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In Depth: Engineered wood products

Warranties build consumer confidence

As builders and consumers become better educated about building materials and how they impact a structure’s performance, warranties become more and more important. But a piece of paper stamped with the word “warranty” is no longer sufficient—homeowners want to be assured that products will perform as promised, and builders demand that manufacturers stand behind those products. “Homeowners appreciate the peace of mind that comes with the warranties that most EWP manufacturers provide,” adds Rosboro’s Wells. “A home is their largest investment and they can be confident in the long-term performance and stability provided by EWP framing.”

The “one-stop-shopping” approach can help greatly simplify warranty issues for the builder or contractor, and it can be used as a sales tool for the homeowner. “As a consumer I want to deal with one company when purchasing anything,” says LP Building Products’ Harmon. “Sometimes when you are dealing with several manufactures of EWP on one project, warranties can be confusing. When you have a manufacturer that produces all the products it gives the contractor and homeowner a sense of security knowing if there ever is an issue, they are dealing with one company.”

It boils down to piece of mind. As Weyerhaeuser’s Theilen explains, “For builders, product warranties are very important part of the sales process. Builders know they can rely on us to stand behind our products used in their homes. That translates to homeowner piece of mind knowing their home was built with quality products that will perform year after year.”

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Product knowledge drives sales

When it comes to dealer success, a willingness to embrace new technology coupled with a thorough understanding of every products’ unique benefits and performance will go a long way towards increasing sales. “We see continued acceleration of technology and its potential impact on lumber dealers,” says Boise Cascade’s Reiten. “The Amazon model changed the landscape for many retailers. Our industry lags behind, but innovation is beginning to reshape building materials. Owners of lumberyards need to be aware of new software and standards and find business partners that can help them navigate the new landscape. Everyone is busy, but now is the time to ‘dip your toes in’ and start experimenting.”

“It is very important that our dealers understand how our integrated ELP products are designed to work together,” adds Weyerhaeuser’s Theilen. “Our sales teams work with our dealers to make sure they are best equipped to show how all of our products work together to deliver reliable solutions.”

For example, Canfor emphasizes the cost effectiveness, the ease of installation, the overall durability of its multiple glulam product lines, and the unique aspects of its products. For example, according to Canfor, its Power Beam product is designed for use as primary support beams, and its pressure-treated Power Preserved Glulam is ideal for exterior applications such as decks, raised floor construction, boardwalks and pier and beam foundations.

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Georgia-Pacific stresses that as a company it has been around for almost 100 years and that it offers a wide variety and consistent supply of products that make homes perform at a higher level through strength, stability, moisture resistance, energy performance and long-term protection. Likewise, LP Building Products emphasizes its product performance and stability, the quality of materials and workmanship, and the overall versatility of its products.

And in the case of Rosboro, appearance and performance are emphasized. “Our X-Beam is the only architectural appearance glulam that is a full 3-1/2″ and 5-1/2″ wide,” explains Rosboro’s Wells, “meaning that it fits flush with standard wall framing and can be used in visually exposed applications. X-Beam is manufactured with just enough camber that it lays flat in floor systems once installed, and it provides the beauty of wood and value to the builder.”

So how do distributors succeed in positioning these product benefits? According to the manufacturers, it’s through product education for both the sales staff and the counter personnel in regards to product performance, safety, and proper material handling. “Dealers have to take advantage of the information that is available to them,” says Georgia Pacific’s Jeff Key. “This is no longer about just selling commodity wood products; they have to understand how code changes and trends like advanced framing impact the way homes are built and how manufacturers can help meet those needs through their products and services.”

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LP Building Products’ Harmon agrees. “Value-added selling from the dealers means educating their customers on the value of EWP and its versatility in the home. Dealers will seek manufacturing partners who not only produce in-demand products but who also have these products readily available with quick delivery turnaround time.”

Manufactures support delivers dealer wins

As in any segment of the building industry, training and education—both for the distributor and for the builder/ contractor—are vital to ensuring product success, proper performance, and overall customer satisfaction. In regards to engineered wood products as a whole, APA – The Engineered Wood Association provides recommendations for design and product installation that combine the results of studies conducted at the Association’s research laboratory with knowledge gained from decades of field work. The resulting publications, CAD details and reports are available on the Association’s website (apawood.org) and are promoted to builders, designers, and code officials.

