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BPD BuildingProducts Digest

Special Features8 FEATURE STORY

HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR DECKING

SALES IN 12 MONTHS

12 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTLATEST IN COMPOSITE DECKING

14 MARGIN BUILDERSOUTDOOR LIVING DESIGN TIPS, TOOLS

16 INDUSTRY TRENDSNETWORKING EVENTS FOR WOMEN

34 SPECIAL FOCUS: NAWLA• TRADERS MARKET TO CHICAGO

• GAUGING LUMBER MARKETS

• SETTING CREDIT LIMITS

• TOPPING TRANSACTIONAL SALES

• FOREST CARBON ACCOUNTING

54 PHOTO RECAP: NELMA

56 PHOTO RECAP: NAWLA LEADERS

In Every Issue6 TOTALLY RANDOM

20 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

22 OLSEN ON SALES

28 MOVERS & SHAKERS

49 IN MEMORIAM

50 NEW PRODUCTS

59 ASSOCIATION UPDATE

60 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE

61 DATE BOOK

62 IDEA FILE

62 ADVERTISERS INDEX


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BPDBuilding Products Digest

TOTALLY RandomBy Alan Oakes

What do you want to be when you grow up?I CAN IMAGINE nothing better than finding the right career and being extraordinarily

happy. I wonder how many of us find that. When I’m asked if I followed my dream path,I’ve always replied that I never had the imagination to know what I wanted to be; every-thing good and bad just seemed to follow on from the job before.

When I was 19, my immediate path was determined to a degree when I decided that Iwanted a car, but could not afford one. So I began looking at sales positions that offered acompany car. Soon after, I became the proud driver of a brand new station wagon, all paidfor. At 22, after getting married the year before and with a baby on the way, we needed tobuy a house. To do that, I had to up my earnings and get paid by a combination of salaryand commission. The more I sold, the more I earned. Naturally, I then needed more, and todo that I needed my first management job, so at 24… You get the idea. Of course, by 50, Iwas completely burned out. Would I swap any of it? No! But I sometimes regret that Icould not find a life balance. It took me to my 60s before I finally got it.

I am a true Baby Boomer. In today’s workplace, we have three or possibly four genera-tions working alongside each other, and each looks at the other with increasing incredulity.Interestingly, you read regularly how this industry is not attracting and retaining enoughyoung talent, and this was a topic at the recent NAWLA executive leadership conference.As the industry moves back into a growth mode, I see a number of companies are con-cerned where they will find their new leadership.

Many of the new Gen Y’ers (born from 1979 to 2002, with 70 million strong) are nowhitting the workforce in large numbers. They currently comprise about 14% of the work-force. They are quite different and have different expectations from my generation, as wellas the Gen X’ers. As a seasoned manager, I imagine it would be difficult to manage thisnew generation, one that’s incredibly sophisticated, especially technology-wise, and thatwants to work, but doesn’t want work to be their lives, like me and many of my generation.

Gen Y members are more racially and ethnically diverse, and they are much more seg-mented as an audience, aided by the rapid expansion of cable TV channels, satellite radio,the Internet, e-zines, etc. They have no compunction in changing companies or evencareers, making them difficult to retain. Indeed, they don’t expect to stay in a job long.And, because of my generation’s hire-and-fire mentality, they see no value in loyalty.

They are also very sure of themselves and their abilities, appearing to want to runbefore they can walk, disinterested in long-term projects, preferring to multi-task, and —due to how they were raised, with no downtime and one at-school or after-school activityafter another—getting bored easily. They are both high performance and high maintenance.More importantly, they possess a confidence in their own value that may not match ourview of them. We are used to a command-and-control style of management, yet they grewup differently. We never questioned our parents; they grew up challenging everything, andthey are now doing the same in the workforce, aggravating perhaps their different genera-tional manager. They love their independence and are unafraid of challenging the statusquo. They text the person in the next cubicle, when we would just get up and actually talk.

They also want great flexibility in how—and when—they work. This alone may be ourindustry’s hardest challenge. Unlike us career-minded Boomers, Gen Y wants their jobs toaccommodate their lifestyles and family life. They love working when they want to work,enjoy telecommuting, or feel they’re entitled to the corneroffice after six months. In the end, they want a place to showtheir creativity and independent thinking, where they canwork collaboratively and with great flexibility. After 9/11,they saw that life can be short and should be valued more.

I deliberately framed this column with a “we”/“them”slant, since it’s become clear there is a divide. This is ourfuture. Every company will have to determine what it willor will not do. Many companies will have to change.According to a recent survey, 60% of companiesare experiencing generational divide, and 70%of older employees are dismissive of youngeremployees and their abilities (and, I suspect,the other way round, too). Somewhere thetwo must meet and find an “us.”

Alan Oakes, [email protected]


How to double yourdecking businessin 12 monthsON BEHALF OF the North American

Deck and Rail Association, Irecently presented a talk to a largegroup of independent lumberyards onhow to double their decking businessin 12 months. I used four case studiesto illustrate the diverse thinking andactions that defined winning strategiesin four very different dealer scenarios.Each one had seemingly insurmount-able challenges.

Dealer 1 had a good location, but itwas on a busy road and was hard tophysically access. Exterior signageand displays are not permitted. Thesales team was initially not focused onthe category, and the store was not

FEATURE StoryBy Bill Ross, Fiberon

larger, stronger, multi-yard companiesthat invested heavily in advertisingand had sales teams that were prettygood at selling decking.

Dealer 4 was located 20 miles out-side the key population center. It had aremote location on a back road, with asmall interior space and limited yardarea.

In spite of the challenges, eachdealer achieved success that dwarfedthe topic of doubling their deckingbusiness. What did they do? How didthey beat the odds? What were theirstrategies and tactics? Did they incursignificant incremental costs? Whatsynergies did they enjoy? What rela-tionships did they leverage? And—thereal question from the room—weretheir successes reproducible so otherdealers could do the same?

In reviewing the success of the casestudies—each so different from theother, the first and the third exampleswere the result of developing and exe-cuting well-formed plans. The successof the other two companies was theoutcome of an evolutionary process, amodicum of luck, and a lot of hardwork. At first glance, the only com-mon thread was the category in whichthey competed and that they enjoyedenviable success. But, the different sit-uations, the dissimilar circumstances,and the varied approaches did havecommon themes, and because of thatthey can be replicated.

Using the framework of theConsumer Relevancy Model exploredin The Myth of Excellence: Why GreatCompanies Never Try to Be the Best atEverything (Crawford and Mathews),

BEST-IN-CLASS dealers start selling the dream at the front door with displays that go way beyondthe functional. Photos by Bill Ross, Fiberon

consumer friendly. Merchandisingwas uncoordinated, displays were notupdated, and it seemed to be therepository of every deck and rail dis-play in existence.

Dealer 2 shares a physical parkinglot with the nation’s largest big boxretailer of building materials. If thatwasn’t enough, both stores sold manyof the same decking and railing prod-ucts, and the big box had lower priceson several of those core products.

Dealer 3 was a small stand-alonedecking retailer. It was visible fromthe interstate, but was a destinationlocation and far off the actual accessroad. The store was surrounded by

Building-Products.com May 2014 Building Products Digest 9

SELLING ACCELERATES once inside the store. There is no mistake that decking is a central focusof this retailer.

the diverse paths to success in theirdissimilar circumstances could beclearly seen, along with the patternsand competitive advantages uponwhich each built their successes. TheConsumer Relevancy Model statesthat every commercial transaction hasfive defining attributes: price, access,product, experience and service.

The book refutes a widely heldbelief that great companies are orshould try to be great at everything.The research exposes that greatness inall five attributes is confusing, illogi-cal and unprofitable. The sweet spot ofgreat companies, regardless of theindustry, is that they dominate in oneattribute, differentiate in a secondattribute, and target industry par as thegoal of the other three. The ConsumerRelevancy Model explains how subtlebut defining differences in strategybetween similar companies (e.g.,Walmart and Target) result in unques-tioned brand superiority within whatseems like the same space.

None of the four case study compa-nies were great at everything, but theydid each dominate in one attribute, dif-ferentiate in a second, and were atindustry par with the other three. Mostimportantly, each company stood forsomething. They knew what that wasand they conveyed consistent messag-ing to internal and external customers.Their successes, whether the result ofa carefully crafted plan or the outcomeof evolutionary effort, clearly fit intothe Consumer Relevancy Model.

Let’s dig a bit deeper into the deal-er that shares a physical parking lotwith the large national retailer ofbuilding materials and what that dealerdid to enjoy unprecedented success. Ifwe were to summarize the strategythat resulted in success, in light of TheConsumer Relevancy Model, it mightlook like this:

Dominate – AccessDifferentiate – Product Industry Par – Experience, Price,

ServiceThe dealer dominates in access, dif-

ferentiates in product, and operates atindustry par in experience, price andservice.

Access. Instead of thinking of thebig box as stealing traffic, they viewedit as raining potential customers uponthem. If the customer who traveled tothe common parking lot could beenticed to visit them after leaving thebig box, they would be leveraging ahigh volume of traffic that they couldnever afford to buy themselves. To do

this, the dealer positioned a large,highly visible sign on the side of theirbuilding facing the competitor. It read,“The Deck and Railing Experts.” Thetactic is similar to the cartoon where amega hardware store moves in next tothe mom-and-pop store. The megastore sports a really huge “Sale” signon its facade, so the mom-and-popstore places a large red arrow and,alongside it, the word “Entrance”above their door. The strategy workedwell and traffic was strong.

Product. Both retailers stockedidentical product lines. How did thatprovide an opportunity to differenti-ate? Rather than see this as an insur-mountable obstacle, they saw this as acompetitive opportunity.

Despite carrying the same product,the big box retailer was limited, com-petitively, in several ways. First,because of space, the big box couldonly offer one color in stock. Second,and importantly, because of aisle sizeand the fact that everything had to fitinside the store, it could only invento-ry decking in 8’, 12’, and 16’ lengths.The big box did have a competitiveprice on the one color it had in stock.The 8’ and 12’ decking were loss lead-ers, which created an illusion of ultra-low pricing. If you looked beyond theloss leaders you would find that the16’ decking in-stock was about thesame in both stores, while the specialorder 20’ decking, fascia, riser andrailing materials were a lot higher-priced. The independent retailer alsostocked two other colors that the bigbox had to special order and chargemore for.

Experience. The dealer, with helpfrom its suppliers, built attractive out-door displays on an unusable slopedhill. Each display was well-appointedwith railing, lighting and signage.They were attractively designed andinviting with furniture and fire pits.Consumers didn’t have to imaginewhat products would look like, theycould see completed projects.

Price. They chose to not competeon a per lineal foot basis, which wouldforce them to explain the competitor’sloss leader strategy. The dealer con-veyed their pricing on a per squarefoot basis, using a 20’-by-20’ deck astheir model. They showed both stores’material lists and retail pricing, side byside. This merchandising of pricingpositioned the independent as compet-itive to lower on decks that used 20’decking and did not use 8’ decking.

Service. The independent retailer’ssales staff was well trained on deckproducts and deck design. Theyinvested with manufacturers in semi-annual training events for staff andbuilders. Local building inspectorswere invited to teach code basics, per-mitting process, etc., to the sales team.They were equipped to demystify theprocess, they could help a d-i-yer suc-cessfully navigate the entire process orput a homeowner in contact with aprofessional deck builder who couldexecute the entire process.

They leveraged both the strengthsand the weaknesses of their competi-tion in their own favor. This was anevolutionary process for the dealer,but in retrospect, the reason for itssuccess is clear. The independent sells


20 times more decking, railing andaccessories than the big box store.Talk about being given lemons andmaking lemonade—this dealer ownedit. Each of the other case studies is ascreative in thinking, but pragmatic inexecution—and equally successful.

So, how would you go about dou-bling your decking business in 12months? It requires, first, a deep self-evaluation. Ask yourself how commit-ted you are to success. If you thinkyou are 110% committed, then thelessons of toward, to and through willmake sense. They were taught to meby Jesse, my son. That I learned thoselessons playing disc golf is not impor-tant; ball golfers have learned thesesame lessons.

Toward. Toward lacks focus. Itattempts, but it is not committed. Itsefforts are merely in the general direc-tion of a goal, but has no defined goal,and relies as much on good fortune asskill. This is the effort of the masses.

To. To is focused. The vision isclearly upon achieving the goal, and itdepends on skill, not luck. It strivesfor success, but it is not fully commit-ted and too often falls just short at thevery moment of success.

Through. Through accepts the riskof overshooting, but will not riskfalling short of the goal. Throughnever falls short. Through is the effortof winners.

If you are not 110% committed,find another area in the businesswhere you can apply that degree ofcommitment.

What separates you from yourcompetition and far greater successthan you are currently enjoying? My

experience suggests it’s much lessthan you think. I am reminded of thedifference when the temperature ofwater increases from 211˚ to 212˚. Itflashes from liquid to gas and increas-es 1,600 fold in volume. One singledegree makes all the difference. Thereis a tipping point. To double yourdecking (insert any category) business,you must fully commit to winning andseeing it through. You must shootthrough your goal.

