Merchant Magazine - December 1990

I

Serying the lumber and home center markets

13 Western StatesSince 1922 ffir'grg<€ r€r€r€l€r€+d

b it gorng t0 be when it grows up?

A Georgia-Pacific redwood tree-and more.

It'll be one of the prettiest and most versatile woods in the world: smooth, straight, richly colored.

It'll be Green Redwood, Douglas Fir or Hem Fir: a renewable resource that lends its natural beauty to any setting.

It'll be rustic redwood siding, sappy colnnons, or garden grade lumbe4 kiln dried, air dried, milled with precision at G-P's Ft.Bragg mill. And it will be professionally graded by RIS rules. And its beauty will end up enhancing a deck, a

fence, a house-and your bottom line.

For your redwood custorners, dtoose the redwood that has everything going for it: looks, promise, and a fine fr.mily narne. Choose G-P redwood. A member of the California Redwood Association.

For more information, call the Ft. Bragg mill, (707) 964-028I, or the G-P Distribution Centei nearest you.

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1991.

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EDITORIAL

Watch Your Mouth!

r N OL R reselre h lclr this llusiness liorecast I Istu,-'. wc hcrrrtl lol: ol'l.es\rntistic tirlk, Too nruch. we think. f or arrlonc's goocl. We've said it befbre on this page. br.rt it bcars repeating: if cvervone talks constanll) about how bad business is. yoll can bc sure it rvill go fiont bad to worsc. Negative talk bccontcs a scll-fulfilling prophccl.

Sure. brg problcnts crist, Thc Gull'crisis, the f'ederal deflcit. sai. ings & loan uncl banking problems. timber supplv ancl enr ironntental difficulties. crcdit ancl collection problents and badl1, shaken consllnrer conficlcnce. \ot to mcntion housing bcing in thc tank. All in all. a scary prospecl.

Ilut thcse problcnrs won't lust lbrever. Problenrs nevcr do. Industry' \'ctcrans note that "if it isn't one thing. it's llrolhcr." Observers point out that it's becn about cieht veurs sincc our last

downturn. a far lorrger periocl ol'g<tod lintes than this industry has cnjoled firr marrl lears. Their feeling is that pcople shoulcl have prcpared rn good times for the incvitable o'clical decline. (iood adlicc. but easier said than done.

llow long will our indr.rstrl,'s parr of the national rcccssion last'l \\'c heard everything l'ront first quartcr l99l to two t'ears. Wc found no consensus. but the largest group sees a mid1991 turnaround.

Good tintcs w'ill rcturn. \\'hat wc need to do now is soldicr thror,rgh the business battles for howevcr long it is Lrntil thc oclical upturn.

Neither krreejerk pcssintisnt nor mindless Pollyanu happv talk is the ansuer. IIard work. efTective manirgenrcnt acllptecl to the changed conditions ol' the 1990s lnd a good dose of rcalistic conllclcncc is a goocl prescription for survilrns harcl tintcs.

HOU1I TO GET THE ON REO CEDAR S

EST O EAL PLIT RAIL:

lf you can find a millthatis really fussyabout its quality, prices fairly, ships 0n time, provides g00d sales supp0rt and guarantees every stick they sell, -i

Then you will have the happiest customers, the fastestturns, the nicest margin, and the best return 0n your split rail investment.

The best deal isn't necessarily the one that's the cheapest; it's the one that makes you the most money.

the most money.

Happy Holidays from Vbprhaeuser

Ttrant< you for relying upon weyerhaeuser in 1990 for providing a complete line of quality building materials and services with allthe trimmings.

Ail of us at Weyerhaeuser eagerly look forward to providing you with the quality products and the satisfaction you have come to expect from us in the New Year.

Best wishes to you and your families for a healthy and prosperous

Westetn Curto*., Service Centers

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Vestern Sales Center

1-800-426-6466 (LK) 1-800-562-3960 (VA) 1 -800-426-0870 (Outside rfilA)

BUSINESS FORECAST Ghanges will shape industry

Y 30-PLUS years in this industry have taught me that there's one thing we can always count on . change. Today's environment ls no exceptlon.We're witnessing a change in U.S. demographics that will alter the domestic housing market well past the turn of the century. Fewer families are forming, which translates directly into fewer houses being built. This trend is not likely to be reversed until the children of the baby boom generation begin buying homes. The net result is that housing starts are apt to remain relatively steady at rates of about 1.3 million a year, which is far less than the historical rates we've enjoyed. On the plus side, however, families are living in the same homes longer and, consequently, are doing more repair and remodel work. This seement of

the market should continue to grow at a healthy rate.

On the environmental front, the forest products industry will continue to face increasing pressure on timber supply, especially in the Pacific Northwest. Restrictions on timber harvesting have already resulted in the closure of dozens of Northwest mills, and there will be more, both in the Northwest and eventually in other regions of the country. A limited wood supply will ultimately result in reduced product availability and higher prices. All in all, it's going to be a tough, competitive market in which the advantage will go to those producers who have the most modern, efficient and strategically located facilities. Product innovation, particularly for products that require less raw material,

Story at a Glance

Demographic controlled housing starts of 1.3 million... healthy R&R growth... continuing environmental pressurcs . . promising worldwide madet for building materials.

such as Boise Cascade's recently introduced laminated veneer lumber (LVL), will also play an important role in the competitive environment I've just described.

Not all the changes that affect our industry are occurring so close to home. The creation of a European Common Market shows promise of greater economic growth and, therefore, greater demand for building products. The recent agreement by the Common Market countries to adopt common building codes means that U.S. suppliers can better compete in that market. On the other side of the world, residential construction rates in the Pacific Rim countries are expected to remain at high levels. All told, these worldwide changes should present significant opportunities for the U.S. forest products industry.

The future holds many changessome that may go beyond what we can anticipate today. And with change will come challenges and opportunities. Given Boise Cascade's commitment to total quality, combined with our natural resource base and a history of solid investment in our facilities, we're confident that we are well prepared to meet those changes.

Treated market stays strong

A LL INDICATIONS are that tt 1991 sales of treated lumber products will be as good asor better thanthis year's, with the second half of the year better than the first.

The growing confidence of remodelers and do-it-yourselfers in the environmental acceptability and guaranteed longevity of pressure treated wood is evident in their increasing reliance on the product. This is a particularly important factor in the continuing growth of the market. To assure the vitality, dynamism and health of that growth, the Western Wood Preservers Institute is promoting pressure treated wood in both the residential and industrial sectors of the market.

While western housing starts are expected to be down 7o/o for 1990,

lumber used for repair and remodeling in both residential and non-residential sectors is slowing at a lower rate than any other use category. Making up 32.70/o of total softwood lumber consumption, this market is expected to consume 14.7 billion b.f. in 1990 compared to 14.9 billion in 1989, a decrease of less than l%.

Although the dramatic increases in the cost of housing since 1974 are slowing down, they continue to discourage new home buying. Buyers are either purchasing "fixers," or renovating the homes in which they now live.

The increase in home renovation projects sgch as pressure treated wood'{ecks and other backyard projects shows no sign of slowing. Sales of better grades of deck lumber have remained steady.

In homes where untreated wood has rotted or been attacked by insects, pressure treated wood is being

Western lumber supply favorable

I NTO early summer, 1990. the I western lumber industry was haunted by the prospects of log shortages. Demand was strong, but log supplies were down. with few prospects for changing an environ men tallydriven erosion of available timber supplies. A WWPA study at that time showed that, on the average in 1990, mills were expecting to produce 100/o less lumber than they did the year before, almost all because of expected raw materials shortages.

But by midsummer, user markets had softened, along with new orders for lumber. This trend continuing through the fall has resulted in lighter lumber production, which in turn has lessened pressures on log

decks. By November, many mills were shortening shifts or cutting back production because of lack of business, not lack of logs.

But the pattern was uneven. Some mills shut down because log supply was dear and stumpage prices high. Others shut down because there was no market. Still others were able to operate at near normal clips. But all were being whipsawed between high raw material costs and low market prices.

On the threshold of 1991, an expected shortage of western lumber caused by tight log supplies alone doesn't look as though it will materialize. Lumber supplies probably will be adequate, at least early in the year. A look ahead at market prospects indicates demand pressure should remain relatively light in comparison to the past three years.

Presently a nationwide lending crunch is underway, complicated by the S&L crisis on one hand and the Gulf crisis on the other. Ultra-conservative lending is suddenly an institutional mandate, while persistent inflationary fears hold interest rates high.

used to replace it. Such renovation is a strong indicator of a healthy market for pressure treated wood.

This is evident in the Pacific Northwest, where dimensional lumber for remodeling, decks, and do-ityourself interior and exterior projects has had a very good year. In California, similar sales were offonly slightly from 1989.

This should encourage those of us in the manufacture and supply of treated wood products, despite major challenges to the industry from preservationist tactics calculated to shut down our raw material supply.

Story at a Glane

Prcssure trcated wood products sales good, improving as 1991 progrcsses. westem housing starts down 7"/o... treated market will continue to grow.

Consequently, WWPA sees U.S. housing starts at 1.2 million units for 1991, 75.50/o single-family. Of total starts, 360,000 units are expected in the West.

The repair/remodel market has two sectors affected by money supply and interest rates. On the contractor side, big-ticket projects requiring financing are expected to ease in numbers during 1991. However, doit-yourself activity may pick up.

All told for 1991, WWPA sees lumber repair/remodel consumption leveling off from the rapid growth it experienced in the 1980s.

Since the forecast necessarily is built mostly on demand expectations, the western lumber industry should hit 19.58 billion board feet if log needs can be met. Until the 1980s, that would have been a banner year in anybody's book.

Story at a Glane

Lumber supplies a@uate in early 1991 demand lighter than fast 3 years ...1.2 million housing starts. .360,0(X) units inthewest fa'verbQ rcmodeF ing proiects, but cFi-y may pick up the slad<.

ls home improvement recession resistant?

A S WE move into the new fil decade, the home improvement industry faces the continuing challenge of maximizing its efficiency while dealing with the complexitites of the '90s economy.Amidst rumors of a recession - a slumplng economy, nsing oil prices and high interestrates every business needs to

take notice. While no one is ever recession-proof, the home improvement industry is, to a large degree, recession resistant. As the real estate market softens and houses become harder to sell, people tend to spend more time and money repairiqg and remodeling existing homes. Since a

I OOKING for good news in the L year ahead will require patience as the Middle East situation. which appears to be dormant as this is written, could result in turmoil on a moment's notice.

Nevertheless. regardless of a conflict. home building on a national basis will probably remain in the doldrums for at least the first two quarters of 1991. Many blame the slowdown on interest rates, but the main problem lies in the demographics of our nation with the baby boomers now in the declining years of household formations. They are housed and not yet ready to trade up. The cost of new housing has risen higher than their present housing which is curreqtly declining in value. Their children are still too young to enter

home represents a principle investment, there are strong economic reasons to enhance and preserve it.

In our industry, we sell lumber mainly for additions or repairs, whereas lumber yards are traditionally more dependent on the number of housing starts. Our locations carry broad assortments of materials and brand name products that make the home improvement process simpler and more productive. With this in mind, I feel that one of the largest growth areas in the next year will be the warehouse segment of the home improvement industry. Warehouse formats have built-in economics that allow them to operate with lower expense ratios while providing a convenient, one-stop resource.

This is not to imply that there will not be room in the industry for more traditional home centers and mom and pop hardware stores. The key to success for each type of retailer in the industry is to establish a comfortable niche. While small hardware

The Merchant Magazine

operations cannot compete with the large home centers on price or selection, they have the advantage of knowing their customers on a first name basis and initiating long-term relationships.

Retail leaders in the '90s will be those that maintain excellence. not just in planning, but in execution. Customer service will be an important factor, as will the ability to maintain a competitive price policy. Informational programs, that help customers gain both the confidence and skills necessary to become do-ityourselfers, are a necessary part of educating and expanding your customer base. The most successful retailers will tailor their businesses to be area-specifii with both marketing programs and merchandise mix indi. vidualized for each geographic region. The challenge will be to add service features while maintaining a healthy profit margin,

Story at a Glane

Biggest growth in warehouse re tail, though well run traditional and small operators can prosper if they serve a niche. excellence in execution will mark the leaders.

Slow growth in the'9Os

the housing market. The net result will be 1.2 million starts for the upcoming year.

However, there will be some areas of fair activity such as the

Story at a Glane

Home building will remain slow in the first half ...1.2 million housing starts... Pacific Nofttr west and Califomia will have fair activity . . . management must gear itself to the'90s.

Pacific Northwest, California, Washington, D.C. and a few other fast growing suburbs.

As everyone strives to maintain

past volumes of sales, and in so doing, increase market share, margins will no doubt become slimmer for all and sales will shrink for some.

When this occurs, management will be reviewing what can be done. Increased emphasis and focus will be given to managing for profit and return on investment. rather than the generation of larger sales. Some will pursue cost reduction measures through down sizing or restructuring. This is already evident in major industries.

The economic environment of the 1980s is not going to return right away and management must gear itself for the '90s which will be an atmosphere of slower growth.

As a first step in adjusting to the new era, more attention will be given to artificial intelligence developed by better management in-

formation systems. This will indicate the strengths and weaknesses in an overall business plan. All business is not good business and usually bad business can only be identified through analysis based on comprehensive information.

Better asset management will be called for, necessitating improved accounts receivable control and turnover, better inventory management and reduction of unnecessary capital

items.

There should be no gloom or doom in those companies which recognize change and react to it.

None of us can leave well enough alone. Primarily because our procedures and routines are based upon the past. There is nothing we can do about the past, but we can do something about the future and think in terms of innovation and progress.

Moulding & millwork

A LL PREDICTIONS and eco- frl nomic forecasts point towards a domestic market much the same as we are now experiencing. If that is the case, the bulk of our domestic market will be the remodeling and upgrading of existing homes. One million new home starts seems to be the current trend. This makes one realize that home prices are going to continue to soar in most parts of the country. The homes that sell the best, for the most dollar value, are the upgraded homes that are well finished with decorative mouldinss and millwork.

Story at a Glance

Repair & remodeling will be the bright spot as housing drags along at one million starts more exports to the Pacific Rim and Europe. raw material supply a problem.

With all the unsettling things going on in the world, it is hard for the average home buyer to make the decision to buy a home. But when they do make this move, they expect to get something for their money. This is where the smart builder

A big 33i1" ahead

fn ONCPnNING next year, there

V isn't anyone who really knows for sure what is going to happen! Every forecast is conditional on a

makes his profit, building an attractive, well designed home finished off with an eye appealing blend of mouldings and millwork.

The new found freedom for millions of people in Europe, along with the combined European Market through EC-92, is going to create a phenomenal market place for the lumber producing nations. This is not going to be an overnight happening, but eventually it will happen. When it does, WMMPA members plan on being suppliers of good quality millwork to these markets.

Due to recent legislation and the Super 301 negotiations, which involve shipments to the Pacific Rim, and the new situation in Europe, we are confident our products are going to be in demand in new world markets. Many already have started marketing internationally.

WMMPA members have some of the world's most advanced woodworking technology. Our production and quality is unmatched anywhere in the world. Quality conscious buyers in the sophisticated world market demand this. Companies that produce mouldings and millwork under the WMMPA logo are fortunate and excited about the future.

The lone downer in all these plans is the availability of raw materials for our plants, but I am sure that the people of this nation will soon realize that we cannot survive as a free people and industrious nation without manufacturing our own products. We must manage and utilize our forests and continue to be a world leader in the manufacture of good products.

number of big "ifs," but APA believes there are grounds for projecting a modest panel market recovery in the second half of I 99 I

Our best estimate for l99l at this time is a modest recovery beginning in the second half, permitting production of 27.3 billion sq. ft. This is based in large part on the assumption that the Fed will lower interest rates to stimulate recovery about midyear.

We expect only a gradual improvement in new residential construction in 1991. Housing starts will continue weak until interest rates soften and the basic real estate climate improves. The current S & L problems, which have put a damper on new real estate loans from almost every quarter, will tend to slow the housing recovery that normally occurs when mortgage rates subside.

Our forecast assumes that shortterm interest rates will drop meaningfully shortly after the first of the year, but it will take about two extra months for that decline to be reflected in long-term rates. The results will be no housing recovery before June and a slow rate of new growth after that.

Overall, the U.S. economy will go through some tough sledding before returning to a modicum of health. Given an acceptable solution to the Middle East crisis and a stronger U.S. financial community, prospects remain. however. for a much improved longer term economic environment.

Story at a Glance

Subiect to a number of big "ifs" a modest panel market recovery is possible in second half.

'91 same as tgO

A BROAD cross section of AWPB

Fl treating plants and preservative manufacturers were polled in October regarding the prospects for treated wood in 1991. A certain pessimism surrounds the industry and the conclusion is that 1991 will be a repeat of 1990 with the possibility of some weakening in the market, particularly in the first quarter.

