alwaysprovided exceptional value when itcomes to choosing products for out-door building. In addition to beingeconomical, it offers fantastic

longevity and is a renew-able resource. New preserv-ative processes also helpedraise the bar when it comesto performance, both prod-uct and environmental, andoverall appearance.”

That said, pricier high-tech plastics, composites,hardwoods, redwood andcedar continue to sell wellin certain markets and arepoised to regain their sharesas fortunes rebound.

“The composite produc-ers,” Layton points out,“have continuously upgrad-ed the performance of theirproducts over the years, andI have no doubt that in thefuture, a less cost-conscious

consumer will return to their normalpurchasing habits as soon as the econ-omy shows signs of long-termimprovement.”

TREATED WOOD, affordably priced and easy to install, may be standing upstronger in the recession than higher-priced alternatives.

– Photo of ProWood Micro from Universal Forest Products

PRODUCT SpotlightPressure Treated Wood

Treated Wood Sales Ammo(from the RealOutdoorLiving“Treated Wood Sales Sheets”)

• Pressure treated wood is the most afford-able material for outdoor building projects.

• No other material is as easy and function-al to work with (no special tools or skillsrequired).

• Nothing is maintenance-free. Simple,yearly maintenance is all that’s needed tokeep treated wood looking natural andbeautiful.


INDUSTRY TrendsTransportation Shortage

Haul GoneLBM distributors grapplewith trucking shortage

DRASTICALLY LOWER SALES of building materials havestung those who produce and sell them—as well as

those who ship them. In fact, with the severe drop-off infreight, an estimated 200,000 trucks have been pulled offthe road over the last two years.

That translates into more than 3,000 trucking firmsgoing out of business in 2008 and more than 2,000 goingunder in 2009. Analyst Donald Broughton, AvondalePartners, predicts another 2,000 trucking companies willclose this year due to higher operating costs and lowerdemand.

And, as lumber distributors painfully discovered duringthis spring’s uptick in business, fewer trucks mean morework to find a shipper and higher freight rates. Just imaginethe hassles once the lumber industry finally does rebound.BPD asked several industry professionals for their

insight on the current transportation challenges:

LONGER DELAYSJim Vandegrift, sales mgr., Bennett Lumber Products,Princeton, Id. “No doubt trucking has become substantially more

expensive and more difficult to procure. Our customers allarrange their own trucks, but what used to be a two- tothree-day delay between release and pickup of an ordernow averages eight to 10 days.”

MANY COMPLAINTSDean Sturz, sales mgr., F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Co.,Columbia Falls, Mt. “We don’t control the trucking out of our facility, we

sell FOB Mill, so I don’t deal with the truckers directly. Ihave heard many complaints, though, from our customerson the subject, and we have seen that it takes longer for our

customers to find trucks for their purchases at our millbecause there are less trucks on the road to choose from.They have also mentioned that freight rates have increased,in some cases dramatically.”

TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMSButch Bernhardt, Western Wood Products Association,Portland, Or.“I’ve heard from some of our mills that getting trucks is

more difficult now. There also have been a lot of center-beam lumber rail cars that railroads parked when marketsdropped that are slow to move back into service.

“We predicted that transporting lumber to market wouldbe an issue once things pick back up. So far, shipments areonly up 11% from last year, which was one of our lowestyears for volume. And look at the transportation problemsthat rise caused. Once home construction activity comesback for real, it may uncover more problems like this.”

ROLLERCOASTER RIDEHeidi Pierson, logistics assistant, Sun Mountain Lumber,Deer Lodge, Mt.“Arranging the freight for our outbound loads is my

daily task. In the last three months, since I have startedarranging trucking, the availability of haulers has beengreatly reduced. Trucking companies and brokers havegone from providing trucks in a day or two down to notbeing able to provide trucks for up to two weeks in somecases. One factor that is driving the shortage is dieselprices. This rise has caused truckers to demand moremoney per mile.

“Another factor would be the destination of each load.We have had many loads going into the Dakotas and arefinding it almost impossible to arrange freight into these


“We have seen the rates move up over the last sixmonths due to fuel increases, but as of late we have beenable to back that down a little because fuel has come down.

“We have had to change the way we chase trucks inorder to move our loads.”

D-I-Y: DRIVE IT YOURSELFBob Quickstad, Hills Products Group, Spearfish, S.D.

“We have had more difficulty hiring both inbound andoutbound trucks the last two years. In some areas we havehad to run our own trucks round-trip to keep deliveriesgoing.”

NO REGULAR ROUTESSteve Ondich, operations mgr., Commercial ForestProducts, Fontana, Ca. “Inconsistency in sales volume has caused erratic ship-

ping schedules. Many truckers do not have regular routesanymore. We’re doing more LTL work and using more car-riers than we used to. If we had to rely on only a couple ofhaulers to move material, we would have a lot of disap-pointed customers.”

YOU NEED PARTNERSTerry Baker, sales mgr., Tri-Pro Cedar Products, Oldtown,Id. “Our long-range transportation model works in times

like these. We use only a few trucking firms, with whomwe have set formulas, fuel rates, etc. We work hard to keepthem busy in the slow times and they work hard to coverour needs when trucks are tight. If we have to go outsidethe circle of our normal truckers, then, yes, it’s very diffi-cult and expensive to get the loads covered.”

DEALING WITH THE CONSEQUENCESSteve Merchant, Landstar Carrier Group, Birmingham, Al.

“We have always focused on those customers that havebeen willing to allow us to develop a long-term relationshipas a partner in their transportation needs. This means thatwe have asked them to pay fair and competitive rates,adjusted for fuel prices and market conditions at the time.

“The lumber business has for the most part been addict-ed to back-haul rates, heavy loads (48,000#), and in manycases their shipments require 8-ft. tarps, also known aslumber tarps. Unless one has ever tarped a load in winter orsummer conditions, and I have only done one back when Iwas a young lad, I can tell you it is one of the worst parts of

TULSA, OK.-based industry giant Arrow Trucking was one of thousandsof trucking firms to file bankruptcy in the last two years.

states. I am told by many of my truckers this is due to avail-able materials and loads returning from there—pretty muchnothing comes back this direction. Truckers would ratherwait for another available load than take one into North andSouth Dakota, even though they are offered more moneyper load.

“Another trend I have noticed was the lumber markettook a long up-rise in the past couple of months, driving thedemand up. We had buyers wanting large volumes of mate-rial due to the price they were receiving from consumers.This caused freight all over to be in large demand becausebuyers were needing these materials quickly before themarket started to fall off.

“Now that the market has started to fall, for about thelast month, I am seeing less demand for materials andfreight. We have gone from arranging several trucks a weekdown to one, two at the most. Although this is the case, Iam still finding some of the shorter hauls hard to arrangefreight for. Truckers are waiting out to take longer hauls tomake more money, causing our cost to rise as well so wecan get trucks to commit.

“On the other side, I am receiving inquires from manysmaller trucking companies looking for possible loads,telling me that things have slowed down dramatically—butnot enough to get truckers to loosen up and take loads.Hopefully, freight will free up somewhat, allowing mills tomove what materials they have sold cheaper and morequickly. All in all, it has been a rollercoaster ride in thefreight world with so many ups and downs in recent weeks.It has been very difficult to predict freight availability andprice from one day to the next with all the uncertainty.”

MOVING TO RAILRobert Harris, lumber sales, Jordan Lumber & Supply,Mount Gilead, N.C.“Trucking has been very tough this year. It seems that

certain lanes have been more difficult than others. It hasbeen particularly tough to get trucks from Georgia to east-ern Tennessee and back to North Carolina. We have had torely on rail shipments much more than in the past andexpect this to be the trend going forward.”

HUNTING FOR TRUCKSJohn Morgan, sales mgr., Morgan Lumber Co.

“Trucks this year have been very difficult. I have had tospend at least two hours a day finding and booking trucks. Ihave heard that over 25,000 trucking firms have shut thedoors or are off the road in the last two years.

“We are definitely seeing the effects of this and with thefuel increase and lack of trucks, freight has gotten verycostly. Some areas of the Northeast, especiallyPennsylvania, are very hard to get to because the trucks saythere are no backhauls out of this area. It is slowly comingto the point to where it will take a part-time employee justto handle booking trucks for our company.”

FEWER SMALL FIRMSRick Kitch, Silver City Timber, Chattaroy, Wa.

“I do see fewer trucks available, but I think more due tosmaller independent guys just getting out of the business. Iused to have quite a list of truckers who had just one to fivetrucks and would work very hard to keep shippers happy.Many of the trucks we see now are part of bigger concernsand their equipment is heavy, or not equipped with tarpsand such.


the flatbed movements, and drivers will choose not to tarpand take different freight when they have the choice, asthey do in the current market conditions.

“Very few of the lumber mills have developed real rela-tionships with those carriers that have capacity, because inthe past few years the market collapsed for trucking com-panies. Customers were able to find trucks at ‘mercenaryrates,’ which the lumber mills took advantage of. I am notsaying they should not have done this, but as with anydecision there is a consequence, and they are now experi-encing that consequence.

“Now many of those trucking companies that hauledfreight at rates that did not really cover their operating

PICK UP A PAPER, read a business journal, or check yourelectronic data, and get a dose of gloom and doom.

Figures show the slump in construction continues in theresidential and non-residential sector. The seasonallyadjusted volume is the lowest recorded in seven years.There is light at the end of the tunnel, albeit a little dim,but for those in business who survive they may find a potof gold as well.

The recession causing the dominos to fall has taken itstoll. Housing is in a slump, and the forest industry closedmills, laid-off workers, and sold inventory to avoid bank-ruptcy. Hundreds of empty lumber rail cars from through-out the West are parked indefinitely along miles of sid-ings in Washington, California and Montana, to the cha-grin of residents and sportsmen who live with thevagrants and negative graffiti they attract. Trucks are idlewith no drivers. It’s a bad scene.

Although LBM inventory is down, transload facilitiesare warehousing, storing inventory, and providing short-term staging. Products are moving domestically andinternationally, but are hampered by equipment short-ages. Railcar equipment shortages? What about all thosemiles of stored cars? Many railroads are re-positioningstored cars to put them back in service.

It’s all about demand, logistics and getting the carsrolling again. According to BNSF, the company is return-ing about 1,100 railcars to service. Some cars have beenstored on the rail line for three years because of the glob-al economic downturn. The company is experiencingincreased demand and is activating idle cars.

Although the railroads are having problems gettingback “on track,” consider the trucking industry. TheAmerican Trucking Association recently completed astudy that shows there is a shortage of 20,000 truckers inthe growing trucking industry. If this continues, the num-ber of truck drivers needed to keep pace in the expandingindustry will reach 114,000 by 2014—a sobering figurein light of the amount of the goods transported by truckacross the country every hour of every day.

The total tonnage to be transported by truck is expect-ed to grow to 13 billion tons by 2014. Without enoughtruck drivers there’s no way to move this by truck. Manytrucking companies have simply shut their doors becausethey’ve been unable to attract qualified drivers. The ATAstudy predicts the need for over 200,000 new long-hauldrivers in the next 10 years. To satisfy the need for dri-vers, leading trucking and transportation employers aretargeting women and minorities. Drivers looking for acareer in long-haul trucking will never find a better timethan now.

It’s “business as usual” at many transload facilities.Transloads provide numerous integrated transportationservices for building materials between manufacturer andfinal destination. They ship railcars of product, handle thetruck freight, trans-loading, warehouse/yard storage, doc-umentation and rail freight all in a seamless transaction.Many transloads provide “value-added bundled services”such as high-production surfacing, detailed moulding andsticker patterns, special cut orders, mix and match, T&Gand customer patterns, custom milling, and lumber resur-facing to service needs in optimum volumes required bycontractors and builders. Most transload distribution cen-ters operate a fleet of service trucks and offer customload building, job site packaging, cut packs, and invento-ry management for JIT delivery.

“Distribution services are the values added that makethe difference between a building owner and a serviceprovider,” says Chuck Kantner, c.e.o. of Ohio’s AIPLogistics. “We are in the transportation business for onereason only—to provide a dependable and comprehen-sive logistics program for our customers. We keep ourwheels turning and your costs down.”

In addition to their warehousing and other transloadservices, AIP specializes in “fill in” work, taking on shorthaul or plant support work to keep their drivers andequipment pre-positioned. They work with customers todesign delivery schedules, while maintaining flexibilityfor unscheduled services. “Drivers like working for AIP,”

Transloads help LBM shippersramp up en route to recovery

expenses have succumbed over time and left the marketdue to hauling freight at unsustainable rates. The markethas flipped over the last few months to where transporta-tion demand is up and the total number of trucks availablehas declined. We continue to provide capacity to those cus-tomers who treated us as partners, such as McShanLumber, and while prices have gone up, our partners stillget preferential pricing, while those people that call us try-ing to be our new friends are put at the bottom of the list,and charged accordingly.

“We have a long-term outlook for our business, and wedo not focus on loads, but rather providing consistent qual-ity service to those businesses that will in return treat us


Kantner adds. “Our drivers are home every night andknow their customer’s needs, since they see them nearlyevery day on their routes.”

Transloaders bundle integrated solutions for theunique supply chain needs of builders: from distributioncenters to special retail packs, from truckload to LTLdeliveries. Transloaders have the capabilities to developturnkey logistics programs.

