Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/365558
22 • SEPTEMBER 2014 • WORLD FENCE NEWS FENCER'S FIELD REPORT A monthly column of industry bits & pieces Compiled by contributing editor Jim Lucci and the staff of World Fence News We had the opportunity to speak with Bill McDonough of W.J. Mc- Donough Fence in Medford, Mass. Bill told us that this season has been great, coming off the company's best year after several years of relative qui- et performance. The company business mix is 90% residential and 10% commercial. We were told that the company dates back some 75 years and is a family tradition, with Bill having been in the business since 1982. The company service area is basi- cally a 30-mile radius which includes the greater Boston area. While carrying a complete prod- uct mix that includes wood, chain link, PVC, aluminum and ornamen- tal iron, the company's biggest mover on the residential side at the time we spoke was custom wood (mostly white cedar, along with some red cedar) that is pre-stained. (The company has the ability to pre-stain its wood.) The company also offers custom built pergolas, arbors, and trellises. On the commercial side the com- pany does mostly special repairs, which can and does lead to some new work. The company also offers a complete line of materials for the do- it-yourselfer. We asked Bill about the trends or major changes that he has seen in the fence business in his area, and he told us that more people want their fenc- es to be pre-stained. They will spend money to have their fence prepared so it requires as little maintenance as possible. "They don't want to have yet another thing to do," Bill told us. We asked Bill whether these or any other trends that he has noted were better or worse for the company. We were told that it was better. In addition to the trends on the custom wood side, he said that people are inclined to spend more money at this time and that has led to a lot of vinyl sales as well. We then asked about the econo- my in the area. We were told that it's "pretty good." On the commercial side, he noted that three years ago while driving in the area only one crane could be spot- ted in the air; now at any given time eight or nine cranes can be visible, which is a positive sign. Further, there is renovation work going on but Bill noticed that he hasn't seen a lot of buildings for rent. On the residential side, Bill point- ed out that there is a lot of "planned obsolescence," which translates into the replacing and upgrading of fences. The company also does a lot of work with landscape architects, who sub out fence work and always want custom wood stained as well. Bill also noted that there are no foreclosures in the area that he is aware of and that the unemployment rate is at roughly 6%. We asked Bill what he thought the outlook for the fence industry would be for the full year of 2014. Bill sees the year continuing on to be, in his words, great. He does put ads on Ang- ie's List and at the time we spoke, the company was eight weeks out. We then asked what the company strategy was for 2014. Keeping costs down, trying to work safe, and buying only number 1 grade wood are factors in his strategy. Bill concluded by saying that, in his judgment, at some point he thinks there will be only one mill operating. • Galvanized Pipe • Fence Tube • Galvanized Squared Tube • Guard Rail • Stainless Pipe and Tube Complete line of Carbon and Stainless Products A Division of Bushwick Metals LLC A Division of Bushwick Metals LLC www.bushwickmetals.com Your Metals Partner for Fencing and Guard Rail Products Bridgeport, CT Phone: 800-221-0340 Fax: 203-330-9578 Great Neck, NY Phone: 888-287-4942 Fax: 516-482-0808 Englewood, NJ Phone: 800-631-1543 Fax: 201-567-9530 Richboro, PA Phone: 800-221-7781 Fax: 215-364-2612