The volume of CCA and ACZA treated lumber inspected under the AWPB LP-2 and LP-22 quality con-

trol procedures will show an increase in the 1990 calendar year ofapproximately 20/o over the volume reported in 1989. This volume is stilla sisnificant 740/o below the record vollmes of 1988.

In 1990, solid increases were recorded through the first eight months, but a significant reduction of treater volumes in September and a weak October are expected to show

Story at a Glane

Treaters expect morc of the satne, some market weakening possible... less winter buying as retailers rely on quick delivery. southurestandwestcoast optimistic. .3 billion b.f. anticF pated.

a poor fourth quarter performance.

Uncertainties with the weak economy, interest rates and low housing starts, all compounded by the Middle East problems, make forecasting extremely difficult for treated wood production.

There is optimism in the Southwest with increase in the economic activity from the effect of oil pricing. The Midwest expects modest increases following a fairly good 1990 and the West Coast is expected to maintain current levels. The East Coast remains uncertain with hope that it must improve from a difl'icult I 990.

Treated wood has often shown strength in the R&R markets, particularly in a year of reduced housing starts.

Dealers appear to have gotten used to prompt service from the treating plants and carrying smaller treated inventory, and some of the traditional winter buying programs are significantly reduced.

Lumber inspection in the AWPB LP-2 and LP-22 programs should remain level at approximately the three billion board foot measure.

Good year for hardwood dimension

A LTHOUGH dimension ship- ta ments are slowing down along with the overall economy, we expect that l99l will be a reasonably good year. The demand for furniture, cabinetry, flooring and millwork should remain fairly steady due to continued strength in the repair and renovation of both residential and commercial properties.

Supply will keep up with demand as dimension manufacturers continue to make the necessary capital investments to expand operations and improve productivity. More lumber producers are expanding into dimension manufacturing as a way to diversify and add more value to their products.

The market for machined wood

products such as architectural millwork, interior trim and moulding, stair case parts and fireplace mantels will increase as the home improvement market continues to grow.

More than 50 million homes over 25 years old are good candidates for remodeling work or building additions.

Kitchen and bathroom renovations are the most common remodeling jobs. This is important to dimension manufacturing because the kitchen and bath cabinet industry represents a major market for wood components.

The use of hardwoods in architectural millwork is growing significantly along with the remodeling industry. The U.S. Commerce Department estimates that hardwood materials are used in l0-150/o of all millwork products.

According to the latest NDMA market survey, the furniture industry is the largest customer base for wood dimension, accounting for approximately half of all hardwood dimension component purchases. Household furniture, with sales projected to increase 4.60/o in 1991, will remain a strong market for compo-

nents as will business and institutional furniture where sales are projected to increase 70lo to around $9 billion.

The export market for U.S. hardwood dimension and flooring products is projected to increase significantly in the next several years. Exports have more than doubled during the past two years and are expected to reach $120 million this year, a 140lo increase.

The general outlook for furniture, cabinets and related decorative wood products is positive. Shipments of hardwood dimension and flooring are expected to grow at an average rate of 3-50/o annually over the next five years.

Story at a Glane

Hardwood demand fairly steady with supply keeping up... furniture rcmains a strong market... exports will rise signiftcantly shipments should grow 3olo. 5% in the next 5 years.

1.2 million starts

T HE BUILDING material indus-

I try has been riding a beautiful wave for several years. That wave has finally hit the beach.

While the foregoing statement is simplistic. it does summarize the latest housing cycle. What compounded the situation. however. was all the talk of "soft landings" and continued stable growth with dashers of Europe '92 thrown in to spice up future prospects. We were also blinded by the savings and loan crisis and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

As housing cycles go, our current drop from l.8l million starts in 1986 to 1.23 million starts in 1990 represents a decline of about 330/0.

Uncertainty permeates virtually every aspect of our lives these days. Fuel prices continue to escalate. Bankers, spooked by the sins oftheir

brothers, have become overly conservative, stifling growth. Homebuyers, even if they have money, are reluctant to buy for fear prices are too high or may fall. Remodeling, while a good market, has slowed its growth, at least in the areas of additions and alterations.

Opportunity does exist, however, and some tried and true solutions will help our industry use this period to its advantage. Now is not a time to go it alone. Some manufacturers, trying to get their product closer to the market, have increased their use of reloads. The logistics of this move are sound but the financial aspects do not carry water. More mills are working more closely with wholesalers shifting the inventory expense closer to the market along with the product. This move is allowing those mills to do what they do best, produce lumber, and lumber wholesalers to do what they do best, sell lumber.

Housing represents only one part of the future for the lumber industry. NAWLA predicts total U.S. housing starts for 1991 at 1.2 million units. We believe that 900.000 of these units will be single family with the balance being multi-family units. Lumber. and lots of it. will be sold in

No doom & gloom

S THE economic storm clouds gather, it is interesting to note the stampede to jump on the Chicken Little bandwagon to proclaim "the sky is falling." The nightly news is filled with stories of gloom and doom while experts paint wild scenarios of "what will happen if ..." As a nation. we seem to be dedicated to talking ourselves into a deep recession.

In fact, it is reasonable to expect some sort of economic downturn

after 80 plus months of growth. Most prudent planners had already factored those expectations into their business plans for the 1990-1991 period.

We had anticipated a soft housing market for the early '90s related to population demographics and interest rates. Although the belt tightening of the banking industry has exacerbated the situation in some areas of the country, we can reasonably expect a gradual reduction in interest rates and a subsequent growth in housing turnover as potential home buyers re-enter the market.

Our forecasts call for a 3.30/o real growth figure for hardlines retailers in 1991 with a long range overall projection of 5.30/o compounded annual growth for the period 1990-1995. This is still well above the growth projections of l.7o/o for retailers in general during the same period.

other markets.

Perhaps the greatest hope for the future can be found in exports. Even when housing does rebound, demographics suggest that future peaks of activity will seldom, if ever, reach the high levels of the past decade.

Story at a Glance

Lots of lumber will be sold for rcmodeling and other markets .. exports look iavorable morc cooperation betYveen manuf;acturcr and wholesaler.

A number of NAWLA members are already successfully trading lumber in the world arena. More will follow. Again, some manufacturers are already seen going direct, placing inventories thousands of miles and oceans away from their facilities. We believe that a more controllable, more predictable conduit will involve world wholesalers who will take lumber off the hands of manufacturers before it leaves our shores.

In summary, we are now experiencing a bottoming out period following a good home construction period. While remodeling will help make up some of the differences, exports will draw heavy attention. There is heavy interest in strong lumber wholesaler and manufacturer relationships.

Major planning considerations for the period include repositioning strategies as we deal with a mature market and changing consumer demands coupled with increased competitive pressures as the industry shakeout continues. Beyond a doubt, there will be winners and losers, but overall the industry will continue to grow.

Although we recognize that l99l will be a slower growth period, we do not subscribe to the gloom and doom scenario. As Barry Asmus, economist for the National Center for Policy Analysis, points out, "Economists have predicted eight out of our last two recessions."

Story at a Glance

Expect a gradual reduction in intercst rates and improved housing markets ...3.T/o rcalgrowth for hardlines retailers in 1991 ... overall industry growth.

Hardwood ready for down side

I T DOESN'T take an office fult of I Wall Street economists to tell a hardwood lumberman that the economy is slowing down. A quick glance at his order file willtell him without all the statistical analysis.While it's little consolation to point out that we are in the eighth year of an economic expansion

3t l;"inin"'olffdi

- most hardwood lumbermen are prepared for the down side of what they know is a cyclical market.

While no one can accurately gauge to what extent the Mideast problems will affect our economic condition, that does not prevent the economists from analyzing each aspect of it in great detail in the press. Sometimes it seems that the tone of published reports, whether optimistic or pessimistic, has more influence on the trend in the state of the economy than the real numbers dosuch as changes in the GNP.

Consumer confidence does influence the economy. When confusing or conflicting messages come from Wall Street or Washington, D.C., consumers grow cautious and refrain from spending, and housing and furniture sales decline.

Why are housing starts dipping below 1.2 million units in a country where the population could easily absorb twice that amount? Why is housing so expensive? Is the demand for credit (debt) by business and government finally pushing the individual consumer out of the (mortgage money) market? How much of the cost of that new home is attributable to timber sales never offered because they are locked up in the courts or held back by the agencies who do not want to tackle the preservationists' lawyers?

Has it cost the consumer $1.000. $2,000, $3,000, or more? Will the construction industry ever lead us $ut of an economic downturn?

Lumbermen today are preparing for

Story at a Glance

Hardwood industry is prcpared for tough times wood promo tion needed to retain existing customers and gain new ones we must convince the public treeharvesting is OK.

a stagnant market. They've trimmed their inventories and are monitoring receivables closely. Their plants are in reasonably good shape having made investments in capital equipment while the market was strong, and have since reduced their debt while production and margins remained firm. They are working smarter, lowering operating costs.

But what can they do about consumer confidence? What can they do

about public opinion? Industry-wide promotion of hardwood lumber and other wood products is essential during this period. Consumers must be kept aware of not only the quality of real hardwood products, but the real value which they give to the buyer. If the consumer is unaware of that value, then it will not be home building and furniture that leads us out of our economic slowdown. but the sales of other products such as consumer electronics and automobiles. Industry-wide public relations is just as important. If, for example, 400/o of our timber supply is locked up in the courts or by government regulations, what will the competition for what is left do to the price of our wood products at the consumer level? Price them right out of the market when compared to competing products. We need to tell the public that well managed, working forests, not preserves, provide a continuous supply of forest products without borrowing from our future. It really is "Okay to harvest a tree."

The challenge to lumber manufacturers and merchants for l99l is not only to prepare internally for what's immediately ahead, but to prepare their businesses for the rest of the 1990s.

Key word is change

E'RE in an industry where changing conditions are the norm, rather than the exception, where prediction is very difficult, where we most often cannot assure the success of our plans prior to committing resources.

But while we can't be sure of winning beforehand, we can at least learn to hedge our bets

through proper preparation and planning. So, utilizing the best information available, we see: Continued strong sales in the hardware, home center, Iumber and building supplies industry, with less rapid expansion. Many additional retail challenges such as providing good service while increasing productivity and selling to a segmented market. A slowing of d-

i-y sales but an overall growth of the home improvement market from its current $100 billion to $200 billion by the end of this decade. Domination of the market by middle aged consumers by the year 2000 with home ownership up and renters down. Women will head 280/o of households. Money will drive the market as family composition and consumers' values change. Consumers will demand quality, service, value and individual choice in a fragmented market.

For retailers, this will mean increasing personal service despite growing labor shortages, increased

Story at a Glane

Continued strcng sales... less expansion households heac[ ed by women will requirc more personal seMce. shortage of qualified employees, inqeased labor costs.

productivity pressures and specialized consumer demands. It will mean sharper pricing, good inventory management and utilizing logistics and marketing more effectively. Store format, lighting, use of new technology and packaging, graphics and design will be key elements to retail success.

Effective use of the latest retail technology will be imperative for keeping pace with more competition. Retailers must find ways to treat merchandise on the sales floor so that it will sell itself and allow sales people to concentrate on solving problems that customers have.

One of the most troublesome issues will be the recruitment, training and retention of sufficient numbers

of quality employees. Related to that are the high costs of health care, pensions, fringe benefits, liability insurance and the issues of employee safety, good health and substance abuse.

The '90s are shaping up to be extremely tough, but the strong, those who have identified customer service and satisfaction as their number one job, will prosper and get even stronger.

Change, flexibility and innovation under a partnership arrangement among retailers, distributors and vendors, will be the key words of the '90s. This will provide retailers with the tools and information they need to compete effectively and be successful.

Strong remodeling

A S THE decade progresses, our Fl industrv will focus on increasingly high quality products, efficient and comfortable features to fit specific lif'estyles, and a professionalism that will help consumers sift through what is becoming a crowded and somewhat confusing marketplace. With new housing starts down and an uncertain economy looming, many homeowners will forego moving up to a bigger home and opt to remodel their existing structures.

Other factors, such as the country's aging housing stock, are also helping to contribute to the industry's growth. Another factor is that two-income families - particularly the baby boomers - have more disposable income and equity, and simply need more space for home of-

Story at a Glance

Continued rcrnodeling gKrurth need for upgraded skills, prcduct education...certified rcmodeler designation will gain importance.

lndustry deia vu

HE YEAR ahead will present many challenges, but none that

fices, new babies, inlaws - you name it. In addition, many "empty nesters" and seniors, rather than flock south or to retirement communities, prefer to alter their home to suit a new lifestyle.

Today's consumers are more savvy. They know what they are looking for: a contractor whom they can trust, someone who will be dedicated to the project for the duration, an expert in the field. In response to this demand, contractors will need to continue to upgrade their skills, from sales to installation.

That is where the emphasis on education will come in. We are likely to see, for instance, an increase in the number of remodelers seeking certification. The certified remodeler (CR) designation provides special recognition to contractors who have demonstrated a high level of competency and ethical standards in the remodeling industry.

The professional remodeling industry of the nineties will continue to be diverse, highly competitive and everchanging. The successful remodeler will be one who stays abreast of the whirlwind of information, including the vast array of technologies, products and services. In short, being uninformed or ill-equipped could mean being overcome by one's competition.

With the emphasis on quality and professionalism, the high demand for reputable contractors, the aging housing stock and a decline in total housing starts, the remodeling industry should continue its pattern of sustained growth throughout this decade.

ket. That the overall housing picture will be regrettable is well known; still, there is cause for optimism among builders specializing in repair/ remodeling and/ or high-end new homes. And along the way, lessons learned from the last recession are timely.

However bleak present times may seem to some, it is doubtful they could ever be worse than the situation the housing industry faced a decade ago. Reviewing a l98l LSI/ Dodge study, I was reminded of the severity of the decline: "The number of housing starts decreased 270/o between 1979 and 1980." In such an environment, what good news could the wood window and door industry find?

A great deal. Product categories simply held their own or shifted from new construction to repair/remodeling to yield only modest net losses in unit sales. One star of the last recession was the wood-panel front door.

The last recession was painful for many reasons, and this one won't be the most pleasant experience in the world either. Nevertheless, the astute builder, able to stake out his turf in the repair/remodeling and/or upscale new-home markets, should continue to view wood windows and doors as a distinct asset.

Story at a Glance

l-essons leamed in the past will help wood windows and doors to survive low housing starts... emphasis on high-end, upscale uses.

Average to above performance in Northwest

T HE "R word" is back in vogue

I after being in storage for eight years. Here in Oregon, Washington

and Idaho, the discussion brings back memories of the 1979-82 period when the nation went through its shootout with inflation.

As of August 1990. Idaho. Washington and Oregon were the third. fourth and seventh fastest growing states as measured by nonagricultural employment growth. Construction activity in the region has been very strong in marked contrast to the weakness that has prevailed in the national numbers during the last four years. Rapid population and employment growth has helped boost construction activity. Through August, residential building permits in Oregon were up l2% over last year, while the increase in Idaho was 2lo/o and in Washineton l2o/o.

At the present time many expect that the national economy is entering or in a recession. The media is full of stories about real estate problems in various portions of the nation. Regionally the question is: "How will we fare in a national downturn?" We are certainly not immune to the business cycle, but this time things are likely to be different. In Washington the aerospace sector has a backlog of nearly $100 billion. The aging fleet, the growth in trans Pacific traffic and pressure for fuel efficiency suggest that the industry may be stable during the next few years.

The weakness in the dollar and

Story at a Glance

Northwest well positioned to ride out rccession... retir€e income will drive service and construe tion sector... modest decline in building.

the relatively high growth rates in Western Europe and the Far East will help hold up exports - unlike the experience in the early 1980s. The Northwest's durable goods industries are major exporters as is the agricultural sector.

The region is experiencing an influx of retirees and lifestyle seekers who are bringing income and wealth to the area and helping to drive the service and construction sectors. The retiree income is independent of the business cycle. The agricultural sector is in far better shape in this cycle.

The risk of a real estate collapse, as has been seen in some other regions, would seem to be low. The area did not have the construction boom ofthe early 1980s and the recent population growth has kept the building permits per new resident below the national average in all three states. The

tightening up in real estate lending requirements should help to prevent major overbuilding. Residential construction is expected to decline in all three states in l99l as the economies slow. The region will experience more modest growth reflecting the national weakness as well as regional factors. In Washington and Oregon, particularly, the reduction in the availability of logs from federal lands due to the forest plans and the ancient forest controversy will in the coming years result in a continuation of the downsizing of the industry.

During the coming year, the Northwest will not have a continuation of the recent boom. but from Boise to Brookings to Bellingham, the region will very likely have average to above average performance. A replay of the 1979 to 1982 period would not seem to be in the cards.

R&R Upbeat

llt HILE the residential repair and UU remodeling market is difficult to track, most experts believe it is significant with approximately $101 billion spent in l 989.

The mid1980s presented a period of dramatic growth for remodeling, although the market slowed in late 1986 and registered a decline in 1989 for the flrst time since the recession of 1982. However, remodeling is expected to return to its pattern of growth in late 1990 and 1991.