Saddle Creek Transportation, a premier transload withoperations in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia,Illinois, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina,Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, provides customers addi-tional capacity during business surges to optimize trafficpatterns, control costs, and transportation management.They offer asset-based and non-asset-based transporta-tion/distribution solutions to accommodate increasingdemands of competitive markets.

Saddle Creek helped fiber cement siding manufacturerNichiha USA when the company opened its first U.S.plant. Nichiha needed a strong logistics partner to buildmomentum and meet its business goals. Saddle Creekbecame an extension of Nichiha’s image in everythingfrom product handling in the warehouse to driver conductat time of delivery.

Equipment shortages have been eliminated bytransloaders who have their own fleet of rail-cars and trucks. Westran Services Ltd., NewWestminster, B.C., has made it a priority toeliminate equipment bottlenecks by acquiringsufficient equipment to meet customer’s needs.Their system includes 225 railcars of varyingcapacities and types to handle any demand.Being adjacent to BNSF gives them flexibilityto switch twice daily and provide rapidtransload between truck and rail.

Commodity diversity and providing addi-tional value-added services during the reces-sion has helped transloaders keep their doorsopen. Cascade Warehouse operates three facili-ties in Salem, Or., for rail car loading, handlingplywood and lumber boxcars. They provideample inside warehouse space for storage,along with current orders for timely shipment.

Lumber can be handled in a variety of ways:standard inbound/out-bound, mixing materialsfrom various mills, and stock in storage wait-ing for sale. Cascade also has facilities inChehalis, Wa.; Junction City, Or.; Las Vegas,Nv., and Colton, Ca.

With their rail access to BNSF and UP, CascadeWarehouse has added food-grade storage, warehousingand distribution. Handling frozen foods, food products,and many other commodities augments their declininglumber business.

Transload operators add value for their customers.Railroad Distribution Services, a wholly owned sub-sidiary of Pinsly Railroad Co., has been reloading andtransloading since 1985 and has operations in westernMassachusetts, Central Florida, and Arkansas. All staffand equipment operators are experienced in the ware-housing and distribution of dimension lumber, wallboard,plywood, OSB and various other panel products, pal-letized products, and specialized building materials.

In addition to managing all storage and inventoryrequirements, RDS provides flatbed trucking services foron-time deliveries. RDA has received Lowe’s highesthonor—its Gold Team Award—for three consecutiveyears based on their reliable service record.– Patricia Schlaeger is executive director of the Transload

Distribution Association, West Linn, Or. Reach her at (503)656-4282 or transloadmeeting@ yahoo.com. Find a transloadin your area by browsing TDA’s directory at www.transload.org.

fairly. That does not describe the average lumber brokerfrom the perspective of the trucking industry. The old say-ing is ‘Live by the sword, die by the sword.’ The mills forthe most part have always lived by cheap rates and reliedon the desperateness of the trucks for freight. Thus, intimes when the market flips, they are left in a bad situa-tion.”

CAUGHT IN A LUCKY SPOTJanet Corbett, Warm Springs Forest Products, WarmSprings, Or. “We are lucky to have local trucking companies close

by in Central Oregon that have been very available for our

shipping needs. We also have many wood manufacturingcompanies around us that have products hauled in toremanufacture, and those truckers need to get back out ofthe area and are very receptive to calling on us for out-bound loads. (That’s) not to say that I am not calling a lotduring the day to find them and coordinate the effort, butwe have been able to find trucking for our prompt time-frames to meet with ship loadings.

“At one point California was a tough destination, as notrucks were going that way from our area. But at this time,all seems to be fairly smooth. We do not ship by rail anylonger, as we just go over the mountain to Portland withexport, so trucks are our best option.”

TRANSLOAD FACILITIES, such as Cascade Warehouse, Salem, Or., are strategicallylocated along major transportation routes across the country to offer distribution bytruck, rail or container.


FEATURE StoryBy Jeff Buckley, iLevel by Weyerhaeuser

GUITAR LEGEND JIMI Hendrix oncesaid, “Knowledge speaks, but

wisdom listens.” No doubt he wasn’tthinking about his local lumberyard,but he makes a point all of us in LBMshould remember: When interactingwith customers, take time to fullycomprehend their challenges beforeoffering solutions.

Understanding the advantages thatspecialty lumber and engineered woodproducts provide over commoditylumber can help a sales team recog-nize customer challenges, needs andgoals. Such information provides afoundation for listening effectively forways to add value to the builder. Tothis end, below are five tips regardinghigher-performance framing materialoptions to better meet customers’needs and land the sale.

Fulfill unrecognized needsIf you ask builders what new fram-

ing material types would benefit them,they may or may not have a clearanswer. For example, all have experi-enced the frustration of cullingthrough stacks of commodity lumberto remove defective boards, but maynot have considered that affordablealternatives are available.

With advances in forestry, manu-facturing, testing and grading, somemanufacturers are now offering higherperformance lumber. New featuresinclude boards that are much less like-ly to warp after installation, “crownup” labels that remove the need forvisual inspection or guesswork on thejobsite, and application of moldinhibitors at the mill. Such featureshelp products look great in the yardand perform well during construction,reducing time and money currentlyused to cull commodity lumber andhelping reduce the risk of call-backs.

Another potentially unrecognized

need is tall wall construction. Forwalls over 10-ft. high in entries, foy-ers, and great rooms, builders areaccustomed to platform framing (i.e.stacking shorter walls since longerlumber lengths may not be available).This creates a hinge point that is sus-ceptible to drywall cracks and leaks,especially around windows. Severalengineered lumber products, includinglaminated strand lumber and parallelstrand lumber, provide solutions thatenable single-length studs in walls upto 30 ft. high, while meeting load-car-rying requirements and providingclean wall lines.

Paint a pictureSpecialty lumber and engineered

wood products may be unfamiliar tosome builders and homeowners, soexplaining the benefits in clear, con-crete terms they recognize can behelpful. For instance, someone in ourcompany was speaking with a friendwho had a valuable art collection andwanted to showcase it in his newhome. The friend had never heard ofLSL or thought about structural fram-ing, but after a brief conversationabout how LSL studs could providestraighter walls on which to hang hiscollection, said he would ask his

ENGINEERED LUMBER reportedly is much less likely to warp after installation.

5 tips to upsell structuralframing packages


LSL offers greater consistency and straightness to help ensure smooth and even walls.

builder to use them. A visual representation can also

underscore the benefits. Some dealershave built simple, side-by-side com-parisons of higher-performing framingmaterials versus commodity lumber toshow how framing material selectionis critical to craftsmanship of the fin-ished home.

Emphasize quality and valueWhile price is still often king,

builders may be willing to purchase anupgraded framing package if there is aclear benefit, such as a higher-qualityfinished home, fewer call-backs, lesslabor or a product warranty. Specialtylumber and engineered wood productscan support these goals for homes ofall types.

For example, since custom buildersstake their reputations on craftsman-ship, higher-performance framingmaterials can help ensure quality con-struction throughout the home. Theproducts’ greater consistency andstraightness can help ensure smoothand even walls, in curving staircasesand in rooms with millwork and otherhigh-end finishes.

Production builders may wish toincorporate engineered lumberthroughout a home or to balance per-formance and cost by using differentproducts in specific locations. Thiscould include LSL in kitchens andbaths, where straight and even wallsare most important; specialty lumberin other visible interior walls such asliving rooms, bedrooms and hallways;and commodity lumber in closets and

PARALLEL STRAND lumber can enable single-length studs in walls up to 30 ft. high, meet load-car-rying requirements, and provide clean wall lines.

other locations where finish is lessimportant.

Put price in perspectiveWhen customers focus on the per-

stick price, relating the incrementalcost of higher quality materials to theoverall framing package or total homecost can be helpful. This could includecalling out facts specific to the project,such as “high-performance LSL wallframing throughout this home couldadd less than 1% to the total cost” or“for $500 more, you can get top-quali-ty framing in this $30,000 kitchen.”

Higher-performance framing alsolends itself well to packaging withother products. For example, you maywish to offer LSL or specialty lumber

studs with cabinets and reiterate to thebuilder how straight studs can helpreduce labor costs.

Take solutions to next levelBecause builders are under increas-

ing pressure to streamline the con-struction process, the market for sell-ing pre-manufactured framing compo-nents is growing. Consider supplyingprecision end-trim and labeled kits offraming materials. These can helpspeed installation and improve quality,and provide a way to evolve your ser-vices into panelized framing compo-nents, if desired. The process does notneed to be difficult, since your woodproduct manufacturer may be able toassist with consultations on equip-ment, software and operations.

Another way to show value tobuilders is to highlight how high-per-formance framing materials can fitinto green building. Such materialsmay be SFI certified or carry otherindependent evaluations such as theNAHB’s “Green Approved” productsrating or ICC-ES SAVE program(Sustainable Attributes Verificationand Evaluation). Manufacturers canprovide details on their products’ cer-tifications, and what these programsmean for builders.

Product options are always increas-ing, and framing is no exception. Therange of performance characteristicsavailable provides dealers ampleopportunities to develop packages thatbest meet customers’ specific needs.– Jeff Buckley is the southeast division

general manager of wood products foriLevel by Weyerhaeuser, www.ilevel.com;(888) 453-8358.


“RECESSION?” DECLARES Rick Pogue, general managerof Arrowhead Building Supply. “We chose not to

participate in it.”“Everyone is looking for ways to cut costs,” he

observes. “But we take a different approach. Arrowheadfights with a sword, not a shield.”

So April was as good a time as any to expand to a fifthSt. Louis-area location, this one in Hollister, Mo.

The exterior supply company was founded in 1997 byRick’s dad, company president and owner, who broughtwith him years of experience in a previous yard. Ricksigned on in earnest (“I’ve been here all my life”) 10 yearsago and started right in making changes.

“Oh yeah,” he acknowledges that dust-up with a satis-fied smile you can hear across the telephone wires. “Wehad 35 employees and no plans for expansion, but havingbuilt a good team, I could plan ahead and not spend mytime on the day-to-day nuts and bolts of the operation.”

Fighting with a sword

ARROWHEAD’S large, free-wheeling 40-truck fleet allows it to guarantee delivery within three hours.

He pushed for a second store in 2001, a third operationin 2006, number four in ’08, the fifth this spring, and theend’s nowhere in sight. Says Rick, “We’ve got a model wecan take anywhere: Whatever market we enter, we can dowell.”

“Our model is the best there is,” he continues. And it’snot a fancy, Harvard MBA-type scheme. It’s simply this:“We don’t tell our customers what they want; they tell us.We don’t dictate. We listen.”

And what Arrowhead hears, over and over again, is:Time is money. Contractors need those shingles (or what-have-you) yesterday. And right there on the rooftop, sothey don’t have to hoist them from the mud.

“Everything we do is built around expediency,” Rickspells out what he’s mandated as the company’s uniqueniche. “For instance, we design and build our own truckequipment, including a pull-and-lift bed so workers don’tneed to climb on and off the truck.”

Expediency also is the basis of Arrowhead’s marketingmantra, touted via its 3/15 slogan. Call in your order, andArrowhead pledges to deliver it—not same day, how old isthat? Even Arrowhead’s competitors now can make thathappen—but within three hours, a feat others haven’t gotthe fleet of vehicles to match. Likewise, a contractor canphone in his order for a box of nails with no need to parkand cool his heels at the counter. It’s waiting at Hollister’sbrand-new drive-in window in 15 minutes, the McDonald’sof the industry.

This kind of out-of-the-box thinking is nothing new to

COMPETITIVE IntelligenceBy Carla Waldemar


buy whatever amount you need from us: We’ll deliver it soyou never even have to touch it, while you’ll still make$100 or $200 on the order.” In fact, Rick has created twomarket networking groups to share job leads and go afternew business in Missouri, and Arrowhead has gained over$2 million of that new business through these groups.

This GM’s not just talkin’. When you pin him down tonumbers, be prepared to be impressed. As he says, “Whenthe recession started in 2007, our competition closedbranches and laid off people; they walled up and protectedtheir top customers. We do just the opposite. We went aftereverybody’s customers to add contractors, even if theirbusiness was slow. Later, they’d remember us. So in thepast 18 months, we’ve added 700 new accounts. In the pasttwo years, our sales have been the best ever. We’d had ourbest year ever in 2002 at $22 million. By 2008, we hit $25million, and then $27.5 million last year.”

Another reason is that Rick hires astutely—“by attitude,not experience. I look for someone who’s positive, magnet-ic, passionate. I don’t want to babysit my employees. Wehave the very best salespeople in the business, and I havemy own list of what I critique them on—the six As: atti-tude, ambition, autonomy, assertive-ness, awareness and accuracy. Theirjob is to get new customers to try us.Once they do, we usually have theirbusiness going forward because wemeet and exceed their needs.”

More innovative schemes ahead?“Well, I’ve got dad breathing intoa paper bag. His hair’s turnedwhite,” Rick laughs. But, itlooks like his retirement homewon’t be the poorhouse.

Rick. In 1992—again, with his contractors’ needs inmind—he came up with the idea of offering dumpster ser-vice to roofers. It works like this: Buy new shingles fromArrowhead and they’ll haul off, grind up and recycle theold ones. And it’s free. “It’s a neat idea,” its author agrees.“I developed it to steal customers from our competition,and it’s working. Last year it brought in $1 million in busi-ness.”

Neat idea? He’s full of them. How about this one? Rickpulled an inside salesman off the floor, gave him a list anda phone, and turned him into a telemarketer. The man’s jobis simply to call existing customers and thank them for theirorders. “It’s amazing how much new work you get out ofthat,” says Rick—the “oh, while we’re on the phone”$4,000 orders.

