Friday May 17, 2019
MEMBER NEWS
WMA Welcomes New Member Company
World Millwork Alliance is pleased to welcome new Associate Member, Heze Zinglin Woods Co., Ltd.
Krebs Announced as National Sales Manager for RUVO
Merrick Machine Company, parent company of RUVO, recently announced Bob Krebs as the new national sales manager for RUVO.
Fargo Glass and Paint Company Named New Distributor for Sierra Pacific Windows
Fargo Glass and Paint Company, headquartered in Fargo, ND, has been named by Sierra Pacific Windows as a distributor-of-record.
Make Your Company a Best Place to Work
What would you do if you learned that employees were less than enthusiastic about working for your company? When this happened to Jon Vaughan, President of Brand Vaughan, after an employee engagement survey, he and his team took the results to heart.
ODL Appoints Anders and Fowler as Territory Sales Managers
In an effort to improve its ODL Pro Channel sales and customer services in its western territories, officials for ODL Inc. say it has reorganized. The company recently announced the addition of Sandra Anders and Amanda Fowler to the ODL Pro Channel sales team, where the two will promote the ODL door glass and Western Reflections door glass brands.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Builder Confidence Posts Solid Gain in May
Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes rose three points to 66 in May, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). Builder sentiment is at its highest level since October 2018.
Boise Cascade Acquires American Lumber Distributors for $2.6 million
Boise Cascade Company (Boise Cascade) (NYSE: BCC) today announced the completion of the acquisition of American Lumber Distributors headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.
“We’re very pleased to welcome 50 new associates to our nationwide Building Materials Distribution (BMD) Team,” said Nick Stokes, executive vice president.
Coalition of Manufacturers and Advocates Petition for Energy Efficient Tax Incentives
In a letter addressed to Congress, a coalition of manufacturers, advocacy groups and trade associations petitioned national leaders recently, urging them to update and reinstate energy efficiency-based tax incentives.
See Who Rose In The Ranks: The 2019 Builder 100 List
The 2019 list of the top 100 builders based on last year’s closings reflects a massive consolidation of two major companies into one entity: the merger of the country’s second-largest builder, Lennar, with CalAtlantic, which ranked No. 5 on last year’s list, lifting Lennar’s closings to 48,856. Even so, the combined numbers were not enough to unseat perennial top firm D.R. Horton from the No. 1 spot, with 52,569 closings.
Hell’s Kitchen Tenants Win Battle to Use Keys Instead of High-Tech Entry System
A group of Hell’s Kitchen residents fought the tech boom — and won. The five tenants of 517-525 W. 45th St., NY, NY, sued their landlords for installing a keyless entry system but sued to get back their good-old-fashioned keys.
ECONOMIC NEWS
U.S. Economic Growth May Be Casualty in Trade War With China, Fannie Mae Says in New Forecast
Fannie Mae, the largest mortgage financier, boosted its forecast for mortgage rates and lowered its prediction for GDP growth for the remaining quarters this year, citing the tariff war with China as a primary reason.
US Import Prices Rose Slightly in April, Suggesting Inflation Could Remain Tame For a While
U.S. import prices rose less than expected in April as increases in the cost of petroleum and food were tempered by the largest decrease in the price of capital goods in 10 years, suggesting inflation could remain tame for a while.
Preparing Now For The Next Housing Uptick
In- and out-migration trends that matter most to home builders, residential developers, and investors planning for 2023 and beyond.
GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE NEWS
Manufacturers Brace for Impacts of Increased Tariffs
Despite months of negotiations, President Donald Trump announced an increase in tariffs on more than $200 billion worth of Chinese products Friday. Fenestration products—including iron, steel and wood door, window and frame components—are among the Chinese goods affected by the newly imposed 25% tariff, up from the 10% rate implemented in September 2018.
Regulators Considering Drivers Under 21 For Interstate Hauls
A “chronic shortage” of drivers entering the trucking industry is fueling a proposal that could eventually allow 18- to 20-year-olds to haul freight between states, according to federal regulators.