What’s the first step? Deeply eval-uate the marketplace in which youcompete. Why deeply? Because it’stoo easy to fool yourself and find theanswers you already believe are thetruth. Deep, honest evaluation asksyou to assume nothing as a given, butto ask the hard questions and to listen,to understand and see with new eyes.

Who are your current customers?How strong are your relationships?Really, how do you know? Who isn’tyour customer today that you want tohave buying from you? How strongare they with their current supplier?Why aren’t they buying from you? Doyou know what they really think aboutyour business? Who are the competi-tors? What are their strengths andweaknesses? How do they see you?Where are you weak and strong? Doyou have the right products? Are youconfusing customers? Are you buyingthe best way? The list goes on…

Are you able to ask and listen to thehard truths of why they are not doingbusiness with you? Are you able toelicit, receive and welcome criticism?Will you allow yourself to see your-self through the customer’s eyes?

A deep market analysis is followed

by a willingness to see things as theyare in the eyes of others, then to get infront of the right people, ask the rightquestions, and listen for the truths(opportunities) in their answers. Thiscan be time consuming if you are deepin the fray, but it can be done.

There are numerous professionalresources to help you develop yourplan. Some are free. Manufacturerscan be a good resource for free localmarket information. Informal cus-tomer councils can provide greatinformation. Look to NADRA as aresource for higher level data. Thereare market intelligence resourcesavailable through a number ofresources like Principia and Freedonia.Increasingly, there are third partyexperts like Lanies LBM Solutionsand others that have taken this exacttopic as the 100% focus of their com-pany’s mission. This full presentation,including the case study, is availableupon request via GoToMeeting.

I’ll finish with a story about LarryWalters, one of my personal heroes.Larry was a truck driver living inCalifornia who always dreamed of fly-ing. On July 2, 1982, Larry finally didwhat he dreamed of for so long—hewas flying. We first found out abouthim when a plane flying to LAXreported seeing something flying inthe approach corridor that was notsupposed to be there. A report fromthe crew of a second plane had theFAA scramble aircraft to investigate.It was Larry Walters. He had attached43 helium-filled weather balloons tohis aluminum lawn chair. He was alsoequipped with a BB gun, a CB radiowith which he maintained ground con-tact, a couple of peanut butter andjelly sandwiches, a six pack of beer,and a parachute. He heard all the rea-sons why he couldn’t fly and ignoredthem, completed extensive planning,and, with unconventional execution,accomplished his dreams.

Upon landing (and as he was beinghandcuffed), reporters asked him if hewas afraid. He replied, “Yes, wonder-fully so!” When asked if he would doit again, he answered, “No!” Andwhen asked why he did it, he replied,“You can only dream about somethingso long. Eventually you have to decideto do something about it.”

I invite you to share your storieswith me. Good selling.

– Bill Ross is v.p. of sales for Fiberon,New London, N.C., and president of theNorth American Deck & Rail Association.Reach him at [email protected].

SUPERIOR MERCHANDISING of high-margin accessories encourages the selling of high-endaccessories and the whole job.



The latest in composite decking

Not surprisingly, Zambaninibelieves that composite decking willbe the first choice for homeowners. Tosimplify the decision process, thecompany has reorganized its productsinto three distinct groups—Select,Enhanced and Transcend—allowingconsumers to choose the product thatbest meets their outdoor living needs.

According to Zambanini, compos-ite decking is also popular with con-sumers who care about sustainabilityand the environment.

“Composite decking provides thelook and feel of real wood, but with-out the environmental impact, makingit the ideal choice for today’s eco-con-scious consumers,” says Zambanini.“Upkeep is hassle-free and requires nosanding, staining or painting. Foodand drinks wash off easily with justsoap and water.”

Maintenance is even easier withtoday’s new hard-shell technology,

which minimizes upkeep and offersthe look of wood that has been paintedor stained. TimberTech’s new LegacyCollection, the latest member of itsEarthwood Evolutions line of fullycapped composite decking, has thecolor and grain of fine hardwoods.

“This collection represents the mostauthentically unique styles in cappedcomposite decking today,” assertsToby Bostwick, director of productmanagement at TimberTech parentCPG Building Products. “It brings arichness and elegance reminiscent ofthe days of hand-crafted wood floorplanks you would see in a fine homeor charming historic barn.”

Fiberon’s newly introduced GoodLife composite decking has a protec-tive, three-sided capped surface thatresists staining, fading, mold andmildew, while targeting value-con-

BY ALL ACCOUNTS, 2014 promisesto be a good year in outdoor liv-

ing—a category that’s projected toreach $5.7 billion in sales by 2016.Manufacturers of composite deckingare taking note.

“Decks and porches are now con-sidered true extensions of a home’sliving space,” says Adam Zambanini,v.p. of marketing for Trex. “People arerealizing that it’s far more economicalto expand their living space outsidethan to enlarge or renovate theirhome’s interior.”

PRODUCT SpotlightOutdoor Living

GOOD LIFE composite decking from Fiberonhas a protective, three-sided capped surfacethat resists staining, fading, mold, and mildew.

TIMBERTECH’S new Legacy Collection is afully capped composite with the color and grainof fine hardwoods.

MOISTURESHIELD PRO deck boards weredesigned to meet consumers’ preference forcapstock composite decking.


TAMKO’S Evergrain and Envision composite decking is now available ingrooved deck boards that are easier to install.

ARMADILLO LITE composite decking, made by Rhino Deck, is 20%lighter than comparable composite boards.

Don’t Forget the Finishing TouchesA host of new lighting and railing products allow con-

sumers to take an ordinary outdoor living space from com-monplace to extraordinary.

“Builders and homeowners are looking for enhancementsthat maximize the style and enjoyment of their outdoorspaces,” says Chris Camfferman, senior product manager forUniversal Forest Products, which produces the Deckoratorsline of deck accessories.

Its Classic and Estate balusters are come in texturedwhite and gray, plus weathered brown, to complement theleading deck and railing colors. Two new aluminum balusterstyles, the Twist and Ellipse, offer a variety of style options.

New solar post caps are crafted from pine and featurefrosted glass and warm LED lights. Four styles can be cho-sen: Heritage, Archway and Hammered Metal, plus a cast-stone cover named Woodland Gray.

“The right lighting can take any outdoor space from invisi-ble to inviting,” says Ronald W. Kaplan, chairman, presidentand c.e.o. of Trex. “The right products allow homeowners tocreate customized outdoor living spaces that are compatibleand consistent in both look and performance.”

The company’s LED lighting products feature snap-ininstallation, use less energy than traditional lights, and arecool to the touch—making them safe for children and pets.

New LED rail light kits from Feeney function as an out-door lighting accent and a visual aid for low-light areas. Twolengths are offerd (21” and 32”) with either a 35- or 60-wattpower kit. The lights recess into the underside of top andbottom rails of the company’s DesignRail railing systems.

Iluma LED lighting from i-lighting is designed to work withany form of outdoor railing system. Photocell technologysenses ambient light and automatically turns lights on and offfor both safety and security.

Digger Specialties is offering a drink rail adapter kit thatcan support either awood or compositedeck board on top—providing a safeperch for bever-ages. The Westburypre-dri l led alu-minum rail comesindividually sleevedas a kit, with onerail and screws, foreasy installation.

FEENEY LED RAIL LIGHT KIT

DIGGER DRINK RAILADAPTER KIT

scious consumers.“The new Good Life line delivers exceptional perfor-

mance and value, making it an economically viable alterna-tive to a whole new segment of the home-owning popula-tion,” says Doug Mancosh, president of Fiberon. “Ourchannel partners will see a new wood-alternative customerwalk through their doors now that a high-performancedecking option is available at such a good price.”

Another new entry in the field of capped composites isMoistureShield Pro capstock decking, recently introducedby AERT. “This new line will make it possible to reacheven further into markets where capstock is becoming thepreference,” says Brent Gwatney, senior v.p. of sales andmarketing for MoistureShield. “We want to fulfill allhomeowners’ decking preferences, whether it be with a nat-ural wood-like composite or the benefits of a lower-mainte-nance cap.”

The newest line of composite decking from Rhino Deckis called Armadillo Lite. The line is made from 100% post-consumer recycled material and has a uniquely flutedunderside that makes it 20% lighter than comparable com-posite decking. A wrapped polyethylene coating protectsagainst fading, weathering and staining.

TAMKO Building Products has a new option for itsEverGrain and Envision decking: grooved boards. Thecompression-molded boards are easier to install and featurethe natural look of wood, with no repeat grain patterns anda dramatic deep grain.

TruGrain decking from Westech Building Products rep-resents a whole new category of composite decking. It ismade of Resysta, which was developed in Germany and ismade from rice husks, mineral oil, and salt.

“This is the very first product that looks like exotic ortropical hardwood, is 100% recyclable, and is durable andlong-lasting like foamed composites,” says general manag-er Renee Havrilla. “Water-resistant surfaces with the lookof wood are our future.”


Help customers dreambig with outdoor livingdesign tips, tools

extra layer of protection to resist staining, fading andscratching, while cellular PVC decking offers the broadestcolor choices with stain- and scratch-resistance.

“Today’s durable products give customers more free-dom to be creative and put some artistry into their backyardprojects,” he said. “These decking options provide the per-fect backdrop for elaborate outdoor kitchens and rooms thatcan redefine how the customer experiences outdoor living.”

Sell the Outdoor Room as an ExperienceFind out early on how many family members there are

and how they plan to use the deck on a daily basis. Then letthem imagine bringing all of the comforts and luxuries ofthe indoors to their outdoor space. “Approaching customerswith the outdoor room concept instead of just the plaindeck or patio helps them to think big, bold and beautiful,”notes Miller.

Jason Russell, Tacoma, Wa.-based president and ownerof Dr. Decks, says he not only builds outdoor rooms, butwows customers with unique and individual features thatsurprise and delight them, like outdoor theaters, built-inbench sound systems, and electronic picnic tables that riseup at a touch of a button.

“My goal is to get their imaginations going on ways toenhance their outdoor experiences,” he says. And, accord-ing to Russell, an important part of his artistically crafteddecks is to use the best, most durable materials, such as

AS SPRING ARRIVES after a rough winter in many regionsof the country, homeowners are feverishly beginning

to plan for their outdoor living spaces. As a focal point of warm weather entertainment, an out-

door living space can become a luxurious retreat, given theright design, materials and amenities. Knowing how toapproach customers to get them involved in the designprocess can spur their imagination, allowing projects toexpand and get more creative. This boosts margins for deal-ers and contractors and provides exciting design possibili-ties for homeowners that they might not have imagined.Here are some ideas for expanding the vision and bringingtogether the dealer, contractor and homeowner as a collabo-rative team.

Use Low Maintenance Materials at the StartUsing low-maintenance materials can help the home-

owner think bigger and out of the box from the get-go.Take the hassle of maintenance and frequent repair out ofthe equation, and the design possibilities become limitless.

“Using the newest low-maintenance deck and railingmaterials ensures the customer’s investment will pay offwith an outdoor space that exceeds their wildest dreams,”says Steve Miller, v.p-sales, Holmes Lumber, Millersburg,OH, a division of Carter Lumber.

Mel Westerman of Cape Cod Lumber, Abington, Ma.,agrees, adding that the new capped composites offer an

MARGIN BuildersBy Carey Walley, AZEK/TimberTech

EXPERTS ADVISE selling backyard projects as “outdoor rooms” instead of merely decks. (Photo of capped composite decking by TimberTech)


composites and cellular PVC. “Aftera long winter, a beautiful deck is thecustomer’s ticket to grabbing everypossible second of outdoor enjoymentand that does not include giving upweekends doing maintenance.”

Ramp Up the Style withRailings

Along with providing safety, rail-ings and fancier infills can also influ-ence the style of the final deck design.To enhance traditional railings, deco-rative in-fills, such as square or roundmetal balusters, offer a sleek stylishoption.

When there are breathtaking, scenicviews beyond the deck, severaloptions to unclutter the view includecable railing and glass panels. Sleek,stainless steel cable railing provides animproved view and serves as a con-temporary design element with verylittle maintenance. For the ultimateview of lush scenery, there are kits tointegrate glass panels into the railingthat become nearly invisible.

Amp Up the Lighting OptionsTo complete the outdoor space,

deck lighting can extend the hours ofenjoyment on the deck long after thesun goes down, as well as serve as adesign element. According to theAmerican Society of LandscapeArchitects’ 2014 Residential Land-scape Architecture Trends Survey,98.3% of respondents rated lighting asa desirable element of their deck.Lighting innovations include post caplights that generate a warm glowaround the deck’s railing, under-the-handrail lighting, subtle surface lights OUTDOOR KITCHENS are the perfect project to build a deck sale around. (Photo by AZEK)

that install flush into the deck boards,and stair riser lights for improvedsafety.

Complete the VisionSeeing a small swatch chart or deck

sample doesn’t really paint a pictureof how that product or color is goingto look on an entire deck. With onlinevisualization tools, the collaborationteam can experiment with differentcolors of decking and railing infilloptions. This helps cut through themire of all the products and colorchoices out there.

