The Merchant Magazine July 2010

TRENDS IN TRANSPORTATION � TREATED WOOD SURGE � APA SPECIAL ISSUE

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Special Features9 INDUSTRY TRENDS

LBM SHIPPERS TACKLE TRUCK SHORTAGE

10 INDUSTRY TRENDSTRANSLOADS EASE ROAD TO RECOVERY

12 FEATURE STORYUPSELL TO ENGINEERED FRAMING PACKS

14 COMPANY FOCUSCOMMERICAL EWP GIANT REDBUILT

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

18 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTPRESSURE TREATED WOOD

28 SPECIAL FOCUS: APA14-PAGE SPECIAL SECTION DEVOTED TO

APA & ENGINEERED WOOD TRENDS

48 PHOTO RECAP: PCBC

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CHANGE OF ADDRESS Send address label from recent issue ifpossible, new address and 9-digit zip to address below. POSTMASTER Send address changes to The MerchantMagazine, 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca.92660-1872.The Merchant Magazine (USPS 796-560) is published monthlyat 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660-1872 by Cutler Publishing, Inc. Periodicals Postage paid atNewport Beach, Ca., and additional post offices. It is an indepen-dently-owned publication for the retail, wholesale and distributionlevels of the lumber and building products markets in 13 westernstates. Copyright®2010 by Cutler Publishing, Inc. Cover andentire contents are fully protected and must not be reproduced inany manner without written permission. All Rights Reserved. Itreserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertisingmatter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it.

In Every Issue6 TOTALLY RANDOM

20 OLSEN ON SALES

22 OVER THE COUNTER

42 MOVERS & SHAKERS

42 IN MEMORIAM

43 TALK BACK

44 NEW PRODUCTS

51 ASSOCIATION UPDATE

52 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE

53 DATE BOOK

54 IDEA FILE

54 ADVERTISERS INDEX

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TOTALLY RandomBy Alan Oakes

We are in a Greecy spinSO THERE WE WERE all feeling good about ourselves for a change as business started to

pick up. I myself attended a number of industry events and watched the economists’pointers going in an upwards movement, and I felt good that 2011 looks to be the year. In late April, we at The Merchant could hear the sighs of relief and sense broad grins on

the phone as we called round. From your feedback, business in March and April was prettygood (well, at least comparatively). Then May came along to spoil it. I think that sums upthe state of our economy. While technically the recession has been decreed over, it justdoesn’t feel like a recovery, and a consumer-driven economy such as ours will continue tobe gloomy for some time.It is such an uneven rebound that none of us can predict with any certainty where it will

go. Many of us are frustrated that we seem to be in a U-shaped trough with no clear wayhow to get out. In all my business life in the U.S., I have never seen or felt the misery indexto be so high. There are so many concerning open-ended issues around the world that Ithink will still greatly impact continued recovery here at home.While writing this column in early June, the new jobs report came out and the markets

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

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

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

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

Alan Oakes, [email protected]

When you partner with The California Redwood Company, you’re not just getting a unique and beautiful wood product, you’re getting the experience and innovation only a company that’s been around for 120 years can bring.

This year, we’re continuing with our spirit of constant improvement with the addition of two newly designed wood products, along with enhancements to our current products. We’re also launching a new marketing campaign, including a completely new website, a new identity and collateral system, and a robust in-store training program. The campaign, entitled “Build history” tells the rich story of The California Redwood Company and inspires homeowners to build something truly special — all of which translates to new and higher margin opportunities for you.

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INDUSTRY TrendsTransportation Woes

Haul GoneLBM distributors grapplewith trucking shortage

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

those who ship them. In fact, with the severe drop-off infreight, an estimated 200,000 trucks have been pulled offthe road over the last two years.That translates into more than 3,000 trucking firms

going out of business in 2008 and more than 2,000 goingunder in 2009. Analyst Donald Broughton, Avondale Part-ners, predicts another 2,000 trucking companies will closethis year due to higher operating costs and lower demand. And, as lumber distributors painfully discovered during

this spring’s uptick in business, fewer trucks mean morework to find a shipper and higher freight rates. Just imaginethe hassles once the lumber industry finally does rebound.The Merchant asked several industry professionals for

their insight on the current transportation challenges:

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

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

D-I-Y: DRIVE IT YOURSELFBob Quickstad, Hills Products Group, Spearfish, S.D.“We have had more difficulty hiring inbound and out-

bound trucks the last two years. In some areas we have hadto run our own trucks round-trip to keep deliveries going.”

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

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

be an issue once things pick back up. So far, shipments are

only up 11% from last year, which was one of our lowestyears for volume. And look at the transportation problemsthat rise caused. Once home construction activity comesback for real, it may uncover more problems like this.”

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

sell FOB Mill. I have heard many complaints, though, fromour customers on the subject, and we have seen that it takeslonger for our customers to find trucks for their purchasesat our mill because there are less trucks on the road tochoose from. They have also mentioned that freight rateshave increased, in some cases dramatically.”

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

task. In the last three months, since I have started arrangingtrucking, the availability of haulers has been greatlyreduced. Trucking companies and brokers have gone fromproviding trucks in a day or two down to not being able toprovide trucks for up to two weeks in some cases. One fac-tor that is driving the shortage is diesel prices. This rise hascaused truckers to demand more money per mile.“Another factor is the destination of each load. We have

had many loads going into the Dakotas and are finding italmost impossible to arrange freight into these states. I amtold by many truckers this is due to available materials andloads returning from there—pretty much nothing comesback this direction. Truckers would rather wait for anotheravailable load than take one into North and South Dakota,even though they are offered more money per load. “Another trend was the lumber market took a long rise

the past couple of months, driving demand up. We had buy-ers wanting large volumes of material due to the price theywere receiving from consumers. This caused freight allover to be in large demand because buyers needed materi-als quickly before the market started to fall off. Now that


the market has started to fall, I am seeing less demand formaterials and freight. We have gone from arranging severaltrucks a week down to one, two at most—although I amstill finding some of the shorter hauls hard to arrangefreight for. Truckers are waiting to take longer hauls, caus-ing our cost to rise, as well. “On the other side, I am receiving inquires from many

smaller trucking companies looking for possible loads,telling me things have slowed down dramatically—but notenough to get truckers to loosen up and take loads. Hope-fully, freight will free up somewhat, allowing mills to movematerials they have sold cheaper and more quickly. All inall, it has been a rollercoaster ride in the freight world withso many ups and downs in recent weeks. It has been verydifficult to predict freight availability and price from oneday to the next with all the uncertainty.”

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

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

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

Figures show the slump in construction continues in resi-dential and non-residential. The seasonally adjusted vol-ume is the lowest recorded in seven years. There is lightat the end of the tunnel, albeit a little dim, but for those inbusiness who survive they may find a pot of gold as well. The recession causing the dominos to fall has taken its

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

are warehousing, storing inventory, and providing short-term staging. Products are moving, but are hampered byequipment shortages. What about all those miles of storedrailcars? Many railroads are re-positioning stored cars toput them back in service. It’s all about demand, logistics and getting the cars

rolling again. BNSF is returning about 1,100 railcars toservice. Some cars have been stored on the rail line forthree years because of the economic downturn.Although the railroads are having problems getting

back “on track,” consider the trucking industry. TheAmerican Trucking Association recently completed astudy that shows there is a shortage of 20,000 truckers inthe growing trucking industry. If this continues, the num-ber of truck drivers needed to keep pace in the expanding

industry will reach 114,000 by 2014—a sobering figure inlight of the amount of the goods transported by truckacross the country every hour of every day. The total tonnage to be transported by truck is expect-

ed to grow to 13 billion tons by 2014. Without enoughdrivers there’s no way to move this by truck. Many truck-ing companies have shut their doors because they’ve beenunable to attract qualified drivers. The ATA study pre-dicts the need for over 200,000 new long-haul drivers inthe next 10 years. To satisfy the need for drivers, leadingemployers are targeting women and minorities.

It’s “business as usual” at many transload facilities.Transloads provide numerous integrated transportationservices for LBM between manufacturer and final desti-nation. They ship railcars of product, handle the truckfreight, transloading, warehouse/yard storage, documenta-tion and rail freight all in a seamless transaction. Manytransloads provide value-added bundled services such ashigh-production surfacing, detailed moulding and stickerpatterns, special cut orders, mix and match, T&G and cus-tomer patterns, custom milling, and lumber resurfacing toservice needs in optimum volumes required by contrac-tors and builders. Most transloads operate a fleet of trucksand offer custom load building, job site packaging, cutpacks, and inventory management for JIT delivery.“Distribution services are the values added that make

the difference between a building owner and a serviceprovider,” says Chuck Kantner, c.e.o. of Ohio’s AIPLogistics. “We are in the transportation business for onereason only—to provide a dependable and comprehensivelogistics program for our customers. We keep our wheelsturning and your costs down.”

