Prosales articles from May 2005

Prosales archives from May 2005

Leading caulk and sealant manufacturer offers best practices installation video: OSI Pro-Series[R] provides valuable tool for dealers.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(Advertisement)
May 1, 2005... As a dealer of OSI Pro-Series[R], you have a new tool at your disposal to provide seamless service to your customers. To help your builder and contractor customers cut down on time-consuming callbacks resulting from improper installation of...

Amazing feats: last year everyone thought it couldn't get much better, but the 2005 PROSALES 100 proved us wrong.(Editor's Notes)
May 1, 2005... Last May we hailed the PROSALES 100 as having a "record year," with many companies posting all-time highs. The group's collective sales in 2003 were up 14.2 percent over 2002--totaling $29 billion. When we completed the survey in March 2004,...

Helping hand.(Returns)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... You helped make a child's wish come tree! On behalf of the Sacramento and Northeastern California Make-A-Wish Foundation, thank you for your donation of $1,000 on behalf of [2004 PROSALES Excellence Awards winner] ORCO Construction Supply to...

Calendar.(Returns)(Calendar)
May 1, 2005... PCBC 2005 / May 31-June 3 / San Francisco / Contact: 800.956.7469; www. pcbc.com... Southern Building Show and Conference / June 9-11 /Atlanta / Contact: 800.854.7736; www.southernbuildingshow.com... Florida Building Material Association...

New frontiers: with the right approach, organic expansion strategies can grow new business opportunities. Here are some tips on how to spread new roots from a small independent in Lowe's backyard and a regional Midwestern pro dealer.(ProWatch)
May 1, 2005... Master plan Whether it's to reach a new, untapped customer base or increase penetration in a region you already serve, opening new units in the building materials supply industry can be a catalyst for growth on both the top and bottom...

New deal: Activant acquires Enterprise Computer Systems' parent company, Speedware.(ProWatch: Tech Trends)
May 1, 2005... Lumber and building materials dealers are mostly upbeat about prominent software supplier Activant Solutions' purchase of Speedware Corp., a deal that was announced in late January. The offer by Austin, Texas-based Activant to buy all...

LMC forms tech alliance.(ProWatch: Tech Trends)
May 1, 2005... Industry buying group Lumbermens Merchandising Corp. (LMC), based in Wayne, Pa., has established an alliance with Keymark Enterprises, the developer of a whole-house design software system called KeyBuild, to provide automated design,...

The search: most managers are looking for excellence in all the wrong places.(ProWatch)
May 1, 2005... Years ago a very popular country song told the story of a man who was "looking for love in all the wrong places." The same can be said for many of today's building supply owners when it comes to uncovering employee excellence--they usually...

Green wave: the 2005 Green Building Conference showcased the many faces--and dispelled many of the myths--of sustainable building.(ProWatch)
May 1, 2005... For many dealers, the words "green building" conjure up images of homes built with costly environmentally friendly features and limited demand. But times are changing, and green--or "sustainable"--building is becoming more mainstream and...

On the hill: highlights from NLBMDA's 2005 Legislative Conference.(ProWatch)
May 1, 2005... The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) welcomed more than 200 dealers and their families to Washington, D.C., March 14-16, for the 2005 Legislative Conference. Delegates from 49 states attended this year's...

Service and market support help Integrity[R] sales climb.(Alpine Door & Trim)(Advertisement)
May 1, 2005... "The Integrity[R] line of windows is an amazing product!" says Shannell McMillan, President and Owner, Alpine Door & Trim, a full-service door and window supplier and installer. "Prior to its introduction on the market, there really wasn't an...

Headed south: Hope Lumber and Supply digs deeper into Southeast construction markets with the acquisition of Leeds Building Products.(ProWatch)
May 1, 2005... With the purchase of seven former Wickes locations in July 2004 behind it, Broken Arrow, Okla.-based Hope Lumber and Supply continued to increase its Southeast market presence March 3 with the acquisition of 10-unit Kennesaw, Ga.-based Leeds...

Prime time players: dealers are making a difference through reality TV's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.(ProWatch)
May 1, 2005... Reality television programming has so infiltrated American culture that ordinary people are now performing crazy antics for millions of viewers, like swallowing a cockroach or competing to marry a total stranger. But it's not all about shock...

100 years of plywood.(ProWatch)
May 1, 2005... The engineered wood industry kicked up its heels on March 18 in Portland, Ore., the birthplace of softwood plywood, to celebrate the venerable product's 100th anniversary. More than 300 attendees took part in the centennial celebration banquet,...

M&A activity heats up.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
May 1, 2005... If the last few months are any indication, mergers and acquisitions activity in the LBM supply industry is not showing any signs of slowing down. Dealers are already building on the strong M&A activity from 2004: the 2005 PROSALES 100 Annual...

Owens Corning.(Editor's Product Pick)
May 1, 2005... Recently added to Owens Corning's line of insulating accessories, the WeatherProtectR Waterproofing System is a three-component system engineered to protect building envelopes against heat loss, moisture penetration, and air infiltration. This...

