CrossCheck Blog

Safety is an evolving organism that is constantly in flux. With each day, materials handling and supply chain operations pose new threats and dangers. Thus, safety must be a priority in the workplace. The good news is that there are certain approaches and tactics that have withstood the test of time and have been an aid in helping any business prioritize their workplace safety. Here are four proven steps to help prioritize and improve safety for building supply dealers:

It’s 6:55 Saturday morning, and entire neighborhoods along a 10-mile stretch of secondary roads are vibrating as two heavy-duty dump trucks pass with engines growling. Few people are awake at this hour except for those heading to the gym, getting ready for work, or the lone homeowner eagerly awaiting the delivery of building materials from a landscaping supplier. The convoy’s lead driver is using a smart phone with GPS to find the delivery site — a modest three-bedroom, two-bath home undergoing renovation in suburbia. The homeowner flags him down in the street and the pair discuss a suitable drop zone. Meanwhile, the second driver waits a few doors down with the motor running until the first truck unloads its cargo.

Every business activity is a monetary investment, whether it involves manual labor, new technology or equipment. According to The Associated General Contractors of America, “the industry has more than 650,000 employers with over 6 million employees and creates nearly $1 trillion worth of structures each year.” Those projects absorb an enormous amount of construction materials, and how well those resources are managed on a day-to-day basis directly impacts the value delivered by building supply dealers. Consequently, streamlining operations to function effectively can come down to five basic steps for dealers.

The demand for green building materials in construction projects, both commercial and residential, is on the rise as people look to reduce their footprint and preserve the environment. In addition to being environmentally friendly, the materials also help decrease utility costs. As the trend continues, building materials dealers are anticipating the recommendation of more reclaimed, recycled, renewable and revolutionary materials in construction projects.

Fired-clay brick has changed little since being introduced some 5,000 years ago, but the kilning process now uses 70% less energy than it did a half century ago. Brick was a “green product” long before the green building materials movement was branded and it is now greener than ever. Despite the advances, controversy now exists between the self-regulation of brick production and government intervention. Brick offers fire- and impact-resistance, energy-efficiency and sound protection to structures around the world as a 100% recyclable product. To reduce transportation costs, brick-making plants are typically located near raw materials sources, thus reducing the carbon footprint.

HVAC systems as well as insulation, windows, doors and siding have improved tremendously over the past 50 years, rendering many older homes obsolete. The situation is most critical in the winter when heat loss can cost lives, or during the summer when every cubic foot of coolness brings potential comfort. When homeowners can’t identify why their house isn’t cooling properly, a cadre of experts such as energy auditors, HVAC professionals and building materials managers stand ready to improve conditions for people and pets while increasing their own profits. Knowing that effective cooling methods vary according to design, structural components and devices, the Department of Energy has compiled a list of HVAC suggestions for enhancing air conditioning systems.

It’s large, it’s green and it's coming to Silicon Valley near the Apple computer headquarters in Cupertino, California. As part of the redevelopment of the 40-year-old Vallco Shopping Mall, landscape architects have designed a 30-acre green roof that will be largest in the World upon approval and completion. The entire project is estimated at $3 billion. When groundbreaking begins, the project will require enormous resources that will increase building supply sales for local dealers.

With energy being one of the most expensive resources in the world, this winter’s firm grip caused utility bills to remain inflated longer than residents would have liked. Spring officially began on March 20, but people in northern states contested the cold with space heaters, the common devices that provide supplemental heat and account for nearly 45 percent of the total heating bill in the average family home. To address such extreme temperatures, building materials managers and hardware store leads can help consumers save big money by providing energy efficient upgrades.

For those marketing building materials, sometimes the conflict in our own heads is more difficult than the one waged with the competition. Do we push our products through the channels of distribution, or shall we pull them? Push-pull marketing strategy is a significant component of the relationship between place and promotion, or one-half of the Four Ps of Marketing: product, price, place, and promotion. According to Marketing Made Simple, pushing relates to the process of “taking the product to the customer” while pulling concerns “getting the customer to come to you.” Both approaches have coexisted for thousands of years and as long as people have been involved with merchandising. Often, a combination of the two schools provides a proper mix that is determined by the product category, the historical period or the marketer. Whatever the mix, the choices are truly endless for dealers wishing to stimulate building supply sales with pull marketing techniques.

Advances in sustainability are revolutionizing the construction and building materials industries like never before. However, it's not just the firms and workers of these sectors that are or will be affected — all beings can experience an improved standard of living with healthier materials in place and a diminished use of natural resources. When building materials managers and construction leaders act as ambassadors for the sustainable building movement, they not only decrease the world’s carbon footprint but also tap into a highly profitable market. Influencing clients won’t be so difficult once they see – as many others have – that various sources have proven consumers are willing to pay more in the short term for the long-term payoff of an energy-efficient building. Disclosing energy-efficient renovations when listing houses, condos, and townhomes on the market is resulting in more units sold at higher prices as well as less time listed, according to new real estate studies.