Transloads help LBM shippers ramp upBy Patricia Schlaeger

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

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

DEALING WITH THE CONSEQUENCESSteve Merchant, Landstar Carrier Group, Birmingham, Al.“The lumber business has for the most part been addict-

ed to back-haul rates, heavy loads, and in many cases theirshipments require 8-ft. tarps. Unless one has ever tarped aload in winter or summer conditions, I can tell you it is oneof the worst parts of flatbed movements, and drivers willchoose not to tarp and take different freight when they havethe choice, as they do in current market conditions. “Very few lumber mills have developed real relation-

ships with those carriers that have capacity, because in thepast few years the market collapsed for trucking compa-nies. Customers were able to find trucks at mercenary rates,which the mills took advantage of. I’m not saying theyshouldn’t have done this, but as with any decision there is a


AIP also specializes in “fill-in” work, taking on shorthaul or plant support work to keep their drivers and equip-ment pre-positioned. They work with customers to designdelivery schedules, while maintaining flexibility forunscheduled services.Transloaders bundle integrated solutions for the unique

supply chain needs of builders: from distribution centersto special retail packs, from truckload to LTL deliveries.Transloaders have the capabilities to develop turnkeylogistics programs.Saddle Creek Transportation, a transload with opera-

tions from California and Colorado to the East Coast, pro-vides customers additional capacity during businesssurges to optimize traffic patterns and control costs. Theyoffer asset-based and non-asset-based transporta-tion/distribution solutions to accommodateincreasing demands of competitive markets. Saddle Creek helped fiber cement siding

manufacturer Nichiha USA when the companyopened its first U.S. plant. Nichiha needed astrong logistics partner to build momentum andmeet its business goals. Saddle Creek becamean extension of Nichiha’s image in everythingfrom product handling in the warehouse to dri-ver conduct at time of delivery.Equipment shortages have been eliminated

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

Commodity diversity and providing value-added ser-vices during the recession has helped transloaders keeptheir doors open. Cascade Warehouse operates three facil-ities in Salem, Or., for railcar loading, handling plywoodand lumber boxcars. They provide inside warehouse spacefor storage, along with current orders for timely shipment. Lumber can be handled in a variety of ways: standard

inbound/out-bound, mixing materials from various mills,and stock in storage waiting for sale. Cascade also hasfacilities in Chehalis, Wa.; Junction City, Or.; Las Vegas,Nv., and Colton, Ca. – Patricia Schlaeger is executive director of the Transload

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

consequence. They are now experiencing that consequence. “Many of those trucking companies that hauled freight

at rates that did not cover their operating expenses suc-cumbed over time and left the market due to hauling freightat unsustainable rates. The market has flipped over the lastfew months to where transportation demand is up and thetotal number of trucks available has declined. We continueto provide capacity to customers who treated us as partners.While prices have gone up, our partners still get preferen-tial pricing. Those that call us trying to be our new friendsare put at the bottom of the list, and charged accordingly. “We have a long-term outlook for our business, and we

do not focus on loads, but rather providing consistent quali-ty service to those businesses that will in return treat usfairly. That does not describe the average lumber brokerfrom the perspective of the trucking industry. The mills forthe most part have always lived by cheap rates and reliedon the desperateness of the trucks for freight. Thus, in timeswhen the market flips, they are left in a bad situation.”

FEWER SMALL FIRMSRick Kitch, Silver City Timber, Chattaroy, Wa.“I do see fewer trucks available, but I think more due to

smaller independent guys getting out of the business. I usedto have quite a list of truckers who had just one to fivetrucks and would work hard to keep shippers happy. Many

of the trucks we see now are part of bigger concerns, andtheir equipment is heavy or not equipped with tarps.“We have seen the rates move up over the last six

months due to fuel increases, but as of late we have beenable to back that down a little because fuel has come down.“We have had to change the way we chase trucks in

order to move our loads.”

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

in Central Oregon that have been very available for ourshipping needs. We also have many wood manufacturingcompanies around us that have products hauled in toremanufacture, and those truckers need to get back out ofthe area and are very receptive to calling on us for out-bound loads. (That’s) not to say that I am not calling a lotduring the day to find them and coordinate the effort, butwe have been able to find trucking for our prompt time-frames to meet with ship loadings. “At one point California was a tough destination, as no

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

TRANSLOAD FACILITIES, such as Cascade Warehouse, Salem, Or., are strategicallylocated along major transportation routes to offer distribution by truck, rail or container.


FEATURE StoryBy Jeff Buckley, iLevel by Weyerhaeuser

GUITAR LEGEND JIMI Hendrix oncesaid, “Knowledge speaks, but

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

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

Fulfill unrecognized needsIf you ask builders what new fram-

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

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

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

Paint a pictureSpecialty lumber and engineered

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

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

5 tips to upsell structuralframing packages


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

builder to use them. A visual representation can also

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

Emphasize quality and valueWhile price is still often king,

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

stake their reputations on craftsman-ship, higher-performance framingmaterials can help ensure quality con-struction throughout the home. Theproducts’ greater consistency andstraightness can help ensure smoothand even walls, in curving staircasesand in rooms with millwork and otherhigh-end finishes.Production builders may wish to

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

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

other locations where finish is lessimportant.

Put price in perspectiveWhen customers focus on the per-

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

lends itself well to packaging withother products. For example, you maywish to offer LSL or specialty lumber

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

Take solutions to next levelBecause builders are under increas-

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

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

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

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


COMPANY FocusRedBuilt, LLC

REDBUILT, THE FORMER commercial division of TrusJoist, is celebrating its predecessor’s 50th anniversary

by getting back to its roots: providing innovative engi-neered wood products for commercial projects. The new focus was instituted last August, when Atlas

Holdings LLC partnered with a group of former Trus Joistleaders to buy the unit from Weyerhaeuser, rename itRedBuilt, and move its headquarters back to Boise, Id.Trus Joist was founded in May 1960 by wholesale lum-

berman Harold “Red” Thomas and inventor Art Troutner.When its parent, TJ International, entered into a joint ven-ture with MacMillan Bloedel in 1991, the companybecame Trus Joist MacMillan. Weyerhaeuser bought thecompany in 1999 and the focus shifted to residential build-ing.“Trus Joist enjoyed significant growth during the hous-

ing boom when it adapted its innovations to fit the needs ofresidential builders, but these groundbreaking productswere initially designed for commercial construction,” saidpresident and c.e.o. Kurt Liebich, who oversaw commer-cial and industrial operations at Trus Joist forWeyerhaeuser before serving as the division’s chief execu-tive. Tom Denig, who was president and c.e.o. of TrusJoist MacMillan, is now chairman of RedBuilt. According to Liebich, Weyerhaeuser’s business model

was not a good fit when it came to the needs of the com-mercial construction industry. “Theirs is production-and-distribution system that deliv-

ers an array of relatively standard engineered wood prod-ucts to dealers who then sell to residential builders andcontractors,” he said. “Little is ‘standard’ in commercialconstruction. Success in this arena demands a high degreeof consultative, personal service and technical engineering

Commercial EWP providerreturns to its roots


RED-I-JOISTS proved an important component of this major commercialproject near downtown Los Angeles, Ca.

skills, coupled with state-of-the-art manufacturing and dis-tribution facilities.” Liebich added that being a stand-alone business allows

RedBuilt the flexibility to make decisions and designprocesses based solely on customer needs. “We have a unified team comprised of technical repre-

sentatives and engineering and production associates thatshepherd individual projects, not products, through theentire construction process from design inception to manu-facturing to jobsite support,” he said. “Our ultimate goal isproviding our customers with not just the best products,but with the best solutions that meet their building needs.”RedBuilt operates commercial manufacturing plants and

design centers in Chino, Ca., Hillsboro and Stayton, Or.,and Delaware, Oh., a design center at headquarters, and 13design and sales offices located across the United States.Products include open-web trusses, Red-I Joists, andRedLam LVL that is used for beams, headers, forms, andscaffold planks.

“Because we don’t share manufacturing with otherbusinesses, our facilities are focused on meeting our cus-tomer’s project specific needs—not on building largeinventories of standard products,” said Liebich.“We are small and nimble, which means we don’t need

permission to act on our ideas,” said Randy Ruim, seniorvice president of sales and marketing. “If an idea is intrigu-ing and has merit, we are free to pursue it. Within the first10 months of our existence, we’ve established the frame-work of our new business, launched the RedBuilt brand,and designed our RedSpec sizing software, which is avail-able this month.”The company currently has 234 employees, but Liebich

expects that number to grow as the economy rebounds.“With the help of our loyal customers, we will remain aleader in engineered wood products for another 50 years—and beyond—by building on our legacy.”

REDBUILT’S team provides support through the entire construction program, from initial design through manufacturing and jobsite support.


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

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

observes. “But we take a different approach. Arrowheadfights with a sword, not a shield.” So April was as good a time as any to expand to a fifth

St. Louis-area location, this one in Hollister, Mo.The exterior supply company was founded in 1997 by

Rick’s dad, company president and owner, who broughtwith him years of experience in a previous yard. Ricksigned on in earnest (“I’ve been here all my life”) 10 yearsago and started right in making changes. “Oh yeah,” he acknowledges that dust-up with a satis-

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

Fighting with a sword

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

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

not a fancy, Harvard MBA-type scheme. It’s simply this:“We don’t tell our customers what they want; they tell us.We don’t dictate. We listen.” And what Arrowhead hears, over and over again, is:

Time is money. Contractors need those shingles (or what-have-you) yesterday. And right there on the rooftop, sothey don’t have to hoist them from the mud.“Everything we do is built around expediency,” Rick

spells out what he’s mandated as the company’s uniqueniche. “For instance, we design and build our own truckequipment, including a pull-and-lift bed so workers don’tneed to climb on and off the truck.”Expediency also is the basis of Arrowhead’s marketing

mantra, touted via its 3/15 slogan. Call in your order, andArrowhead pledges to deliver it—not same day, how old isthat? Even Arrowhead’s competitors now can make thathappen—but within three hours, a feat others haven’t gotthe fleet of vehicles to match. Likewise, a contractor canphone in his order for a box of nails with no need to parkand cool his heels at the counter. It’s waiting at Hollister’sbrand-new drive-in window in 15 minutes, the McDonald’sof the industry.This kind of out-of-the-box thinking is nothing new to

COMPETITIVE IntelligenceBy Carla Waldemar


buy whatever amount you need from us: We’ll deliver it soyou never even have to touch it, while you’ll still make$100 or $200 on the order.” In fact, Rick has created twomarket networking groups to share job leads and go afternew business in Missouri, and Arrowhead has gained over$2 million of that new business through these groups. This GM’s not just talkin’. When you pin him down to

numbers, be prepared to be impressed. As he says, “Whenthe recession started in 2007, our competition closedbranches and laid off people; they walled up and protectedtheir top customers. We do just the opposite. We went aftereverybody’s customers to add contractors, even if theirbusiness was slow. Later, they’d remember us. So in thepast 18 months, we’ve added 700 new accounts. In the pasttwo years, our sales have been the best ever. We’d had ourbest year ever in 2002 at $22 million. By 2008, we hit $25million, and then $27.5 million last year.” Another reason is that Rick hires astutely—“by attitude,

