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Contractor News
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Wednesday
February 14, 2018
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We at Allan Block are always striving to be Always Better
and bringing you, our contracting
customers, valuable information that can
be incorporated into your business which
is vital to our success. As we begin the 2018 season we will continue looking for ways to bring you value by providing new and innovative products and/or programs, hot topics to help you stay abreast of market demand along with information on our certification program aimed to help you train new and existing staff. We will also continue highlighting our Master Wall Builders throughout the world and hope to have each of you reading this achieve that status soon. Keep an eye out for future communications and please let us know of any topics you feel relevant to add. If you know of anyone who would like to register for this newsletter, have questions, comments or topics you would like to see addressed, please submit HERE. We look forward to hearing from you!
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What's Happening at Allan Block: Dealer ABU
During the first quarter of each year you will find distribution partners from all over North America working with us in Minneapolis during Dealer ABU.
The goal of each class is to help educate and prepare dealer personnel to assist contractors in the local market. Areas of focus are on proper installation of SRWs and seat walls, product knowledge, solution selling, estimating, social media among others.
Each year we work with nearly 100 dealers during three to four events to help them focus their business on how to better help you, the contracting customer. The hands-on sessions and breakout groups to better understand all aspects of the wall business are key to the continued development of everyone.
Curious what distribution locations are investing in their business to better assist you, give us a call or talk with your local AB production partner for more information.
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Allan Block Certification Program:
Where are those Classes?
Winter is here, and the Allan Block training season is in full swing. Currently there are over a dozen classes scheduled from the west to the east coast with our number one goal being to assist contractors by providing industry leading education to improve efficiencies and most importantly profits. With the help of our production partners, we have trained tens of thousands of contractors across North America and we look forward to seeing you and/or your colleagues at a class soon.
You may be wondering, “why should I attend?” The reasons are plentiful and include:
- Learn basics for SRW installation and to ensure walls last a lifetime
- Best Practices for SRW REQUIRE contractors to be certified
- Increase efficiency in design, estimating, or building phase of your projects
- Differentiate yourself from the competition
- Project leads/referrals
- Annual rewards program (Get bags, coolers, dead blow hammers, levels, etc.)
- Become aware of industry advancements
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The Allan Block Contractor Certification Program continues to raise the bar and whether you have attended in the past or have never been, this class will provide you valuable information. Check out the training schedule here to register for a class near you.
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Featured Collection: AB Collection
The oldest and still most widely used collection within the Allan Block family is our AB Collection. What started out with one block shape (12”Dx8”Hx18”L) in the mid-1980s, has evolved into multiple sized options providing clean linear lines with pattern options to provide designers, contractors and owners the look they are after on millions of projects all over the world.
Available worldwide, the AB Collection was one of the first Segmental Retaining Wall (SRW) products available and remains a staple for many industry professionals. Designers, contractors, dealers, owners among others prefer the aesthetically pleasing, efficient and economical solution the AB Collection provides time and time again.
What was a simple idea to alleviate the timber wall challenges our industry faced 30+ years ago has evolved into a global industry that millions of professionals find pleasure in each day. With walls ranging in height from 1 ft to 80 ft. and up(0.30 m to 25 m), the AB Collection is a perfect solution for any site grading challenge.
From all of us at Allan Block, thank you to all of you who have helped make us the company we are today.
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Contractor Talk: Installing AB Courtyard directly on top of the patio...what?
Our
AB Courtyard
product was created more than a decade ago and remains a great add on opportunity for new and previous hardscape projects. With the many elements and seating area options available with the Courtyard product, your new customers will love the opportunities to entertain, relax and enjoy their outdoor oasis with AB Courtyard.
In addition, as you begin 2018 think back to all the previous customers you have successfully sold and built paver patios for. Would they be a great opportunity for a paver cleaning with an add on fire pit, seating area and/or outdoor kitchen? Reach out to them and add a great outdoor element to their backyard dream.
