Prosales articles from June 2005

Prosales archives from June 2005

Safety in numbers: statistics on workplace accidents and illnesses make it clear that if you don't already have a comprehensive safety program in place, implementing one should be a top priority.(Editor's Notes)
June 1, 2005... The National Safety Council (NSC) has designated June National Safety Month, making it the perfect time for you to take a look at overall workplace safety issues, which we all know are becoming more and more critical for lumber and building...

On the fast track.(Returns)
June 1, 2005... I just wanted to say that your Viewpoint article in April PROSALES ("Speed Demons," page 100) was great. The Kleet Lumber story was awesome and inspiring. It is so refreshing to me to hear that other people within our industry read Fast...

Calendar.(Returns)(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... NLBMDA Training Without Travel Teleconference "HazCom: Are You in Compliance?" / July 14, 1 p.m. EDT / Contact: 800.634.8645; www.dealer.org... Southeast Building Conference / July 14-16 / Orlando, Fla. / Contact: 800.895.7322;...

Certifiable supply: Keith Brown Building Materials is the latest pro dealer to start racking certified lumber as both FSC and SFI gain ground among pro dealers.(ProWatch)
June 1, 2005... For Salem Ore.--based Keith Brown Building Materials, the decision in March to start selling certified lumber with a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain of custody certificate was an easy one. With 11 full-service lumberyards on the...

Stock acquires Davidson Industries.(ProWatch)
June 1, 2005... Raleigh, N.C.--based Stock Building Supply announced April 21 that it has acquired Davidson Industries. Franklin, Ind.-based Davidson has two locations, annual sales of $65 million, and 327 employees. * The acquisition moves Stock into the...

Liverpool Lumber Co., Inc.: "Old-fashioned" service with a personal touch.(INTEGRITY CELEBRATES ITS RED DIAMOND ACHIEVERS)(Advertisement)
June 1, 2005... Liverpool Lumber Co. has been a proud Marvin dealer for over 35 years. "Marvin windows are one of the best windows made in North America," says Joe Ehle, President & Owner of Liverpool Lumber Company. "The quality and detail of their products...

Leading strategies: the competitive landscape is constantly changing. Here are some tactics you can use to add value to the supply chain, ensure long-term profitability, and stay one step ahead of the competition.(ProWatch)
June 1, 2005... Although the role of the lumber and building materials supplier is ingrained in the construction supply chain, if pro dealers fail to implement new competitive strategies, their profits will suffer long-term. To help you add value on a...

Elk premium building products.(Editor's Product Pick)
June 1, 2005... Asphalt roofing shingles that meet reflectivity requirements of the Energy Star program are usually only available in white or very light colors. But Elk's new Cool Color Series asphalt shingles meet reflectivity requirements and are available...

International paper ranked no. 1 by Fortune magazine.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
June 1, 2005... For the third straight year, Stamford, Conn.-based paper and forest products company International Paper is the No. 1 Forest and Products company in Fortune magazine's annual "America's Most Admired Companies" report The magazine develops the...

Rick Pallotti named COO at Kamco Supply of New England.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
June 1, 2005... Wallingford, Conn.-based building materials and lumber distributor Kamco Supply Corp. of New England has announced the promotion of Rick Pallotti to COO. Most recently vice president of sales and marketing, Pallotti began his career with Kamco...

BPB America and G-P Gypsum announce dispute settlement.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
June 1, 2005... On April 9, Tampa, Fla.-based wall and ceiling systems manufacturer BPB America and Atlanta-based gypsum manufacturer G-P Gypsum signed an agreement to settle pending claims and counterclaims each has against the other. According to an...

BMHC adds plumbing installation services through acquisition.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
June 1, 2005... San Francisco--based building materials supplier Building Materials Holding Corp. (BMHC), through its wholly owned subsidiary BMC Construction, has acquired a majority interest in Mesa, Ariz.--based Riggs Plumbing, which provides turnkey rough...

Bosch names new president.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
June 1, 2005... Tools and accessories manufacturer Bosch Power Tools has announced Frank Carroll as president of Bosch Power Tools North America. Carroll has been with the company for more than 17 years, most recently serving as president and general manager...

Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance celebrates 110 years.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
June 1, 2005... Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Co., which primarily specializes in property and casualty insurance for the lumber, woodworking, and building materials industries, marks its 110th anniversary this year. ...

ENAP.
June 1, 2005... Lumber and building materials co-op ENAP has announced plans to move its headquarters to New York International Plaza in New Windsor, NY.

Dallas-based Elk Composite Building Products acquired Lakewood, N.J.-based composite railing manufacturer RailWayz.
June 1, 2005... Dallas--based Elk Composite Building Products acquired Lakewood, N.J.--based composite railing manufacturer RailWayz. The acquisition expands Elk's current product selection with additional railing products that work in conjunction with Elk's...

Gorell Enterprises.
June 1, 2005... Indiana, Pa.-based vinyl window manufacturer Gorell Enterprises was awarded the Energy Star "Partner of the Year" by the U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA for the second consecutive year. The honor is given annually to one window/door...

GPS innovator and laser-tool manufacturer Trimble has acquired Dayton, Ohio-based Apache Technologies, a manufacturer and distributor of professional laser products for construction.
June 1, 2005... GPS innovator and laser-tool manufacturer Trimble has acquired Dayton, Ohio-based Apache Technologies, a manufacturer and distributor of professional laser products for construction. The purchase will expand Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Trimble's...

