Select and Better Podcast: Recent Episodes
Clayton Miller
The Select and Better podcast features Clayton Miller, a veteran of the hardwood lumber industry, having thought provoking and extremely informative conversations with industry leaders. If you are interested in the topics on the podcast and have a question, would like to have a conversation on the podcast or any other matter, please email us at selectandbetterpod@gmail.com!
Today, the once great American Chestnut Tree is functionally extinct. But that hopefully will not be the case for long!
Dr. Andy Newhouse from the American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project joins the show to discuss the work being done to bring these trees back to our forests.
We trace the history of the American Chestnut, its demise, and the work being done to bring a genetically modified version of the three back to prominence.
Dr. Newhouse and his team could use your support. Please a take moment to visit the links below to leave comments supporting the project. Your "comments" will help compel regulators to continue their support of the great work being done. Even one sentence worth of support is impactful!
https://www.esf.edu/chestnut/regulatory.htm
https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/APHIS-2020-0030-8291
Wesley Robinson (Robinson Lumber Company) returns to the show to prognosticate on the upcoming year. Clay and Wes discuss why after several months of poor markets there may be some light at the end of tunnel. Are buyers finally coming back into the market?
Topics include:
- Outlook for global lumber markets.
- Are domestic markets going to get better?
- Will the relaxation of the "Zero Covid" policy in China help demand for lumber.
- How supplies of green lumber and logs will impact lumber pricing in 2023.
- Is there some light at the end of the tunnel?
- The "Four Stages Of A Bad Lumber Market"
Recap of the NHLA Convention in Cleveland Ohio
All doom? All gloom? Maybe a mix of both?
The great echo chamber of the hardwood lumber industry
Do stocklists add fuel to the fire in a down market?
How do end users see the current market?
The two types of conversations that were being held at the show.
How can companies add value to their existing customers in a soft market?
Are lumber shortages the next shoe to drop?
Tom Inman, President of the Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Association, joins Clay in Episode 9. Tom gives great insight on the recently completed IWF Show. Great information for folks who did not attend this.
A brief history of the AHMI.
What makes Appalachian lumber products do desirable.
The benefits of the $1.5M grant the AHMI received for labor training.
Why the chaos of lumber mills can lead to low engagement from workers.
Tom gives his take on the IWF show in Atlanta which he recently returned from.
What new trends were on display at the show?
How robots could be the future of the hardwood lumber industry (and sooner than we all think).
General mood of attendees as it relates to the current business climate.
Was “ripped to width” lumber the Belle of the Ball at the IWF?
A brief discussion on China and export markets.
History of the Northern Hardwoods and the JM Longyear company
The opening of Northern Hardwoods new re-load facility in Niles, Michigan.
Why bringing the products closer to end users is the future of the lumber business.
How companies can effectively merchandise their products in 2022.
How companies are converting the merchandising of their products on social media into big dollars.
“He who can distribute wins”
Why JUST sending a stock list is a pretty bad idea these days.
What Ryan is hearing from secondary manufacturers on the status of the market place.
What recent pricing trends in Maple tells us about the future price of the specie.
Is Ryan cautious, optimistic, or pessimistic on the markets over the next ninety days?
Dallin Brooks, Executive Director of the National Hardwood Lumber Association
Renee Hornsby, Director of Marketing and Communication of the National Hardwood Lumber Association
Background on Dallin: who is the freshly minted Executive Director the NHLA?
What is the NHLA? A brief history…
What has Dallin learned in his short time on the job while speaking with NHLA members? What is on their minds? What challenges and opportunities does the membership see looking ahead?
What are the most important initiatives that the NHLA is involved in presently?
NHLA and advocacy in Washington, DC.
How can the industry overcome the chronic labor shortages?
How we do work to bring so many different stake holders in the hardwood lumber industry together for a common benefit?
What does Clay want to be and not want to be talking about in fifty years?
Wesley Robinson joins us for episode six. Wes represents the fifth generation Robinson Lumber Company based in New Orleans, LA. This conversation covers a wide array of great topics and offers a real time view into several key markets around the world for hardwood lumber products. The markets are changing quite rapidly around the world. Episode six hopes to offer some clarity on the reality on the ground, whatever continent that may be.
The rich and diverse history of Robinson Lumber Company (http://www.roblumco.com/).