Boise Cascade bc connect
Boise Cascade’s BC Connect management tool for a lumberyard’s EWP business shares information between design drawings, sales funnel, material list optimization, each location’s point-of-sale system, and automated saw systems. According to Boise Cascade, this makes it easier to manage the flow of materials through the supply chain and avoids the inefficiency of rekeying data and potential errors.

When it comes to the individual manufacturers, each has its own unique approach. Obviously, methods such as literature, samples, point of purchase displays, and product training are all key components that manufacturers take advantage of to best educate and support distributors. But many go above and beyond these common approaches.

“There isn’t really a one-size-fits all solution for our customers,” says Georgia Pacific’s Key. “We try to customize our support based on the dealer’s needs. We’ve found in-person contact and support has been of benefit to all involved. We do in-person training, trade shows and events, and try to take advantage of face-to-face opportunities to help support the dealers.

In the case of Huber Engineered Woods, it utilizes a variety of approaches to bolster its dealers’ education. “Our marketing department includes both demand-generating national and regional advertising, as well as over 500 local lumberyard events that provide hands-on product experience to both outside sales reps and builder customers,” says Huber’s Robinson.

“We also offer co-branded and customized customer marketing programs to supply dealers with a wide variety of direct marketing, in-store merchandising, social media and traditional advertising support. In addition to our dealer events, we’ve also launched a mobile classroom designed to provide installation training to multifamily and light commercial job sites.”

Internet Information

Companies in bold participated in this article.

APA–The Engineered Wood Association:
www.apawood.org

Anthony Forest Products:
www.anthonyforest.com

BlueLinx:
www.bluelinxco.com

Boise Cascade:
www.bc.com

Canfor Corp.:
www.canfor.com

Georgia-Pacific:
www.buildgp.com

Huber Engineered Wood:
www.huberwood.com

LP Building Products:
www.lpcorp.com

MetsaWood:
www.metsawood.com

Norbord:
www.norbord.com

Potlatch:
www.potlatchcorp.com

QB Corporation:
www.qbcorp.com

Rosboro:
www.rosboro.com

Roseburg Forest Products:
www.roseburg.com

RoyOMartin:
www.royomartin.com

Swanson Group:
www.swansongroup.com

Universal Forest Products:
www.ufpi.com

Weyerhaeuser:
www.weyerhaeuser.com

Boise Cascade utilizes local experts to train and support customers on the proper use of its products and partners with a nationwide network of distributors to make sure it has the resources to address any problems quickly. “Boise Cascade field engineering offices provide additional support for technical problems and to work with code officials,” explains Boise Cascade’s Chris Reiten. “Our software trainers are always on the road helping new designers, installing software, and teaching new skills. And unlike other industries, we still provide a large amount of printed copies of specifier guides and installation guides to lumberyards and builders. We are slowly making the switch to digital, but are happy to provide whichever format a customer prefers.”For Weyerhaeuser, it hosts inperson training for its dealers and their builder/contractor customers as well as offering an extensive on-line learning center where it offers hundreds of subject-specific sessions. “Our inmarket sales teams aren’t there just to sell what we make, but also to remain connected to help solve the problems our customers face,” explains Weyerhaeuser’s Theilen. “We have a successful history of innovating and we will continue to do that.”

“We have a wide variety of tools available for customers including literature and design software,” says Rosboro’s Wells. “Our market development managers live in their territories and actively work with distributors, dealers, engineers and framers. They provide product knowledge training, consult with engineers and architects regarding specification, and spend time on jobsites ensuring successful installation.”

All of this education and support bring confidence to the contractor, a confidence that becomes apparent to the consumer. And when the consumer feels confident in the product options and solutions offered to them by the contractor, then all parties win—consumers will be rewarded with structures that are exceptionally stable and provide technologically advanced performance, and both contractors and suppliers will benefit from increased sales, increased speed and ease of construction, and fewer callbacks, all of which equates to more money in the pockets of both builder and distributor.

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