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Summarizes trends in the United States building materials industry that were featured at the 1995 National Hardware Show and the National Building Products Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. Includes lumber connectors; Tools; Hardware; Electrical; Plumbing; Paint. INSETS: Tough questions retailers put to show suppliers.;Packaging: What's in.;`Me-oriented' questions retailers want answered.;What's state of the art in store concepts and formats?.

Lists `Builders Supply Home Centers' periodical's top retail stores based on building supply sales. Includes the top five product categories; Turns and margins; fastest-growing independents; Fastest-growing local chains; Giants increase generalist bent; Fastest-growing regional chains.

Ranks the top 487 retail companies in the building materials industry based on 1993 revenues. Total revenues.

Reports on the building materials industry's top firms for 1993. Dominance of Home depot; Annual sales; Consolidation as a driving force in the industry; Domination of middle-tier firms; Fluctuations in lumber costs; Employment openings in the industry; Store expansion plans.

Presents BSHC report on the prevailing trends in different wholesaler groups in building material industry, in terms of marketing and sales as affected by inclement weather conditions over the month of June, 1995.

Presents BSHC report on the trends prevailing in different building materials buying groups in terms of sales, products marketing, growth strategy for 1995, and customer base. Lumbermen's Merchandising Corp.; BMA; Progressive Affiliated Lumberman; More.

Presents BSHC report on the market trends of different hardlines building material companies in US in terms of their sales, purchase and expansions over the period 1993 to 1995. Cotter & Co.; Ace Hardware; Servistar; More.

Presents `Builders Supply Home Centers' periodical's list of the top retail stores based on building supply sales. Dominance of Home Depot and Lowe's in the market; Factors fueling overall sales; Greatest percentage growth credited to builder-oriented stores; Industry forecast for 1995; Lumber sales.

Discusses the increasing trend showing builders' preference for retailers offering installed sales. Western Home Center and Reimer Lumber in Cincinnati; BMC West in Salt Lake City; Fullerton Lumber of Minneapolis; Profitability of making installation.

Discusses the importance of architects in the building materials industry in the United States. Prospects for increased business for retailers; Comments from industry insiders.

Focuses on retailers who manufacture steel trusses in the United States. Traditional role of retailers; Opening of a wood truss plant; Retail sales and profit margins; Transformation of market through computerized manufacturing; Impact of rise on housing starts. INSET: The state of steel trusses..

Presents information on the business profiles, products and services of building materials groups. Lumbermen's Merchandising Corp.; BMA; Progressive Affiliated Lumbermen; Allied Building Stores; ENAP; Philadelphia Reserve Supply Co.; I.B.S.A. Inc.

Presents information on the business profiles, products and services of building materials wholesaler groups. Distribution America; Pro Group; Val-Test Distributors Inc.; Associated Building Materials Distributors of America; Reliable Hardware Wholesalers of America Inc.; Associated Hardware Buyers Inc.

Presents information on the business profiles, products and services of building supply retailers. Cotter & Co.; Ace Hardware; ServiStar; Hardware Wholesalers Inc.; Our Own Hardware Co.; United Distributing Co.; Handy Hardware Wholesale Inc.

Reports that building supply retailers are searching for lumber alternatives in efforts to gain stability. Rising lumber prices; Recycled wood; Steel; Builders' search for materials that are consistently available, cheap and reliable. INSETS: Showroom with offices boots small builders.;To increase profits, take hiring seriously..

Presents a directory of the top 487 retail stores in the building materials industry.

Discusses building supplies warehousers' merchandising strategies which focus on builders and subcontractors as target market. Basic defenses of contractor-oriented retailer; HomeBase' full-fledged program; Home Quarters' concentration on smaller builders; Handling of professional credit and basic deliveries; Home Depot's services; Builders Square II stores' showroom approach; Lowe's offer of builder credit at individual stores.

Reports on the performance of independent retailers in Jacksonville, Florida that have survived the presence of national and regional builders. Entry of Home Depot, 84 Lumber and Scotty's; Longtime relationships with builders that allowed retailers in Jacksonville to retain their customers; Jacksonville retailers' adjustment to the new hurricane-resistant building code.

Evaluates the store managers' management of construction retail business in the United States. Little career path for store managers; Educational and training needs of store managers; Cost-conscious manager; Responsibilities of store managers; Store manager profile statistics. INSET: Help wanted: Store managers..

Reports on the fall sales of Midwest building-material and lumber suppliers. Strong sales in Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Indiana; Sale projections for midwest building-material and lumber suppliers.

Discusses the effects of competition on certain business materials supply firms in US. Reasons for the same; Slowdown in the construction business; Ways and means by which companies are dealing with the slowdown in their business; Problems in hand for Home Depot and Eagle Hardware & Garden; Prediction for the future of the two companies.

Reviews the future prospects of the building-material suppliers in Colorado Springs and Albuquerque, in the wake of President Bill Clinton's defense budget policy announcements for the year 1995. Details.

Presents expectations of building supply retailers on sales in 1995 in Midwestern US. Trends in building supply market variables in Wisconsin, Minnesota and retail stores in other Midwestern cities.

