Pressure treater fills need in Texas market

Ff ECOGNIZING a need in South/ flCentral Texas for a pressure treating plant, MG Building Materials, a San Antonio retailer./ wholesaler expanded its business with a wood treating operation last year.

Story at a Glance

San Antonio relailer expands wholesale division with prossure treating capability.. first year successful . . . expects to treat over 24 million leet in 1983 . . Texas & So. Oklahoma market.

The company obtained a license from the Osmose Co. in Buffalo, N.Y., to use their trade name and patented system for a CCA Type C waterborne wood treatment using a pressure cylinder process. To join the wholesale division and the treatins facility, they bought a l6 acre site on the outskirts of San Antonio.

A treatment chamber and other pressure treatment system equipment including a building to house the controls which make it possible for oneperson operation were put into place. The clean, environmentally safe facility is fenced with ample storage area and parking for the vehicles needed to transport the lumber.

During the first year with Osmose, the firm treated and sold over 17 million feet of wood. Larry Grothues, president of MG, says that they plan to exceed 24 million feet in 1983.

"We felt we had the marketing experience to make the wood treating business a success," he explains. "We got involved with Osmose because of the need in this area for a treating plant responsive to the demand."

Treating and marketing Southern pine, the new pressure treating operation credits "the mailers, contests and markeling support given by Osmose to contributing a great deal to our successful first year."

MG Building Materials has been in retail lumber and building materials in San Antonio since 1972. The family owned and operated business has a second store in nearby Pleasanton. Larry Grothues is joined in the management of all operations by David Grothues, vice president, and Alan Grothues, secretary,/ treasurer. Richard Boorman is in charge of sales.

It is one of six building materials centers in South Texas owned by members of the Grothues family. Their unique history in the building materials business dates back to l915 when the first store was opened by Marianus and Maria Grothues in San Antonio. (See Building Products Digest, Sept. 1982, for the story of Guada lupe Lu mber Co. -ed.)

The retail side of the business has a 60/40 customer mix with contractors predominating. They employ 25 people in San Antonio and l5 in Pleasanton. The wholesale division including the pressure treating plant employs 30. The market area is Texas and Southern Oklahoma.