Nick's 2003 forecast for topics to be found in the magazine this year, plus a chance to win a free W&C coffee mug.

Happy New Year! We at Walls & Ceilings are really looking forward to 2003. We plan to continue leading the industry as its number-one publication with ongoing focus on what the contractor can do to improve business and make more profit.

This means more Bench Tests, more hands-on articles with a real-world focus, and constant interaction with manufacturers and contractors to determine what information is most relevant. We recognize that our readers are not just fine craftspeople but also business owners always in need of information that can help improve business, both bottom line and in terms of add-on services.

W&C will continue to cover decorative products that can help drywallers embellish their work with custom services. Also on the agenda are issues involving doors, windows, insulation, insurance and other topical subjects that need closer examination.

At a recent roundtable meeting (see Day of the Round Table Part 2 story), we learned many specific issues facing some drywall contractors and we plan to cover some of these themes. The magazine’s bulletin board on the Web site (http://www.i-boards.com/bnp/wc) is also proving to be an invaluable source of economic information. Right from the horses’ mouths come the questions and concerns of industry professionals. When you ask questions, we want to answer them. It makes us stronger and the reader better informed. That’s exactly what we’re here for.

Whatever the economic situation, there will always be a demand for construction professionals, whether to build new or retrofit old. There is always a new and better angle to find and utilize, to improve business and customer service. This is what this magazine is all about: pure practical information.

As we all prepare to settle into the New Year in anticipation of what we’d like to accomplish and reflect on what we’ve accomplished thus far, it’s always a good idea to attempt a predetermination of what will make us stronger and more effective in the months to come. As one fictional film character once said, “The most valuable commodity I know of is information” (the first reader to correctly guess who this is gets a free W&C travel coffee mug).

With that philosophy in mind, we hope you will continue to rely on W&C for information specifically for your needs even as we continue to strive to obtain more and better information. Knowledge is power: The power to profit, to manage, and to continuously succeed and prosper. Preparation is arming oneself with information. Information is knowledge.

The Boy Scout motto is “be prepared.” By always gathering the most practical and pertinent information available, one is always better prepared. Look no further than W&C in 2003 for that most valuable commodity of information.