Cedar Speclal lggue Marketing targets cedat users

By Jeff Loth President Westem Red Cedar Lumber Association

technical information pieces, were distributed to cedar users worldwide.

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HE 1980s provided some interI esting times for cedar producers, from changing markets and consumer tastes to continued pressures on available timber resources to a re' newed industry commitment to cedar marketing. And the decade of the '90s promises to be even more challenging for cedar producers in the U.S. and Canada.

It will be imperative in the '90s that a balance be struck between the needs of timber for products and the desire to preserve forestlands. And producers on both sides of the

What Is Ttrc WRCLA?

The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association is an affiliation of l5 cedar producers.

Companies represented are: Caffall Bros. Forest Products, Wilsonville, Or.; Canadian Forest Products Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.; Delta Cedar Products Ltd., SurreY, B.C.l Evans Products CompanY, Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.; Fletcher Challenge Canada, Vancouver, B.C.; Lamford Forest Products Ltd., New Westminster, B.C.l Landucci Industries, Surrey, B.C.; Loth Lumber Co., Inc., Gold Bar, Wa.; MacMillan Bloedel Limited, Vancouver. B.C.: McDonald Cedar, Fort Langley, B.C.; Mill & Timber Products Ltd., Surrey, B.C.; Sawarne Lumber Company, Ltd., Richmond. B.C.l Tolko Industries Ltd., North Vancouver, B.C.; Tyee Timber Products, Ltd., Langley, B.C. and Weldwood of Canada, Ltd.. Vancouver. B.C.

Officers: Jeff Loth, president; Bob Landucci, vice president, and Gary Marshall, treasurer.

Marketing information as well as literature is available from the WRCLA offices, Yeon Building, 522 SW 5th Ave., Portland, Or. 97204-2122.

border will be working hard to meet this challenge.

The markets for cedar products have evolved in the past l0 Years along with housing designs and customer preferences. Wood decks, many of them constructed of cedar, have added a new dimension to homes by creating outdoor living spaces. The stark plastic, glass and metal look has given way to a desire for more natural tones such as wood. Cedar paneling, exposed ceilings and other decorative products have also warmed up the interiors of homes and commercial buildings, replacing non-natural materials.

These changes did not come about entirely by chance. In the mid1980s, the cedar industry determined it must take deliberate, wideranging marketing action in order to protect and expand markets for cedar lumber products. As a result, WRCLA embarked on an expanded marketing program to use these trends to create greater demand.

Story at a Glance

Cedar leaders remain committed to increased marketing efforts in the 1990s, building uPon promotaonal etforts in the Past decade. increased cedar use anticipated.

The industry identified four major audiences: architects and specifiers, builders and contractors. remodelers and retail/wholesale dealers. Special advertising was created for each group, highlighting the many benefits of using cedar. Projects using cedar in a variety of interior and exterior applications were publicized in major trade and consumer publications. Hundreds of thousands of publications, from idea books to

As the new decade begins, WRCLA's marketing effort has been expanded with the addition of a design awards competition conducted in cooperation with the American lnstitute of Architects and the American Society of LandscaPe Architects. A future competition will be created for interior designers. These competitions will recognize outstanding projects using western red cedar lumber and will provide material for future cedar pomotion efforts,

There are many challenges facing the cedar market in the coming years, making detailed predictions nearly impossible. However, in at least one area, the crystal ball is clear: Cedar manufacturers, through WRCLA, will remain committed to promoting and expanding cedar use and will work to build on the marketing efforts of the '80s.