He also reaches new customers via radio ads. Hey, waita minute! How Old School is that? As he explains, “Afriend—the biggest contractor in town—talked me into it,and it’s drawn a lot of new people. It’s paid off, and I’mhappy. You can’t be afraid to try something new”—includ-ing Facebook, where Arrowhead now boasts a page. Oh,but here’s one modern device you won’t encounter (thankgoodness): voicemail. “I won’t allow it,” the boss isadamant. “Everyone gets to talk to a real, live person.”

And on its website, it now includes another smart-think-ing feature: a link to the National Oceanic & AtmosphericAdministration weather reports. As Rick instructs, “Stormsbring lots of business to our contractors; they love ’em. Sothey watch to see when and where, and then head over.”

The website also acts as a match.com service to unitehomeowners looking for professional help with a vetted listof contractors. Plus, the new Hollister showroom allowsthese pros to bring in their homeowner customers and turnthem over to Arrowhead’s staff.

Arrowhead also offers a bit more structured instructionthrough Arrowhead University—just “don’t call themworkshops! That has a bad name!” Here, the company pre-sents new products and practices, such as how to install askylight or metal roof, as well as techniques for sales in thehome—“and our contractors love them. We offer 20-25 ayear and 15 to 40 contractors show up.” And get a swellfree lunch, besides.

Another big reason to do business with Arrowhead is itsBuilders Club affiliation, rewarding every $10 purchasewith two points to apply toward a free vacation. “It costs us1.2%,” says Rick, “and it’s well worth it.”

Clearly, Rick walks the walk. He also talks it. As amember of an 185-company-strong buying group, he’s seenboth good independent businesses and others doomed tofail. To encourage the laggards to commit to change, he’swritten a pamphlet called “A Declaration of Independents,”which warns owners that “You can’t just wait around forsomething to happen. Home Depot will always offer lowerprices, so do something different to compete.

“Independents have the advantage over the chains bybeing able to adapt to change—make a quick commanddecision—while places like ABC take years, like steering abattleship. And independents can take each customer on acase-by-case basis, not having to look to corporate policy.”

Yet, he laughs, “Home Depot and Lowe’s aren’tArrowhead’s competitors; they’re our customers. Theycan’t get the roofing material onto the roof, so they buyfrom us and we use our equipment. Same for other lumber-yards: Instead of them buying a whole carload of shingles,which sits around as it’s doled out, little by little, simply Carla Waldemar

[email protected]

MISSOURI CHAIN offers services other dealers can’t, aided in part byequipment it’s custom-designed itself—including the Load Warrior, whichtransfers recyclable shingles from its fleet of 200 rental containers to larg-er containers.


James OlsenReality Sales

Training(503) 544-3572james@reality-

salestraining.com

not. Nothing derails sales velocitymore than working accounts that donot fit our profile. If our “ideal” cus-tomer isn’t exactly clear to us, we:

• Look at our current bestaccounts. This is a great place tobegin to define our ideal target.

• Look at the great sellers aroundus. What kind of accounts are themonster sellers doing business with?

Measuring Sales Velocity“How long will I call an account

without an order before I move on?”“What is a profitable account?” “Which accounts are too small?” “Which fish is too small to keep in

the boat?”Without answers to these questions,

we will spend hours of wasted timeand energy on accounts that are toosmall to ever help us.

Connect All CallsWe must connect all calls. Phone

sellers are easy to forget and blow off,road salespeople cannot afford to missan appointment. When we finish withany call, we simply say, “Susan, whenshould I call you back on this?”

Or the more assumptive, “John, I’llcall you back today at 2:55. Will yoube around then?”

Be specific. Tomorrow morningisn’t good enough. Tomorrowat 8:55 a.m. is.

Building relationshipsand trust takes time.Working on sales velocityin our sales process will helpus reach our goalsfaster!

“WE’RE ALL GOING to be million-aires; it’s just a question of

how long it’s going to take us to doit.”

– Sven MelboHow do we make things happen

faster? I work with salespeople whoare great once they get in front of thecustomer, but it takes them too longto get in front of the customer! Notonly does it take them too long, theyhave a tough time moving the processalong with the customers they do getin front of.

We’ve talked about the fear ofbeing “pushy.” The differencebetween master sellers and those thatstruggle is that the struggling sellerthinks about being pushy and the mas-ter seller thinks about helping cus-tomers and winning. Master sellersaren’t pushy; they’re persistent. Howwe are persistent is our choice but thenon-persistent salesperson doesn’texist.

At every step in the sales process,with existing or new customers, thereare steps we can take to increase oursales velocity.

One way to think about sales veloc-ity is to think about our sales career asa boat that has a constant leak. Themaster seller bails (sells) faster thanthe leak, the good seller bails at aboutthe same rate, and the struggling sellerdoesn’t even know they need to bailuntil the boat hits the bottom of theocean.

Prospecting: Be Prepared.We need a good list. Many sellers

prospect one at a time. They get on theinternet, look up a company, and callthem. When this call is done, theylook up another and do it again. Thisis slow work. We need to create agood list first, during non-selling time.After the list is created, we keep it inour “Prospecting” file for ready use.

Prospecting: ScriptsScripting gets a bad name. We

don’t want to sound like robots, butwriting out the objections we will faceand our best responses will accelerateour sales process. The majority of sell-ers we compete against will shirk thisbasic but major velocity tool. “Ialready know what I’m going to say,”“I don’t want to sound mechanical,”and other excuses are used to avoidthis intellectual leadership sales prepa-ration. Don’t be one of them. Nothingwill make us sound more natural andconfident than being prepared.

We don’t read our scripts. Scriptsare the preparations we make to movethrough initial resistance more quick-ly. If we want to set ourselves apartfrom the crowd, we need well thoughtout responses to common objections.Preparation allows for improvisation.

The act of thinking through andputting our responses in writing willgive us the conviction it takes to sellwell, to convince others quickly.

When asked, most sellers say theyare “relationship sellers,” whichmeans they act nice and hope for thebest. Master sellers act nice and pre-pare for all possible sales situations.

Prospecting: QualificationWe must know exactly which cus-

tomers we can help and which we can-

Increase your sales velocity

OLSEN On SalesBy James Olsen


Mike [email protected]

old-school merchandising rut. Be boldand innovative. Moving displaysaround every other month or so givesyour sales counter a new look andkeeps your customers alert to makenew discoveries.Upsize it. If high school kids can

persuade customers to “add fries tothat burger” then anyone can learnhow to “upsize” orders at the salescounter, too. Some may think that sell-ing add-ons is too “high-pressure,” butthe truth is most customers appreciatethe extra attention. Trust is essential inadd-on selling. Avoid recommendingan item unless there truly is a benefitto your customer. Selling up creates aprofessional image that identifies youas a specialist in your industry. It paysto sell up.Reduce it. Most branch managers

equate “having a sale” with “taking aloss” on old products. But, with care-ful planning, a sale can be a money-making opportunity. Instead of dis-playing only the obsolete products,mix in some new products as well.Before the scheduled sale, take advan-tage of vendor promotions and buy forthe sale. Display the new products at aslight discount alongside the sale mer-chandise.Throw it out. If it’s damaged and

not returnable, or if it’s an obsoleteitem that survived the sale, get rid ofit. Scrap it, give it away, whatever.Don’t tie up inventory dollars andvaluable shelf space with materialthat’s going to be written off at yournext inventory anyway.

This isn’t a one-timefix, but an ongoing main-tenance plan. Relentlesslyfocus on the elements ofpersuasion to ensurethat the perfor-mance you deliverexceeds your cus-tomers’ expecta-tions.

EVERY ELEMENT in the sales countercan be a tool of mass persuasion

or an instrument of sales prevention.Whether customers feel like welcomeguests or troublesome pests dependsupon how well these elements areengineered.

First, understand that everythingmatters. From the broken caster on thedisplay to the empty toilet paper dis-penser, customers unconsciouslygrade your company on a mental scalethat weighs their expectations againstthe service that you actually deliver.The performance of most dealers fallssadly short of customers’ expectations.

No one sets out to make a poorimpression. A newly launched salescounter, well organized with product-filled shelves and walls, underscoredby the smell of fresh paint, is some-thing to behold. But then the phonerings and customers are waiting and itjust happens over time—dust gathers,signs fade, and paint peels. It occursgradually, but the impact is immedi-ate. Customers believe that you nolonger care as much you once did.

That’s when it’s time to stand backand take a look at what the counter hasbecome. This article will help youtransform an aging sales counter into atool of mass persuasion.

While most of the suggestions willseem familiar and easy, it’s their sim-ple nature that makes them so oftenoverlooked or deemed unimportant.To recognize just how critical theseelements are to major players in theconstruction industry, take a surveil-lance trip to Lowe’s, Ace Hardware,or Grainger. You’ll see that these busi-nesses show a healthy appreciation forthe elements of persuasion.

Now, for the health of your ownbranch, here are seven ways to amp upyour sales at the counter:Price it. Traditionally, items sold at

the sales counter are not priced, butthis could change if industry consul-tants and marketing experts have theirway. Citing research from surveys andstatistics, both groups make a convinc-ing case that in sales counters where

the merchandise is priced, sales climbas much as 20%. The reason for this istwo-fold: first, some customers willnot ask a salesperson for a price sothey just don’t buy the product, andsecond, some customers believe if it’snot marked, it must be expensive.Adding price tags overcomes both ofthese objections.Clean it. The downside of growing

up is that mom’s not around to tell youwhen it’s time to clean your room any-more. So, take a good hard look atyour counter area. Is there dust on thedisplays and cobwebs on the ceiling?Abandoned soda cans and cups ofmoldy coffee on shelves? Wipe downall horizontal surfaces and anywhereelse that dust gathers. Buy a shop vacto reach the corners and under dis-plays. Don’t forget to clean the mudand fingerprints off the front door.Cleaning is a task that is never com-plete. Make your mom proud; take outthe trash before it overflows.Paint it. If the walls of your store

still look dingy, faded, and tired, it’stime for a fresh coat of paint. It’s aninexpensive and fairly easy way togive any sales counter that new-and-improved appearance. Light, neutralcolors are best for persuasive environ-ments. Special note: If your salescounter is still sporting brown peg-board from the ’60s, it’s time for amakeover. A bucket of paint providesa lot of bang for your buck.Move it. Even positioning a gondo-

la a certain way can make a differencein product sales. Don’t get stuck in an

Build up your sales counter

OVER THE Counter By Mike Dandridge

Photo by Johnstone Supply


Cedar Creek Buys Alamoafter Equity Firm Takes Reins

Weeks after being acquired itselfby a private equity firm, Cedar Creek,Tulsa, Ok., has purchased threewholesale distribution yards in Texasfrom Alamo Forest Products, SanAntonio, Tx.

The acquisition adds yards in SanAntonio, Houston and Harlingen toCedar Creek’s nine locations.

Charlesbank Capital Partners hadjust picked up a majority stake inCedar Creek, vowing to expand intonew geographic areas.

As part of the recapitalization deal,William Adams was installed as chair-man and c.e.o. of Cedar Creek. ClarkWiens, David Bond, and D. WayneTrousdale will retain minority equitystakes as well as senior executivepositions with the company.

Poulin Growing in VermontPoulin Lumber, Derby, Vt., is

expanding into central Vermont withthe addition of a new yard inWilliamstown.

Poulin expects to open its fourthlocation July 16 at Lacillade Lumber’srecently shuttered 36-acre complex,which included a 28,000-sq. ft. show-

room, 18,000-sq. ft. warehouse, and8,000-sq. ft. truss plant.

The main building is currentlybeing renovated into a two-story AceHardware plus drive-thru warehouse.It will open with six to 10 workers, butpredicts that number eventually couldrise to 20 to 25. “We expect to seri-ously grow in the next four years,”said general manager Scott Flynn.

Remodel Anticipates ReboundSanford & Hawley has renovated

its flagship location in Farmington,Ct.—the largest makeover in theyard’s 126-year history.

The $500,000 project includeddemolition of three buildings and partof a fourth, construction of a new9,000-sq. ft. warehouse, and relocationof an 1890s house, used for offices inbusy times, to elsewhere on the site.

“We tend to do our projects indown years,” said v.p. Frank Sanford,one of three brothers who run the fam-ily business. “It’s getting in positionfor the next upswing.”

Sanford said that the lumber busi-ness is beginning to show signs of sta-bilizing, mostly from an increase inremodeling, and is optimistic housingwill begin to improve later this year.

DEALER Briefs84 Lumber is closing its yard in

Lake City, Fl., consolidating operationsinto other stores in the region.

T.H. Rogers Lumber Co. suf-fered nearly $1 million in damage June3 when lightning struck and set fire tothe home decorating center next to itsVinita, Ok., lumberyard.

Home Hardware Center ,Winnfield, La., has acquired BuildersMart True Value, Tylertown, Ms.,as its 17th location (Chase Holmes,mgr.), a month after opening #16 inMarksville, La. (Keith White, mgr.).

Elliott’s Hardware has placedits flagship Dallas, Tx., store up forsale, in hopes of relocating to a smallerbuilding.

Mayfield Hardware Co. ,Covington, Ga., will focus on house-wares and home care items at its storeon the Square, after eliminating itshardware department and transferringits repair/maintenance specialists to itsNewton Plaza location.

