Prosales articles from February 2005

Prosales archives from February 2005

Missing links: an increasing focus on SCM is revealing new opportunities for dealers to build collaborative business relationships.(Editor's Notes)
February 1, 2005... How many times have you heard the words "supply chain management" (SCM) in the past six months? I can't even count all the conversations I've had recently that ended up delving into some aspect of this subject, from integrated business...

Calendar.(Returns)(Calendar)
February 1, 2005... The Work Truck Show/March 2-4 / Indianapolis / Contact the National Truck Equipment Association: 800.441.6832; www.ntea.com... Northwestern Lumber Association Iowa Lumber Convention / March 3-4 / Des Moines, Iowa / Contact: 800.331.0193;...

Back from the box: dealers and manufacturers jump into 2005 with high expectations of growing opportunities to capture more business from service-hungry remodeling contractors.(ProWatch)
February 1, 2005... According to data from the 2004 PROSALES 100, residential remodelers still only account for 9 percent of the nation's largest pro dealers' businesses. This despite the fact that the overall remodeling market size--at $250 billion, according to...

Surf's up; in the wide world of the Web, pro dealers must ensure their companies can be found easily through top search engines.(Tech Trends)
February 1, 2005... You might be surprised to learn that many leading dealers are falling short when it comes to leveraging their Web sites through the top search engines. A recent Google search that PROSALES conducted on dealers, for example, revealed that some...

Clear the fog: to improve employees' performance on the job, you need to set clear expectations.(ProWatch)
February 1, 2005... Imagine that you are overseeing the yard, and you check the delivery schedules to find out that your on-time deliveries have been steadily decreasing over the past four months. Now it's time for yet another talk with Sam, your yard manager. As...

Editor's product pick.(Yard Notables)
February 1, 2005... DeWalt Designed to provide speed, power, and maximum run-time, DeWalt's heavy-duty XRP 16-gauge cordless finish nailer comes in four multi-volt 12/14.4-volt models and four 18-volt models. The tool's flywheel engine allows it to fire up to four...

Spread the word!(Yard Notables)
February 1, 2005... Send your company's news, announcements, and events to Katy Tomasulo, via e-mail ktomasulo@ hanleywood.com or fax 202.785.1974.

Cox announces new president.(Yard Notables)
February 1, 2005... St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Cox Lumber has announced that company veteran Juan B. Quesada will succeed retiring president Robert E. Fehr. Quesada has worked in the lumber industry for 37 years and for Cox since 1979, most recently as senior...

Nisbet Brower opens new facility.(Yard Notables)
February 1, 2005... On Dec. 9, Cincinnati-based building supply company Nisbet Brower held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its $3 million dollar renovated headquarters facility and selection center. Formerly a General Motors' parts distribution center, the...

Ace president/CEO retires.(Yard Notables)
February 1, 2005... After serving 10 years as president and CEO of Oak Brook. Ill.-based Ace Hardware Corp., David F. Hodnik announced his retirement effective April 1. Landmark achievements during Hodnik's tenure at Ace include a 65 percent increase in wholesale...

Hylbert receives Spirit of Life award.(Yard Notables)
February 1, 2005... After spending his entire career in the building materials industry, Paul Hylbert, president and CEO of Redmond, Wash.-based Lanoga Corp., will be honored with the Spirit of Life award in recognition of his contributions to both his community...

Stock and Ferguson open joint design center.(Yard Notables)
February 1, 2005... Raleigh, N.C.-based Stock Building Supply opened the first of several joint design centers with Ferguson Enterprises, its Newport News, Va.-based sister company that distributes plumbing, HVAC, and building materials. The Carrboro, N.C., design...

Boise Building Solutions.
February 1, 2005... Boise, Idaho-based Boise Building Solutions announced the expansion engineered wood products manufacturing capabilities by increasing the capacity of three different plants (Alexandria, La.; St. Jacques, New Brunswick; and White City, Ore.) by...

Jeld-Wen, based in Klamath Falls, Ore., acquired Venice, Fla.-based window and door manufacturer Seasonshield.
February 1, 2005... Jeld-Wen, based in Klamath Falls, Ore., acquired Venice, Fla.-based window and door manufacturer Seasonshield, expanding its selection of coastal windows and doors and adding to Jeld-Wen's hurricane-rated window and door product offerings.

Do it Best Corp.
February 1, 2005... Daniel B. Starr joined Fort Wayne, Ind.-based co-op Do it Best Corp. as director of human resources and general counsel. Starr, who has 10 years of legal experience, will oversee the company's compensation, benefits and employee recruitment,...

The Home Depot.
February 1, 2005... Atlanta-based The Home Depot opened its 1,000th Tool Rental Center on Dec. 9, in its Burlington, N.C., store.

Roofmaster Products.
February 1, 2005... Kent, Wash.-based Roofmaster Products upgraded its distribution warehouse with a bigger facility and new location.

84 Lumber Co.
February 1, 2005... Eighty Four, Pa.-based 84 Lumber Co. was recognized by Central Penn Business Journal as of one of the 100 "Best Places to Work in PA." Selection is determined by employee surveys.

Planning your company's future: to keep your business growing strong for years to come, be sure to plan ahead.(NLBMDA Briefings)
February 1, 2005... This year is very special for me and for Dunn Lumber in Daytona Beach, Fla. In 2005, I have the distinct honor of serving as the chairman of the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA), and I am fortunate to celebrate...

