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Material Matters - June 2025

Material Matters - June 2025

Material Matters Member News Industry News/Information Rikka Brandon Hire Power Building Gurus Mike McDole Firing-Line LBM Advisors NLBMDA

Monthly News from BLD Connection

June 2025

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BLD Connection News

New Industry Reports Highlight Trends and Growth

Two of the industry's top annual reports are now available, offering insights into performance and priorities across the LBM landscape. Webb Analytics' 2025 Construction Supply 150 shows that while sales topped 412 billion dollars, more than half of dealers saw declines.

LBM Journal's 2025 LBM 100 reflects self-reported data from dealers nationwide. Most expect growth this year, despite ongoing market challenges. The report covers staffing, technology, and business strategy trends.

 

NLBMDA at a Glance

Curious about NLBMDA's members, structure, priorities, or impact? The NLBMDA team has created three quick one-pagers to cover it all. Since 1917, they’ve represented over 6,000 member locations serving the residential and light commercial building industry. These resources make it easy to share who they are and what they’re doing in 2025.

 

Help Move Credit Card Reform Forward 

The Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA), a key legislative priority for NLBMDA, has been filed as an amendment to the GENIUS Act by Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Dick Durbin (D-IL). This amendment aims to reduce excessive credit card swipe fees and promote competition in the payments market.


NLBMDA is urging members to contact their Senators and ask them to support the Marshall-Durbin amendment when it comes up for a vote, which is expected in early June.

Articles & Publications

The #1 Hiring Mistake Building Products Companies Make (And How to Avoid It)

Rikka Brandon, Building Gurus

Hiring top-performing sales and leadership talent in the building products industry is more competitive than ever. The best candidates have options, and if your hiring process drags on for too long, you’ll lose them to competitors who move faster.


Yet, many companies hesitate, delaying decisions with multiple interview rounds, endless internal discussions, and unnecessary hurdles. They believe they're being thorough, but what they’re actually doing is killing deals before they even happen.

Paid in Fool: How Do I Love Small Builders? Let Me Count the Ways.

Mike McDole, Firing Line LBM Advisors

What do you get when you mix big personalities, wild excuses, and an occasional casino streak? Life with small to mid-sized builders is never boring. This lighthearted piece from Mike offers a relatable and entertaining peek behind the payment curtain. If you've ever waited just a little too long for a check to clear, you'll feel right at home here.

HR Question of the Month

Private Space to Pump Breast Milk

From Federated Insurance

Question

An employee returning from maternity leave has requested a private space to pump breast milk. Our private offices are all occupied. Aside from the offices, all we have is a conference room and a storage room. However, we also have a private bathroom that is only used by a few employees. It is a very nice, spacious bathroom, and we can provide a table and chair for the employee. We can also provide a sign for her to hang on the door when she is using the bathroom so that other employees do not enter. Is this acceptable?

 

Northwestern Lumber Association and Mid-America Lumbermens Association are now BLD Connection. Read About Our Transformation!

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