LOOKS LIKE

WEATHER

LOOKS LIKE

WEATHER

ULTIMATELY, THE WAYS IN which homes are designedand built influence the kinds of products and solutions

GREEN RetailingBy Jay Tompt

Get up on green roofsthat make their way into the “shelter supply chain.” Thegreen building movement has blossomed over the last 10years, and the thinking at its core has, too. References to“systems thinking” occur more frequently in conversationsconcerning all aspects of building science and practice.Buckminster Fuller would be happy.

But it’s early days and there is much more progress tobe made. The carbon footprint of the building industry isstill two or three times above where it will need to be inorder to meet whatever carbon reduction target eventuallybecomes national policy.

The next waves of innovation are pushing forward moreholistic solutions, creating new opportunities for the longterm. Savvy dealers and distributors could do well to beginmaking moves into green roofs and modular shelters.

A green roof is exactly what it sounds like—plantsgrowing on the roof. The idea is old, but current approach-

LOOKS LIKE

WEATHER

LOOKS LIKE

WEATHER

Jay TomptManaging Partner

Wm. Verde & Associates(415) 321-0848

[email protected]

more holistically?There has been growing interest in green prefabs and

modular building for use on homesteads, backyards, andeven roofs. New designs incorporate the greenest materi-als, are solar powered, collect rainwater, and even comewith a green roof. (For an example, see Tensen EcoBuildings at www.tensenbuildings.co.uk).

It’s not hard to see the appeal. These products are muchless expensive and more feasible than buying a biggerhouse or financing a room addition. Building permits maynot even be necessary. As more people seek to becomeself-sufficient, growing their food, and simplifying theirlives, these cool little shelters are even becoming preferredways to live.

A hundred years ago, this sup-ply chain sold goods to peoplewith sod roofs and even soldhomes. Thinking of your owndealer or distribution businessas a member of the “shelter sup-ply chain” will help position itfor the inevitable low-carbonfuture to come.

es are based on the latest systems thinking. A good greenroof system takes in the entire building ecology and water-shed. Storm runoff is managed; perhaps rainwater is har-vested and reused within the building. The plants effective-ly filter rainwater, provide habitat, and maybe even foodfor inhabitants. The building’s energy requirements forheating and cooling are reduced, as are heat island effects.Organic wastes are composted, loops are closed. The over-all CO2 footprint is reduced. A green roof provides manyservices for the building, its occupants, and its neighbors,what a permaculture practitioner would call “stackingfunctions.”

The number of green roof installations is growing andthere could soon be tax credits to keep it growing. Savvydealers would do well to start learning about green roofs,visit local projects, and scout products. New product inno-vations are coming to market that are contributing to bettersystems with greener materials, built faster with easiermaintenance, etc. Consider the whole system and how youmight innovate within your own organization to grow thisaspect of your business next year. Learn more at GreenRoofs for Healthy Cities (www.greenroofs.org), an indus-try association. Most importantly, build relationships withlocal green roof designers and builders.

The other wave of opportunity is with modular shelters,a perfect example of holistic design that contributes to sus-tainability and self-reliance. This may not seem obvious,but at bottom, we are really in the business of providingshelter. Rather, the shelter is the continuing service thatcustomers are getting from their building system, the com-ponents of which are sourced from various places andassembled by various workers. Why not provide shelter

WEATHER OR NOT,

REVOLUTIONIZES FLOORING.

WEATHER OR NOT,


Get ready for a whole new approach to dealing with edge swell: pointSIX™ from Ainsworth, an engineered subfloor solution designed to accommodate whatever

wet stuff the weather serves up. It does so thanks to a patented tapered-edge technology that actually

offsets the effects of prolonged moisture exposure. The result: floors that go down flat and stay

that way—no sanding required.

PointSIX takes its name from research results indicating a minimum .6mm taper depth to be most effective

in reducing edge swell.

Missouri Lumberyard ReorganizesGalloway Lumber, Kirksville, Mo., filed for Chapter 11

bankruptcy protection May 5, but intends to reopen afterrestructuring.

Kim Galloway, who co-owns the 30-year-old yard withher son, said the business would reopen June 18 “undernew management and operating under a new businessmodel.” They also plan to sell part of the property and leaseanother part.

New Owners Spruce Up Iowa YardGCI Building Supply, Belle Plaine, Ia., has been

renamed Belle Plaine Lumber by new owners Doug andAmy DeMeulenaere, who hosted a May 15 open house.

“We want to tie the community to the business a little,”said Doug. “It’s more than just a place to buy a board. Thebusiness is built around the community.”

Inside the store, changes include new inventory, updateddisplays, and installation of a new point-of-sale inventoryand sale system. Contractor referral services are available,and the business offers free estimates and local delivery.

Outside, a storefront adjacent to the business is availablefor rent to a commercial tenant, as is a recently completed1,500-sq. ft. extension at the business’ west end. “I’m try-ing to turn it into a mini shopping center,” said Doug.

CertainTeed Restarts Roofing PlantTo meet increased demand for asphalt roofing in the

West South Central region, CertainTeed will rebuild andupgrade its plant in Ennis, Tx., closed since February 2007.

The Landmark shingle facility is expected to be fullyoperational in early 2011, adding 50 new jobs.

DEALER BriefsZarsky Lumber, Victoria, Tx., purchased Coast

Lumber, Port Aransas, Tx., during foreclosure proceedings.

Terryville True Value Hardware, Terryville, Ct., isclosing after nearly 100 years.

Hermon True Value Hardware, Hermon, Me., hasbeen opened by Tom Tillson and Richard Pfirman, owners ofTillson True Value, Dexter, Me.

Turbyfill Hardware, Denver, N.C., is closing after 35years, with the retirement of founders Joe and Jean Turbyfill.

Chuck and Sally Allen, owners of Rockford AceHardware, Rock-ford, Mi., have acquired the neighboringRay Kunst Garden Center from Pete Kruer.

Lowe’s has acquired a 20-acre site in Commack, N.Y.

Menards has broken ground for a new store on 16 acresin Columbus, Oh., for a February 2011 completion.

Ace Fence, Plano, Tx., held a grand opening June 11 forits newest location in Tyler, Tx. (Mike Klueppel, mgr.).

Habitat for Humanity opened a 6,000-sq. ft.ReStore discount LBM outlet in early June in Traverse City,Mi., and unveils a ReStore July 16 in Newbury Township, Oh.(Meredith Ashkettle, mgr.).

WEATHER OR NOT,


WEATHER OR NOT,


Get ready for a whole new approach to dealing with edge swell: pointSIX™ from Ainsworth, an engineered subfloor solution designed to accommodate whatever

wet stuff the weather serves up. It does so thanks to a patented tapered-edge technology that actually

offsets the effects of prolonged moisture exposure. The result: floors that go down flat and stay

that way—no sanding required.

PointSIX takes its name from research results indicating a minimum .6mm taper depth to be most effective

in reducing edge swell.

MacDonald & Owen Lumber, Sparta, Wi., hasacquired PW Hardwoods, Brookville, Pa.USP Structural Connectors, Burnsville, Mn., has

acquired an equity interest in construction design softwaredeveloper Structural Soft, Palo Alto, Ca. Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., has completed the $400-

million acquisition of Grant Forest Products’ OSB facili-ties in Allendale and Clarendon, S.C., and Englehart andEarlton, Ontario.

Morgan Lumber, Red Oak, Va., is increasing its dryingcapacity with the addition of a new USNR counter-flow kilnsystem and a direct-fired burner.

Tolleson Lumber, Preston, Ga., is adding a visionupgrade for its LHG planer mill grade scanning system.

South Shore Millwork, Norton, Ma., is seeking taxconcessions to add 30,000 sq. ft. to its plant.

Columbus Wood Products, Columbus, Oh., hasfiled for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation—three months afterfalling into receivership.

SRS Acquisition Corp. has purchased 4-unit window,roofing and siding distributor Pace Supply Corp.,Lansdale, Pa.

Former owner Al Edwards and his management team willstay on, continuing to operate under the Pace name.

SUPPLIER BriefsNew England Building Material Dealer Ups Stake in Lumber

Waltham Lime & Cement Co., Waltham, Ma., isincreasing its stock of lumber products after changing itsname to Waltham Lumber, effective June 1.

The company began in 1930 as a distributor of masons’and plasterer’s supplies. It started adding other constructionsupplies, including drywall, in the 1960s and expanded towood products in the 1990s. Lumber now makes up a largeportion of its business.

“We felt increasingly that our old name, in spite of asentimental attachment that comes with an 80-year associa-tion, no longer accurately portrays the breadth of our busi-ness,” said president Robert M. Derderian.

He added, “While we remain committed to our tradition-al product lines and customers, we want to offer local areacontractors and homeowners an independent, family-ownedlumberyard as an alternative to big box stores.”

Westlake Hit with Second Wage SuitA second failure-to-pay-overtime lawsuit has been filed

against Westlake Hardware, Lenexa, Ks., one month after aprevious case reached a settlement agreement.

A district court judge conditionally certified a potentialclass of over 300 supervisors and managers. The suit alsoseeks unpaid overtime and damages for alleged wage andhour misclassification under federal law. Westlake main-tains that the allegations have no merit.

In the earlier case, Westlake agreed to pay $125,000 inovertime and penalties plus $130,000 in attorney fees andcourt costs to 16 employees. Westlake settled to avoid thecostly litigation, insisting it had not violated the law.

FORECAST: PEACE OF MIND.

The tapered-edge treatment on pointSIX™ Flooring is small, but the difference it makes in dealing with edge swell is

huge. What’s more, Ainsworth offers unprecedented delamination guarantees, warranting pointSIX Flooring for 25 years and pointSIX Durastrand Flooring … for life.

Learn more and download your free white paper by visiting www.pointsixflooring.com

Look for standard pointSIX Flooring (turquoise edge) to deliver solid performance when costs count, and premium pointSIX Durastrand Flooring (purple edge) for projects that demand the “best of the best.”

Cost more? No. Work better? Yes. End of story.

iLevel by Weyerhaeuser is now distributingCMPC’s Selex radiata pine plywood and beaded panelingacross the U.S.

Cook & Boardman Group, Charlotte, N.C., acquiredSBS Commercial Door & Hardware, with 13 locationsamong four divisions—Martin Architectural Products,Raleigh, N.C.; Hollow Metal Specialists, Sarasota, Fl.;Precision Doors & Hardware, Alexandria, Va., andArchitectural Building Supply, Salt Lake City, Ut.

SBS’ Chris Robinson has joined Cook & Boardman asexecutive v.p. and c.o.o.

Oldcastle Materials, Atlanta, Ga., purchased 12 readymixed concrete locations, two block plants, and one aggregatedistribution terminal from Schwab Industries’ bankruptcyproceedings. Acquired were Twin Cities Concrete,Quality Block & Supply, Medina Supply Co.,Schwab Ready-Mix, and Eastern Cement Corp.facilities in northeast Ohio and southwest Florida.

VT Industries, Holstein, Ia., is rebranding its IDEAL Doorlines under the VT Architectural Wood Doors brand.

VT had maintained the name since acquiring IDEAL’s plantin New Albany, In., two years ago.

Arch Wood Protection has had the Good House-keeping Seal extended to include all forms of Wolmanizedwood products. Since August 1, 2005, the Seal has applied tocertain types of Wolmanized Residential Outdoor wood.

SUPPLIER Briefs

True Value Opens Company Store True Value held a May 13-16 grand opening for its first

corporate-owned location—a larger-format 12,300-sq. ft.store located near its headquarters in Chicago, Il.

“This is a lab for us,” said Lyle Heidemann, who hasserved as True Value’s c.e.o. since 2005. “It’s about, ‘Howcan we help our retailers become more efficient?’”

The store measures nearly 50% larger than the typicalTrue Value, providing additional space for wider aisles,

NEW CORPORATE-OWNED location is a “lab” for True Value.

FORECAST: PEACE OF MIND.

The tapered-edge treatment on pointSIX™ Flooring is small, but the difference it makes in dealing with edge swell is

huge. What’s more, Ainsworth offers unprecedented delamination guarantees, warranting pointSIX Flooring for 25 years and pointSIX Durastrand Flooring … for life.

Learn more and download your free white paper by visiting www.pointsixflooring.com

Look for standard pointSIX Flooring (turquoise edge) to deliver solid performance when costs count, and premium pointSIX Durastrand Flooring (purple edge) for projects that demand the “best of the best.”

Cost more? No. Work better? Yes. End of story.

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more remodeling products such asdecorative hardware, and a biggerpaint department—to better attractfemale shoppers.

“Women are the majority of home-improvement shoppers and make themajority of home-improvement deci-sions,” said analyst Marti Barletta.“Men tend to repair this and that.Women tend to take on the projectsthat involve ‘let’s redo the bathroom’or ‘let’s redo the cabinets.’”

Heidemann said that the new storehelps those at headquarters understandwhat independent storeowners experi-ence every day. Even though corpo-rate employees don’t work at the store,they decide how it operates and areresponsible for its sales and profits.

In less than three years, 105 of TrueValue’s 3,500 stores have converted tothe same large format—and posted anaverage 10% increase in revenue.Another 175 stores are expected toconvert by the end of this year.

Reload Opens in New EnglandThe CrossGlobe Group, Glen

Allen, Va., has added a new outdoortransfer yard at its rail-sided ware-house in Monson, Ma.

