Richard Smith

Maintenance is key to longevity!

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If you have not made it to one of our annual trips, you need to get there in 2025! Check out the links below for more details!

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I'll be at the Sunbelt Builders Show™ in Fort Worth, TX. We'll be discussing why it is important that #homebuilders select the right plumbing system for new residential and multifamily construction. 4 Key Considerations for Homebuilders & Plumbers... 💧 Compatibility with Local Water Conditions FlowGuard Gold CPVC is immune to degradation from chlorinated drinking water and performs reliably in all potable water conditions. 🚿 Impact on Water Pressure and Flow Poor water pressure at fixtures can be frustrating for homeowners and the insert fittings used by PEX create a larger pressure drop than the socket-style fittings used by copper and CPVC. FlowGuard Gold CPVC reliably supports velocities of 8-10 feet per second in hot water recirculating systems, eliminating the need for upsizing and allowing the full benefits of the system to be realized. 🏃‍♂️💨 Speed and Cost There’s a common misperception in the industry that PEX installs faster than CPVC and that time savings offset the higher cost of PEX materials. However, in a time study conducted by the NAHB’s Home Innovation Research Labs, CPVC installed about 15% faster than PEX in trunk and branch configurations. 🤝 Proven Reliability With more than 13 billion feet installed in the United States, FlowGuard Gold CPVC has been the most used, most specified, and most trusted brand of non-metallic pipes over the last 65 years. It’s that proven reliability that makes it the system of choice for contractors like Atlas Plumbing. “FlowGuard Gold is a time-tested product that trains easily and is price competitive,” Tim Lear of Atlas Plumbing says. “And that’s the whole reason we’ve used it for as many years as we have.”   Jonathan Simon Marty Musgrave RICH TABELING Brad Pick

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Come and take it. Your order, that is. Texas glaziers and fabricators can now pickup orders same day at our brand spankin’ new service center in Irving, Texas. This ain’t just Texas, either, Beyonce. Customers in surrounding states (LA, OK, MS, CO, NM, KS, AR and NE) will enjoy faster and cheaper shipping. FHC is ensuring ample stock of our most popular items and fast lead times on custom orders via weekly transfer trucks. We aim to have what you need, when you need it. If we don’t, tell me and I’ll put it there. It’s that level of commitment that has put us in growth mode. It’s thanks to our growing customer base. At a time when most suppliers are closing locations (I shan’t name names), FHC has added three in the last 18 months to better serve the glass and glazing industry. I’m typically pretty modest (kinda) but that is pretty dang impressive. We win when you win, and we’ll pull out just about every stop to help you win. You best believe we’re not done yet, either. Stay tuned, locals. I might drop by the shop next month and you’ll be invited. Let me know if you want to hang. In the meantime, go swing by and meet the awesome team there and check out the showroom. In fact, for the entire month of June, customers serviced by this location will receive an automatic 5% discount on every order. Based on the average order, that’s folding money right back in your pocket! If y’all weren’t aware yet, 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗔 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲. Please forgive my sloppy hodgepodge Texas photoshop amalgamation. There's a lot going on there. https://lnkd.in/gapeX4_V FHC Frameless Hardware Company LLC #glass #glazing #glaziers TEXAS GLASS ASSOCIATION HAGA - Houston Area Glass Association Texas Glass Association North Texas Division

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A Homeowner’s Guide to Choosing a Professional Roofer. This is a piece designed to help a homeowner determine the reliability, reputation and experience of a contractor. After these storms across Middle TN, these are great questions a homeowner should ask to be certain they are receiving a quality roof from a trustworthy roofing company.

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🚀 Ready to take your trade show game to the next level? Don’t miss the latest episode of Thrive in Design with the incredible Lauren Henley-McKinnon! 🌟 Discover the secrets to maximizing your impact at trade shows and making lasting connections. 🎧 Tune in now and elevate your design business! 🔗 Link in comments... #ThriveInDesign #InteriorDesign #TradeShows #DesignTips #LaurenHenleyMcKinnon

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High performance floors? It IS possible to have floors that not only look clean, but perform longer and harder for your business. It’s all about using high performance coatings. Give us a call to discuss your business. Learn more. https://ow.ly/349050ScGtS

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Attention Commercial Flooring Designers and Contractors! The significant increase in freight charges on LVT flooring from offshore manufacturers creates considerable budget challenges for ongoing projects. This unexpected cost surge threatens to push many projects over budget. Armstrong Flooring™ has the solution with our domestically manufactured LVT collections. https://hubs.ly/Q02HDTCv0 By eliminating overseas freight costs, we help you stay within budget and avoid potential delays that sidetrack projects. Here's why Armstrong LVT is the solution: 💲Predictable Budgets: Domestic production ensures stable pricing and avoids unexpected freight cost increases. 🚚Faster Delivery Timelines: Keep your projects on track without waiting on slow overseas shipments. 🎨Extensive LVT Collections: Find the perfect performance and aesthetic options for any commercial space. Don't let budget concerns derail your project. Switch to Armstrong Flooring. Stay on budget and complete your projects on time. #BudgetSaver #CommercialFlooring #ArmstrongFlooring #ProjectManagement

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Join Kyle Paulus of SOPREMA and learn about PMMA!