“I think online color visualizers area great way for homeowners to betterenvision the complete package andthey are a great selling tool,” saysRussell. “It opens the door to every-

thing from outdoor kitchens to fire pitsto lighting options.” He relies onadvanced software as well as manu-facturers’ online design tools, includ-ing TimberTech’s color visualizersand even an iPad app that makes col-laboration easy.

By presenting the outdoor space asa total experience limited only by theimagination, dealers and contractorscan help customers dream big withtime-tested composite or cellular PVCdecking, outdoor kitchens, electronics,decorative railings and deck lightingfor a total investment that will rewardthem for many years to come.

– Carey Walley is v.p. of marketing forTimberTech and AZEK Building Products,divisions of CPG Building Products.Reach her via www.azek.com.


Savvy dealers sponsornetworking eventsfor women

a.k.a. PIE (from Harvey Coleman’sbook Empowering Yourself, TheOrganizational Game).

Perhaps more important, it providedan opportunity for networking andcamaraderie in an industry wherewomen are few and far between.

“The whole idea of it is to connect,”says Mollie Elkman, president ofGroup Two Advertising, aPhiladelphia-based agency specializ-

EARLY IN THE morning on the sec-ond day of the recent International

Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, atten-dees passing by the Weyerhaeuserbooth couldn’t help but steal glances.After all, how often do you see a clus-ter of 75 women crowded into a 20x50trade show booth?

The event, called “Energize &Engage,” was designed to bringwomen together for networking during

the show. The attendees mingled,exchanged advice and business cards,sipped their favorite coffee drink, tookpart in a raffle, and received a partinggift. They also heard from CathySlater, senior vice president ofWeyerhaeuser’s OSB, ELP, and distri-bution divisions, who inspired guestswith her favorite formula for profes-sional success: the three key elementsof performance, image, and exposure,

INDUSTRY TrendsBy Amy Warren, Weyerhaeuser

MEEK’S, Gardnerville, Nv., location enables each attendee to complete a seasonal project, such as the wooden snowmen being constructed here. Photo courtesy Meek’s Hardware & Lumber


WALLS ARE LIFTED into place at Women’s Build Day at Canyon Country Habitat for Humanity jobsite in Boise, Id.Photo courtesy Canyon County Habitat for Humanity

ing in marketing for homebuilders thathelped to organize and co-host theevent with Weyerhaeuser.

LBM dealers can replicate thisapproach by reaching out to profes-sional and consumer female cus-tomers. On the consumer side, market-ing to women makes particular sense,says Elkman, because 85% of allbrand purchases are made by women(a stat that jumps to 91% when itcomes to new-home purchases).

Events for ProsLike other marketing campaigns, a

women’s event should offer some-thing of value, whether in the form ofknowledge or valuable networkingthey can’t find anywhere else. For pro-fessionals, that might mean a mixerevent, a motivational speaker, a trendsworkshop, or perhaps an openhouse/facility tour accompanied bywine and cheese.

“The most popular events are theones that are either educational or aresocial and fun,” says Margie Miller,who holds a sales and business devel-opment position at Curtis Lumber’sBallston Spa, N.Y., location. “Arecent Lunch & Learn seminar with adynamic, inspirational speaker/authorwas also a big draw for our localProfessional Women in Building(PWB) membership.”

Miller often attends events held bythe PWB, as well as her local NationalAssociation of Women inConstruction (NAWIC) council, and

holds leadership positions at bothassociations.

Curtis Lumber also has hostedNAWIC and PWB morning meetings,luncheons, and dinner meetings at itscorporate office, some including toursof the store, door shop, and yard oper-ations. “Having events at one of ourlocations helps to build rapport withthe groups’ membership and gives usan opportunity to familiarize themwith what we have to offer,” Millernotes. “Getting new people into ourstore is huge, so being a host is some-thing we like to do as much as wecan.”

When considering giveaways at pro-

WOMEN’S BUILD DAYS sponsored by local Habitat for Humanity provide an opportunity for deal-ers, remodelers, and other pros to learn new skills and give back to the community

Photo courtesy Canyon County Habitat for Humanity

fessional events, Elkman cautionsagainst items that scream “girl,” suchas pink hard hats and lipstick.“They’re not just cliché, they’re offen-sive. It hurts women more than helpsthem,” she explains.

Events for ConsumersThose rules ease up a bit when tar-

geting homeowners, but it’s importantto weigh what works in your commu-nity. Several dealers have found suc-cess with ladies nights for consumersthat combine how-to sessions on homemaintenance, design, and remodeling,with refreshments and giveaways.

For many dealers, the events are


about empowering women to feelcomfortable with home projects andpower tools—and to know that thelumberyard is a resource to them.

Meek’s Lumber & Hardware hostswomen’s events, and even kids’events, at many of its locations. “It’s agreat way to be a part of the communi-ty and to network,” notes SteveWalsh, director of sales and market-ing.

At the company’s Gardnerville, Nv.,store, twice-yearly ladies’ nightsattract upwards of 120 attendees. Eachsession centers around a project tocomplete—such as a birdhouse inspring or a 4’ wooden Christmas treeat the fall event—and also includes adinner buffet and raffle. Along withcommunity building, the events helpfamiliarize customers with what theyard offers, says assistant managerAndy Prause. Many consumers maynot realize the product breadth thelocation carries beyond just lumber,and the events offer a unique opportu-nity to elevate the comfort level ofnon-trade shoppers.

In Boise, Id., the effort for empower-ment goes even further for JudyAhrens, a Weyerhaeuser sales repre-sentative. Ahrens participates in andhelps out with Women’s Build daysfor Canyon County Habitat forHumanity, with groups of 50 to 60that include her dealer clients alongwith their employees and customers.Typically held once or twice per pro-ject, the events operate just like anyother day on a Habitat site.

“They learn how to frame walls,hang windows, lay shingles,” says

Ahrens, who also sits on the Habitatchapter’s board of directors. “It giveswomen information on how to buildhouses, how to be self-sufficient, andhow to contribute some of their timeto help the local community.”

Personal EffortsAlong with opportunities to engage

with customers, Miller notes theimportance of female LBM executivesto be involved themselves. “In order toreally develop a rapport with people inany association, it is important to be aconsistent attendee to the meetings ordevote time to a committee or a lead-ership position,” she says. “The list ofpeople in the building industry and thebusiness community that I havebecome familiar with, or even goodfriends with, has grown considerablyover the years. Those connections areextremely valuable to me personallyand to my employer.”

For Weyerhaeuser and Group Two,sponsoring the IBS breakfast was, ofcourse, a form of indirect marketing—providing an outlet for a core audiencegroup while attaching their brands toan event that the attendees appreciatedand enjoyed. But it was also personal.The event organizers were all womenwho themselves felt both the absenceof networking opportunities and for-mal encouragement of growing thepresence and leadership of women inbuilding.

“You can be a top performer andproject the right image for the positionyou want, but if no one knows aboutyou, it won’t matter,” Slater told atten-dees during IBS. “As women, we can

help each other go further through net-working, by putting that exposurepiece of the puzzle into place for oneanother.”

– Amy Warren is marketing communica-tions manager for Weyerhaeuser, FederalWay, Wa. She can be reached at (253) [email protected].

Quick Tips forSuccessful Events

Mollie Elkman, president of GroupTwo Advertising, which specializes inmarketing for homebuilders, offersthese quick t ips for success withwomen’s events:

Stop thinking RED or PINK foryour event colors. Look at the venueand the theme of the event and makedecisions that work for the space,rather than buying into the cliché ofgender-specific colors.

Think about the event from theperspective of those attending. It’sall about those extra details that makeany event special. From the momentthey arrive to the final minutes, whatdetails are going to make YOUR eventmemorable?

Ask a woman! If your organizationis predominantly male and you areputting together an event for women,it’s a good idea to get a female per-spective!

Include a takeaway. Something lit-tle that guests can take with them is anice way to thank people for attendingthat will also make your event standout from others

Have some team members arriveearly. No one likes to be the first to theparty. Have some people from yourteam arrive early to make the roomfeel exciting and full for the very firstguests who arrive.

WEYERHAEUSER’S Energize & Engageevent, held during IBS, gifted attendeeswith special mugs.

Photo courtesy Weyerhaeuser

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Contractors’ Nirvana

COMPETITIVE IntelligenceBy Carla Waldemar

WONDERING IF ANYONE out there has a word of advicefor the man? Usually this column tells the story of a

company that’s found a new niche, a money-saving gam-bit, a different way of doing business that’s keeping itafloat in these turbulent economic waters. Orv Johnson,general manager of Hendricks Farmers Lumber, has aproblem that’s a little more unique: He’s way too busy.

Orv is selling packages for eight to 12 new homes ayear (plus, plus, plus). And he’s doing it in a town of—ready?—720 people. Nor does the town of Hendricks boasta giant industry—simply the hospital, a golf cart distribu-tor, a pretty lake or two. Yet he turns away advertisingreps, because why in the world would he want to lure morecustomers, he asks them. He can’t keep up with the ones hehas.

What is this—the magical kingdom of Oz? No, sir.Hendricks is a rural, farm-based community on the westernborder of Minnesota. Hike a mile, and you’re standing inSouth Dakota. Brookings, S.D., and Marshall, Mn.—theonly sizeable spots on this stretch of the prairie—are 30minutes away. Orv sells to them, too, but they’ve each gottheir own lumberyards. So do the tinier towns closer by—“but we’re friendly,” Orv says of his competitor-dealersdoing business there. “I respect them. If someone’s in needof something, we even trade materials.”

Orv was born and raised in Hendricks, but he’s not the

owner of the company and never will be. Nobody is; well,actually, ownership is divided among 50 or so sharehold-ers. Back in 1915 when the yard was founded, peoplebought shares at $50 each—400 of them—to raise the nec-essary $20,000 so the company could purchase four cars oflumber to open its doors and get the operation up and run-ning. It’s been doing gangbusters ever since. Orv reports toa board of directors who, wisely, give him free rein. “I runthe whole company,” he allows.

Farmers are among his best customers—“a lot of agri-cultural business, livestock equipment. And the farm econ-omy is really good,” Orv reports. “Lots of them are alsobuilding new houses.” So are vacationers who cherish thesurrounding lakes, resulting in “a lot more d-i-y business insummer,” he reports: “remodeling, plus lawn and garden,plants, fertilizer.” They come to Hendricks FarmersLumber because of word-of-mouth, “after talking tofriends they trust,” he says, backed by the ease of one-stopshopping.

Hendricks’ operation is unique in another key facet: notonly one-stop shopping for building materials but also forthe potential homeowners who’re doing the actual build-ing. “We do a lot of generaling. We can be everythingfrom A to Z for them. They can choose to deal only withme and not a lot of subs,” explains Orv, who then overseesthe entire project as he hires and schedules and supervisesfor at least 75% of homeowner-wannabe clients, buildinghouses that range in price from $150,000 to $400,000.However, he’s quick to add, “If homeowners just wantonly the materials, that’s okay, too—however they want towork it.”

But most would just as soon turn it all over to the prosOrv hooks them up with—a function that is a lot morecomplicated that it sounds, says the man who should know.“The biggest thing is for me to get a feel for what a cus-tomer wants in his home and their personalities. Then I’llfind them a contractor they can get along with. Peopledon’t realize how important that is, to have the right match;otherwise, is can be disastrous,” he well knows.

Of course, those pros make mighty loyal customers,themselves. The reason is clear: “The biggest thing is, weget them work. They don’t even have to advertise—justrely on the people coming in the store. This year,” Orvsays, “they’re already booked solid. We’ve got a goodthing going….”

It gets even better. The contractor is never out there on aMINNESOTA LUMBERYARD’S seasoned staff is trained to hook home-owner customers up with the pro customers.


financial limb, looking at a bill for materials and waiting tobe paid so he, in turn, can pay it. Instead, Hendricks billseverything directly to the end-user, the homeowner him-self—which also cuts down on all those in-house “over 30days” dunning notices.

Hendricks also treats its pros (who account for 60% ofits customer count) to the other perks you might expect:free delivery and events, such as the annual DecemberDeWalt Tool promo (complete with eats and drink) andspring’s Sawdust Day customer-appreciation event, inwhich vendors participate. Those sales reps are also onhand to get staff (eight full-timers plus two part-time peo-ple) up to speed on new products Hendricks carries.

In fact, Hendricks first upped its product line back in

1992, when it opened a hardware store in a property it pur-chased down the street. Then, a year ago, the companybuilt a 4,000-sq. ft. addition to its main location and movedthe hardware to this more-convenient venue. “It had kindof discouraged customers to be sent down the block,” hesays. “It’s easier for them if we offer everything under oneroof”—and that “everything” segues from decks to win-dows and doors, tools, siding and a whole lot more, suitedto the “fine Victorian homes and picturesque estates”Hendricks showcases on its website. “Plus, the consolida-tion better utilizes our staff.”

So, what about the big recession? “We haven’t noticedit,” he says in the understatement of the month. They did-n’t have time to stew over it, being way too busy. Still are.And that creates its own dilemma—might it be time toexpand?