Kirk Bryant, ex-Quaboag Transfer,

has joined Cross-Globe as generalmgr. of the New England region. TomStokes, ex-Quaboag, is now salesdirector for New England.

Double-Arsonist ConvictedAn employee of Home Depot,

Bainbridge, Oh., has been convictedof twice setting fire to the store.

The fires on July 24 and July 31,2009, were started in various placesthroughout the store, including insidemerchandise boxes and behind acounter. Fingerprints found on evi-dence from the fire were traced toAriel J. Alcaide, 22.

As part of his sentencing, he mustpay $259,477.24 restitution to Depot.


THRE CAN BE NO DOUBT today thatthe sustainability movement and

green building in particular are here tostay. Green building criteria are, infact, now codified in numerous build-ing codes and national standards, andincreasing numbers of local jurisdic-tions are adopting green buildingrequirements.

Nor can there remain muchdoubt—given both the objective dataand a growing body of real world casestudies—that wood, and engineeredwood in particular, can and does makean important contribution to the wor-thy goals of sustainability and greenbuilding.

The common sense and scientificsupport for the green credentials ofwood is substantial, long-standing,and well documented.

• Wood’s strongest suit is perhapsits most obvious—wood is the onlynaturally renewable building material.That fact is made all the more com-pelling by the corollary truth, contrary

Studies in sustainabilityWood is demonstrating its green credentials by example

By Jack Merry

to common misperception, that forestgrowth in North America has exceed-ed forest harvest for decades.

• Advancements in wood productmanufacturing technology continue toimprove wood’s sustainability quo-tient. The industrial output per unit ofwood input has increased 40% overthe past half century. That trend hasaccelerated with the advent, accep-tance and wide use in recent years ofmodern engineered wood products,which use more of the availableresource with less waste and which inmany cases can be produced fromfast-growing, underutilized and lessexpensive wood species.

• Wood products are made fromforest resources harvested under anumber of internationally recognizedsustainable forest management certifi-cation programs, including the ForestStewardship Council, Sustainable For-estry Initiative, Canadian StandardsAssociation, and American Tree FarmSystem. These programs provide

APASPECIALSECTION

THIS PRIMARY SCHOOL in Gunter, Tx., is a 60,000-sq. ft. wood-frame structure.

assurance that wood fiber resourcesare sustainably grown and harvested.

• Life cycle assessment (LCA)research shows that by a number of“cradle to grave” sustainability mea-sures, wood is substantially moreenvironmentally friendly than alterna-tive construction materials. Woodproducts, for example, make up 47%of all industrial raw materials manu-factured in the United States, yet con-sume only 4% of the total energyneeded to manufacture all industrialraw materials.

• As noted in one of the real worldcase studies below, wood products arerecyclable, a fact of increasing impor-tance and relevance to carbon seques-tering efforts.

• And as also noted below, woodcan be and today is easily and com-monly incorporated into residentialand nonresidential building designsrecognized under a number of greenbuilding rating systems.

Despite all of the above arguments,uninformed bias against the greenmerits of wood still exists in somequarters. But for skeptics looking forproof in the pudding, they need notlook far.

Take, for example, the Environ-mental Nature Center in NewportBeach, Ca., completed in 2008 for anon-profit of the same name thatserves at its community’s foremostauthority on ecological responsibility,sustainable practices, and environ-mental education. The 8500-sq. ft.mixed use complex contains adminis-trative offices, classrooms, a museum,and a gift shop—all protected andaesthetically enhanced by an exposedwood roof system and wood-frameshear walls.

The complex—a main buildinghousing public areas separated froman administrative building by a


APA-TRADEMARKED 14-inch deep I-joists were used for the Gunter Primary School rafters.

breezeway—uses Structural I APARated exposed plywood roof sheath-ing, dimensional lumber subpurlins,glulam purlins, and wood I-joist roofframing. Wood shear walls employdimensional lumber studs and ply-wood sheathing.

Budget considerations were a factorin many of the building’s design fea-tures. The exposed wood roof framingsystem, for example, reduced the needfor traditional ceiling materials andfinishes. In some areas, partial-heightwood wall studs also were purposelyleft exposed to showcase the struc-ture’s dedication to design efficiencyand low environmental impact. Thisnot only helped lower initial construc-tion costs, but also minimizes ongoing

interior maintenance expenses. The many sustainable features of

the center, including the structuralwood envelope, are themselves now ahighlight of the ENC’s educationalprogramming and are identified in sig-nage placed throughout the structure.One exhibit, for example, notes thestructure’s LEED Platinum designa-tion, the highest level of LEED certifi-cation and a first in Orange County,Ca. The project received 55 out of 69possible LEED certification points,and met or exceeded standards in sixLEED categories, including materialsand resources, indoor environmentalquality, and energy and atmosphere.

Across the country in Annapolis,Md., meanwhile, the Chesapeake Bay

GLULAM BEAMS and framing support the roof of Gunter Primary School. The largest beam is 12inches wide, 7 ft. deep, and 82 ft. long.

Foundation also successfully usedwood in pursuit of sustainability goalsfor its Philip Merrill EnvironmentalCenter. The foundation, a nonprofitorganization devoted to protectingMaryland’s Chesapeake Bay, wanted abuilding design that supported its sus-tainability message by minimizing theimpact on surrounding habitats.

“Our philosophy is that the green-est building is the least amount ofbuilding we truly need, built with thefewest number of materials,” saidChesapeake Bay Foundation Presidentand c.e.o. William Baker. To that end,a variety of structurally efficient engi-neered wood products was used—ply-wood subfloors, parallel strand lum-ber, wood I-joist framing, and struc-tural insulated panels faced on bothsides with oriented strand board.

Much of the wood is left exposedto both capitalize on the aestheticqualities of the material and reinforcethe “less is more” sustainability mes-sage.

Completed in 2000, the 30,000-sq.ft., two-story Philip Merrill Environ-mental Center was the first to receivethe LEED Platinum rating and contin-ues today to be recognized as one ofthe world’s greenest buildings. It alsowas the second highest rated buildingamong a survey of 20,000 occupantsof 150 buildings for overall buildingsatisfaction, including aesthetics,acoustics, light and air quality. Thesurvey was conducted by the Centerfor the Built Environment at theUniversity of California, Berkeley.

“The facility is a major recruitmenttool,” said Mary Tod Winchester, thefoundation’s v.p. “It has been a mag-net for the audiences whose buildingprojects we want to influence.”

Schools, too, are a natural end-usemarket for wood design because whencompleted they can themselves beused as dramatic case histories andeffective teaching tools for broadeningunderstanding of the sustainabilityattributes of wood building materials.Gunter Primary School in Gunter, Tx.,serves as one such example.

Completed in 2007, the 60,000-sq.ft. facility includes classrooms, a com-puter lab, a kitchen and cafeteria,gymnasium, and administrationoffices. The school’s unique designemploys wood in both exposed andhidden structural applications. APARated wood structural panel sheathingwas used to enclose the building’swalls. Wood I-joists were used forrafters in combination with glulam

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timber support beams. And a laminat-ed lumber decking with tongue-and-groove edges was used in combinationAPA Rated plywood sheathing fordiaphragm strengthening in the roofsystem.

“I’ve been in business for 35 years,and I enjoy doing projects withwood,” said project superintendentDonald Hampton. “I’ve put up largebuildings before, but with the overallbuilding height and length of spans, it(Gunter Primary) was different. Oneof the glulam beams is 12 inches wideby 7 ft. deep and 82 ft. long.”

Although the project was not certi-fied under any green building pro-gram, Gunter Primary School’s abun-dant use of wood satisfies sustainabili-ty goals by a number of measures—use of energy efficient materials, qual-ity of indoor environment, durability,low maintenance, and availability ofmaterials regionally produced to lowertransport energy consumption.

Gray Middle School in Tacoma,Wa., underscores another way toachieve stunning sustainabilitythrough the use of wood—recycledmaterial. In this case, the product wasglulam beams—more than 200 ofthem—that were salvaged from an oldhigh school that formerly occupied thesite. The beams support the primaryroof structure for the new facility’scommons area, science rooms, andcentral gallery.

The recyclability of wood products,particularly those with both structuraland aesthetic qualities, is a materialattribute likely to assume greater

importance as the nation’s inventoryof residential and nonresidential build-ings ages and is replaced. Productsthat were once relegated to the wastestream are increasingly viewed todayas viable and valuable elements ofsustainable design strategies.

The sustainability of wood con-struction is equally relevant, of course,to the residential market, even in areaswhere non-wood practices have tradi-tionally held sway. Along the GulfCoast, for example, raised wood floorconstruction is gaining new apprecia-tion as an alternative to concrete slabon grade practices. Key reasons areimproved performance under stormsurge flood conditions, better accom-modation of expansive soils that pre-vail in some areas, and growingawareness of the sustainability bene-fits of wood.

An instructive example of raisedwood floor construction is the winningentry of a design competition co-spon-sored recently by The Rice DesignAlliance, a nonprofit organization ded-icated to the advancement of architec-ture, urban design, and the built envi-ronment in the Houston region, andthe Houston Chapter of the AmericanInstitute of Architects.

The competition, part of the City ofHouston Land Assemblage Redevel-opment Authority’s effort to revitalizeolder inner-city neighborhoods usingpublic and private funds to build newhousing units, set as key requirementthat designs, once built, be offered at amaximum sale price of $99,000.

One of the criticisms of green

building, regardless of materials used,has been the belief that sustainableconstruction is of necessity moreexpensive and thus prohibitive to allbut high-end residences. The 99KHouse, as it is called, helped provethat sustainability and affordabilitycan go hand in hand.

The winning design, since built as aprototype in Houston’s Fifth Ward,was submitted by Owen RichardsArchitects and HyBrid Architecture,both of Seattle. Their entry, calledCORE, was a 1,250-sq. ft., two-story,wood-frame structure featuring araised wood plywood floor, plywoodshear walls, and wood roof system.

While some might assume that aslab on grade design would be theonly way to meet the project’s lowcost requirement, architect OwenRichards said his team quickly deter-mined that a pier and beam raisedwood floor was the better approach.“A raised wood floor design was bestfor Houston’s soft soils and allowedfor better natural ventilation,” he said.

Raised floor construction is alsoenvironmentally superior in terms ofembodied energy, a major factor indetermining sustainability. Accordingto a Consortium for Research onRenewable Industrial Materials study,the consumption of fossil fuels associ-ated with a wood joist floor system isless than half that required for a con-crete slab and just 20% of that con-sumed by a steel joist floor.

Bob Clark, a senior engineeredwood specialist and Gulf Coast raisedfloor project manager at APA—TheEngineered Wood Association, said hefound it interesting, though not neces-sarily surprising, that three of the fivecompetition finalists used raised woodfloors. “Most low budget homes in theHouston area are built using slab ongrade,” he said. “However, thesearchitects started with a raised woodfloor, took all the pennies out of it,and made it very cost effective.”

Houston AIA’s Barrie Scardinosaid sponsors were not surprised eitherto see wood play such a big role in thewinning design, or in so many of the184 other entries from 16 countries.“Wood is a versatile, affordable build-ing material,” she said. “We werepleased to see how creatively peopleused wood, which shows that gooddesign doesn’t need to be expensive.”

And wood design, one might add,is also showing by countless examplesacross North America that it is sus-tainable design. THE 99K HOUSE in Houston, Tx., features a raised wood plywood floor, plywood shear walls, and

a wood roof system.


AN EFFORT TO EXPAND THE USE ofraised wood floors in the South-

east has begun to pay dividends for thewood products industry. The RaisedFloor Living campaign was launchedjust two years ago but it has alreadydirectly resulted in incremental woodproduct use valued at $2.9 million. Anadditional $25.8 million dollars worthof prospective builder conversionsfrom slab-on-grade to raised woodfloor foundations are targeted.

Builder conversions equate to moredollars spent on wood products, theend goal of Raised Floor Living. Theprogram aims to get those conversionsby delivering construction strategies,product support, and educational out-reach to home builders and buyers in abroad-based effort to increase aware-ness, acceptance and use of raisedwood floors. The campaign targets theGulf Coast and other SoutheasternU.S. markets where the risks of storm

Raising floors builds profitsflooding and expansive soils makeraised wood floors a natural choiceover traditional concrete slab-on-gradeconstruction. The Raised Floor Livinginitiative is a joint effort by theSouthern Pine Council, APA–TheEngineered Wood Association, theirmember manufacturers, and otherindustry partners.

Although some of the oldest homesin the U.S. are built on raised woodfloors, interest in the system peakedjust a few years ago following themassive flooding and property damagecaused by hurricanes Katrina and Ritain 2005. Compared with otheroptions—concrete slab atop dirt fill orslab on a backfilled perimeter wall, forexample—the raised wood floor sys-tem often is the most practical andcost-effective way to protect buildingsand meet local building ordinances inareas prone to flooding.

Growing consumer preference for

THE RAISE the Floor Design Challenge winning design, under construction in Northeast Florida, features a pier-and-beam foundation system andadvanced 2x6 wood wall framing.

sustainable houses has also drawnfavorable attention to wood as a greenbuilding material. Wood products aremanufactured from a renewableresource, and the manufacturingprocess is energy efficient. Wood-framed foundations are built to lastand meet both the structural and sus-tainable requirements of new homeconstruction.

The raised wood floor system pro-vides numerous other benefits as well,including excellent insulating proper-ties, ease of improving or repairingutility lines and mechanical systems,durability, uplifting comfort, classicstyle, and enhanced curb appeal.