How easy is it to add AB Courtyard to a new or existing patio? Since you have properly based the paver patio area and since AB Courtyard only needs similar base material (check out our install information online), you can simply place the AB Courtyard material directly on top of the paver patio and efficiently add significant revenue (and profits) to your business.
Check it out today and use the
AB Courtyard App or AB Estimating Tool to see how easy you can calculate material for your many projects.
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Home Shows and Patio Package Solutions
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Nothing stops a crowd better than an eye-catching booth, but how do you do it quickly, efficiently and in the predetermined area the show provides you? The
AB Courtyard Patio Packages may be just the solution! The Patio Packages are pre-designed simple layouts that can be easily modified and quickly installed to provide the show stopper features your future customers are after. Not only is the one you choose to display going to help you sell projects, you can use our marketing materials to provide a nice visual for all 12 options along with our elements to quickly draw the attention of many homeowners.
 
Why You Need It: These pre-designed patio packages can simplify and reduce the selling, drawing and estimating time associated with hardscape projects. In addition, use the patio package to decorate your booth and offer up the complete package (walls, construction materials, pavers and labor) for one price! If you are looking for add-ons or a smaller booth idea, check out the pre-designed elements for more eye-catching ideas.
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How to Sell Them: Work with your distribution partner to figure out your lump sum pricing on each, add in your labor and then showcase all the packages by using marketing material (like our 11x17 document, pop banners or individual sell sheets)...and sell some right at the show!
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Get to Know an Allan Block Master Wall Builder:
Carl Campbell with Waterscapes of New England
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As a reminder, an Allan Block Master Wall Builder (MWB) is an individual who has reached the third and final step in the AB Contractor Certification Program (level 1 = Certified Contractor and level 2 = Experienced Wall Builder). Contractors that reach this level have both the knowledge and the skills to build top quality Allan Block walls. To learn more about the details associated with each certification level, please visit our
AB Certification site.
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This year, we begin our focus in the Northeast with Master Wall Builder Carl Campbell from
Waterscapes of New England. In 1981 Carl started a company named Village Green Landscape Services that focused on lawn maintenance but quickly grew into a major landscape construction company as the demand for such services grew. By 1985 his business had grown to managing hundreds of maintenance accounts and the development of his hardscape business was growing similarly to the growth of the industry which was to say quickly. Retaining walls, pavers, plantings and specifically water features were in high demand and there was no sign of slowing down. During that same year, Carl repositioned his business and changed the name to Waterscapes of New England to align with what was evolving right before his eyes – a huge demand for water features.
As one of the pioneers in the waterscaping industry, Carl found a great niche with residential customers all over New England. His business continued to grow and evolve and the need for concrete segmental retaining wall systems (SRWs) in lieu of timber walls directed him to Allan Block. Walls on sites with water features and without became a big part of his business and remains that way today. Carl has been working with
Allan Block Wall of Fame member, Butch Corbett and Anchor Concrete Products of New England since the late 1990’s and today most all the work they do with SRWs is with the Allan Block product lines. Carl became a Certified Installer in 2011 and a Master Wall Builder in 2016 after many successful Allan Block projects.
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When you speak with Carl you hear the passion and desire to be great. They work hard to ensure their customers are taken care of and the project is done right. It is obvious in their name that they work throughout New England, but what speaks to the quality and desire to perform better than being the only viable option on a challenging water feature project at a Disney Resort in Orlando, FL. Carl and Waterscapes of New England will travel to do work and their reputation as a get it done…..and done right type of a company leads them to residential and commercial work in many areas. Their work is comprised of roughly 70% residential and 30% commercial which is right where Carl would like it.
Today he is operating predominantly throughout New England and has crews installing retaining walls, pavers, ponds, waterfalls, landscape material, masonry veneer among other adjacent services. We feel very fortunate here at Allan Block to have the opportunity to work with Carl and everyone else at Waterscape of New England and would like to thank you for what you do to make Allan Block, Always Better.
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Allan Block Corporation
7424 W. 78th Street, Bloomington, MN 55439
Help & Support Center: (800) 899-5309
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