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IN DEPTH: Engineered Lumber

Boise-Cascade-Fire-Resistant-Joist-ProductsBoise Cascade Engineered Wood Products has developed, tested and received code approvals for several fire-resistant joist products or installation techniques designed to increase fire protection. These include Fire-Break insulation batts, which blend high-purity ceramic, alumina and zirconia crystal fibers for extreme heat obstruction. They can be stapled to the I-joists easily.

Adding to the inventory-management issues is the scheduling of deliveries when transportation may be difficult. Although few transportation issues exist now, a rise in demand could create scheduling issues, as happened for dealers last year. “As the market comes back, the second half of the year has some strong momentum, picking up after a slow start, which may cause transportation issues,” says Bryan Kubitz, operations manager for ELP at Georgia-Pacific. “Flatbed trucks and rail equipment is becoming difficult to schedule.”

Dealers have to take advantage of the niches in their market that are growing and adapt as builders look for new solutions. “We all have to connect more closely with customers and provide them with information that is easily digested and communicate the benefits of products being considered,” says Huber’s Darling. “We see the market continuing to go that way. Homeowners are asking more questions, which probably annoys dealers and builders. As manufacturers, we have to help answer those questions to builders and dealers can answer the homeowners’ questions in less technical ways and with answers more focused on key benefits. They want to know how the product contribute to the long-term performance of the home.”

Manufacturers Help Manage Inventory
With the housing market proving unpredictable and product choices changing, dealers face major challenges in managing their inventories. Manufacturers are offering programs to help meet those needs that offer benefits to dealers.

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“In the last few years, there’s been a growth in Just In Time (JIT) delivery programs, which have been helpful for dealers but makes it difficult for manufacturers,” says Bryan Kubitz, operations manager for ELP at Georgia-Pacific. “The typical order cycle can be three to four weeks, from placing the order to delivering it.”

That can cause issues when demand suddenly picks up and transportation demand is exceeded. “Dealers may have gotten used to ordering on a JIT system, but the market can change quickly as it rebounds and we get past all the delays in demand that we’ve experienced with bad weather,” says Jason Darling, general manager for AdvanTech products at Huber Engineered Wood. “They may want to look at increasing their inventory so they don’t have to chase trucks, waiting for them to arrive so the dealer can turn around orders immediately. They haven’t faced that kind of outage in so long that they may be lulled into thinking that they’re ready for any demand increases, but that may not be the case.”

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