The prospects for increasing woodindustry share of the residential floormarket is strongly supported by theresults of a National Association ofHome Builders consumer preferencesurvey. For the U.S. as a whole, 42%of consumers prefer wood-framed first

APASPECIALSECTION


floors, compared with 25% for con-crete slab, according to the surveyresults. The remaining one third hadno preference, were unsure, or didn’tknow. While the preference for con-crete slabs was only 25%, concreterepresents 53% of total first floor area,suggesting a wood floor promotioncampaign, such as that now being con-ducted by Raised Floor Living, couldyield positive results.

In Northern Florida, for example—a recent target of the Raised FloorLiving initiative—wood currentlycommands just a 1% share of the sin-gle-family first floor market, provid-ing a substantial target-rich opportuni-ty for market share gain and hencegreater demand for wood products. Ahome with a wood first floor in lieu ofa concrete slab creates approximatelyone-third more business for the dealer.

The Raised Flooring Living pro-gram employs a wide variety of edu-cational tools and promotional tactics,including professional seminars andtraining events, demonstration pro-jects, trade and consumer publicity,advertising, local television coverage,publications and a website (www.raisedfloorliving.com) that featurescomprehensive raised floor details,construction tips, and other informa-tion. APA activities are aimed at edu-cating builders, framers, designers andbuilding code officials about the mer-its of wood construction, while SPC isworking both to create consumerawareness of raised wood floor fea-tures and benefits and to complementAPA’s design and construction educa-tion efforts. Campaign updates are atwww.apawood.org/raisedwoodfloors.

Direct interaction with the buildingcommunity through face-to-face meet-ings, educational events, and salescalls is a key to building awarenessand acceptance of raised wood floors.Last year, Raised Floor Livinglaunched its market developmentefforts in North Florida with the Raisethe Floor Design Challenge, invitinghome builders and designers to com-pete for the chance to design and buildan award-winning raised wood floorhome. The competition, co-sponsoredby the Northeast Florida BuildersAssociation (NEFBA) and the FloridaWood Council, kicked-off with a pro-motional event at NEFBA headquar-ters that drew more than 200 buildingprofessionals. Twenty-three designersentered the contest.

Construction of the winning raisedwood floor home design began on

April 1. The building site is doublingas a demonstration home—a class-room for educating local builders,designers and material distributorsabout innovative products and energy-efficient building systems. The firsttwo open houses, which showcasedthe raised wood pier-and-beam foun-dation system and advanced 2x6 woodwall framing, drew an audience ofmore than 110 building professionals,thanks in large part to NEFBA, thelocal American Institute of Architects,the local chapter of the AmericanInstitute of Building Designers, andthe local Residential EngineersAssocia-tion, all of which widely pub-licized the events. A third open houseis scheduled to highlight energy-effi-cient building systems.

The positive response to last year’sdesign challenge led Raised FloorLiving to coordinate two mini designcompetitions this year in Houston,Tx., and Charlotte, N.C. Althoughsmaller in scale than the originaldesign challenge, the correspondingDesign Your Dream Home promotionfor consumers—in which one home-owner from each market was awardeddesign fees for a raised wood floorhome—was heavily promoted througha series of in-depth television featuresthat highlighted the benefits of build-ing raised from the homeowner’s per-spective.

From 2009 through the first quarterof 2010, Raised Floor Living hosted69 educational events, demonstrationsand seminars in markets like Houston,

RAISED WOOD floor system often is the most practical and cost-effective way to protect buildings andmeet local building ordinances in areas prone to flooding.

Charlotte, and Pensacola, Fl., with atotal attendance of over 2,400.According to post-seminar surveys,69% of attendees said that they weremore likely to build or specify raisedwood floors because of the seminar.Another 19% said they were possiblymore likely to build or specify raisedwood floors.

Raised Floor Living is targetingnational builders and regional buildersof all sizes in its effort to influenceconversions from elevated concreteslab foundations to raised wood floors.Value-engineering, custom evalua-tions that help to debunk misconcep-tions about the economies and long-term performance advantages of woodconstruction, is a key strategy.

Raised Floor Living’s value-engi-neering services can include a cus-tomized cost-comparison reportbetween raised wood floor and con-crete slab construc tion, computer-gen-erated design comparisons, or assis-tance creating a complete set of archi-tectural and engineering plans.Though these services represent a sig-nificant commitment of time andresources, the effort is validated whena builder decides to convert.

“Displacing concrete slab floors,particularly in traditionally concretemarkets, is a long-term challenge,”said APA project manager Bob Clark.But the program is gaining momen-tum, and “we’re seeing tangibleresults in terms of both awareness ofthe raised floor alternative and actualconversions.”


A NEW PERFORMANCE STANDARD forstock glulam beams has been

published by APA. In response tocustomer requests for a simplifiedproduct offering and reduced SKUsby distributors, the associationworked with its member glulam man-ufacturers to develop APA PRG-305Performance Standard for APA EWSStock Glulam Beams.

With an emphasis on 1.9E-2400Fband 2.2E-3000Fb design properties,PRG glulam can be easily comparedto the design properties published forother commonly used engineeredwood beam and header products. Inaddition, PRG-305 glulam offers thefollowing benefits:

• Standard widths of 3-1/2” and 5-1/2” to match conventional 2x4 and2x6 framing

New standardsimplifies glulam use

mon framing applications. Since mostof these applications are in concealedfloor, roof, and wall locations, a fram-ing appearance classification wasdetermined to be suitable.

PRG-305 stock glulam beams areclassified based on a “true E” rating,similar to the system used by mostIJC engineered wood products. Thismakes it easier for building materialsuppliers and their customers to com-pare and equate the design propertiesand cost of PRG-305 stock glulambeams with other I-joist compatibleengineered wood products, includinglaminated veneer lumber, parallelstrand lumber, laminated strand lum-ber, and oriented strand lumber.

“While the PRG standard is new,IJC 3000F glulam has been a main-stay of the glulam industry and we areimproving on long-established sizesfor beams, and putting more emphasison the value proposition and avail-ability of beams in I-joist compatibledepths,” said Kerlin Drake, vice presi-dent of marketing for Anthony ForestProducts and chair of APA’s glulammanagement committee. “The manu-facturers are committed to producingand supplying the range of productsthat our customers want, but the stan-dard enables us to offer a simplifiedapproach for common beam andheader applications. By focusing onthe 1.9E and 2.2E beams, we canwork with our customers to ensure thebeams that are used and sold for thesetypical uses are easy to specify andreadily available.”

The I-joist compatible depths meanthat builders can install floor systemswith flush framing and don’t need toinvest extra time and materials in spe-cial furring. The balanced layup elim-GLULAM BEAMS produced under the new PRG-305 standard come in I-joist compatible depths.

• I-joist compatible depths (IJC) of9-1/2”, 11-7/8”, 14”, 16”, and 18”

• Balanced layups that have thesame load-carrying capacity irrespec-tive of the beam orientation

• Zero camber• Framing appearance classifica-

tion• Meets the national product stan-

dard and building code requirementsBy dialing in on two common

framing widths in the 1.9E and 2.2Edesign combinations, building materi-al distributors can reduce the numberof SKUs while offering and substitut-ing PRG IJC glulam. The standardalso streamlines the selection andspecification process for buildingdesigners who are working with com-

APASPECIALSECTION


inates the concern of the “right sideup” in simple-span or multiple-spaninstallation, and means the glulam canbe installed just like lumber and otherengineered wood products. The con-nections between the wood compo-nents are simple, too, since they arebasic wood-to-wood connections thatcan be made with common carpentrytools and fasteners.

For customers who are looking forglulam in other sizes and configura-tions, the products are still availablefrom manufacturers. One of glulam’sgreatest attributes is that it can bemanufactured in a wide range ofshapes, sizes and configurations.Whether the designer is looking forhigh appearance quality for exposedapplications, curved members to meetthe requirements of a unique design,

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or camber to meet the requirements ofa long span, glulam manufacturers areable to produce the right product forthe job.

Some of the more popular featuresinclude the ability to choose fromappearance classifications that rangefrom framing to industrial to architec-tural classifications, the ability tonotch and drill beams in recommendedlocations, cantilever and multi-spancapabilities, the availability of preser-vative treated product, and customoptions for curves, long spans, fabrica-tion services, and specialty speciessuch as Alaska yellow cedar.

Whether ordered in the simplifiedsizes of the new standard or in customconfigurations, glulam delivers excel-lent value for builders who are lookingfor green, sustainable building materi-

als. Glulam meets many of the criteriastipulated under green building stan-dards and rating systems, includingthe National Green Building Standard,ICC-700. Nearly all glulam beamssold in North America are manufac-tured with wood that is harvested frommanaged forests and certified underthe Forest Stewardship Council, Sus-tainable Forestry Initiative, CanadianStandards Association, or AmericanTree Farm System. Glulam also meetsthe green building standard require-ments for resource-efficient materials,is manufactured with energy derivedin part from renewable resources, andscores well in Life Cycle Analysis.

The new standard, along with addi-tional design and product information,can be found at APA’s glulam webpage: www.glulambeams.org.


LP’S ORIENTED STRAND BOARD mill in Tomahawk, Wi.,earned the coveted Innovation in Safety Award in the

latest Safety & Health Awards Program sponsored annuallyby APA for the structural wood panel and engineered wood

APA honors mills for safety

products industry. The LP plant took the innovation prize for designing and

deploying a special outside debarking and conveyor systemfor stringy bark species that mitigates debarker dischargeplug ups and the risks associated with clearing the rawmaterial bottlenecks by hand.

Among the criteria for the Innovation Award is demon-stration that the innovation reduced occupational injuries orillnesses. The entry can be submitted by a mill, a group ofmills or an entire company. Twenty-four Innovation entrieswere submitted in 2009, more than doubling the 10 entriesin 2008.

Norbord, Toronto, Ont., and Stark Truss Co., Canton,Oh., also won Safest Company Awards in their respectivecategories. Norbord, a leading North American manufactur-er of OSB, earned top honors among companies with fouror more mills with a 2009 average Weighted Incident Rate(WIR) of 4.58. Stark Truss, which produces glulam timberand wood I-joists, won its award in the category for compa-nies with three or fewer mills. The company posted a per-fect 0.00 WIR for 2009.

The awards program, begun in 1982, honors the man-agements and employees of companies and mills with thelowest severity-weighted incidence rates based on guide-lines established by the U.S. Occupational Safety & HealthAdministration. It employs a Weighted Incident Rate that iscalculated using both the number and severity of recordableincidents. Since 2008 was the first year that WIR was used,awards and reports for 2009 continue to also show TotalIncident Rate (TIR), the measure used in previous years.

Ninety-three APA member structural wood panel andengineered wood product facilities in the U.S., Canada andabroad participated in the 2009 program. A total of 16 millsrepresenting seven APA member companies—AnthonyForest Products Co., Georgia-Pacific Wood Products, LP,Norbord, Rosboro, Shelton Lam & Deck, and Stark TrussCo.—earned awards in various competition categories ofthe 2009 program. Some of the mills were multiple awardwinners.

All major product categories produced by APA’s mem-bership were represented among the winning mills, includ-

INNOVATION IN SAFETY AWARDLP (Tomahawk, Wi.) for outside debarker and conveyor system

SAFEST COMPANY AWARDSAverage WIR* Average TIR**

Companies with 4+ millsNorbord 4.58 1.12Companies with 1-3 millsStark Truss 0.0 0.0

ANNUAL SAFETY AND HEALTH HONOR ROLLHours WIR TIR

Division I (Under 400,000 hours)LP (Panguipulli, Chile) 320,966 0.00 0.00Norbord (Nacogdoches, Tx.) 294,889 0.00 0.00LP (Roxboro, N.C.) 245,528 0.00 0.00Division II (400,000+ hours)Norbord (Cordele, Ga.) 409,982 0.00 0.00G-P (Camden, Tx. ) 1,162,974 0.17 0.17G-P (Warm Springs, Ga.) 653,509 0.31 0.31

THREE-YEAR SAFETY AWARD (2007-2009)Avg. Hours Avg. WIR Avg. TIR

Division I (Under 400,000 hours)LP (Wilmington, N.C.) 261,777 0.33 0.33Division II (400,000+ hours)LP (Panguipulli, Chile) 417,208 1.12 0.11

SAFETY IMPROVEMENT AWARDDivision I (Under 400,000 hours)

WIR and TIR from 2007 to 2009LP (Carthage, Tx.) 100% improvementDivision II (400,000+ hours)LP (Panguipulli, Chile) 100% improvement

INCIDENT FREE HONOR SOCIETYHours WIR TIR

Norbord (Cordele, Ga.) 409,982 0.00 0.00LP (Panguipulli, Chile) 320,966 0.00 0.00Norbord (Nacogdoches, Tx.) 294,889 0.00 0.00LP (Roxboro, N.C.) 245,528 0.00 0.00LP (Carthage, Tx.) 234,243 0.00 0.00G-P (Fordyce, Ar.) 221,131 0.00 0.00G-P Grenada (Duck Hill, Ms.) 182,637 0.00 0.00Anthony (El Dorado, Ar.) 129,405 0.00 0.00LP (Wilmington, N.C.) 113,979 0.00 0.00LP (Red Bluff, Ca.) 102,735 0.00 0.00Stark Truss (Beach City, Oh.) 46,374 0.00 0.00Shelton Lam (Chehalis, Wa.) 34,872 0.00 0.00G-P (Ocala, Fl.) 31,554 0.00 0.00Rosboro (Springfield, Or.) 27,212 0.00 0.00

* WIR: Weighted Incident Rate, ** TIR : Total Incident Rate

APASPECIALSECTION


ing OSB, plywood, glulam timber,wood I-joists, and LVL.

