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Standard Pacific Homes, one of the nation's largest home builders, has purchased a 1,600-acre master planned community called The Palisades in the Charlotte, N.C., market. With plans to open in late 2013, the company will introduce all new home designs to the project, which contains 1,100 home sites. It is located next to Lake Wylie, Charlotte's second largest lake and a popular recreational destination.

Nucor Corp. will close its Nuconsteel division and no longer fabricate light gauge steel framing used in residential and commercial structures, the company has announced. Nuconsteel has operations in Denton, Texas, and Dallas, Ga.

Nucor entered the light gauge steel framing business in November 2001 with the acquisition of Itec Steel, which became Nuconsteel shortly thereafter. Nucor expects to close Nuconsteel's facilities in the spring of 2012, after meeting current customer contractual obligations.

One lumber executive was from the Washington, D.C.-area. Another was based in San Marcos, Texas. One ran six units, the other 83, but they both share a common award -- the Home Channel News Pro Dealer of the Year award.

An index by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) designed to track improving housing markets across the country has added nine more metro regions while dropping two cities. The November additions -- Cheyenne, Wyo.; Corpus Christi, Texas; Davenport, Iowa; Fort Collins, Colo.; Hinesville, Ga.; Lima, Ohio; Monroe, La.; Tyler, Texas; and Williamsport, Pa. -- raise the number from 23 to 30 metro areas.

Temple-Inland is planning a new display and graphics facility, scheduled to open January 2012 in Chicagoland. Temple-Inland Display and Packaging Chicago will offer the services and expertise of the Elgin Corrugated Box and Mack Packaging brands from a single, newly renovated plant in Carol Stream, Ill.

Temple-Inland will provide corrugated packaging, displays and fulfillment to current Mack, Elgin and Temple-Inland customers, plus new customers throughout the country.

The 2011 ProDealer Industry Summit began Wednesday night with a keynote address on the “Forces of Change” in the distribution industry.

The Oct. 26 to 28 event, hosted jointly by the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) and Home Channel News, will feature several educational sessions as well as networking opportunities for leaders in the lumberyard industry.

PulteGroup has named Kevin Meuth as the new division president for its Houston operations, where he will oversee the 27 communities and about 100 employees throughout the Greater Houston area.

Meuth has 22 years of diversified home-building experience, all in the Houston market. Previously, he served as division president at Meritage Homes for the past five years. 

The 2011 ProDealer Industry Summit is responding to the building downturn with a healthy lineup of business-building educational sessions.


This year’s event, sponsored jointly by the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association and Home Channel News, will take place Oct. 26 to 28 at the Grand Hyatt in San Antonio. 


“This industry is ready to break out of the doldrums,” said Jim Reynolds, PDIS managing director. “The best minds in the industry will gather again this year in San Antonio to share their ideas.”


FLOR Inc., a retail chain offering design-it-yourself modular floor coverings, has opened its fifth retail location in Dallas. Other stores are located in Chicago; Santa Monica, Calif.; Atlanta; and the SoHo district of New York City.

Members of the Houston-based Handy Hardware co-op received an e-mail message Thursday afternoon from Kenneth White, a partner at consulting firm Tatum, announcing that White will assume the post of CEO.

Several weeks ago, Handy's board of directors hired Tatum to "assess the critical operating, financial and IT related issues currently facing Handy Hardware," according to Thursday's letter. The board voted to accept Tatum's action plan. 

Fort Worth, Texas-based Pier 1 Imports saw comparable-store sales increase 8.9% in the fourth quarter ended Feb. 26. For the full year, comparable-store sales surged 10.9%, compared with an increase of 1.5% in the prior year.

CEO Alex Smith called 2010 "truly an exceptional year," as the retailer achieved annual operating income for the first time in six years. 

In the fourth quarter, Pier 1 reported net income of $57.1 million, compared with last year’s fourth quarter net income of $34.5 million. Total sales were $426.6 million, up 7.7%. 

Sparks, Md.-based Lufkin has launched Hi-Viz 600 Series Power Tapes measuring tools for professional and do-it-yourself projects. The 600 Series Power Tapes are marketed as offering durability and a full-length blade coating for long-lasting markings. A double-riveted end hook with steel reinforcement enhances the tapes' longevity.

Lufkin is a brand of the Apex Tool Group.