This expectation is based on demographic trends and economic forecasts. Surveys indicate that household heads between the ages of 35-54 tend to spend higher percentages of their incomes on remodeling.

The U.S. Census Bureau has indicated that during the 1990s, much of the growth in our population will be

in the 35-54 age group as the "baby boom" population ages.

Economic factors also appear to support remodeling. As house price increases moderate and mortgage rates continue in the l0% range, there may be more incentive for homeowners to renovate their existing homes rather than trading up with hopes of making a large profit as they did in previous years.

The residential remodeling market is usually classified into three segments. (l) About 400/o of total spending is for maintenance and repairs, such as fixing a leaking roof, and many of these jobs are do-ityourself activities. (2) Major replacements such as a new furnace, new plumbing or siding, account for approximately 200/o of the total. (3) Additions and alterations, such as a new room or big kitchen or bath-

Story at a Glance

Remodeling to hit $109 billion in '91 ...3$31 age group spends the most... kitchen & bath pre jects are the favorttes.

room remodeling n'ojects, account for approximately 400/0. However, additions and alterations are usually considered discretionary as they can be easily postponed.

A number of research studies have been conducted on remodeling. Most indicate that kitchen and bathroom remodeling are the most common addition/alteration projects. Also, remodeling expenditures tend to be higher in areas with older homes.

Remodeling activity in the first

quarter of 1990 reached a seasonallyadjusted annual rate of $114 billiona record high. It is estimated that remodeling activity in 1990 will total $106 billion which is about 50/o above 1989. l99l should show continual growth with repair and remodeling increasing to about $109 billion, a slightly slower rate of growth than in 1990 primarily due to a drop-off in the additions and alterations segment resulting from a projected economic slowdown in the coming, year.

Upturn in spring

Fl ESSIMISM over the U.S. econ- F omy has mounted during the closing months of 1990. Housing starts nationally will be at the lowest level since 1982. Employment de- clines have spread through man u factu ring and construction and recently extended to retailing, wholesaling, and service industries. Unemployment has been climbing, while consumer confidence has plummeted.

How severe will any downturn be? We believe that the economic slump will be short and shallow. The economy is unlikely to fall into a protracted or cumulative decline for at least three reasons. First, resolution of the Middle East situation without major damage to oil facilities would cause business and consumer confidence to improve substantially. Oil prices would recede to an average of about $20 a barrel in l99l and long-term interest rates would drop sharply. Second, the Federal Reserve will not stand idly by while the economy starts to slide. It will allow short-term interest rates to decline and pump more money into the economy. The bank prime rate could be down to about 9o/o by the middle of next year.

Consequently, we believe that economic conditions will be starting to improve next spring. Interest rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages should be below 100/o through all or most of 1991. Our forecast is for a modest upturn in housing starts to 1.29 million units next year. Home improvement activity should also

Story at a Glane

Economic slump will be shott & shallow. 1.29 million housing starts in '91 ...lumber & home center sales and profit improve ment due.

pick up as consumers become somewhat more confident about their own jobs and the economy in general. The overall economic recovery, however, is likely to be relatively mild.

Regional disparities will continue to be pronounced. The western states appear to be in a comparatively good position. California's real estate market has cooled markedly after two years of boom, and home prices are likely to be essentially flat in 1991. The state's overall economy has slowed substantially along with the rest of the nation. California's real estate market, however, is not collapsing. In addition, lower-priced areas such as Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley are expanding rapidly, while lower-priced homes in the more expensive areas are also continuing to sell.

The Pacific Northwest will see further moderation, but growth will continue and the region will likely outperform most parts of the country in 1991. The Rocky Mountain states are continuing a process of gradual recovery. Nevada's explosive gains are ebbing. Arizona's basic economy is improving, although the overhang of commercial real estate persists. On balance, population and job growth in the western part of the United States can be expected to be somewhat better than the country at large.

Both lenders and builders will remain cautious going into next year, but 1990 is likely to mark the low point of the housing cycle.

PIuses & minuses

A S wE approach year-end 1990, Fl construction spending remains weak virtually across-the-board, extending a trend that has lasted nearly five years.

Following a stressful near term period, intermediate-to-long term prospects are somewhat brighter. Construction, especially on the residential side, is typically among the first sectors of the economy to recover from a slowdown. Thus, housing starts and residential construction activity are expected to improve before a general recovery is felt. Demographic trends, i.e., fewer individuals entering the prime firsttime home buying ages, will be a built-in growth-constraining factor for home building suppliers through the end of the century. Offsetting this to some extent will be a reasonably healthy trade-up market, as the more prosperous of the aging babyboomers move to more expensive and spacious dwellings. In addition, residential modernization/improvement activity will show strength, as homeowners seek to maximize the

Story at a Glance

Housing will prccede a general reco\rery. trade up market will partially balance iewer frst time home buyers. long term Pros" pects for nonresidential construction are mixed.

value of their investments, and apartment/condo owners and developers work to attract tenants and conform to changing building and safety codes.

Industrial building investment, by contrast, will show good strength after the economic slowdown plays out, propelled by the need to replace obsolete capacity and ramp up to serve growing export markets in Europe and elsewhere. Institutional construction, especially for health care facilities (to serve a growing elderly population) and schools, also holds above-average growth prospects.

NEWS ERIEFS

Eogle Hardw,ere & Gorden Supply, a new venture for David Heerensperger, lormer ceo and chairman of Pay 'N Pak, opened its first unit in Spokane, Wa., with stores in Bremerton and Southcenter (Seattle). Wa.. due to open in February or March

Bttilclers Emporium re-opened the former National Lumber unit in Encinitas. Ca.. Nov. l7 under the BE banner Dixieline is preparing to remodel the Oceanside, Ca., unit bought from National Lumher tor a spring opening; plans are to close the Vista, Ca., Dixieline at that ilme.

Lumber Otn Van Nuys, Ca., took the first step towards moving into Northern California by buying Patio World, a five store chain of patio shops, in San Rafael, Ca., naming Jim singer manager in Southern California Lumbet' City is concentrating on kitchens, baths and millwork, adding design centers at Valencia, Crescenta Valley and ThousandOaks...

GNW Partners, L.P., will sell the majority ownership of the former Grossman s Northwest Div. to Robert S. Pacos and several senior management members and close five stores (see p. 37 for story) ... Hardware

Wholesalers Inc. will build a DC in Woodburn, Or.

HomeClub, Laguna Niguel, Ca., sponsored "Families Running for Families" as a benefit for the local Family Service Association. the Rotary Club qf Santa Rosa. Ca.. and the Albuquerque, N.M., Commission ./br Persons wirh Disabilities in New Mexico both presented Home

Club with awards for employing thedisabled...

Honre Depot is adding design centers staffed by interior designers at some West Coast stores . . . Hes.s Forest Produt'ts added a full line window and door shop at its San Jose, Ca., retail store...

Mar Vista Lumber, Culver City, Ca., is marking its 35th annrversary year.

Charlie White has purchased Sclrcllville Wood Produrrs. Vineburg (Sonoma). Ca.. from Bob O'Brien, carrying on the tradition started by his father who founded the old White Lumber lo., a retailer in San Franctsco . .

Mariners Forest Products, Santa Ana, Ca., has been named a So. Ca. Domtar decorative panels distributor

Redwoorl Empire, Inc., a Morgan Hill, Ca., based producer and distributor of redwood and other lumber products. is opening a So. Ca. sales office, Tim Thompson, mgr. ., Precision Lumber Co., Portland, Or., opened a remanufacturing plant in Yuba City, Ca....

Plywood Panels Inc., Chino, Ca., is serving as marketing agent for States Induslries' prefinished panels in So. Ca. Widntan Management, Vancouver, 8.C., opened an office in Portland, Or., Jerry E, Crane in charge.

Laventltal & Horwatlt, parent co. of Laventhol & Horwath Information Systems Consulting, filed for Chapter 1l bankruptcy

Sales for Burney Forest Prod, ucts are now handled from the Burney, Ca., o{fice, Bob Bretz, sales mgr. ... Taylor Lunber & Treating closed its Sheridan, Or., sawmill for a week in Nov. and Ihe Forest Grove Lumber Co. saw- mill. Forest Grove, Or., indefinitely

Despite industry rumors of its sale, Roseburg Lumber Co., Roseburg, Or., reported at presstime that no agreements will be finalized "for at least two months"...R & J Lumber, Willits, Ca., closed its mill for Thanksgivingweek...

Roseburg Forest Products, Dillard, Or., has closed its Anderson. Ca., operations until Jan. | Ward Way Lumber Co., Ukiah, Ca,, completed their rebuilding of damage from a June fire...

Peat'htree Doors closed its warehouse in Las Vegas, Nv., returning merchandise and staff to Norcross, Ga., Hq., and plans to sell the building . .

Owens-Corning Fiberglas has been ordered to pay $26.3 million to a retired asbestos worker whose health was damaged by their products.

Nichici American Corp. purchased the Benjamin Franklin Plaza building in Portland, Or,, for $34 million . Le Messurier International (Australian hardwoods), Brisbane, Australia, opened offices in Eugene, Or.

Third quarter earnings at Potlatch werc 850 per share, down from $l .22 in 1989 . . . Pope & Talbot earnings were 30S per share compared to $ l.l I in 1989. .. WTD Industries /nc, lost $1.42 a share...

Housing storts for Oct. (latest figs.) were down 60lo to an annual rate of 1.041.000. the worst since June, 1982 single farnily starts fell l0l0, multifamily 260/0, building permits 6.8o/r, starts in the west dropped 17o/0, permits in the west declined 100/0.

Stay liquid

T HE KEY word for building

I products retailers used to be location. In these economic downtimes, it has changed: retailers need to stay liquid.

With economic uncertainty, retailers need to reexamine their cash flow. And since inventory represents 40% to 700/o of a retailer's assets, it makes sense to look at how that inventory is being managed.

Story at a Glance

Liquidity will be a keY to economic survival . . . inventory management can sweeten cash flow.

Cash can be "found" in inventory. Retailers can begin by examining how existing inventory was acquired and how it's being maintained. Dust off the dead or dying inventory and hold sales to raise cash. Next, look at delivery and inventorying options available from reloads, distribution centers and direct from manufacturers. Increasing turns by decreasing inventory on hand through more frequent deliveries from suppliers will free up much needed cash.

Even the savviest managers often base buying decisions on just two questions: "How much does the product cost?" and "Can I get it cheaper?" Purchase price is only one element of the cost of acquiring inventory. It makes sense to take a closer look at the "hidden costs" of acquiring and stocking product for resale.

Acquisition costs alwaYs get the first - and sometimes the onlYlook from purchasing agents, but possession costs can be just as expensive. Buying from the cheapest source can be an expensive proposition as well. That's especially true if it means sacrificing service. Errors, expediting delays and quality problems can seriously erode profits. Retailers who avoid the "lowest-price trap" and embrace the concePt of

total procurement cost can improve turn/earn ratios and boost delivery time, customer service and ultimately, profits.

For some, definite advantages exist for buying large quantities of product directly from the mill. It's a tried-and-true method of economizing. But more often than not it requires a commitment to a huge suPply, which has a negative imPact on turn/earn ratios.

Buying mill-direct may make sense, but only after the true cost implications of buying and holding the materials until they're sold are analyzed. The initial savings typically must be paid out in a variety of longterm expenses such as increased shipping costs, storage, overhead and insurance costs of warehousing, added interest payments, taxes and shrinkage. After a hard look at the numbers, a reliable wholesaler-distributor relationship often proves to be the best bet for manY retailers.

In a world where keeping costs down and cash on hand is mandatory, retailers need to ask more questions about their suppliers' services. Too often, they forget or neglect the services local suppliers can provide: buying goods in quantitY, warehousing them, breaking them into economic order quantities, and delivering them just-in-time.

CALENDAR

DECEMBER

l,umber Association of Southern CaliforniaDec. ll, Second Growth dinner meeting, Industry Hills Sheraton, City of Industry, Ca.

Seattle Hoo-Hoo ClubDec. 1l Christmas meeting, Bailey's, Bellevue, Wa.

Woodwork Institute of CaliforniaDec. 11, area meeting, Bowser Cabinet & Casework, San Diego, Ca.

Winema Hoo-Hoo ClubDec. 13, Past Presidents Night, Molitor's Motel, Klamath Falls, Or.

Lumber Merchants Association of Northern CaliforniaDec. 14, insurance trust committee meeting, Sacramento, Ca.

Portland Wholesale Lumber AssociationDec. 14. Jantzen Beach Red Lion Inn, Portland, Or.

l,os Angeles Hardwood Lumberman's ClubDec. 22, Christmas party, Balboa Bay Club, Newport Beach, Ca.

JANUARY

National Housewares Manufacturers AssociationJan. 6- 9, international housewares expo, McCormick place, Chicago, ll.

Western Wood Products AssociationJan. 7, district meetings, Airport Sheraton Inn, Portland, Or.; Holiday Inn, Coeur D'Alene, Id.; Jan.8, Riverhouse, Bend, Or.; Valley River lnn, Eugene, Or.; Jan. 9, Host Metropolitan Airport, Sacramento, Ca.; Jan. 10, Registry Resort, Scottsdale, Az.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers AssociationJan. 7-9, residential framing lumber estimating seminar; Jan. l0-l l, speed estimating, Executive Tower Inn. Denver. Co.

Seattle Hoo-Hoo Club - Jan. 8, Past Presidents Night/crab feed, Mercer Island. Wa.

Tacoma Olympia Hoo-Hoo ClubJan. 8, plasterboard mill tour, Tacoma. Wa.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers AssociationJan. l4-16, residential framing lumber estimating seminar, Albuquerque, N.M.

Seattle Hoo-Hoo ClubJan. 15, grading school (1st of 7 weekly classes), University of Washington, Seattle, Wa.

North Cascade Hoo-Hoo ClubJan. 16, beer & crab feed, Elks Club. Mount Vernon. Wa.

Western Buifding Material AssociationJan. 17-20, Young Westerners conlerence, Greenwood Inn, Beaverton, Or.

Sacramento Hoo-Hoo CIubJan. 21, initiation meeting, Sacramento. Ca.

Oakland Hoo-Hoo ClubJan. 22, initiation meeting, Oakland, Ca.

Black Bart Hoo-Hoo ClubJan. 23, Industry Night, Ukiah, Ca.

Humboldt Hoo-Hoo Club - Jan.24, crab feed, Eureka Inn, Eureka, Ca.

Portland Hoo-Hoo Club - Jan.24, meeting, Portland, Or.

Inland Empire Hoo-Hoo ClubJan. 25, initiation meeting, Indian Hills Country CIub, Riverside, Ca.

Shasta Cascade Hoo-Hoo ClubJan. 25, initiation meeting, Redding, Ca.

WBMA Names New Executive

Mary E. Murphy will assume the duties of executive director of the Western Building Material Association, Olympia, Wa., upon the retirement of C. E. "Chuck" Link on April l.

New WBMA president Robert M. Bush commented, "Ms. Murphy will bring to her new responsibilities a competency and thorough knowledge of the association and the building material industry. She, assisted by a very competent staff, will

take the association to new heights."

Western Building Material Association is the trade association for the retail building materialdealers in the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

WESTIERN ASS0CIATI[0N NEWS

Now administration manager, Ms. Murphy has been with WBMA since 1976. A graduate of Oregon State University with a BS in business and technology, she worked for Bayview Lumber Co., Elma, Wa., for I I years prior to joining the association.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association kicked off its l00th anniversary celebration during the opening reception of the NLBMDA convention at the Broadmoor Resort, Colorado Springs, Co., Nov. l-4.

MSLBMDA volunteers handed out red bandannas to 400 as they entered the western decorated room which included a saloon front with swinging doors and cacti. Mini tacos, a side of beef and other western foods carried out the theme.

MSLBMDA's quartet, Geri Bagby, Joe Peacock, Dianna Peacock and Arne

CnscADE FonnsT Gnoup

I,{.iASq{es Agents

Merchant, entertained with humorous lumber songs.

MSLBMDA's Honorary Life Members were awarded plaques for 100 years of volunteerism in the lumber industry. Robert B. Fancher, president, Bloedorn Lumber Co., Torrington, Wy., and Charles F. Smith, vice president, Pecos Valley-Huston Lumber Co., Roswell, N.M., received awards.

Gary Woodward, owner, G&W Supply, Anthony, N.M., passed the MSLBMDA presidential reins to Mark Swager, branch manager, Anderson Lumber Co., Idaho Falls, ld.