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

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

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

pulled an inside salesman off the floor, gave him a list anda phone, and turned him into a telemarketer. The man’s jobis simply to call existing customers and thank them for theirorders. “It’s amazing how much new work you get out ofthat,” says Rick—the “oh, while we’re on the phone”$4,000 orders. He also reaches new customers via radio ads. Hey, wait

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

ing feature: a link to the National Oceanic & AtmosphericAdministration weather reports. As Rick instructs, “Stormsbring lots of business to our contractors; they love ’em. Sothey watch to see when and where, and then head over.” The website also acts as a match.com service to unite

homeowners looking for professional help with a vetted listof contractors. Plus, the new Hollister showroom allowsthese pros to bring in their homeowner customers and turnthem over to Arrowhead’s staff. Arrowhead also offers a bit more structured instruction

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

Builders Club affiliation, rewarding every $10 purchasewith two points to apply toward a free vacation. “It costs us1.2%,” says Rick, “and it’s well worth it.” Clearly, Rick walks the walk. He also talks it. As a

member of an 185-company-strong buying group, he’s seenboth good independent businesses and others doomed tofail. To encourage the laggards to commit to change, he’swritten a pamphlet called “A Declaration of Independents,”which warns owners that “You can’t just wait around forsomething to happen. Home Depot will always offer lowerprices, so do something different to compete.“Independents have the advantage over the chains by

being able to adapt to change—make a quick commanddecision—while places like ABC take years, like steering abattleship. And independents can take each customer on acase-by-case basis, not having to look to corporate policy.”Yet, he laughs, “Home Depot and Lowe’s aren’t

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

[email protected]

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


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

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

new home construction,many yards have turned tothe d-i-y market—primarilyoutdoor landscaping andremodeling,” confirmsDennis McWhirter, salesmanager at Exterior Wood,Washougal, Wa.McWhirter notes that

recent trends in treatedwood—Good Housekeep-ing Seals and other environ-mental merit badges, nextgeneration preservativesthat, among other attributes,look prettier on a retailrack—are particularly con-sumer friendly. Treated wood also offers

easy installation, without specialtools, clips or caps.But the primary selling point is

that, in the middle of a severe reces-sion, treated wood is priced signifi-cantly less than most other alternativematerials.“People have been under financial

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

Treated wood helps d-i-yyards turn the corner

solution—treated lumber—to theirneeds seems to be winning over theother alternative products.”Yet price alone won’t make the

sale. “In a tight economy, consumers

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

armed with the latest sales tools tomake the case for treated wood,including warranty information, safe-ty sheets, and installation guides.Effective “Treated Wood Sell Sheets”can be downloaded as PDFs fromwww.realoutdoorliving.com.James Riley, chief marketing offi-

cer for Great Southern WoodPreserving, Abbeville, Al., notes:

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

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

tech plastics, composites,hardwoods, redwood andcedar continue to sell wellin certain markets and arepoised to regain their sharesas fortunes rebound.“The composite produc-

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

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

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

– Photo of ProWood Micro from Universal Forest Products

PRODUCT SpotlightPressure Treated Wood

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

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

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

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


James OlsenReality Sales

Training(503) 544-3572james@reality-

salestraining.com

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

accounts. This is a great place tobegin to define our ideal target.• Look at the great sellers around

us. What kind of accounts are themonster sellers doing business with?

Measuring Sales Velocity“How long will I call an account

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

the boat?”Without answers to these questions,

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

Connect All CallsWe must connect all calls. Phone

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

call you back today at 2:55. Will yoube around then?”Be specific. Tomorrow morning

isn’t good enough. Tomorrowat 8:55 a.m. is.Building relationships

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

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

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

– Sven MelboHow do we make things happen

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

being “pushy.” The differencebetween master sellers and those thatstruggle is that the struggling sellerthinks about being pushy and the mas-ter seller thinks about helping cus-tomers and winning. Master sellersaren’t pushy; they’re persistent. Howwe are persistent is our choice but thenon-persistent salesperson doesn’texist.At every step in the sales process,

with existing or new customers, thereare steps we can take to increase oursales velocity. One way to think about sales veloc-

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

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

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

Prospecting: ScriptsScripting gets a bad name. We

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

are the preparations we make to movethrough initial resistance more quick-ly. If we want to set ourselves apartfrom the crowd, we need well thoughtout responses to common objections.Preparation allows for improvisation.The act of thinking through and

putting our responses in writing willgive us the conviction it takes to sellwell, to convince others quickly. When asked, most sellers say they

are “relationship sellers,” whichmeans they act nice and hope for thebest. Master sellers act nice and pre-pare for all possible sales situations.

Prospecting: QualificationWe must know exactly which cus-

tomers we can help and which we can-

Increase your sales velocity

OLSEN On SalesBy James Olsen


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SSaaccrraammeennttoo,, CCAABob Palacioz, Sales/Marketing Mgr.(916) 402-3248 • Fax (916) [email protected]

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transform an aging sales counter into atool of mass persuasion.While most of the suggestions will

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

branch, here are seven ways to amp upyour sales at the counter:

Price it. Traditionally, items sold atthe sales counter are not priced, butthis could change if consultants andmarketing experts have their way.Citing research from surveys and sta-tistics, both groups make a convincing

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

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

matters. From the broken caster on thedisplay to the empty toilet paper dis-penser, customers unconsciouslygrade your company on a mental scalethat weighs their expectations againstthe service that you actually deliver.The performance of most dealers fallssadly short of customers’ expectations. No one sets out to make a poor

impression. A newly launched salescounter, well organized with product-filled shelves and walls, underscoredby the smell of fresh paint, is some-thing to behold. But then the phone

rings and customers are waiting and itjust happens over time—dust gathers,signs fade, and paint peels. It occursgradually, but the impact is immedi-ate. Customers believe that you nolonger care as much you once did.That’s when it’s time to stand back

and take a look at what the counter hasbecome. This article will help you

Build up your sales counter

OVER THE CounterBy Mike Dandridge

Photo by Johnstone Supply

case that in sales counters where the merchandise is priced,sales climb as much as 20%. The reason for this is two-fold: first, some customers will not ask a salesperson for aprice so they just don’t buy the product, and second, somecustomers believe if it’s not marked, it must be expensive.Adding price tags overcomes both of these objections.

Clean it. The downside of growing up is that mom’s notaround to tell you when it’s time to clean your room any-more. So, take a good hard look at your counter area. Isthere dust on the displays? Cobwebs on the ceiling? Aban-doned soda cans and cups of moldy coffee on shelves?Wipe down all horizontal surfaces and anywhere else dustgathers. Buy a shop vac to reach the corners and under dis-plays. Don’t forget to clean the mud and fingerprints off thefront door. Cleaning is a task that is never complete. Makeyour mom proud; take out the trash before it overflows.

Paint it. If the walls of your store still look dingy, faded,and tired, it’s time for a fresh coat of paint. It’s an inexpen-sive and fairly easy way to give any sales counter that new-and-improved appearance. Light, neutral colors are best forpersuasive environments. Special note: If your salescounter is still sporting brown pegboard from the ’60s, it’stime for a makeover. A bucket of paint provides a lot ofbang for your buck.

Move it. Even positioning a gondola a certain way canmake a difference in product sales. Don’t get stuck in anold-school merchandising rut. Be bold and innovative.Moving displays around every other month or so gives yoursales counter a new look and keeps your customers alert tomake new discoveries.

Upsize it. If high school kids can persuade customers to“add fries to that burger” then anyone can learn how to“upsize” orders at the sales counter, too. Some may thinkthat selling add-ons is too “high-pressure,” but the truth ismost customers appreciate the extra attention. Trust isessential in add-on selling. Avoid recommending an itemunless there truly is a benefit to your customer. Selling upcreates a professional image that identifies you as a special-ist in your industry. It pays to sell up.

Reduce it. Most branch managers equate “having asale” with “taking a loss” on old products. But, with carefulplanning, a sale can be a moneymaking opportunity. Insteadof displaying only obsolete products, mix in some newproducts as well. Before the scheduled sale, take advantageof vendor promotions and buy for the sale. Display the newproducts at a slight discount alongside the sale goods.

Throw it out. If it’s damaged and not returnable, or ifit’s an obsolete item that survived the sale, get rid of it.Scrap it, give it away, whatever. Don’t tie up inventory dol-lars and valuable shelf space with mate-rial that’s going to be written off atyour next inventory anyway.This isn’t a one-time fix, but an

ongoing maintenance plan. Relent-lessly focus on the elements ofpersuasion to ensure that theperformance you deliverexceeds your customers’expectations.

There’s Lumber. And Then, There’s Better.LP® SolidStart® Engineered Wood Products are designed to outperform traditional lumber. They offer superior strength, durability and consistency—with no knots, splits or voids. They’re available in longer lengths than lumber as well. That means more design flexibility, faster installation and no need for culling. Plus, all are backed by a Lifetime Limited Warranty. LP SolidStart Engineered Wood Products. Better than lumber.

© 2008 Louisiana-Pacific Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks are owned by Louisiana-Pacific Corporation.