Reports on the growth of the building materials retail industry in Dallas, Texas. Home Depot's lead in the do-it-yourself market; Builders Square; Local conditions; Wilson Plywood & Door; Oldham Lumber; Elliott's True Value Hardware; Simms-Moore Lumber; Foxworth-Galbraith Lumber.

Reports on competition among building materials retailers in Rockford, Illinois. Builders Square; Sutherland Lumber; Wickes; Wolohan Lumber; Local conditions; J.H. Patterson; Home Lumber & Supply; Hausers; Bob's Ace Hardware; Schmeling Building Supply; Kitzman's Lumber.

Part IV. Discusses ways by which suppliers of building materials can market their products to builders. Identification of customer needs; Review of steps in order management cycle; Account growth; Identification of builders.

Reports on the financial performance of retail stores in the building supply industry and other related developments. Includes Eagle Hardware & Garden; Home Depot; Lowe's; Builders Square.

Reports on the effect of the March 1995 floods to California retailers in the building supply market. Homer T. Hayward Lumber.

Discusses the reaction by retailers in the building materials industry in the United States to the moves by Ace Hardware and other buying groups to consolidate retailer loyalty. Activities by the four major buying groups in the industry; Efforts by Cotter & Co.; Importance of strong member participation for buying groups; Issue of multiple membership for retailers.

Reports on the results of the research by `Building Supply Home Center' periodical on remodeling trends for the building materials industry in the United States. Top remodeling projects; Regional variances in project costs; Consumer preferences; Top products in a kitchen remodel.

Discusses the benefits of the lumber futures market for companies in the building materials industry in the United States. Growth of futures contracts in the industry; Comment by Chris Goebel, Star Lumber president and chief executive officer; Importance of hedging for retailers; Features of futures contracts in the United States.

Reports on the changes in customer demands from building materials suppliers in the United States. Responses from building suppliers; Changes in attitudes of home builders.

Reports on the building materials industry in Manhattan, N.Y. Competitive scenario; Local conditions; Company profiles include City Lumber, Channel Home Centers and Lumber Boys.

Discusses trends in the distribution in the building materials industry. Forces of change; Factors affecting the retailer-distributor relationship; Importance of financial management of one's business.

Reports that most California building hardware and lumber operators avoided huge losses caused by rain storms, flooding and mudslides that plagued the California coast in January 1995. Water damage; How specific companies dealt with the problem.

Cites Home Depot's selection of Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa as the site of one of three CrossRoads prototype stores. Combination of company's regular lines with agricultural products; Opportunities in the residential, agricultural, commercial and industrial sectors; Local economic conditions; Information on several local building materials companies.

Cites the importance of re-engineering for the building supply retail industry in the United States. Redesign of company processes, organization and culture; Customer service; Incorporation of company's technology into the change plan.

Cites the possible beneficial effects of the October 1994 floods in Houston, Texas on building supply retailers in the area. Anticipated demand for materials and services; Increased sales of interior products; Wait for officials' decision on whether to permit reconstruction of houses considered destroyed.

Discusses the importance of data base marketing for building materials suppliers in the United States. Advantages of use of technology; Requisites for data base marketing. INSET: Is your company ready for data base marketing?..

Reports that building suppliers in the United States are having difficulties finding qualified employees. Reasons for difficulties; Structure of labor pool.

Highlights the findings of a survey on the performance of the building materials industry in the United States in 1994. Increase in building activity; Sales revenues from single-family detached housing; Profit margins; Expansion into new geographic markets; Remodeling activity; Pricing of houses.

Reports on the impact of the rise in long-term interest rates in the building materials industry in midwestern states. Anticipated moderation in building activity; Fluctuation of 30-year fixed-rate mortgages.

Reports on the impact of a tornado that hit Lexington, South Carolina, in late summer 1994, on local building supply retailers. Increase in jobs in remodeling and reroofing business; Work with residential and commercial properties.

Discusses the impact of potential building code revisions on the building supplies industry. Possible confusion on inspectors; Strengthening of the building code in regard to earthquake resistance.

Reports on a community-minded, cause approach to marketing by the building supply industry. Cultivation of future customers; Selecting an appropriate charity; Grassroots-involvement in individual markets. INSET: Charitable spending to stay flat in 1994..

Forecasts a slow growth of the building materials industry in California in 1994. Improvements in residential housing; Markets which benefited from the southern California earthquake in January 1994; Negative effect of continuous interest-rate increases.

Reports on building supply vendors' design of programs to ensure safe operations in the retail warehouse and lumberyard. Assessment of possible safety hazards; Enlisting of dealer's aid; Training to employees.

Reports on the Chicago building supply market. Home Depot's opening of a store; Market as host to Builders Square, Seigle's Home & Building Centers, Handy Andy Home Improvement Centers and Menard; Moser Lumber.

Reports on building supply retailers' diversification to further differentiate themselves in competitive situations. Move to ancillary businesses; Specialization; Challenge to maintain quality; Tapping of special niches; Competitive survival.

Reports on the impact of the 1994 Georgia flood to building supply retailers in the state. Sustained damages; Transportation problems; Relocation of `perishable' items; Effect on sales remaining uncertain.