Springfield Forest Products, Springfield, Oregon

Dou$as Fir

CDX/CClSTRUCT/LVL

Contact: Don Cooley, Jeff Morris

Marysville Forest Products, Marysville, California

K. D. White Fir 6" Ponderosa Pine

Moulding 6e Btr / Shop / Dimension

Contact: Rick Kellso

Cascaor, FonEsr Gnoup

P.O. Box 1766

Lake Oswego, Oregon 97035

Freres Lumber Co., Lyons, Oregon

Springfield Forest Products, Springfield, Oregon

8'Rotary Cut Green f" Dry Douglas Fir

€"' Hernlock

Contact: Mike Morris, Larry Slaughter

Freres Lumber Co., Lyons, Oregon

Green Douglas Fir 6c Hernlock

2x4, 4x4 7750 F / Std €p Btrl Stud

Contact: Rick Kellso

cArL 503-636-8633

FAX 503-636-9866

December 199O

Redwood Executive To Retire

Keith Lanning, president and ceo of the California Redwood Association, will retire at the end of December with Christopher Grover, vice president of advertising and promotion, assuming his responsibilities.

With CRA for 25 years, Lanning is credited by many in the industrY with recognizing in the early '70s the potential of the deck market. Tom Malarkey, vice chairman, Pacific Lumber Co., said, "The idea caught on slowly at first and then simply ex-

ploded into the enormous, multispecies national deck market we know today."

Jim Brown, Arcata Redwood, who is chairman of the association, said, "Through good times and lean, Keith has always focused first on the well being of the CRA."

Recession Before New Year

A brief and relatively mild recession before the new year is predicted

by 80% of 55 economists surveyed by Blue Chip Economic Indicators.

Another 5% delayed the slump until 1991. Nobel Prize winner Lawrence Klein added that a Persian Gulf war will send the world's economy into a deep recession until 1992 or later.

Eggert Economic Enterprises Inc. thinks the longest peacetime expansion is about to come to an end. Michael Boskin, White House chief economic adviser, said the economy could slip into negative territory this year.

Washington Dealers Survive Floods

Lumber dealers in the Skagit River area of western Washington prepared for the worst and hoped for the best as rains and flooding rivers threatened their stores over Thanksgiving weekend.

Riverside Building Supply in Mt. Vernon, a town on the banks of the Skagit River, was among the hardest hit. Almost a week after the river crested, the yard was still shut down,

under three to four feet of water. Owner Chuck O'Donnell said there was "nothing to do but wait for the water to drain off." Some of his inventory floated away and much of the sheet rock and cement had extensive water damage although it had been moved to higher ground.

O'Donnell had no dollar estimate of damage at presstime. The retail store, while not flooded, was vir-

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tually shut down by police closing streets leading to it. Although the doors were open, customers couldn't reach the store from the day before Thanksgiving to the following Sunday, O'Donnell said.

Orcas Lumber on Orcas Island, also owned by O'Donnell, had damage from flooding in the warehouse, caused by the tremendous amount of rain. Rainfall in the flood area ranged from six to nine inches.

Smith & Carlson in Monroe had minimal water damage and no inventory loss although it was necessary to wash the mud out of the lumber piles. Bob Smith, a co-owner, estimated that it would cost from $l 500 to $2000 for tabor to clean the lumber.

Hamilton Lumber at Stanwood expected to be flooded, according to Steve Geyer, manager, and sandbagged the property. However, "we lucked out," he said, and the flood waters were no real threat.

Stouffer Lumber, Aberdeen, was another yard expecting flooding as seven inches of rain pelted the area. "Tension was high on Saturday (Nov. 24)," Alan Stouffer said, but they had no damage. Flooding in the Aberdeen area was minimal, he added.

Although the surrounding areas were damaged extensively, several yards escaped flooding and were able to rally to help their customers. Eric Fritch, owner/general manager at Chinook Lumber Co., Snohomish, started broadcasting a message on the local radio station, offering to provide flood victims with repair materials at cost.

Arlington Hardware & Lumber, Mike Jones, owner, in Arlington opened on Sunday (Nov. 25) to help customers obtain materials needed to repair flood damage. Dunbar Lumber in Monroe also aided their customers to get pumps and other essential materials.

Numerous stores located on high ground and in other areas unscathed by the flood waters reported no damage and essentially little change in business demand, mainly because homeowners in the areas were not able to reach their homes to assess the damages and begin repairs.

Among the stores reporting no damage were Knoll Lumber Co., Terry Willey, manager, Marysville; (Please turn to page 42)

Our goal is to keep you competitive. That's how our people make the difference.

"Fremont, Ca. 199O"

From our family to you and yours.

DMK-Pacific wishes all the best for the holiday season and the coming year to our customers and suppliers.

An update on the D, M and K of our name: Dennis, 21, graduates from college next June; Michael, 18, graduates from high school, and Katie, 15, is vice president of her high school class. Health, Happiness and Long Life.

Hank Aldrich, Ed Bochman, Harriet Durkin, Scott Fossum, John Gomes, Matt Perry, Bob Pineda, Gary Stewart, Randy Walton, Linda and Dwight Curran

IUSTOM ORNMN

Quick Quotes for 1991

A random sampling of ideas and opinions

"There will be a significant deceleration, but the important thing is, there will not be an absolute contraction."

"Projected declines range from 20/o to 50/o in the next six to nine months to a frightening 500/o in three to four years. "

"Real estate is going from its heyday to its hell day."

"Nevada is the hottest economy in the U.S. and Las Vegas is the fastest-growing cityfor the moment anyway,"

Journal

IryOODNOM

lAccordion doors desicned for use where performance is importint for HOMES . OFtrlCES . CIIUR CHES. RESTAARAN?S .INDUSTRY

lCustom-sized room dividers shipwithin a two week production cycle from the factory IAccordion doors custom sized to your customer requirements

Custom orders nl,ean profitable return on inuestmentno inuentory!

"The recession that now appears to be developing won't be deep or last long." Industrial Newsletter. Inc.

"The consumer is the future."

Tucillo

scared, hesitant and worried about of Realtors

"The Pacific Northwest should fare better than many other U.S. regions if the nation heads into recession."

Journal

"The U.S. economy is fragile, but not broken as the present pervasive gloom would indicate."

"Next year should bring the end of the building slump which began in 1990."

Information Group

"Over the next 12 months, we believe that Fed funds could sink below 60/o - a move that would take the U.S. prime rate below 8o/0."

"lt's now crystal clear the economy is in a recession."

ACCORDION DOON ..INS7X,ryT WALLS WHEIU I\EEDED"

NLBMDA Board Accepts Strategic Phn

Restructuring of the governing bodies of the association and redirecting the mission and priorities for the future were approved at the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association's 74th annual convention in Colorado Springs, Co.

The strategic plan voted on by the board will serve as a blueprint for future action. Bob Curtis, Curtis Lumber Co., Ballston Spa, N.Y., accepted the office of president with J. Howard Luck, Manassas Lumber Corp., Manassas, Va., filling the president elect spot. Gerald Olrich, Oxford Lumber Co., Oxford, Mi., became vice president; Ray Nunn, Simms-Moore Lumber & Hardware, Frisco, Tx., vice president and treasurer, and retiring president William P. Morton, Home Lumber Co., Hazard, Ky., chairman. Gary W. Donnelly, the newly appointed executive director, was named secretary.

Mountain States Lumber and Building Material Dealers Associ-

ation hosted a grand opening reception for the Nov. 1-4 convention. Celebrating its l00th anniversary, the Englewood, Co., based affiliate used a western theme for a gala "salute to a Century of Volunteerism to the Lumber Industry."

hosted by the NLBMDA Manufacturers and Service Industry Council, telling retailers how to keep customers happy. Seminars covering management, government regulations and personnel policies were interspersed with business sessions, a past presidents and awards luncheon, a LuDPac fund raising dinner, a roundtable on industry concerns and the concluding reception and presidents dinner.

NWWDA To Meet In Flon:da "Winning in the '90s...

Focusing on the Challenges Ahead" sets the tone for the National Wood Window & Door Association's 64th annual meeting Feb. 16-20 in Naples, Fl.

Dr. Michael LeBoeuf, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, La., addressed the kickoff breakfast

Featured will be two general business sessions, divisional business sessions, an address by U.S. Dept. of the Interior secretary Manuel Lujan Jr., two workshops ("High Performance Edge Technology" and "Window & Door Opportunities in the Non-Residential Markets"). and table-top displays.

Seminar For Redwood Pros

A select group of28 redwood specialists from throughout the country participated in an intensive seminar at the Arcata, Ca., headquarters of Simpson Timber and Arcata Redwood Corp.

"To meet the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities of teamwork between the mill, the wholesale distributor and the building material retailer is more important than ever before," seminar chairman and Simpson redwood market develop-

ment manager Haley Bertain stressed in his keynote remarks.

Jim Brown, general manager, Arcata Redwood, and his staff conducted woods and mill tours relating

(Plaase tunt t0 page 57)

RE0W000 distributors from the west, southwest and mountain states gathered in Arcata, Ca., for the annual Simpson's College of Redwood Knowledge, a four day program including woods, plant and classroom exposure to forest management, harvesting, seasoning,

grading, milling, shipping and marketing operati0ns. (Left to right) David Hindmarsh, Capital Lumber; Mike Franceschi, Redwood Empire; Cliff Kosbab, Western Forest Products; Kyle Keaton, California Cascade; John

Fremont specializes in a large inventory of high quality Douglas fir boards, dimension, long lengths and timbers shipped from select mills in British Columbia, Oregon and California. We are coostantly adding to our selection of western red cedar, pine, hemlock and white fir. Other species and specialty items are inventoried and included in our weekly flyer sent to all Fremont customers.

Len Scholl has been named director of advertising & mktg. at California Millworks. Pacoima. Ca.

Walt Harwood is now Or. regional mgr. for Weathervane Window Co., Lake Oswego, Or.

Michael J. Baumann, senior v.p. and cfo, Ernst Home & Nursery, Seattle, Wa., and Thomas C. Stanton. senior v.p.-operations, have been appointed exec. v.p.s, assuming responsibilities in human resources with Susan McNab taking an extended leave ol absence.

Thom Miller, v.p. - advertising & mktg., Builders Emporium, Irvine, Ca., has left the co. Exec. v.p. Garry Brown assumes his duties.

Terence L. Smith, California Sentry Hardware, City of Industry, Ca., has been named a director ol Sentry Hardware Corp.

Jim Pope, Kaibab Industries, Phoenix, Az., is the new pres. of the Phoenix Hoo-Hoo Club, succeeding Rich Bilby, Mallco Lumber & Building Materials, Phoenix.

Steve Johnson, Dolan's, Sacramento, Ca., has been elected pres. of the Sacramento Hoo-Hoo Club, succeeding Tim Ball, Dolan's. lst v.p. is Tom Rice, Fibreboard; 2nd v.p. Rick Troxel, J.E. Higgins Lumber Co.; sec./treas. H.J. "Jay" Felty III, Dolan's; sgt.-at-arms Pete Walker, Walker Woodworkst publicity chairman Jim Sharp, Dolan's, and directors G.L "Jerry" Baldwin, Dick Kidder, Scott Watson, Jim Miller. Robert Mdormick, Tony Burke and Mike Bozich.

Chris Salle has joined the green Doug fir dept. at Cascade Empire Corp., Lake Oswego, Or.

Roger Roatch is a new field rep lor the American Plywood Association, covering San Diego, Orange County, Long Beach and Santa Barbara, Ca. Ernst Bauer is handling San Francisco, Oakland and No. Ca., and Bob Potter, Denver, Co.; Salt Lake City, Ut., and Albuquerque, N.M.

Judy Ott is new to Livermore Marketing Service, Eugene, Or.

Dan Ingram is now co-mgr. at 84 Lumber. Indio. Ca.

Sue Viola is the new credit mgr. for Weber Plywood & Lumber Co., Tustin, Ca., reports Butch Pope. New to sales are Phasa Hopkins and Mark Brothers.

Russ Kearl, Anderson Lumber, Logan, Ut., won a four-day fishing trip in Dow's Alaskan Angling Adventure competition, along with Jim Barnhill, BMC West Corp., Steamboat Springs, Co.

Kelly Backstrom has been appointed customer service mgr. at Weathervane Window Co., Kirkland, Wa. Steve Hellyer is now plant mgr.

Ann Markey, Precision Mill & Lumber, Burbank, Ca., and her husband, Marceleno, are the proud parents of 7 lb. I oz. Ryan, born Sept. I 2, l 990. She will be back at work in Jan.

Edward Orona has been promoted to v.p./merchandising for HomeClub, Fullerton, Ca., reports pres. Jim Halpin.

December 199O

Frank Lynch has been promoted to pres.western div. of Grossman's.

Larry Brown is new to Plum Creek Timber Co., Columbia Falls, Mt., as staff hydrologist.

Jack Moore is now in sales at Hall Forest Products, Tacoma, Wa.

Craig Phelps has joined the industrial dept. at Cascade Empire, Portland, Or.

Stanley Bell, gen. mgr., Boise Cascade Corp., wholesale building material div.. Boise, Id.. has been elected a v.p. by the board of directors.

Richard E. Lundgren is now director of mktg. and customer relations for Weyerhaeuser's national distribution business, reports v.p. David Still.

Bernard J. Tomasko, exec. v.p., Wood Moulding & Millwork Producers Association, Portland, Or., led a 12-day trade mission to Japan, accompanied by WMMPA members D. Neil Hagen, Thunderbird Moulding Co.; E. Chase lsraelson, Dorris Lumber & Moulding Co.; C.D. McConville, Corning Moulding Corp.; M ike McKenzie, Global Imports; Ric Morrison, Sun Forest Products; Robert Weiglein, Fibreboard Box & Millwork. and Thomas C. Williams, Yuba River Moulding & Millwork.

Robert A. Carlson is the new architectural specification mgr. for Sauder Door Co., Kirkland, Wa., reports gen. mgr. Robert B. Mitchell.

John Carlton is the new store mgr. at Mendo Mill & Lumber Co., Clearlake, Ca., reports pres. Joe Mayfield.

Dave Stemple has retired after 34 years with Weyerhaeuser Co., Klamath Falls, Or.

Mike Roach is now plant mgr. at Universal Forest Products. Arcata. Ca.

Pat Farrah is now pres. and ceo of MG Products, Chula Vista, Ca. He was a founding partner ol Home Depot.

Paul Meekins is celebrating 32 years in the lumber business, all with Beaver Lumber Co., Santa Clara, Ca.

S. Peter Smith has been promoted to v.p. of fir operations for Morgan Door. Troy Seffinga is now product mgr. for Morgan and Nicolai Doors. Edward A. Matejov replaces him as midwest territory sales rep.

Gary Pittman is now lumber sales mgr. for Roseburg Forest Products, Dillard, Or.

Bill Gregory, pres., Gregory Forest Products, Glendale, Or., has been named vice chairman of the board of the American Plywood Association, Tacoma, Wa. John Galloway is chairman of the board of trustees. New board of trustees members are Paul B. Cole, Rosboro Lumber Co., Springfield, Or., and Jon E. Marshall, Champion International Corp., Tacoma, Wa. Marshall replaces Robert E. Conley, who will retire from Champion in 1991.

Dan M. Dutton, Stimson Lumber, Portland. Or.. has been elected l99l chairman of the National Forest Products Association, succeeding Harold C. Maxwell, Temple-lnland.

David D. Leland, PlumCreek Timber Co., Seattle, Wa., is vice chairman, and Dana Fitzpatrick, treas.

Stan Dickhoff has been named operations mgr. for Tilton Truss Manufacturers. Inc.. Woodinville. Wa.. reports Edward Tilton, pres.

Denny Curran, Evergreen Lumber & Molding, Orange, Ca., and his wife, Marianne, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary at Lake Tahoe, Ca.

Vic Roth, retired owner of the old Triangle Lumber Co., Kensington, Ca., still sells "a little real estate" through his Roth Realty.

Bill Simpson has joined the sales force at Gregory Forest Products, Glendale, Or., according to Bob Reyneke, gen. sales mgr.

Greg Maffei is now senior v.p. and cfo at Pay 'N Pak, Kent, Wa. Stanley Jarmiolowski is v.p.-treas.

R. Wade Mosby has joined Collins Pine Co., Chester, Ca., as v.p./sales & mktg.

Angie O. Gramm is the new company nurse at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report owners Hugh Ilungus and Freddy Fungus. (Please turn to page 59)

IMPORTED HARDWOOD LUMBER SPECIALISTS

Weyerhaeuser Management Changes

Weyerhaeuser Co. will institute a new management structure Jan. I with president Jack Creighton and chairman George Weyerhaeuser sharing lhe office of ceo.

A team of six senior managers including a wood products executive vice president to be named earlY next year will report to Creighton.

Bob Schuyler, executive vice president, and Fred Fosmire, senior vice president, will counsel the office of ceo until their retirement in I 991

Termed refocusing, the change, according to Creighton, will focus on several goals. The first is narrowing the company's portfolio by divesting

Moulding 2OutOfl

After 38 years in business, Oakley's Lumber Mill& Moulding Inc., Gardena, Ca., is winding down oPerations with the retirement of Ray Oakley.