Clay offers an update on his recent trip to Vietnam including a story on ending up without his passport in the Ho Chi Minh City Airport. Don’t worry it was a big misunderstanding.
Wesley’s talents as a woodworker.
What Asia markets are telling us back home about where pricing is and where it is heading.
Insights from conversations with domestic lumber buyers and their reading of what is happening in the markets. Especially insightful thoughts for those on the sales side of the supply chain.
Are we seeing a new normal in supply, activity, and inventory levels?
Why are buyers now content with letting inventory levels dwindle?
The outlook and current buying habits of large flooring manufacturers.
Wesley and Clay riff on what the second half of 2022 will look like in the industry.
Why “caution” may be slowing turning to “pessimism”.
Judd Johnson is editor of the Hardwood Market Report, which for over 100 years has been to the go to weekly publication for hardwood market pricing and information. Judd shares the rich history of the Hardwood Market Report and a look ahead at this thoughts of where the hardwood markets are going.
This is an especially timely episode based on the uncertainty in today’s market.
Other topics include:
What current factors are weighing on hardwood lumber pricing.
Judd’s thoughts on what pieces of the economy will be the most predictive of future hardwood lumber pricing.
Why softwood lumber prices falling could be good news for home starts and home completions.
How The Hardwood Market Report formulates and collects the information they use for pricing.
What value secondary manufacturers could gain from using the Hardwood Market Report for their forecasting.
For more information on The Hardwood Market Report please visit www.HMR.com
What is in store the for markets over the next thirty days? Clay discusses why there is equal reason for both optimism and pessimism.
Other topics include:
What role the softwood lumber pricing collapse will play in the hardwood lumber markets.
Are we headed towards a “new normal”?
If markets slowed to February 2020 levels, would we all take it?
The word on the street…what mills and end users are saying.
Why delivered prices to customers will not retreat significantly any time soon.
Analysis of first quarter earning statements by Home Depot CEO Tom Decker.
This episode offers great insight into the future of how lumber is bought and sold. Pakira’s platform allows all aspects of the lumber supply chain to communicate and conduct business in real time. Andrew and I spend the episode talking about how technology is driving a fundamental shift in how business is transacted in the lumber industry.
Other topics include:
A recap of the Montreal Wood Convention
Pakira’s mission of bringing together buyers and sellers of lumber through community and innovative technology.
The issues that have prevented adaption of new online platforms in the hardwood lumber space.
How do we address the disconnects between mills, wholesalers, end-users, and consumers of wood products?
Why online platforms will continue to play an increase role in how lumber is traded.
Why Clay thinks mass timber will be the future of hardwood lumber demand.
The importance of company branding.
To learn more about Pakira and their awesome online platform please visit Pakira.com
Dr. Iris Montague and Kassandra Stout discuss their research into what millennials think of wood products and the lumber industry in general. While there are a host of challenges our industry has to overcome to engage the next consumer generation there is also hope! But time is running out to create an industry wide messaging campaign that will connect.
This wide ranging interview is an essential listen for business owners, sales managers, and all those interested in forging a strategy to connect with the future buyers of wood products. The millennial generation is unlike any other consumer generation we have seen. Find out what we have to do to convert them into life long wood products consumers!
Steve Zambo, President of Ally Global Logistics, joins us for episode 2 to discuss what's happening in the hardwood supply chain and we discuss the current state and future of hardwood shipping.
Topics covered include:
- How Steve has grown Ally into a dominant player in the forest products shipping space
- What the heck is going on with international shipping
- Advice on steps companies can take to work towards reducing variability in their supply chain
- The real story on why containers are being sent back to Asia “empty”
- What the next six months to a year hold for those shipping hardwoods around the world
Kris Long, Vice President of Sales, Atlanta Hardwood joins us for episode 1. In addition to leading the Atlanta Hardwoods Sales Team, Kris serves as a board member on the Real American Harwood Coalition.
Topics covered include:
The Real American Hardwood Coalition’s goals and objectives
The optimism for success in rebranding American hardwoods
Educating the consumer on the beauty and viability of American hardwoods
The threats to market share of hardwood products from wood alternatives
Introducing Select and Better, a podcast featuring thought provoking and informative conversations between hardwood lumber industry leaders. This is a short intro to a series which will feature full length conversations with professionals.