Vol. 8, No. 3 – February 2, 2009

OSHA Recordkeeping - The OSHA 300A Summary form must be posted February 1 through April 30. Download the form at: www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/new-osha300form1-1-04.pdf

TEAM BUILDING IMPORTANT – ESPECIALLY NOW!

Early-Bird Deadline Extended to February 9!

Do you suppose the Pittsburgh Steelers would have gone into the “Big Game” without each player knowing his job and practicing, practicing, practicing? Not likely.

Although the current economy is sluggish at best, you need to plan and prepare for the building surge that waits just around the corner. You should be getting your key players prepared and ready for game day.

MLA will conduct an Introduction to Estimating and Residential Material Take-Off Workshop, March 3-4, 2009, at the Hyatt Place, 7600 NW 97^th Ter., Kansas City, Mo.

This is your chance to train any employees who need to learn key estimating and blueprint reading skills, or the advanced skills to take them to the next level.

Who Should Attend: Sales/estimating staff, management personnel, or anyone involved in reading blueprints. It is especially useful to those with minimal skills in reading blueprints.

Registration Fees:

Members: $445 for one person - $425 for two or more from same company; $275 for Day 1 or Day 2 separately

Nonmembers: $545 for first person - $525 for each add’l from same company; $325 for Day 1 or Day 2 separately

Fees include a light lunch, breaks and handout materials.

Where and When:

March 3-4 – Hyatt Place Hotel, 7600 NW 97th Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64153.

For room reservations, call 816-891-0871. MLA has a special rate of $119 for single or double occupancy. Reservations must be made by Monday, February 9, 2009, to get this special rate.

The program will be held at The Hyatt Place Hotel. Classes begin at 8:00 a.m. both days and end at 5:00 p.m. Attendees should bring a handheld calculator and pencils.

Click here for more information and a registration form.

NEW I-9 FORM DELAYED UNTIL APRIL

U.S. Customs and Immigration Service made a last-minute announcement, delaying implementation of the revised Form I-9 from February 2 to April 3, 2009.

Please provide this update to your human resources director.

This delay requires employers to continue using the Form I-9 listed as Revised 06/05/2007 until April 3, 2009.

This means employers can continue to accept all documents listed as acceptable on the 06/05/2007 Form I-9 until the new form takes effect April 3, 2009.

For more information, please visit http://www.uscis.gov/i-9

For any specific questions regarding verifying employee work eligibility, please call the MLA legal hotline at 800-747-6529.

Source: John M. Neyens, Seigfreid, Bingham, Levy, Selzer & Gee, February 2, 2009

NLBMDA ECONOMIC STIMULUS UPDATE

Final Opportunity for Housing Relief in Economic Recovery Bill:

The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (H.R. 1) passed the House of Representatives yesterday evening by a vote of 244-188. As we have previously reported, the bill includes a modest housing proposal that eliminates the repayment requirement on the first time homebuyer tax credit signed into law last year. Both House and Senate versions contain a five-year net operating loss (NOL) carryback and bonus depreciation/expensing provisions sought by NLBMDA. Both versions also contain increased tax credits for certain residential energy efficiency improvements and purchases. At President Obama’s request, House Democrats left out a proposal to allow judges to alter the terms of mortgages in bankruptcy proceedings, but Rep. Conyers (D-MI) is moving ahead to pass that as stand-alone legislation (H.R. 200).

Senate committees have compiled their version of the bill with several differences.

First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit: Repayment eliminated and credit extended for homes purchased before September 1, 2009. (Current credit expires June 30.)
S-Corporation Built-in Withholding: Temporarily reduce the S corporation built-in gains holding period from the current 10-year period to a seven-year period for tax years 2009 and 2010.

Efforts are still under way to gain support in the Senate for additional housing proposals, which are expected to be offered as amendments during floor consideration next week.

Sen. Isakson (R-GA) introduced the Fix Housing First Homebuyer Tax Credit (S. 253) which extends the homebuyer tax credit to all purchases (not just first-time) through 2009 and increases the amount to 3.5% of the qualifying purchase price.
Sens. Cardin (D-MD) and Ensign (R-NV) have introduced a second bill, the Cardin-Ensign First-Time Homebuyers Tax Credit (S. 312) which provides a $20,000 refundable tax credit to first-time homebuyers.
Minority Leader McConnell (R-KY) plans to offer an amendment to create a four-percent subsidized mortgage rate.

