Connecting with trade customers
Cedar siding aggressively promoted in Fall, 2002

Research conducted by the Journal of Light Construction in 2001 indicated Cedar as the number one choice for siding for builders' own homes. Capitalizing on this sentiment, the WRCLA ran a builder and industry trade media advertising program in this quarter and the previous quarter. A total of eighteen insertions of a full color ad have run in seven builder/architect oriented publications and two industry journals with a combined circulation of over 400,000. Readers were directed to the WRCLA's new siding website: www.cedar-siding.com

This advertisement was placed in:

• Custom Home
• NW Builder
• Residential Architect
• Professional Builder
• Custom Home Outdoors
• Builder
• Luxury Home Builder

Click on the Ad for a higher resolution copy of this Ad.

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Starting in March, the gloves are off and up to 5 million upscale consumers are going to start hearing from the "real" thing over the Spring and early Summer. A suite of high circulation home improvement and lifestyle magazines have been selected to run the WRCLA's cutting edge messaging with effective coverage in the US Northwest, Midwest and Northeast. In addition to the WRCLA's toll free number, readers will be driven to the new WRCLA "portal" website where they'll be further directed to our siding, decking or yardscape site.

The above full page advertisements will appear in the publications listed below. These Media insertions for March 2003 have been booked and confirmed for the consumer advertising program.

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Peter Lang,
General Manager

Marketing Program UPDATE! cont...
The largest component of this years program is Consumer Advertising. Approximately $615,000 is to be invested in this initiative before the end of March. The media schedule is presented in this newsletter so you can be aware of which publications to look for in your area. The purpose of this advertising program is to raise the awareness of cedar at the consumer level. The ads, humorous and perhaps provocative, featuring comparisons between classy cedar products and less than classy "alternative" products will address the siding, decking and yardscape markets. Pictorials of the ads will be featured in upcoming editions of this newsletter, and copies of the ads will be supplied to the members.

To test the effectiveness of the ads, a series of "benchmarking" surveys will be conducted prior to the first publications and as a follow up.

A new and increasingly important element of our program is in the field of Media and Public Relations. We have engaged the Rockey Company - a Seattle based firm to develop and implement a PR campaign aimed at increasing the amount of editorial attention devoted to cedar. In early March, they will issue a significant "Press Release", complete with media kits for major publications, announcing the launch of the program. As well, Rockey will be generating a series of articles about cedar, as well as timely topics such as CCA , for distribution to the media.

The implementation of our internet strategy is progressing well. New sites for decking and yardscape products are under development and will be launched in March. The intent is to significantly increase the amount of internet traffic to our sites. We will be experimenting with techniques such as "pay-per-click" to try to better position our sites with search engine rankings, making us more visible in areas that are currently the exclusive domain of the competition. In addition, we are greatly enhancing the "Where To Buy" sections of our websites by adding a Dealer section. We have purchased new zip-code locater software which will make it easy for consumers to locate cedar products at the retail level.

It's hard to believe, but we only have six weeks remaining in our first year contract with Forestry Innovation Investment. FII, our funding partner - without whom this program would not exist - have issued their RFP (Request for Proposals) for next years funding. The deadline for submissions is March 14, with indications that approvals for the next fiscal year will be announced by early April. Staff and the Marketing Committee have begun development of our next years budget and marketing plan. The plan will be submitted for a preview at the February 28 Board of Directors Meeting.

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click picture for closer look

Country Living House of the Year 2003 cont...

...and Cedar Shingles
The WRCLA provided the siding at a cost of $35,000 for this home which was sucessfully selected as House of the Year for 2003.
An empowering endorsement for great product!

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Cees de Jager
Marketing Consultant

WRCLA participation in the NAHB Tradeshow cont...
The WRCLA approached the show from a number of fronts. Arnie Nebelsick and Paul Mackie joined the Canadian Wood Council (CWC) in their booth while John Kenmuir and I toured the show evaluating the competition and testing the new WRCLA logo.

Collaborative Efforts
To minimize costs and maximize exposure, the WRCLA worked together with CWC, Weyerhaeuser, Cedar Valley and others to get the word out.
The CWC booth featured a literature wall dedicated to the WRCLA.
Weyerhaeuser's booth prominently displayed Western Red Cedar, the new Real Cedar display and hosted "Meet the Expert" sessions where Paul Mackie spoke about Cedar as the "Ultimate Decking Material".
Having recently joined the WRCLA, Cedar Valley was presented with their membership plaque and Real Cedar display. Both of these were featured "center stage".
Other exhibitors such as McCoy's Sauna incorporated "Real Cedar" product tags on their products.
Lowe's booth featured Cedar siding (unfortunately the same cannot be said of Home Depot which featured vinyl siding and composite decking).

Click on the photos above for larger versions:

Competitors Prominent
As with previous shows, the cement, plastic and composite products were prominently featured. In the decking category, more than 35 companies displayed composite or plastic products. Similarly, of the 28 companies promoting siding, more than 20 were non-wood alternatives. On the positive side, at least 4 of the remaining companies featured Cedar.

