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C o n s t r u c t i o n M a r k e t p l a c e 9 T h u r s d a y, J a n u a r y 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 GENERAL SHALE INTRODUCES AT HOME, AT WORK MAGAZINE By Dawn Henning, Director of Marketing and Retail Sales, General Shale It's a builder's dream – getting an inside look at breathtaking residential projects and innovative commercial sites, and General Shale is now offering both in one place via its new publication, At Home, At Work. Designed for homeowners and con- struction professionals alike, the annual magazine features a dual format that speaks to specific customer needs. Half of the pub- lication's content falls under the At Home section, which showcases notable residen- tial projects through striking photographic essays and interviews with owners. Readers wanting more technical information or cov- erage of distinctive sites, including health- care, retail and educational facilities, can simply flip the magazine over to access the At Work section. "As part of our continuing growth, we've expanded our offerings, and builders and designers are taking note," says Dawn Henning, Director of Marketing and Retail Sales at General Shale. "At Home, At Work illustrates how our broad portfolio of materials has been used to create excep- tional commercial projects, as well as some of the most stunning dream homes in North America. It's a source of inspiration and valuable information for a range of builds, from municipal and retail venues to high-end, multi-family residential townhouses and specialty high rises." At Home, At Work complements the format of General Shale's newly redesigned website, www.generalshale.com, and replaces the company's previous magazine, Great North American Homes. You can order a copy of the magazine through the General Shale website. As the premier supplier of building products for a variety of residential, commercial, institutional and specialty architectural projects, General Shale offers a comprehensive product line that includes architectural brick, building stone, thin veneers, landscaping, concrete block, out- door living products and other building materials, along with an extensive selection of colors, styles, sizes and textures. For more information, visit www. generalshale.com, email dawn.henning@ generalshale.com or call 800.414.4661. SYSTEMS IDEAS FOR INCREASED PROFITABILITY Now is a very important time in home building. Volume and pricing are up but labor is tight and costs are up. Here are some ideas builders should consider. Business Intelligence is information for profitable actions. What if you had a system that turns information into profit? Business Intelligence systems are designed to answer important questions automatically and effortlessly from exist- ing data that lie within the systems used to run day-to-day operations. Gain access to the data contained in any system and integrate details to turn them into action- able intelligence. This makes you agile and informed and can help with questions such as: Are you missing selling opportu- nities? Where do your buyers come from? Where are the opportunities to generate more leads? What marketing events should we do more of? Less of? Where are the opportunities to generate more revenue from the customers we have? Where are the opportunities to close homes faster? To get projects back on track? Business Intelligence systems will allow relevant information to be visible on-demand. Your unique data and busi- ness information can be secured on the cloud, guaranteeing access and reliabili- ty. This important data provides key indi- cators of your business in real time. Have you ever wondered if you are receiving rebates in all categories avail- able? Or if that supplier even paid you last quarter? You can generate important savings both in time and costs by partici- pating in rebate and incen- tive programs. Benchmark your current rebate and incentive programs to find the best rebates available in a given category, and work to achieve those lev- els. Consider what your current suppliers have to offer, also periodically review new suppliers. You will gain a closer relationship with your suppliers and build a better home. Look for a firm that can supply this information and perform these services. Next, let's address integrated sys- tems. What will implementing an inte- grated system do for your business? This will create an efficient home building operation. Everyone will be working from the same set of facts, allowing you to do a lot more with less. Systems are available today at a fraction of the cost through cloud com- puting. Fully integrated systems are available and affordable for builders of virtually any size. Builders can eliminate the cost to own and manage servers, soft- ware and databases. Less cost, less work, more functionality and easy to use and imple- ment. A fully integrated system can be implemented in three to six months. Now is the best time to implement new systems to be ready to support growth profitably as it occurs. The only way to obtain a different result is to do things differently. Good systems are no longer difficult, cumber- some, non-integrated and expensive. As you move forward, avoid the temptation to hire more people to increase profit. Automate and outsource where ever pos- sible. For more information, visit the Builders Sourcing Corporation at booth C#3260. LOWE'S PARTNERS UP TO CREATE ONE-STOP SHOP FOR PROS Since 1946, Lowe's has been partnering with your favorite brands to provide everything you need under one roof, and save you time and money. As of last spring, Lowe's carries GAF roofing. GAF is North America's largest roofing manufacturer and has been in business for 129 years. It offers a broad array of shingle choices with more than 100 different style and color options, including Timberline ® Shingles with Advanced Protection ® Shingle Technology, North America's No. 1 sell- ing shingle. Come to the Lowe's booth to find out more about getting GAF's com- plete roofing system with Lowe's con- venience. GAF is available in stock at select stores, through special order from any Lowe's store (see the ProServices Desk) or online at lowesforpros.com. In addition, Lowe's is now the national home center destination for Hitachi Power Tools, offering the broad- est selection with the latest innovations that deliver lighter, faster and more durable tools. Hitachi is the preferred pro brand for pneumatic nailers in the 2014 and 2015 Builder & Developer Magazine product brand sur- vey, and also offers an exten- sive line of professional grade power tools and accessories for wood- working, metalworking, drilling and fas- tening, concrete drilling and cutting and outdoor power equipment products. In the spring of 2015, Lowe's intro- duced HGTV Home™ by Sherwin Williams in stores. This brand is backed by 150 years of industry experience and countless relationships with professional painters, HGTV HOME™ by Sherwin-Williams is proud to provide outstand- ing products, color tools and service. HGTV HOME by Sherwin- Williams develops paints formulated with the utmost attention to achieving perfect consistency, controlled fluidity and a beautiful, smooth finish. These paints provide effortless application and a pro- fessional, smooth finish every time you paint. For more information, visit booth #C4108 and www.lowesforpros.com. KEEP MOISTURE OUT WITH SUBSEAL SELF-ADHERING WATERPROOFING MEMBRANE Manufactured in the United States by MFM Building Products, SubSeal™ is an advanced 40 or 60 mil, self-adher- ing waterproofing membrane that is engineered to be a multi-purpose sheet suitable for vertical and horizontal applications. These membranes are designed for extreme moisture protec- tion and aggressively bond to poured concrete and other building materials. SubSeal eliminates the movement of water under the membrane. SubSeal also can be used for both above and below grade applications. It is specifically designed for use on fea- tures such as through-wall flashings, windows, sills, pot shelves and parapet walls. It is composed of a tough multi- layer, high-strength polymer film that is coated with a layer of specially for- mulated rubberized asphalt adhesive for maximum protection. Because SubSeal is a multi-purpose product, it also works in foundation walls, plaza decks, parking garages and under stucco. With all of these applications, it doesn't make sense to have similar products on hand. This advanced sys- tem aggressively bonds to the substrate and will seal around fasteners to prevent dam- age caused by water penetration. It's rugged and reliable and is easy to han- dle and install. Because MFM Building Products is dedicated to providing the best product, SubSeal meets ICC-ES AC 38 and comes with a 10-year limit- ed warranty. Founded in 1961, MFM Building Products has put its 55 years of indus- try knowledge and expertise into this and other product lines. This family-owned company tests and retests prod- ucts to ensure that they exceed customer expec- tations. And to keep prices down, MFM is constantly on the lookout for cost- effective materials and manufacturing practices. The company's skilled sales force can recommend the perfect solu- tion to customers' waterproofing and weather barrier needs. For more information, visit booth #C6747 and www.mfmbp.com, or call 740.622.2645.