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The largest hurdle to hosting a plant tour is having enough time. That's why we continue to create tools like those below to make it as easy as possible to host a tour.
The primary motivation to hosting a plant tour is to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with a supplier, potential customer, a city official, and many others in your community.
The case summary shown below, from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), rationalizes some homeowner reactions to recent media coverage surrounding [toxic] mold. It is a legitimate fear. It can cause physical harm to sensitive people who are exposed to it. But, the type and amount of harm are uncertain.
The below article is an update of the article, "Who's Mold Is It?" published in the January/February 2003 edition of SBC Magazine.
Builder complaints regarding the growth of surface mold on the lumber contained within wood structural components, while not as frequently encountered as in the past, continue to pose a dilemma in some markets. The dilemma comes in the form of builders either demanding moldfree wood based products, or when mold appears on a component at the jobsite, they are demanding that suppliers provide an immediate remediation (e.g., removal) of the mold, regardless of the cause or the cost. And, where structures are improperly designed or constructed and mold growth appears years later, component manufacturers (CMs) have found themselves into construction defect litigation with various types of complaints being asserted.
Mold contamination is becoming a nationwide concern among homeowners and builders. Mold in homes and mold lawsuits have gained extensive media coverage from talk shows to feature articles in national publications. Even Erin Brockovich is making news in the mold litigation arena. Insurance companies are becoming increasingly concerned as well. They feel that they are unfairly bearing the brunt of the expense in remediating mold, thereby leading to revisions in homeowner and builder/contractor liability policies.
Mold can be found almost anywhere and can grow on virtually any substance, provided moisture is present. Several lumber associations are knowledgeable on this topic, including the American Forest & Paper Association's (AF&PA’s) American Wood Council (AWC), the Western Wood Products Association (WWPA), the Canadian Wood Council (CWC), and the Southern Pine Council (SPC). Surface molds, which can come from a variety of sources including airborne spores, feed off of the sugars and starches readily available in wood. Thus mold can and will occur naturally on lumber under certain conditions, normally due to the presence of moisture in or on the wood and warm temperatures. Therefore, component manufacturers and lumber dealers must realize that all lumber and wood components are susceptible to mold growth.
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One of the most effective ways to develop a reliable customer base is to help builders and general contractors understand the benefits your products provide over the alternative. Bringing them into your plant gives them the opportunity to see your high quality products carefully built in a controlled environment, cementing in their mind why they should choose you over stick framing or another manufacturer.
Relationships with building officials in your community can pay significant dividends if officials understand how trusses are designed, built, and installed, they can more easily provide feedback to the builder in the field on proper installation of your products. They are also tasked with determining the building code, and enforcing it, so developing a good relationship can help ensure the building code remains friendly to structural building components.
Architects, engineers and specifiers play an important role in deciding how buildings are built. The more that Component Manufacturers can educate these building professional on the structural and design advantages components provide to a structure opens many opportunities, particularly for market share growth.
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Benefits of building a relationship with Fire officials allows you to provide comprehensive information on the true fire performance of metal connected wood products. Since the invention of structural components there have been misperceptions and misinformation spread widely about what happens to components during a fire event. As a consequence, many times the fire service and component manufacturing industry have been at odds, but it doesn’t have to be so.
Having a close relationship with framers is crucial given that they are responsible for installing your product. The importance can never be overstated, the more they understand how your products are designed and manufactured, and why it’s important to handle and brace your products properly, can go a long way towards ensuring continued market share growth.
Elected officials are well connected individuals in your community and can prove to be an invaluable resource. They have the ability to directly influence laws that may impact the use of your product, or they can provide a communications channel for seeking recourse in the event your company is penalized or has difficulty securing permitting.
Component manufacturers continue to struggle finding an abundant source of potential employees. It’s never too early to introduce aspiring minds to new career opportunities while fostering a relationship with a local instructors who may be your companies’ most valuable recruiter.