Please contact your Senators via email (www.BuildtheVote.org) and phone (202-224-3121) and urge them to support housing recovery as a critical component of the stimulus plan. Housing and its related industries are ground zero in our economic recovery and Congress must act to shore up housing. Please forward any responses you may receive to Colleen Levine at colleen@dealer.org.

Source: NLBMDA, January 29, 2009

PROSALES LOOKING FOR DEALERS

ProSales Magazine is looking for dealers who sell building materials or maintenance supplies to zoos, amusement parks or hospitals. If you sell to any of these businesses and would like to be interviewed for a story, please let us know. Email Olivia: oholcombe@swassn.com – and we’ll let them know.

Registration is now open for the 2009 Legislative Conference & Green Building Forum to be held March 16-18, 2009 at the Renaissance M Street Hotel in Washington, DC. Coinciding with the important first “100 Days” of the new Administration and Congress, the 2009 conference and forum are being held jointly with the North American Building Material Distribution Association (NBMDA), which will increase the industry’s visibility and impact during the traditional Capitol Hill visits to members of Congress.

Additionally, the increased networking opportunities will no doubt be an added benefit in this challenging economy. The conference will also feature top-notch speakers from government, the media and the green building community. Complete program information and online registration can be found at www.dealer.org. Early-bird registration discounts are available until February 13. The Renaissance M Street Hotel is offering a room rate of $199 for the first two nights of stay, with additional nights at $239.

NLBMDA would like to especially thank this year’s conference sponsors:

Platinum Sponsors:

BlueLinx

Dow Building Solutions

Federated Insurance

Gold Sponsors:

Do it Best Corp.

iLevel by Weyerhaeuser

Princeton Delivery Systems

Silver Sponsor:

Simpson Strong Tie

SAVE THE DATE

March 3-4 – Blueprint Reading & Material Take-Off Seminar – Kansas City, Mo.

March 16-18 - NLBMDA Legislative Conference - Washington, D.C.

April 30-May 1 – MLA Swing-into-Spring Event – Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.

June 12 – Kansas Sunflower Shootout – Salina, Kan.

Nov. 5-6 – MLA Fall Fling – Kansas City, Mo.

Call the MLA Office – 800-747-6529 – for additional information or email: mail@themla.com

LUMBER NEWS – QUICK GLIMPSES

The Cost of Bad Customers… Larry Selden, professor emeritus at Columbia University and co-author of Angel Customers and Demon Customers, contends that the bottom 20 percent of customers can drain profits by at least 80 percent, while the top 20 percent can generate 150 percent of a company's profit. So why not study that upper crust, delicately breaking it into subsegments that share the same needs? Categorizing customers by demographics or geography or product purchases, as many companies do, doesn't give managers a clue as to where the high-opportunity needs are lurking.

To read entire story, click here.

Source: SmartBrief on Leadership (from CFO Magazine), U.S. Chamber of Commerce, January 22, 2009

Most Workers Come to Work When Sick… Seventy-five percent of workers say that they very frequently or somewhat frequently go to work when they are feeling sick, according to a survey by the OfficeTeam, a staffing firm.

Forty-five percent of respondents said they very frequently go to work when they feel sick. Thirty percent of respondents said they do so somewhat frequently. Only 8 percent of workers say they never go to work when they are feeling sick, compared with 17 percent who said they somewhat infrequently come to work when feeling sick. Read more here.

Source: SmartBrief on Workforce (from HR.BLR.com), U.S. Chamber of Commerce, January 22, 2009

Tax Breaks Approved as Part of the Stimulus Package… The House Ways and Means Committee approved $275 billion in tax breaks on Thursday, which include a temporary refundable tax credit for workers, an extended time period for builder write-offs, and incentives for renewable energy. Also included are funds to help the unemployed keep health insurance coverage.

Source: LBM Daily, January 23, 2009

Sears Tests Drive-Through Concept… Sears Holdings Corp. plans to test a new warehouse-style concept store called MyGofer. The test store in Joliet, Ill., which is expected to open by this summer, is designed to allow customers to order products online and then go to MyGofer to retrieve their purchases either in the store or from the drive-through station. A similar concept, called MyGofer.com, is a concierge service being tested at a Kmart store in Rockford, Ill.

MyGofer.com touts the availability of 50,000 items that can be ordered online for same-day pickup in the store or else the customer can have the products delivered to their home or business. Kmart has been operating two test stores in Rockford since November 2007 that feature lower shelves, price-scanning stations, “Just Ask” help stations that can book a delivery service or order a bridal registry item, and a central marketplace filled with a changing assortment of seasonal goods.

