The builder connection: what was your overall impression of the International Builders' Show and what did you find most interesting on site?

Prosales, April, 2003 by Chris Wood

While pro dealers among the 92,000 attendees at the 2003 International Builders' Show tended to agree that the event is very much a contractor's affair, many still walked away from the show's three halls and 1,300 exhibits with fresh contacts and new product leads. Here are three attending dealers' thoughts on the show, which took place in Las Vegas January 21 through 24, as well as some new introductions that caught their eyes.

Steve Heddrig, assistant manager, Muus Lumber & Hardware, Minot, N.D.

I was surprised by how many vendors are now making composite decking. The market is pretty decent in North Dakota--we have three or four brands--but it was amazing, there [seemed to be] 20 or more vendors [in that category] at the show. Truthfully, I was semi-disappointed in the show's offerings for pro dealers. There were so many appliance [companies] at the show trying to sell directly to the contractor.

I did make a few new contacts for wood product, composite decking, and siding vendors, but there was nothing astonishing at the show that is going to change any of the ways we do business. The North Hall had a pretty decent amount of exhibitors for the pro dealer, but for as big as the show was and for all of the hype, I was expecting more stuff that fit me. I would much rather invest my time and resources at a [co-op] show.

Evan Hand, president, Clearview Distributors, Monument, Colo.

There were a few notable items in the window and door business, which is Clearview's primary business emphasis, but nothing overwhelmingly new. Crestline and Vetter are one of our primary vendors, and they have done some neat things in updating their product line to current technology and performance levels. Better construction and design of building products can alleviate a lot of installation issues, and a good example of that is Vetter's rigid nailing fin--it is probably the biggest deterrent of poor installation as anything a manufacturer can do. I was also interested in the Masonite line of fiberglass doors, which is news to me because they are not well represented in [our] part of the world, which is [primarily dominated by] Therma-Tru.

Dale Dries, president, Dries Building Supply, Macungie, Pa.

I was very impressed. It was my first show in over 10 years, and it seemed to be very well attended. The card scanning [machines located at booths] were great [because if you use them] you are not encumbered by stacks of literature while trying to navigate through the congestion. We are expecting an [abundance] of new product information. The Genesis Homes booth was very impressive in how it was structured to receive visitors and disperse information. Some of the booths featuring alternative framing products and engineered lumber products have come a long way from their beginnings. [Also,] I talked to a number of dealer friends of mine whom I saw at the show, and I just cannot believe that we do not have something in [the pro dealer] industry that is of Builders' Show caliber. It's frustrating when I get builders coming to me with new products. We're supposed to be forwarding new products and ideas to our builder customers, and they are seeing them [at the Builders' Show] before we do. That's why I was determined to get out there this year.

Upcoming Question: How are gender roles evolving in the LBM industry and how are they impacting the way dealers position market messages? E-mail comments to cwood@hanley-wood.com.