LSL | LVL | I-Joists | Rim Board LPCorp.com |

Phoenix, AZ 800.524.6255 Auburn, WA 800.234.5534 Tigard, OR 800.452.5813

Mike [email protected]


VAN ARSDALE-HARRIS LUMBER CO.595 Tunnel Ave., San Francisco, CA 94134 • 415-467-8711 • Fax 415-467-8144

www.vanarsdaleharris.comSpecialists in upper grades of clear, dry softwoods

Douglas Fir C & Better V/G & F/G Kiln Dried Full Sawn Rough • 1", 5/4", 2", 3", 4", 6" & 8x8 • 3x6 DF Select Dex Double T&G DeckingSugar Pine • 4/4 -16/4 C & Btr. • 5/4 & 8/4 D Select • 6/4 & 8/4 Mldg. • 5/4 #1 Shop • 5/4 x 12 #2 Common • 4x4 #2 CommonPonderosa Pine • 4/4 Clears, Moulding, #3 Clear, Commons • 2x4, 2x6, 2x12 Std. & Btr. DimensionWestern Red Cedar Clear V/G & F/G Full Sawn Rough • 1", 5/4", 2" Kiln Dried • 3", 4", 6" Air Dried TimbersAlaskan Yellow Cedar C & Btr. Kiln Dried Rough • 4/4, 8/4 Poplar, FAS • 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 8/4, 12/4Sitka Spruce B & Btr. V/G Kiln Dried Rough • 4/4, 8/4 Honduras Mahogany, FAS Pattern Grade • 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 8/4, 10/4, 12/4, 16/4

Since 1888

Simpson Acquiring MasonCounty MillsMason County Forest Products has

agreed to sell its mills in Shelton, Wa.,to Simpson Lumber Co., Shelton, Wa.In anticipation of the changeover,

Mason County gave notice that itwould be laying off 130 workers at thelarge-cutting and small-dimensionmills July 31.Simpson Lumber has mills in

Tacoma, Shelton and Longview, Wa.;Meldrim, Ga., and Georgetown, S.C.

California True Value ReopensMiles and Cina Sorensen, owners

of Sorensen’s True Value, Los Banos,Ca., since 1975, have reopenedModesto True Value, Modesto, Ca.,which closed in February.“We had heard that they were clos-

ing and that 12 people were going tolose their jobs and that it was a goodstore,” said Miles. “We’re just hoping

that people really do appreciate havinga hardware store in their neighborhoodthat has excellent service and competi-tive prices.”The Sorensens took over the lease

from longtime operator Gladys Setliffin March and have been remodelingever since. Both the interior and exte-rior has been repainted; fixtures, racks,signs, and many displays have beenreplaced, and inventory has beenincreased to include more tools, pip-ing, hardware, and other items.Half of the closed store’s staff has

been rehired, including managerDebra Cook. “Everyone has a special-ty,” said Cina Sorensen. “Some arereally good at plumbing, others lawnand garden.”A grand-opening celebration is

planned for July 17. “This economy isreally scary,” said Miles. “But we tookthe chance because there is no doubtin my mind that it will turn around.”

SUPPLIER BriefsSister companies Allweather

Wood and Humboldt RedwoodCo. will open a 141,000-sq. ft. distribu-tion center by Aug. 1 in Woodland, Ca.The compaines have been operat-

ing in temporary quarters next door.

Western Wood Preserving,Sumner, Wa., has converted fromMCQ to Osmose’s micronized cop-per azole (MCA), to treat 2” dimension-al decking and ground contact material.

iLevel by Weyerhaeuser isnow distributing Armor Coat trim andfascia—factory-primed, water-borneacrylic-coated whitewood productsmade by Belco Forest Products,Shelton, Wa.iLevel is also distributing CMPC’s

Selex radiata pine plywood and beadedpaneling across the U.S.

Capital Lumber Co., Phoenix,Az., is now distributing Fiberweb’sTypar weather barriers, accessories,and Surround SR roofing underlaymentthroughout the West.

Boise Cascade, Boise, Id., hasreceived Forest Stewardship Councilchain-of-custody certification for its lineof engineered wood products, includingBCI Joists, AllJoist I-joists, Versa-LamLVL, Versa-Stud LVL lumber, andVersa-Rim rimboards.

Northwest Paint, Missoula, Mt.,has leased and relocated to StimsonLumber’s 12-acre former plywoodmill in Bonner, Mt. The producer of specialty paint

applications needed a larger site tosecure and fulfill a multi-state contractwith Louisiana-Pacific.


Idaho May Get First ReloadThe six-month-old Boise Valley

Railroad is considering building atransload in Boise, Id.“There’s no transload facility in the

state of Idaho,” said Boise mayorDave Bieter. “You have to go as faraway as Ogden and Portland to be ableto get that service.”A feasibility study should be com-

pleted within the next six months,hopefully permitting the freight trans-fer center to be built within “the nextcouple of years.”In addition, Boise Valley Rail-

road—a division of Watco Inc.—agreed to maintain the 20 miles oftrack owned by the city of Boise.

DEALER BriefsLongfellow Lumber, Chico,

Ca., closed June 11 after more than 50years.

Parr Lumber , Hillsboro, Or.,opened a leased 2-acre pro yard with5,700 sq. ft. of warehouse space inSpokane Valley, Wa. Tim Kellar, yardmgr.

Western Building Center,Kalispell, Mt., acquired StevensvilleBuilding Center, Stevensville, Mt.Hambleton Lumber, Washou-

gal, Wa., shut down for most of June toreorganize.

The Mill Yard will move to anew, larger location in Arcata, Ca., witha 20,000-sq. ft. warehouse and morethan 9,000-sq. ft. for offices and retail.

84 Lumber is l iquidating itsstores in N. Auburn and Modesto, Ca.

Hess Lumber, Malad, Id., held agrand opening celebration June 10-12for its newly relocated 9,000-sq. ft.facility.

Anderson’s True ValueHardware is closing its two-year-oldstore in Barstow, Ca., this month.Manager Jeff Carlson wil l then

transfer to manage its store inHesperia, Ca.

Star Ace Hardware , SanMarcos, Ca., held a liquidation sale andclosed, after owner Bill Slay sold thesite to the city for $5.4 million for aredevelopment project.


84 Fined over Wages Dispute California’s State Labor Commis-

sioner has decreed that 84 Lumber andone of its framing sub-contractors,Russell/Thompson, must pay $1.3 mil-lion in wages and $200,000 in finesfor failure to pay proper prevailingwages on a housing project at theUniversity of California, Davis. “Our investigation uncovered seri-

ous wage violations in this case,” saidLabor Commissioner Angela Brad-street. “We believe the employerintentionally underpaid its workers.”The investigation uncovered evi-

dence that Russell/Thompson falsifiedpayroll records, failed to pay overtime,and misclassified workers by identify-ing them by lower-paying positionsrather than higher-rate, skilled posi-tions they actually worked. “Prime contractors cannot plead

ignorance when their subcontractorsfail to follow California’s labor law,”said John C. Duncan, director of thestate’s Department of IndustrialRelations. “Our enforcement effortsare intended to help fight California’sunderground economy and help com-pliant businesses compete fairly.”

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Interfor last month temporarilyidled its stud mills in Molalla, Or., andPort Angeles, Wa., and dimension millin Beaver, Wa. Restarts are being eval-uated on a weeky basis.

The sale of 3 Rivers Timber’sdefunct Kamiah, Id., sawmill, includingequipment, has been approved to com-mercial fisherman Michael Burns for$2.65 million.

USP Structural Connectorshas acquired an equity interest in con-struction design software developerStructural Soft, Palo Alto, Ca. TimberTech launched a Color

Visualizer feature on timbertech.comthat presents multiple deck styles witha full range of colors and productoptions.

Cook & Boardman Group,Charlotte, N.C., has acquired SBSCommercial Door & Hardware,including 13 locations among four divi-sions—Architectural BuildingSupply, Salt Lake City, Ut.; MartinArchitectural Products, Raleigh,N.C.; Hollow Metal Specialists,Sarasota, Fl., and Precision Doors& Hardware, Alexandria, Va. SBS’ Chris Robinson joined Cook &

Boardman as executive v.p. and c.o.o.

Plum Creek Timber Co . ,Seattle, Wa., repurchased $50 millionof its common shares, completing a$200-million share repurchase programauthorized by its board. The company will seek permission

from directors for a new open-marketshare repurchase program.

Arch Wood Protection hashad the Good Housekeeping Sealextended to include all forms ofWolmanized wood products. SinceAugust 1, 2005, the Seal has applied tocertain types of WolmanizedResidential Outdoor wood.

California Redwood Associ-ation has relaunched its website,making www.calredwood.org easier touse and increasing emphasis thespecies’ green attributes.Among the new features: d-i-y pro-

ject plans, how-to videos, photo gallery,FAQs for deck/fence buyers, and deal-er locator.

SUPPLIER Briefs


associate and an exceptional person,”said Taylor. “It was really easy to dosomething nice for her.”

Fremont Store Gets StimulusDale Hardware, Fremont, Ca., has

received $8 million in federal stimulusmoney, which will be used to remodeland expand its 40,000-sq. ft. store.“We’re very appreciative,” said

owner Garth Smith of the locallyadministered program, which issuestax-exempt bonds. Since bank loanshave become harder to obtain, the

DEALER BriefsSutherland Lumber Co.

closed its 38-year-old yard in Boulder,Co., at the end of June.Some inventory is being moved to

Sutherland’s eight other stores in theregion. The Boulder unit will reopentemporarily later in the summer to liqui-date the rest.

Cedar Building Supply ,Cedar City, Ut., is closing this monthafter 63 years.

Johnson-Madison Lumber,Great Falls, Mt., has added a newkitchen and bath showroom.

Lowe’s expects 1st quarter 2011openings for a 117,000-sq. ft. storewith 32,900-sq. ft. garden center inOxnard, Ca., and a 94,000-sq. ft. storeon a Covina, Ca., site that HomeDepot relocated from two years ago.In addition, Lowe’s is negotiating to

buy a site in San Leandro, Ca., fromPeterson Tractor; applied to build a120,000-sq. ft. store on 11 acres inPoway, Ca., and received approval fora 139,000-sq. ft. store in Fairfield, Ca.,with hopes to begin construction thissummer.

Habitat for Humanity openeda ReStore discount LBM outlet July 1in Breckenridge, Co. Steve Shockey,store mgr.

bonds provide a different way forbusinesses to finance expansions.Because the bonds are tax free,investors are willing to accept a loweryield, allowing Smith to pay lowerinterest rates than he would have witha regular bank loan.Dale Hardware, which opened in

1955, hopes to begin the expansion inSeptember and be finished in 10months. Plans include a 56,000-sq. ft.expansion with two new garden cen-ters, offices, retail space, and anenclosed, drive-thru lumberyard.

