It would seem that the action in this short week of trading is focusing (at least somewhat) on the building materials market. Overall, the building materials index rose 4.6% as tracked by the S&P Market Tracker.
The idea that some building materials companies are attempting to "reinvent" themselves in this troubled economy is poising them to make substantial gains in a recovering economy. Investors seem to like this trend and are either investing in these companies or at least they're not selling them any more.
Another indicator seems to be the acquisition markets. Even though Cadbury managed to hold off the buy-out bid by Kraft, investor like to see the robustness of the attempt.
To read more: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/09/08/business-telecommunications-no-b-us-building-materials-sector-snap_6858937.html
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
BMC West files Chapter 11 to restructure
Looks like the difficult economic times is hitting home again in the North West.
BMC West has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy to restructure it's debt and try to survive this countries present recession. At least they've got some decent banks behind the restructure. Other than their original investors (private and public) it looks like Wells Fargo is going to throw some money behind the companies sagging finances to get them through the next few years. The 80 million dollar investment should go a long way to getting them through to the next decade.
Now some readers are going to remind me that BMC West is a "West Coast" company so I guess I should correct myself right away. They are west coast and the article I'm citing here actually speaks about their parent company, Building Materials Holding Corp...but I only know them as BMC West.
Here's the link: http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSBNG48356520090616
BMC West has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy to restructure it's debt and try to survive this countries present recession. At least they've got some decent banks behind the restructure. Other than their original investors (private and public) it looks like Wells Fargo is going to throw some money behind the companies sagging finances to get them through the next few years. The 80 million dollar investment should go a long way to getting them through to the next decade.
Now some readers are going to remind me that BMC West is a "West Coast" company so I guess I should correct myself right away. They are west coast and the article I'm citing here actually speaks about their parent company, Building Materials Holding Corp...but I only know them as BMC West.
Here's the link: http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSBNG48356520090616
Saturday, June 13, 2009
From the docs to a home???
It would appear that some people are making houses from shipping crates. I've seen some stories about this before but every picture I saw showed a pretty normal looking house (because they covered the containers with normal siding). However, this one is interesting as it's just six containers, welded together...strange really.
I have serious doubt about the viability of this as a building material. I'm thinking that it's just going to be a fad and someone's going to end up taking a loss trying to sell these houses.
(I wonder what it sounds like in a rain storm?)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/04/AR2009060404533.html
I have serious doubt about the viability of this as a building material. I'm thinking that it's just going to be a fad and someone's going to end up taking a loss trying to sell these houses.
(I wonder what it sounds like in a rain storm?)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/04/AR2009060404533.html
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Will your next deck be on your roof?
There's a new, lightweight, rooftop decking material being made in Portland, OR that just may be the next BIG THING in outdoor living.
Because of the way it's engineered, it doesn't need to have any additional support structure. Check it out and let me know what you think...
http://www.pr.com/press-release/158087
Because of the way it's engineered, it doesn't need to have any additional support structure. Check it out and let me know what you think...
http://www.pr.com/press-release/158087
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Project Manager / Implementation for software applications needs work
I find myself in the not-so-unique position of looking for work in a less than favorable economy (and I'm not the only one!). So, I need to use you, my friends and family, to network and find gainful employment once again. I'm sticking my resume below so you get some idea of what I do for a living. However, if you'd like a PDF copy (because this one's not formatted correctly) I'll email you one directly.
JOHN C. BORGEN
Battle Ground, WA 98604 john.borgen@gmail.com
Project Manger
Wholesale – Retail – Building Material – Information Technology
Results driven project manager in a software business from the Northwest. Experienced at building relationships with both developers and customers. Targeting success at the cutting edge of the software market that drive growth, achieve sales objectives and create real bottomline profit increases. Highly effective communicator and team leader with proven ability to build and maintain a productive group with trust and confidence.
CORE LEADERSHIP QUALIFICATIONS
Team Building / Leadership Major Account Management P&L / Budgeting / Cost Control
Staff Training & Development Operations Management New Business Development
Business Planning Risk Management Consultative Selling Strategies
Account Development & Retention Project Management Oral / Written Communication
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Progressive Solutions Inc, Richmond, BC March 2006 – March 2009
Project Manager Implementation Services
Designed Implementation strategies for the various customers that purchased bisTrack from PSI. Taught classes both at the customers site and remotely using various forms of Internet technologies. Managed individuals to groups of 6 or more during implementation. Balanced inventories, AR and AP prior to golive and designed the operational flow for the clients business. Was responsible for the final Go/No Go decision for each implementation.