Though the Gardena site is uP for sale, two new companies are growing out from Oakley's. Oakley's vice president/controller Jeff Meyer will own and operate Meyer Moulding & Millwork, Modesto, Ca., and Oakley's purchasing agent Ronald C. Oakley is opening Oakley Forest Products, Rancho Dominguez, Ca.

The moves are planned to be completed by year's end.

Thql's How lt Goes!

some businesses. The second goal is to improve the businesses retained. The third to align the staff Paying closer attention to customers, standardization and a drive to become a top-quartile forest products company within five years were stressed by Creighton.

Charley Bingham, executive vice president, will continue to have responsibility for timberlands, forestrv. raw materials and Westwood

shipping with the addition of corporate communications, environmental affairs and energy, government affairs and law departments. The tobe-appointed team member will be responsible for the product division of the Forest Products Company including lumber, plywood, panels, doors, hardwoods and distribution. In the interim, the product business vice presidents will report to Creighton with existing forest product staff leaders supporting both the product division businesses and timberlands and raw materials.

"Have you .found your yet?"

Grading Scam Hits Washington State

Several million board feet of low grade Canadian lumber with the correct gradestamp sanded off and a structural rating printed over it has been discovered in Washington's Puget Sound area.

Building inspectors halted constructiofr on dozens of large scale projects, searching for bogus marks. In many cases, lumber used as loadbearing floor joists and roof supports had to be replaced or reinforced.

Building officials said the suspect shipments, dating back to at least August, were sold by wholesaler B.B.M. Lakeview Ltd., Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, which paid a $100,000 fine two years ago after pleading guilty to fraud for shipping mislabeled lumber to Canadian builders.

The misgraded wood bears a MacDonald Inspection Services, B.C., grademark, with mill numbers from A.P. Timber Co. Ltd. and Moga Timber Mill Ltd., small Surrey remanufacturers which share the same phone number.

The investigation began Oct. 23

when a B.B.M. competitor alerted MacDonald Inspection Services that B.B.M. had been selling lumber at suspiciously low prices. Structural materials are worth up to five times the price of lesser grades.

B.B.M.'s curiously low rates have stymied one customer, Henry Bacon Building Material Inc.. Bellevue. Wa.. since February. "l remember wondering how a middleman could always be cheaper than a mill," said owner Jack Curran.

MacDonald investigated, found obviously mismarked lumber, and seized A.P. and Moga's grade stamps. Moga then issued a Nov. 6 letter to customers, accepting full responsibility for any mislabeling, said The Seattle Times.

Yet both Moga and A.p. have spotless inspection records. "lt's curious, to say the least," said MacDonald's Greg Clarke. "lf the mill was doing it, we couldn't have gone in there for years in unannounced, surprise inspections and found only good grades."

In all past cases of gradestamp

#SFF-TE

fraud, a stolen or counterfeit stamp was used outside a regulated mill, according to the American Lumber Standards Committee

Others in the industry doubt the two small mills could produce the large volumes of mismarked timber uncovered, said The Seattle Times.

No falsely stamped lumber had been detected by ALSC spot checks, perhaps since most of it, resold by other wholesalers and retailers who never saw the wood, was shipped directly to and installed quickly by fast-working apartment contractors.

Mislabeled wood was found at about 40 construction sites, predominantly apartment complexes, but also a retirement home, athletic club and about six single family homes.

A few bogus stamped studs also made it to the shelves of retail yards. All unsold lumber was returned to B.B.M.

While suspect shipments varied widely in percentage of false stamps, often the outside pieces in a sling would be correctly graded, hiding the inferior wood inside, said The Seattle Times.

Investigations are continuing by (Please turn to page 37)

CEDAR REDWOOD qOUGLAS FIR PINE

ilffiJ,Xi',',

QUALITY & INTEGRITY

TEGRITY

Filoliday Refllections

At this speciaL tirne of yean, we should all take pause rto qruietly conternplate the joys of the holiday season"

Ort traders and distribution staff join with us in wishing you, your ernployees and all your farnilies the joys of this season and peace and happiness in the year ahead.

W. at Western Woods hope

the new year will be a prosperous one fon all, For over 20 years, we have always tried to do our best to rrreet your needs and in that tradition, we will n"lake every effont to be a part of your continued success"

Sacramento, Ca.

Ponderosa Pine, Sugar Pine, S.P-F, White.Fir, Douglas Fir, Cedar

James A. Haas, gen. mgr.

Richard H. Mills, Melissa Morinelli

Mouldings, Millwork, Cut Stock, Pllrwood, Lumber, Particleboard

IMPORTING: Radiata Pine

S4S and Rough C & Better and Rough Moulding & Better

Sales Agents for:

Adams Moulding, El Paso, Tx. W&W Moulding Co., Loomis, Ca.

P.O. Box 255546, Sacramento, Ca. 95865

US Wats (800)627-5319

916\972-7282

FAX 916-972-7290

San Francisco, Ca.

Mahogany, Meranti, Keruing, Ramin, Nyatoh

Franklin O. Billings

Mouldings, Millwork, Plywood, Industrial Hardwood, Truck Decking, Imported Hardwood/Softwood LumbLr

EXPORTING: Softwood Cut Stock. Hardwood Lumber & Dimension.

Softwood & Hardwood Specialty ltems

1050 Sansome St., Ste.300, San Francisco. Ca.94ll1 (415)391-6700 FAX 415-981-4130

Sumwood's Hardwood Seminar

All phases of hardwood importing including the latest export regulations imposed by various countries, species availability, conservation, utilization and reforestation projects were reviewed at a Sumwood, Inc. seminar for customers.

Discussion points were emphasized and clarified with the showing of an Indonesian video on conservation and reforestation. A paper resulting from the recent tropical forest workshop conducted by the Smithsonian Institution and the International Hardwood Products Association also was covered.

Sumwood president Jim Summerlin moderated the session which was followed by a social hour at the firm's Palos Verdes Peninsula (Los Angeles), Ca., oflices.

Omaha. Ne.

Dave Kipp, mgr.

Jackie Scoles, Jeff DeBartolo

S.P.F. Dimension, F/L Dimension, Hem-Fir Dimension. CCA Treated Lumber, Cedar Siding Products

Southern Plywood, Western Plywood

One Central Park Plaza, Ste. 200N, Mail Drop 27, Omaha. Ne. 68102

(402\978-452s FAX 402-978-4526

(800)395-7898

guewlwlnlwalp Lurtbor

Hem-Fir Hemlock

Douglas Fir

GREEN or DRY o DIRECT MILL

SHIPMENTS o LCL o CARGO o

RAIL o TRUCK & TRAILER o PRESSURE TREATED LUMBER

Yard & Oflices: End of Alrpori Rd. P.O. Box 723, Uklah, Ca.95482

(7071 468-0181

Diamond Units Go On Block

After its creditors committee rejected a $15.3 million bid by a Dallas investment group, Diamond Lumber yards were sold in bankruptcy court, bringing an estimated $16.5 million.

Pacific Coast Building Products, Sacramento, Ca., acquired yards in Auburn, Placerville, North Highlands, Grass Valley, Paso Robles and Fresno, Ca., which will reopen as Diamond-Pacifi c stores.

BMC West, Boise, Id., purchased inventory at Atwater, Ca., and took over the lease. Channel Lumber Co., Richmond, Ca., bought the Fairfield, Ca., store: Mendo Mill & Lumber Co., Ukiah, Ca., took the Ukiah inventory and site, which it will lease to Rainbow Agricultural, and Meek's Lumber got Stockton, Ca., which it will lease to Chadoor.

Dunsmuir, Ca., was sold to a design firm, and Hanford and Woodland. Ca.. locations were sold to the cities.

National Traders and Rabin Bros. co-purchased inventory and equipment at Reno, Nv., and Red Bluff, Sebastopol, Hanford, Lodi, Chico and Pine Grove, Ca. The firms plan

on-site liquidation sales.

Real estate in Chico, Sebastopol, Red Bluff, Paradise, Oroville, Lakeport, South Tahoe, Manteca, Visalia, Lodi and Rocklin, Ca., remains up for sale.

(Continued.liom page 34)

building inspectors, ALSC, MacDonald and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

As fears of faulty construction in the Seattle area escalate, interest grows in checking grades. A sevenweek Seattle Hoo-Hoo Club grading school set for early 1991 has received unprecedented demand. "We had to send out 750 applications," said Doug Mekkers of the lumbermen's fraternal order. "We might have to have two classes."

LBO Of Old Grossman Units

Robert S. Pacos, president and c.e.o. of GNW Partners, L.P., and several members of his senior management team will buy majority ownership interest of the company which acquired the former Gross-

man's Northwest Division chain in August, 1989.

The company will close five stores by the end of the year and use the proceeds from the sale of real estate to reduce debt and provide further funds for reinvestment. These stores, in Redding,. Vallejo, Livermore, San Pablo and Pacheco, Ca., do not fit into the company's long term strategic plan.

The company is in the final stages of a name selection process and will be updating all of its stores this spring in preparation for this.

City Shelves SP Reload

Southern Pacific Railroad has sold its forest products distribution center under construction in Chatsworth, Ca., to the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission after legal tie-ups with the city.

Now planned as a commuter rail station grounds, the l3-acre site was included in a huge $450 million package deal of track and track privileges in four counties.

Though completion of the facility was targeted for November, nearby (Please turn to Page 70)

MTRRY CIIRI$IMAS

lndifference Costs You Business

More than two-thirds of allcustomers leave their suppliers due to supplier indifference. And 250lo are ready to switch suppliers at any time.

So to win new customers, solve their problems instead of attacking their current suppliers.

lCQUlSlIl0l{ ol Kaibab Industries' Colorado Distribution facility in Englewood, Co., by All-Coast Forest Products, Inc., Chino, Ca., was celebrated at a recent open house attended by Joe Tidwell, All-Coast, and L. J. Kerschen, who is staying on as manager at the facility now called All-Coast Forest Products. Inc. Denver Distribution Center.

Remember Me?

Inactive customers may be your least expensive and most productive prospects for lead generation programs. Past business also offers an excellent opportunity for additional lead and sales activitv.

8O Attend Nikkel/ DG Reunkrn

More than 80 former employees of R. F Nikkel Lumber Co. and its successor, DG Shelter Products, attended a reunion in Sacramento, Ca., on Nov. 9.

Dubbed the Nikkel/DG reunion, the cocktail party and buffet dinner at the Hilton Hotel attracted employees from the past 36 years including some who joined the original company in 1954.

BEUill0N: former employees attending the Nikkel-DG reunion: (ll Bob Nikkel, Al Forsland, Lorraine Frank. l2l Ted & Vivian Lewis, Bill Hanrahan, Al Forsland. l3l Betty A George Kavooras. l4l Neil Hagen & Barbara Tolleson. [5] Joe Bambino, El Louise Waldron, Marge Nikkel.

W" sincerely appreciate your patronage throughout the year and recognize the role it played in making 1990 another successful year for Weber Plywood and Lumber Company. lt shows that quality and service really do make a difference. With thanks & best wishes for the New Year...

Riflemen Fire On Mill

Two rifle-toting juveniles have been arrested and charged with spraying Bohemia Inc.'s Grass Valley, Ca., mill and shop building with gunfire.

About 15 rounds of .22 caliber bullets were fired, riddling the metal buildings with holes, knocking out a large yard light and causing approximately $700 in damages, said resource manager Larry Rieger.

While no one was hurt during the 5:30 p.m. incident Nov. 5, employees were present. "We had about five guys hitting the deck," Rieger said. "The bullets were coming in through the walls and ricocheting around in there."

After a summer of log spiking, log

trucks being shot at and loggers being chased off their land, Bohemia initially suspected "eco-hooligans."

But, after a similar attack on a nearby construction project, two suspects were nabbed. "Apparently two kids got hold of a rifle and didn't realize that people were around," said the Nevada Countv Sheriff's Department.

New Manville Asbestos Phn

Manville Corp., Denver, Co., and asbestos victims' lawyers have devised a new trust fund pay out plan based on severity of illness rather than date of filing.

The plan awaits approval by U.S. District Judge Jack Weinstein, who

The Merchant Magazine ordered the fund restructured after it ran out ofcash having paid 23,000 of 170,000 claimants and handed out IOU's until 2015.

The new settlement boosts Manville's contributions by $520 million, makes partial payments to pay those with cancer and other major illnesses first, and limits lawyers' shares to a maximum of 25o/o of each settlement.

Weinstein is expected to make his decision on the plan early next year, after holding "fairness" hearings across the country.

Protestors include less seriously injured victims and other companies that manufactured asbestos. Owens Corning Fiberglas Corp., both a codefendaht and beneficiary in the case, blasted the proposal as "a disaster," arguing attorneys specifically representing co-defendants should be appointed to the lawyers'committee.

(Continued .liom page 24)

Palmer Lumber Co., Chehalis, where manager Jim Pruitt said they were "high and dry;" Bellingham Sash & Door, Bellingham, where flooding was relatively light with "no problems," according to manager Joe Orem.

Copeland Lumber Yards opera- tions in both Stanwood and Arlington reported "no flood damage."

Moulding & Millwork

GUESIS attending an open house at Precision Mill & Lumber, Burbank, Ca., had an opportunity to view their new computerized moulder and meet with reoresentatives of Californians lor New Forestry, a pro-industry political group. lll Ed Langley, Bill Hoglund, Jay 0rendorff. [2] Adriana Torres, Tammy

Mayes, Suzanne Aguilar. l3l Jesus Martinez, Sandor Barna. l4f William Franze, Mike Aguirre. l5l Alex Corral and Lou Landry for whom the Nov. 2 event was also a retirement party. l0l Ramon Corral, Felipe Lopez. l7l Jim Jones, Ruben Alvarez. Two hundred attended the ooen house.

Swoner Hordwood knows whot your S4S boord must be. Simply the very best... And when it comes to S4S ond hordwood. no one knows better thon Swoner Hordwood.

Your S4S is: Alwoys smooth, Alwoys uniform, Alwoys to your specs ...And olwoys on time.

Nowthotyou hove tried the resi. come to the best. Swoner Hordwood Co.

Coll us for o quote...todoy!

NEW PRODUCTS

and selected sales aids

Show Openers

An operating display for automatic gate openers is now available from GTO, Inc.

Measuring 48 in. wide by 30 in. deep by 60 in. high, the display comes with full color graphics illustrating and explaining a typical installation and operation of the Ml00 Mighty Mule opener. Included are a miniature chainlink swing gate, all standard components

The Burlap Wall

Burlap wall panels featuring all natural, heavyweight jute fabric laminated to a nominal l/2" structural wood fiber board are new from Homasote Co.

Recycling Program

A stacking bin system said to ease separation of trash and recyclable items is new from Tucker Housewares.

Available in l2-, l6- and 20 gallon sizes, the durable, weather resistant bins feature secure lids that can be locked in open and closed positions and extra-wide. unobstructed openings. A dolly makes for easy transport.

used in the system and a push button to activate the system for demonstration. There is storage space under the table for four systems and room on top for consumer brochures, instructions and accessory catalogs.

The table's legs can be removed to create a shelf display or the entire gate section can be detached and used as an on-site demo/display.

Trivia While You Wait

Cassette tapes featuring facts mixed with music for "on hold" telephone callers to retail stores are now available from On-Hold Infosystems. Called Earcookies, the tapes are available in a variety of subjects.

The 4 ft. by 8 ft. panels, which are said to be free of asbestos and formaldehyde additives, provide a tackable surface that conceals tack holes, reduces sound, and is paintable.

Weatherproof Windows

A new line of energy efficient vinyl windows and doors has been introduced by Viking Industries. The 9000 series is comprised of patio doors and single hung, fixed picture (gable, housetop, octagon), fixed radius top (circles, eyebrows), horizontal slider, casement and awning windows.

Features aiding in maximum thermal performance include multichambered profiles, standard 1" overall glass, interlocking mull strips, precision-mitered welded corners, integral screen pockets, positive locking cam latch, high performance glazing options and rot resistant, silicon-treated fin seal weatherstripping.

In addition, integral finger pulls reportedly make opening and closing

easier, a reinforced meetrail provides high strength and rigidity, sleek profiles increase viewing area and wrap-around, pre-punched nail fins simplily installation.

December 1990

Kid Gloves

Work gloveq constructed to stand up under hard wear are now offered in children's sizes from Blue Hill Products.

Ihe product reportedly is colorless, odorless and harmless to people and pets.

Each l6-oz. trigger-spray bottle can protect 300 sq. ft. of valuables and flammable items.

Set Tight

A two-component epoxy mortar system which is impermeable, watercleanable and 100% solid is new from Bonsal.

Soft genuine leather completely covers palms and thumbs, extends along the facings, and over the tips of the other fingers and the knuckles. They are finished with cotton backs, knit cuffs and double stitching.

Reportedly identical to top quality adult-size gloves, they come in four sizes for ages 3 to 13.

Adhesive Additions

New lines of caulks and adhesives have been designed specifically for the do-it-yourselfer by Ohio Sealants.