Wedding Bells Chime at DepotA Home Depot in Lake Forest, Ca.,

hosted the June 12 marriage of two ofits employees. More than a 100 fami-ly, friends, co-workers, and customerswitnessed the event and enjoyed wed-ding cake in the staff meeting roomafterwards.The bride was Carolyn Weatherly,

who handles major renovation projectservices at the store, while her groom,Audwin Mosby, drives a forklift andre-stocks inventory during the nightshift. Weatherly’s son and Mosby’sdaughter also work at the store.Store manager Alex Taylor got cor-

porate permission for the event andarranged for employees of nearbyDepots to fill in so co-workers couldtake part in the ceremony. He said itwas the first wedding in a CaliforniaHome Depot and the second nation-wide, after one in Alaska. “Carolyn is just such an amazing


THRE CAN BE NO DOUBT today thatthe sustainability movement and

green building in particular are here tostay. Green building criteria are nowcodified in numerous building codesand national standards, and increasingnumbers of local jurisdictions areadopting green building requirements. Nor can there remain much

doubt—given both the objective dataand a growing body of real world casestudies—that wood, and engineeredwood in particular, makes an impor-tant contribution to the worthy goalsof sustainability and green building. The common sense and scientific

support for the green credentials ofwood is substantial, long-standing,and well documented. • Wood’s strongest suit is perhaps

its most obvious—wood is the onlynaturally renewable building material.That fact is made all the more com-pelling by the corollary truth, contraryto common misperception, that forestgrowth in North America has exceed-ed forest harvest for decades. • Advancements in wood product

manufacturing technology continue toimprove wood’s sustainability quo-tient. The industrial output per unit ofwood input has increased 40% over

Studies in sustainabilityWood is demonstrating its green credentials by example

By Jack Merry

the past half century. That trend hasaccelerated with the advent, accep-tance and wide use in recent years ofmodern engineered wood products,which use more of the availableresource with less waste and can beproduced from fast-growing, underuti-lized and less expensive wood species. • Wood products are made from

forest resources harvested under anumber of internationally recognizedcertification programs, including theForest Stewardship Council, Sustain-able Forestry Initiative, CanadianStandards Association, and AmericanTree Farm System. The programsassure that wood fiber resources aresustainably grown and harvested. • Life cycle assessment (LCA)

research shows that by a number of“cradle to grave” sustainability mea-sures, wood is substantially moreenvironmentally friendly than alterna-tive construction materials. Woodproducts, for example, make up 47%of all industrial raw materials manu-factured in the U.S., yet consume only4% of the total energy needed to man-ufacture all industrial raw materials. • Wood products are recyclable, a

fact of increasing importance and rele-vance to carbon sequestering efforts.

APASPECIALSECTION

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

• Wood can be and today is easilyand commonly incorporated into resi-dential and nonresidential buildingdesigns recognized under a number ofgreen building rating systems. Despite all of the above arguments,

uninformed bias against the greenmerits of wood still exists in somequarters. But for skeptics looking forproof, they need not look far. Take the Environmental Nature

Center in Newport Beach, Ca., com-pleted in 2008 for a nonprofit of thesame name that serves as its commu-nity’s foremost authority on ecologi-cal responsibility, sustainable prac-tices, and environmental education.The 8,500-sq. ft. mixed use complexcontains administrative offices, class-rooms, a museum, and gift shop—allprotected and aesthetically enhancedby an exposed wood roof system andwood-frame shear walls. The complex—a main building

housing public areas separated froman administrative building by abreezeway—uses Structural I APARated exposed plywood roof sheath-ing, dimensional lumber subpurlins,glulam purlins, and wood I-joist roofframing. Wood shear walls employdimensional lumber studs and ply-wood sheathing. Budget considerations were a fac-

tor in many of the design features.The exposed wood roof framingreduced the need for traditional ceil-ing materials and finishes. In someareas, partial-height wood wall studsalso were purposely left exposed toshowcase the structure’s dedication todesign efficiency and low environ-mental impact. This not only helpedlower initial construction costs, butalso minimizes ongoing interior main-tenance expenses. The many sustainable features of

the center, including the structuralwood envelope, are themselves now ahighlight of the ENC’s educationalprogramming and are identified in


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

signage placed throughout the struc-ture. One exhibit notes the structure’sLEED Platinum designation, the high-est level of LEED certification and afirst in the county. The project earned55 out of 69 possible LEED certifica-tion points, and met or exceeded stan-dards in six LEED categories. In Annapolis, Md., the Chesapeake

Bay Foundation also used wood inpursuit of sustainability goals for itsPhilip Merrill Environmental Center.The foundation, a nonprofit devoted toprotecting Chesapeake Bay, wanted adesign that supported its sustainabilitymessage by minimizing the impact onsurrounding habitats. “Our philosophy is that the green-

est building is the least amount ofbuilding we truly need, built with thefewest number of materials,” saidfoundation president William Baker. To that end, a variety of structural-

ly efficient engineered wood productswas used—plywood subfloors, paral-lel strand lumber, wood I-joist fram-ing, and structural insulated panelsfaced on both sides with OSB. Muchof the wood is left exposed to bothcapitalize on the aesthetic qualities ofthe material and reinforce the “less ismore” sustainability message. Completed in 2000, the 30,000-sq.

ft., two-story Philip Merrill Environ-mental Center was the first to receivethe LEED Platinum rating and contin-ues today to be recognized as one ofthe world’s greenest buildings. It alsowas the second highest rated buildingamong a survey of 20,000 occupantsof 150 buildings for overall buildingsatisfaction, including aesthetics,acoustics, light and air quality. “The facility is a major recruitment

tool,” said Mary Tod Winchester, thefoundation’s v.p. “It has been a mag-

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

net for the audiences whose buildingprojects we want to influence.” Schools, too, are a natural end-use

market for wood design because whencompleted they can themselves beused as dramatic case histories andeffective teaching tools for broadeningunderstanding of the sustainabilityattributes of wood building materials.Gunter Primary School in Gunter, Tx.,serves as one such example. Completed in 2007, the 60,000-sq.

ft. facility includes classrooms, a com-puter lab, kitchen, cafeteria, gym andoffices. The school’s unique designemploys wood in both exposed andhidden structural applications. APARated wood structural panel sheathingwas used to enclose the building’swalls. Wood I-joists were used forrafters in combination with glulamtimber support beams. And a laminat-ed lumber decking with T&G edgeswas used in combination APA Ratedplywood sheathing for diaphragmstrengthening in the roof system. “I’ve been in business for 35 years,

and I enjoy doing projects withwood,” said project superintendentDonald Hampton. “I’ve put up largebuildings before, but with the overallbuilding height and length of spans, it(Gunter Primary) was different. Oneof the glulam beams is 12 inches wideby 7 ft. deep and 82 ft. long.” Although the project was not certi-

fied under a green building program,its abundant use of wood satisfies sus-tainability goals by several measures—use of energy efficient materials, qual-ity of indoor environment, durability,low maintenance, and availability ofmaterials regionally produced to lowertransport energy consumption. Gray Middle School in Tacoma,

Wa., underscores another way toachieve sustainability through the useof wood—recycled material. In thiscase, the product was glulam beams—more than 200 of them—that were sal-vaged from an old high school thatformerly occupied the site. The beamssupport the primary roof structure fora new commons area, science rooms,and central gallery. The recyclability of wood is a

material attribute likely to assumegreater importance as the nation’sinventory of residential and nonresi-dential buildings ages and is replaced.Products that were once relegated tothe waste stream are increasinglyviewed as viable, valuable elements ofsustainable design strategies. The sustainability of wood con-


struction is equally relevant to the res-idential market, even in areas wherenon-wood practices have traditionallyheld sway. Along the Gulf Coast, forexample, raised wood floor construc-tion is gaining new appreciation as analternative to concrete slab on gradepractices. Key reasons are improvedperformance under storm surge floodconditions, better accommodation ofexpansive soils that prevail in someareas, and growing awareness of thesustainability benefits of wood. An instructive example of raised

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

effort to revitalize older inner-cityneighborhoods using public and pri-vate funds to build new housing units,set as key requirement that designs,once built, be offered at a maximumsale price of $99,000. One criticism of green building,

regardless of materials used, has beenthe belief that sustainable constructionis of necessity more expensive andthus prohibitive to all but high-endresidences. The 99K House, as it iscalled, helped prove that sustainabilityand affordability can go hand in hand. The winning design, since built as a

prototype in Houston’s Fifth Ward,was submitted by Owen RichardsArchitects and HyBrid Architecture,both of Seattle. Their entry, called

CORE, was a 1,250-sq. ft., two-story,wood-frame structure featuring araised wood plywood floor, plywoodshear walls, and wood roof system. While some might assume that a

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

environmentally superior in terms ofembodied energy, a major factor indetermining sustainability. A woodjoist floor system consumes less thanhalf the fossil fuels required for a con-crete slab and just 20% of that con-sumed by a steel joist floor. Bob Clark, APA’s Gulf Coast

raised floor project manager, found itinteresting, though not surprising, thatthree of the five competition finalistsused raised wood floors. “Most lowbudget homes in the Houston area arebuilt using slab on grade,” he said.“However, these architects startedwith a raised wood floor, took all thepennies out of it, and made it very costeffective.”Houston AIA’s Barrie Scardino

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

HOUSTONʼS 99K House features raised wood plywood floor, plywood shear walls, and wood roof.