In addition to the Safest Companyand Innovation awards, other competi-tion categories were Safety Improve-ment, Annual Safety & Health HonorRoll, Three-Year Safety Average, andIncident Free Honor Society. Fourteenmills achieved a zero incident rate forthe year and thus were named to theIncident Free Honor Society. Theannual honor roll, three-year averageand safety improvement categories aredivided into two divisions based onhours worked annually—more than orfewer than 400,000 hours.

While the program awards are lim-ited to APA members, data is collect-ed from both member and non-mem-ber mills in order to provide a broad-based industry performance bench-mark. A total of 118 mills reporteddata for 2009. The 2009 industry TotalIncident and Weighted Incident Rateswere 2.18 and 10.64, respectively, upslightly from 1.99 and 10.02, respec-tively, in 2008.

The winning facilities and compa-nies will be recognized and their safe-ty accomplishments celebrated duringthe chairman’s dinner at APA’s annualmeeting in October in Tucson, Az.

Award plaques also will be presentedto the winning mills by APA presidentDennis Hardman or other APA man-agement staff.

The 2009 safety awards programwas the second year under a revital-ized safety program effort spearhead-ed by an APA Safety & Health Advi-sory Committee comprised of severalAPA member company safety profes-sionals. Under the committee’s guid-ance, three main goals were estab-lished: make the APA program theindustry’s premier safety awards pro-gram, encourage the sharing of bestpractices to improve the industry’ssafety culture and programs, and, mostimportantly, improve the industry’soverall safety performance.

To those ends, several new initia-tives are under way, including plansfor industry safety workshops, the firstof which will be held immediately fol-lowing the APA annual meeting thisfall; development of an industry safetyprofessional database for more effec-tive sharing of best practices and safe-ty alerts, and expanding the safety andhealth section of the APA website tomake it a more useful industry safetyinformation clearinghouse and net-working tool.


Christoper Terrels has been namedpresident of Railing Dynamics Inc.,Egg Harbor Township, N.J., suc-ceeding the late Andrew Terrels(see obituary, p. 44). Jon Gronowis now executive v.p.

Ray Tassini, ex-Berry Plastics, is nowmid-Atlantic market developmentmgr. for the Opus Roof Blanketsales & marketing dept. of PropexOperating Co., Chattanooga, Tn.

William Clement has been promotedto president of CSX Intermodal,Jacksonville, Fl., succeeding JimHertwig, who has retired.

Scott Young has been promoted topresident and general mgr. of DowRoofing Systems, Midland, Mi.

Doug Mancosh, president, Fiberon,Providence, R.I., was elected presi-dent of the Composite LumberManufacturers Association. PaulBizzarri, v.p.-innovation, Timber-Tech, Wilmington, Oh., was namedsecretary/treasurer.

Owen Yu is the new accounts payablemgr. Mungus-Fungus Forest Pro-ducts, Climax, Nv., report ownersHugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

Mark Henry, ex-Amerhart Ltd., is anew outside sales rep coveringWisconsin and northern Illinois forBoise Cascade, Boise, Id. Hereplaces Sarah Haenel, who waspromoted to sales mgr. at the officein New Rochelle, Il.

Kurt Field has been named store mgr.of McCoy’s Building Supply,League City, Tx. Scott Sternadelis now store mgr. in Weimar, Tx.

Brett Barton, president, BartonForest Management, is taking amore active role with the familybusiness, as director of sales &marketing for Barton Lumber Co.,Barnstead, N.H.

Maribeth Coleman and KatieMumau have joined the humanresources department at GorellWindows & Doors, Indiana, Pa.

John Cashmore, ex-Market ResourceAssociates, has joined AscendancyResearch, St. Louis Park, Mn., asv.p./senior research director.

Rich Gutermuth, ex-Spruce Compu-ter, has formed LBM EmployerServices, Atlanta, Ga., offeringWeb-based payroll and HR services.

MOVERS & Shakers Falling Load Crushes Worker An employee of Mill Town

Woodworks, Bay City, Mi., wascrushed to death and a co-workerinjured when an 8-ft. stack of lumberslid off a forklift and on top of them.

The men were sorting through thewood May 27 when it toppled. ToddGilliam, 44, was declared dead on thescene. His unidentified 40-year-oldco-worker was rushed to the hopsitaland is expected to recover.

Mill Cited for Truck ViolationsHeacock Lumber, Plumsteadville,

Pa., and one of its truck drivers werecited for a May 25 traffic mishap.

Two right rear tandem trailer tiresflew off a truck driven by Duval I.Denlinger, bounced across the median,and struck the left side of a Mercedes-Benz. The motorist was treated at alocal hospital and released.

After police impounded the rig andinvestigated the accident, they citedDenlinger for driving a tractor-trailer5,000 lbs. over the weight limit. Thesawmill was cited with three vehicleinspection violations for cracked orexcessively worn brakes, brakes thatwere out of adjustment, and for notproperly securing the air reservoir.

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Deck Thief Gets ProbationA “habitual offender” was placed

on probation after pleading guilty tostealing a truck and two loads of com-posite decking boards from MansLumber & Millwork, Canton, Mi.

On March 20, Robert Dale Wilber,51, filled a company truck with Trexdecking. He was apprehended after hetried to transport a second load to anearby storage unit and it fell out ofthe truck onto the roadway. Whenofficers responded to the accident, thesuspect drove the stolen truck back tothe yard—with officers in pursuit.

“He jumped out of the truck whileit was still rolling, and it hit anothercompany truck that was parked at thesite,” said officer Mark Gajeski. Policenabbed Wilber after a short foot chase.

Hard Luck Robbery?Police arrested a man who said he

broke into Al Lorenzi Lumber,Washington, Pa., because he was outof work and needed money to buy hisson a birthday gift.

After an alarm rang at 1:20 a.m.,police arrived to find John Shrader Jr.,36, hiding in nearby weeds. He wascharged with using bolt cutters, aframing hammer, and a large screw-

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driver to break into the building andsteal two DeWalt power tools.

Flower Lover Visits AceOn May 25, police got a call that

someone was helping themselves toflowering plants left outside ofWestlake Ace Hardware, Lincoln, Ne.

“The store was closed and they

were loading up their vehicle,” saidsgt. Michon Morrow. She added thatthe vehicle was “pretty jam-packedwith flowers” when officers arrived.

When asked why the man was citedrather than jailed, Morrow said thatthe individual lived in Lincoln, hadbeen very cooperative, and had“returned all the flowers graciously.”


IN MemoriamBernard “Bernie” Bernstein, 73,

founder and owner of Mid-StateLumber, Branchburg, N.J., died May24 in Martinsville, N.J.

He founded the company in 1975.

Andrew Terrels, 53, co-founderand president of Railing DynamicsInc., Egg Harbor Township, N.J., diedof a heart attack April 24 while travel-ing overseas.

He co-founded the business in 1989with his brother, Christopher Terrels,and had served as president since thattime.

Beverly J. Ohm, 69, Arpin, Wi.,former president and board member ofArpin Lumber & Supply, Arpin, Wi.,died June 2 in Marshfield, Wi.

She was a board member for 17years. She and the board had recentlyclosed the business in anticipation ofretiring and auctioned off its remain-ing inventory and real estate May 8.

Glendon Sullivan, 81, founder andowner of W.G. Sullivan Lumber,Northport, Al., died May 26 inNorthport.

He joined the U.S. Army after highschool and served in Korea. In 1955,he partnered with his uncle in a smallsawmill operation. The following yearhe became the sole owner after hisuncle retired, changed the company’sname to W.G. Sullivan Lumber, andeventually shipped products through-out the U.S., Europe, and theCaribbean Islands.

He was active in the business untilhe became ill about a month ago.Charles E. Childs, 88, retired

owner and operator of Gaston-RenchLumber, Gaston, In., died June 10 inFort Wayne, In.

He served with the U. S. Army dur-ing World War II and was awarded theBronze Star for meritorious service.After the war, he joined his father-in-law, A.M. Rench, in the family’s lum-ber and hardware business. He retiredin 1990.John Donvito, 89, owner and oper-

ator of Clarks Summit BuildingSupply and Clarks Summit True ValueHardware, Clarks Summit, Pa., diedMay 13 in La Plume, Pa.

He joined the U.S. Marines afterthe bombing of Pearl Harbor, and wasawarded the Purple Heart after being

wounded in Okinawa.He founded the two stores in 1950. Lloyd Gaymond White, 88, for-

mer manager at Benson Lumber,Hominy, Ok., died June 6 in Hominy.

Mr. White served in the U.S. ArmyAir Corps during World War II. Hemanaged Benson’s location inHominy for 46 years, retiring in 1995. Mary L. Hall, 71, former adminis-

trator and assistant treasurer for theAmerican Wood Protection Associa-tion, died March 26 in Beaumont, Tx.

She worked at AWPA from theearly 1990s until her retirement in2003. She is survived by her husband,John F. Hall Sr., who retired asAWPA’s executive vice president.Marion Wayne Parker Sr., 66,

retired salesman with Stock BuildingSupply, Fredericksburg, Va., diedMay 21 in Summerfield, Fl.

Mr. Parker served with the U.S.Navy during the Vietnam War. Randi Ann Huntley, 25, sales

clerk and receptionist at East CoastLumber, East Hampstead, N.H., diedJune 1 after being attacked by her ex-boyfriend, who is the father of her


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GLULAM SHAKE-UPThe glulam product line is

currently receiving some much-needed publicity. Glulams are themost cost effective solution for beamsand headers on the market today.

However, we would like to notethat Rosboro’s launch of the X-Beamhas polarized the industry (see May,p. 10-11). That polarization is basedon one issue—the appearance of thefull-framing-width beam and the rawmaterial it takes for the rest of us[glulam manufacturers] to achievethat appearance. Rosboro touts anarchitectural appearance; the rest ofus specify framing appearance,efficiently utilizing available rawmaterial. Based on feedback andquestions we’ve received since therelease, several points need to beclarified.

While Rosboro preempted the restof the manufacturers with its productlaunch, APA members have beenworking on the PRG 305 for sometime and reached consensus inJanuary of 2010. PRG 305standardizes glulam specification todirectly compete and be positionedwith other engineered wood products.The PRG standard was never intendedto be for architectural application.

Glulams that match standardframing and other engineeredproducts have been on the market forseveral years. The fact is, two-thirdsof the applications for glulams todayare concealed and do not require anarchitectural appearance. Askyourself, when was the last time acustomer used LVL for an exposedbeam?

As the article states, time will tellif the X-Beam gains traction. How-ever, the major suppliers of lamstocklumber universally stated they werenot going to change sawing sizes toaccommodate this product. For therest of the glulam industry, that meansthe X-Beam is a single-source

TALK Back

situation. We do not believe thatbenefits the industry over the long haul.Steve KillgoreCalvert Co., Inc., Vancouver, [email protected]

MONTHLY SALES TOOLI have in hand the June issue of

BPD. While many of your articles dealwith products outside of our scope ona given project, we always find itinformative to track industry trends.

For instance: As woodworkers, weare chagrined to learn that fibercement siding is poised to overtakewood as the second product of choice

behind vinyl. Discovering the trendtoward the use of iPhones will causeus to reconsider our form ofcommunication. James Olsen’s articleencouraging the correct use ofquestions will be shared with oursalespeople, and the article that dealswith southern pine mills reopening toprofitability is not only a source ofencouragement, but will enable us togain additional access to a speciesbeing used more in the custommillwork market.Richard A. Ungerbuehler, Sr.Federal Millwork, Fort Lauderdale, [email protected]

four-year-old son. She had worked at East Coast for

the last five years. The company hasstarted a fund to benefit her son. Herassailant has been charged with first-degree murder and is awaiting trial. Dollie Bauer, 80, former manager

of Coast to Coast Hardware, Rochelle,Il., died May 8 in Compton, Il.


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included: [1] Debbie Burns, MikeWarren, Jay Moore. [2] DavidRichbourg, Richard Gouldin, MikeHubbard, Hank Scott. [3] Joe Patton,Kerlin Drake. [4] Marc Brinkmeyer, TomSearles, Brian Luoma. [5] DiggesMorgan, Matthew Yaun. [6] GregGordillo, Jeff Miller. [7] Steve Lovett,Dennis Hardman. [8] Adrian Blocker,Cees deJager. [9] Tyler McShan, LyndaAnthony. [10] John Rhea, Jim Loy. [11]Janet Swift, Robin Swift, Eric Gee. [12]

Russell Richardson, Mark Richardson. [13] Donnie Oney, DennisHanlon. [14] Pat Patranella, Bob Glowinski.