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Garbage in, garbage out. This saying has never been more relevant than it is today. As a sales leader, you know that the volume of contacts is important, but what about the quality? At what point does the quality of contact become more important than the quantity? As sales leaders, it's our job to ensure that our teams are making meaningful connections with potential customers. It's easy to get caught up in the numbers game, but it's crucial to remember that quality leads to better outcomes. So, how are you leading your sales team? Are you focusing solely on volume, or are you prioritizing quality? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Let's start a conversation about how we can improve the quality of our sales efforts. #salesleadership #qualityoverquantity

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It’s time for a Tip of The Day with Product Manager, Benjamin Lampi, PMP at Coverings ! 💡 Today’s topic? The best way to maintain your profiles & trims! Stay tuned for more LATICRETE tips from our team. #laticrete #tips #contractors #coverings2024 #laticretecoverings2024

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Do Commercial Roof Coatings Require Maintenance? While they generally require less maintenance than traditional roofing materials, it's still essential to perform regular inspections and minor maintenance tasks to ensure the coating remains effective and durable. Let's delve into the details: 🎯Preservation of Coating Integrity 🎯Maximizing Longevity 🎯Cost Savings 🎯Prevention of Leaks 🎯Improved Energy Efficiency 🎯Enhanced Appearance While roof coatings generally require less maintenance than traditional roofing materials, regular inspections and minor upkeep are still essential. Follow Instacoat Premium Products to learn more about roof maintenance! #IPP #InstacoatPremiumProducts #CommercialRoofing #RoofRestoration

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When you need a surfacing product yesterday, and you need it to be made in the U.S., sustainable, and priced right, you need Access Point™ in your arsenal. Head over to our blog for a look at the reasons Access Point should be your new best friend! https://hubs.li/Q02JsMGy0

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Why spend time posting on LinkedIn? I'm a sales guy... always have been. Started at 15 with a commission sales job with Kaman's Art Shoppes, Inc inside SeaWorld San Antonio. Story telling is a HUGE part of every sales role I've had. When I really started to get active on LinkedIn in 2019 (after lurking on the platform for 11 years), I wanted to tell a story. What's my story been? -I have a product that might solve problems you're facing in business. -I have a family who loves and supports me. -I have a sense of humor. -I travel a lot for work to visit customers and attend trade shows. -I love wearing Hawaiian shirts. People buy from people they can relate to. As I've gotten more consistent with the frequency of my content, I've seen the impact it has. Not everyone relates to a floral print wearing, plane hopping, family man, but some do! I'm no big time influencer by any stretch of the imagination, but seeing almost 50k impressions in a month is unbelievable for a wall salesman. Just like you won't lose 40 lbs after your first workout, you won't get a bunch of internet points after your first post. But if you keep working on your content and brand, it'll work out for you in the long run. Social selling works, but it takes work. #CSandlerLinkedInChallenge

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💡With the market for PVC-free resilient flooring expanding rapidly amid increasing environmental and health concerns, there is a pressing need for clarity and education. Learn all about the materials, performance, and sustainability of PVC-free resilient flooring in this new CE course. Thanks to Windmoeller Inc for these insights! #flooringindustry #educationandtraining #sustainabledesign

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Confucius says... Good Monday morning to you! On the agenda this morning – Contracts squeezing out open market OSB opportunities, retailer expectations not so good, another mill closure for Montana, Builder Confidence Index heads south. The trend in relying on Contracts, in the OSB market has sidelined Open Market Sales opportunities thus far in 2024. It appears that buyers are taking the less risky road of Contracts, which creates more price stability than running it tight, trying to catch to dip of Open Market Sales. With mill curtailments, this means that those without Contracts find themselves without coverage. When mills do have a little extra and go to the Open Market buyers become weary of market stability and retreat to Contracts. What could this mean if the trend continues across other product lines like softwoods or plywood? It could mean a more stable commodities market without having these crazy capitalist trying to maximize profits by buying at the bottom on the Open Market, or it could mean a slow climb to inflated prices, in which few access to securing these larger contracts. Eventually boxing out the small guys. One buyer noted that he has gone weeks or more than a month with no Open Market offerings from a mill. Couple this with another mill closure in Montana, Pyramid Mountain Lumber. A week prior Roseburg Forest Products announced the closing of their particle board plant in Missoula. I said this months ago that at some point the cost to produce will outweigh what the product can be sold for and it will not make sense for companies to keep their doors open. One key note for Montana mills is that the 70% of the forestland is under the “management” of the federal forest system. It appears that these lands slowly being taken out of play forcing mills to seek out state and private land options. The Builder Confidence Index slide down below 50 again, sitting at 45. This is the same number as May. Unclear if it hasn’t changed, or they just haven’t reported the new numbers yet.  It makes a person wonder why when inflation is under control, we have the best employment rate in 50 years, and our nation’s economy is the strongest it’s ever been since July 4th, 1776? The Numbers FLC down -$3/mbf from $388 to $385/mbf SPC down -$6/msf from $588 to $582/msf 30yr down from 7.03% to 6.99% Average Diesel is down from $3.76 to $3.73/gal Housekeeping The great Confucius says, “The man who asks a question is fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is fool for life.” Product Knowledge https://lnkd.in/ehSYJ5H5 #bucklumber #commodities #confucius #mills #montana #roseburg #OSB #construction #openmarket #

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