Welcome to SHELTER Magazine's Only Online section.
Here you will find articles and web resources that you won't find in our print publication.

May 2008

Reaching for Green:
The National Association of Home Builders has launched the National Green Building Program, an education, verification and certification program that will allow builders to build green homes. The program sets point requirements in each category for the bronze, silver and gold levels. An Emerald level will also be available once the standard is complete in the spring.
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“Import”-ant News:

• Court Gives Split-Ruling in Softwood Lumber Dispute
  A London Court for International Arbitration has ruled that Canada has violated U.S.-Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement commitments relating to export quota volumes. However, the court made separate rulings relating to export tax levels applicable to British Columbia and Alberta shipments. The tribunal will decide on an appropriate remedy in the next few months to cure Canada’s breach of the agreement.
• Mislabeled Scaffolding Planks Imported from China
  Non-certified Chinese laminated veneer lumber used as scaffolding planks recently failed tests conducted by the APA-The Engineered Wood Association.
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Stats: Government Jobs May Prove Strong in 2008
Aligning with contractors who service the government sector may prove to be a profitable tactic for 2008. While other areas of the building industry remain slow and continue to make cutbacks, purchasing officials at state and local government and educational entities are indicating they plan to maintain or increase spending.
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April 2008

Shades of Green: Green from the Inside Out: 
A 2007 report by McGraw-Hill Construction predicts that the market for green homes will increase up to tenfold over the next five years—growing from $2 billion to as high as $20 billion. Find out why as distributors and dealers, you need to get educated on green building.
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The Show Scoop: AMD’s Top Management Leadership Conference:
The Association of Millwork Distributors (AMD) will gather senior-level executives and owners of millwork-related companies from all over the country in Savannah, Ga., May 1-4. If you are a member of senior management, find out why you should attend this meeting.
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Industry Stats: The Condominium Market:
The recent condominium market may have good news to offer the building industry. A rebound in certain market areas indicates buyers are returning to this segment. Find out as distributors and dealers why you should be supplying to this market segment.
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Rebates & Promotions:
Manufacturers are offering special incentives for tools and decking. Find out what benefits you and your customers can receive.
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S141 Voted Down—For Now--EXPANDED
Industry professionals weighed in on the recent proposed amendment, S141 (the side-hinged exterior door standard), at the International Code Council hearings. Read why the amendment was voted down unanimously 9-0.
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March 2008

Ask SHELTER: Impact-Resistant Windows:
Need help educating your employees and your dealers’ employees on the finer points of impact-resistant windows? SHELTER turned to Randy Hile, the vice president of operations for windows for the Florida division of Atrium Companies Inc., to provide information on impact-resistant windows. 
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Installation Issues: It’s Fairly Simple:
Even the best-designed product can fail to prevent excessive water penetration if installed improperly. If you or your customers are receiving callbacks due to water penetration of exterior cladding, then John Lewis, technical director for the American Architectural Manufacturers Association in Schaumburg, Ill., gives a solution that focuses on the integrity of the “drainage plane” of the exterior wall. The solution is a weather-resistant barrier (WRB) installed behind the exterior cladding and coupled with flashing at the base of each wall. 
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Problems and Solutions: It’s Mandatory
If you are looking for a way to put product information or codes onto your products, then Chuck Ravetto, product manager for Videojet Technologies Inc., may have a solution for you. Ravetto discusses the process his company came up with to apply codes during production, using a Videojet® 1120 small-character continuous inkjet printer to print codes on a laminated ribbon.
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The Land of Millwork Products--EXPANDED COVERAGE
One of the goals of the Association of Millwork Distributors is to provide its distributor members with all the tools and services necessary to produce sales and profits. For the fourth consecutive year, SHELTER and AMD have teamed up to show the latest products and services from AMD manufacturer members.
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January/February 2008

LBM Expo 2008:
This annual exposition gives retail lumber dealers in the Northeast an opportunity to interact with manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors of lumber, building materials and related technologies. In short, LBM Expo brings all members of the industry together and offers everyone some form of opportunity. 
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Construction Outlook:
Experts in the construction industry gathered in Washington, D.C., recently to offer their predictions for the coming year. As distributors and dealers, see what this next year holds for you and your customers.
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AMD Answers Hard Questions:
Many prehangers want answers to what the side-hinged exterior door standard is why it is being considered for the next round of building codes. Rosalie Leone, executive director of the Association of Millwork Distributors, gives some answers and tells what her association is doing to be proactive about this standard.
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November/December 2007

Secret Shopper: 
A “Charm”ing Experience: Keim Lumber is located in Charm, Ohio, and is in the heart of Amish country. The building supply company did some things well during contributing editor Ellen Giard Roger’s visit, but there are areas of customer service where the company could improve.
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Insurance Issues: 
Injuries Down, Costs Up: Fewer injuries would cause a reasonable person to assume that the total cost of work-related injuries has also gone down, but therein lies a paradox. Certified workman’s compensation advisor with Sterling Risk Advisors Charles Schoen tackles this issue and informs you on what factors are driving up work-related injury costs and how to drive them back down.
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October 2007

