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Proven Strategic Solutions for the Building Material Industry |
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Effective Strategic PlanningThe planning process may also include some or all or a portion of the following projects: 1. Realistic appraisal of your market conditions 2. SWOT Analysis - your Strenghts, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats 3. Acquisitions or Divestitures - Analysis of the best options for your company • If you are well financed and want to focus on expanding market share at the expense of weaker competitors, an expansion strategy will be developed as part of the plan. • If you are undercapitalized and concerned about survival, the planning process will evaluate all options available to you including the sale or liquidation of your business. See articles Surviving a Severe Economic Downturn 4. Sales and Marketing Strategy Please contact Davis Consulting at 316.640.7645 to discuss your strategic planning needs.  Effective Strategic Planning | Surviving A Severe Economic Downturn | Builders' Showroom Design and Operations | Truss and Panel Plants - Marketing and Operations | Succession Planning | Back to top
Surviving A Severe Economic DownturnJon Davis' harsh education in how to survive a severe economic downturn began during a dramatic collapse in housing starts in his primary market in the late 1970's. Read Jon's ProSales Online article "In a Calm Sea, Anyone can be Captain" for an overview of how Davis Lumber survived one of the most severe downturns in housing starts to ever hit a regional market in the United States. A few facts follow: • Hutchinson, Kansas' major employer laid off 2900 employees - 80% of their workforce. Today they employ 260 employees-down from 3,500 in 1978. • Housing starts dropped 90% in 1978 and remain at depressed levels today. • Population fell by 20% over the next two years. No population growth since. • Nine of eleven competitors from 1978 are no longer in business today. Through a series of strategic changes and tough-minded business decisions, Jon reinvented Davis Lumber in the face of the new economic reality and dramatically changed his marketing strategy. The new business model fit the economic reality of what the building material market was in the 1980s. All of the strategic moves were painful but necessary for survival. After successfully reinventing the business, in 1990 Jon sold Davis Lumber to Star Lumber and Supply, Inc., based in Wichita, Kansas. While Jon was Senior VP and COO of Star's Building Material Division, Wichita experienced several downturns of up to 25% in annual single family housing starts caused primarily by the cyclical nature of the aircraft industry. Star dramatically expanded their market share during these downturns under Jon's leadership. The ProSales Online article by Jon gives you some insight into what it takes to "Survive Now and Prosper Later". The survival lessons that Jon learned during difficult economic times throughout his career prepared him to effectively cope with severe economic downturns and market upheavals. He is uniquely qualified to be an effective survival consultant during this economic crisis. Please contact Davis Consulting at 316 640-7645 to discuss utilizing Jon Davis as a key asset in dealing with a severe economic downturn. Effective Strategic Planning | Surviving A Severe Economic Downturn | Builders' Showroom Design and Operations | Truss and Panel Plants - Marketing and Operations | Succession Planning | Back to top
Builders' Showroom Design and OperationsUtilizing great builder showrooms to increase value added sales is a concept Jon Davis has embraced throughout his 45-year career. Jon has led design and construction teams for numerous showrooms featuring kitchen cabinet, doors, windows, fireplaces, and builders' hardware. As part of his continuing exposure to great builders' showrooms, Davis has visited over 35 outstanding showrooms all across the United States in the last five years. Jon has a large library of photos and layouts from roundtables around the United States which are also available to his clients. Please contact Davis Consulting at 316 640-7645 to discuss planning your new builders' showroom and/or operating your existing builders' showroom. Effective Strategic Planning | Surviving A Severe Economic Downturn | Builders' Showroom Design and Operations | Truss and Panel Plants - Marketing and Operations | Succession Planning | Back to top
Truss and Wall Panel Plants - Effective Marketing and OperationsFor 45 years, the roof truss and wall panel business has been a passion for Jon Davis. Jon entered the roof truss and wall panel business in 1966 as Davis Components, a division of Davis Lumber and a franchisee of Weyerhaeuser Registered Homes. The component business grew rapidly selling trusses and panels to home builders and lumber yards throughout Kansas. Davis soon created Davis Homes and Garages, a separate division which sold erected shell packages utilizing trusses and panels produced by Davis Components to individuals building their own homes and garages. In the early 1970s Davis began aggressively pursuing multi-family projects, motels, nursing homes and farm buildings and was shipping components into 16 states. Davis Components was one of the most successful component fabricators in the United States. When the downturn hit in the late 1970s (In a Calm Sea, Anyone can be Captain), Davis Components dramatically downsized their manufacturing operations as housing starts plummeted 90%. In the mid 1980s Davis reluctantly made a survival decision to out source their production, liquidate their manufacturing equipment and sell their real estate ("Survive Now and Prosper Later"). Davis continued selling trusses and wall panels but outsourced their production for the rest of the 1980s. When Jon Davis sold to Star in 1990, the Davis Lumber division continued selling trusses that Star produced in their truss plant. In 1996 Jon assumed responsibility for Star's Contractor Division and all of their manufacturing operations which included Star's Truss and Wall Panel plant. A number of operational changes were then implemented to drive manufacturing labor costs down, install an aggressive marketing plan and improve margins. Star's truss and panel plant improved bottom line profitability from 5% to in excess of 12% under Jon's leadership. When Star acquired another Wichita truss and panel competitor in 2003 and merged their operations, Jon was a key member of the acquisition team. Throughout his career, Jon participated in a roof truss and panel roundtables and has reaped the benefits from meeting with other leading manufacturers from around the United States. Please contact us at 316 640-7645 to discuss utilizing Davis Consulting's services in your truss and wall panel operations. Effective Strategic Planning | Surviving A Severe Economic Downturn | Builders' Showroom Design and Operations | Truss and Panel Plants - Marketing and Operations | Succession Planning | Back to top
Succession PlanningJon has been through many succession plans for key executives in his 45 year career. Jon has valuable insights on the challenges faced in succession planning. He understands well the dynamics in developing family members to rise through the ranks while still retaining key non-family members. He also can recommend when you need to look outside of your firm to recruit the right candidates. Please contact us at 316.640.7645 to discuss utilizing Davis Consulting's services in developing and implementing an effective succession plan for key positions in your business. Effective Strategic Planning | Surviving A Severe Economic Downturn | Builders' Showroom Design and Operations | Truss and Panel Plants - Marketing and Operations | Succession Planning | Back to top |
Phone: 316.640.7645 | Email: jondavis200@cox.net | 200 Cochise Trail - Hutchinson, KS 67502
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