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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Meet Us in Denver 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.
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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Attracting Millennials as the Workers and Customers of Tomorrow
By 2025, Millennials will make up 75 percent of the global workforce.
[1]
This staggering statistic means that recruiting Millennial talent—and understanding Millennials’ buying habits as customers—are critical for business growth. As companies focus on this tech-savvy, mobile generation, they must look beyond the stereotypes to uncover what Millennials truly value. The disconnect between employers’ perceptions and Millennials’ actual preferences is real…
Read more
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Source: BlueTarp
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Updated Buyers Guide Now Available!
The Mid-America Lumbermens Association (MLA) has announced the exclusive MLA Buyers Guide (the Guide) — the premier resource of relevant products and services for lumber professionals — is now available with a more user-friendly interface on the MLA website at
www.themla.com
. MLA partnered with Overland Park, Kansas-based Strategic Value Media, a leading nationwide provider of print and digital media solutions for national, state and local trade and membership associations, to produce the Guide.
Read more
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Tips for Avoiding Freight Reweighs and Reclassifications
Efficiently managing your freight costs is key to keeping your bottom line in tip-top shape. One of the more common ways your freight costs increase is by the reweighing or reclassification of your freight. Carriers have the right to inspect your shipment if they deem necessary and these incidents can trip up even the most experienced shippers. When it comes to avoiding reweighs and reclassifications, the best defense is a good offense.
Read more
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Source: PartnerShip – MLA’s endorsed provider of shipping services!
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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
Will Rising Interest Rates Kill the American Dream?
Rising interest rates are a concern in the housing sector. Higher rates increase the cost of builder and developer debt financing, as well as raise the cost of buying a home with a mortgage. However, with respect to housing affordability, it’s important to remember that the primary reason interest rates are higher is that the economy is performing well.
Read more
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Source: Builder Online, July 31, 2018
Hancock Upgrades Result in Safety, Consistency…
Hancock Lumber recently overhauled the entire back end of its eastern white pine manufacturing facility in Pittsfield, Maine. The list includes Hancock’s retail yards, sawmill manufacturing, and its truss operation. Hancock Lumber says it strongly believes in reinvesting in its business. Although potential pay back and profitability for capital investments are taken into account, the Casco, Maine-based company also considers how improvements can positively impact the lives of its employees.
Read more
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Source: HBS Dealer, July 23, 2018
Brookstone Closing Stores; Files Chapter 11 – again…
Brookstone on Thursday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, listing assets of $50 million to $100 million and liabilities of $100 million to $500 million. The 45-year-old company has begun closing its remaining 101 mall stores. It will continue to operate its 35 airport stores, e-commerce and wholesale businesses as it looks to find a seller for the units.
Read more
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Source: Chain Store Age, August 2, 2018
This Startup Wants Your Next T-Shirt to be made from Wood…
In a new pilot factory in Jyväskylä, Finland–a city surrounded by forests and known in part for its lumber and paper industries–a startup will soon begin to turn wood pulp into something new: a type of fabric that could eventually compete with cotton.
Read more
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Source: Fast Company, August 1, 2018
Early Bird 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
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Cybersecurity and Small Business
It’s nearly impossible these days for businesses to operate without the help of Internet-connected devices, which exposes them to cybercrime. It’s the small- to medium-sized businesses that are especially vulnerable: half are victims of cybercrime and nearly two-thirds of those victims go out of business.
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Hackers increasingly target small businesses because there is a low risk they will be caught and a high probability they will be successful.
Read 10 tips to protect your business
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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 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
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The Last Word
"
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.
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- Mike Tyson
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