MLA Lumber Industry News Express
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Here's the new issue of the Mid-America Lumbermens Association online newsletter. We'll send a new issue every two weeks to let you know what's happening in the industry, at your MLA, and in the world that affects your business. We welcome your opinions and ideas. If you have information you'd like to share with other members, we'd be happy to include it in our next issue. We welcome both personal and industry-related news - members would love to hear your news and views - so don't hesitate to email us with information.
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Last Chance to Register for the MLA/MSLBMDA Fall Conference!
Join us for the annual Mid-America and Mountain States Lumber Dealers Leadership Conference, October 4-5 at the Omni Interlocken Hotel in beautiful Broomfield, Colorado!
Click here for the complete agenda
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Why should you attend the MLA/MSLBMDA Leadership Conference?
Our industry is changing rapidly. Learn from industry experts on what trends are evident and developing, and how to focus your business to successfully navigate these changes. Educational sessions will cover many topics that concern our businesses today, including:
- Economic trends - present and emerging
- Leadership in today’s business climate - leadership skills for today
- The labor shortage and what to do about it - creating a culture for hiring, retention and promotion
- The LBM industry today - mergers and acquisitions, independent lumber dealer’s progression, the LBM “State of the Union” today and future trends
- Lumber pricing and tariffs - Is there hope for commodity pricing decreases?
- Cybersecurity - hackers are hitting the LBM industry with increasing frequency. Are you prepared? Learn how to protect your business.
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Why a 24-hour Credit Approval Process Isn't Fast Enough
Success is no longer just the absence of problems. Sure, customers expect you to have the product they need, have it delivered promptly, fulfill the order accurately, and be billed without error. However, in the world where Amazon has set the standard for convenience and speed, saving customers’ time will earn you a competitive advantage – for both your online and offline customers.
This new reality means that businesses must pay particular attention to one of their first points of contact with customers: credit applications. Customers faced with a laborious credit application process that requires printing out a form, sending it in and waiting more than a day to hear back are likely to search for a supplier with a more streamlined process. That means you could be losing customers—even if you provide a 24-hour turnaround on their application. It’s no wonder that according to Credit Today’s recent benchmarking survey on process automation, the highest priority item to automate wasn’t month-end reporting and KPI dashboards, or even credit monitoring. It was automation of the credit application process.
Read more
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Source: BlueTarp
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A Guide to Stress-Free Shipping
There are many stress-causing challenges that can come along with shipping freight and, as the endorsed shipping provider of MLA, PartnerShip has put together a detailed white paper designed to ease your mind and have you shipping like a pro! The subject of the white paper is based on information gathered directly from shippers about their challenges and concerns when sending freight. PartnerShip identifies your main shipping concerns and then provide tips and best practices to off-set the stress of those concerns.
Read more
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Source: PartnerShip – MLA’s endorsed provider of shipping services!
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Product Previews, New Vendors Bring Heat to Blish-Mize Fall Buying Market…
With unique products to scope out and early product peeks to entice, the 2018 Blish-Mize Fall Buying Market offered Blish-Mize customers a great market experience, along with plenty of deals on a number of products across multiple categories. The buying market, which was held Sept. 20-22 in Overland Park, Kansas, saw the return of the popular Most Valuable Profits (MVP) Event, a Thursday-evening sneak peek that gave customers their first look at the show floor. The MVP Event was a hit when it was first unveiled at the 2018 Spring Buying Market and proved even more popular this fall
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Read more
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Source: Blish-Mize, September 26, 2018
Delden Hosts Customer Appreciation Day...
Garage door dealers from all over the Midwest attended Delden’s biennial Customer & Employee Appreciation Day on September 14, 2018, at Delden’s corporate office in Kansas City, Missouri. All attendees received a bag with Delden promotional materials, Delden t-shirt and a raffle ticket. Raffle prizes included various gift cards, Kansas City Chiefs fan gear and two LiftMaster
WLED
electric openers. Lunch was grilled by Randy Pyle, custom department foreman and Todd Whitney, purchasing manager. The cake was cut by Delden president, Denise Dahms.
Read more
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Source: Delden Manufacturing, September 26, 2018
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Time to Consider the MLA MEP
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MLA has offered a “group” MLA 401(k) plan for members for more than three years. 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
click here to learn more
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Lumber News
Investment Firms Buy Meek's Lumber...
Meek’s Lumber Company, the Springfield, Mo.-based pro dealer, has been acquired by Angeles Equity Partners, LLC, a Los Angeles-based private investment firm, and Clearwater Capital Group, L.P., also a private investment firm. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Read more
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Source: HBS Dealer, September 26, 2018
Fed Raises Funds Rate...
As expected, at the conclusion of its September meeting the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee raised the short-term federal funds rate 25 basis to a range of 2% to 2.25%. Markets and forecasters are confident that an additional 25 basis point increase will occur in December. The change in monetary policy occurs as the 10-year Treasury rate, which generally moves in tandem with the 30-year fixed rate mortgage, settled in above 3% over the last two weeks.
Read more
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Source: NAHB Eye on Housing, September 26, 2018
Home Depot Launches Express Delivery for DIY and Pro Customers in 35 Markets...
The Home Depot has introduced out express same-day and next-day local delivery for more than 20,000 items to 35 major metros across the U.S. The new service is part of the company’s overall five-year expansion of its delivery offerings for DIY and Pro customers, the company announced in a press release.
Read more
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Source LBM Journal, September 26, 2018
Register Now for ProDealer Industry Summit…
The ProDealer Industry Summit is an exclusive three-day educational and networking forum designed to promote the growth of lumber & building product dealers, distributors, wholesalers, and the manufacturers who supply them. LBM dealers will benefit from sharing insights and best practices from leaders in the industry in a relaxed format that encourages networking and personal interaction. The event is set for October 17-19 at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel in Chicago.
Click here for registration
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When Disaster Strikes
The devastating results of the 2018 hurricanes and wildfires are still vivid in many of our minds. Disasters present themselves in many forms. A business’s ability to handle these disasters is critical not only to its future and success, but also to the success of the community. How will your business react to the challenges presented by a disaster? If you and your employees are prepared for a disaster, the feeling of panic, confusion, and loss will not consume you if one strikes.
Read more
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This service provided courtesy of Federated Mutual Insurance Company, your association’s recommended insurer.
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Have You Checked Out the MLA Online Campus?
The MLA Online Campus provides you and your employees with high-impact, "real-world" training that develops your leaders, retains your best people and increases your customer loyalty. Each employee has a unique username to access the campus, which houses more than 1,000 courses on customer service, sales, leadership and more. Want to try a program for yourself?
Click here
to view an example. If you like what you see, contact us for a one-week trial subscription to see the hundreds of available courses.
Learn more
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The Last Word
"
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend
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- Albert Camus
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