WEBINARS
ITR Economics June Webinar: Challenges and Changes Through 2020
June 27, 2019 at 2 pm EST
Business cycle decline in the US and the world will persist into 2020. It is important to know the trends, understand how they will impact you, and know what to look for regarding signs of the next business cycle rising trend.
ITR Economics July Webinar: The Coming Great Depression
July 18, 2019 at 2 pm EST
The Great Depression is coming. The Beaulieu brothers will explain why and cover what you can do to prepare your business and your family.
Bundle June and July ITR Economics Webinars and Save
Purchase both webinars at a special discounted price!
CODES AND STANDARDS NEWS
Nonprofit International Code Council Sues UpCodes, Inc. Claiming a Copyright To the Text of Laws
International Code Council (ICC), a nonprofit trade organization that writes building codes, is suing UpCodes for hosting free access to our laws. UpCodes is a software startup on a mission to eradicate code compliance costs.
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Here’s Why Supply Chain Companies Need to Try Live Video
With YouTube emerging as the world’s second largest search engine and video becoming the most popular form of online content, it is no surprise that businesses are looking for ways to engage their target audience through video.
Hardened Wearables Bring Help Into the Field
Voice-controlled, hands-free wearable devices are bringing virtual and augmented reality to field service, training and other uses.
7 Ways to Ramp Up Your Distributorship’s Recruiting Game
You’ve heard the news: unemployment rates are at historic lows, both skilled and semi-skilled workers are getting harder to find, and the “old ways” of finding new recruits aren’t working anymore. “Good talent is scarce; people have choices,” says Ira S. Wolfe, president at Success Performance Solutions and author of Recruiting in the Age of Googlization.
More than 7,000 Robots Will Work in Construction by 2025, Report Says
In a new report, “Construction & Demolition Robotics,” Tractica said growing interest in construction robots will drive revenue from $22.7 million in 2018 to the $226 million figure by 2025.
Read more at Robotics Business Review
GREEN NEWS
DOE Offers $33.5 million For Energy-Efficient Research and Development
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced it will offer up to $33.5 million in funding for the research and development of projects aimed at reducing energy bills through advanced building construction techniques.
Read more at Department of Energy
3 Ways a Sustainable Supply Chain Can Benefit Distributors
When you hear the word “sustainable,” you likely consider environmentally friendly actions that come with a reduced carbon footprint. It’s true; there are many ways the environment will benefit if distributors move toward making our supply chains sustainable. But doing so will also improve your business by reducing costs, improving efficiency and increasing your competitiveness in the market.
SAFETY NEWS
Safety Technology Roadmap
Begin planning for new safety technologies by determining which ones are most suitable for your current and future needs.
Workplace Safety In The Gig Economy: New Hazards and Liabilities
The growth of the gig economy has transformed the modern workforce and upended traditional models for developing a workplace safety culture and worker safety training. New and inexperienced workers confront evolving safety hazards. Given this transformed environment, employers must address safety hazards proactively or face OSHA citations or other liability.
The Not-So-Quiet Dangers of Hearing Loss
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to damaging noise levels at work, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), workplace-related hearing loss is the most commonly reported injury.
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
Motivational Interviewing
So how do we tease out this personal motivation? Daniel Pink introduces the idea of asking two seemingly irrational questions. First, he needs to set a baseline. After the first failure of the “When are you going to study for the test?”, he switches gears.
How to Make Marketing a Team Effort
Incorporating non-producing team members into the team’s marketing efforts. It’s a great idea, but only if done the right way.
Read more at Wealth Management
Analytics’ Credibility Within Your Firm?
Science-denying leaders have good audiences for their data-free opinions. Besides obedient underlings, surveys reveal that citizens are OK on everyday-science facts. But, they often struggle with the scientific method process and statistics
Six Sigma and Your Sales Process
How well does your sales process meet your expectations relative to variability, defects and waste?
