Millennial Buyers Expect Energy Savings

Sustainability is a part of the millennial fabric. As homeowners, this generation places a greater weight on sustainability than those preceding them. Young consumers are more likely to understand how sustainable construction and a sustainable lifestyle impact their carbon footprint and help curb monthly utility bills. But the big question remains: How much of a premium will they willingly and comfortably pay for the sake of going green? While builders have grown accustomed to including a 10% to 15% premium for incorporating high-performance materials, even that mark-up is out of reach for this cost-conscious generation.
 
Read More at BUILDER

SAVE THE DATE – University of Innovative Distribution
March 6-9, 2016
JW Marriott / Indianapolis, IN
Registration Opens in October 2015!

With WMA’s partnership in alliance with more than 35 distribution associations, the University of Distribution (UID) is available to WMA members.
For over two decades, the University of Innovative Distribution (UID) has offered education programs to meet the needs of wholesale distribution professionals and companies. Over the four-day program, nearly 30 different sessions are offered which have helped many World Millwork Alliance members increase efficiency, perform better and work smarter.   
 
Who should attend:  

  • General Managers
  • Branch Managers Marketing Managers
  • Sales Managers
  • Human Resources Mangers
  • Purchasing Managers
  • Senior Executives
  • Anyone looking to improve the bottom line and/or personnel performance

University of Innovative Distribution 2016 courses have just been announced.

Click here to download a complete list of courses.

President Signs into Law
the Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees Act

On October 8, 2015, President Obama signed into law the NAW-supported Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees Act (“PACE Act”).  The PACE Act which passed both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate by voice votes, amends the President’s health care law (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”)) to permit the states to continue to include employers of 51-100 employees in the small group health insurance market.  PPACA had mandated the January 1, 2016 expansion of the small group market to include employers of 1-100 employees, requiring the movement of employers of 51-100 employees from the large group market to the small group market.  Read more

WMA Welcomes Newest Member

Great Plains Millwork has been providing Millwork and Anderson Windows to the upper end custom home builder in the Twin Cities metro area and Western Wisconsin since 1991.   Great Plains Millwork has an emphasis on the highest quality material while at the same time striving for an even higher quality of service.
 
Visit www.greatplainsmillwork.com
for more information.

WMA Member Announcements

DMSi Presented With Progress Visionary Award

DMSi Software today announced that it has been named a 2014 Progress Visionary Award winner. The Progress Global Partner Awards is an elite program highlighting Progress partners that have turned their ideas into business reality.
 
Read more at DMSi

Masonite Announces Acquisition
of USA Wood Door

Masonite International Corporation announced that it has completed the acquisition of USA Wood Door (“USA”). USA is a wholesaler and fabricator of architectural and commercial wood doors in the Eastern United States providing door and hardware distributors with machined, re-sized, and value added additions to both unfinished and prefinished doors, in short lead times.
 
Read more at MASONITE

JELD-WEN Growth Continues
With Purchase Of LaCantina

A period of rapid growth for JELD-WEN, the world’s largest manufacturer of windows and doors, is continuing with the announcement today that the company has acquired LaCantina Doors, a manufacturer of folding and multislide door systems based in Oceanside, California. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
 
Read more at JELD-WEN

Government & Legislative News

Expanded Joint-Employer Standard
Harmful to Small Business

NAHBNow reports that Texas home builder and past president of the Texas Association of Builders, Ed Martin, told Congress today that the recent case ruling (Browning-Ferris Industries of California Inc.) by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) which expands its joint employer standard will hurt small businesses and housing affordability.  “Businesses could be found to be joint employers of another company’s workers by merely setting the work schedule of their subcontractors or requesting additional subcontractors to complete a job that is running behind schedule,” said Martin.  “There is no certainty or predictability regarding the identity of the employer under this new standard.  It is fundamentally unrealistic.”   According to NAHBNow a company could be considered a joint employer under the expanded joint employer standard if it has indirect control or the potential to exercise control of a subcontractor’s employee’s employment, including hiring and firing, discipline, supervision, scheduling, assigning work, and determining the means and method of employment.  Prior to this recent case ruling the test for joint employer status focused on a “direct and immediate control” over an employment relationship.  So the question now is how much indirect control determines a business’s joint employer status and thereby liability for labor violations involving another entity’s employees?  It’s a guessing game and it’s problematic not only for home builders but other small businesses.  We’ll keep you posted on further developments as this NLRB decision is reviewed by Congress.
 
Read More at NAHBNow