February 2007 Table of Contents

If you ever doubted that necessity is the mother of invention, take a look at the programs being created by the pro dealers that serve the largest builders and contractors. ORCO Construction Supply, the Livermore, Calif.-based distributor of hardware and tools, this year is rolling out a program to its top 200 contractor-customers that should help those customers assess the productivity of their jobsite management. Meanwhile, Dallas-based Builders FirstSource is increasing its capacity to produce trusses, panels, and millwork; New York's Riverhead Building Supply has expanded its Web services; and Ply Mart of Georgia says its salespeople are on sites so often they've become the "right hands" of construction foremen. Read more

Next month, Smitty's Building Supply will celebrate 32 years of doing business with the Northern Virginia remodeling and custom home contractor community by officially re-opening the company's flagship store in Alexandria. The redesigned facility boasts a new kitchen and bath showroom, a revamped window and door showroom, and custom millwork capabilities. And it's all backed by a full-service lumberyard that will see a daily delivery fleet leaving the yard for the first time in nearly a decade. Read more

You can't open a newspaper these days without being bombarded with headlines about fuel prices. Here are several measures--some basic, some more sophisticated--that you can implement to reduce consumption. Read more

In a huge and fragmented industry, the stories of the larger and established players often can eclipse reports of the debut of new supply houses. Two such companies--Spokane, Wash.-based Granite Building Products and Morrisville, N.C.-based Professional Builders Supply--have entered the industry since 2000 and have found success by focusing on high-service specialty products. Within several years, these suppliers have expanded into new markets, added up to 60 staffers, and blazed past the $30 million and $20 million revenue marks, respectively. To them, quick market moves and relentlessly out-servicing established suppliers are more important to succeeding in the business than just having a dollar and a dream. Read more

Talk about milestones. In 2007, ABC Supply celebrates its 25th year in business, and A.J. Foyt Racing, the Indy Racing League (IRL) team behind the ABC Supply No. 14 car, celebrates twice as many years of engine-roaring, oil-splattering, checkered-flag action competing in the Indianapolis 500 and 16 other races that determine the annual IRL champion. The season that kicks off March 24 at the Homestead Miami Speedway will mark ABC's second full year as an A.J. Foyt sponsor, and high hopes abound that the addition of driver Darren Manning will propel team ABC into the winner's circle. Read more

Surprise, speculation surround Home Depot CEO's resignation, and other news. Read more

In the Dec. 28 issue of ProSales' e-newsletter, ProSales Business Update, editor Craig Webb commented on dealers' responses to the rise in pro contractors' use of corporate credit cards: "Some dealers have stopped extending to card-payers the traditional discount for paying the bill by the 10th of the month. Others have stopped accepting American Express but continue to take Visa and MasterCard. Read more

Builders' continuing concerns about managing water within home wall assemblies has led to expanded use of housewraps, rainscreens, and flashings across the country, according to experts. Now manufacturers are offering weather barriers for a variety of applications and regional requirements, as well as products that serve multiple functions. Read more