LMC brings members together in Philly
PHILADELPHIA — LMC President and CEO Paul Ryan said dealers and suppliers he talked to at the forest products and building material buying group’s 2023 Expo were taking part in “really effective meetings.”
A theme of face-to-face discussions and listening to one another quickly took shape during LMC’s latest conference held at the Philadelphia Convention Center.
Ryan delivered his comments and stats during a company update held this morning.
The CEO noted that 410 LMC dealer companies recorded $29 billion in combined sales in 2022, and the co-op is poised to see an added $1 billion in 2023. Altogether, LMC members operate more than 1,800 locations in the United States and the Bahamas.
“LMC is an organization that continues to grow,” Ryan told a ballroom filled with members. “And we don’t compromise on the quality of our dealers.”
The Wayne, Pennsylvania cooperative also partners with about 1,000 suppliers and vendors “that make sure our dealers have the products that they need at the best available price,” Ryan noted.
Dealer attendance for this show was up 20%, including 33% of the company’s dealer-member companies represented. Additionally, more than 200 vendors and suppliers were on hand to talk shop with LMC’s membership.
Putting members together with other members and suppliers is a key ingredient to the formula for success at LMC.
Johnny Murphy, general manager of Davis Truss in Texarkana, Texas, was busy discussing components with LMC representatives. Murphy is a 19-year industry veteran and said on-site meetings have been beneficial to his career.
“I come to network and learn - that’s why I’ve gotten so far,” Murphy told HBSDealer. “Everyone at LMC wants to help others get better.”
Murphy said the same when it came to a recent LMC roundtable and yard tour he took part in. A vist to fellow LMC member KA Components in Indiana provided Murphy with a number of methods for streamlining operations, which he brought back to Davis Truss — a division of Red River Lumber.
“That’s the core of what we do,” Ryan said. “We have more programs than any of our competitors to make sure are dealers and suppliers are working well together.”
Kim Christ, inside sales manager for national accounts at USG, got straight to the point and said the 2023 Expo is about relationship building.
“This gives us an opportunity to sit down and talk to dealers about their businesses and what we can do to help them,” Christ said. “It’s also a chance to learn about us and what we can do better for our customers.”
Moving forward, LMC is focused on technology while improving its systems. The end result is expected to” reduce friction” while providing dealers and suppliers with more information, according to Ryan.
“We are trying to help you adapt technology, including e-commerce solutions,” Ryan said.
A pilot program, bringing a dozen chief financial officers together for a roundtable discussion, also proved to be successful at this year’s Expo.
“We are finding opportunities where members can engage each other and learn from each other,” Ryan said. “We are not trying to supplant regional roundtables but augment them.”
The next major event for LMC is its Annual, taking place March 5-7 in Houston, Texas.
“The most important thing is getting people together and giving them time to work with one another,” Ryan said.