Vermont American, VFW partner to help soldiers' families.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
May 1, 2005... Dealers and contractors looking to give something back to our country's military families can donate not only with their wallets but also with their hands through a new program developed by bits and blades manufacturer Vermont American and the...

Huttig opens new distribution centers.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
May 1, 2005... As part of its strategic plan to enter new markets and expand product offerings, St. Louis-based millwork, building materials, and wood products distributor Huttig Building Products has opened three new distribution centers across the country:...

Princeton Forest Products announces promotions, hires.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
May 1, 2005... Princeton Forest Products, a designer, manufacturer, and distributor of Eastern White pine products, has announced new hires and promotions. Greg Holt became the new account manager for the California area and will manage sales and promotions...

Universal Forest Products celebrates 50 years with Habitat contribution.(ProWatch: Yard Notables)
May 1, 2005... To commemorate its 50th anniversary, Universal Forest Products, a manufacturer and distributor of wood and wood-alternative products, announced a $100,000 donation to Habitat for Humanity, presenting $1,000 to local Habitat organizations in...

Ainsworth.
May 1, 2005... Vancouver, Canada-based forest products supplier Ainsworth announced that Minnesota operations it acquired from Potlatch Corp. are now producing Ainsworth Engineered OSB. The mills have switched from Potlatch yellow edge seal to Ainsworth's...

Windsor Mill.
May 1, 2005... Windsor, Calif.-based specialty lumber, molding, and millwork provider Windsor Mill named Sean Pasell as manager for the New England region.

Weyerhaeuser.
May 1, 2005... Richard C. Wininger was named vice president for Western Timberlands at Federal Way, Wash.-based forest products provider Weyerhaeuser. Wininger began his Weyerhaeuser career as a business analyst in 1986.

Do it Best Corp.
May 1, 2005... Fort Wayne, Ind.-based hardware and lumber co-op Do it Best Corp. announced the hire of John Clapp, a former senior buyer for plumbing products at TruServ Corp, as its merchandise manager for plumbing products. Clapp's responsibilities include...

Success starts with safety: NLBMDA launches several initiatives to help dealers protect the safety and health of their employees.(NLBMDA Briefings)
May 1, 2005... In elementary school, teachers taught you that success started with the three Rs: reading, writing, and arithmetic. In high school, success started with reading directions correctly. In college, success relied on understanding complex theories...

Business benchmarking: NLBMDA expands the benefits of its annual Cost of Doing Business survey with company-specific analysis and benchmarks.(NLBMDA Briefings)
May 1, 2005... Change is constant. Building material dealers must adapt to an ever-changing environment that includes new competition, changing product mix, demanding customers, scarce qualified labor, expanding government regulations, and shrinking margins....

A tale of two yards: you have two choices when it comes to installed sales: commit your team and reap the rewards or lose focus and suffer the consequences.(New Dimensions)
May 1, 2005... To best illustrate the two extremes of installed sales (success vs. barely breathing), I want to describe for you two very similar operations within our organization. Both of these locations are in the same region, and, as with most of our...

Friendly ire: even if you play the role of contractor matchmaker, don't ignore your job as lumber dealer.(Firing Line)
May 1, 2005... It should have been a win-win situation. Actually, a win-win-win-win situation. Randy, an electrical contractor and our owner's friend, was planning an addition to his home, so our owner put him in touch with one of our...

Building success: despite often being labeled "middlemen," dealers play a key role in the home building industry. But to profit and succeed you need to clearly define and follow your company's role and implement sound strategies and services.(Dispatch)
May 1, 2005... It seems that dealers and distributors tend to come up in economic conversation whenever the subject of "getting rid of the middleman" surfaces. With a sales value of $2.8 trillion in the U.S. economy alone, we know distribution remains big,...

Second string: if you can get secondary products off the sidelines and into the sales game, you can significantly boost the bottom line.(Sell Sheet)
May 1, 2005... In my April column, I asserted that the traditional theories of supply and demand do not always explain the dynamics that create pricing in the marketplace. Underlying costs of production--e.g., raw materials, labor, and over head--are often...

The 2005 ProSales 100: with demand from residential contractors reaching all-time highs in tandem with commodity lumber prices, unparalleled growth rules the day for our annual ranking of the nation's leading construction suppliers.(Cover Story)
May 1, 2005... Phenomenal growth. There's no other way to succinctly describe the general pro dealer economy and the overall business climate during the past year for the 2005 PROSALES 100, our annual survey and ranking of the nation's top construction...

Pushing the limits: National Home Centers has returned to profitability, after several precarious years in the 1980s and 1990s, by augmenting its traditional strengths in lumber and building materials with broader assortments of home decor, flooring, and--of all things--furniture.(ProFile)
May 1, 2005... A sudden snowstorm on a bleak morning in late December would have been enough to dampen the spirits of any local retailer. But Dwain Newman was feeling pretty chipper after scanning the previous day's sales tallies for the headquarters store of...

