| Outside Sales Team is Detail Driven
People who are in sales are traditionally known as “bad” at lots of little details. At Siewers, the opposite is true—the outside sales team has more than 30 years of “detailed” experience. Alan Rountree, Martin Thigpen, and Harry Gaines are in constant contact with architects and contractors throughout Virginia. They serve as project coordinators, represent the company at regional trade shows, do takeoffs on millwork, and order custom windows and doors. “We teach home owners the language,” laughed Harry, who began his career teaching mechanical drawing. “The contractors look to us to fill in the blanks, and we can assist architects by suggesting products to execute their designs effectively,” he continued.
Synergy among the three non-commissioned men is one of the ways they stay on top of the hectic workload. They often share projects, and providing outstanding service is at the top of their list every day. “Siewers is focused on doing what’s right for our customers, and they have asked us to take that attitude,” said Martin. “We all work together,” declared Alan, “and we simply pool our expertise to get the job done. Whoever is available takes care of the customer, and we always have the guys at the counter as our backup. ” Alan worked for his father-in-law, a general contractor, for 10 years after high school. Before joining Siewers 13 years ago, “I dug footings by hand, estimated jobs, and have plenty of experience driving nails,” he said. Martin spent 8 years doing window and door takeoffs for a wholesale distributor, and often handles the “smaller” jobs that have a shorter time frame. Harry has 27 years in the millwork and lumber business—the last 14 at Siewers. There are always plenty of projects and plans around their offices, but some of the more interesting ones they’re working on now include an Irish pub in Shockoe Bottom, the offices of Guaranty Bank in Charlottesville and Richmond, Sherwood Forest Plantation, and the Yardley House in Jamestown. “It’s exciting to drive by and see these projects go from idea to completion,” said Martin. All agreed that “solving problems creatively” was one of the most satisfying parts of their busy days—whether they’re in the office or out on a job. New! E-mail for outside sales staff: arountree@siewers.com mthigpen@siewers.com hgaines@siewers.com
Beginning in September, we will host a series of breakfast seminars for contractors. Certified speakers will discuss pension plans, taxes, cash flow, marketing, and other issues related to operating a profitable and successful business. Seating will be limited, so sign up early!
Interview with a Master of the Lathe Siewers has many skilled craftsmen whose work adorns several of Richmond’s most prestigious homes—including the Governor’s Mansion. Recently, Nick Pollok took a few minutes to interview Dug Campbell, Siewers’ own master wood turner. Q: What did you do before you worked at Siewers? Q: What are some of the most interesting projects you’ve completed over the years? Q: What’s the least favorite job you remember? Dug graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Sculpture Department in 1976. He has taught classes in lathe turning at the Hand Workshop and at the local Woodcraft store. You can see other examples of his work at the Astra Gallery in the Fan, where he has several items on exhibit. At Siewers, we’re fortunate to have Dug to handle turning jobs and to create custom moulding cutters so we can match any moulding—a unique person for our unique customers! —written by Nick Pollok of the Siewers Mill
Now that summer’s here, many home owners are enjoying their decks and porches. Siewers continues to add maintenance-free products such as CDM Custom Rail. “Customers love it because it’s so easy to install,” said Richie Siewers. The railing and spindles are already assembled in 8', 10' and 12' lengths. The rail can be cut with any chop saw. Available in either square or turned spindles, hardware is also included to install the rail to any column or newel post. “It’s the most advanced system we’ve seen so far,” added Siewers, who noted that the use of lower maintenance products is growing. If you’re looking for an unusual exterior decking or interior flooring material, consider Brazilian cherry or Brazilian walnut. Also known as Jatoba or Locust, the trees are native to Central America and the West Indies and to Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru. The heartwood is salmon red to orange brown when fresh, and turns to a beautiful reddish brown when seasoned. These woods are quite dense with an interlocked grain, and are also rated “very resistant” to dry-wood termites and brown-rot fungi. Siewers has Brazilian cherry and Brazilian walnut available in 1 x 6 boards (various lengths). Another new product Richmonders love is Marvin’s new double hung “ultimate” tilt window. Clad for easy exterior maintenance, it can even be ordered with historical glass! Many years of product research went into the “ultimate” with over 100 design changes. Authentic period details, such as an 8° beveled sill, are combined with jambs that feature more wood than you’ve seen in a double hung since the old weight and balance system. A new integrated tilt lever is cleverly concealed in the sash lock—home owners can tilt the sash with a flick of a finger. This window is on display now in the Siewers showroom. back to top
Next time you’re in the store, turn around from the counter and look at the books and magazines. Taunton Press has recently reprinted the “Best of Fine Homebuilding” series, reorganized into handy subject areas. Articles have been gleaned from more than 15 years of the magazine, so you can easily access several years’ worth of information in one book. Siewers features the complete set:
Contractors are also interested in the popular “Home Tech Remodeling and Renovation Cost Estimator” which offers guidelines for the Richmond market. “It’s a fast resource, and great to have in the truck,” said Bob Williams, who talks to dozens of contractors every week at the counter.
Employee anniversaries this quarter (10 or more years at Siewers):
Thank you for your hard work!
Homes are becoming multi-generational as Baby Boomers bring their aging parents home to live while still raising families of their own. If you are planning a remodeling or new construction project, the challenge is to ensure that homes are usable by each member of the family—today and in the future. Wider doorways and minimum thresholds are only the beginning. There are a number of universal design products available on the market that can make your home “disability friendly.” Consider the facts: More than 49 million Americans have a disability, and by the end of the year 2000, experts predict that one-third of the country’s population will either be disabled, chronically ill, or over the age of 65. —reprinted from The Master Plan, a publication of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
Check your vocabulary—do you know the differences between these engineered lumber terms? TJI®—an I-joist made up of a top and bottom flange (microlam) with a middle web of OSB (oriented strand board). The acronym is for the brand name, Trus Joist I-Joist (made by Trus Joist MacMillan). OSB—oriented strand board is made up of panels of compressed strand-like particles arranged in layers oriented at right angles to one another. LVL—laminated veneer lumber consists of thin layers of structural veneer; the grain is lengthwise. LVLs can be made to varying thicknesses, and are quite strong and straight. Glulam—a stack of graded framing lumber glued together. Glulams are used on long spans, and are available in architectural grade, industrial grade, or premium grade (for exposed girders). PSL—parallel strand lumber contains laminates of wood strands glued together and formed under heat and pressure into beams. LSL—laminated strand lumber is similar to PSL but uses longer strands and is used for lighter duty headers and rim board. —thanks to Bryan Singleton, EWP Technical Rep at Weyerhauser’s Richmond customer service center, and Fine Homebuilding, June/July 1994. |
Besides keeping up with the hundreds of new products introduced each year, these guys also have to know what has been discontinued—which can be a massive task. “On many restoration and addition projects, our customers are often seeking an exact match for a window, door, or trim,” said Alan. “Product availability is constantly changing, and all of us know one mistake from a supplier can make the whole job grind to a halt,” added Martin.
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