The Caulkonce line consists of latex, all weather sealant, acrylic latex with silicone, and multi-purpose caulks. Quick Bond products

Designed for setting ceramic, brick, stone, slate and similar materials on floors and walls, B-150 Epoxy Adhesive offers high acid and alkali resistance. Its high bond strength makes it suitable for both heavy duty and non-rigid flooring.

It may be used on most struc-

Video Hello

A video door-answering system that allows homeowners to see and hear callers without being seen themselves is new from NuTone.

When a button at the door station is pressed, a chime sounds and the caller's voice is transmitted to the monitor station and his face appears on its 4" black and white screen. Homeowners pick up a telephone-like handset to have two-way conversations. lf the handset isn't picked up, the picture will remain on the monitor for about 30 seconds after the chime.

include general purpose, multi-purpose, heavy duty construction and waterproof tileboard adhesives.

Fire Prevention In A Bottle

No Burn, a non-toxic, non-staining, natural formula that retards flames and smoke, is now available from Imperial Marketing Co.

turally sound, dimensionally stable, dry surfaces such as plywood, backerboard, some metals, drywall, cured plaster, concrete, masonry, wax-free asphalt, formica, vinyl-type resilient flooring and existing ceramic tile.

Tan in color and easily applied, it is an ideal setting compound for pregrouted ceramic mosaics, flooring and ribbed or button-backed pavers.

The entrance can be checked by lifting the handset, activating the door camera and microphone. The camera features infrared Len's to provide illumination at night, automatic iris to adjust to changes in outdoor light intensity, and wide angle lens. Monitor stations can also accommodate up to four optional surveillance cameras, with an on/off control for each.

For more information on New Products write The Merchont Mogazine.4500 Campus Dr.. Suite 480. Newport Beach. Ca. 92660.

Please mention issue date and page number so we can process your request faster! Many thanks.

The Wind Up

An all-purpose, low cost reel for storage and simplified use of power cords, cable, air hoses, water hoses and more is available from Spartan Manufacturing Corp.

With high strength molded polystyrene components for heavy duty industrial use, Sidewinder I eliminates tangled cords, saves time, protects the cords from damage and theft, and enhances workplace electrical safetv.

hose while only partially unwound.

Features include a self-lubricating nylon bearing, totally enclosed spool, slotted intake port and convenient carrying handle.

Twist & Stop

A tool to facilitate twisting of angle stop handles under sinks is new from Rainbow Trading Co.

Made of lightweight, high impact ABS plastic, Handle EZ has two recessed cavities to effortlessly turn the water off from any direction.

The Merchant Magazine

Raised Garage Panels

SureWood raised garage door panels are now available from Masonite Corp.

The molded panel inserts are said to resist warping, weather and dentlng.

Their wood composite formulas were developed and tested to ascertain the correct product thickness,

With both ends of the cord or hose fully functional at all times, the non-conductive and non-corrosive reel facilitates the use of the cord or

wood fiber and resin composition, while Masonite's computerized cutting and machining system permits custom cutting to individual specifications.

o

r

o

r

Pound For Pound

A countertop merchandiser holding six Stanley Tools' Deckmaster decking hammers is now available to dealers to help stimulate add-on sales.

Ideal for deck building and other home projects, the 21 oz. hammer features a larger face diameter to hit nails easier and a head designed to drive nails faster. For added durability, the head and handle assembly utilizes an axe eye design usually used with axes and mauls.

FRT Wood Warranty

A 40-year warranty on Dricon fire retardant plywood used as roof sheathing has been introduced by Hickson Corp. Reportedly the longest warranty ever granted for a FRT wood product, it fully covers replacement materials plus labor, and is not prorated for years of service.

Get Merchandised

A new end cap merchandiser designed to maximize available selling space has been introduced by Spencer Products.

Complete with attachment hard-

plans and detailed, easy-to-follow instructions for each size deck. Larger decks can be built by adding more modules using additional kits.

Safety ln Numbers

The Safety Center, a merchandising program including colorful packaging, a high density display with "Safety Center" header, twosided directional signage and advertising kit for retailers, has been introduced by Aden Safety.

Products displayed are safety eyewear, impact and splash goggles, welding goggles, face shield, safety cap, hearing protection and dust mask.

Two product displays and a countertop eyewear display are offered.

ware and 20 cross bar hooks, the fixture installs in minutes without special tools. It comes in chrome or epoxy finish.

Deck Pack

A deck hardware kit from Teco/ Lumberlok contains all the custom designed hardware a d-i-yer needs to construct 14 different sizes of deck modules.

Also included are all necessarv

347O lowa City Rd., Marysville, Ca.95l0l (916) 743-3269

P.O. Box 8OO, Fort Bragg, Ca. (7071964-6377

Steve Holmes, Steve Hautala, Tod Holmes, Phyllis Hautala, ToniJardstrom

December 1990

Shovel Pads

Cushion-Step shovels from Union Tools feature synthetic rubber pads fitted over the lip of the forward turned step to absorb most of the pain-causing shock that would otherwise be transmitted to the bottom of the foot.

clip. Traction ridges are molded into the pads for a better non-skid foothold, making them ideal for use in wet, slippery conditions.

Plank Shades

Caramel, a warm medium brown, is a new color for BiWood Flooring's Oak Mate Plank. The prefinished plank also comes in rustic antique, nutmeg and white.

Roofing Nails

Galvanized steel roofing nails from Stanley-Bostitch come in five lengths for attaching asphalt shingles with a coil-fed roofing nailer. The CR Series electrogalvanized, chromate-coated nails are available in lengths of 7 /8" , l" , l-l /4" , l-l /2" and l-3/4".

Pads made of long wearing, automotive-grade rubber are held in place by a galvanized, spring-steel

Featuring a no wax/easy care finish, the products can be installed on, above or below grade, using mastic or easy floating installation. They reportedly are priced substantially lower than comparable square edge, prefinished planks with a urethane finish.

The zinc-coated nails meet ARMA requirements for attaching fiberglass base and organic felt-based asphalt shingles.

QUATTTY KEDTTTOOD PRODUCTS

DECKINC FENCINC KILN DRIED UPPtrRS & TIMBERS

UNSEASONED SURNACED & ROUCH UPPERS & COMMONS

BALUSTER STOCK PREMIUM AIR DRIED SELECT RABBETTED tsEVEL SIDINC

Redwood Empire Sau;mills at Clouerdale (IIwy 1O1lSonoma Countg) and Soledad (llwA 7ollMontereg Countfl, C.a., ship bU flat car, pig uan and truck & trailer in full or partial loads.

TO,OOO,OOO BF OF REDIIIOOD ANNUALLY

Call your Redwood Professionals:

o CLOVEKDALE -Len Adamo - tsetty Foster CA: (8O0)862-4657 or (7071894-4247

nAX 707-894-4632

o SOLEDAD - Eric Sullwold (408)678-1325 FAX408-678-1842

Anti-Rust Dust

Rid O'Rust cleaner from American Hydro Systems reportedly removes rust from stone. cement. plaster, marble, metal, masonry and

gardens, viticulture, hotbeds, greenhouses and tree nurseries; treating low growth, special horticultures, and disinfecting areas such as stables

fiberglass surfaces with little or no scrubbing.

Water-soluble for exterior or interior applications, it is packaged in a lightweight bag.

The white powder is mixed with water, applied with a brush and left on until the rust is dissolved.

Back Spray

A four-gallon lawn and garden backpack sprayer is new from Ames.

The ergonomically designed, manually operated sprayer is ideal for pest and weed control in lawns,

and livestock pens.

It features a high grade polyethylene tank; molded-in, zincplated steel tube frame and stand; ultraviolet inhibitors; chemically resistant Vitron soft parts and pump piston collar, and up to 90 psi high pressure piston pump with fan and hollow cone nozzle tips.

Plywood Tape

A pressure sensitive tape ideal for color coding and edge protecting plywood and veneers is new from Tesa Tuck Inc. Industrial Division.

Tesafilm 4104 utilizes a UPVC backing and natural rubber adhesive for high initial tack and good final adhesion to coated and uncoated surfaces.

It is available in five printable colors for price or inventory coding, and standard rolls in widths from l/4" to 2".

BEAVER LUMBER COMPANY

Tool Locker

The Storage Locker for homeowners with the need for extra storage has been introduced by Arrow.

The 7 ft. by 2 ft. multi-purpose unit offers ample room for storing lawn and garden tools, sports equipment or firewood. It can also hold up to four large trash cans, pro-' viding a convenient location for storing recyclable materials.

The 100% galvanized steel shed has overlapping wall and roof panels with ribbing beams for greater rigidity. It is equipped with mid-wall bracing for added structural strength, wide swing-open, honeycomb-backed doors, and a wall height of over 7l inches.

It includes steel tool hanger rack, small tool holder and four l4 in. by 24 in. steel shelves. Units come with eggshell walls and roof with black door frame trim.

MANUFACTURERS & WHOLESALERS

Country Countertop

Ceramic tile with red, blue, green or brown corners to give countertops, backsplashes, rangehoods and walls of kitchens a country look is new from Summitville Tiles.

Country Classics come in two background colors (frost white and almond) with matte glazed finish. Decorative inserts featuring such motifs as fruits, flowers and a village scene are offered with coordinating corner designs.

Tiles are 4" squares and bullnose and bullnose corner trim shapes.

Molded Entrance Accents

A new line of easy-to-use entrance ornaments molded of plywood polyurethane resin has been

introduced by Henderson, Black & Greene.

Complementing HB&G's full line of wood entrances, the pediments and pilasters come in three tradi-

Carpet Cushioning

Comfort Base, a high density fiber board underlayment for application under carpeting, ceramic tile, wood parquet, wood strip or vinyl flooring, is new from Homasote Co.

Made from l00o/o recycled paper pressed into l/2" thick, 4' x 4' panels, it adds a resilient cushioning

tional styles: Nantucket (sunburst), Manchester (ram's head) and Windsor (urn pediment).

Polywood may be sawn, glued, nailed, sanded and painted like wood. It is impervious to insects and won't warp, rot or check.

Shipped primed and ready-to-use, the product is lightweight, yet heavily sculptured and authentically detailed.

effect to floor covering so it's more comfortable to walk on and extends the life of the carpeting or other surface.

December 1990

Sturdy Greek Columns

Marbleine columns from Visador Co. combine the classic grace of ancient Greece with the strength and durability of modern technology.

Spun from a mixture of 450/o genuine marble particles plus tough polymer resins and fiberglass, the columns reportedly won't split or rot, and.are resistant to termites, fire and inrpact.

Border Line

E-Z Edging, a modular mowing strip that glues together like a sprinkler pipe, is new from Pvcon Industries.

Each pre-cast concrete section is reinforced with pvc pipe and connects end to end with pvc couplers and glue, creating a decorative border and a pvc conduit that can be used for watering systems or low voltage wiring.

Sections are cast straight or curved, varying in dimensions from 3" x 3-l/2" x 36" to 4-l/4" x 5" x 32".

They can be specified in exposed aggregate, brick, adobe or smooth finish in any color.

High End Stains

New stain product lines are now available from Olympic Stain to provide a good, better, best selection.

StormG uard sem i-transparent and solid color stains target the low to midprice range, while Super Premium water repellent stains carry a lifetime guarantee against cracking, peeling and blistering and retail for more.

Color In The Cracks

Colorlastec stain resistant sanded polymer grout is now available from TEC Inc.

The high solids/acrylic blend is poured onto the tile surface and worked into the joints. It cures to form a tough yet flexible joint that is resistant to water and staining. The grout comes in eight colors.

Tools For Comfort

Comfort Plus, a new line of longhandled tools and cutting shears with comfortable, non-slip cushioned grips, has been introduced by Ames.

The softer, durable grip instantly molds to every individual hand to help reduce fatigue, hand stress and blisters. Closed-cell foam construction repels moisture, dirt and oil.

The line includes lopping and hedge shears, long-handled shovel, bow rake, garden hoe, leaf rake and poly leaf.

Fresh Air Bag

A new air freshener product scientifically designed for use in any forced air heating or cooling system to neutralize odors and enhance the quality of indoor air is new from In-

novative Concepts.

Fresh Pak, a mesh bag of fragrance pellets that attaches to the air filter of a forced air system, goes to work whenever the system is in operation.

The non-toxic and non-allergenic product comes in five fragrances and two sizes.

Seed Starter

Healthy seedlings, bulbs and plants reportedly are guaranteed when germinated in pure, easy-to-

Sales Agent lor

use NoDampOff organic seed starter from Mosser Lee Co.

Composed of milled sphagnum moss, which absorbs 20 times its weight in water, the product provides a planting medium that pre-

vents the excessively moist conditions that breed the damping off fungi, a major killer of young seedlings.

Natural and sterile, it contains no dirt or pests and eliminates the need for expensive equipment and harsh chemicals.

The seed starter comes in two sizes: a plastic, 222 cu. in. easy-pour plastic bag and a 2 bushel, commercial size polysack.

Elephant Showers

A children's hand shower inspired by Walt Disney's Dumbo is now available from Grohe America. The elephant's body, which serves as the hand shower holder, has soft, flexible ears and is designed for surface mounting on the shower/ bath wall. The trunk is the actual

and molded of durable, non-toxic plastic, the product is easily installed by aflixing a small mounting plate to the wall with three concealed screws. An extra long 69" hose reaches the length of a standard bathtub, fits all standard l/2" connections and can be connected directlv to a standard shower arm.

quickly signal emergency vehicles. Easily installed as a replacement for the front porch light switch, it re-

hand shower, smaller hands.

Hand-painted

sized perfectly for in West Germany

Introducing a New Product?

Please send details to New Products Editor, 4500 Campus Dr., Suite 480, Newport Beach, Ca.92660.

Porch Flasher

The Emergency Alert Switch from Alert Products allows a front porch light to flash on and off to

portedly can save paramedics and police critical minutes in trying to locate the right address.

The switch's top position is "on", bottom "off" and middle "alert," flashing the porch light. The illuminated toggle also flashes inside the house when the switch is in the "alert" position.

Great ldeas

Three California retailers' suggestions to better merchandise and display inventory: (clockwise from right) Home Depot, Huntington Beach, greets lawn and garden customers with a "Customer Want List;" ABC Lumber, Costa Mesh, stocks discount buys in a boat; Rancho Lumber, Midway City, catches the eyes of passers-by with a three-in-one shed and a fence of d-i-y plugs, from "Cement at concrete prices" to "Free! All the sawdust you can eat;" a Home Depot brickwork display with attached tools, is plastered to the end of a steel rack.

Redwood

(Continuetl Jrorn page 28)

to the older generation forest. Correspondingly, Dave Kaney, Simpson general manager, and his staff covered the harvesting and milling of new generation redwood.

Glenn Lehar explained the latest silvicultuie techniques at Simpson's Korbel nursery, the largest privately owned tree nursery in Northern California. Dick Rice, Arcata redwood quality control supervisor, and Tom Circe, Simpson yard and

quality control supervisor, selected redwood for hands on grading exercises. Promotion programs and technical standards were covered by Christopher Grover, vice president, promotion and advertising, and Charles Jourdain, vice president, technical services, California Redwood Association.

Although Arcata participated as a co-sponsor for the first time, this was the 2lst Simpson redwood seminar. More than 480 wholesale distributors have attended.

Universal U@tes Arcata Unit

Universal Forest Products has completed phase I of an improvement program at their Arcata, Ca., redwood remanufacturing and distribution facility.

Fencing, a new dust collection system and a trim line have been added along with expanding the office. Certain office/clerical operations are now being handled by an IBM mainframe computer at Grand Rapids, Mi., headquarters.

Mike Roach has joined the Arcata facility as plant manager.

Happy floHdeys!

THE TREATED ANSWER

Lumber, plywood, round stocK stokes, poles, & pilings

Agency stomped, ground contoct fire retordont pressure-treoted wood oroducts

CAMPAIGNERS DESERVE PRAISE

Just a brief note to praise those who contributed to the battle against the environmentalist-backed propositions on the ballot in the recent California election.

LETITIERS OHNSTO HARDWOO

All parties involved worked very diligently to make sure the truth came

Merrv ChriStrnas

AND HAPPY NEw YTen

SPECI,,ALIZING IN UPPER GRADE HARDWOODS

Foreign & Domestic

out, but Doug Hanson, sales manager at Sierra Forest Products, Terra Bella, Ca., especially earned my respect for his months of efforts to deleat the anti-lumber initiatives. He was great.

Bohannon Lumber Co.

541 E. Chapman, Suite E Orange, Ca.92666

GOING STRONG AT 75

Should five or six ofyour readers still recall the Golden Gate Lumber Co., I am still in a vertical position at 75.

This July I gave up hockey as too foolhardy, even for an ex-lumberman, and last month I got a Pacemaker.

My wife is still a square dance caller, and this year we participated in round dance festivals in Palm Springs and San Diego.

I'm still tearing up the golfcourseand that is my problem!

Bon Sante to Sam Witzel, Larry Whitaker and Elmer Lewiswhose perennial faces I see in your latest issue. Thanks to you for keeping the old fires burning.

