Prosales articles from July 2005

Prosales archives from July 2005

Innovative products and superior packaging meet builder/contractor needs.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Builders and contractors are constantly looking for products that will speed up their process or allow them to continue their work despite the weather. OSI Pro-Series[R] offers several innovative products to meet these specific needs. ...

Studies show: advance your style with new designs by therma-tru[R] doors.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... The challenge: Your customers want doors they can sell and install with confidence to add style to the homes they build and remodel, reduce callbacks, grow their margins and enhance their brand recognition. The solution: Therma-Tru...

New technology safeguards against deck enemies.(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Exclusive Antimicrobial Composite Expected to Break the Market Wide Open Correct Building Products has boldly raced in front of the composite decking pack with the only product on the market that takes on the most common sources of...

Target markets: remodeling and productions building may be at different ends of construction spectrum, but they offer dealers similar growth opportunities.(Editor's Notes)
July 1, 2005... Two market segments couldn't be more different in supplier service needs than remodeling and production building (think special orders vs. national accounts). Yet when it comes to market expansion opportunities and hot new account prospects,...

NLBMDA/ProSales Industry Summit.(Returns)
July 1, 2005... Join NLBMDA and PROSALES Sept. 29-Oct. 1 for the NLBMDA/ProSales Industry Summit, THE event of the year for the construction supply industry. Set against the backdrop of picturesque Vancouver, British Columbia, this year's summit will host more...

Calendar.(Returns)(Calendar)
July 1, 2005... Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assoc. Annual Conference / Aug. 4-6 / Avon, Colo. / Contact: 404.361.1445; www.slma.org... Southern Building Material Assoc. August Conference and Leaders Meeting / Aug. 4-7 / Virginia Beach, Va. / Contact:...

Super marketing: whether word of mouth, direct mail, or on a billboard, effective dealer marketing promotes services that help pros manage their businesses.(ProWatch)
July 1, 2005... An automated recording on Hayward Lumber's voicemail system informs waiting callers that this Monterey, Calif.--based dealer has one of the largest fleets of delivery vehicles in the state. Those 119 trucks and vans aren't just the most visible...

Point of no return: Arnold Lumber has found that clearly communicated special order return policies and a partnership approach result in a more profitable business with custom home builders.(ProWatch)
July 1, 2005... When Arnold Lumber Co. realized that special order returns from custom home builders were eating into profits, the West Kiniston, R.I.--based pro dealer decided to tackle the issue head-on. The three-unit, $63 million operation instituted new...

Revving up: sales and spirits are up as building product distributor BlueLinx Corp. completes its first year of independent operations.(ProWatch)
July 1, 2005... Even a casual NASCAR fan could see where Georgia-Pacific's (GP) building products distribution group was headed prior to the total asset sale of the division to Atlanta-based start-up BlueLinx Corp. in May 2004. "Three years ago on the hood of...

The home depot to acquire Williams Bros.(ProWatch)
July 1, 2005... The conventional wisdom that The Home Depot must eventually buy its way into the pro dealer market to have any real shot at contractors' business got a new boost last month, when the industry's largest home improvement retailer confirmed on...

Heavy meddle: confessions of a lousy delegator.(ProWatch)
July 1, 2005... In the mid-1980s, I was hired as the manager for a multi-million-dollar branch of a large truck leasing operation in Denver. We had 14 union mechanics, two salespeople, and two office staffers. My branch secretary was a peak performer at...

Integrity celebrates its Red Diamond Achievers.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Highland Lumber Co. Only One Window Will Do For This CO Dealer When Dave Bickler, co-owner of Highland Lumber Company, talks about Integrity windows and doors, he is adamant, "Marvin is outstanding. You want a hassle-free window that...

Wire cutters: dealers and their customers are reaping the benefits of instant communication and anywhere access with technologies such as push-to-talk and wireless LANs.(ProWatch: Tech Trends)
July 1, 2005... There's a 21st century way to find out if you've earned the business--and the trust--of new builder-customers: whether they're willing to give their "push-to-talk" numbers to you and your staff. The instant, walkie-talkie-like feature from...

Spruce Computer Systems.(Editor's Product Pick)
July 1, 2005... SpruceWare.NET, the next generation of the company's original SpruceWare product, is a connected business management solution for the LBM industry built on Microsoft's Visual Studio.NET and SQL Server database. The .NET framework solves the IT...

Promotions at Wolohan Lumber.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
July 1, 2005... Saginaw, Mich.-based Wolohan Lumber promoted three members of its team to new leadership positions. District managers Peter Hartmann and Scott Schafer were elected as vice presidents by Wolohan's board of directors: Hartmann's responsibilities...

New South opens eighth location.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
July 1, 2005... West Columbia. S.C.-based commercial and industrial construction products distributor New South Supply has opened its eighth branch, located in Hardeeville, S.C., extending its services to markets including Hilton Head Island in South Carolina...

