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Manufacturing Industry

Growth opportunities: Dixieline lumber's value system of promoting from within keeps morale high, motivation charged, and turnover low

Prosales, Dec, 2004

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"I started with Dixieline in 1989 in the lumberyard as an 18-year-old load builder with mentors including Joe [Lawrence] as a yard foreman and Steve [Solomon] as a branch manager," says Plutner. "So I watched those guys grow with the company. Now I'm 33 and have been promoted five times and have my own family, my own home--it's definitely a company where you can have a career."

With Dixieline joining the ranks of Redmond, Wash.-based Lanoga Corp. via merger in August 2003, the range of career opportunities and benefits at the pro dealer continues to grow. For example, Dixieline has added tuition reimbursement--a Lanoga benefit staple--to the company's fist of employee-friendly benefits.

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According to Solomon, Lanoga has been a perfect HR fit for Dixieline--which he describes as a quality company determined to offer the freedom and acknowledgment to each of its divisions, departments, and employees to benefit the sum of the whole. "I know it is just words, but if you try to build that culture--where employees feel more appreciated and where they feel more valued--that builds loyalty," Solomon says. "We know money is important [to employees], but we know it is not at the top of the list--it is feeling appreciated, feeling that their decisions and their accomplishments mean something to the organization."

For Plutner, the Lanoga merger offers another unique opportunity--to fly a second set of company colors in Lanoga's logo of three pine trees within an offset square. However, he won't comment on whether or not he's booked the tattoo appointment yet.

Vital Statistics * Company: Dixieline Lumber * Year founded: 1913 * Headquarters: San Diego * Number of locations: 15 * Number of Employees: 1,100 * 2003 gross sales: $265 million * Pro sales percentage: 76 percent

Manufacturing Industry

Growth opportunities: Dixieline lumber's value system of promoting from within keeps morale high, motivation charged, and turnover low

Prosales, Dec, 2004

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