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Vol. 15, No. 7, April 4, 2016 
MLA LINE
Lumber Industry News Express
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Blish Mize



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MLA Associate Members

All Season Bldg. Supply
Allied Building Stores, Inc.
American Wholesale Corp.
Blish-Mize Company
Bluelinx Corporation
BlueTarp Financial Inc.
Boise Cascade
Boral Light Building Products
BPI - Lbr & Engineered Wood
Builders Material Company
CCM Countertop & Cabinet  
Central Woodwork Inc.
Continental Divide Fence
Dealers Choice Distribution
Delden Mfg. Co., Inc.
Discovery-Based Retail
DMSi Software
Do It Best Corp
East Side Lumberyard Supply  
Epicor Software
Federated Insurance
Forest Products Supply Co.
Frontier Forest Products, Inc.
Georgia Pacific Wood Prod.
Great Southern Wood Pres.
Guardian Building Products
Hardman Wholesale Co.
Hawkeye Bldg Dist., Ltd
Hiab USA, Inc.
Hixson Lumber Sales
Huttig Building Products
Jack Morgan Construction
James Hardie Bldg Products
Klauer Manufacturing Co.
Lumberyard Supply
MAX USA Corp.
Metal Sales Mfg. Corp.
Mid-Am Building Supply, Inc.  
Modern Equip. Co., Inc. (MECO Omaha)
Monarch Cement Company
Pennsylvania & Indiana Lumbermens Mutual Ins. Co. 
PrimeSource Building Products
PWD, Inc.
Rollex Corp
Schutte Lumber Company
Simpson Strong-tie Co Inc
Tamko Building Products, Inc.
Tax Favored Benefits
Tennison Brothers, Inc.
The Empire Company LLC
Timber Products, Inc.
Treeline Forest Products LLC
USP Structural Connectors
Warrior Building Products
Western Builders Supply, Inc.
Westfall GMC Truck Center
Weyerhaeuser Co.
Wingate Sales Solutions, Inc.

Please patronize these companies that support your Association! 
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__________________


The Last Word

"Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is."
 
-- Bob Feller   
Here's your bi-weekly lumber industry newsletter. We hope you find this quick, responsive format helpful and entertaining. Anytime you have news or views to share with fellow dealers, please don't hesitate to contact us by replying to this newsletter.
Risk Management Academy
April 27, 2016
 
Federated Insurance is presenting a seminar you won't want to miss. Learn to help prevent the losses chipping away at your bottom line.
 
You don't have to be a Federated client to attend and benefit from their risk management experts.
OSHA Issues Final Rule to Curb Silica Dust Exposure
 A highly anticipated ruling on silica dust exposure was announced today by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. As Remodeling has reported, this controversial ruling on how to protect workers who have been exposed to respirable crystalline silica dust will have a major impact on contractors and remodelers that use materials that create silica dust, such as when they cut concrete roof tiles and drywall. Read more.
Source: Remodeling Business Update, March 24, 2016
Help Wanted
 
Century Building Solutions is a family owned and operated company in business for more than 50+ years, looking to fill two open positions.

Commercial Lumber Estimator - Successful applicant will be: Required to thoroughly review architectural and structural blueprints; create a comprehensive estimate with accurate materials list; and prepare commercial and residential project estimate packages for customers or sales personnel.
 
Component Plant Foreman - Responsible for: Overseeing the production of floor truss and wall panels; ensuring production and delivery meet customer deadlines; and generating daily production reports.
 
Please contact Shawn Ham, Operations Manager, [email protected]
DOL Finalizes "Persuader" Rule
 
On March 24, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final "persuader" rule broadening its scope and imposing new and more far- reaching reporting requirements on employers and their consultants. It is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2016, and will apply to arrangements, agreements, and payments.

Under the Labor-Management Reporting Disclosure Act (LMRDA), the persuader rule requires employers to report to DOL each time they engage a consultant to directly or indirectly persuade workers concerning their rights to organize and bargain collectively, regardless of whether the consultant has direct contact with workers. Read more.
Source: NLBMDA, March 31, 2016
Time to Consider the MLA MEP for your Employees? 
MLA has offered a "group" MLA 401(k) plan for members for over a year. It is saving participating dealers on their fees and offering a great benefit to reward their loyal employees. If you haven't taken a serious look at this program, now would be a good time. Find out why smart dealers are making the move to the MLA program. Call the MLA Hotline at 800-747-6529, or
Industry Update 

Won't Take Yes for an Answer...  
I got in trouble last week and it was my fault. It's always risky to talk politics in public. Sometimes it's tough to avoid because our half-fast recovery can be traced directly back to our ongoing political gridlock. So when I suggested that neither Bernie Sanders nor Donald Trump-each the "non-establishment" candidate in his party-would be able to keep their policy promises if by chance they were elected, a good friend thought I was stumping for the status quo. I wasn't, but I misled him because I wasn't as clear as I should have been. Read more.
Source: Greg Brooks, LBM Executive, March 28, 2016
 
ProSales 100 Survey Ends April 4; Have You Signed Up?
ProSales magazine requests your participation in this year's annual ProSales 100 report showcasing the nation's premier dealers. You might have thought you're too small to qualify, but so many M&A deals took place this year that at least 10 spots on the list have opened up. And even if you don't make the list, the confidential information you provide about what you sell and how you operate will provide great benchmark data to improve your operations. Learn more at:
Source: Craig Webb, ProSales, March 22, 2016
 
Builders Hold Steady... Builders' sentiment remained unchanged in March at 58. The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) has been between 52 and 65 since July 2015. Any value above 50 means more builders are seeing improvement rather than decline. The component index measuring current sales was also unchanged at 63 and the component measuring expectations was down three points to 61. The traffic component did increase four points to 43 as many builders experienced greater model home visits as the weather begins to change. Read more.
Source: NAHB Eye on Housing, March 15, 2016
Time off Denial - Legal or Not?
 
QUESTION: Our company has recently instituted a new policy for requesting time off when another employee is already scheduled off... We have one employee who refuses to provide a reason and is requesting time off when another employee is already scheduled to be off. Click here for more information and answer. 
 
This article provided courtesy of Federated Mutual Insurance Company, your association's recommended insurer.