Paul Gaboury

P.O. Box 920 Alamo. Ca.94507

SISKIYOU FOR EST .PRODUCTS

P,O. Box 2000 o Woodlond, CA.95695

Were praud lo be rnembers of the Western Wood ftoducfs.AssAciorion e*rding'S e '

SPECIES, Pine,r Hem-Fir. While Fir o Redwood . Douglcls::r,ff'a ''.r '. Conodiqn SFF ($pruco) .lncense Cedor. Westem Red Cedor o

PIODUC{S Lottice Ponels o Sele@d Fascio r,Poltdmrsidlngs o Psllet & Crollng Lumber o Fencing Boordq Posts & Roils o Bondlng Chonnel . Decklng .

\lrlooDLANq cA pr6) ffi-t994

DJone Chorter Fred puchi Grsg Hudson Dennis Tyrell

Deon Duchi Dick Honison Deonnq Scott Dqvid W€6t

Personals

Chet Alvord has opened AMI Forest Industries. Boise. Id.

Bob Collison is a new buyer at Ace Hardware, Beaverton, Or.

Choudhry Fazil has been named director of Middle East trading at Brazier Forest Industries, Seattle, Wa.

Dave Miller has joined Pan Pacific Forest Products, Bend, Or., as operations mgr. He will also handle sales for the Lake Oswego, Or., office.

Clifford T. "Kip" Howlett Jr. is the new v.p. of environmental & government affairs at Georgia-Pacific.

Joe M. Campero, longtime mgr. of Standard Lumber Co., Pullman, Wa., and a 44-year lumber industry veteran, plans to retire Jan. l. Rick Byers is now managing the independently-owned store.

Mark Setzer, Setzer Forest Products, Sacramento, Ca., and his family spent the week of Thanksgiving in Cabo San Lucas, Baja, Mexico.

Jim Golding, Rain Forest Lumber Co., Lake Oswego, Or., and his wile, Nancy, are the proud parents of 8 lb. I I oz. Matthew William, born Nov. 14,1990.

John Blauser is new to Custom Panels, Tacoma, Wa., as mktg. mgr.

Don Anderson, claims/customer service mgr., timber & wood products div., Boise Cascade, Boise, Id., has retired after 24 years with the firm. Mike Vaughn succeeds him.

Ted Gilbert, Product Sales Co., Orange, Ca., and his wife, Rosemary, vacationed over Thanksgiving week in Punta Pescadero, Baja, Mexico.

Ken Perry has sold Central Saw Works, Spokane, Wa., to his sons, Ken and Robert. and resigned.

Bob Gordon has joined the sales team at Colonial Cedar, Kent, Wa.

Fred Holmes, Fred C. Holmes Lumber Co., Marysville, Ca., wife, Lois, son, Steve, and Marion Ward, Ward Way Lumber Co., Ukiah, Ca., returned from a successful elk hunting trip.

Wayne Murphy has left Roseburg Forest Products, Anderson, Ca., after 32 years with Roseburg and Diamond.

Mike Dunkle is now store mgr. of Mendo Mill & Lumber Co.. Ukiah. Ca., reports pres. Joe Mayfield. Charles C. Barnes is now mktg. mgr., Japan, lor the American Plywood Association.

Yew Ban ls Not Coffee

Environmentalists and medical researchers are seeking protection for the Pacific yew, arguing its bark

provides a scarce new cancer-fighting drug.

While the drug shows promise in treating ovarian cancer, timber officials and the U.S. Forest Service say the yew is so abundant that it requires no special protection.

Phone Fraud Protectlon

Protect your business from credit card fraud over the phone by asking the caller for the name of the bank that issued the card.

Businesses can identify the bank using the initial digits of the Visa or MasterCard and a Bank Identification Number directory. Since the bank's name is not embossed on the card, stolen charge slips won't show this information.

Call (714) 852-1990

How to cut costs by improvinl

I N TODAY'S business climate the I lumber dealer has limited control over many forces. He can do little about the economy or the growth of warehouse home centers, and the best collective efforts can only somewhat stem the tide of timber cutting restrictions.

What dealers can do. however. is eliminate waste and inefficiency in their own yards. Time spent reviewing material handling and storage procedures and the use of existing shed space is a good start.

Bulk storage sheds on many yards may be well "sited" for yard operations and traffic flow, but not utilized well. An example is a pole shed or perimeter shed with an eave height of 16' or greater that has units of lumber or pallets of roofing spread only one or two high over most of the floor area.

More often than not in sheds where you pull stock for orders, the unit you need may be behind or under other units causing your yard people to move several units with the lift. Increased handling not only wastes man hours, but increases the likelihood of lift truck damage. Just as bad. however. is the scenario where employees (and customers) climb over broken units of lumber to pull from units in the rear of the shed. Man hours are wasted with the risk of injury added.

The efficiency of bulk and perimeter sheds can be improved by aligning cantilever or pallet racking on support column lines either across the shed or with its length. This creates lift truck aisles for unit loading and in most cases will double the usable storage capacity by utilizing the shed's vertical "cube." All lumber units or pallets are instantly accessible, making order picking and inventory control easier.

Many yards may have sheds that have outlived their usefulness or have become cumbersome to yard operations because of their location. Though it may seem painful to consider, you should think about taking down sheds like this to open up your site plan for an improved yard layout. Most lumber yards reflect their growth over the years in the

ard layout

buildings and sheds added, and while the customer base and product mix mdy have changed dramatically, the physical layout may not have kept pace. When this happens, yard operations and customer service may suffer or increased man hours are needed to make things work.

Story at a Glance

More efficient material handling and storage lessens waste, man hours and accident risk rede signing yad, eliminating no longer useful sheds has immediate and long term benefits with short payback

If your site plan will accommodate a cantilever rack supported drivethrough shed and you feel you're maximizing your other shed space as we've discussed, then this option should be considered. In my opinion this building is the most cost e{Ilcient way to store dimensional and treated lumber for order picking.

The "footprint" of a typical single aisle shed with a24' drive aisle would be about 60' x 120'. Depending on unit size mix, this shed would store from 150 to 200 units of lumber. Ideally the site of the drive-through shed should be somewhat central on the yard with bulk sheds nearby. This facilitates loading your delivery trucks and those of your customers with little lost motion for a lift operator and yard personnel. To site a drive-through cantilever shed for operational efficiency, you may need to take down sheds of marginal usefulness that occupy prime locations on your yard.

If you haven't already faced the problem of storing long length manufactured joist and laminated beam units, you probably will soon since the "timber crisis" will accelerate the use of manufactured framing components. There are cantilever rack storage solutions that might fit well in your yard plans. A cantilever drive-through building sited with adequate turning room to load 48' units onto the outside facing arms is an excellent alternative for long

length covered storage. Ifsite restrictions make a drive-through building impossible, consider a cantilever "T" shed or single side covered cantilever adjacent to an existing build- ing or property fence. All work equally well in handling long length manufactured framing components.

Cantilever rack systems can be engineered in both drive-through building designs and cantilever "T" sheds to suit any local building codes. Soil conditions, wind and snow loads and seismic requirements are variables that can be designed into the system to adapt it to an area.

Aside from the operating efficiency gained, there are other benefits from proper yard planning and material handling. Getting treated lumber under cover minimizes sun warpage. Sun and rain damage to other dimensional lumber is reduced. Having a covered drive aisle in which to load lumber during bad weather is a plus, as is the ability to stage trucks for morning deliveries the afternoon before.

There are accelerated depreciation benefits with a rack supported

building versus a pole shedseven year schedule instead of 30 years. An intangible benefit is the impression a well planned, well organized yard makes on customers. After we recently erected a cantilever supported building, the yard manager told me one contractor customer remarked, "l would drive 10 miles past your competitor to get here, because you get me loaded and back to my job site quicker." This summarizes what proper yard planning and customer service is all about.

Take time now to review your existing yard plans and storage options. Whether you add cantilever or pallet racking to existing sheds to solve immediate problems, or consider options such as cantilever supported drive-through sheds or cantilever "T" sheds, you will find both immediate and long term benefits with.the payback a lot sooner than you lmaglne.

LISC's ll I Wayne Gardner with LouisianaPacific executives Pamela Selis and Harrv Merlo, chairman and president. 12l John Allen, Russ & lda Primrose, Bob DiMeco, Bill Jones. (31 Ed & Barbara Fountain, Bob & Colene Porter, Ed Nail. l4l Steve Thurgood, Bill Hoglund, Rod Jones, Charles Barnes. l5l Don Stobaugh, George Champion, Randy Port. (61

Chadwich.

& Ed

Pat

Warren Lindsay, John Suverkrup. (91 Jim Frodsham, Dave Barry. Il0l John Cencak, Craig Larsen. illl Jerry & Jeanne Holdren. (l2l Penny & Jim Hargraves. ll3l Rick Learned, Mark Sabre. ll4l Bill & Nancy Sullivan. llSl Creighton Anfinson, Lauren McCarthy, Fred

Nancy & Blaine Smith, Cheri Jones.

Joyce & Mitch Byard, Eric Jorgensborg. (lgl John Snead, Jim Moss, Paul 0rban. l20l Louisa & John Mullin. (2ll Clyde Jennings, Shawn Roerig & Scott Roerig. 122l Steve Shudoma, Julie Wesseln. l23l Lynne Butterfield, Phyllis Speek, Barbara Temple.

LASC management conference

I NDUSTRY leader Harry Merlo, I president and ceo of LouisianaPaiinc Corp., described a bright future for engineered wood products in his talk to the 40th annual Management Conference of the Lumber Association of Southern California. A very different future was later described by renowned forecaster and climatologist Dr. Iben Brown-

Story at a Glance

L-P's Merlo enthusiastic about engineered wood products. climatologist debunks global warming theories.. Daryl Bond is new pres. '91 conference will return to desert.

ing, who foresees a 50/50 chance of an 8.2 earthquake in Tokyo this month, famine in Europe in l99l and a depression worse than the 1930s in 1992.

Merlo described L-P's increasing efficiency in utilizing the whole tree for engineered products as well as using small, plentiful trees of low commercial value as insredients for

their successful line of Innerseal building products. This enables L-P to avoid environmental hassles, be a low cost producer and bring affordable products to the marketplace. LP is currently building its second Innerseal I-Beam plant in Priest River, Id.

The company has worked hard to be a responsible converter of society's resources. Merlo noted L-P's first expenditure as a new company was to establish a tree nursery. Today, the company plants six trees for each harvested.

Their new Fiberbond product, now in development, will be made of gypsum and recycled newspapers and will compete with gypsum wallboard. Typically, it's an environmentally sensitive product that stretches resources. Merlo defended L-P's redwood plant in Baja Mexico, saying that it had caused no job losses on California's North Coast and that it will enable them to bring more affordable products into southern California.

Dr. Browning poohpoohed global warming theories, pointing out they are based on merely 35 years of data and that his conclusions rely on 3500 years of data. He sees a cooling earth, with resultant crop losses causing famine and political upheaval.

Saying he didn't make predictions, but rather presented the odds

on possible situations, Browing suggested that 1991 will be the stormiest year in U.S. history, that by 2010 there will be ice as far south as Natchez, Ms., that in 20 years there will be polar bears in Toronto, Canada, and that the depression of 1992 will last until 1995.

LASC's new president is Daryl Bond, All-Coast Forest Products, Chino, Ca.; lst v.p. Robert Slettedahl, Lumbermen's Building Center, Palm Springs, Ca.; 2nd v.p. William Sullivan, Golding Sullivan Lumber Sales, Tustin, Ca.i treas. Jerry Higman, Reliable Wholesale, Huntington Beach, Ca.; sec. Blaine Smith, Fremont Forest Products, Whittier, Ca., and executive v.p. Wayne Gardner, City of Industry, Ca.

An employee benefits panel discussion was led off by Robert Bushman, Sr., Mann-Parker Lumber, who described how his firm helped troubled employees by paying for certain counseling and related benefits. Rick Orlando, Barr Lumber, said their safety program used talks, lunches, meetings and cash safety prizes to reward employees.

Joe Audette, Champion Lumber, cautioned all to watch for drug use symptoms and to develop a pre-employment and on-the-job program to attack the problem. "Seek legal counsel before beginning," he said. Bob Spence, Reliable Wholesale, said

their pre-employment drug screening physical costs the applicant $40 if he doesn't pass. Nothing if he does. Two out of three fail, Spence noted. The company also uses time off and monetary rewards for good employee behavior.

Leadoff speaker at a panel discussion on coping with the future was Bruce Kelly, Fremont Forest Products, who told of their team concept in sales and their stepped up prospecting for new accounts. He said just-in-time buying and tighter inventory control were increasingly prevalent. Bill Ferguson, Capistrano Lumber, observed that the environmentalists are controlling the lumber industry's future and that "we must educate the public, improve our image or be haunted by today's problems in the future."

Kevin Nichols, All-Coast Forest Products, suggested that today's slack market presented an opportunity to upgrade systems, contact customers, add new ways and new products and "take a hard look at the profitability of inventory items." Ray McKay, Ganahl Lumber, told how incentives for profitability motivated employees to work more effectively.

Noting Ganahl Lumber had I l0 fewer employees now, McKay said the company "was not afraid to scale

(Please turn to pase 65)

NEW LITIERATIURE

Tiller Tally

A 4-p. tiller and composter brochure is free lrom Garden Way, l02nd St. & 9th Ave., Troy, N.Y. 12180.

Easy Louver

The 4-p. "Louver with Something Against Rain" is free from Webb Mig., llox 707. Conneaut. Oh. 44030.

Book On Loan

The Art o/' Borrowing Smarl is $30 postpaid from Cricket Communications. Box 527. Ardmore. Pa. 19003.

Mountain States Directory

The Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association

1990-91 buyer's guide to products and services is $25 for members, $45 for non-members from MSLBMDA. (800) 365-09 I 9.

For all New Literature offerings write directly to the name and address shown in each item. Please mention that you saw it in The Merchont Mogazine. Many thanks!

Advertising Advice

The 5th edition ol Advertising & Public Relations lor a Small Business is $14.95 plus $2 lor shipping from I)llA Books, -32-l Beacon St., Boston, Ma. 02 I 16.

Door Gare Package

A video and a brochure on finishing and caring for wood panel doors are available from Simpson Door Co., (206) 495-3291.

Products industry 3ince 1948

New Flome Proof LHC-*igh Temperoture Tested wood products contoin fire retor&nt chemicols speciolly formuloted to provide service in oll prop6rly designed interior opplicofions with confidence. New Flome Proof LHC results in o freoted wobd produd rhot resisti thermol , degrodotion. Becouse of the new formulotion, Osomse Wood PresLrvino, lrrc. con fully ossure* the user of the stucturol integriry of New Flome Proof LHC fire retordqntJreofed woodproducts, such os plywood roof sheothing, even when used under exireme conditions of heoi ond humidity customorily encounlered in properly designed, venfiloted ond conslrucled roof sysrems.

Material Handlers

An 8-p. telescopic material handlers catalog is free from Caterpillar, (800) 3 23-0550.

Gas Grills

A 20-p. gas barbecue catalog is free from Thermos, Rte. 75, Freeport, Il. 6t032

Put Out The Paint

A guide to "environmentally considerate" ways of disposing ol paintrelated products is free from Klean-Strip, $00) 238-2672.

To Protect & Serve

A l6-p. home protection and control products booklet is lree from Intermatic, Intermatic Plaza, Spring Grove, ll. 6008 I

Push The Insulation

Point-ol-purchase display ideas for Styrofoam brand insulation are available from Dow Chemical Co.. (800) 4414369.

Glay Roof Instructions

A video and instruction booklet on "How to Install Clay Roof Tiles" are $24.95 from Ludowici-Celadon, Box 69, New Lexington, Oh. 43764.

Moulding ldeas

A l6-p. idea book of 22 innovative uses for wood mouldings is available from Kay-Wood Industries, (800) 6544535.

Rebuilding Books

Three new 128-p. Fine Hotnebuilding books ( Doors & Windows, Baths & Kitchens and Floors, Walls & 57a1ru) are $ | 2.95 ea. from Taunton Press, Ilox 5506, Newtown, Ct. 06470.

rof, decoy ond lermites :For specific details, refer to $e "Osmse High Tempe.ature TesEd Flam Prwf LHC Fire Rehdant T.eabd Plyw@d WManry "

19818 South Alomedo, Roncho Dominguez, Co 90221 (2r3) 636989t (8OO) 982-ln9r

Historical Hardware

"Castlelog," a 52-p. catalog ol hardto-find medieval architectural hardware itenrs, is $45 lronr Doorknobs to Castles, Box 23456, San Jose, Ca. 95053.

olso supply high quolity Osmose Treoted lumber ond Sunwoodo both with o 40 yeor worronty ogoinst

LASC CONFERENCE

(Continued from page 63) up or down for profitability." Some areas of the business are no longer profitable so we redeploy our assets, he said.