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

APASPECIALSECTION

LOOKS LIKE

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LOOKS LIKE

WEATHER

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

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

gram employs a wide variety of edu-cational tools and promotional tactics,including professional seminars andtraining events, demonstration pro-jects, trade and consumer publicity,advertising, local television coverage,publications and a website (www.raisedfloorliving.com) that featurescomprehensive raised floor details,construction tips, and other informa-

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

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

tion. APA activities are aimed at edu-cating builders, framers, designers andbuilding code officials about the mer-its of wood construction, while SPC isworking both to create consumerawareness of raised wood floor fea-tures and benefits and to complementAPA’s design and construction educa-tion efforts. Campaign updates are atwww.apawood.org/raisedwoodfloors.Direct interaction with the building

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

wood floor home design began onApril 1. The building site is doubling

ing raised from the homeowner’s per-spective. From 2009 through the first quarter

of 2010, Raised Floor Living hosted69 educational events, demonstrationsand seminars in markets like Houston,Charlotte, and Pensacola, Fl., with atotal attendance of over 2,400.According to post-seminar surveys,69% of attendees said that they weremore likely to build or specify raisedwood floors because of the seminar.Another 19% said they were possiblymore likely to build or specify raisedwood floors.Raised Floor Living is targeting

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

neering services can include a cus-tomized cost-comparison reportbetween raised wood floor and con-crete slab construc tion, computer-gen-erated design comparisons, or assis-tance creating a complete set of archi-

tectural and engineering plans.Though these services represent a sig-nificant commitment of time andresources, the effort is validated whena builder decides to convert.“Displacing concrete slab floors,

particularly in traditionally concrete

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

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

LOOKS LIKE

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LOOKS LIKE

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A NEW PERFORMANCE STANDARD forstock glulam beams has been

published by APA. In response to cus-tomer requests for a simplified productoffering and reduced SKUs by distrib-utors, the association worked with itsmember glulam manufacturers todevelop APA PRG-305 PerformanceStandard for APA EWS Stock GlulamBeams. With an emphasis on 1.9E-2400Fb

and 2.2E-3000Fb design properties,PRG glulam can be easily comparedto the design properties published forother commonly used engineeredwood beam and header products. Inaddition, PRG-305 glulam offers thefollowing benefits:• Standard widths of 3-1/2” and 5-

1/2” to match conventional 2x4 and2x6 framing

New standard easesglulam use

ing appearance classification wasdetermined to be suitable.PRG-305 stock glulam beams are

classified based on a “true E” rating,similar to the system used by most IJCengineered wood products. Thismakes it easier for building materialsuppliers and their customers to com-pare and equate the design propertiesand cost of PRG-305 stock glulambeams with other I-joist compatibleengineered wood products, includingLVL, PSL, LSL, and OSL. “While the PRG standard is new,

IJC 3000F glulam has been a mainstayof the glulam industry and we areimproving on long-established sizesfor beams, and putting more emphasison the value proposition and availabil-ity of beams in I-joist compatibledepths,” said Kerlin Drake, vice presi-dent of marketing for Anthony ForestProducts and chair of APA’s glulammanagement committee. “The manu-facturers are committed to producingand supplying the range of productsthat our customers want, but the stan-dard enables us to offer a simplifiedapproach for common beam and head-er applications. By focusing on the1.9E and 2.2E beams, we can workwith our customers to ensure the

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

same load-carrying capacity irrespec-tive of the beam orientation• Zero camber• Framing appearance classification• Meets the national product stan-

dard and building code requirementsBy dialing in on two common

framing widths in the 1.9E and 2.2Edesign combinations, building materi-al distributors can reduce the numberof SKUs while offering and substitut-ing PRG IJC glulam. The standardalso streamlines the selection andspecification process for buildingdesigners who are working with com-mon framing applications. Since mostof these applications are in concealedfloor, roof, and wall locations, a fram-

APASPECIALSECTION

WEATHER OR NOT,

REVOLUTIONIZES FLOORING.

WEATHER OR NOT,


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

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

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

that way—no sanding required.

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

in reducing edge swell.

GLULAM BEAMS produced under the new PRG-305 standard come in I-joist compatible depths.

beams that are used and sold for thesetypical uses are easy to specify andreadily available.” The I-joist compatible depths mean

that builders can install floor systemswith flush framing and don’t need toinvest extra time and materials in spe-cial furring. The balanced layup elimi-nates the concern of the “right sideup” in simple-span or multiple-spaninstallation, and means the glulam canbe installed just like lumber and otherengineered wood products. The con-nections between the wood compo-nents are simple, too, since they arebasic wood-to-wood connections thatcan be made with common carpentrytools and fasteners.For customers looking for glulam

in other sizes and configurations, theproducts are still available from manu-facturers. One of glulam’s greatestattributes is that it can be manufac-tured in a wide range of shapes, sizesand configurations. Whether thedesigner is looking for high appear-ance quality for exposed applications,curved members to meet the require-ments of a unique design, or camber tomeet the requirements of a long span,glulam manufacturers are able to pro-duce the right product for the job. Some of the more popular features

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

sizes of the new standard or in customconfigurations, glulam delivers excel-lent value for builders who are lookingfor green, sustainable building materi-als. Glulam meets many of the criteria

WEATHER OR NOT,


WEATHER OR NOT,


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

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

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

that way—no sanding required.

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

in reducing edge swell.

stipulated under green building stan-dards and rating systems, includingthe National Green Building Standard,ICC-700. Nearly all glulam beamssold in North America are manufac-tured with wood that is harvested frommanaged forests and certified underFSC, SFI, CSA, or ATFS. Glulam alsomeets the green building standardrequirements for resource-efficientmaterials, is made with energy derivedin part from renewable resources, andscores well in Life Cycle Analysis. The new standard, along with addi-

tional design and product information,can be found at APA’s glulam webpage: www.glulambeams.org.

calculated using both the number and severity of recordableincidents. Since 2008 was the first year that WIR was used,awards and reports for 2009 continue to also show TotalIncident Rate (TIR), the measure used in previous years.Ninety-three APA members participated in the 2009

program. Sixteen mills representing seven members—Anthony Forest Products, Georgia-Pacific Wood Products,LP, Norbord, Rosboro, Shelton Lam & Deck, and StarkTruss—took home awards. While the program awards are limited to APA members,

data is collected from both member and non-member millsin order to provide a broad-based industry performancebenchmark. A total of 118 mills reported data for 2009. The2009 industry TIR and WIR were 2.18 and 10.64, respec-tively, up slightly from 1.99 and 10.02 in 2008. Winners will be recognized and their safety accomplish-

ments celebrated during the chairman’s dinner at APA’s

APA honors mills for safety

APASPECIALSECTION

FORECAST: PEACE OF MIND.

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

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

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

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

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

LP’S OSB MILL in Tomahawk, Wi., earned the covetedInnovation in Safety Award in the latest Safety &

Health Awards Program sponsored annually by APA forthe structural wood panel and engineered wood industry. The LP plant took the innovation prize for designing and

deploying a special outside debarking and conveyor systemfor stringy bark species that mitigates debarker dischargeplug ups and the risks associated with clearing the rawmaterial bottlenecks by hand. Among the criteria for theInnovation Award is demonstration that the innovationreduced occupational injuries or illnesses. Norbord, Toronto, Ont., and Stark Truss Co., Canton,

Oh., also won Safest Company Awards in their respectivecategories. Norbord, a leading North American manufactur-er of OSB, earned top honors among companies with fouror more mills with a 2009 average Weighted Incident Rate(WIR) of 4.58. Stark Truss, which produces glulam timberand wood I-joists, won with three or fewer mills. The com-pany posted a perfect 0.00 WIR for 2009. The awards program, begun in 1982, honors the man-

agements and employees of companies and mills with thelowest severity-weighted incidence rates based on guide-lines established by the U.S. Occupational Safety & HealthAdministration. It employs a Weighted Incident Rate that is

annual meeting in October in Tucson, Az. The 2009 program was the second year under a revital-

ized safety effort spearheaded by an APA Safety & HealthAdvisory Committee comprised of several APA membercompany safety professionals. Under the committee’s guid-ance, three main goals were established: make the APAprogram the industry’s premier safety awards program,encourage the sharing of best practices to improve theindustry’s safety culture and programs, and, most impor-tantly, improve the industry’s overall safety performance. To those ends, several new initiatives are under way,

including holding safety workshops (the first to immediate-ly follow the APA annual meeting), developing an industrysafety professional database to share best practices andsafety alerts, and expanding the safety and health section ofthe APA website to make it a more useful industry safetyinformation clearinghouse and networking tool.

FORECAST: PEACE OF MIND.

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

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

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

Division II (400,000+ hours)Norbord (Cordele, Ga.) 409,982 0.00 0.00G-P (Camden, Tx. ) 1,162,974 0.17 0.17G-P (Warm Springs, Ga.) 653,509 0.31 0.31

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

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

SAFETY IMPROVEMENT AWARDDivision I (Under 400,000 hours)

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

INCIDENT FREE HONOR SOCIETYHours WIR TIR

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

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

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

SAFEST COMPANY AWARDSAverage WIR* Average TIR**

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

ANNUAL SAFETY AND HEALTH HONOR ROLLHours WIR TIR

Division I (Under 400,000 hours)LP (Panguipulli, Chile) 320,966 0.00 0.00Norbord (Nacogdoches, Tx.) 294,889 0.00 0.00LP (Roxboro, N.C.) 245,528 0.00 0.00


IN MemoriamJohn Shirley, 68, co-owner of five-

unit Barr Lumber, San Bernardino,Ca., died of cancer April 28.After working for Barr for eight

years, he acquired the chain’s nameand four of its eight locations withBuck Byers in May 1998.Prior to the purchase, he worked

for Boise Cascade and WesternLumber.

David William Mehl, 62, formerbroker for North Pacific, Portland, Or.,died May 25 in Portland.He spent 36 years with NorPac.Arthur Hans Christiansen, 90,

former owner of Pyramid Lumber,Denver, Co., died June 20 after alengthy battle with Parkinson’sDisease.During WWII, he served in the

U.S. Army for the Secret Service. Heoperated several businesses, includingPyramid Lumber, from 1950 until1965. In 1966, he moved to Californiato become a general contractor.