Columbia Forest Products to become formaldehyde free.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
July 1, 2005... Hardwood plywood and veneer manufacturer Columbia Forest Products began an expected yearlong conversion of its veneer-core hardwood plywood plants to formaldehyde-free manufacturing processes. The company will incorporate a patented, soy-based...

Huttig Building Products continues expansion plans.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
July 1, 2005... St. Louis-based distributor Huttig Building Products announced plans to expand into Long Island, N.Y., with the company's 46th branch. The area, according to a recent statement from Michael Lupo, president and CEO, has "approximately 27,000...

EBMDA names new directors.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
July 1, 2005... Harrisburg, Pa.-based Eastern Building Material Dealers Association (EBMDA) recently appointed two new directors. Wendy A. Loranzo was named executive director and will be responsible for recruiting new members, development of educational...

Parksite acquires Eastern distributors.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
July 1, 2005... Employee-owned building material distributor The Parksite Group announced its acquisition of Philadelphia-based building materials distributor Eastern Distributors Co., effective immediately. The acquisition, according to president and CEO...

Wallingford, Conn.-based Kamco Supply Corp. of New England announced its acquisition of its seventh location.
July 1, 2005... Wallingford, Conn.-based Kamco Supply Corp. of New England announced its acquisition of its seventh location, West Kingston, R.I.-based building materials distributor Champion Building Products.

Three-unit Ward Lumber, based in Jay, N.Y., has hired Jim Norman as forester.
July 1, 2005... Three-unit Ward Lumber, based in Jay, N.Y., has hired Jim Norman as forester. Norman will manage the dealer's 5,000 acres of timberlands.

Norvell & Wallace.
July 1, 2005... Nashville, Tenn.-based LBM distributor Norvell & Wallace, in business since 1880 and the first lumber company to provide yellow pine in the Nashville area, celebrates its 125th anniversary this year.

G-P Gypsum.
July 1, 2005... Atlanta-based G-P Gypsum's Tacoma, Wash., and Wheatfield, Ind., plants received certification for recycled content from third-party evaluation service Scientific Certification Systems (SCS).

Lenox.
July 1, 2005... East Longmeadow, Mass.-based power tool accessories and hand tools manufacturer Lenox announced the promotion of Bob Heisner from vice president of marketing to company president.

Roseburg Forest Products.
July 1, 2005... Roseburg, Ore.-based Roseburg Forest Products announced the addition of a melamine press to its Missoula, Mont., particleboard facility. The move will create a fully integrated laminating facility, increase customer service through more...

Potlatch.
July 1, 2005... Little Rock, Ark.-based forest products company Potlatch announced that its 473,000 acres of timberlands in Arkansas have been certified by Forest Stewardship Council-U.S. The company's pine sawmill in Warren, Ark., also has received a chain of...

Archbold.
July 1, 2005... Archbold, Ohio-based millwork manufacturer Fypon has announced the promotion of Dave Goulette from vice president and general manager to president.

Ace Hardware.
July 1, 2005... Oak Brook, Ill.-based co-op Ace Hardware celebrated the opening of a 788,000-square-foot distribution facility in Moxee, Wash., which will replace the co-op's existing 506,500-square-foot facility in Yakima, Wash., 10 miles away. Shipments from...

Mosinee, Wis.-based Crestline Windows & Doors and Vetter Windows & Doors announced brand expansion into the Western United States with product lines that include Vetter's wood, vinyl exterior/wood interior, and vinyl windows and patio doors along with Crestline's entry-level vinyl windows and aluminum-clad-wood product line.
July 1, 2005... Mosinee, Wis.-based Crestline Windows & Doors and Vetter Windows & Doors announced brand expansion into the Western United States with product lines that include Vetter's wood, vinyl exterior/wood interior, and vinyl windows and patio doors...

True value: how to make the cost of doing business report work for you.(NLBMDA Briefings)
July 1, 2005... What does the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association's (NLBMDA) annual "Cost of Doing Business" report (CODB) offer you? * Trends in the building material industry related to product and customer mix, operating...

OSHA's top citations for Lumberyards.(NLBMDA Briefings)
July 1, 2005... To build effective safety programs for your company, it is important to use all resources available. One tool dealers can utilize is to track problem areas nationally where OSHA has made frequent citations. It is important to know you can be...

Food for thought: in addition to specialization and teamwork, the final ingredient for a successful installed sales program is total commitment.(New Dimensions)
July 1, 2005... The three most important topics to address when designing an installed sales program are specialization, teamwork, and commitment. Like the volumes of a great trilogy, each is important independently but understood and adopted as an...

Margin of error: perks or no perks, the end of the year it's the bottom line that counts.(Firing Line)
July 1, 2005... "This must have cost a fortune[" my boss barked. He was looking at the outline of our cable TV ads that I put on his desk. It was an aggressive schedule of spots promoting one of our cabinet lines. I had already played the advertisement for...