“We’ve thought about it,” Orv ruminates. “We could goout, look for new, young contractorsand try to bring ’em in to handle thebusiness. But what if things slowdown? Then they wouldn’t haveany work. So I guess we’ll contin-ue as is,” he indicates. “If we tellpeople in December that we can’tstart their new house untilAugust—if we’re upfrontabout it—they’re usuallypatient; they’re usually will-ing to wait.”

Carla [email protected]

TOOLS are among the heavily promoted products.

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TO ATTAIN THE number one supplier position with ouraccounts we must, above all, earn (and continue to

maintain) their trust.We are not just talking to our customers. We are asking

for their money. We are asking them to take risks based onwhat we tell them. Sure, they may know what they are buy-ing, but will we ship it on time? Will we ship it at all? Whatdo we do when the market moves against us? How do wehandle problems? These are questions that are essential tothe sales process, which have more to do with our valuesthan our salesmanship.

We have all known salespeople that are great at gettingsomeone to say yes to them, but they don’t (always) backup (everything) they say. We all make mistakes, but there isa difference between mistakes and patterns. A certain kindof salesperson always “forgets” a necessary detail, or needsa price adjustment, or an extra week, day, hour. They putpressure on the customer and their own organization.Things get done, but seldom smoothly. The salesperson’sproblems become their customer’s problems.

These salespeople underperform vis-à-vis their talentbecause they have to rotate through accounts; they get thehustle orders, but they never get the trust orders. They arenever anyone’s number one supplier. They have peoplewho buy from them but few business friends or trustedbusiness partners.

Simple, but in the heat of battle, not always easy, to earntrust, we do what we say we are going to do.

Consistent and Persistent How can I earn a customer’s trust? Whether customers

are buying from us or not our approach is the same.Consistent and persistent.

Same day/time. After our first contact with our newcustomer, we follow up within a week and continue to fol-low up on a weekly or bimonthly basis, on the same day atthe same time.

We are consistent with our call schedule. We can call


intermittently with specials—that is part of our sales arse-nal—but aside from those calls we are like clockwork andthe weather—you can count on us.

We are consistent with our offerings. Just like adver-tising, our offerings to our customers should be consistent.Send them every Monday and Wednesday to one group ofcustomers and Tuesdays and Thursdays to another. As withcalls, we can send special offerings, but our normal offer-ings are consistent—you can count on us.

We engage the whole account. We engage, learn thenames of everyone we speak with at the account (yes, onthe phone also). We become part of the fabric of their busi-ness. Gatekeepers and others who answer the phone oftenhave great influence with the buyer.

Be cheerful. Not ha-ha-funny-as-a-clown cheerful, butprofessionally positive. We are a positive, upbeat, profes-sional part of our customer’s lives—you can count on us (toalways be upbeat.)

Make asking for the business part of the relationship.“I sure love Jack. He is consistent with his offerings. He isalways upbeat. He does what he says he is going to do.”“And he sure wants to do business with me” must be addedto this sentence. We must maintain a consistent, persistentattitude about doing business. We are not just consistentwith the service part of the relationship; we are consistentand persistent sellers also.

Full Disclosure Selling. Full disclosure selling is aseries of questions that lead to an open, trusting way ofdoing business. If we know the answers to the full disclo-sure questions, we are selling the account as a partner, ifnot… something less.

Where are you in your buy cycle? What do you current-ly have on the ground? What do you have on order? Howmuch of that item do you use per month? What is youraverage cost? What is your buy-back(replenish) point? (How low do youlet your inventory go before youbuy?

Many sellers find it difficult toget this information from theircustomers. These questions aretrust-testers. These are reason-able business questions. Ourcustomers’ answers will tell uswhere we are on the road tobecoming their top supplier.

OLSEN On SalesBy James Olsen

James OlsenReality Sales Training

(503) 544-3572 [email protected]

Becoming theirnumber one supplier


ProBuild has closed its yard inYankton, S.D., and auctioned off itsremaining inventory and equipment.

Jones Lumber Co. , BocaRaton and Fort Pierce, Fl., has beenacquired by US LBM Holdingsfrom founder/president Mark Jones.

Gulf State Lumber Co., hasclosed after 86 years.

Meek’s Lumber & Hardwarerecently held a grand re-opening for itsnewly remodeled store in Berryville, Ar.

Word Lumber Co., Scottsboro,Al., has closed after 122 years of familyownership.

Noser Lumber Co., McAllen,Tx., has closed after 81 years, with theretirement of owners Carroll andGeorge Noser.

Griffin Lumber & Hardware,Cordele, Ga., is building a new branchin Leesburg, Ga., targeting a July 1opening.

Gilberts Do It Best Hard-ware, Owosso, Mi., saw a motoristcrash her car into its building March 27.

Park Falls Building Supply,Park Falls, Wi., suffered a minor electri-cal fire April 3.

Glenview True Value, Glenview,Il., has been opened by Mike Lovitto.

Ace Hardware, Lakewood, Tx.,has relocated to a new building.

Lowe’s, Leesburg, Fl., was evacu-ated April 19 due to a bomb hoax.

Menards opened a new 90,000-sq. ft. store on 35 acres in Rochester,Mn., April 8, as it liquidates its olderlocation in the city.

A day earl ier, Menards brokeground on a new home center inComstock Township (E. Kalamazoo),Mi., to open in early 2015. It will featurea 158,400-sq. ft. store, 27,648-sq. ft.garden center, and 40,172-sq. ft. lum-beryard.

Anniversaries: H.G. Page &Sons, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., 90th …United Plywoods & Lumber,Birmingham, Al., 70th … MartinsenHome Center, Forman, N.D., 40th… Sto Corp., Atlanta, Ga., 35th …

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US LBM Divisions GrowUS LBM’s Wisconsin Building

Supply division has opened two newlocations, while its Hines Supply unithas add four new branches.

Wisconsin Building Supply openeda cabinet and building material show-room in Fond du Lac, Wi., and a dis-tribution center in Oakfield, Wi.

Hines Supply, Buffalo Grove, Il.,has purchased Builder’s Roofing &Siding Supply, Warrenville, Il., andMike’s Deck Centers in Montgomeryand St. Charles, Il. The chain also hastaken over the former Stock BuildingSupply yard in Grayslake, Il., nowmanaged by Ed Graafsma.

US LBM now operates more than55 locations in nine states, including11 Wisconsin Building Supply andnine Hines Supply facilities.

Indiana Dealer Calls It QuitsBrueggemann Lumber & Builders

Supply, New Haven, In., closed April12 after 97 years.

Rick Wolf, owner since 1983, hadtried to find a successor, but no buyerstepped up and his three childrenchose different career paths.

However, Wolf, 56, won't be out ofthe home improvement businessentirely. He will continue hosting hisweekly radio call-in program, HouseCalls.

BND Commercial Real Estate ishandling the sale of the 25,000-sq. ft.store, and early this month will auc-tion off any remaining inventory andfixtures.

Hardwood DistributorExpands in the Midwest

Intermountain Wood Products, SaltLake City, Ut., will open its 11thbranch this month in Wichita, Ks.

According to DC manager GregFeatherstone, the hardwood distribu-tor’s locations are primarily in theNorthwest, but its Omaha, Ne., facilityhas in 12 years grown to become oneof its biggest.

West Fraser Adds AnotherArkansas Mill

West Fraser Timber, Vancouver,B.C., has agreed to buy BiblerBrothers Lumber Co., Russellville, Ar.

The sawmill, which produced about136 million bd. ft. of lumber last year,will become West Fraser’s fourthoperation in the state.

The deal was expected to close bythe end of April.



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GRAND OPENING: Sikeston, Mo., mayor Jerry Pullen (center) joined (at his left) Do it Best presi-dent/c.e.o. Bob Taylor and other co-op executives cutting the ribbon on the new 550,000-sq. ft. DC.

Do it Best Opens New Midwest DCDo it Best Corp. has opened a new

$34-million distribution center inSikeston, Mo., serving retailers inMissouri, Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois,Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky,Mississippi, Nebraska and Tennessee.

Employing 130 and stocking67,000 different products, the550,000-sq. ft. DC replaces a facilityin nearby Cape Girardeau, which wasbuilt in 1971 and was the first Do itBest DC outside the co-op’s home inFort Wayne, In.

“Although our Cape location

allowed us to effectively serve ourmembers for more than four decades,we knew we could do even better.This new Sikeston facility brings addi-tional efficiencies as we look toaccommodate future growth in theregion and serve even more indepen-dent entrepreneurs,” said c.e.o. BobTaylor. “With the integration of brandnew technology and improved workflows built into this facility, theSikeston RSC shipped its first prod-uct—on schedule and under budget—with a 98% fill rate on its first day.”


James A. O’Brien has been electedpresident of The Lester Group,Martinsville, Va. Jim Dudley, ex-Culpeper Wood Preservers, hasbeen named president of Lester’streated wood division, FortressWood Products.

Tracy Melotte, ex-Brunsell Lumber,is a new account mgr. at BliffertLumber & Hardware, Waukesha,Wi.

Larry W. Adams has been namedgeneral mgr. of Robinson BuildersMart, Newton, N.C., after 36 yearsas president of the BuildingMaterial Suppliers Association,Charlotte, N.C.

Tony Ledford is now engineeredwood products mgr. for TheBuilding Center, Charlotte, N.C.

Kevin Kelly, ex-Teka HardwoodFlooring, and Dave Nickodemus,ex-Tuson Trading, have joined thesales team at Marlin Lumber SalesCorp., Albertson, N.Y.

Andy Mayhew has been named busi-ness development mgr. for SmithMountain Building Supply, Hardy,Va.

MOVERS & Shakers

Brett Shuler, ex-Chicago FlameproofCos., has joined InternationalBeams, Sarasota, Fl., as East Coastregional sales mgr. He is based inBurton, Mi.

Jacob King has been named storemgr. of McCoy’s Building Supply,Corsicana, Tx. Noe Rodriguez isnow store mgr. in Pasadena, Tx.

Brent Wooster, ex-BlueLinx, hasbeen named v.p.-northern NewEngland for Woodbrowser,Grantham, N.H., overseeing directtruckload and wholesale accountsin N.H., Vt., and Me.

Jerry Laske is new to sales atLampert Lumber, Rockford, Mn.

Mark Kerr is general mgr. of the newMenards in Dickinson, N.D.

Timothy Lynch has transferred to 84Lumber, Plainville, Ct., as generalmgr. Greg Vlahos is the new EWPproduct mgr. in Georgetown, Tx.Jeff Beck has rejoined 84 Lumber,as install mgr. in Canonsburg, Pa.

Chris Beach, president, c.e.o. andchairman, Bostwick-Braun Co.,Toledo, Oh., has been elected to theboard of PRO Group, Denver, Co.

Steve Kowalski, ex-Weekes ForestProducts, has joined the sales teamat Lumberman’s Wholesale, Inc.,Montgomery, Il.

Hagie Cook, ex-Tucker Door & Trim,is now north Georgia territory mgr.for ECMD.

Dustin Ferriso, ex-WindowRamaEnterprises, has joined Fiberon, asterritory mgr. for Long Island. Heis based in Lindenhurst, N.Y.

Joe Stid has been appointed opera-tions mgr. for Northville LumberCo., Northville, Mi.

Rich Lynch has been promoted to v.p.of marketing for Do it Best Corp.,Fort Wayne, In.

Jed Potts is a new estimator atNational Lumber, N. Kingstown,N.H.

Robert Staudte has joined Fiberon,New London, N.C., as Europeanmarket mgr. He is based inGütersloh, Germany.

Curtis Davis, ex-BlueLinx, is a newDallas, Tx., area architectural repfor Milgard Windows & Doors.

Todd Hallstrand has been named v.p.of sales and marketing at WeatherShield Windows & Doors, Med-ford, Wi. Thomas Weiland is nowmarketing communications mgr.

Signing Off.After 24 years of working together with

you in the building industry, the time hasnow come to say goodbye.

We from the Walther family had a greatrun during 24 years. It was fun, and wehope it was for you, too. Never ever didwe imagine that we would be so success-ful. This was only possible because youtook a chance on our products.

Our success shows that with a teameffort—you our customers, our colleaguesat GRK Fasteners, and we, the Walthers—change and growth can be made possible.

Please keep GRK products on your

shelves and continue to use them!

Thank you, America, and thank you,Canada, for giving us a fair chance.

I hope that we will not becomestrangers. If you can, drop a line once ina while!

God Speed to all of you.

Yours truly,

Uli WaltherNew email: [email protected] Phone: 1-807-632-1251

Web: www.grkfasteners.com


Trapper Wilcoxson, ex-Foxworth-Galbraith, is a new truss designerat MG Building Materials, SanAntonio, Tx.

Heiko Fischer has been named presi-dent and c.e.o. of Robert BoschTool Corp., Mount Prospect, Il.

Jason King is new to ChelseaBuilding Products, Oakmont, Pa.,as business development mgr. ofits specialty products division.Stephen Kriss is a new salestrainee.

Stephanie Kaleta has been appointedkey account sales mgr. for KNIPEXTools, Arlington Heights, Il.

