Hearthlist Digest #80 - Saturday, December 20, 1997
 
pellet training support
  by Ben Weathersby <[email protected]>
Tis the season
  by <[email protected]>
Railroad tie ash
  by <[email protected]>
 

(back) Subject: pellet training support From: Ben Weathersby <[email protected]> Date: Sat, 20 Dec 1997 00:09:51 -0400   HEARTH has good news for HPA Expo attendees interested in the HEARTH Pellet Training Package. The Package includes all day training with industry veteran Charlie Page on Thursday, March 19, the HEARTH manual, and the Certification Exam. Leading pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) manufacturers are giving their dealers strong encouragement to attend and become HEARTH certified. As of today, these 15 fuel manufacturers have agreed to give their attending dealers credit for a ton of pellets: Advanced Wood Resources, Brownsville, OR Catamount Pellet Fuel Corp., Adams, MA Dry Creek Products, Inc., Arcade, NY Energex, Lac-Meganic, PQ =46iber Resources, Pine Bluff, AR =46orest Energy Corp., Show Low, AZ Lang=92s Dehy, Ltd., Palmerston, ON Manke Lumber Co., Tacoma, WA New England Wood Pellet Co., Jaffrey, NH Pennington Seed, Greenfield, MO Pinnacle Pellet, Prince George, BC Princeton Co-Generation Corp., Princeton, BC Renewable Energies, Inc., Slatyfork, WV Rocky Mountain Forest Products, Laramie, WY West Oregon Wood Products, Columbia City, OR To date, one pellet appliance manufacturer, American Energy Systems of Hutchinson, MN, has offered advertising co-op credit re-imbursement to its dealers who attend and become certified. Breckwell Hearth Products of Eugene, OR will promote the training in dealer mailings, and United States Stove Company of South Pittsburg, TN has pledged a cash contribution in support of the training. Other manufacturers are expected to be added to the list. Call HEARTH if your supplier is not on the list yet.   The cost for the package=97all day training Thursday, March 19, the HEARTH Pellet Manual, and the Certification Exam=97is $160 for early registration b= y January 15 and $195 after that date. The generous support from these manufacturers substantially reduces the cost of attendance and certification. Those who become certified are listed on the HEARTH web page (www.hearthed.com), get local press releases, and local building and safety officials are notified.   To register or get more information, call HEARTH at (612) 635-9601 or send e-mail to [email protected]. Manufacturers who would like to help sponsor the HEARTH Training Package at St. Louis can call Ben Weathersby at (404) 728-0227 or send e-mail to [email protected]. See you in St. Louis.      
(back) Subject: Tis the season From: [email protected] Date: Sat, 20 Dec 1997 00:11:47 -0400   Tis the season......... Must be a reason.   This week we had a manufacturer decide to change the code numbers for an entire line of chimney with the printing of their new price book......(No, no one informed us...we just happened to see the new numbers) When we asked why they changed the numbering system.......their response was that the old numbers did not work well with their computer system ........ So now all of their distributors and dealers that used the old numbering system will have to pay someone to re-enter the new numbers and hopefully transfer the purchasing and sales data relating to the old numbers over to the new. >>>>> How much money did their distribution network just loose on that one thoughtful decision? Well we assume it will take us 4 hours... so that's only $80..... times how many distributors and dealers ???? And to make matters worse.... this manufacturer is using their own number system for pipe they have made by duravent ........ and the boxes the chimney comes in has the Duravent number system printed on them ..... which of course is different than the new numbers they chose to use.... So why not use the duravent numbers???? Well they don't work with their system either. >>>>> Hey it's just money.... and besides book keeping needs some extra work to close out the year.... and the guys in the warehouse need something new to watch for........ Tis the season......... there is no reason.   This week we had a manufacturer notify us that they have discontinued a series of gas inserts... Since it is in the middle of season..... we now have orders we can not fill ...... I decided to call the fellow who supposedly headed up this timely idea, to drop product unannounced in mid season..... He "understood our frustration" and admitted that their timing was off a bit....since they did not have their planned replacement product to market yet..... As to the customers waiting to have this product installed.... he couldn't help us. Well, maybe there are some dealers out their with extra insert bodies that we can get for our extra insert faces and we can all magically get together.... other wise.... our decision maker "Understood our frustration" and can relate to our problem.... I wonder if this guy was on the team deciding to sell and say they did not sell to Home Depot??? (Hey Collin .... need some intelligent help?) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Oh yea........ regarding the fact that the insert is a two piece system and we that we have extra unuseable product now???????? Well I suppose we can put them with all the old VC heat shields and other junk created over the years by such consideration and professionalism..... Tis always the season for these guys.   This week I got sued by a customer that bought a rattan furniture set seven years ago..... that's right 7 years ago........ it seems that the fabric and the filler was not natural fiber ...(duh! .... read the label) and they want us to buy it back because the wife has allergies and is effected by the polyester and fiber filling........ what can I say???? Tis the season.   This evening my youngest of 6 grand daughters took her first steps and I was there to see it..... ahhhh ..........all is well again......... Tis the season .... Happy Holidays.   Ken Fulgione   P.S. I hope we will see a few Awards presented here by HearthList members for Bloopers and Good Deeds by Manufacturers, Reps, Distributors, Dealers and Customers for 1997 season.   And I am sure Craig will enlighten us again with a few new years prognostications that wont come true but will sound good for 1998.   I always find it comforting that we are not alone with the things that go on around us daily.      
(back) Subject: Railroad tie ash From: [email protected] Date: Sat, 20 Dec 1997 09:17:07 -0400   Concerning the burning of treated Railroad ties.......... John Menard... the owner of the Menards home improvement chain... (the third largest home improvement chain the US.... behind Home Depot and Lowes) lives in Eau Claire WI.... my home town. John just recieved a slap on the wrist, this week, for disposing of wood ash created from burning some of the treated lumber his company produces. Seems John, (worth an estimated $1 billion personally) has been taking home a couple bags of chromium and arsenic ash weekly and dumping it in his home dumpster to save the company a few dollars. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources did not take lightly of this action and John escaped 10 years in Jail by being able to pay off a $1.7 million dollar fine. That is approximately what Menards would have spent over the next 271 years to dispose of the toxic waste properly. What do they use to treat Railroad ties? I'll bet if you ask John Menard he can tell you what his railroad ties are treated with. kg-one ___________________________________ Visit the Emporium Let Us Lite Up Your Hearth & Your Home http://www.weyrkeep.com/lhc 1-888-295-FIRE -------------------------------------------------------------- " Dragons Breathe Best Together Forge a Stronger Fire" ____________________________________