Company gambles on econoffiv, beats the odds

LIOT AI-1. conrpanics arc born at l!tnc "right" time. Martin Forest Industrics, redwood wholcsalc brokers and distributors. was l'ormcd in 1979 at thc cnd of thc last big building boom. Econornic conditions then were not favorablc, duc to dwindling housing starts, soaring interest rates and runaway inllation.

Gary Malfatti, half owncr and working partner, puts it this way: "A lot of people didn't expcct MFI to make it. But wc've bcaten the odds and come out on top. I've been in thc industry for over 15 years and havc seen a lot of people and companies come and go, but MFI took a gamblc and survived."

Gordy Martin, president, and Malfatti, vice-president, havc had a long association. They always drcamed of someday combining forces to form their own company.

Their dream became a reality in 1979. MFI was formed and began operating out of a onc room ofl'ice in St. Helena, Ca. lt was a meager beginning, depending upon a shoestring budget and a small, but loyal following to get them through.

Four years later, MFI had expanded its customer base and outgrown its facilities. The company had a brand new facility constructed in Healdsburg, Ca., with over three acres of distribution yard, a beautiful 2,000 sq. ft. office, a three-car spur, and milling facilities. A grand opening of these facilities was held on October 7 of this year. Many of their customers and suppliers turned out to help in the celebration.

MFI handles 9090 redwood items including all unseasoned and kiln dried uppers as well as redwood timbers to 30 feet. The balance of their product mix is a select group of pine and cedar products. Because they handle redwood products almost ex-

Story at a Glance

Despite 1979 start up conditions, wholesaler grows with sound business techniques, lots of hard work. .expanding market area. new headquarters facilily, larger staff.

clusively, Martin feels that MFI "can supply any redwood need much more efficiently than other suppliers and give that competitive edge which is so necessary in this current market."

MFI has expanded its market area from northern and central California to cover the continental United States. Their customer base is primarily retail lumber yards and other wholesale lumber brokers. They also supply Alaska and Hawaii through container service. Some of their other services include piggyback and railcar loading for out of state shipments and on site milling facilities to expedite hard to get pattern items as well as resawing and resurfacing. They specialize in less-than-truckload deliveries for the central and northern California market. MFI stays abreast of all market conditions to ensure that no favorable mill offerings are passed by or overlooked.

MFI has a talented sales staff to perform these services. Robert "Bob" Haas has been with MFI since 1980 and is a great asset to the firm. He is involved with all of the major buying for inventory as well as dispatching and covering a sales territory of central and northern California. Bob has been in a position to note the growth of the firm. ' 'In the beginning, I was dispatching l-3 trucks per day in

California; now I am dispatching almost full-time, anywhere from 10-18 trucks per day, many of them for out of state shipment."

Newly acquired John Blatchford rounds out the team. Formerly with Timber Realization Company in Calpella, Ca. John brings extensive mill experience with him. He handles all of the national accounts outside California and has an excellent rapport with accounts. He has been servicing many of them for years.

Martin and Malfatti comPose the rest of the sales team. Managing the day to day operations for MFI, while an important function, is merely a part of their duties. They believe in taking an active part in all aspects of the business. They begin their day on the sales floor along with their sales staff and finish their day long after everyone has gone home. Sharing the

Plywood Supply Adequate

Although shortages exist in wallboard and some other building products, the Hardwood Plywood Manufacturers Association, Reston,Va., reports that the prefinished hardwood plywood paneling manufacturers have adequate domestic and imported supplies of prefinished, printed, vinyl, same work philosophy as well as a strong, mutual friendship makes their working partnership stable and satisfying to both of them. laminated and paper overlaid hardwood plywood. o REDWOODuppers / commons/ sidings o DOUGI-AS F|R-uppers / commons/ long lengths CYPRESSuppers/ commons o SOUTHERN HARDWOODS

Both Gordy and Gary feel that controlled growth of the firm will allow MFI to expand its services and customer base without compromising their reputation for honesty and integrity. Customer satisfaction is their main goal and, large or small, all customers receive the same excellent service and attention, they say.

MFI plans to continue to be a major factor in the market place. Martin and Malfatti took a gamble and turned it into a sure bet. Even though they have made great strides they are not easing up. They are still beating the bushes making cold calls, tracking down leads, keeping their nose to the grindstone and not letting their past success go to their heads.

There will be no problem in taking care of the interior wall surface material needs of the forecast of 1.69 million housing starts in 1984 and production of 325,000 manufactured homes, according to R.L. "Dick" Crutchfield, chairman of the board.

. WESTERN RED CEDAR o PLYWOOD SIDINGS

. HARDWOOD PLYWOOD

. SOUTHERN YELLOW PINE

beautiful homes!

REC00l{lZll{G outstanding productlon and quality, Western Cablnet & Millwork, Woodinville, Wa., vice president of sales, Gary Hogue (dght) presenled an appreciation plaque to Norman Hahn (lcll), president ol Conestoga W00d Products, Little Rock, Ar., observed by (loll) Vern Gilmartin,

Geothermal Energy to Heat Homes

Heat from the earth will replace fossil fuels to warm and cool homes by the 1990s according to a leading hydrogeologist. The short time period of system cost recovery from savings, makes earth-coupled heat pump systems the most attractive alternative energy system today.

Dr. Jay H. Lehr, executive director of the National Water Well Association, Worthington, Oh., estimates that 8590 of the entire U.S. has enough heat energy in the ground to warm all the homes and buildings in any locale. A variety of heat pump projects completed for the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have proven the viability, economic effectiveness and environmental safety of the system using lowgrade geothermal energy.

All-AmerlcanConpaql

Coastal Lumber Company's Trdewater Red Cypress, a wood of supreme durability and beauty, is in plentiful supply in the swamplands of the southeast, A favored wood for both interior and exterior uses, Trdewater Red Cypress is adaptable to today's structural designs in home and industry Coastal Lumber, a leading producer of Tdewater Red Cypress, offers kiln dried cypress siding, paneling, fence boards and decking with a rustic or resawn face. Tidewater Red Cypress, "the wood etemall' is the wood for NOW!

C-oastal Lumber Company has a full line of 'l'idewater Red Cypress, llardwood, Southern Yellow Pine, Perma-Tieat@ Tieated Lumbel and Plywood products in truckload or carload qirantities. For further information contact:

Coastal Lumber Co,, P.0. Box 829, \Abldon, NC 27890 Phone: 919/536-4211

Lehr stated that the biggest breakthrough in the public's use of earth-source heating and cooling systems will come when federal policies are amended to grant tax credits to users of these systems. A recent Frost and Sullivan market report stated that earth-coupled heat pumps will make up ahnost half of the 3.2 million retrofitandnewcentralhome heating units sold in the year 2000.

Ladylike Promotions

Women who are promoted should be told that the promotion was due to their ability. If a woman feels that she was promoted so her boss could comply with equal-employment laws, she will be less committed and perhaps unhappy in her new position.