Paul Casseri, ex-Larson Mfg., is nowproduct mgr. for the residentialshingle and underlayment divisionsof Atlas Roofing, Atlanta, Ga.

David O’Driscoll, ex-Dantzler, nowtrades southern pine lumber in theU.S. and Caribbean for WholesaleBuilding Products, Hollywood, Fl.


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Tim Hiller has joined Amerhart as anoutside sales representative at itslocation in Traverse City, Mi.

Matt Pedrone, ex-Valspar, is nowNortheast regional sales mgr. forStrathmore Products, Syracuse,N.Y.

Shanda Lear is now staffing thelighting department at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax,Nv., report co-owners HughMungus and Freddy Fungus.

OSHA Looks into Mill DeathThe Occupational Safety & Health

Administration is investigating thedeath of a 21-year-old man who diedfrom injuries sustained at GrahamLumber Co., Fulton, Ms., April 17.

William Christopher McCalpin IIdied that evening at the hospital. Theexact cause of death was unknown atpress time.


SUPPLIER BriefsAssociated Materials, Cuyahoga Falls, Oh., withdrew

plans for a $100-million initial public offering.

Arch Wood Protection moved to new offices inAtlanta, Ga.

Universal Forest Products, Grand Rapids, Mi., pur-chased assets of component manufacturer High LevelComponents, Locust, N.C., as well as a 50% stake insawmill Upshur Forest Products, Gilmer, Tx.

Prime Lumber Co., Thomasville, N.C., has addedthree new dry kilns.

Weyerhaeuser Distribution, St. Paul, Mn., is nowdistributing the full line of James Hardie fiber cement sidingproducts to Mn., NW Wi., eastern N.D., and S.D.

Boise Cascade Building Materials Distribution,Delanco, N.J., is now distributing Regal aluminum railings inN.J., De., eastern Pa., and N.Y.

C.J. Link Lumber Co., Warren, Mi., is now carryingRoseburg Forest Products’ DuraTemp siding andRediBead paneling.

U.S. Lumber, Atlanta, Ga., is now distributing RoyalBuilding Products trim and millwork throughout itsSoutheast and Mid-Atlantic distribution network.

Cedar Siding Inc., Rochelle, Il., now distributes Inte-grity Composites’ DuraLife decking in the upper Midwest.

Koppers Buying Osmose Koppers, Pittsburgh, Pa., has agreed to acquire the wood

preservation and railroad services divisions of OsmoseHoldings for $460 million.

Griffin, Ga.-based Osmose Wood Preserving providessuch preservatives as MicroPro micronized CA, Nature-Wood ACQ/CA, Advance Guard and Hi-Bor borates, andFirePRO FRTW. It expects to “continue to operate as it haswith very little visible change to customers and markets.”

Baillie Adds 11 AHI FacilitiesBaillie Lumber, Hamburg, N.Y., has completed its

acquisiton of American Hardwood Industries, Waynesboro,Va., from investment firm H.I.G. Capital LLC.

AHI operates 11 hardwood mills and dry kiln facilities.H.I.G. purchased AHI, then Augusta Lumber, in 2006.

Growth Begins at 80 for N.D. DealerTo mark its 80th year, McKenzie Building Center,

Watford City, N.D., recently expanded and is looking togrow even bigger.

MBCI added an inside drive-thru storage building “foreasy pick up by customers in all types of weather and toprovide all-weather storage,” said v.p. Joe Johnson.

In addition, said chairman Eric Sparrow, the company is“seeking to expand MBCI through additional acquisitions.We are aggressively seeking to acquire other lumberyardsand building material suppliers throughout North Dakota.”

And, said c.o.o. Charlie Rader, “We will be celebratingour 80th anniversary with special buys, promotions andevents throughout the year, (including) our first annual cus-tomer and vendor appreciation event.”


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Kommerling USA will expand itsPVC sheet manufacturing facility inHuntsville, Al., to produce uniquewindow and door profile systems.

Founded in 1897 and based inGermany, Kommerling has been pro-ducing high-impact vinyl window pro-files in Europe since 1967.

“Now is the right time to enter thismarket, bringing the world’s mostrespected window and door profiles to

the United States,” said Dr. PeterMrosik, c.e.o. of Kommerling’s parentcompany, Profine Group.

More Upgrades for Pine MillPleasant River Lumber, Dover-

Foxcroft, Me., has invested nearly $1million in the Sanford, Me., mill itacquired 18 months ago and plansanother multi-million-dollar upgrade.

After making numerous safety and

energy-saving improvements, such asinstalling a quieter, clean chip-han-dling system, the mill recently pur-chased a new moulder to make woodpaneling. It will be installed this sum-mer and operational by fall.

The mill will also install a newcomputerized optimization system.

CertainTeed Getting New Hq. CertainTeed Corp. parent Saint-

Gobain will relocate its NorthAmerican corporate headquarters fromValley Forge, Pa., to nearby Malvern.

The company has signed a long-term lease for 320,000 sq. ft. of spaceon 65 acres, which it will transforminto a LEED-certified showplace byfall 2015. The larger campus willallow the employee count to grow byapproximately 120 additional employ-ees, to more than 800.

Hardwood Mill Worker KilledA millworker at Bagley Hardwood

Products, Bagley, Mn., was killedwhen his jacket became entangled inthe pulley mechanism of a 40-ft.-wide-by-20-ft.-high door as it was opened.

The cables pulled longtime workerMichael Ross Larson, 41, about 3 ft.off the ground. He died at the scene.

KOMMERLING is bringing a range of AMA-approved products to the U.S., including PremiDoorlift/slide doors, which feature a 19’-wide by 8’-tall sash size that can be extended to 38’ wide.

Kommerling Brings Doors, Windows to U.S.

Special FocusNorth AmericanWholesale Lumber Association


FOLLOWING AN IMPRESSIVE show lastyear in Las Vegas, the NAWLA

Traders Market returns to Chicago for2014. The premier event will be heldNov. 12-14 at the newly renovatedHyatt Regency Chicago, a familiarvenue for regular attendees.

Since 1996, the Traders Market hasheld a unique position among lumberand building material trade shows, asit is the only one that is focusedalmost exclusively on the lumber sup-ply chain. Unlike other shows, theexhibitors are almost always manufac-turers of lumber and lumber-relatedproducts, not machinery or otherequipment providers.

“The NAWLA Traders Market isthe must-attend event in the forest

products industry. It’s the one timeand place where buyers and sellers ofall types of wood and related buildingproducts can get together for two daysand ‘talk shop’ face-to-face,” said JimMcGinnis, Traders Market chair.

This focus on supply chain partnershas fostered an unrivaled atmospherefor networking. In today’s global mar-ketplace, the Traders Market providesa chance to meet current and prospec-tive clients face to face. In an industrywhere million-dollar deals are stillmade with a handshake, that personalnetworking is invaluable.

NAWLA chairman Rick Ekstein,president of Weston Forest Products,said that the Traders Market truly pro-vides value to his company, and that

his “purchasing team can accomplishin two days, what it would take weeksto accomplish traveling on the road.”

Last year, the show hosted 246exhibiting companies and 1,435 atten-dees—its highest attendance since2008. The attendee profile continuesto be near evenly split between whole-salers and manufacturers.

The Traders Market Committee isadding a few new wrinkles to the 2014show, but is keeping the essence of thefloor experience the same as in pastyears, said McGinnis. “We’re expect-ing 1,500 or so attendees, and itpromises to again be the one event ofthis type that just can’t be missed.”

Registration is now open. Visitwww.nawlatradersmarket.com.

Traders Marketreturns to Chicago


“TWO MAIN REASONS markets moveup: a lack of supply or the per-

ception there is a lack of supply.”When I was a boy, my mother

planted a garden every year. Everyyear she would patiently wait until thedays grew warmer, the trees began tobud, and the new grasses began tosprout before she would till the soiland plant her flowers and vegetables.

Some years in late February thedays would get warmer, some of thetrees would begin to bud, and the feel-ing of spring would be in the air.During these times, my mother wouldwait to plant her garden, and sureenough, in a week or so another heavyfrost would come and nip all the earlybuds from the trees. My motherwould call these events a “falsespring.”

To stay with my mother’s gardenmetaphor, the economic winter wehave been in has been a long one, andwe are ready for the business seasonto improve. Like my mother, we are

anxious to plant new seeds of com-merce and begin to grow our busi-ness. We must be careful not to letour zeal overcome our caution, lestwe get tricked by a false spring. Incase you’re not sure what to look for,we have had a couple in the past fewyears. Here’s what they look like.

2010During the last few months of

2009, lumber and panel prices beganto creep higher. Each week’s marketreports showed modest increases inprices. A few announcements of cur-tailments in production, along with alittle better demand than expected,brought some buyers off the fence. Bythe beginning of the new year, fram-ing lumber prices had moved up $20-$25 and panel prices were $25-$30better. January housing starts cameout at a seasonally adjusted annualrate (SAAR) of 614,000, the highestnumber since November of 2008.February’s numbers were slightly

lower than January’s, but Marchhousing starts came in at 636,000SAAR and April’s numbers made ajump to 687,000 SAAR. Even thoughit was still early spring, and manyparts of the country were still in thegrip of winter weather, the marketreacted with what was sometimesdescribed as a “gold rush mentality,”pushing mill order files out manyweeks and prices to near all timerecord highs. Framing lumber pricesclimbed $125-$150 higher in fivemonths. OSB prices went from themid $150s to the low $400s.

In May, housing starts dropped by100,000 to 583,000 SAAR, and Junecame off another 47,000 to 536,000SAAR. Traders dumped their longpositions, building contractors can-celed job orders, lumber and panelmarkets made a steep decline.

By the first week of June, lumberprices had dropped $75-$100 andOSB prices were $200-$225 lower.Prices continued to drop through themonth of August before showingsigns of recovery and never got closeto the levels seen in the spring.

2011 and 2012Spring 2011 saw almost a reversal

of events from 2010. Housing startsfluctuated between the mid-550s tothe low 600s, while lumber and espe-cially panel prices began a declinethat lasted well into the third quarter.Many said the market was “overlycautious” after the events of spring2010.

Spring 2012 saw markets acting

False springsBy Ken Tennefoss, Crow’s/RISI



much the same as 2011, trading innarrower ranges, much more like tra-ditional trading patterns. This contin-ued through the third quarter beforeprices began to improve.

2013In September of 2012, housing

starts came out at 854,000 SAAR.The last time starts were above800,000 was in September of 2008.Market prices were in a generaldecline and did not show much reac-tion to the housing news.

When the October starts of864,000 SAAR came out, the marketbegan to take notice. By the end of2012, lumber and panel prices hadeach increased by $100. They contin-ued to increase in 2013.

Housing starts numbers continuedto improve and finally broke the onemillion mark in March of 2013, thefirst time since June of 2008 thatstarts had been over one million units.Prices were once again at or nearrecord levels, with SPF 2x4 #2&Btrtrading at $485 and 7/16” OSB sellingfor $435 FOB mill.

When the April housing figures of852,000 units SAAR were released,the market went into a decline that

lasted for 60 days. During that time,market prices for framing lumber andOSB lost around 25% of their value.

Since July of 2013, framing lum-ber prices had slowly made gains buthad not been able to fully climb to thelevels of the spring of 2013. OSBprices have had an even tougher timerecovering lost ground and haveremained in the low to mid-$200s.

Which brings us to this spring.Since the first of the year, prices havebeen slowly eroding, even thoughhousing starts ended last year at overone million for November andDecember, and have been over900,000 for January and February.

Heavy winter weather has closed jobsites and stifled demand, as well asslowed transportation to a crawl insome regions.

Most buyers and sellers inter-viewed are optimistic about the futureand feel the year will be a good one.However, buyers time and time againsite the lessons learned in 2010 and2013 as reasons for “guarded opti-mism.” Perhaps this spring will not bea false start and will be the beginningof a prosperous year for all.

– Ken Tennefoss is executive editor ofRISI’s Crow’s Weekly Market Report.Reach him at [email protected].


THE EXTENSION of credit, so basic to any business enter-prise, pivots on trust and risk. The biggest challenge a

credit professional faces is deciding whether to extendcredit to a client, and how to determine the proper amountof risk or exposure to accept.

Establishing credit limits is not an exact science. Whilesome seasoned credit professionals develop a ‘gut feeling,’others take an analytical approach to reducing risk. In eithercase, understanding risk tolerance and potential buyer per-formance patterns are essential. This article looks at whatfactors a company must consider when extending credit,

what is involved in the credit review process, and how toanswer the standard question: “Should I extend credit—andif so, how much?”

Extending credit to customers can increase sales,improve customer satisfaction, and help build long-termcustomer relationships. Nevertheless, the risk of loss isalways present when extending credit, so a business mustestablish a formal credit policy and set credit limits. Creditlimits not only improve a company’s ability to collect debt,but help it minimize losses on defaulting customers.

Risk Tolerance & ExposureA credit policy should determine not only how and when

to sell on credit and the terms, but also define when terms

should be revisited, and when necessary, the collectionsprocess. Several factors influence the amount of exposure abusiness is willing to take. Factors include cash flow, profitmargin, and the ability to collect unpaid debt.

