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February 22, 2008

SPC Talks Wood with Building Pros, Trade Media at IBS 

As expected, current housing market conditions translated into slightly lower attendance at the 2008 International Builders’ Show last week, but the event nonetheless proved successful for the Southern Pine Council on several fronts. “It’s important even in down cycles that we continue to promote building with wood, and IBS is one of the best opportunities available for doing that,” said SFPA President Digges Morgan.

The National Association of Home Builders reports 92,000 people attended this year’s show, an 11 percent decrease from last year. About 2,000 of those attendees visited SPC’s exhibit where Southern Pine product samples and a full-scale raised floor model were on display. Quite a few visitors took advantage of the opportunity to pick up copies of various Southern Pine guides, span tables and other literature. Digges, along with Richard Kleiner, director of treated markets, Russell Richardson, director of industrial markets, and Ned DeJarnette, director of international markets, interacted with building professionals and answered questions as needed.

IBS also attracts the editors and writers who cover the construction and building products industry, providing ample opportunity for Richard Wallace, SFPA’s vice president of communications, and SPC public relations consultant Kim Drew to build important media connections and discuss wood-related issues. “The quantity of media was down a little, but we were very pleased with the quality of the people we were able to talk with this year,” Kim said. Here’s a sampling of the interviews done at IBS: Russell spoke about green building with the editor-in-chief of ProSales Magazine, official publication of the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association; Russell did an on-camera interview for a segment that will appear on www.HGTVPro.com – he discussed raised floor living and wood’s advantages as a “green” building material; Kim talked about Southern Pine as a green building product with the editor-in-chief of Qualified Remodeler and with the managing editor of Green Products and Technology, a new publication from Hanley Wood. Richard also spoke to representatives from two major consumer magazines – Country Living and Good Housekeeping. The contacts were made at SPC’s exhibit and at a media breakfast cosponsored by SPC and APA.

Green building was a special focus at this year’s show with Feb. 14 dubbed as “green day.” SFPA staff and Kim ensured Southern Pine didn’t get left out of the conversation by donning green shirts and handing out buttons that proclaimed “GREEN for 400 years” and cards that explained exactly why Southern Pine is the original green building product (click here to download card). Kim reports the cards drew a particularly positive response from media. “I got the impression they are tired of people just claiming they’re ‘green’ – they welcomed our facts.”

“Overall, we considered the show a success and were also glad to see representatives from several SPC members there – Pat Patranella along with Brenda Elliott and Jack Sweeny from Temple-Inland, Adrian Blocker from West Fraser, Ron Wehmann and Greg Wells of Weyerhaeuser, Clarence Young of Georgia-Pacific, Matt Yaun of Cox Industries and Lee Ashburn of East Coast Lumber, just to name a few,” Digges said.

For more information about the show, contact Richard at 504/443-4464, ext. 236, or by e-mail at rwallace@sfpa.org.   

SFPA Plays Host to French Delegation

Though they’re an ocean away and the cultures and languages differ, a group from Southern France believes they can learn a great deal from Americans when it comes to marketing pine. A delegation from SPL Sciage Pin des Landes, an association that represents small to medium lumber companies, sawmills and treaters from Southern France, recently toured operations of several Southern Pine Council member companies.

The 10-member group was in the United States for the International Builders’ Show, but came over a few days early to visit some Southern Pine operations. Ned DeJarnette, SFPA’s director of international markets, helped arrange the tours and accompanied the group on visits to Temple-Inland’s sawmill in DeQuincy, La., Almond Brothers Lumber Company in Coushatta, La., and Elder Wood Preserving Company in Mansura, La.

Ned explains the French delegation should not be viewed as competitors, but rather as potential partners in efforts to promote pine. “They don’t compete with us on the European market – their production is too small,” he said. “Their goal was to learn how we as an organization have been able to assemble different species such as loblolly, slash, etc., and market them as one super species – Southern Pine – that can be used in construction as well as in interior applications.”

The pine grown and manufactured in Southern France is similar to America’s Southern Pine, but in France it’s known as “red” pine and is primarily used for pallets, concrete forms and interior applications such as doors and windows. The “white” pine grown in Northern France and other parts of Europe is considered superior for construction purposes. “They really want to learn how to grow the construction market for their wood in France,” Ned said.

The French delegation also visited with SFPA President Digges Morgan and board member Adrian Blocker of West Fraser Inc. during IBS.

SFPA Staffers Provide Voice for Southern Pine in Trade Pubs

Two SFPA staff members recently shared their thoughts on topics important to SFPA and the Southern Pine Council in publications covering the forest and building products industries. Russell Richardson, director of industrial markets, authored an article published in the January/February issue of Shelter Magazine titled “The Certification Aisle: Groups Have Different Philosophies on Forest Preservation.” Russell explains what readers should know about the major forest products certification systems (click here to read article). Meanwhile, Ned DeJarnette, director of international markets, is quoted in an article titled “Trade shows more popular as exporters seek new markets” published in the Feb. 6 issue of Random Lengths International. The Random Lengths article explains that U.S. softwood lumber exporters are attending international trade shows in greater numbers as they seek new markets for their products. For more information, contact Russell at 504/443-4464, ext. 239, or by e-mail at rrichardson@sfpa.org. Contact Ned at ext. 233 or by e-mail at edejarnette@sfpa.org.

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