Face your fears: adherence to basic business ethics guarantees the success of dealer-to-dealer communication and opens the door to powerful industry unity.(Dispatch)
July 1, 2005... I began my career in this wonderful industry as a trainee on the purchasing side of our family business. The job provided me with the opportunity to immerse myself in the culture of the West Coast lumberman. During years of competing,...

Basic training: to grow a successful sales team, create a learning environment.(Sell Sheet)
July 1, 2005... Creating a great sales team begins by creating a great learning environment. Consider this: The best hospitals in the country are found at universities because they emphasize learning, and they earn their reputations because of the...

Self starters: combining minimal capital investment with major outreach to underserved customers, Barr Lumber proves that you don't have to overextend to get into the components market and stay there profitably.(Profile)
July 1, 2005... Buck Byers and John Shirley claim they barely knew the first thing about component manufacturing when they started out. The co-owners of San Bernardino, Calif.-based Barr Lumber are resolute that patience and a low profile within a booming...

Safe keeping: to reduce injuries and ensure a hazard-free workplace, dealers need to focus on creating and maintaining a safety program that becomes a part of their corporate cultures, focuses on training, and motivates employees to participate.
July 1, 2005... Taylor Lumber and Hardware Co. in Marshfield, Mass., has a staff of 24 full-and part-time employees. CEO Rick Taylor, who has worked at the store for 45 of the company's 60 years, knows every one of them by name. To say that these people are...

E-commerce evolution: the Internet and electronic data exchanges are steadily becoming valuable tools in the supply chain, but in a way that involves instead of eliminates dealers.(Market Matters)
July 1, 2005... You should be out of business by now. Or, at best, serving merely as a just-in-time local delivery service for lumber and building materials ordered online by former pro customers now dealing directly with manufacturers. But it didn't turn...

Greener pastures: get to know the green side of insulation.(Product Monitor)
July 1, 2005... As a primary energy-saving product in the home, insulation is inherently "green." But most types of insulation have green properties beyond just the R-value, and dealers looking to promote and sell green products can leverage the sustainable...

Easy does it.(Product Monitor)
July 1, 2005... Some of the newest hand tools are packed with details that will make them a valuable addition to a contractor's tool bag, including features that help speed up and improve work, increase durability and versatility, improve user comfort, and...

Progressive solutions.(Hot Finds: IT Solutions)
July 1, 2005... Load Track software is designed to help salespeople sell wood products/components in quantities that optimize space utilization in container and railcars. Sales information and preset transportation rules are used to create optimal container,...

Nextel.(Hot Finds: IT Solutions)
July 1, 2005... The compact Motorola i265 wireless phone provides three communication tools: digital cellular, Nextel's Direct Connect instant walkie-talkie service, and a multimedia messaging service that allows text, images, and audio to be sent together...

Avalara.(Hot Finds: IT Solutions)
July 1, 2005... Designed for integration with Best Software's ACCPAC CRM software, AutoAddress+ address validation service works from within ACCPAC CRM to instantly validate a contact's address, correct any entry errors, and standardize the information to USPS...

DPL Group.(Hot Finds: IT Solutions)
July 1, 2005... The SkyHawk Vehicle Tracking System offers a solution for monitoring and tracking fleets to increase driver productivity and reduce fleet costs. Automatic vehicle location updates, infinite route history archive, start/stop identifications,...

Teydo BV.(Hot Finds: IT Solutions)
July 1, 2005... Built on a location-aggregation platform that retrieves location information from a variety of different sources, the FleetOnline tracking solution is cost-effective and easy to set up and use, says the firm. Clients can register online,...

BQE Software.(Hot Finds: IT Solutions)
July 1, 2005... Integrated with both Intuit's QuickBooks and Microsoft's Small Business Accounting systems, BillQuick 2005 is designed to make time tracking, project management, and billing as simple as possible. Time and expenses can be tracked and in-depth...

Activant.(Hot Finds: IT Solutions)
July 1, 2005... Operating on the firm's Falcon System for the LBM industry, the Performance Driver Suite of software provides a bundle of personal productivity tools for proactive management. A dashboard of business analytics allows managers to get a quick...

Acumen Data Systems/Todd Drummond Consulting.(Hot Finds: IT Solutions)
July 1, 2005... Designed for the wood truss component industry, Total Inventory Management software is an integrated solution that works with design and accounting software. Working on a system of bar codes and scanners, inventory is automatically assigned to...

Xplore Technologies.(Hot Finds: IT Solutions)
July 1, 2005... Incorporating the latest Intel Centrino mobile technology, the ruggedized [iX104C.sup.2] tablet PC family includes the [iX104C.sup.2]D Dual Mode PC, which features an active pen- and finger-touch digitizer in a single unit, and the...

Tuning in: from dispatch to inventory to bonding plywood and kiln-drying lumber, radio frequency systems promise not only smart tracking, but smart marketing as well.(Viewpoint)
July 1, 2005... Don't touch that dial--the construction supply industry is on a radio wave that looks to be gaining momentum with diverse applications that go way beyond the dispatch desk. Already leveraged for pro dealer communication, inventory, and even...