Face forward: the future is now at NLBMDA.(NLBMDA Briefings)
February 1, 2005... Meet George Jetson, his boy Elroy, daughter Judy, Jane, his wife! I bet you can already hear the fast-paced tune of the classic 1960s cartoon. Are you imagining the cloud-level apartment buildings, flying bubble cars, a dog named Astro, and a...

Cost configuration: to maximize profit and increase efficiency, you must first understand what your installed sales program truly costs.(New Dimensions)
February 1, 2005... As I write this column, it's Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, a day that for many retailers symbolizes a positive turn into the black for the financial year. It prompts me to review my own operating statements for the installed sales...

Integrity celebrates its Red Diamond Achievers Spring Lake Park Lumber.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2005... Integrity[R] Is Solid Performer For MN Lumberyard Spring Lake Park Lumber is a family-owned business with strong ties to the community. "My dad came to work for the original owner, but he had three daughters and they weren't interested in...

Road to recovery: depending on the symptoms, it is possible to diagnose and cure some prima donna employees.(Firing Line)
February 1, 2005... I was afraid that Tim was suffering from the dreaded Prima Donna Syndrome. I reviewed his symptoms: * Tim felt many daily tasks were other people's responsibility. He hated working the front counter and always looked for someone else to...

Reality check: like life itself, the business of being a pro dealer requires truthful self-examination, determination, and an appreciation for the talents and strengths of those who surround you.(Dispatch)
February 1, 2005... Well, it's supposed to be easy. You just "Get up and do it" every day. But the curse hidden in between the lines is that getting up and doing it one day at a time is hard. Really hard. That being said, another bit of wisdom suddenly unloads on...

Plugged in: to maintain a warm connection with customers, you need to master the use of cold information technology tools.(Sell Sheet)
February 1, 2005... Everyone knows that it is much easier to keep an existing customer than it is to gain a new one. Thus, an emerging trend among many pro dealers is to focus on developing customer relationship management programs. In this quest to strengthen...

Chain reaction: while most attempts to introduce standardized disciplines to the distribution process have foundered, technology does have the potential to connect the dots along the supply chain--if dealers can gain clearer insight into builders' long-range materials need and tap into their data banks.(Cover Story)
February 1, 2005... Lyman Lumber's customers in its home market of Minneapolis-St. Paul include nine large home builders, each with a different way that it wants pro dealers to match up with its operations. Some builders demand electronic invoices; others let...

Marketing muscle: leveraging big-time corporate assets for local marketing gains, 84 Lumber, Carter Lumber, and ORCO Construction Supply back their brand and relationship-building efforts with consistent customer service to become titans of contractor marketing.(ProFile)
February 1, 2005... Brand Identity / 84 Lumber relies on the support and decisions of individual yard managers to power the company's national branding strategy and succeed at local contractor marketing efforts. As general manager for 84 Lumber's headquarters...

Regaining retail: yes, the bib boxes took some--OK, maybe a lot--of your cash business, but there's still plenty to grab if you target your efforts.(Market Matters)
February 1, 2005... There was a time when a job sign reading "Coming Soon: The Home Depot" inspired a fair amount of uncertainty and tension among lumber dealers that relied on retail sales to hedge their contractor business. For some, the result was closure or...

Drain game: manufacturers are engineering housewraps to deliver increased air management, moisture protection, and water drainage.(Product Monitor)
February 1, 2005... When housewrap was introduced in the late 1970s, its purpose was to prevent air and water from entering the stud wall cavity from the outside. But ongoing building science research has shown that moisture from the inside of the home may also...

Decked out.(Product Monitor)
February 1, 2005... The composite decking category keeps expanding with new colors, textures, railing configurations, and easy-installation hardware. Here are some of the newest composite decking products. A reversible finish with one embossed side and one...

Hitachi.(Tools & Hardware)
February 1, 2005... A Hitachi Weighing in at 7 pounds, the NR90AD 3 1/2-inch clipped-head framing nailer has an industry-leading power-to-weight ratio, the maker says, helping to minimize user fatigue. It has a tool-free adjustable depth of-drive dial, selective...

Bosch.(Tools & Hardware)
February 1, 2005... B Bosch Featuring a built-in 50-foot cord, the RotoZip RZ25 Drywall Router is ideal for cutting out electrical boxes, vents, and more in nearly any location without the need for an extension cord. The RZ25 5.5-amp, 30,000-rpm spiral saw has a...

Stanley-Bostitch.(Tools & Hardware)
February 1, 2005... C Stanley-Bostitch The SB150SLCB-1 cap stapler provides a more efficient way of installing felt, housewrap, and foam board because the tool uses wider 5/16-inch crown SL staples that resist punching through the plastic cap, providing better...

Zircon.(Tools & Hardware)
February 1, 2005... D Zircon Utilizing the company's CenterVision technology, the MultiScanner OneStep five-function wall scanner pinpoints the center and edges of wall studs and joists with one pass-through of surfaces. ]-he scanner locates wood studs, joists,...

Lenox.(Tools & Hardware)
February 1, 2005... E Lenox Combining optimized blade geometry, a patented tooth design, and advanced coatings technology, Lenox Gold hi-metal reciprocating saw blades are designed to last longer and to cut faster than other recip saw blades, offering increased...

Battle tested, employer approved; returning military reserve personnel offer an untapped pool of discipline, experience, and courage under fire that could benefit any pro supplier's employee corps.(Viewpoint)
February 1, 2005... Looking for a few good men (and women)? While pro dealers am becoming increasingly savvy when it comes to new employee recruitment and development by partnering with community colleges and vocational schools to ensure a full talent pipeline,...