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January 29, 2010

NAHB Show Attracts Global Audience

More than 55,000 builders converged on the Las Vegas Convention Center over four days last week to survey the latest products and services available. The event was the 66th annual International Builders’ Show, and the Southern Pine Council was there with a display of structural, treated and pattern products.

Some 400 homebuilders and international visitors from 18 countries visited SPC’s 12x35-foot exhibit. Raised floor construction and green building messages were conveyed using large murals across the back. Full-size sections of wall framing generated plenty of discussions about borate-treated framing and Southern Pine finger-jointed studs. Two counters included panels of Southern Pine patterns in a variety of sizes and finishes, topped with 1x4 T&G flooring and treated porch flooring samples. A collection of 20 SPC publications filled a literature rack atop Southern Pine flooring and treated decking samples. Many attendees picked up SPC’s Lumber Library CD and handy pocket span card for future reference. Other giveaways included carpenter pencils imprinted with SPC’s Web site addresses and Raised Floor Living caps. 

“Is this real wood?” was a common question from builders noticing the beauty of Southern Pine paneling and flooring products. “SPC’s presence at the show was an important display of solid-sawn materials, a true standout among so many exhibits of alternative materials,” said SFPA President Digges Morgan.

The event – which is sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders – was also an opportunity to reach print and broadcast media looking for new story angles. Russell Richardson, director of industrial markets, conducted a live radio interview for the do-it-yourself site, www.myfixituplife.com, covering treated lumber facts and the green building benefits of using wood. “Beyond the opportunities for publicity, this show remains the premiere event for reaching homebuilders and international users of Southern Pine,” commented Richard Wallace, SFPA’s vice president of communications.

Click here for an NAHB report on the show, which returns to Orlando, Fla. in 2011.

SPC Sites Continue to Draw Large Numbers of Visitors

Statistics show 263,055 unique visitors browsed the pages of www.southernpine.com in 2009, down 6.8% from 282,265 unique visitors in 2008. Those visitors viewed 895,520 pages in 2009, a 14.9% decrease from 1,053,525 pages viewed in 2008.

Year-to-year comparisons aren’t quite as easy for SPC’s two Raised Floor Living Web sites. SPC launched a new site designed specifically for homeowners in late August. The existing site – which targets building professionals – drew 161,931 unique visitors in 2009 compared to 167,839 in 2008 with 448,553 pages viewed last year versus 554,107 pages the previous year. The new site for homeowners, meanwhile, recorded 264,000 unique visitors and 599,759 pages viewed in just a little over three months.

Numbers for the two sites combined far exceeded 2008’s statistics.  

Dianne Breaux Named ‘Employee of Year’

Continuing a tradition started in 2008, SFPA President Digges Morgan asked SFPA staff members to tell him which of their peers deserved the honor of “Employee of the Year” for 2009. The winner was recently retired Executive Administrative Assistant Dianne Breaux. Her co-workers cited a number of reasons she deserved the honor, including her dedication throughout her career and the fact that she was liked and respected by both co-workers and members. 

Dianne’s work with the forest products industry began in 1960 when she signed on as a secretary with the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau, which was located in New Orleans at the time. She moved over to the Southern Pine Association (now SFPA) when SPIB relocated to Pensacola, Fla., in 1969. She left SPA at the end of 1971 to devote time to raising her daughter and then returned in early 1985.

Dianne received a special “saw” and a gift certificate in recognition of her selection as “Employee of the Year.” The previous year’s winner was Tami Kessler, corporate secretary and director of administration.

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