Red Ace Solutions, Vancouver, WA October 2005 – March 2006
Software Design
Designed the user interface for the PRIME software package, an enterprise level software package. Developed and managed the support system for both PRIME and Red Ace Document Imaging and Data Warehousing. Project lead for the quality assurance for Red Ace (both PRIME and the Docuwarehouse). Solely responsible for the setup and delivery of the sales demonstrations. Intimately involved at the annual OBug conference.
Parr Lumber Company, Hillsboro, OR August 2001 October 2005
Software Support and Education
Developed a training program to take Parr Lumber to "the next stage" of Falcon users. Delivered frontline support for the end users (there are 500 total users at this company). Managed the wireless network and RF project implementation. Project lead on the Credit Card Authorization module from Falcon to be implemented at Parr. Designed a standalone Customer ID card and worked toward integrating it with Falcon.
CCITriad (now Activant), Denver, CO March 1998 August 2001
Senior Implementation Specialist
Designed project management strategies for the various customers that purchased Falcon and CSD software packages. Taught classes both onsite and at conferences in regards to both the Falcon and CSD software packages. Managed over 30 Falcon GoLives in three years. Delivered Software support from home for one year.
PERSONAL GOALS
Raising my family.
Become a better fisherman (and pass it on to my step sons).
Continue to volunteer on the technical teams at my church.
EDUCATION
Clark College, Vancouver, WA / Administration of Justice
Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA / Other General Studies
Fort Vancouver High School, Vancouver, WA / High School General Studies, June 1987
Personal and Professional references available upon request.
JOHN C. BORGEN
Battle Ground, WA 98604 john.borgen@gmail.com
Project Manger
Wholesale – Retail – Building Material – Information Technology
Results driven project manager in a software business from the Northwest. Experienced at building relationships with both developers and customers. Targeting success at the cutting edge of the software market that drive growth, achieve sales objectives and create real bottomline profit increases. Highly effective communicator and team leader with proven ability to build and maintain a productive group with trust and confidence.
CORE LEADERSHIP QUALIFICATIONS
Team Building / Leadership Major Account Management P&L / Budgeting / Cost Control
Staff Training & Development Operations Management New Business Development
Business Planning Risk Management Consultative Selling Strategies
Account Development & Retention Project Management Oral / Written Communication
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Progressive Solutions Inc, Richmond, BC March 2006 – March 2009
Project Manager Implementation Services
Designed Implementation strategies for the various customers that purchased bisTrack from PSI. Taught classes both at the customers site and remotely using various forms of Internet technologies. Managed individuals to groups of 6 or more during implementation. Balanced inventories, AR and AP prior to golive and designed the operational flow for the clients business. Was responsible for the final Go/No Go decision for each implementation.
Red Ace Solutions, Vancouver, WA October 2005 – March 2006
Software Design
Designed the user interface for the PRIME software package, an enterprise level software package. Developed and managed the support system for both PRIME and Red Ace Document Imaging and Data Warehousing. Project lead for the quality assurance for Red Ace (both PRIME and the Docuwarehouse). Solely responsible for the setup and delivery of the sales demonstrations. Intimately involved at the annual OBug conference.
Parr Lumber Company, Hillsboro, OR August 2001 October 2005
Software Support and Education
Developed a training program to take Parr Lumber to "the next stage" of Falcon users. Delivered frontline support for the end users (there are 500 total users at this company). Managed the wireless network and RF project implementation. Project lead on the Credit Card Authorization module from Falcon to be implemented at Parr. Designed a standalone Customer ID card and worked toward integrating it with Falcon.
CCITriad (now Activant), Denver, CO March 1998 August 2001
Senior Implementation Specialist
Designed project management strategies for the various customers that purchased Falcon and CSD software packages. Taught classes both onsite and at conferences in regards to both the Falcon and CSD software packages. Managed over 30 Falcon GoLives in three years. Delivered Software support from home for one year.