Bring “It” Back - New President Plans for Passion
This year’s incoming AMD president is Larry Ray, previous owner/founder and current architectural consultant for GHDC Inc. in Tupelo, Miss. Ray says he’d like to bring excitement back to the millwork industry and help young people recognize the immense opportunities it presents.
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Trim Helps Restore 112-Year-Old Victorian Home
It often takes a good eye and a creative mind to look at a timeworn, century-old home and get a view of what it could be after proper renovation. When architect Francesco Salerno and his wife Catherine bought an 1895 two-story Victorian-style home, two years ago in Sayreville, N.J., they saw past the crumbling old siding, trim and paint and visualized how it would look if restored to its original glory.
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September 2007

A Day with Silva
Home renovation shows were once few, far and between. But these days you can cut the television on at all hours of the day or night and find one. Even with the latest home-makeover boom, the building industry isn’t one of great fame. There are few Elvis figures in this business, but, inarguably, Tom Silva is one of them.
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July/August 2007

A Piece of the Pie
Hurricane season has arrived. Experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center project a 75-percent chance that the Atlantic hurricane season will be above normal this year. If we do have a busy season, door and window manufacturers will be able to use many new products and advancements for the coastal region to fight the effects of strong winds and water.
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Ace Ranks First in Customer Satisfaction
Home-improvement customers report spending an average of $2,138 per year on retail products. Where do they enjoy spending those dollars most?
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Is The German Window Market Rebounding?
In the past year, orders for 11.4 million German window units were placed representing an increase of 6.4 percent over the previous year. If the German window market is any indicator, read more about how the worst may be behind us.
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GlassBuild America
GlassBuild America is expected to draw more than 9,000 attendees, September 10 - 12, 2007 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Get the show schedule and more.
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June 2007

More of the Next Big Thing
Get even more information about the products that we couldn't fit in this issue. From sealants to tools to flooring to sheathing, we've got it covered.
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More of ... SPECIAL REPORT - Aging in Place
Modular Home Manufacturer Designs Universal Home Concept
R-Anell Homes offers a design that allows the homeowner to buy a home and remain there during every stage of life. Find out what kind of design makes navigating a home possible no matter what a person's age or physical constraints.
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May 2007

More of the Next Big Thing
Shelter receives hundreds of of press releases each month on new products. Learn about more products that couldn't fit in the May issue.
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WMMPA Products
You can find more products from Wood Moulding and Millwork Producers Association members. Find products from W3Net, Laidig, Louisiana-Pacific, Mirror Reflections, Tewksbury Technical Coatings, The Valspar Corp., Mt. Taylor Millwork and Gossen Corp.
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The Show Scoop: WMMPA Winter Business Meeting
The Wood Moulding and Millwork Producers Association (WMMPA) met at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort in Destin, Florida for its 44th Annual Winter Business Meeting. But the meeting wasn't just fun in the sun. The association addressed key issues that moulding manufacturers are facing.
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April 2007

Big Box
The Home Depot is shopping for property in Butte, Montana, with hopes of opening its seventh big-box home improvement store in the state. Owners of Triple "S" Building Center Inc., a building-supply company in Butte, aren't scared.
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Show Scoop
The Fenestration Manufacturers' Association (FMA) Spring Conference will be in Jacksonville, Fla., this year at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville-Riverfront. The association warns that there will be no discussion of product prices, sales territories or bidding procedures because the purpose of this meeting is to conduct FMA's business.
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Window Trends
"Without an impact solution, we have a void in our program that allows a competitor to get in the door to offer our customers something we don't have," Chris Reilly, director of marketing communications and replacement programs for the Atrium Companies, says.
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March 2007

Get Connected: More AMD Products
Read about more products produced by associate members of the Association of Millwork Distributors, featured in March 2007 Shelter.
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Statistically Speaking
Find out the latest import and export figures, monthly housing starts and other construction statistics that are important to distributors and dealers.
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Freeze! Find More Concrete-Related Products
More and more companies are finding ways to join the worlds of wood and concrete. Read about two more products that could increase your sales when combining concrete and wood.
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May 2006

Preparing Wood Surfaces
Coatings Protect Door and Window Trim against Rot
Many customers today are familiar with wood damage caused by rot and often see it in areas like casings, doors and window trims. The best way to avoid rot is to protect any and all wood surfaces with a protective coating. According to Oldhouseweb.com, "current estimates show that replacement materials, needed to repair damage caused by rot alone, account for nearly 10 percent of U.S. annual wood production."
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