Shelter - March 2008

Volume 47, Issue 2 - March 2008

From the Editor
THE ISSUE AT HAND

Risk-Takers Could Flourish in Slower Market
Risk-Takers Could Flourish in Slower Market

Building products manufacturers tell me that business is looking pretty dismal. Some don’t even expect to make a profit in 2008. But you can still find some dealers that aren’t doing too badly. In my area of Central Arkansas business isn’t at the booming levels they were two years ago, but there are still a lot of new homes being built.

Shelter’s news department gives you an update about the market and, while housing starts continue to decrease nationwide, there is speculation that a recent federal interest rate cut could encourage some to buy an existing home or even build a new one.

Whether your market is dismal or holding steady, it’s in times like these businesses must look to new ideas to keep their businesses successful. In this issue of Shelter, industry veteran, Jeff Wedge, outlines some innovative ideas (see page 18) that distributors may wish to implement to remain successful—both in a slower market and in a robust one.

If distributors stay in their traditional roles and don’t implement new ideas, they will lose market share, Wedge says.

Every company wants more successful products to sell. In the Association of Millwork Distributors’ Special Section on page 28, read about manufacturer members’ latest products and services.

If your company is looking for new door or window products specifically, then also read the article on page 22. Distributors and dealers explain what they like about the products and why they recommend them to their peers.

I know implementing Wedge’s ideas and adding product lines might all seem a bit risky in this housing slowdown, but I’ll leave you with a quote from author Erica Jong: “If you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.”