Source: NRHA eNewsletter, January 26, 2009

Union Card Check Legislation Pending… Rep. George Miller (D-CA) has circulated a letter to his fellow House members seeking support for the reintroduction of the so-called Employee Free Choice Act, which would strip workers of their rights to determine union representation by secret ballot elections. A vote is anticipated in the House in the next month. Visit the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace at www.myprivateballot.com to view recent letters co-signed by NLBMDA in opposition to this legislation.

Source: NLBMDA E-Update, January 26, 2009

Weyerhaeuser Decides to Close Two Washington State Mills… Citing weak market conditions, Weyerhaeuser on Monday revealed its plan to permanently close two mills in Aberdeen, Washington. The first, a sawmill, produces approximately 200 million board feet of lumber a year; the second, the Pacific Veneer mill, yields 210 million square feet of veneer. About 120 jobs will be lost because of the decision.

Source: LBM Daily, January 27, 2009

IBS Reflects Familiar Color: Green… If you're not used to green, get with the program. That's one of the messages that emerged from the floor of the International Builders' Show. While energy efficiency is the main factor behind the environmentally friendly movement, water-conservation products are growing, too.

Source: ProDealer Digest, January 28, 2009

Home Depot Cuts Back, Closes Expo… Home Depot said it will close its Expo business and streamline its support functions. The two moves together will cut 7,000 jobs, or about 2 percent of the company's work force.

Describing business at the 34 Expo Design Centers stores as soft – even during the recent housing boom – the company said it did not expect business to pick up for Expo anytime soon. In the next two months, Home Depot will close the 34 Expos, five Yardbirds stores, two Design Center stores and the seven-location bath remodeling business, HD Bath.

Source: Home Channel News, Weekly Digest, January 30, 2009

Economist Shows How to Spot the Turnaround Coming... Signs of an economic recovery could start showing up as early as May, led in part by what could be a surprisingly strong rebound in residential housing, a veteran economist told insulation dealers Saturday.

When the economy does turn, how will we know it? Kenneth Mayland suggested looking at these indicators:

Commodity Prices. The current rates for items like lumber and copper have fallen drastically. They'll rise once demand returns.
The "TED Spread." That's the difference between the rate for U.S. Treasury Bills and the rate for Eurodollar Bills. It goes up when investors get nervous about the economy and push all their spare money into T-bills, which are regarded as the world's safest investment. A reduced spread means that investors are feeling more confident about the economy and are willing to put their money into other things.
Higher Stock Prices. Typically, share prices rise in the middle of a recession, as speculators begin to bet on the coming revival.
International Freight Rates. Look specifically at the Baltic Dry Index, which tracks the cost of transporting goods around the world. It goes up when the economy is robust and there's demand to ship products and commodities.
Initial Claims in Unemployment Compensation. In general, Mayland said, anything under 350,000 new claims is a good sign, while any number over 400,000 is cause for worry. For the week of Jan. 17, there were 589,000 new claims.

Click here for full story.

Source: ProSales Business Update, January 30, 2009

Visa Information Regarding “Malware”… MLA’s endorsed provider of credit card processing, Merchant Services NA, has provided a Visa Data Security Alert regarding network security. Click here to see the alert – and pass along to your IT experts.

Source: Sam Nardi, MSNA, January 30, 2009

Concentrate on SafetY

You know that running a successful business requires focus and concentration. One lapse in concentration – and a resulting bad business decision – can affect the profitability of your operation for years to come.

It is much the same for your employees who become distracted while driving company vehicles. One lapse in concentration while behind the wheel can lead to a serious accident, which can significantly disrupt or even threaten the existence of your business.

Sure, you buy insurance coverage to protect your business in case accidents like these happen. However, insurance can’t make up for the many hidden costs that result from accidents, which can add up to a potentially significant financial burden on your business.

Consider costs such as:

§ Loss of productivity

§ Decreased quality of products or services

§ Hiring and training costs of replacement employees

§ Reduced employee morale

§ Loss of customers and goodwill

§ Increased insurance premiums

As a business owner, you are in a unique position to influence the habits and behaviors

of drivers of company vehicles. Visit with your employees to increase their awareness of

the dangers of distracted driving. Hold periodic safety meetings to instill and reinforce

behaviors that can prevent accidents. Let your employees know that it’s just as important

for them to concentrate on their driving as it is for you to concentrate on running your

business.

This article provided courtesy of Federated Mutual Insurance Company, your association’s recommended insurer.

MLA is proud to endorse….

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns. I am thankful because thorns have roses.”
— Alphonse Karr, (French journalist and novelist, 1808-1890)