Thursday April 18, 2019

WMA MEMBER NEWS

 

 

 

 

WMA’s First Women in Millwork Conference Gets Rave Reviews from Attendees

WMA hosted its first Women in Millwork (WIM) Conference at The Greenbrier Resort from April 9-12th. Distributor and manufacturer company leaders came together to network with women across the industry and share best practices. For three days, attendees engaged in relevant roundtable discussion topics, were challenged through team building, and self-evaluated their professional and personal challenges with expert facilitator, Gail Alofsin. Gail provided the necessary tools and resources to overcome any barriers and empower their leadership skills.

The WIM Conference was another first step, aside from the women in millwork forum group at WMA’s annual convention, to continue to provide education opportunities, build the foundation for lasting relationships and support women in their career choices in the millwork industry. From the attendee feedback, it appears our mission was accomplished.

 

 

 
Three wonderful days spent receiving education, inspiration, and encouragement by a group of our industries leading vendors and talent! Beyond grateful for the opportunity to be a part of an absolutely incredible event! 

Jesi Stone, DW Distribution, Inc.

The conversations in essence were worth attending the WIM Conference. With the addition of a team building exercise, and an engaging facilitator, it was powerful!

Lydia Smith, Brockway-Smith Company

The Women in Millwork Conference was an amazing opportunity to network with women across the industry and compare best practices to improve our day-to-day responsibilities. I am grateful for the opportunity to meet this group of women and look forward to the next time! 

Molly Zuk, Endura Products

 

 

 

Huttig Building Products, Inc. Schedules First Quarter 2019 Earnings Call

Huttig Building Products (Nasdaq: HBP), one of the nation’s largest wholesale distributors of millwork and specialty building products used principally in new residential construction and home improvement, plans to release its first quarter 2019 financial results on Monday, April 29, 2019 after market close.

Read Huttig Press Release

 

 

 

Western Building Products Considering Three Sites to Move its Operations, Including Milwaukee’s Far Northwest Side

According to BizTimes, Bill Zacher confirmed that the company is down to three final locations, and that the company is looking to build a roughly 300,000-square-foot facility, but cautioned that nothing has been made final.

Read more at BizTimes

 

 

 

 

INDUSTRY NEWS

 

 

 

Is Trump’s tax law helping or hurting the housing market?

According to an article in MarketWatch, New Federal Reserve Bank of New York findings suggest that the recent changes to the federal tax code have contributed to the slowdown in home sales that occurred throughout much of last year.

Read more at MarketWatch

 

 

 

Canada to Fight ‘Unfair’ U.S. Lumber Duties, Appeal WTO Ruling  

Canada will appeal last week’s decision by a World Trade Organization (WTO) panel to allow the United States to use “zeroing” to calculate lumber anti-dumping tariffs, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Monday.

Read more at Reuters

 

 

 

Opportunity Knocks for Women in LBM

An LBM industry more inclusive of women offers advantages to employee and dealer alike. We asked several industry veterans to weigh in with advice for those considering a career—as well as those companies that stand to benefit.

Read more at LBM

 

 

 

ECONOMIC NEWS

 

 

 

Builder Confidence Edges Higher in April 

Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes rose one point to 63 in April, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). Sentiment levels have held in the low 60s for the past three months.

Read more at LBM

 

 

 

Construction Job Openings Fall Back in February 

Data from the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) indicate that construction job openings fell back in February but remain higher on a year-over-year basis, consistent with the ongoing challenge of the availability of labor for builders.

Read more at NAHB

 

 

 

Fed’s Charles Evans tells CNBC rates can stay unchanged into fall of 2020

Chicago Federal Reserve President Charles Evans said on Monday that he’d be comfortable leaving interest rates alone until autumn 2020 to help ensure sustained inflation in the U.S.

Read more at CNBC

 

 

 

GOVERNMENT NEWS

 

 

 

Mnuchin Says China Trade Talks Are Nearing Final Round  

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday that he believed the United States and China were nearing the final stage of trade negotiations, moving closer to what he said would be the biggest change in the economic relationship between the countries in 40 years.