Cash flow is critical. When offering credit, the seller hasnot only paid the cost of providing the product or relatedservice but will receive no cash from the sale to replenishoperating capital until the debt is paid. When setting thelength of terms, the seller needs to take into account if ithas enough cash flow to cover operations until payment isreceived.

Additionally, a company’s profit margin is a major con-sideration when determining how much exposure is rela-tively safe. The lower the profit margin, the more conserva-tive the credit policy. Tightening credit, however, may havea negative impact on sales growth unless the company’sproduct or service is in high demand. In a competitive mar-ket, a looser policy may be needed to maintain customerseven if profit margins are low.

Poor economic conditions also can dampen a company’sappetite for risk, but not always. Kelly Bates, global creditdirector for a U.S.-based supplier, notes their company did-n’t change its credit policy during the recent economicdowntown.

“Sometimes we get pushback [from buyers] that othercompanies extend longer terms,” she concedes, “but ourpractices are consistent. Whether it is a good market or apoor market, we stick to the same procedures.” Batesexplains that this still requires knowing their customers,monitoring pay, paying close attention to Blue BookServices credit sheets and ratings, and evaluating anychanges that may occur on a month-to-month basis.

Know Your CustomerKnowing your customer’s financial stability and track

record are crucial. Large or small, a company must have theability and cash flow to sustain itself. As most credit pro-fessionals know, insolvency can strike firms of any size andhave a devastating ripple effect.

There are a number of sources to obtain information ona customer’s creditworthiness, such as credit agency reportsand bank references. Credit agencies can provide informa-

To extend ornot to extend?Effectively limiting risk and exposure when setting credit limits



Industry Pay TrendsEvery month, Blue Book Services collects accounts receivable data from lumber

suppliers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Confidentially maintained, this informationis compiled, averaged and analyzed to help Blue Book members make safe andinformed credit decisions. The following chart confirms that industry pay trends havebeen relatively stable for the past five quarters.

Quarter Total A/R % Current % Past Due Average CreditReported Per Customer

Q1 2014 $1.83 billion 83% 17% $48,958Q4 2013 $2.01 billion 84% 16% $54,699Q3 2013 $2.58 billion 85% 15% $58,232Q2 2013 $2.28 billion 83% 17% $57,406Q1 2013 $2.24 billion 83% 17% $52,743

– Source: Blue Book Services database

tion on a customer’s payment history,banking relationships, and financialperformance. Bates relies heavily onBlue Book Services for timely infor-mation on pay performance andemerging trends.

“We check a customer’s back-ground. We look at how long a com-pany has been in business and diveinto their financials,” she explains. “Ifwhat we need is not available, we willgo with references, but we take themwith a grain of salt.” She notes, how-ever, that banks are a good source forreferences.

When calling a customer’s bank fora credit rating, standard questionsinclude how long the account has beenopen, the average balance, andwhether the bank has credit experiencewith the account. Bates says knowingthe customer and understanding its

reputation in the market are critical tomaking sound credit decisions. “Wego back to the salesperson to find outwhat they know about the customer. Itgives us a better level of comfort forthe risk (we may undertake).”

In some cases, it is advantageous tolook at a customer’s operating plan.“We request a forecast of how muchthey intend to purchase, and we keepthe amount of credit in line with theforecast and past history,” Bates says.Company policy is to set the creditline “to actual need as long as thefinancials support it. If there’s a spikein their credit line, it’s a trigger to usto go back to the salesperson (to findout why).” If a customer is asking formore credit because the companydoesn’t have the required cash, Batessays, such a spike “forces us to inves-tigate to determine what the risk is.”

Not every customer has the finan-cial stability to receive credit. “Mostof the time we extend cash in advanceterms if they don’t meet the criteria,”Bates says.

Equal Credit Opportunity ActAny business checking the credit-

worthiness of its customers needs tobe in compliance with the EqualCredit Opportunity Act. The EqualCredit Opportunity Act (ECOA) of1974 applies to all creditors before,during, and after extending credit.Congress passed the Act in responseto the difficulty minorities, women,and the elderly had in obtaining creditand requires that creditors “make cred-it equally available to all creditworthycustomers” without discrimination.The Act also includes rules on certainnotifications and record retention.

Applications must be worded neu-trally, so as not to ask for any prohibit-ed information. Additionally, appli-cants must receive a credit decisionwithin 30 days. If credit is denied,terms have been changed unfavorably,or an increase in a line of credit hadbeen refused, the creditor must notifythe applicant, and he or she has 60days to request, in writing, the reasonfor the “adverse action.” The creditormust respond to the applicant within30 days if such a request is made.

Denied application records forapplicants with gross revenues of $1million or less must be retained for 12months after notification, for 60 daysafter notification for applicants withmore than $1 million in gross rev-enues—or 12 months if so requestedby the applicant.

In addition to actual damages, courtcosts, and complainant attorney fees,violators can face punitive damages ofup to $10,000 in individual lawsuitsand up to the lesser of $500,000 or 1%of the creditor’s net worth in class-action suits.

ConclusionThe decision to extend credit and

the terms of credit are different forevery business. Company officialsshould set policies reflecting their ownlevel of comfort with risk and performdue diligence on customers’ financialstability, reputation, operations andpayment performance history.

– This article was provided by BlueBook Services, a comprehensive onlinedirectory and credit information resourcefor the lumber industry that has beenactively involved with NAWLA since 2009.Learn more at www.lumberbluebook.com.

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AFTER ALL THE advice you’ve beengetting from sales professionals,

managers, trainers and sales colum-nists over all these years, why is thetransactional sale still so common?Why don’t we swim against the tideand find a better way?

Perhaps it’s because the transac-tional sale is easy. Someone calls, youquote a price, you get the order… ornot. Move on to the next call. What’swrong with that? In some cases,there’s nothing wrong with it. In othercases, there’s a lot. Let’s break itdown.

Transactional sales are easy anduncomplicated. That’s the irony. Welove them. And that’s why your sales-people gravitate to selling transaction-ally even when they know there’s abetter way, and even when they knowthat applying a sales process and bet-ter selling methodologies might givethem better results.

In an ideal world, we have the bestproduct in a category, with the bestvalue that no one else has, and every-one in the market knows we have it.Just sit back and let the phones ring,right? Imagine being an iPhone sales-person. I mean no disrespect to thehelpful folks at the Apple store, but ifthere were ever a quintessential exam-ple of an order-taker, that would be it.And if your products were like that,you wouldn’t need salespeople atyour company either. Imagine if yourpeople drove around with a hand-heldorder machine like those guys have.“And would you like your receipt

emailed to you, Mr. Campbell?”But your products are not like that.

There is always an alternative—toyour product, to your company, toyour category, or even to your people(more on that in a minute). And,thankfully, this is so. It’s what makesthe game fun. It gives your people a

Transcending thetransactional saleBy Dennis Connelly

chance to shine, to build value, tosolve business problems, and to dif-ferentiate not only their products butthemselves.

You sell a broad mix of products.Some are special. They might have alonger sales cycle as you try to get theproduct sold as a stock item, or at



least regularly purchased as a triedand true product. Perhaps you’re hop-ing a builder always uses a particulartype of decking or that a dealer stocksa certain set of railings or trim boards.We’ve talked a lot in other articlesabout how to sell those items.

But what about the products thatsell more like a commodity? Whatabout the products for which cus-tomers call and say, “I need another300 pieces.” What about the productsthat seem like price is the only thingthat matters? That’s our domaintoday.

Let’s first divide the transactionalsale into three categories so we canunderstand what to do in each case.First we have the customer callingwho always buys this product fromyou. Then we have the customer whosometimes buys it from you. And,finally, we have the customer whocalls and never buys from you.

Case 1: In this first case, wherethey always buy from you, that’s asclose as you’re going to get to sellingiPhones. Be happy, but don’t be com-placent. The key to it working longterm is maintaining a great relation-ship with that customer. They’re notshopping you, therefore they like you.All of the other qualifications are

there, by definition. So the only thingyou can mess up is the relationship.Put your best account managers on itand cherish them.

Case 2: In the second case, wherethey sometimes buy from you, you’relocked in purchasing department pur-gatory. When I talk to companiesabout this group, I’m almost alwaystold the same thing, “They only careabout price.” I remember one suchdealer many years ago who was pur-chasing primed wooden trimboardsand everyone in distribution “knew”that price was all that mattered to him.Then one day, someone sold him

PVC trim boards at three times theprice. What happened? Differentvalue proposition? Really? Are allprimed wooden trimboards the same?This was a missed opportunity.

The key, in this case, is not accept-ing that the sale is transactional at all.They sometimes buy from you andsometimes someone else. Why? Isprice all that matters? What is theproduct being used for? Are therealternatives? Have they ever had aproblem? And what other problemsdid that problem cause? Does timingmatter? Does having it in stock mat-ter? What if it costs more to keep


enough in stock to never run out?Who else is affected by this purchase?How often do they need it? Howmany more times this month? Howelse could we structure this to getmore of their business? Why is thisimportant? Who else cares? Shouldthey be in the conversation?

Find out who’s wearing the deci-sion and get to that person. The bestsalespeople can do this. Then, have abusiness conversation. If all you do isquote the price, then you’re the sameas the other guy but with a differentphone voice. When the product seemsthe same, and the service seems the

same, and the only thing that changesis the day of the week, then you needto be the difference. Slow down thecall, find out what other factors are onthe table, and talk about their busi-ness. Be the only one who really getsit. When your people can do that, theyare the difference.

Case 3: In the third case, wherethe prospect frequently asks for aquote, but never (or rarely) gives youthe business, we must take a differentapproach. It might sound somethinglike this:

Salesperson: “You call a lot ask-ing for a quote, and you’re real nice.

You say we’re competitive, and yousay good things about us, but wenever get the business, why is that?”

Prospect: “It’s just business.”Salesperson: “Is it fair to say

you’re in business to make money?”Prospect: “Aren’t we all?”Salesperson: “And if you never

get the business, how can you makemoney, and how can you be in busi-ness?”

Prospect: “Look, I get a lot ofquotes from people who don’t get thebusiness, and I give a lot of quotes formy company and don’t get the busi-ness. That’s what it means to be inbusiness.”

Salesperson: “That doesn’t workfor me. With all this price quoting,I’m spending a lot of time and notgetting paid. Tell me what it’s goingto take to do business with you. If itmakes sense, I’ll give you anotherquote.”

Often, what’s happening in thisthird case is that you are being used tokeep someone else’s prices low. Theprospect is behaving as if business isdevoid of relationship, both withrespect to you and to the incumbent.And they will keep behaving that wayuntil someone shows them a reason tochange their thinking. Why not be thefirst one to do that? You have nothingto lose. They’re not your customer,but they called you. Seize themoment.

In summary, we tend to like trans-actional sales because they are easy.But we are leaving much on the table.We’re either vulnerable to the compe-tition, we’re stuck in a price war and arace to the bottom that no one canwin, or we’re getting walked on whileletting good potential business slipaway.

Can your salespeople cope withthese issues and reverse the transac-tional tendency? Can they change thenature of the conversation and reversethe downward pressure on margins?Can they sell more consultatively andbecome the primary differentiator?Getting the answers to these questionscould be the beginning of transcend-ing the transactional sale and havingyour best year ever.

– Dennis Connelly is a sales develop-ment consultant at Kurlan & Associates,author of the blog series livingsalesexcel-lence.com, and a frequent industry speak-er. Reach him at [email protected].

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THE ONGOING CONTROVERSY over forest carbon account-ing reminds me of the H.L. Mencken quote, “For

every complex problem there is an answer that is clear,simple and wrong.” The clear and simple answers for com-plex questions, such as when to start the carbon accountingclock, for example, are oftentimes fraught with error.

How should we go about accounting for the many waysa tree continues to sequester carbon after a harvest? Weknow forest carbon accounting systems must account for:

• Forest inputs such as fertilizer and herbicides• Moisture and material loss• Electricity used to transform raw wood material to

wood pellets• Fuel (diesel) used to harvest trees and transport mate-

rials from the forest to the boilerMethods to interpret other variables that considerably

affect forest carbon—forest composition, geography andpast land use, for instance—are less clear. Environmental

The role of wood productsin forest carbon accountingBy Suzanne Hearn, Forest2Market

Tab

le 1

– Smith, James E.; Heath, Linda S.; Skog, Kenneth E., & Birdsey, Richard A. (2006). Methods for Calculating Forest Ecosystem and Harvested Carbon with Standard Estimates for Forest Types of the United States.



stressors such as hurricanes or pestoutbreaks and economic pressureslike conversion to crop land andurbanization contribute to imbalancedcarbon accounting ledgers. Add tothis the difficulties of applying thesame set of measurement criteria todifferent wood markets, and we havea complex problem indeed.

Carbon Sequestration inLong-Lived WoodProducts

One particular question thatdeserves an answer is how forest car-bon accounting schemes account forthe carbon sequestered in end-use

products. Changes in forest carbonstocks occur whenever forests are har-vested, yet these changes do not meanall of the carbon sequestered by theharvested trees is immediatelyreleased into the atmosphere. In fact,it is quite the opposite.