Beyond borders: despite increasing demand and opportunities for selling U.S.-made building materials overseas, most dealers have yet to stick their feet in the water when it comes to exporting.(Market Matters)
May 1, 2005... Like every dealer and distributor, Alan MacDougall has customers who demand just-in-time delivery. But instead of scheduling same-day delivery of a truckload to a dealer location in the next county, he ships materials 6,000 miles on a freighter...

Safe and warm: the next evolution of energy efficient and impact-resistant windows combines the characteristics of both.(Product Monitor)
May 1, 2005... As the energy efficient window category matures and the impact/hurricane-resistant category continues to develop, a new breed of high-performance windows is evolving: hybrid windows that combine energy efficiency and impact resistance. The...

Fashionable floors.(Product Monitor)
May 1, 2005... Among the latest introductions in flooring are products that reflect several popular trends, including solid hardwoods and engineered planks in exotic and alternative species, and laminate planks that reproduce rustic and exotic looks. We've...

Dever Enterprises.(Hot Finds: Construction Materials)
May 1, 2005... A Dever Enterprises Water-based and VOC-compliant All-Shield concrete and masonry sealer applies in one step and stops water penetration and damage to many types of masonry, the manufacturer says. The product allows the substrate to breathe and...

Henry Co.(Hot Finds: Construction Materials)
May 1, 2005... B Henry Co. Designed for residential and commercial re-roofing and retrofit applications, the DuraTac SA self-adhering modified bitumen roofing membrane features a traditional SBS roofing compound on top, an SBS adhesive on the bottom, a...

Reflectix.(Hot Finds: Construction Materials)
May 1, 2005... C Reflectix Made from a closed-cell foam, the Reflectix Expansion Joint is engineered for use in standard concrete construction. The lightweight expansion joint will not prematurely break during jobsite handling, the manufacturer says, and is...

Tarco.(Hot Finds: Construction Materials)
May 1, 2005... D Tarco Designed for application under concrete, clay, and slate roofing tiles, LeakBarrier Fast90 self-adhering tile underlayment features a peel-and-stick bottom that reveals the self-adhering compound of high-tack SBS modified asphalt. The...

Schluter Systems.(Hot Finds: Construction Materials)
May 1, 2005... E Schluter Systems The Schluter-Rondec-CT double-rail edging profile features a recessed section with dovetailed grooves to which field or accent tile is bonded. The product helps simplify installation of tiled countertops by eliminating the...

Benjamin Obdyke.(Hot Finds: Construction Materials)
May 1, 2005... A Benjamin Obdyke An addition to the company's line of rainscreen products, Home Slicker Plus Jumbo Tex combines the Home Slicker 3-D matrix adhesively bonded to Jumbo Tex 60-minute building paper, saving cost and labor. The product comes in...

DAP.(Hot Finds: Construction Materials)
May 1, 2005... B DAP Phenoseal Does It Clear acrylic latex adhesive caulk dries clearer than other latex, silicone, or solvent based sealants, the manufacturer claims. Providing a watertight seal that will not crack or discolor, VOC-compliant Does It Clear is...

Alum-A-Pole Corp.(Hot Finds: Construction Materials)
May 1, 2005... C Alum-A-Pole Corp. Pro-trim nail-less construction tape for siding trim allows contractors to install trim without a hammer, providing a clean, professional look while achieving a strong vinyl-to-vinyl bond indefinitely. The tape allows the...

Pittsburgh Corning.(Hot Finds: Construction Materials)
May 1, 2005... D Pittsburgh Corning Monarch Series glass blocks are now available in blue, pink, and bronze glass colors. The glass blocks come in an 8-inch by-8-inch-by 4-inch wave pattern and can be used for a variety of applications, such as the kitchen or...

Smart Vent.(Hot Finds: Construction Materials)
May 1, 2005... E Smart Vent Utilizing a patented float-release mechanism triggered by rising water levels, three models of Smart Vent automatic foundation flood vents allow entry and exit of floodwaters to relieve buildup of hydrostatic pressure and protect...

Knauf Insulation.(Hot Finds: Construction Materials)
May 1, 2005... A Knauf Insulation Friendly Feel Duct Wrap with KwikStretch markings features staple flange markings on its foil-scrim kraft or polypropylene-scrim kraft facings for easy measurements without a tape measure. The easy-to-handle duct wrap is soft...

OSI/Henkel Adhesives.(Hot Finds: Construction Materials)
May 1, 2005... B OSI/Henkel Adhesives Delivering a dual bead of blue and gray urethane-fortified adhesive, PL Plus Super Duty construction adhesive features a solvent-based VOC compliant formula that meets and exceeds all American Plywood Association...

Fear factor: despite the return of market-crash murmurs, housing forecasts remain strong, and sound business practices combined with traditional pro dealer work ethic will keep the numbers on your side.(Viewpoint)
May 1, 2005... Here come the bubble bursters again. Last year at this time, as home builders finished one of the best first quarters in history, bubble talk abounded as pessimists warned that the industry could not sustain another record year of housing...