Volume 17, Number 11, May 29, 2018

MLA Lumber Industry News Express

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.

Visit our New and Improved Website!

 Sunflower Shootout - June 8! Plan to attend the 30 th annual Sunflower Shootout to benefit the Kansas Lumbermens scholarship program. We’ll play at the Hesston Golf Course, in Hesston, Kansas. Sponsorships are still available and registration is open to all. This is our major Kansas scholarship fund-raiser. Have fun and do good! Save the date and plan to attend! Learn more .

Cargo Theft: How to Reduce YOUR Risk Cargo at rest is cargo at risk. Freight theft is an unfortunate but all too common occurrence in the shipping world. CargoNet estimates that cargo theft cost businesses $114 million total in 2016 and while the frequency of reported freight theft hasn’t necessarily increased, criminals targeting freight have evolved and become more sophisticated in their theft strategy. Read more . Source: PartnerShip – MLA’s endorsed provider of shipping services!

All Customers are Not the Same - So Don't Treat Them That Way! When managing your accounts receivable, do you have a one-size-fits-all approach to collecting late payments? Perhaps you shouldn’t. Every customer situation is different, and we advise companies to be strategic about how they collect. Specifically, they should make efforts to properly assess the true risk of not getting paid and also understand the relative profitability (or lack thereof, sometimes) of the customer. Putting those two pieces together gives you a simple, powerful framework for how you should approach collecting. Read more . Source: BlueTarp

Time to Consider the MLA MEP 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 .

Lumber News NLBMDA Applauds Changes to Banking and Finance Laws... The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (Public Law No: 115-174) was signed into law yesterday by President Trump after the House of Representatives approved the legislation earlier this week. The Senate had previously approved the bill in March. Read more . Source: NLBMDA, May 25, 2018 Fire Destroys Wood Mill in Saginaw, Oregon... A massive fire has destroyed the Whitsell wood products manufacturing plant in the community of Saginaw, north of Cottage Grove. The Register-Guard reports the fire was reported at around 7:30 p.m. Sunday and engulfed the mill within 30 minutes. Lane Fire Authority Chief Terry Ney says flames could be seen from a half-mile (0.8 kilometers) away. Read more . Source: Statesman Journal, May 28, 2018 Paint Companies Ranked... The J.D. Power 2018 Paint Satisfaction Study recognized some of the biggest names in paint on a 1,000-point scale. Among them: Benjamin Moore, Behr and Valspar. And in the retailer rankings, Sherwin Williams and Menards were in the top three. Read more . Source: HBS Dealer, May 29, 2018 Early Registration Now Open 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 early-bird registration .

Registration Now Open for Risk Management Academy Federated Insurance is offering complimentary risk management training for MLA members on August 14–16, 2018. Through this valuable session, you will discover methods you can use immediately to help protect profits by reducing risk at your business.   Companies that are the most successful at controlling losses and protecting profits have integrated risk management into their overall company culture. Many have designated a key person as their risk manager. This person is supported by your company’s top management and is both responsible and accountable for identifying loss exposures and implementing risk management solutions. This seminar’s objective is to help your risk manager learn the exposures specific to the petroleum industry, connect with peers from across the country and apply these best practices within your business. You can learn more by viewing a brief video about the Risk Management Academy. To reserve your spot in the upcoming session or for more information, please contact Royetta Spurgeon at rlspurgeon@fedins.com or (800)533-0472 Ext. 455-5604. Or, visit Federated's website .   This service provided courtesy of Federated Mutual Insurance Company, your association’s recommended insurer.

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 700 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 .

The Last Word " Never look back unless you are planning to go that way ." - Henry David Thoreau

Mid-America Lumbermens Association | 800-747-6529 | 816-561-1249 (fax)| ruhler@themla.com | Website