Hundreds of products made fromtrees—lumber, OSB, plywood, paper,packaging and furniture, to name afew—continue to sequester carbon fordecades. Table 1 (on previous page)displays the percentage of primarywood products that remain in an enduse product after a specified numberof years following harvest and pro-duction.

For example, column two indicates57.9% of softwood lumber remains inan end-use product like lumber or fur-niture 25 years after the initial har-vest. This means that as of today57.9% of the softwood lumber manu-factured 25 years ago remains “in ser-vice,” sequestering carbon in thestuds, joists and floors of our homes.After 100 years, nearly a quarter(23.4%) of softwood lumber harvest-ed a century earlier remains in prod-ucts that sequester carbon.

When considered in terms of a typ-ical 25-year sawtimber rotation, theongoing sequestration benefits of aharvest are staggering. Forests in theU.S. South produced 47 million tonsof southern yellow pine lumber in2012. Converting this to tonnes andtaking moisture content and carbonpercentage into account translates intocarbon sequestration, expressed as itsCO2 equivalent, of 59,190,390 tonnes.

By 2038, when 57.9% of lumberfrom the original harvest remains inservice in products, 34,271,236tonnes remain sequestered (Table 2).

Now let us consider the CO2 emis-sions from wood pellets producedfrom the same harvest (Table 3). If weestimate 6,000,000 tonnes of pellets

We’re growingColville, WA – Usk, WA – Midway, BC – Eagar, AZ

We’re growingColville, WA – Usk, WA – Midway, BC – Eagar, AZ

Tab

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– Assumes 47,000,000 green short tons of southern yellow pine harvest goes toward lumber production.

were produced from sawtimber har-vest byproducts, we find 9,122,571tonnes of CO2 are released to the

lets from the 59,190,390 tonnes ofCO2 sequestered in the lumber, wehave a net gain of 50,067,819 tonnes

atmosphere from those pellets.When we subtract the 9,122,571

tonnes of CO2 emitted from those pel-T

able

4


CO2 sequestered (column 2, Table 1). To consider these benefits across

time, the amount of lumber taken inan initial harvest is multiplied by thepercentage of lumber that remains inan end-use product in the years fol-lowing that harvest. Immediately aftera harvest, 100% of the lumber pro-duced sequesters carbon. Within oneyear, 3% of that lumber is no longerin use. As a result, only 97% of thelumber produced in the initial harvestremains in use to sequester carbon inyear two.

Table 4 (previous page) showsthese cumulative affects at the time ofharvest and one, five, 10, 15, 20 and25 years into the future. Keep inmind, this sequestration benefit isfrom the softwood lumber producedfrom just one harvest. These numbersdo not account for the carbon thatremains sequestered in other wood

products, such as OSB or paper.

Carbon Accounting forWood Pellets

Just as it is illogical to believe100% of the carbon sequestered by aharvested tree is immediately releasedto the atmosphere, it is irrational toinclude the carbon from a whole treewhen accounting for carbon in thewood pellets used to generate electric-ity. Pellets are produced from harvestbyproducts such as the unmer-chantable tops and limbs of wholetrees. A good portion of the carbonstored by those trees remainssequestered in lumber and other forestproducts.

Likewise, carbon accounting forwood pellets sourced from wholepulpwood trees (the come-along prod-ucts of a sawtimber harvest) mustcount only the carbon sequestered by

those small trees that go into the pel-let, not the large sawtimber-sizedtrees used for lumber and other long-lived products.

An accurate forest carbon account-ing system must consider both forestcarbon and carbon that remains inharvested wood products (Table 5). Afailure to account for carbon stores inlong-lived wood products consider-ably inflates emissions estimates inthe harvest year. We simply cannotdeclare wood-to-energy is a problemuntil we account for and explore themany challenges inherent in complexsystems of carbon accounting.

– Suzanne Hearn is v.p.-sales & mar-keting for Forest2Market. Reach her atsuzanne,[email protected].

Calculations in this piece are based onlogic presented in Dovetail PartnersCarbon in Wood Products – The Basics.

Tab

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IN MemoriamMark W. Burdette, 77, retired

owner of United Plywoods & Lumber,Birmingham, Al., died March 18.

The business was founded in 1944by his father, A.D. Burdette.

James J. “J.J.” Flury, 82, retiredowner of Quality Lumber & BuffaloMillwork, West Seneca, N.Y., diedFeb. 11.

He opened the business at age 21and retired in 1997. He was a pastpresident of the Northeastern RetailLumberman’s Association and West-ern New York Lumber Dealers Asso-ciation Lumber Person of the Year.

Elwood E. Krzyske, 90, formerco-owner of Krzyske BrothersLumber, Waltz, Mi., died March 19.

He joined the family lumber busi-ness after fighting in the war, servingas treasurer until retiring in 1987.

Robert J. Sands Sr., 89, formerco-owner of Lumberman’s SupplyCo., Madison, Wi., died April 1.

He joined the firm after serving inWorld War II, working his way up tomanager and eventually part-owner.He closed the yard in the early 1980s.

Lorn “Sonny” Lawrence, 93,retired owner of Lawrence & SonsLumber, Nevada, Mo., died March 6.

With his father and his wife, Ruth,he ran the business for over 40 years.

James Richard Youngblood Sr.,75, longtime lumber inspector, diedApril 16 in Lufkin, Tx.

He worked for Southern PineInspection Bureau and AmericanLumber Standard Committee beforejoining Timber Products Inspection,Conyers, Ga., in 1982.

Clinton Wayne Ingram, 31, co-manager of 84 Lumber, Indianapolis,In., died March 11.

John F. Pond Jr., 88, longtimelumberyard manager, died March 23.

He managed Sproul’s Lumber,Chesterville, Me.; Jay Building Sup-ply, Jay, Me.; Starbird Home Center,Strong, Me., and Hammond LumberCo., Farmington.

Robert F. “Bob” Jones, 73, presi-dent of three-unit Jones Ace Hard-ware, Shamokin, Pa., died March 12.

He became v.p. of the business in1972 and president in 1980. In 1997,he won the Ace President’s Cup.

Richard R. Kuiken Jr., 93, sec-ond-generation owner of KuikenBrotheres Building Supply, FairLawn, N.J., died March 15, 2014.

Loren Elmer Wahlman, 90, long-time Midwest lumberyard manager,died March 24.

He began his career in 1968 withFullerton Lumber, Vermillion, S.D.,transferring to Rolfe and Latimer, Ia.,before joining Consumer’s Lumberand running yards in Arnold’s Parkand Superior, Ia. He retired in 1998.

Nancy Daniels Aldridge, 54, vicepresident of Daniels Lumber Sales,Liberty, N.C., died March 9.

Albert V. Verna Jr., 67, lumbersalesman at Torres Lumber Co.,Philadelphia, Pa., died April 6.

Mark P. Ellis, 69, former millmanager at Coastal Lumber Co.,Buckhannon, W.V., died March 28.

Selma “Semmie” Koch, 93, for-mer operator of Koch Lumber Co.,Beckemeyer, Il., died April 11.

She helped run the business withher father during WW II. She sold the

(Continued on page 59)


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Imported Tile CuttersCorona Tools distributes Bellota manual tile cutters

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Both product lines include two solid steel, chrome-plated guides to ensure maximum wear resistance,noticeably smoother gliding, and exceptional scoringstraightness.

CORONATOOLSUSA.COM(800) 847-7863


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NORTHEASTERN LUMBER Manufacturers Association hosted its 81stannual convention April 10-11 at Seaport Hotel, Boston, Ma. [1] SusanCoulombe, Brett Anderson. [2] Barry Hodgkin, Kimberly Haven, DonPendergast. [3] Maria Lennon. [4] Scott Ferland, Tonia Tibbetts. [5] AlexDarrah, Tim Seale, Steve Teixeira. [6] Debbie & Peter Buckley, DebKelly. [7] Patty Peterleitner, Jim Robbins. [8] Bob Burns, Kevin Hynes,Matt Duprey, Jack Bowen. [9] Dan Carrier, Vincent Micale, Gil Adams.

[10] Sylvain Lefebvre, Louis Pacaud. [11] Dan Paige, Trina Francesconi,Robert St-Laurent. [12] Ginny Pray, Jethro Poulin, Mikelle Davenport.[13] Jeff Easterling, Diana Blenkhorn, Kim Easterling, Colin Bird. [14]Pierce Compagna, Kenny Lambertson. [15] Pierre Gariepy, JacquesLoubert. [16] Bob Bronkie, Tom Jenkins. [17] Katherine Smith, EvelynSmith, Karl Smith, Marcella Perry, Hal Smith. [18] George Burns. [19]Terry Walters. (More photos on next page)


MORE NELMA (continued from previous page) in Boston: [1] JohnSmith, Jeff Desjardins, Phil Ruck. [2] Larry King, Doug Britton. [3]Richard Winemiller, Phyllis & Prisco DiPrizio. [4] Bill Ossenford, RandyCaron, Ashley Brochu, Chris Brochu, Jason Brochu, Bertha Brochu. [5]Brian Belanger, Kim Smith. [6] Lisa & Bill Edwards, Dave Fenuccio. [7]Christine & Joe Robertie, Donna King. [8] Charlie Lumbert, Elwood

Lowell. [9] Ryan Satterfield, Matt Demers, Madeline Caissie, AldenRobbins, Rob Hoffman. [10] Win Smith, Julie Quitadamo. [11] Arkon &Penny Horne. [12] Doug & Katherine Britton, Dan Carrier, Shelly &Robert Moses. [13] Susan Pukall, Rich Wilson, Sheila Michaud. [14]Jamie & Jill Moulton, Jess & Scott Brown. [15] Brent Wooster. [16] ChuckGaede. [17] Kim Drew, John Rooks. [18] Sean Covell. [19] Eric McCoy.

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NORTH AMERICAN Wholesale Lumber Association held its annualLeadership Summit March 30-April 1 at the Lodge & Spa at CallawayGardens, Pine Mountain, Ga. [1] Jody & Todd Lindsey. [2] Vicki & CarlLamb. [3] Joshua Tyler, Harris Gant. [4] Warren Reeves, Josh Goodman,Kyle Little. [5] Steve Carasso, Brandon Arling. [6] Ken Trainor, KimmoJarvinen, Clark Spitzer. [7] Mark Saracco, Ian McLean. [8] Robert Harris,David Brown, Richie Ford, Paul McRae. [9] Bob Bell, Philip Duke. [10]

Mark McLean, Robyn Louderback. [11] John Stockhausen, LawrenceNewton, Jeff McLendon. [12] Frank Johnston, Donna Whitaker, JoeBrown. [13] Larry & Kathy Boyts. [14] Jim & Cindy McGinnis. [15] Dusty& Penny Hammack. [16] Kathy Price, Terry Miller. [17] Rob Hruby, GradyPayne, Tom Rice. [18] Bill & Cindy Anderson. [19] Julie & Mark Kasper.[20] Brad Schneider, Karin Bates. [21] Mary Ann Stockhausen, Russ &Linda Hobbs. (More photos on next two pages)

NAWLA LEADERS (continued from previous two pages): [1] MarkErickson, Linda & Barry Schneider. [2] Buck & Janie Hutchison. [3]Kimber & David Hutson. [4] Jim Krauseneck, Mike Mordell. [5] BobBratton, Bryan Smalley, Donna Whittaker, Jeff Baumgartner, Paul

McRae. [6] Kevin & Karen Rooney. [7] Joe & Mary Jo Honochick. [8]Elizabeth & Steven Rustja. [9] Laurie Creech. [10] David Jeffers, JimRobbins. [11] Richie Ford, Mark Richardson.

(More photos on next page)

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Photos by BPD


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MORE NAWLA LEADERSHIP (continued fromprevious two pages) in Pine Mountain, Ga. [1]Pat Managan, Thom Black, Shelly & ScottElston. [2] Elizabeth Rustja, Alan Oakes. [3]Craig Sichling, Ben Skoog, Dowe McNeil. [4]Curt & Julie Stevens. [5] Adrian Blocker, ScottVande Linde, Chris McIver. [6] Todd Hixson.

Wells. [16] Andrew Goodman, Konrad Tittler.[17] Rob Latham, Joni Berghouse, AmyLatham, Kevin Rooney. [18] Julie McLean. [19]Ashley Boeckholt, Aaron Sulzer, KevinCordesman. [20] Bob McSorley, Jim Pattillo,Dave Adams. [21] Ken Tennefoss. [22] Rick &Lillian Ekstein, Shelly & Scott Elston.

[7] Doug O’Rourke, Clarence Young. [8]Anthony Muck, John Cooper. [9] Mike Phillips,Kip Fotheringham. [10] John Quast, HeathHutchison. [11] Andy Toombs. [12] RicardoRoman, J.R. Virnich. [13] Patrick Majure,Anthony Muck, Warren Reeves. [14] Mary LouCarlson, Vicki Klumb. [15] Robert Jordan, Mark

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ASSOCIATION Update

Building Material SuppliersAssociation (the merged SouthernBuilding Material and Ohio Con-struction Suppliers Associations)plans a summer conference July 24-27at Wyndham Oceanfront Resort,Virginia Beach,Va.

