NELMA Archives - Page 7 of 15

NELMA @ JLC Live

Posted on April 20, 2015 by

NELMA was front and center, and on-stage at this year’s JLC Live Expo, held March 20 & 21 at at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. 2015 marked the 20th anniversary of this wildly popular regional event, with more than 7,200 builders, contractors, and construction-related professionals in attendance over two days.

As with last year’s Show, the Softwood Lumber Board (Check-off Program) sponsored the overall exhibit and workshop demonstrations on behalf of the “Appearance Product” trade organizations as part of its overall promotional program. NELMA was joined by the Southern Forest Products Association, the Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association and the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association within the Wood, Naturally exhibit, located directly in front of the exhibit hall’s entrance. Individual kiosks allowed each group to promote their specific softwood product applications while generating interest in the overall use of wood in construction.

During the event, 45-minute construction demonstrations of all types took place on the exhibit hall floor, offering attendees with valuable hands-on information on proper construction techniques and project ideas. Four of these demos were dedicated to using Eastern White Pine, one each day on the proper installation of Bevel siding around windows and another on how to calculate and construct a barrel ceiling using the edge & center bead pattern. As with past product demonstrations, NELMA utilized the expertise of Rick Arnold, a seasoned and well-respected regional builder. The short videos produced by the Association from Rick’s demonstrations on proper siding installations three years ago have received more than 8,000 views on NELMAtv.

“We certainly appreciate the Softwood Lumber Board’s support of our Association’s participation in this Show,” stated Jeff Easterling, NELMA President. “JLC Live is a regionally- significant event where decision-makers and hands-on users of construction products need to continually receive the wood message.”

NELMA Introduces The Adventures of Skip & Wane

Posted on April 8, 2015 by

Leave it to NELMA to come up with the first-ever forest products industry-themed comic strip, The Adventures of Skip & Wane! Issue No. 1 introduces the two brothers that both work at a softwood lumber mill located in the northeast; Wane, the knowledgeable, hands-on mill supervisor, and Skip, his younger brother “newbie” that just started working at the mill. Then there’s Burl, the seasoned mill employee “know-all”! Look for added characters such as Dolly Varden, Mr. Pickwick, Spike Knot, and more in future strips. Click on either Skip or Wane’s image to take a look at the premiere issue!

This added marketing concept was discussed and embraced by the Association’s Marketing Committee at their December 2014 planning meeting as a unique marketing vehicle for communicating a variety of messages, either “inside” industry humor or for direct targeting of “alternative” end-use product competitors of northeastern softwoods. Cartoons embedded within marketing strategies are deeply rooted in history and their results are well-documented as some of the most read and most remembered elements of a promotional campaign.

The use of non-traditional forest products marketing vehicles has been NELMA’s signature the past several years, with the introduction of the “Grade Swatch”, the “Virtual Home Tour”, the animated “NELMA vs.” online video series, multiple how-to and informational video segments on NELMAtv via YouTube, and the Grader Academy.

Matt Duprey, NELMA’s Marketing Committee Chairman, stated “We are excited about the launch of The Adventures of Skip & Wane. This series will help further NELMA’s brand in a different and entertaining way; an inexpensive, effective tool to get our messages across through multiple venues. Plus, with all the busy things we all do every day this should be a fun communication piece that will bring some lite humor and a smile to the faces of people when they read it!”

The Adventures of Skip & Wane fits well within NELMA’s expanding communication and marketing arsenal, with options for use within the Association’s PR promotions outlets, website features, as trade press advertisements, and throughout various social media vehicles. For NELMA’s membership, the series is a ready-made, customer communication piece and a natural viral pass-along email item!

As someone succinctly recounted, “Humor is about revealing truth in a twist. Just the act of laughing means the reader has instantly picked up a key point of agreement you can build upon within your messaging.”

Got an Elsewhere Knot in Your SPF? Let the Grader Academy Help!

Posted on March 19, 2015 by

In March, NELMA’s Grader Academy expanded once again with the addition of training courses for Spruce-Pine-Fir (SPF). The 100 Series of courseware is now online, available 24/7/365 for individuals that want to learn more about construction lumber grading. While the learning modules for SPF will follow similar segmentation as the Eastern White Pine courses, there are a variety of characteristics uniquely inherent to the Spruce-Pine-Fir species grouping.