PERSONAL GOALS
Raising my family.
Become a better fisherman (and pass it on to my step sons).
Continue to volunteer on the technical teams at my church.
EDUCATION
Clark College, Vancouver, WA / Administration of Justice
Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA / Other General Studies
Fort Vancouver High School, Vancouver, WA / High School General Studies, June 1987
Personal and Professional references available upon request.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Is it possible that teleconferencing will replace business travel...really?
Okay, I know this really isn't about building material software but since this is what I do for a living I thought it was worth talking about.
I read this article/blog regarding business travel and how it's being effected by this current economy. Not only has things slowed down because the sales aren't there as much but also, companies are looking to trim down their expenses. Tele-commuting, tele-conferencing...these could be the way to go if you're looking to cut expenses. I think it might help you if you're in the middle of an implementation to consider more Tele-Conferencing tools as a solution to the expense of having your software implementer come on site.
It's true that nothing replaces face time. It's very important to see the people you're talking to, to look them in the eye can tell you a lot about how much of the training is actually sinking in. However, this economy is not exactly concussive to regular travel. When you consider the average, mid-week, business trip cost around $800 in travel expense let's take a look at what it costs to outfit your organization with some simple video conferencing tools. Now the world of HD has come to our doorstep and it looks VERY cool. At $300K it's more than a little cost-prohibitive (traveling for business is looking better again, right?) The thing is, you don't' have to go HD just to get your face in front of someone. Microsoft has a decent desktop sharing tool that has some functional video conferencing tools as well. At $15 a month, it's quite affordable. You add a simple web cam ($100 or less) and you can do video conferencing for much less than traveling.
Nothing is going to replace real, face-to-face contact with your clients. Which means it's not a perfect solution but it can help us all get through this current economic climate.
Here's the article that inspired this blog: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090206/1218463673.shtml
I read this article/blog regarding business travel and how it's being effected by this current economy. Not only has things slowed down because the sales aren't there as much but also, companies are looking to trim down their expenses. Tele-commuting, tele-conferencing...these could be the way to go if you're looking to cut expenses. I think it might help you if you're in the middle of an implementation to consider more Tele-Conferencing tools as a solution to the expense of having your software implementer come on site.
It's true that nothing replaces face time. It's very important to see the people you're talking to, to look them in the eye can tell you a lot about how much of the training is actually sinking in. However, this economy is not exactly concussive to regular travel. When you consider the average, mid-week, business trip cost around $800 in travel expense let's take a look at what it costs to outfit your organization with some simple video conferencing tools. Now the world of HD has come to our doorstep and it looks VERY cool. At $300K it's more than a little cost-prohibitive (traveling for business is looking better again, right?) The thing is, you don't' have to go HD just to get your face in front of someone. Microsoft has a decent desktop sharing tool that has some functional video conferencing tools as well. At $15 a month, it's quite affordable. You add a simple web cam ($100 or less) and you can do video conferencing for much less than traveling.
Nothing is going to replace real, face-to-face contact with your clients. Which means it's not a perfect solution but it can help us all get through this current economic climate.
Here's the article that inspired this blog: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090206/1218463673.shtml
Monday, January 26, 2009
Progressive Solutions Inc - strong 3rd quarter growth on sales of bisTrack and lumberTrack business management software to lumber and LBM industries
Okay, this IS the company that I work for. In that regard it IS a shameless plug. Let's face it...it's not like I'm on the Tonight Show...
Press Release
Progressive Solutions Inc. sees strong 3rd quarter growth on sales of bisTrack and lumberTrack business management software to lumber and LBM industries
VANCOUVER, BC (Jan. 27, 2009) – Progressive Solutions Inc. (PSI), the fastest growing supplier of software systems for the forestry and lumber and building materials (LBM) industries, has recorded strong sales and growth during its fiscal 3rd quarter (ending Dec. 30, 2008) as an increasing number of forestry and LBM companies turned to the company’s flagship programs, bisTrack™ and lumberTrack™, to reduce costs and improve efficiencies.
bisTrack manages purchasing, pricing, quotes/orders, inventory control, accounting, costing and reporting, with providing advanced tools for AR, CRM, instant messaging, and dispatch/delivery, while lumberTrack is the world’s leading sales, inventory and logistics management software for softwood and hardwood manufacturers.
