Thursday May 23, 2019
MEMBER NEWS
BMC Stock Holdings, Inc. Appoints Cheemin Bo-Linn to its Board of Directors
BMC Stock Holdings, Inc. announced the appointment of Cheemin Bo-Linn, EdD to the Company’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. With this appointment, the BMC Board expands to 11 directors.
Officials for Masonite Link Starter Homes to Fewer Doors
As builders construct smaller homes, they’re also using fewer doors, suggested Masonite president and CEO Fred Lynch during the company’s first-quarter earnings call earlier this month, leaving the company adjusting to the current market.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Existing-Home Sales Inch Back 0.4% in April
Existing-home sales saw a minor decline in April, continuing March’s drop in sales, according to the National Association of Realtors. Two of the four major U.S. regions saw a slight dip in sales, while the West saw growth and the Midwest essentially bore no changes last month.
Spending on Residential Improvements Edges Down in March
The most recent data from Construction Spending showed that spending on residential improvements fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $173 billion in March 2019, down by 3.1% over February estimate, and was 14.1% lower than a year ago.
Joint Marketing Plans
“Joint marketing plans for manufacturers and distributors need to move beyond novelty items and embrace digital methods that create contacts, leads and product introductions,” writes Frank Hurtte. “Our research indicates the best joint marketing programs are those developed specifically to match the territory needs of individual distributors.”
Read more at Industrial Supply
Prefab Home Builder Connect Homes Closes $11M Funding Round
Connect Homes secured $10.8 million in a Series A funding round, the company said. The money will be used to build and expand on what it calls its patented modular technology.
ECONOMIC NEWS
Fannie Ups GDP Forecast, Slightly
Full-year 2019 real GDP growth is now projected at 2.3%, one-tenth of a point higher than previously forecast, after strong first-quarter growth, according to the Fannie Mae Economic and Strategic Research (ESR) Group’s May outlook.
Manufacturing Production Disappointed in April, Should Rise 1.4% in 2019
Manufacturing production continued to disappoint, falling for the third time in the past four months, with output in the sector down 0.5 percent in April. This suggests that slowing global activity has taken its toll so far in 2019.
Single-family and Multifamily Starts Post Solid Gains in April
Total housing starts rose 5.7% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.24 million units from an upwardly revised reading in March, according to a report from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development and Commerce Department.
GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE NEWS
Trump Lifts US Tariffs on North American Steel and Aluminum
The Trump administration agreed on Friday to lift its tariffs on industrial metals from Mexico and Canada in exchange for the adoption of new monitoring and enforcement measures to prevent Chinese steel from being shipped to the U.S. The U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum, imposed in March 2018, were lifted over the weekend.
Read more at Construction Drive
CODES AND STANDARDS NEWS
Massachusetts Considers Net-Zero Standard for New Buildings
Activists and lawmakers are pushing for an updated building code in Massachusetts that would require new buildings in most cities and towns to generate as much energy as they use.
Read more at Energy News Network
Resilient Infrastructure: Starting the Dialogue
Tidal flooding has become another issue to address for infrastructure developers, especially with continuing forecasts of rising ocean levels and more frequent severe weather events. Is it possible Hurricane Irma will lead to new codes aimed at these factors?
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Technology Makes End-to-End Supply Chain Visibility and Predictive Analytics a Reality
Line of sight is the biggest challenge for all aspects of the supply chain, from the manufacturer to the wholesaler, distributor and the reseller, and even to the end consumer.This lack of visibility and resulting lack of control results in a number of issues, from stock losses to pricing inflation, uncertain availability, and increased time to market.
Read more at Industrial Distribution
GREEN NEWS
A Seattle Rater and Consultant Shares Lessons He Has Learned Working with the Top Green Builders
Tadashi Shiga is Principal of Evergreen Certified in Seattle, WA, which is considered one of the greenest building markets in the U.S. He has worked with 250 builders providing verifier and rater services for green certification programs that include PHIUS+, HERS, ENERGY STAR, and the Seattle-area’s BuiltGreen program. Find out what he sees as the reasons some builders rise to the top tier in green building.
SAFETY NEWS
A Clear Vision of Safety Starts at the Top
Manufacturing and construction are two of the three sectors together that account for 61% of all workplace eye injuries, so maintaining safe work practices among other competing priorities is a must.
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
“Customer Propensity To Buy”
Propensity to buy is simply about determining the liklihood of a customer buying something. We use it in developing our websites, our web ad strategies, our marketing programs, and all sorts of things. The goal is to identify that moment and set of conditions (product, place, price) that a customer is most likely to buy.
Read more at Partners In Excellence
Gaps in Education – Some Thoughts on Business Succession
Jason Bader spent over half his professional life as the second generation heir apparent in his family business, receiving quite an education in what it feels like to be that next one up to bat. He also found several gaps in his education that would have better prepared him for the responsibility. The more you can fill in these gaps, and follow a few best practices, the better chance you have for a successful transition.
Read more at The Distribution Team
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!