The quality and versatility of these products continues to increase. Many companies now offer full decking packages including balusters and handrail systems. Comments from builders and consumers overheard at these booths certainly indicate that the composites and other alternatives have been very effective in their messaging.

Clearly, the need for an aggressive, targeted marketing campaign has never been greater.

Click on the photos above for a larger versions:

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Tony Bonura
Eastern Field Report - January 2003

FIELD SERVICES
There were two seminars performed this month. One seminar was for the re-certification of a retail distributor (24 people) and the other seminar was for a Certified Cedar Distributor (16 people). Some comments from these meetings:
1) "What is the current status of the WRCLA marketing program?"
2) "Can you supply us with the current information on the countervailing duty issue (CVD)? (NOTE: I provided all individuals, at both seminars, with the website www.canada.com/vancouver and told them to go to the 'Softwood Lumber Dispute' tab and then follow the links).
3) "Will the market experience seeing more end tagging and/or stamping of your Members products so as to provide easier identification of the product and the producer?"
4) "The market really needs to feel the thrust of the WRCLA marketing program. We can see the alternate products impacting our finish board program. (NOTE: More information on this in the 'Market Comments' section).

The Joint Coatings/Forest Products Committee meeting, which was held in North Carolina, was attended. The meeting contained discussion on new coatings technology, mold, caulking, flashing, and other subjects that will be beneficial to the WRCLA and the performance of Western Red Cedar (WRC) products in the field. I am also co-authoring a paper on coatings and finishing which should be completed by June, 2003.

INSPECTIONS
An inspection was performed at the request of a Member. The inspection was requested due to extractive bleeding. The inspection indicated improper installation and a porous coating. The porous coating was the reason for the extractive bleeding. The inspection also revealed the installation of the bevel siding was compromised by using staples and 'double fastening', i.e., staple penetrating the upper and lower course of the siding. NOTE: As noted in previous reports, extractive bleeding complaints have been frequent in the last number of months. All of the complaints I have fielded have proven the extractive problem to be the result of improper installation and/or coating.
KET COMMENTS
A Certified Cedar Distributor commented on the obvious losing of market share of finish boards to composites and cement products. The distributor indicated that his companies footage shipped of finish boards, has not gone down to a "trickle". However, the reduction of the footage shipped is obvious.

Factors, such as an abnormally cold winter (based on the last seven years) in the northeast and the CVD have contributed to the decline of finish board shipments over the last few months. However, the onslaught of concrete and plastic products that have entered and continue to invade the market has created a strong challenge to WRC finish boards and other WRC products.

PROGRAM FEEDBACK
Questions on WRC products, installation, specifying and finishing have been the main queries from the market. The questions came from the various market segments to include builders, retail and wholesale distributors, homeowners and architects.

Seminars are scheduled into May, as well as some seminars already being booked into the fall and winter.

Literature sales for the period were good.

The 'new contacts' for the month included;
1) Contractors-5.
2) Builders-2.
3) Engineers-1.
4) Architects-6.
5) Retail Distributors-1
6) Wholesale Distributors-1.
7) Industrials-1.

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Paul Mackie
Western Field Report - January 2003

FIELD SERVICES
Assisted 22 architects with technical and specification questions during January. One project involved three large structures for a Northern California Community College to be mostly clad with 1X6 clear, T&G. Participated in a conference call with the architectural staff to review siding details. A Colorado firm in the final stages of design for two 20,000 square foot commercial structures to be built at altitude questioned the reasoning behind pre-staining cedar siding. Unfortunately, in this case, the siding was already on the job-site. Factory pre-staining was still recommended for best performance. A National Park Service architect re-writing the specifications for a Mount Rainier project was assisted with specification suggestions for trim, decking, balusters and railing. Unfortunately, the siding specification had been changed to cement because it was thought that this product was "green". Discovered that low maintenance was the real goal. Information on coating warranties for siding and the environmental friendliness of Western Red Cedar was provided. The architect involved indicated that she would substitute Cedar for concrete in the siding specification and re-submit to the decision makers. A Los Angeles architect working on a project in Bel Aire expressed concerns about the lengths available in clear WRC siding for his $10Million single family home. Proper installation and coating methods were discussed. A Vancouver, BC architect was assisted with flame spread and smoke developed data on Western Red Cedar siding for a Prince George, BC commercial project. A Northern California architect was assisted with his struggle to achieve grain and color matching on his high-end window, door and timber project. Information on the wide variety of color in the heartwood of cedar was provided. Information on availability of structurally graded timbers was provided to a Texas engineer working on a project using 4X12 cedar in an exposed ceiling application. Six contractors assisted with technical information last month. One was a Rocky Mountain contractor reported that a local cedar dealer (not a CCD) indicated that building papers are often not used behind channel rustic cedar siding. Our recommendations on the use of breathable types of building papers were provided. Fourteen dealers were helped with a wide variety of specification and technical questions. One involved the recommended height of head flashing under building paper for windows and doors. Two inquired about moving clear, dry products 'in bond' to manufacturing plants in Mexico. Twelve homeowners were assisted with source and installation questions.