Among the companies that chose this period of economic downturn to invest in technology solutions supplied by the Richmond, British Columbia-based company are Weyerhaeuser (Federal Way, Washington), Sanford & Hawley (Unionville, Connecticut), Forge Lumber (Cincinnati, Ohio), Crenshaw Lumber (Gardena, California) and Kapstone Lumber (Summerville, South Carolina).
PSI president Len Williams said that while investing in technology is always important, for cyclical industries like forestry, and lumber and building materials, investing in software is even more important during tough economic times.
“Today companies need every advantage they can get,” said Williams. “We’re thriving because our programs provide tighter margin and financial control, improve inventory management, increase sales margins and make staff more efficient and productive, all keys to the survival and growth of any business.”
One company that has taken advantage of Progressive Solutions’ business management tools is Construction Supply of New Mexico, a 38-employee, three-unit, $8.5 million operation that implemented bisTrack in 1998. Thanks to its boost in gross margin and gross margin per payroll dollar along with improved staff and customer satisfaction, Construction Supply just won ProSales Magazine’s 2008 Excellence Award in the Technology category.
“We chose PSI’s bisTrack because we needed an integrated package that included point of sale, inventory management, document imaging, dispatch and delivery, and customer relationship management,” said King. “It paid for itself in the first three months.”
For more information visit www.progressive-solutions.com
For more information, contact Progressive Solutions Inc.:
Paul Williams – 604.214.8752 – paulw@progressive-solutions.com
About bisTrack
bisTrack is business software for lumber and building materials (LBM) distributors and dealers, addressing the needs of both wholesale, pro-dealer and retail operations. Built on Microsoft® technology, bisTrack is feature-rich software to help LBM companies manage their day-to-day buying, selling, inventory, dispatch & delivery activities with real-time information, as well as provide insight and business intelligence to better manage customer relationships and improve profitability.
About lumberTrack
lumberTrack™ is the world’s top selling ERP software for integrated inventory, sales order and logistics management for lumber and wood products manufacturers: sawmills, panel mills, remanufacturers. It also integrates procurement, production planning, costing and transportation management functions in its unified Microsoft environment. The software automates work flow and paperwork, eliminating redundant data entry. Rich with reporting tools and on-screen information, lumberTrack helps provides real-time access to the information needed to improve customer service, boost sales, trim costs, and improve the bottom line. Complementary products include fiberTrack log yard management system, tagTrack tag printing system and webTrack online sales portal. Progressive Solutions is also a certified reseller for Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains), which integrates with lumberTrack to provide complete accounting and financial management. www.lumberTrack.com
About Progressive Solutions
Progressive Solutions Inc. is the international leader in business software solutions for the forest products industry. Founded in 1989, the company is headquartered in Richmond, BC, with sales offices across the US, UK and Canada. Its main products, lumberTrack™ and bisTrack™, address the business intelligence as well as operational, procurement, sales, inventory and logistics management needs of sawmills, panel mills, remanufacturers, wholesale/ distributors and building materials distributors/dealers with domestic and export markets. www.Progressive-Solutions.com
Press Release
Progressive Solutions Inc. sees strong 3rd quarter growth on sales of bisTrack and lumberTrack business management software to lumber and LBM industries
VANCOUVER, BC (Jan. 27, 2009) – Progressive Solutions Inc. (PSI), the fastest growing supplier of software systems for the forestry and lumber and building materials (LBM) industries, has recorded strong sales and growth during its fiscal 3rd quarter (ending Dec. 30, 2008) as an increasing number of forestry and LBM companies turned to the company’s flagship programs, bisTrack™ and lumberTrack™, to reduce costs and improve efficiencies.
bisTrack manages purchasing, pricing, quotes/orders, inventory control, accounting, costing and reporting, with providing advanced tools for AR, CRM, instant messaging, and dispatch/delivery, while lumberTrack is the world’s leading sales, inventory and logistics management software for softwood and hardwood manufacturers.
Among the companies that chose this period of economic downturn to invest in technology solutions supplied by the Richmond, British Columbia-based company are Weyerhaeuser (Federal Way, Washington), Sanford & Hawley (Unionville, Connecticut), Forge Lumber (Cincinnati, Ohio), Crenshaw Lumber (Gardena, California) and Kapstone Lumber (Summerville, South Carolina).
