Just over five years ago, senior leadership at the lumber and building materials cooperative created a division dedicated to providing purchase opportunities of trusses and wall panels for LBM yards.
The department soon evolved into two branches: Components and B2B.
The components division has two main functions: The first being advocacy for truss manufacturers by providing support for their daily operational functions. The second major goal is increasing the visibility and sales of their products. This is done through education and building partnerships with a large customer base, dealer yards. Many of the partnerships are through the business-to-business department (B2B) where LMC staff connects LMC component manufacturers with LMC lumberyards.
According to Rachel Hoops, manager of LMC Components Division as well as the B2B sale department; these partnerships generate top and bottom-line growth for the members of the cooperative. Ultimately this program follows the true spirit of this cooperative, building business together. About 80 of LMC’s member companies currently manufacture trusses.
“LMC has put time and resources into ensuring that our cooperative members, whether a component manufacturer or LBM yard, have access to programs that will support the growth of this important innovative prefabricated product,” Hoops says. “This division’s sales continue to multiply each year and we’re nowhere near capacity.” Hoops notes that, between labor struggles, industry innovation, and the current housing shortage, components will rise in importance now and in the years to come.
Education regarding components took center stage at the 2024 LMC Annual held in Houston in March. A panel of LMC’s own component manufacturing members delivered insight to prodealer members on best practices for selling components (truss and wall panels) and how to effectively communicate with your truss provider to create strong synergies for their sales teams.
LMC Members Discuss Component Manufacturing Trends