Exhibitions and Meetings
The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) Show was attended. Participated in the Canadian Wood Council (CWC) booth and distributed WRCLA literature. The CWC booth was partially clad with WRCLA provided Western Red Cedar siding. Attendance at this show was up from last year with pre-registration exceeding 90,000. Conducted four presentations on WRC decking at a Certified Cedar Distributor's booth. Adding siding products presentations next year has been discussed. Met with the staff and ownership of a new WRCLA member that was an exhibitor at this show. WRCLA promotional materials were provided.

Opportunities/Competition/Cedar Trends
A Pacific Northwest cedar siding dealer reported adding another wood siding product to their line. Only a small 'test' quantity has been purchased to see how it performs. As it is a wood specie foreign to this area, samples have been obtained and forwarded to a laboratory for evaluation. Based on technical data, it appears that this product will be less stable and less durable than Western Red Cedar.

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Arnie Nebelsick
Midwest Field Report - January 2003

FIELD SERVICES
With the cooperation of a WRCLA Certified Cedar Distributor, a seminar was completed for a group representing fourteen different retail and wholesale locations. All those attending will receive Certificates of Completion for completing Certified Cedar Dealer training. Assistance was provided to a homeowner looking for clear cedar to finish their sauna. The homeowner had contacted several local sources with all stating clear product was not available. An architect looking for a source of 12" X 12" timbers found a WRCLA Certified Cedar Distributor on the WRCLA website and contacted them. When the distributor told the architect they were not available, he contacted the WRCLA. The architect was referred to another WRCLA Certified Cedar Distributor that services the same area and his needs were satisfied. It is not unusual for the WRCLA office to be contacted after a builder, architect or homeowner has contacted a WRCLA Certified Cedar Distributor listed on our website only to be told "we only sell retail" or "that product is not available" and ending the call without assisting the caller. Recommendations were provided to a homeowner in a very upscale home that was replacing artificial stucco with Western Redcedar siding. The stucco system had failed and was causing decay within the exterior walls.

EXHIBITIONS & MEETINGS
The WRCLA was an exhibitor at two state expositions. Although traffic in the exhibit halls was light at times, it was a good to discuss opportunities for Western Redcedar with local retailers and builders. Most are optimistic about their cedar activity for the coming year. Several retailers indicated the previous year had been their best year. The International Building Exposition was attended. The WRCLA again enjoyed the cooperation of the Canadian Wood Council and was able to distribute WRCLA literature from their booth. Although traffic the first day was slower than expected, the rest of the days were very active. Per NAHB statements, it was the largest exhibition in their history. There were a few builders from some areas that were not very optimistic, the vast majority was looking towards an active building season. At the Joint Coatings & Forest Products Committee meeting, revisions were approved for two papers, A Guide to Achieving Optimum Coating performance on Your Exterior Wood Surfaces and Paint/Wood: Common Questions and Misconceptions. When final approval is given, they will be available for publication and distribution. In addition, the document dealing with proper flashing to prevent water infiltration into structures is progressing.

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Member's Corner cont...

The WRCLA Board of Directors are pleased to announce the addition of CanWel Distribution Ltd. (est 1989) as a new Certified Cedar Distributor. CanWel is a national distributor of building materials and related products serving the Retail and Industrial markets. They will be represented as a CCD in seven of their Customer Service Centres across Canada: Langley BC, Kelowna BC, Edmonton AB, Calgary AB, Saskatoon SK, Winnipeg MB and Brampton ON. CanWel was approved by the WRCLA Board of Directors on February 1st, 2003 and we welcome them to the association. To learn about this company, visit their website at: www.canwel.com

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You Said It cont...

Steve From, Reid &Wright, Inc.

I liked the use of the board and batten picture. That look cannot be duplicated by the guys trying to look like cedar. Bevel siding and cove siding certainly are available by the substitutes. It would be a great thing to influence the siding choice in an area to a look that can only be achieved by the versatility wood (cedar) can provide. I will continue to sound like a broken record regarding one product line that needs promotion: interior wood paneling. You can't make vinyl or fiber cement look like wood inside a house. Knotty or clear paneling is a look that needs more attention. Cedar's competition for the warm look of wood is pine or fir. Cedar certainly has its own story to tell regarding the color of cedar vs the less expensive by rather bland look of pine or fir.....probably not too many extractive bleed complaints either.

Roger Slonaker, Skookum Lumber

Benefits of WR Cedar Vs. 'composites'

• The only building material made from a renewable resource !
• Progressively increases the value of a home over the years !
• Lengths to 20 feet long !
• Not affected by 'freeze-thaw' cycle !
• No 'efflorescence' deposits on the surface !
• Will not 'delaminate or swell' !
• Holds finishes better than composites … 15 & 30 year warranties available !
• Composite substrates with stated warranties are proof of a limited life ! " It's 'The Real Thing'