PSI president Len Williams said that while investing in technology is always important, for cyclical industries like forestry, and lumber and building materials, investing in software is even more important during tough economic times.
“Today companies need every advantage they can get,” said Williams. “We’re thriving because our programs provide tighter margin and financial control, improve inventory management, increase sales margins and make staff more efficient and productive, all keys to the survival and growth of any business.”
One company that has taken advantage of Progressive Solutions’ business management tools is Construction Supply of New Mexico, a 38-employee, three-unit, $8.5 million operation that implemented bisTrack in 1998. Thanks to its boost in gross margin and gross margin per payroll dollar along with improved staff and customer satisfaction, Construction Supply just won ProSales Magazine’s 2008 Excellence Award in the Technology category.
“We chose PSI’s bisTrack because we needed an integrated package that included point of sale, inventory management, document imaging, dispatch and delivery, and customer relationship management,” said King. “It paid for itself in the first three months.”
For more information visit www.progressive-solutions.com
For more information, contact Progressive Solutions Inc.:
Paul Williams – 604.214.8752 – paulw@progressive-solutions.com
About bisTrack
bisTrack is business software for lumber and building materials (LBM) distributors and dealers, addressing the needs of both wholesale, pro-dealer and retail operations. Built on Microsoft® technology, bisTrack is feature-rich software to help LBM companies manage their day-to-day buying, selling, inventory, dispatch & delivery activities with real-time information, as well as provide insight and business intelligence to better manage customer relationships and improve profitability.
About lumberTrack
lumberTrack™ is the world’s top selling ERP software for integrated inventory, sales order and logistics management for lumber and wood products manufacturers: sawmills, panel mills, remanufacturers. It also integrates procurement, production planning, costing and transportation management functions in its unified Microsoft environment. The software automates work flow and paperwork, eliminating redundant data entry. Rich with reporting tools and on-screen information, lumberTrack helps provides real-time access to the information needed to improve customer service, boost sales, trim costs, and improve the bottom line. Complementary products include fiberTrack log yard management system, tagTrack tag printing system and webTrack online sales portal. Progressive Solutions is also a certified reseller for Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains), which integrates with lumberTrack to provide complete accounting and financial management. www.lumberTrack.com
About Progressive Solutions
Progressive Solutions Inc. is the international leader in business software solutions for the forest products industry. Founded in 1989, the company is headquartered in Richmond, BC, with sales offices across the US, UK and Canada. Its main products, lumberTrack™ and bisTrack™, address the business intelligence as well as operational, procurement, sales, inventory and logistics management needs of sawmills, panel mills, remanufacturers, wholesale/ distributors and building materials distributors/dealers with domestic and export markets. www.Progressive-Solutions.com
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Activant - Dimensions is charging WAY too much for support of a dead software package.
I'm hearing some feedback around certain user groups that Activant has raised their support fee's by 28% for Dimensions customers. Apparently, if you don't sell a product anymore you can still make more money on it just by charging more for support. Not a bad way to weather our current financial storm (if you can find customers gullible enough to put up with it!)
If I were faced with this decision I think I would be looking to completely new software rather than spending over $25K for support. There are many different offerings in today's market-place to choose from and this economy has affected everyone; most companies are motivated to close a sale.
Just don't be suckered in to writing that check every month or agreeing to support increases just because, "You always have before." Shop the market-place for good deals, it may be a painful experience implementing new core software but with the slow economy you may be spending your time well. By the time the economy rebounds all the growing pains of learning new software will be long gone and you'll be poised for large profits with new, dynamic software.
If I were faced with this decision I think I would be looking to completely new software rather than spending over $25K for support. There are many different offerings in today's market-place to choose from and this economy has affected everyone; most companies are motivated to close a sale.
Just don't be suckered in to writing that check every month or agreeing to support increases just because, "You always have before." Shop the market-place for good deals, it may be a painful experience implementing new core software but with the slow economy you may be spending your time well. By the time the economy rebounds all the growing pains of learning new software will be long gone and you'll be poised for large profits with new, dynamic software.
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