Read more at NY Times

 

 

 

CODES AND COMPLIANCE NEWS

 

 

 

US EPA Issues Proposal for CBI Substantiation  

The US EPA has issued a proposed rule that would establish a procedure for confirming certain confidentiality claims under TSCA. There are 7,757 active confidential substances, according to the 19 February update to the TSCA inventory.

Read more at Chemical Watch

 

 

 

Massachusetts Bill Would Require Performance Labels on Homes for Sale  

Among most single-family residential dwellings, multi-family dwellings with fewer than five units, and condominium units, the bill calls for “complete energy assessment and an associated residential energy performance label, as approved by the department of energy resources.”

Read more at DWM

 

 

 

California Sets Regulations for Testing Light Driverless Trucks

The new rules may be a step towards allowing vehicles such as heavy duty semi trucks (Class 8) to be tested on public roads.

Read more at Digital Journal

 

 

 

 

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

 

 

 

WMS Best Practices: Implementation Challenges to Overcome and Tips on How to Go-Live Successfully

Implementing a modern warehouse management system (WMS) is useful to ensure the scalability and functionality of supply chains. While numerous WMS applications offer different benefits and capabilities, common threads exist around WMS implementation and go live plans.

Read more at Cerasis

 

 

 

When the Internet of Things Meets the Digital Supply Network

Technology has transformed supply chains into networks of dynamic processes and systems called digital supply networks, or DSNs. Underpinning a DSN is another technology, which can help companies create new opportunities: the Industrial Internet of Things.

Read more at Deloitte Insights

 

 

 

How Consolidation and Freight Networks Are Disrupting the Logistics Landscape

While many firms are pursuing mergers and acquisitions as a way to grow their businesses and increase market share, others are working to create large networks of shippers and carriers and applying technology to make freight transactions more efficient.

Read more at Transport Topics

 

 

 

SAFETY NEWS

 

 

 

Take 3 in 30 Challenge 

Management Leadership is a core element of a workplace safety and health program.  Accelerate your program and show your commitment in your workplace. Take 3 in 30!

Read more at OSHA

 

 

 

If I Could Turn Back Time: Can You Find a Way To Correct Erroneous Accident Or Injury Reports To Avoid An OSHA Inspection? 

An accident happens at your workplace, leading to an employee injury. During the hectic response, incorrect information funnels its way up to the safety director charged with notifying OSHA of reportable injuries and accidents, and that person is told that it looks like the employee’s finger has been amputated or is admitted for in-patient hospitalization.

Read more at JD Supra

 

 

 

Labor Secretary: OSHA Jobsite Inspections Likely to Increase 

U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta told a House Appropriations subcommittee last week that as soon as a new crop of OSHA agents completes training, he expects jobsite inspections to increase.

Read more at Construction Dive

 

 

 

UPCOMING WEBINARS

 

 

 

WEBINAR: April 23, 2019 12:00 PM EST

You’re Not As Safe As You Think You Are

Distracted Driving continues to have devastating consequences on our roads, sending a ripple effect into our homes, communities and places of work. Learn more about the real risks of distracted driving and what safety-forward companies are doing to combat those risks.

Read more

 

 

 

WEBINAR: April 30, 2019 2:00 PM EST

US Housing and Nonresidential Construction: A Tale of Two Sectors

The trends of 2018 will not carry us through 2019. Economic trends are shifting at this moment, and plans for the rest of this year and for 2020 need to reflect the new reality.

Find out more in a webinar presented by Speaker and Analyst Taylor St. Germain.

Read more

 

 

 

REPORTS AND ARTICLES OF INTEREST

 

 

 

COMING NOVEMBER 2019, NAW’S 12th Edition of “Facing the Forces of Change”

NAW’s 12th edition of “Facing the Forces of Change,” the most respected research study of wholesale distribution industry future trends since 1982, will be published in November. Because NAW is the only national wholesale distribution organization that represents companies in all lines of trade, this celebrated report is the most comprehensive study covering the future of wholesale distribution. If you want first notification when this research study is ready to pre-order, click here.

 

 

 

Is Your Data Strategy Helping or Hurting Your Distributorship?

Distributors can use these key strategies for getting the most out of their data and develop a more customer-centric business approach.

Read more at TED Magazine