SOUTHERN FOREST PRODUCTS Association based its May 26-27mid-year meeting at the Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, La. Attendees

SOUTH

ERN PRODUCERS

Photos by SFPA

Savannah, Ga., claiming the most-miles-traveled award. [1] PatThomasson. [2] Mikee Johnson. [3]Susan Thomason, Kim Merritt. [4]Craig Forbes. [5] Marty Olhiser. [6]Steve Shields & Patty Woods-Shields. [7] Rodrigo Elizondo,Guillermo Garza, Bill Latunen. [8]Randy Deweese. [9] Les Lonning.[10] Ken Laughlin. [11] BessieWoodward. [12] Hap Person, MarkManning. [13] Grady Brafford. [14]Charlie Faulds. [15] Dan Brimhall.[16] Bob Palacioz. [17] Greg

Campbell. [18] Patti & Ross Worsham. [19] Herb Guerry. [20] DarrellSmith. [21] Cliff Eddington. [22] Mike Freeman. [23] Hollis Ervin.


THEY WALK AMONG US: Some unexpected visitors turned up at theAmerican Wood Protection Association’s annual meeting May 23-26 in

Photos by Arch Wood ProtectionAWPA


ASSOCIATION Update

Asheville, N.C. The event begins with plant tours

of East Coast Millwork, Wilkesboro,N.C.; Stiles Machinery, High Point,N.C., and Weinig, Mooresville, N.C.

Northeastern Retail LumberAssociation affiliates have added sev-eral events to their summer calendars.

Central New York Retail LumberDealers Association has set aside July17 for its annual day at the races atOswego Speedway, Oswego, N.Y.,and Aug. 19 for its 7th annual clam-

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Michigan Lumber & BuildingMaterials Association has moved tonew offices in Lansing, Mi.

Coming events include its 14thannual golf outing Aug. 5 at HawkHollow Golf Course, Bath, Mi., andAug. 17 executive committee meeting.

Kentucky Building MaterialsAssociation installed Jack Coleman,Coleman’s Home Center, Harrods-burg, as its president.

The new v.p. is Woody Graham,A.W. Graham Lumber, Flemingsburg;secretary/treasurer Freddie McWhor-ter, CBS Do it Best Home Center,London, and chairman of the boardJoe Palumbo, Palumbo Lumber,Lexington.

Ohio Construction SuppliersAssociation re-elected Michael L.Thomas, E.P. Gerber & Sons, Kidron,as its 2010-11 president at its May 27board of directors meeting.

George S. Miser, Lumber Service,Carrollton, was re-elected 1st v.p.Scott King, King Lumber, Logan, is2nd v.p.; Evan Jones, Jones Lumber &Millwork, Columbus, treasurer;Robert Walter, Buckley King,Columbus, secretary; Jeffrey Crowl,Crowl Lumber, Malvern, immediatepast president & east central chairper-son; Thomas Lawyer, Granville Lum-ber, Granville, national director;David Clay, Strait & Lamp Lumber,Hebron, alternative national director;Mitchell McCabe, Ansonia Lumber,Ansonia, west central chair; JoelLebowitz, PrimeSource, Strongsville,northeast chair, and John Francis,Francis-Schulze Co., Russia, associateadvisory chair.

Florida Building Material Asso-ciation has booked ESPN analyst LeeCorso as keynote speaker at its annualconvention and show Sept. 22-24 atWalt Disney World’s Dolphin Con-vention Center, Lake Buena Vista, Fl.

Continuing education seminars onthe use of wood products will continueunder the new name of The SouthernDesign Symposium.

A two-hour Florida building codeupdate will also be offered.

Moulding & Millwork ProducersAssociation has scheduled its 47thannual summer business meeting forAug. 10-15 at Grove Park Inn,

bake at Hinerwadles Groves, EastSyracuse, N.Y.

Northern New York LumberDealers Association sets out on its 8thannual fishing derby Aug. 11 inClayton, N.Y. Baseball outings arebeing organized by New York &Suburban Lumber Association Aug.11 at Citi Field, Queens, N.Y., and byNortheastern Young Lumber ExecsAug. 19 at Fenway Park, Boston, Ma.

Kentucky Forest IndustriesAssociation expects more than 80exhibitors at its 28th annual KentuckyWood Expo Sept. 17-18 at the BallardConvention Center, Madisonville.


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WANTED TO BUY

Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word min.). Phone number counts as 1 word,address as 6. Centered copy or headline, $9 per line. Border, $9. Private box, $15.Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished “camera-ready” (advertiser sets the type),

$65 if we set the type. Send ad to Fax 949-852-0231 or dkoenig@ building-prod-ucts.com. For more info, call (949) 852-1990. Make checks payable to CutlerPublishing. Deadline: 18th of previous month.

CLASSIFIED Marketplace

HELP WANTEDLUMBER TRADER

We are a wholesale lumber company lookingfor an experienced trader. Any species. Norestrictions on mills or customers. No reloca-tion. 60% split for trader. Call John at LakesideLumber at (623) 566-7100 or [email protected].

FOR SALE

MANUFACTURERS OVER-RUNSOak and Hemlock turned balusters

Starting @ $0.69 / ea.mrspindle.com or 800-487-9663

CUSTOMLUMBER COVERSROLLS • SEALED BAGSAvailable for Delivery

Rolls 10 x 300ʼBags 4 x 4 x 8ʼ & 4 x 4 x 12ʼ

L. I. INDUSTRIES800-526-6465FAX [email protected]

www.lumbercoversprotect.com

Letusquote

Special promotional opportunity for wholesalers,manufacturers and service affiliates

The North American Wholesale Lumber Association is teaming with thelumber industry’s leading trade magazines to offer an exclusive marketing vehicle —

The August 2010 issues of both BPD-Building Products Digest and The Merchant Magazinewill feature an extensive special section devoted entirely to NAWLA and its members.

HI-TECH APPS FOR LBM � GUIDE TO HOUSEWRAPS � SIDING FORECAST

JJUUNNEE 22001100

TheMERCHANTMagazineTHE VOICE OF THE WEST’S LBM DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS – SINCE 1922


HI-TECH APPS FOR LBM � GUIDE TO HOUSEWRAPS � SIDING FORECAST

JUNE 2010

INDUSTRY NEWS & MONEY-MAKING STRATEGIES FOR LUMBER & BUILDING MATERIAL DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS


+ + =

Benefits: • Your ad message reaches all NAWLA wholesalers & their dealer customers.• Discounted ad rates • All ad rates include FULL COLOR • Free ad design

• Support your association • Branding your company’s identity with NAWLA’s • And MORE!Reserve your space by July 12. Call (949) 852-1990


DATE BookListings are often submitted months in advance. Always verify

dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend.

Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. – July 14-17, annualconference, Ritz, Naples, Fl.; (770) 631-6701; www.slma.org.

House-Hasson Hardware Co. – July 15-17, market, Duke EnergyCenter, Cincinnati, Oh.; (865) 525-0471; www.househasson.com.

Central New York Lumber Dealers Association – July 17, day atthe races, Oswego Speedway, Oswego, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010;www.nrla.org.

North American Retail Hardware Assn. – July 19-20, convention,Hyatt Regency, Savannah, Ga.; (317) 290-0338; www.nrha.org.

Northeast Window & Door Association – July 19-20, summermeeting & golf outing, Dolce Seaview Resort, Galloway, N.J.;(609) 799-4900; www.nwda.net.

Southeast Building Conference/Green Building Show – July 22-24, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fl.; (800) 261-9447; www.sebcshow.com.

Southern Building Material Association – July 29-Aug. 1, sum-mer conference, Wyndham Oceanfront Resort, Virginia Beach,Va.; (704) 376-1503; www.southernbuilder.org.

Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association – Aug. 2, golf,Watertown, Ma.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

Temperate Forest Foundation – Aug. 3-6, teachers tour, Catskills,N.Y.; (503) 445-9472; www.forestinfo.org.

Northeastern Retail Lumber Association – Aug. 4-6, roundtable,Northampton, Ma.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

Indiana Lumber & Builders’ Supply Assn. – Aug. 5, golf, OakTree Golf Course, Plainfield, In.; (877) 465-8627; www.ilbsa.org.

Michigan Lumber & Building Materials Association – Aug. 5, golftournament, Hawk Hollow Golf Course, Bath, Mi.; (517) 394-5225; www.mlbma.org.

Virginia Tech – Aug. 5, lean manufacturing workshop, Harrison-burg, Va.; www.woodscience.vt.edu.

Moulding & Millwork Producers Association – Aug. 10-15, sum-mer business meeting, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, N.C.; (530)661-95914; www.wmmpa.com.

New York & Suburban Lumber Association – Aug. 11, baseball,Citi Field, Queens, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

Northern New York Lumber Dealers Association – Aug. 11, fish-ing derby, Clayton, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

Southern Forest Products Association – Aug. 11-12, machineryexpo, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga.; (504) 443-4464; www.sfpa.org

Handy Hardware Wholesale – Aug. 12-14, dealer market, Henry B.Gonzales Convention Center, San Antonio, Tx.; (713) 644-1495.

Orgill Inc. – Aug. 12-14, fall dealer market, McCormick Place,Chicago, Il.; (901) 754-8850; www.orgill.com.

Central New York Lumber Dealers Association – Aug. 19, clam-bake, Hinerwadles Groves, E. Syracuse, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010;www.nrla.org.

Northeastern Young Lumber Execs – Aug. 19, baseball, FenwayPark, Boston, Ma.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

International Woodworking Fair – Aug. 25-28, Georgia World Con-gress Center, Atlanta, Ga.; (770) 246-0608; www.iwfatlanta.com.

Austin Home & Garden Show – Aug. 27-29, Austin ConventionCenter, Austin, Tx.; (877) 663-6186.

Fort Worth Home & Garden Market – Aug. 28-29, Fort WorthConvention Center, Fort Worth, Tx.; (800) 654-1480.

Northeastern Retail Lumber Association – Aug. 31-Sept. 2,roundtable, Unionville, Ct.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.


Advantage Trim & Lumber [www.advantagelumber.com]..........47

Ainsworth [www.ainsworth.ca] ................................................22-27

Anthony Forest Products [www.anthonyforest.com] .................35

Auto-Stak Systems [www.autostak.com].....................................21

Biewer Lumber [www.biewerselect.com].......................................3

Boise Cascade [www.bc.com].......................................................41

Boozer Beam [www.boozerbeam.com] .........................................8

Capital [www.capital-lumber.com]..................................................4

Chicago Suburban Lumber Sales .................................................43

Coastal Plywood [www.coastalplywood.com].............................41

Crumpler Plastic Pipe [www.cpp-pipe.com] ................................53

Elder Wood Preserving [www.elderwoodpreserving.com] ........51

Fasco America [www.fascoamerica.com]....................................46

Fletcher Wood Solutions [www.tenonusa.com] ..........................45

Fry Wholesale Lumber ...................................................................53

Hoover Treated Wood Products [www.frtw.com] .............Cover VI

J.H. Baxter [www.jhbaxter.com]....................................................47

Landry Lumber Co..........................................................................27

Master Mark Plastics [www.rhinodeck.com]................................49

Matthews Marking Products [www.matthewsmarking.com] ......43

Mississippi Laminators Inc............................................................37

Mr. Spindle [www.mrspindle.com]..........................................52, 54

New South [www.gator-guard.com]................................................7

Nordic Engineered Wood [www.nordicewp.com] ..............Cover II

Osmose [www.osmose.com] ................................................Cover I

Quality Borate Co. [www.qualityborate.com] ..............................44

Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com].................................19

RISI [www.risiinfo.com/crows] ......................................................50

Rosboro [www.rosboro.com] ........................................................33

RoyOMartin [www.royomartin.com] .............................................31

Scotch Plywood Co. [www.scotchplywood.com]........................39

Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com]...................................42

Swanson Group Sales Co. [www.swansongroupinc.com].........29

Tank Fab [www.tankfab.com]........................................................48

United Unlimited Sales [www.uusales.com] ................................52

Versatex [www.versatex.com].............................................Cover III

Viance [www.treatedwood.com] .....................................................5

ADVERTISERS IndexFor more information on advertisers, call them

directly or visit their websites [in brackets].

IDEA FileClassy Promotion

Over the last two years, FranklinBuilding Supply, Pocatello, Id., has had to sell to a cus-tomer base with a lot less money to spend—contractorswith fewer projects to buy for and homeowners withless disposable income for renovations.

So when local public school officials recentlylearned that their wages would be cut by 6.9%, Franklinbegan advertising that it would offer a discount to makeup the difference. In late May, the yard posted a signreading: “We support teachers. All public schoolemployees qualify for a 6.9% discount.”

Most customers graded the deal an A. “We’ve gotsome employees that used to work here that are nowteachers, and all of us have friends and family that arenow teachers,” said general manager Bryce Luker,whose mother-in-law is a local high school teacher.“We were talking about what could we do to show oursupport. We’ve had to take pay cuts working in thebuilding industry. We just feel for them and wanted toshow them we’re all in it together.”

He hopes other businesses will offer similar dis-counts for school workers—or at least just post a sign ofsupport, as was done at one neighborhood restaurant.

Although Franklin targets pro’s, teachers purchaselumber, flooring and other supplies for projects in theirown homes. Several teachers also work in the buildingtrade during their summer break. In addition, the saleisn’t limited to teachers, since administrators and otherschool staffers have also had their pay or hours slashed.

Unfortunately, not every customer is a fan of the pro-motion. “Since we’ve done it, we’ve heard other peoplesay, ‘What about me? I took a 10% pay cut from whereI work,’” Luker said. “We kind of wondered how ourcontractors would react. So far, they’ve been support-ive. But we’ve seen a little bit of people coming in andsaying, ‘Where’s my discount, because I’ve been hurtby the economy?’”

BPDBuilding Products Digest

4500 Campus Dr. No. 480Newport Beach, Ca. 92660-1872

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