Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/739842
palletcentral.com PalletCentral • September-October 2016 35 The North American forest is growing at twice the rate it is being harvested, according to U.S. Forest Service statistics. They report that over the past 60 years, the quantity of standing harvestable timber in our forests has quadrupled to over 2 trillion board feet. In other words, we have a gigantic warehouse of standing wood resource and we keep stuffing more into it every year. Yet due to land use restrictions and development, the amount of timber available to harvest has decreased and the competing markets for high quality logs has increased, resulting in a decline of log quality and grade being processed by the sawmills. These facts are good news for the wooden pallet industry. Industrial products now utilize 57.7% of total sawmill production, and 70% of that production goes to pallets, with the rest comprised of railroad ties and timber mats. The last recession left the hardwood lumber industry devastated in terms of production and number of mills, and the wooden pallet industry remained a relatively steady consumer. Consumption for wood pallets today is nearly the same as in 2008, but the last three years' declines have both the pallet and lumber industries wondering why this recent trend. There seems to be several reasons why hardwood demand for pallets decreased in the short term. The first is price. Hardwood lumber cants and board prices increased quickly in the past couple of years along with grade hardwood lumber prices when markets did finally improve after the great recession. Production was down and demand up especially in the exploding world markets for hardwoods of all grades and sizes, resulting in the classic case for a rapid increase in prices. For much of the hardwood industry, that price push added a much needed transfusion of dollars into their businesses. Recent reports see those prices balancing out with many of the various hardwood markets being described as stable or steady. This change might make prices more predictable and hardwoods a good value. The second reason is replacement materials for hardwoods, which in the wooden pallet industry is primarily softwoods or engineered products. The use of softwoods has increased dramatically due to an abundant supply creating competitive prices. History has shown that just the balancing of prices may not be enough to bring consumers immediately back to hardwoods. Replacements have been the bane of the hardwood Consumption for wood pallets today is the nearly same as in 2008, but the last three year's declines have both the pallet and lumber industries wondering why this recent trend. Lumber Sales Manager Growing industrial manufacturer of green hardwood, green pine and kiln dried pallet lumber located in Tuscumbia, AL is looking to hire an experienced and entrepreneurial minded Sales Manager who will help us grow our business. Qualified candidates will need experience selling green hardwood and green pine pallet lumber. This role will work closely with our management and production teams to establish and execute sales strategies necessary to achieve our revenue goals. Duties & Responsibilities • Provide first class customer service to existing customers. • Responds promptly to all customer inquiries, and coordinates the effort to solve technical, engineering, production, quality or product performance issues. • Identify leads, manage prospects and acquire new accounts in target markets. • Prepare and delivers quotes and/or proposals. • Assist customers in determining needs and suggest design and product options. • Assist in the development of sales strategies to generate new business opportunities. • Gather and monitor information on market behavior, competitive trends, and customer feedback. • Project a positive attitude and image in all communications with customers, employees, and business partners. • Use of own reliable vehicle. Will be compensated for documented mileage. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities • Exceptional communication skills both verbal and written. • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with customers, employees, and vendors. • Working knowledge of Microsoft Office including Excel, Word and Outlook. • Demonstrated ability to train and mentor individuals in a sales environment. • Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and keep accurate customer records. • Ability to be flexible and adapt to quick changes. • Strong organizational skills. • Must be a team player and support Company goals. • Must have a valid driver's license and clean driving record. Competitive salary and commission plan based on experience and skills. Excellent benefits – BCBS, 401(k) w/ match, PTO. Send resumes to: hr.dept@simsbark.com or fax: (256) 381-6818