Growing with NLBMDA: as we mark our 90th anniversary, NLBMDA is embarking on a three-year strategic plan to strengthen the voice and representation of the national association.(NLBMDA Briefings)
June 1, 2005... Sept. 7, 2005, will mark the 90th anniversary of a Chicago meeting between dealers from across the country for the purpose of forming the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association. The organization's purpose then, as it is now as the National...

NLBMDA salutes Legislator of the Year Congressman Jim Kolbe.(NLBMDA Briefings)
June 1, 2005... This spring, NLBMDA presented the inaugural Legislator of the Year award to Congressman Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.), for his 100 percent voting score on key industry issues in the 108th Congress as well as his ongoing leadership and support for free...

NLBMDA Interns experience Government Affairs up close.(NLBMDA Briefings)
June 1, 2005... Each summer, NLBMDA welcomes a college-aged relative of a member for a learning experience in the heart of our nation's government. The Blair Collings Internship in Government Affairs provides a stipend to help offset the student's living...

On board: to truly be team players for installed sales, your staff members must understand the role they play in the program's success.(New Dimensions)
June 1, 2005... Last month I compared two of our operations to demonstrate the impact that a few details can make; specifically, how teamwork can make all the difference in the success of specialized tasks. In addition to the importance of staff solidarity,...

Information overload: before you unload a data dump, remember that there is such a thing as too much knowledge.(Firing Line)
June 1, 2005... "Son, you talk too much." I received this unsolicited advice while waiting tables at a Mexican restaurant during a summer break from college. The adviser was a weary conventioneer who made the mistake of asking what kind of tequila we...

New recruits: if you're padding your workforce with foreign-born employees, keep in mind that management styles and motivational tactics may not cross cultural lines.(Dispatch)
June 1, 2005... By 2010, there will be a shortage of 3 million workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As baby boomers retire, there will not be enough younger workers to take their places; at the same time, your best workers will face ongoing...

Hire power: if you want great salespeople, build them.(Sell Sheet)
June 1, 2005... "Hire for attitude and train for skill." This is the human resources credo at Southwest Airlines, and it's a philosophy that has helped make the company one of the great American success stories. As such, incorporating Southwest's approach...

Beating the odds: from frozen tundra to urban jungle, Spenard Builders Supply and The Strober Organization employ logistics strategies that make difficult service areas work.(ProFile)(Cover Story)
June 1, 2005... Extreme Measures / Spenard Builders Supply empowers employees and teams up with customers and suppliers to keep product moving from the pounding seas of the north Pacific to the icy expanses above the Arctic Circle. During Thanksgiving...

Stealing the show: dealers that are jumping into the showroom game are finding success by emphasizing location, tapping vendors and distributors, and incorporating "wow" factor displays into design centers that ease the product selection dilemma for contractors and their homeowner clients alike.
June 1, 2005... Once considered a flashy sales tool with a debatable return on investment, showrooms are fast becoming the norm in the building material supply industry. Why? Pro dealers that have recently pulled the trigger on a showroom/design center...

Cracking the code: interpret the IBC and you'll gain insight into new product developments and solutions to help your customers comply with the code.(Market Matters)
June 1, 2005... If you want to know what's coming down the supply channel in the next few years, a good place to start might be the 2003 International Building Code (IBC), the latest iteration of the so-called I-codes that will, in some form, ideally end up in...

New mix: spurred by many social and industry influences, cabinetry is experiencing a split style focus between country elegance and urban chic.(Product Monitor)
June 1, 2005... When it comes to design and product selection for the home, consumers are heavily influenced not just by shelter publications, but also by the styles showcased by home furnishing and decor retailers such as Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel. ...

Mad for millwork.(Product Monitor)
June 1, 2005... From crown molding and columns to porch posts and stair components, the latest molding and millwork products--whether PVC, solid wood, or composites--are designed to make trimming out the home with decorative accents easy. Formaflex...

Boral bricks.(Hot Finds: Exterior Products)
June 1, 2005... A Boral Bricks Featuring an Old-World, rustic wood-mold style, the 17th Century series of bricks is now available in an oversized format. Measuring 3 1/2 inches by 2 3/4 inches by 7 5/8 inches, the oversized bricks have a distressed appearance,...

LP vinyl.(Hot Finds: Exterior Products)
June 1, 2005... B LP Vinyl LP Perfection Shingles are now available in the manufacturer's popular collection of Norman Rockwell siding colors. Replicating the look of real split cedar shingles, Perfection Shingles vinyl siding features a deep grain and a matte...

CMI.(Hot Finds: Exterior Products)
June 1, 2005... C CMI Made from a treated wood composite, Extira exterior panels are moisture- and termite-resistant and are designed for millwork applications that require a smooth, unprimed panel. Ideal for fabrication into shutters (shown), column wrap,...

Cedar Valley.(Hot Finds: Exterior Products)
June 1, 2005... D Cedar Valley Designed to minimize moisture accumulation, the cedar Vent Panel siding ventilation system--now available on the manufacturer's entire line of cedar siding--creates an airspace between the exterior wall surface and the cladding,...

CertainTeed.(Hot Finds: Exterior Products)
June 1, 2005... E CertainTeed Landmark TL IR impactre-sistant roofing shingles offer the look of hand-split wood shakes in a three-layer laminated fiberglass construction. Weighing 340 pounds per square, Landmark TL IR shingles come in five color blends, are...

Uncharted waters: notoriously territorial, surfers offer surprising parallels to the pro dealer industry, including insight into how to penetrate new markets dominated by other local suppliers.(Viewpoint)
June 1, 2005... There's only one prime directive in the world of surfing: Locals rule. Just in paddling out into unfamiliar waters, out-of-town surfers can face verbal ridicule and harassment, vandalism of their gear and vehicles, and at times even physical...