The meeting was held November 7-10 at the Marquis Hotel in Palm Springs, Ca. A move to another desert area hotel may be in the offing for 1991, an association spokesman said.

If life begins at 40, this 40th annual meeting was proof positive that the Lumber Association of Southern California has a lively future ahead of it.

Salt Lake CSC ls Top Notch

The Weyerhaeuser Customer Service Center in Salt Lake City, Ut., was selected as one of Weyerhaeuser's top three in the nation for third quarter 1991.

A customer survey showed a broad based level of satisfaction for the outlet managed by John Turner. "The Salt Lake team is dominating their market in certain products. including engineered wood,

redwood lumber and oriented strand board from Canada," region general manager Jack Green said. "Their safety record has been superior. they've outperformed almost all the other CSCs in a verv difficult market."

Pre-show Retailer Seminars

A Home Improvement University seminar for retailers will be held at the McCormick Center Hotel, Chicago, Il., on March 23, preceding the National Home Center Show, March 24-26.

Seven six-hour educational programs will offer information on financial management, people skills, marketing tactics and salesmanship. Basics of high-profit millwork, kitchen and bath departments will also be covered.

Depots Add Design Center

Pleased with the results of a trial decorating center in its Nashville, Tn., store, Home Depot is rolling out the concept in several dozen

additional stores.

Interior designers are being hired to staff the centers. They will offer customers assistance in coordinating wallpaper and paint with tile and other decorative products such as flooring and blinds, according to Lonnie Fogel at corporate headquarters in Atlanta, Ga.

ELASSIF[ED ADVERTNSEMENTIS

CREDIT MANAGER

Established California Wholesale Distribution

Firm looking for experienced Credit Manager. Excellent compensation and company paid benefits package. Come on and be a major player with a winning team. Reply to: Joe Tidwell, All-Coast Forest Products. P.O. Box M. Chino, Ca. 91708-4012.

REDWOOD EMPIRE, INC. is seeking experienced sales people for its new So. Ca. office (Rancho California area) who know the local retail, industrial and fencing markets. Ground floor opportunity to join a dynamic, growing company. Competitive compensation/benefits plan. Write box 619 c/o The Merchant Magazine.

$E MILLION North West manufacturer of building products needs experienced General Manager, Must have successful management experience. Responsibilities also include financial, sales & marketing. Please send confidential resume and salary history to Box 618, c/o The Merchant Magazine.

Twenty-five (25) words for $21. Each additional word 700. Phone number counrs as one word. Address counts as six words. Headlines and centered copy ea. line: $6. Box numbers and special borders: $6 ea. Col. rnch rate: S4-5 camera ready. $55 ifwe set the type. Names ofadvertisers tising a box number cannol be released. Address replies to box number shown in ad in care of The Merchrnt Msgazine,4500 Campus Dr., Suite 4E0. Newport Beach. Ca.92660. Make checks payable to The Merchant Megezine. Mail copy to above address or call (?14) 852-1990. Deadline for copy is the 22nd of the month. PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY COPY unless you have established credit with us.

EXPERIENCED TUMBER TRADER

We are Hardwood and Softwood loq and lumber wholesalers wilh otfices in Cbnada and the United States. We are seekino sincere, exDerienced lumber traders whd have a view towards the long lerm. Work jrom your part of the country. or from our otfices in the Toronto area. This is an excellent oooortunitv with a well-established compani.

We enjoy an outstanding financial and marketing reputation.

For complete dehils, please phone or write Bob Wilson in strict confidence.

SPECIAL

l/4 x l-l/4" flat louvers, solid pine clear.2' thru 5-l/2',$5.50/C lin.; 40 M lin. minimum. F.O.B. San Marcos, Ca. Call Jim, Follis Millwork, (619) 744-47M, or FAX inquiries to v Ax 6t9-744-0726.

MAJOR wood door mfg. headquartered in Buena Park, Ca., has positions open in Quotation Dept. and Inside Sales. Prefer knowledge of doors, frames and hardware. Excellent benefits. Send resume to Haley Bros., Inc., 6291 Orangethorpe Ave., Buena Park, Ca. 90620. Attention: Julie B.

TIMBERS

From cutting a wedge to pre-fab'd crane pads or mine shafts. Angle cut, cross cut, drilling, dapping-Ve'll do them all to customer specification.

Drawer 4779, Arcxa, Ca.95521 707-822-3648

INTERESTED IN WEST COAST

CEDAR & REDWOOD ITEMS?

For sidings call Doug Willis. For spa and sauna items contact Phil Heim or Doug Willis. Call Product Sales Co. (714) 9988680. Please see our ad on page 4.

HAMMER HOG with self feed, $5000. Chain saw with 9 ft. bar, deck and hydraulic controls (cuts units in 90 seconds), $6000. Multiple trim saw, $12,000. l0 hp jump saw with automatic stops and hydraulic feed, $8000. Call Perry, (209) 268-8848.

CLARK FORKLTFT 16,000 lb., $12,00075 hp 440/3 phase motor, $500Stet.-Ross side head grinder with att., $2,5002 straight knife grinders, $1,500 - $500 - R.H. gang trimmer, P.l.W. with breakdown hoist chains, air compressor, complete, in operation, $45,000. Everything excellent shape. Call for details. A&B Milling Q07) 822-8141.

to 12"

TWISTED AND WEATHERED

Douglas Fir S4S and rough. 3x4 and wider and 4x4 and wider. Twisted and weathered 2x4 and wider, 4x6 and wider, economy green or dry, mixed species. Call Bill Hunter or Bruce Benton, Hunter Woodworks, Ql3) 775-2544; (213) 835-567 l.

COPELAND LTJMBER WISHES TO BUY

Lumber Yards in the Western States. Contact Copeland Lumber Yards lnc., 901 N.E. Clisan, Portland,Or.97212, Attention John Matschiner, Real Estate Manager. (503) 232-7181 All inquiries kept confidential.

Selling Down South?

Multi-User Accounting System

LOCAL LUMBER hauling Southern California roller bed truck and trailers and bobtails radio dispatched. Rail car unloading at our spur in Long Beach, Ca.3-C Trucking (213) 422-0476.

If you're selling in the South, Building Products Digest advertising reaches your market. A sister publication of The Merchant Magazine, the Digest has a monthly circulation of 12,750 dealers, wholesalers & distributors with at least twice that many readers. It provides blanket coverage of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. The rates are right and response excellent. Call (714) 852-1990 today to become one of our satisfied advertisers. It'll pay you.

o LUMBERMENS RED BOOK

o WEEKLY CHANGE SHEETS

r CUMULATIVE SUPPLEMENTS

o SUPPLEIIENT BINDER

e TRAVELERS EDITIONS

o SPECIAL REPORTS

o COLLECTION SERVICE

95150

MILLWORK factory: complete capabilities with ltalian/German machinery, includes 20 room house. Near Izmir on Turkish Aegean coast. Perfect for entry into Eastern Bloc markets. FAX for details: Jeanie Waggoner 011-90-(5t) 68857r.

ll Votr bclrcvc in 1'orrr brrsincss lrntl wrnl ro build it ,\DV1:RTlsFl.

SINCE 1876YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE. lumbermsns rGd b00lr serulce

The Lumbermens Red Book listsall producers, wholesalers, retailers of lumber and wood products of any kind, and. all manutacturers otwood furniture, cabinets and millwork - mobile homes, prefab houses and modular unitswood recreational proctucts, sportsware and toys - boxes, crates, pallets and industrial productsand all other products using wood in any torm.

A Red Book listing showsthe exact business name - complete address, including

P.O. Box and ZIP CODE!concise description of what the business does - special data such as location ol purchasing departmenlthe financial strength rating (not alone the net worth, but what is available to crodllors)the exact payment rating (how it pays: prompt, slow, very slow).

A Red Book credit rating is accurato, because the man who assigned it is a speclalist in the field we cover. His rating allows you to make an immedlate decision!

Please enter our subscription for Lumbermens RED service for one year. Bill us: $355.00 quarterly n; $710.00 semi-annually !; $1,420.00 annually !.

Please send more information, without obligation !.

BUSINESS NAI,1E

YOUR NAI,IE

-SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA- SAN FRANGISCO BAY AREA LOSANGELESAREA

Eeaver Lumber C0.

Berdex International

8ig Creek Lumber Co.

Eonnington Lumber Co.

California F0rest Prducts

California Lumber Inspection Service

Calilornia Bedwood Assn

Casella Transportalion

Dataline............ (91 6) 635-0564

0MK Pacific Corp. (Fremont)

DMK-Pacific (Saiinas)

Express America (800) 533-4355

Frbreboard Corp.

Georgia-Paciic Corp {0akland)

Georgia-Paciftc Corp. (San Jose)

Hirt & Wood Lumber Co

Keep 0n lruckrng

Kelleher Corp. (Novato)

Kelleher Corp

lnland Timber Co.

Johnston Hardwood (800) 247-94S6'

JonesWholesaleLumberCo

Keep 0n Trucking

Lane Stanton Vance .....

Lumber Assn ol So. Calil .

MacE€alh Hardwmd

Maple Bros., Inc Mouldrngs

Marquarl-Wolle Lumber Co..

Mercury Hardwood Lumber Co

Mulual Moulding and Lumber Co.

North American Plywmd Corp.

Pacific Lumber Terminal

Panel Tex, Inc. (714) 529-9008 i818) 968-9322

Pa( Lumber Co.

Penberthy Lumber Co. .........

Philips Lumber Sales....

Precision Mill & Lumber C0.

Producl Sales Co.

Reliable Wholesale Lumber Co

Sammons Slorage Systems

San Anlonio Construction

Sause Eros ocean Towing

South Bay Forest Products

Southern PacificLrnes

Southwesl Plywood & Lumber (213) 636-9891

Sumwmd, hc.

Swaner Hardwmd Co .. ...

Toal Lumber Co.

West Coast Lumber (714) 547-5709

Weslern American Foresl Products

Weslern Inlernational Forest Products

Weyerhaeuser (800)321-0728

GREATERSAN DIEGOABEA

oRANGE, RIVERS|DE & SAN BERI{ARDINO COUNTIES

All Cmst Forest Products

Allgeier Computer Corp

American Hardwmd Co.

Anlinson Lumber Sales

BeadexManufacturing..

Eear Forest Products

Bohannon Lumber C0.

Burns Lumber C0.

Cal State Forest Products (800) 266-2737

Calilornia Lumber Inspection Seryice C&E Lumber Co. Canlor U.S.A. Corp

Mac8eath

NORTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA

ANCITI/El|EE|(I/FONTUM

B€aver Lumber Co.

BlueLakeForestProducts

Bracut international

Britt Lumber Co.

Costa Trucking. Jm

Loursiana.Pacilic Corp. .

Redwmd Inspeclion Service

Schmidbauer Lumber, Inc

Srmpson Timber Co.

Universal Foresl Products

AU8URl{/8RASS UATTEY/l}El}YII.tE

AgaleSales.lnc.

All-Coasl Foresl Producls, Inc.

Cal Stale Forest Products (800) 350-3002

Foresl Products Markeling, lnc.

StxEnsHEt0

Pacific Wood Preseruing ol

Bakerslield Corp. {800) 582-3950

ct |lIERlllt E

All-CoaslForestProducts

Bowman lumber Sales

Louisiana.Pacrlic Corp

Preslon Lumber Corp

Redwood Empire (707) 894-4241

FONT BNIGG

Georgia-Pacif ic Corp. (Bedwood)

HaNmd Products

Holmes Lumber Co., Fred C.

FRESl{|l

Georgia-Pacific Warehouse

Internalional ForestProducls .. ..

Pacific Forest Products

Sierra Forest Products

Unity Forest Products (800) 688-4940

Western American Foresl Producls

Weyerhaeuser C0. (800) 742'1939

Whrte Brothers

Woodwork Institule ol Calilornia

Sugar & Weslern Pine Agency

Lumber Products

Thunderbolt Wmd Trealing, lnc. tNo. Ca.) (800) 692-5744

REOOI]IG TEEA

Duckback Products C0. (Chico)

Louisiana-Pacific Corp. (Red Eluff)

P & M Cedar Products

Trinity Biver Lumber Co.

Hardwmds Unlimited Hesperia Wholesale Lumber Hickson Corp.

lmleld Enterprises Inc.

lndustrial Forest Products Inland Timber Co.

Weslern Wmds (Chrco)

Western Woods (Redding)

stcn^ilEtr0/sT0ct(T0t tnEt

Aclive Distribution

Berdex Inlernational (800) 627-5319

Eeadex Manulacturing C0.

Eowman Lumber Sales

Calilornia Cascade Indusltres

Capitol Plywmd

Enswonh Forest Products (Sacramento)

GmrOra-Paciftc Warehouse

Hickson Corp.

KelleherCorp........

Laminated Trmber Seryrces, Inc.

Louisrana-Pacilic Corp

M&MBuildersSupply

NikkelCorp.,The.

Pacrlic Southeast Forest Producls

P&MCedarProducls

PGL Burldrng Products

River City Moulding C0. (800) 365-5424

San Antonro Pole Construction C0.

Siskryou

SAI{TI R|ISA IREA

Capilal Lumber Co

Georgra-Pacitrc Corp.

Kelleher Lumber C0.

Martin Forest Industries

Tamalpais Lumber Mill

uKtfl/ttu.tTs

Ahl Forest Products All Hean Lumber Co., Inc.

Cal Coast Wholesale Lumber, Inc.

Loursrana-PacilicCorp.

Perlormance Coatings, Inc. (800) 468-8820

Redwood Coasl Lumber Co.

Western Woods, Inc.

Willits Redwood C0. ....... .........

YSETI

sP0t(^tE

OREGON

SOUTHWEST

XIONTANA

aBtzol{A

OBITIUARIES

Richard T. Brassell Jr.. 74. retired president of Galleher Hardwood Co., Los Angeles, Ca., died of cancer Nov. 16, 1990.

He retired in 1980 after about 40 years with Galleher.

Mr. Brassell is survived by his widow, Mary Lee, two children and four grandchildren.

Miles F. Sullivan. 68. head of Little Lake Industries, Willits, Ca., committed suicide Oct. 2, 1990, in Reno, Nv.

He entered the lumber business in the early 1950s by building and running his own sawmill, Wolf Creek Lumber, Wolf Creek, Ca. He later bought Seaside Industries, Willits, which became Little Lake. In 1981 Little Lake was incorporated into U.S. Leisure, Incline, Nv., which he served as president and chief executive oflicer.

Mr. Sullivan is survived by his widow, Win, three sons, three daughters, and two grandchildren.

William W. Horn, 65, vice president and general manager of Carroll Moulding Co., Huntington Beach, Ca., died of cancer Oct. 31, 1990, in Mission Viejo, Ca.

A native of Missouri, he joined Carroll Moulding in 1960, recently retiring due to illness.

Mr. Horn is survived by his widow, Audrey, and one daughter.

Wilbur L. Mead, 83, former owner and operator of Mead Lumber Co., Cheyenne, Wy., died Sept. 5, 1990, in Cheyenne.

Born in Ashland, Ne., Mr. Mead worked in China for Standard Oil Co. before joining the family business in Nebraska. He returned to the company, which had added the Cheyenne yard, in 1947, after serving in the U.S. Navy during World War IL He retired in 1984.

In 1983 he was elected an honorary life member of the Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association and member of the Lumber Dealer's Hall of Fame.

Mr. Mead is survived by his widow, June, two sons, one daughter and two grandchildren.

AD INDEX

Anfinson Lumber Sales ,,....37 BearForestProducts.. .........56 Beaver

(Continued./'ron page 3 7)

homeowners were concerned it would increase "deadly" traflic on residential streets and persuaded the city to temporarily halt construction on the two-thirds completed project.

Southern Pacific is looking for a new site for its Los Angeles area transfer facility, most likely in the more industrial Colton, reports SP.

Holmes Lumber Co., Fred C............4t

Huff Lumber Co..... ..,..,....27

Idaho Cedar Sales .. ...,........6

Industrial Forest Products..............57

InlandTimberCo...... ........65

International Forest Products .,ll

JohnstonHardwood. .......,...5t

Keep On Trucking Co..,...............39

Kelleher Corp., The .....Cover IV

Keller Lumber Co.. ... ....,,.,,42

Laminated Timber Services.......Cover II

LJB Lumber Sales... ..........20

Lumbermens Credit Association .....67

MacBeath Hardwood Co................3E

M&M Builders Supply. ........57

Mesa Forest Products. .........54

Mutual Moulding & Lumber Co.........52

Navqio Forest Products Industries. .4t

North American Plwood Corp..........53

Pacilic Forest Products Cover III

Philips Lumber Sales. .........56

Product Sales Co.. ... .4

Redwood Coast Lumber Co. .........,..36

Redwood Empire. .49

Sause Bros. Ocean Towing ..............3

Sierra ForestProducts .........30

Siskiyou Forest Products..........,....5E

South Bay Forest Products Co..,.......,3E

Southwest Plyrood