Northwestern Lumber Associa-tion is offering a June 11-12 blueprintreading and material take-off class, ledby Casey Voorhees, at its headquartersin Minneapolis, Mn.

Mid-America Lumbermens Asso-ciation kicks off its 26th annualSunflower Shootout June 13 at Hess-ton Golf Course, Hesston, Ks. A 2014GMC pickup truck will be awarded tothe first hole-in-one on the fourth hole.

Northeastern Retail LumberAssociation named Jonas Kelly, Jay-K Lumber, New Hartford, N.Y., as itsnew chair.

A spring leadership meeting isscheduled for May 20-21 at NRLA’seducation center in Rensselaer, N.Y.

Affiliates’ golf outings this summerinclude Lumber Dealers Association

of Connecticut, June 4 in Farmington,Ct.; New Hampsire Retail LumberAssociation, June 5, New London,N.H.; Retail Lumber Dealers ofMaine, June 17, Belgrade Lakes, Me.,and Mid-Hudson Lumber Dealers,July 21, Newburgh, N.Y.

Construction Suppliers Associa-tion will host a 30-hour CSA OSHAgeneral safety program May 21-22 andJune 18-19 at VNS Corp., Vidalia, Ga.

Southern Cypress ManufacturersAssociation has elected Hal Mitchell,Atlanta Hardwood Corp., Marbleton,Ga., as president, and Linwood Truitt,Beasley Forest Products/ThompsonHardwoods, Hazelhurst, Ga., v.p.

Southeastern Lumber Manufac-turer’s Association will gather July16-19 at JW Marriott Hill Country,San Antonio, Tx., for its annual con-ference. Optional activities willinclude golf and clay shooting.

Appalachian Hardwood Manu-facturers’ summer conference is setfor July 26-29 in Hot Springs, Va.

Mississippi Lumber Manufac-turers Association has scheduled itsannual convention and tradeshow forJuly 9-13 at Beau Rivage, Biloxi, Ms.

In Memoriam(Continued from page 49)

yard in 1975 and became bookkeeperfor Bruemmer Lumber, Carlyle, Il.

Robert G. Ulrey Sr., 91, longtimeassistant manager at Randolph Lum-ber, Parker City, In., died April 17.

Charles J. “Chuck” Tentis, 70,retired salesman for Interstate Build-ing Supply, Wabasha, Mn., died ofcancer March 31.

Maurice “Maurie” Ellis, 79,retired co-owner of Ellis True ValueHardware, Madison, Wi., died April 7.

He opened the store with his wife,Kay, in 1961, operating it until 1990.He then worked at a local AceHardware until retirement.

Dale Ulysses Mills, 76, formerowner of Tietz True Value Hardware,La Crosse, Wi., died April 13.

Previously, he worked for HandyBuilders Hardware, La Crosse.


WE BUY AND SELL PANEL STRIPSPlywood, OSB, particleboard and MDF by the

truckloads. Lumber Source, Phone (800) 874-1953, Fax 888-576-8723, [email protected].

Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word min.). Phone number counts as 1word, 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 type), $65 if we set type.

Send ad to Fax 949-852-0231 or [email protected] more info, call (949) 852-1990. Checks payable to Cutler Publishing.

Deadline: 18th of previous month. To reply to ads with private box numbers, send correspondence

to box number shown, c/o BPD, 4500 Campus Dr. #480, NewportBeach, Ca. 92660. Names of advertisers using box number cannot bereleased.

WANTED TO BUY

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CLASSIFIED Marketplace

TRI-STATE LUMBER CO.Your Southern Yellow Pine

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Tel. (662) 862-2125 • Fax 662-862-4900email [email protected]

HELP WANTED PRODUCTS FOR SALE PRODUCTS FOR SALE

SHAVER WOOD PRODUCTSSouthern Yellow Pine Timber Production

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(704) 278-9291 • Fax (704) 278-9304Cleveland, N.C.

email [email protected] [email protected]

COMMISSION LUMBER SALES: A sepa-rate business unit of Snavely Forest ProductsDistribution has a unique opportunity forstraight commission, independent, contract sta-tus sellers. We are looking for sales profession-als with experience in lumber sales. The select-ed candidates will be charged with the responsi-bility of marketing and selling acetylated SYPto: industrial OEM’s, furniture manufacturers,molders, commercial deck and dock businesses,wholesale building material distributors. Whilethe acetylated wood is physically located inNorth Carolina, the target market includes theentire United States and Intercontinental market.This is not a full-time position as there is a finiteamount of acetylated wood that is estimated totake 12-18 months to sell through. General busi-ness expenses will be reimbursed and commis-sions will be paid on a monthly basis. Trainingwill be provided. Submit inquiries, questions, orresume to: [email protected].

IDAHO TIMBER is seeking an energetic andexperienced Sawmill Coordinator andSalesperson. Duties include managing inventoryspreadsheet, assisting with sale of lumber pro-duced at facility, and arranging transportationfor product shipping. Position is in Coushatta,Louisiana, and offers competitive benefits pack-age and opportunity for growth. To apply, sendresume and cover letter to Idaho Timber, Attn.:Dave Luce, 306 Wilkinson St., Coushatta, La.71019.

MASTERPIECES: BPD publisher Alan Oakes (front) joined thespouse/companion program “Wine & Canvas,” a wine, food and painting

class, during NAWLA’s recent leadership summit in Pine Mountain, Ga.The session was sponsored by Digger Specialties.


DATE BookListings are often submitted months in advance. Always verify

dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend.

National Hardware Show – May 6-8, Las Vegas ConventionCenter, Las Vegas, Nv.; (888) 425-9377; www.nationalhard-wareshow.com.

North American Retail Hardware Assn. – May 6-8, convention,Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 772-4424; www.nrha.org.

Paint & Decorating Retailers Assn. – May 6-8, Las Vegas Conven-tion Center, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 737-0107; www.pdra.org.

National Hardwood Lumber Association – May 7, forest productsmarketing workshop, NHLA Hq., Memphis, Tn.; (540) 231-0978.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association – May 8, regionalmeeting, Hyatt Regency, Birmingham, Al.; www.lumber.org.

Northeastern Loggers Association – May 9-10, equipment expo,Champlain Valley Exposition Grounds, Essex Junction, Vt.; (800)318-7561; www.northernlogger.com.

Peak Auctioneering – May 10, LBM auction, Howard County Fair-grounds, Baltimore, Md.; (800) 245-9690; www.peakauction.com.

Wallace Hardware – May 13-15, spring market, Convention Center,Gatlinburg, Tn.; (800) 776-0976; www.wallacehardware.com.

New Hampshire Retail Lumber Association – May 15, boardmeeting, Bedford, N.H.; (800) 292-6752; www.nrla.org.

Rhode Island Lumber & Building Material Dealers Assn. – May15, board meeting, Augusta, Me.; (800) 292-6752; www.nrla.org.

Peak Auctioneering – May 17, LBM auction, Metrolina TradeshowExpo, Charlotte, N.C.; (800) 245-9690; www.peakauction.com.

Do it Best – May 17-19, spring market, Indianapolis ConventionCenter, Indianapolis, In.; (260) 748-5300; www.doitbestcorp.com.

Composite Panel Assn. – May 18-20, spring meeting, PuertoVallerta, Mexico; (301) 670-0604; www.compositepanel.com.

Kentucky Building Materials Assn. – May 19-20, blueprint reading& material take-off workshop, Louisville, Ky.; (800) 844-1774;www.kbma.net.

Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Assn. – May 19-21, annual conven-tion, Waldorf Astoria, Naples, Fl.; (703) 435-2900; www.hpva.org.

Western Red Cedar Lumber Association – May 21-23, 60th annu-al general meeting, Kelowna, B.C.; www.wrcla.org.

Northwestern Lumber Association – May 22, golf outing, QuailRun Golf Club, Columbus, Ne.; (763) 544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

Peak Auctioneering – May 31, LBM auction, Gibraltar Trade CenterNorth, Detroit, Mi.; (800) 245-9690; www.peakauction.com.

New Hampshire Retail Lumber Association – June 5, golf outing,Lake Sunapee, N.H.; (800) 292-6752; www.nrla.org.

Peak Auctioneering – June 7, LBM auction, Gibraltar Trade Center,Detroit, Mi.; (800) 245-9690; www.peakauction.com.

National Lawn & Garden Show – June 10-12, Airport CrownePlaza, Denver, Co.; (888) 316-0226; www.nlgshow.com.

United Hardware Distributing Co. – June 13-15, market,Minnneapolis Convention Center, Minnneapolis, Mn.; (763) 559-1800; www.unitedhardware.com.

Peak Auctioneering – June 14, LBM auction, Kane CountyFairgrounds, St. Charles, Il.; (800) 245-9690; peakauction.com.

Rhode Island Lumber & Building Material Dealers Assn. – June17, golf, Belgrade Lakes, Me.; (800) 292-6752; www.nrla.org.

Window & Door Manufacturers Association – June 17-19, techni-cal conference, Renaissance Hotel, Pittsburgh, Pa.; (800) 223-2301; www.wdma.com.

House-Hasson Hardware Co. – June 19-21, market, SeviervilleEvents Center, Sevierville, Tn.; (800) 333-0520; www.househas-son.com.


ADVERTISERS IndexFor more information on advertisers, call them

directly or visit their websites [in brackets].

Allura [www.allurausa.com] ............................................................7Anthony Forest Products [www.anthonyforest.com] .................33AZEK [www.azek.com].....................................................................3Blue Book Services [www.bluebookservices.com] ....................48Boise Cascade [www.bcewp.com]..................................................4BW Creative Wood [www.bwcreativewood.com] ........................21California Redwood Co., The [californiaredwoodco.com]..........31Center-Line Group [www.center-linetrailers.com] ......................40Chicago Suburban Lumber [chicagosurburbanlumber.com] ....18Crumpler Plastic Pipe [www.cpp-pipe.com] ................................62C.T. Darnell Construction [www.ct-darnell.com].........................43DeckWise [www.deckwise.com] ...................................................32Distribution Management Systems Inc. [www.dmsi.com]..........47Duralife [www.duralifedecking.com] ............................................26Endeck [www.endeck.com] ...........................................................19Everwood Treatment Co. [www.everwoodtreatment.com].........24Fasco America [www.fascoamerica.com]....................................51Fiberon [www.fiberondecking.com] ...................................Cover IIIGreat Southern Wood Preserving [www.yellawood.com]....8A-8BGRK Fasteners [www.grkfasteners.com]...............................28, 57Hood Distribution [www.hooddistribution.com]............................5Hutchison [www.hutchison-inc.com] ...........................................53Lee Roy Jordan Lumber Co. [www.jordanredwood.com]...........29Metsa Wood USA [www.metsawood.us] ......................................48Nordic Engineered Wood Products [www.nordicewp.com].......50North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. [www.nawla.org] .....35Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. [www.nelma.org]...52NyloBoard [www.nyloboard.com].................................................23Osmose [www.osmosewood.com] ...............................................41PrimeSource Building Products [www.primesourcebp.com] ....61Railing Dynamics Inc. [www.rdirail.com] .....................................27Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com] ........................Cover IRegal Ideas [www.regalideas.com]...............................................15Roseburg Forest Products [www.roseburg.com] ..............Cover IIScrew Products [www.screw-products.com] ..............................30Sherwood Lumber [www.sherwoodlumber.com]........................37Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com].......................25, 27, 29Smith Millwork [www.smithmillwork.com]...................................59Sure Drive USA [www.suredrive.com]..........................................50Swanson Group Sales Co. [www.swansongroupinc.com].........11TigerDeck [www.tigerdeck.com] ...................................................34TruWood-Collins [www.truwoodsiding.com] ....................16A-16BVaagen Bros. Lumber Inc. [www.vaagenbros.com]....................46Viance [www.treatedwood.com].........................................Cover IVWestbury Railing [www.westburyrailing.com] ............................49Western Forest Products [www.westernforest.com] .................44Weyerhaeuser [www.weyerhaeuser.com]....................................39Woodway Products [www.woodwayproducts.com] ...................61

IDEA FileBathroom Contest Is a WinnerA 94-year-old dealer in Marcus, Ia., dis-

covered a sure-fire way to increase traffic in itskitchen and bath showroom: an Ugly BathroomContest.

The fun event was the first ever for MarcusLumber, which encouraged shoppers to bring in pho-tos of their ugly bathroom. Each and every picture—ofpink sinks, purple vanities, and horrendous wallpa-per—was displayed in the showroom. Entrants wereencouraged to ask their friends and family to comeinto the store and vote for the ugliest.

After one month, one of the entrants—with metallicsilver wallpaper and green sink—was declared thewinner. The reward was a new vanity cabinet and top,a Delta faucet, and two gallons of paint.

“We had a lot offun with this con-test, and so did ourcustomers,” saysJim Leavitt, a bath-room designer atMarcus. “We’reexcited to do whatwe do best: turn thebathroom from uglyto outstanding.”2014 Contest Winner

BPDBuilding Products Digest

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

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