Dorothy Marie Willis Firkins, 87,former bookkeeper and co-owner ofMonte Vista Lumber, Monte Vista,Co., died June 19 in Cañon City, Co.She and her husband, Walt,

acquired the yard after moving toMonte Vista in 1956.

Dale Allen Sommer, 92, retiredsupervisor for the Pacific LumberInspection Bureau, Bellevue, Wa.,died May 29.He worked as a lumber grader,

inspector, supervisor and instructorduring his 34 years at PLIB.

John Ross Hurst, 67, operator ofHurst Ace Hardware, St. George, Ut.,died June 16 in St. George.After joining his mother in man-

agement in 1968, he helped grow hisfamily’s variety store into a chain ofseven Ace Hardwares across Utah.

Greg Reed, ex-Pacific Coast, is newto outside sales at Taiga BuildingProducts, Rocklin, Ca.

Scott Ballantyne, ex-Weyerhaeuser,and Elaine Mak, ex-AspenPlaners, have joined the sales teamat Interfor, Bellingham, Wa.

Mark Riley is new to lumber sales atIdaho Timber, Boise, Id.

Jim Alexander retired from PrecisionLumber, Vancouver, Wa., after 34years in the industry.

Connie Virell, ex-North Pacific, isnow mgr.-transportation and reloadlogistics for Talon Forest Group,Portland, Or.

MOVERS & Shakers

Wade Gregory is now western regionsales mgr. for particleboard andMDF at Flakeboard, Albany, Or.

Lorrie D. Scott, ex-Weyerhaeuser,has been named v.p, general coun-sel, and corporate secretary atPotlatch Corp., Spokane, Wa. Shereplaces Pamela A. Mull, whoretired after 20 years with Potlatch.

Chris Killgore, ex-Hampton LumberSales, now handles U.S. softwoodlumber sales at Tumac Lumber,Portland, Or.

Ian Heller, ex-Grainger, is now v.p.-marketing & merchandising at HDSupply White Cap, Costa Mesa, Ca.

Dale Verseput, ex-Linde MaterialHandling, has been named directorof sales at Myers Select MaterialHandling, Santa Ana, Ca.

Donald A. DeVisser has beenappointed acting executive v.p. ofthe West Coast Lumber InspectiveBureau, Tigard, Or. He replacesBrad Shelley, who has retired after33 years at WCLIB.

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


GLULAM SHAKE-UPThe glulam product line is

currently receiving some much-neededpublicity. Glulams are the most costeffective solution for beams andheaders on the market today. However, we would like to note

that Rosboro’s launch of the X-Beamhas polarized the industry (see May, p.10-11). That polarization is based onone issue—the appearance of the full-framing-width beam and the rawmaterial it takes for the rest of us[glulam manufacturers] to achieve thatappearance. Rosboro touts an archi-tectural appearance; the rest of usspecify framing appearance, efficientlyutilizing available raw material. Basedon feedback and questions we’vereceived since the release, severalpoints need to be clarified.While Rosboro preempted the rest

of the manufacturers with its productlaunch, APA members have beenworking on the PRG 305 for sometime and reached consensus in Januaryof 2010. PRG 305 standardizes glulamspecification to directly compete andbe positioned with other engineeredwood products. The PRG standardwas never intended to be forarchitectural application. Glulams that match standard

framing and other engineered productshave been on the market for severalyears. The fact is, two-thirds of theapplications for glulams today areconcealed and do not require anarchitectural appearance. Ask yourself,

TALK Back when was the last time a customerused LVL for an exposed beam?As the article states, time will tell if

the X-Beam gains traction. How-ever,the major suppliers of lamstocklumber universally stated they werenot going to change sawing sizes toaccommodate this product. For the

rest of the glulam industry, that meansthe X-Beam is a single-sourcesituation. We do not believe thatbenefits the industry over the long haul.Steve KillgoreCalvert Co., Inc., Vancouver, [email protected]

(541) 535-3465 • Fax 541-535-3288(800) 365-4627 • www.normandist.com

Distributed By


NEW Products

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Solid Oak FlooringRed oak is the latest addition

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Improvements inInsulationRoxul has added R28 insula-

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Colorful Fiber Cement CoatingsWoodtone has added three new colors to its

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Clear VG Engineered PanelsPacific Cedar Supply’s CedarTec engineered pan-

els are produced from 100% western red cedar orwestern hemlock.The lightweight panels are offered in brushed, V-

grooved, or smooth-sanded face textures, with three-ply or edge-glued construction in sizes ranging from20” x 48” through 48” x 96.” Both FSC and SFIchain-of-custody certification are also available. � PACIFICCEDARSUPPLY.COM(909) 633-4107

WHERE QUALITY IS AGELESSAnfinson Lumber is the clear choice

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CALL SALES AT(800) 400-8383 • (951) 681-4707

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Visit our website: www.anfinson.comFontana, CA Office and Mill: 13041 Union Avenue, Fontana, CA 92337

Fax: (951) 681-3566 • E-mail: [email protected]

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In The MomentSimpson Strong-Tie expanded

its line of pre-engineered StrongFrame moment frames.Available options now include

a 16’ tall column and 14’, 18,and 20’ wide beams. Customsizes use current plate girdergeometries. Downloadable soft-ware can create a list of availableframes, ranked by price, withanchorage options. � STRONGTIE.COM(800) 999-5099

Composite RailingIntegra Rail was designed by

Green Bay Decking for commer-cial and residential applications.Formulated with Fibrex, the

composite railing has a two-piecetop rail, hidden bracket system,and mechanically attached balus-ters. Kits include 6’ or 8’ lengths,with connectors and hardware, incolors to match GeoDeck com-posite deck boards.� GEODECK.COM(877) 804-0137

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Photos by The Merchant MagazinePCBC 2010

PCBC 2010 arrived at the Moscone Center, San Francisco, Ca., June 9-11. [1] Charley Hobbs, Barry Schneider. [2] Jim Reyes, Mike Moran, JeffSturdivan. [3] John Clark, Haley Hansen. [4] Chris Wischmann, MikeBland. [5] Jeff Qualle, Elizabeth Borelli, Erik Benson. [6] Bob Palacioz,Miquel Gutierrez. [7] Rob Mitchell, Gord Catherwood. [8] Len Kasperski,Lisa Martin. [9] Don Barnes, Cami Waner, Tom Von Moos, Brian Hurdle,Kevin Paldino. [10] Kevin Seward, Shannon Mott, Chad Bleeker, Rob

Bivens. [11] Darin Bartoletti, Brett Collins, Mike Pidlisecky, Josh Hall,Dave Stallard. [12] Heather Burbank. [13] Kelly Lusa, Larry Stonum.[14] Matt Hamilton, Michael O’Dell, Beth Wright, Paul Walters, DuanneDreiling. [15] Tom Mark, Denny Huston, Tom Couch. [16] Eric Sigmon,Phil Lail. [17] Carol Kelly, Alan Oakes. [18] Chuck Casey, Bill Ross. [19]Trent Balos, Rich Mills, Patrick Zan.

(More photos on next page)


MORE PCBC (continued from previous page) in San Francisco. [1]Arden Fuller, John Green. [2] Darby Darbyshire, Don Danka. [3] BillHayward, Ray Santana. [4] Jason Behunin, Seamus O’Reilly, RickRichardson. [5] David Crandall, Lyle Brief. [6] Emily Martin, Ingeborg

PCBC 2010

Photos by The Merchant M

agazine

Cal Coast Wholesale Lumber, Inc.Pressure Treated Forest Products

Alkaline Copper Quat (ACQ) and BoratesCustom Treating

Selected Inventory Available

P.O. Box 673 • 3150 Taylor Drive • Ukiah, Ca. 95482Phone 707-468-0141 • Fax 707-468-0660

Gene Pietila

Sales for Coast Wood Preserving

Andersson, Risë Krag, Nicole Chacon. [7] Gary Maulin, John Hedges.[8] Mark Williams, Steve Burdick. [9] Ken Dunham, Micheyl Barnett. [10]Titch Titchen, Mirco Walther. [11] Randy Robins, John Murray, MarkSutherland. [12] Bill Conlan, Daria Lott, Matt Perry.

Gemini Forest Products

Gemini Forest ProductsIndustrial Lumber Specialists

Los Alamitos, CA .-

Redding, CA .-

We turn natural resources into natural advantages.Get the right lumber for the right job.


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

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

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

Photos by Arch Wood ProtectionAWPA


Mountain States Lumber &Building Materials Dealers Associa-tion is offering safety webinars onblood-borne pathogens July 15, per-sonal protection equipment Aug. 10

ASSOCIATION Update

Lumber Association of Califor-nia & Nevada’s 2nd Growth group isready to kick off its annual summerconference July 15-16 at HotelSolamar, San Diego, Ca. A golf tournament followed by a

reception, dinner, and an educationalprogram will fill the first day. Daytwo features more educational pro-grams, followed by dinner and a base-ball game at Petco Park.

Southern Oregon Lumberman’sAssociation will hold its 48th annualgolf tournament July 29-30 at RogueValley Country Club, Medford, Or. Proceeds will benefit the associa-

tion’s college scholarship program,which has awarded 343 scholarshipsworth more than $165,000 over thepast 14 years. DOMESTIC SALES:

Jerry Long, Michael Parrella, Janet Pimentel,Pete Ulloa, George Parden, Vince Galloway,Chris Hexburg, Matt Wright, Brad Applegate,Scott Crutchfield.

INTERNATIONAL SALES:Nestor Pimentel.

and Aug. 26, and housekeeping Sept.14 and Sept. 30. MSLBMDA’s fall conference is

set for Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at SonnenalpResort, Vail, Co.

Police Address YardʼsDangerous Mail On June 1, a HazMat crew

were called to Ganahl LumberCo., Anaheim, Ca., to investigatean envelope filled with whitepowder.Testing revealed that the pow-

der was methamphetamine. Theletter was addressed to someonewho doesn’t work at Ganahl, sopolice will try to track down thesender and the person it wasaddressed to.


Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word min.). Phone number counts as 1 word,address as 6. Centered copy or headline, $9 per line. Border, $9. Private box,$15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished “camera-ready” (advertiser sets thetype), $65 if we set the type.

Send ad to Fax 949-852-0231 or dkoenig@ building-products.com. For moreinfo, call (949) 852-1990. Make 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 The Merchant Magazine, 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480,Newport Beach, Ca. 92660, or [email protected]. Names of adver-tisers using a box number cannot be released.

CLASSIFIED Marketplace

HELP WANTEDLUMBER TRADER

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

OFFICE & WAREHOUSE FOR LEASE:Northern California Sacramento region.Approximately 2,000-sq. ft. office attached to30,000-sq. ft. warehouse. Warehouse clear spanheight 20 ft. Office & restrooms ADA accessi-ble. Warehouse includes three-man doors withlarge 20-ft. roll-up door. 220V power available.Fire sprinkler system throughout. Truck shopfacilities provided, including minor repairwork, oil changes, steam cleaning, etc., atfavorable rates. Ample truck parking space inback of facility. If additional space is needed,an option on additional 30,000-sq. ft. ware-house will be available soon. Office & 30,000-sq. ft. front warehouse available at .29¢ per sq.ft. Option for rear warehouse .25 per sq. ft. Ifinterested, please call Tom Williams, (530)742-2168, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

FACILITIES FOR LEASEPOSITION WANTED

MANAGEMENT POSITION WANTEDGeneral Manager with over 25 years of

experience in the building supply industryseeking challenging career position.Successful work history in business devel-opment, management and analysis with abackground increasing profits and settingsales records. Building industry experienceincludes sales, marketing, purchasing,advertising, estimating, budgeting andaccounting. Motivated, professional candi-date with superior leadership skills willingto relocate for the right opportunity. Contact Mike at [email protected].

Special promotional opportunity for wholesalers,manufacturers and service affiliates

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

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

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

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

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

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

BPD BuildingProducts Digest

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

• Support your association • Branding your company’s identity with NAWLA’s • And MORE!Reserve your space by July 19. Call (949) 852-1990

CARPENTER PENCILS7,000 at 16¢ eachNAIL APRONS

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Call (949) 852-1990


DATE BookListings are often submitted months in advance. Always verify

dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend.

Western Building Material Association – July 14-16, mid-yearboard meeting, Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, Wa.; (360) 943-3054; www.wbma.org.

Lumber Association of California & Nevada – July 15-16, 2ndGrowth annual summer conference, Hotel Solamar, San Diego,Ca.; (800) 266-4344; www.lumberassociation.org.

North American Retail Hardware Association – July 19-20, annu-al convention & conference, Savannah, Ga.; (317) 290-0338;www.nrha.org.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Assn. –July 20, WOOD Council golf tournament, Ranch Golf & CountryClub, Westminster, Co.; (800) 365-0919; www.mslbmda.org.

Southern Oregon Lumberman’s Assn. – July 29-30, dinner & golf,Rogue Valley Country Club, Medford, Or.; (800) 633-5554.

Humboldt Hoo-Hoo Club – Aug. 6, golf tournament, Baywood Golf& Country Club, Arcata, Ca.; (707) 268-3082.

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

Southern California Hoo-Hoo Club – Aug. 18, dinner & meeting,Orange County Mining Co., Orange, Ca.; (760) 324-0842.

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

Black Bart Hoo-Hoo Club – Aug. 27, trap shoot & BBQ, Black PointSports Club, Petaluma, Ca.; (707) 621-4852.

Remodeling & Decorating Shows – Aug. 27-29, South Town ExpoCenter, Sandy, Ut.; Aug. 28-29, Pasadena Conference Center,Pasadena, Ca.; (818) 557-2950.

Fred C. Holmes Lumber Co.

We offer an extensive inventory of fine redwood productsincluding Fencing, Decking, Siding, and Premium Timbers.Whether your order is by the piece or truckload, our goalis to ensure the highest quality and service.

“YOUR REDWOOD SPECIALISTS”

CLEAR ALL HEARTHRT BEECLEAR AYEBEESELECT HRTCON HRTCON COMMON

AIR SEASONEDKILN DRIEDGREENROUGH & S4S

CUSTOM MILLINGAVAILABLESIZES FROM 1X4 TO 12X12

®

REDWOODINSPECTION

Wholesalelumber products

Fred Holmes, Steve Holmes,Phyllis Hautala, Steve Hautala, John Gould

P.O. Box 800, Fort Bragg, Ca. 95437 • Fax 707-961-0935

(800) 849-0523


ADVERTISERS IndexFor more info on advertisers, call themdirectly or visit their websites [in brackets].

Advantage Trim & Lumber [www.advantagelumber.com] .......................45Ainsworth [www.ainsworth.ca]..............................................................36-41Anfinson Lumber Sales [www.anfinson.com] ...........................................46Auto-Stak Systems [www.autostak.com] ........................................Cover IIIBear Forest Products [www.bearfp.com]...................................................22Boise Cascade [www.bc.com] ....................................................................32Cal Coast Wholesale Lumber......................................................................49California Redwood Co., The [www.californiaredwoodco.com] ................7California Timberline......................................................................................4Calvert Co. Inc. [www.calvertglulam.com].................................................29Capital [www.capital-lumber.com]..............................................................45Compass Lumber Products Inc. [www.compasslumber.com] ................47Fasco America [www.fascoamerica.com]..................................................29Fletcher Wood Solutions [www.tenonusa.com]........................................26Fontana Wholesale Lumber [www.fontanawholesalelumber.com] .........54Fred C. Holmes Lumber Co. ........................................................................53Gemini Forest Products [www.geminiforest.com]....................................49Hoover Treated Wood Products [www.frtw.com] ...........................Cover IVHuff Lumber Co. ...........................................................................................27Huttig Building Products [www.huttig.com]..............................................23J.H. Baxter [www.jhbaxter.com] .................................................................47J.M. Thomas Forest Products [www.thomasforest.com] .........................51Keller Lumber Co. ........................................................................................42LP Building Products [www.lpcorp.com].....................................................5Matthews Marking Products [www.matthewsmarking.com]....................21Norman Distribution Inc. [www.normandist.com].....................................43Nu Forest Products [www.nuforestproducts.com] .....................................3Osmose [www.osmose.com] ..............................................................Cover IPacific Wood Preserving Cos. [www.pacificwood.com] ..........................44Parr Lumber ..................................................................................................51Quality Borate Co. [www.qualityborate.com] ............................................19Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com] ................................................8RISI [www.risiinfo.com/crows]....................................................................50Rosboro [www.rosboro.com]......................................................................33Roseburg Forest Products [www.rfpco.com]............................................31Royal Pacific Industries...............................................................................53Screw Products [www.screw-products.com] ............................................14Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com] ......................................Cover IIISiskiyou Forest Products [www.siskiyouforestproducts.com] ...............25Sunbelt [www.sunbeltracks.com]...............................................................42Superior Wood Treating [www.superiorwoodtreating.com] ....................43Swanson Group Sales Co. [www.swansongroupinc.com].......................35

IDEA FileClassy Promotion

Over the last two years,Franklin Building Supply, Pocatello, Id., has had to sellto a customer base with a lot less money to spend—con-tractors with fewer projects to buy for and homeownerswith less disposable income for renovations. So when local public school officials recently

learned that their wages would be cut by 6.9%, Franklinbegan advertising that it would offer a discount to makeup the difference. In late May, the yard posted a signreading: “We support teachers. All public schoolemployees qualify for a 6.9% discount.”Most customers graded the deal an A. “We’ve got

some employees that used to work here that are nowteachers, and all of us have friends and family that arenow teachers,” said general manager Bryce Luker,whose mother-in-law is a local high school teacher.“We were talking about what could we do to show oursupport. We’ve had to take pay cuts working in thebuilding industry. We just feel for them and wanted toshow them we’re all in it together.”He hopes other businesses will offer similar dis-

counts for school workers—or at least just post a sign ofsupport, as was done at one neighborhood restaurant.Although Franklin targets pro’s, teachers purchase

lumber, flooring and other supplies for projects in theirown homes. Several teachers also work in the buildingtrade during their summer break. In addition, the saleisn’t limited to teachers, since administrators and otherschool staffers have also had their pay or hours slashed.Unfortunately, not every customer is a fan of the pro-

motion. “Since we’ve done it, we’ve heard other peoplesay, ‘What about me? I took a 10% pay cut from whereI work,’” Luker said. “We kind of wondered how ourcontractors would react. So far, they’ve been support-ive. But we’ve seen a little bit of people coming in andsaying, ‘Where’s my discount, because I’ve been hurtby the economy?’”

Thunderbolt Wood Treating [www.thunderboltwoodtreating.com].........21Utah Wood Preserving Co. ..........................................................................24Van Arsdale-Harris Lumber Co. [www.vanarsdaleharris.net] ..................24Viance [www.treatedwood.com] ........................................................Cover IIYakama Forest Products [www.yakama-forest.com]................................46

The Strong-Drive® SDW structural wood screw fastens multi-ply truss assemblies and engineered-wood applications without gapping or fl ipping heavy girders. The thread design fi rmly cinches together 2, 3 and 4-ply trusses or 1 3⁄4" engineered lumber from one side. Unlike typical hex-style screws, the SDW features a large, fl ush head which makes installing drywall and connectors much simpler since the head doesn’t protrude from the girder. The deep head recess also reduces spinout and makes driving faster and easier.

To learn more about the benefi ts of the Simpson Strong-Tie® SDW screw, visit www.strongtie.com or call (800) 999-5099.

©2010 Simpson Strong-Tie Company Inc. SDW10

One-sided fastening – it’s a cinch.

One-sided fastening – it’s a cinch.

TheMERCHANTMagazine

The Merchant Magazine July 2010

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Transcript of The Merchant Magazine July 2010