Willamette Now Running Under Weyerhaeuser

Willamette Industries is now operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser Co., officially completing the years-long hostile takeover.

Willamette's board reluctantly agreed to Weyerhaeuser's $6.2 billion offer-plus assumption of $1.7 billion in debt-after its own planned $3+ billion acquisition of GeorgiaPacific's building products group fell through.

Although the Willamette name may be phased out, at least until June I the company will function as a separate division headed by Weyerhaeuser's senior v.p.-timberlands, Richard E. Hanson, now chairman of the Willamette Interim Operating Committee and executive v.p.-timberlands.

A collection of transition teams comprised of both Willamette and Weyerhaeuser employees are analyzing ways to best integrate the companies. By June I, the teams ile expected to make their recommendations to Weyerhaeuser. Then, the teams will be dissolved, and the changes implemented over the next l2 months.

Several top Willamette executives have left the company, including c.e.o.

Duane McDougall, c.f.o. Greg Hawley, and Eddie McMillan, executive v.p.-building materials group.

Weyerhaeuser said the two companies are already working together at the operations and marketing level, making joint appearances at recent trade shows, for example.

lmported Wood To Big Boxes

Forestry Terminal Inc., Port Manatee, Fl., has opened a lumber warehouse to distribute South American wood to big box home centers.

The new 170,583-sq. ft. building was completed Feb. 4, just in time for a shipment of Brazilian lumber that will eventually be distributed to Depot and Lowe's locations throughout the Southeast.

The $6 million warehouse was originally scheduled to open in early January. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in late February.

lP Sells Off OSB Plants

International Paper has agreed to sell its three OSB plants to Torontobased Nexfor. Inc.

WE

The plants, located in Jefferson and Nacogdoches, Tx., and Cordele, Ga., are part of IP's panels and engineered wood business, headquartered in Savannah, Ga.

"The decision (to sell) is part of the company's divestiture program and strategy to focus on core businesses, " said IP's Bill Hoel.

Once the sale is finalized, IP's panels and engineered wood division will consist of five plywood mills, two utility pole plants, one LVL mill and two distribution centers.

Coastal Shutters Pine Mill

Coastal Lumber Co., Weldon, N.C., plans to close its Suffolk, Va., sawmill by April.

Coastal has been cutting its remaining inventory since it stopped taking orders in December. Company officials blame cheap foreign wood for the mill's insolvency.

"Our customers in the U.S. can purchase pine from Brazil, New Zealand and Australia, and have it shipped here cheaper than we can cut it down 50 miles from the mill," said Coastal's Tamara Wade-Roach.

Coastal bought the plant from

Selects * #2 Common * Pecky * Dimension ,o Rough t Resawn * S4S x SlS2E * Siding x T&G & V-Joint 'r Bevel Siding * Fencing x Paneling x Moulding * Decking

Custom orders in quantities, sizes & patterns to your specifications

Mixed orders of CYPRESS & HARDWOODS Surfaced, Rough or Straight-line ripped

If you want to order by the job, Fax us your specifications *

Over 700,000' of AD/KD Inventory

If you want to get what you pay for, THEN IT IS TIME TO TRY US!

Sheffield Lumber Co., which had run the facility for about 40 years.

During the last 16 months, Coastal has closed a pine mill in North Carolina and one in Alabama. It still operates a softwood plant in Walterboro, S.C.

Virtual D-l-Y On Lowe's Web

Lowe's has added nearly 100 animated do-it-yourself project demonstrations to its Web site.

The site features animated technology of how-to projects that range fiom replacing a light bulb to building a deck. Viewers can access the information by watching a demonstration, lis-