Beginning with the Introduction 100 course, the learning starts with information on “What is SPF and Why SPFs?” Then begins the introduction of Knots and Wane in Characteristics 101, which includes the answer to what an “elsewhere” knot actually is and how to identify it within a board. The Series continues with Fiber Failures 102, where timber breaks are defined, then Discoloration Defects 103, where stained heartwood would come into play. Voids & Distortions and Manufacturing Defects will round out the 100 Series.

As with the Eastern White Pine module, a quiz follows each course to test an individual’s understanding of the information presented. Any course may be viewed and studied at any time; however each quiz must be passed in order to take the next course quiz. All it takes is a simple registration to log into the Grader Academy, where the learning progress will be automatically be tracked on a person’s individual profile.

So, an “elsewhere knot”? According to the Academy, “An Elsewhere Knot is any knot in which the center of its displacement (Pith-Center) is not located true to the centerline of the piece of lumber, and the knot does not visibly occupy 50% or greater of a narrow face, and the knot is not occupying both narrow faces.” Got that?

www.graderacademy.org

Eastern Softwood Spotlight & NELMA Close-up

Posted on March 19, 2015 by

An added feature debuted in the March issue of Building Products Digest magazine, with the front-page headline spotlighting Eastern Softwoods. This special feature provided an opportunity for NELMA to zero in on the Association’s “other” half, namely Spruce-Pine-Fir (SPF) lumber. “We don’t often get a chance to fully discuss this important construction species grouping to the retailer/wholesaler audience,” stated Jeff Easterling, President of NELMA. “Confusion and 25 year-old misconceptions still exist with customer groups regarding lumber stamped SPF (produced from Canadian logs) and product stamped SPFs (produced from U.S. grown logs).”

The full page article goes into comparative information on the origins of the SPF nomenclature and how for most general “repetitive use” construction applications, lumber stamped with either designation provide adequate strength properties. Readers are also prompted to research more details on the SPFs-specific website developed by NELMA, www.sprucepinefir.com (under revision), including the LEED point advantage for buildings that use regionally-produced softwood lumber in construction. Good news for architects and builders from Maine to Pennsylvania!

The Digest’s Special Feature continues with another full page that details the ongoing additions within NELMA’s Grader Academy since its introduction to the masses in May of 2014. The 100 Series Courseware for learning the grades of Spruce-Pine-Fir made its debut in March, available online 24/7/365 at www.graderacademy.org. Meanwhile, the 300 Series Level for Eastern White Pine is also described as the latest, higher level to further the learning experience.

To view the NELMA Close-up articles in the March 2015 issue of Building Products Digest, follow this link and turn to pages 12-14.

Staff Changes @ the HQ Office

Posted on March 19, 2015 by

NELMA is pleased to announce two recent changes in staff positions within the headquarters office in Cumberland, Maine, effective March 9. First, the position of Admin. Asst. – Bookkeeping & Employee Benefits, vacated by the retired Paula Kaveney, has been filled by Barbara Williams. Barbara is a very familiar face to NELMA’s members who began her career with the Association in 2003 in the role of Admin. Asst. – Inspection Services Support & Office Operations. During the past 12 years of employment, Barbara has steadily increased her responsibilities, most recently performing a leading role in the implementation of much-needed, more efficient Accounting software and recordkeeping procedures.

Replacing Barbara in the critical role of Inspection Services Support & Office Operations, NELMA is equally as pleased to welcome Denise Keene to the position. Denise brings a wealth of know-how to the Association with past work experience that includes bookkeeping, sales & customer service, and office management. Denise resides in Falmouth with her husband, Jonathan.

Please welcome Denise as the most recent addition to the NELMA family and congratulate Barbara in her new role with the Association!

Denise Keene and Barbara Williams

Brendan Lowney of Forest Economic Advisors (FEA) Set to Speak at NELMA Convention

Posted on March 17, 2015 by

Brendan Lowney

THE ECONOMY IS MENDING SO WHY IS THE HOUSING SECTOR STILL SPUTTERING? Find the answer at NELMA’s 82nd Annual Convention from guest speaker, Brendan Lowney of Forest Economic Advisors LLC on Friday afternoon, April 24th immediately following the Grading Committee meeting. Brendan is a Principal of Forest Economic Advisors, the top choice for North American wood products analysis. As Principal, Brendan develops and implements FEA’s business strategies. While he is thrilled to be playing a key part driving the commercial aspects of FEA’s business, he is most excited about his role as FEA’s Macroeconomist. In this capacity, Brendan interprets and forecasts the North American and international economic landscape — analysis that forms the basis of FEA’s industry projections.