Building Products Digest - May 1983

BuildinqPro ducts

markets in 13 Southern states

Thcrnks o We're 7V"orrol4,andgrowing

/ satisfuing an industry need in the South / acclaimed by nearly 13,000 subscribers in 13 states / supported by scores of advertisers including

Ace Saw & Supply

All Woods/Schroeder

American Wood Prcervers Bureau

Arizona Pacific Wood

Preserving Corp.

Arkla Forest Products

B & M Wood Products, Inc.

Curt Bean Lumber Company

Beverly Manufacturing Co.

Blevins Co., lnc., J.H.

Bohemia. Inc.

Britt Lumber Co.

Builder Marts of America

California Cascade Industria

C&DLumberCo.

Coastal Lumber Co.

Cole & Associates, lnc.,

John T.

Crown Redwmd Co., Inc.

Dant & Russell, Inc.

Dataline Corporation

Delson Lumber Co.

DMK-Pacific

Dumas Building Producls

Advertising / Marketin g

Elco Forct Products

Elder Forest Products

Elder Wood Preseruing Co.

Ensworth Forest Produas

Feather River Moulding

Fields Lumber Company, Walter M.

Fishman and Affiliates, Bill Fountain Lumbs Co.. Ed

Fullco Lumber Co.

Fullmer Lumber Co.

G&RLumberCo.

Georgia-Pacifi c Corporation

GF Company

Global Tile & Wood, Inc.

Great Southem Wood Prseruing

Grifiolyn Company, Inc.

Hampton Lumber Sala

ldaco Engineering & Equipment

ldacon. lnc.

Intemational Pap€r

JD Lumber. lnc.

Landry Lumber Sales, Richard

Little l:ke lndustries

Louisiana-Pacific

Lumberman's Marla Reporr

Marlin Forest lndustries

Mary's Riwr Lumber Co.

Masonite Corporation

McKuen MouHing Co.

McCranie Brothss

McKenzie Trading Company

Mid-South Wood Products

Mid-States Wood Preruers, lnc.

National Home Center & Exposition

Navaio Forest Products

lndustries

North Amerian Wholeale

Lumber Asmciation

Norfteld Manufacturing

Oakwod Manufacturing, lnc.

Ogden Lumber & Milling, Inc.

Oregon Mqde€ & f:mber Co.

Osmose Wood Prescrving Co.

Pacifc Lumber Cornpany

P&MCedarProducts

Porl Barre Lumber Industries

Podarch Corponrion

Pwdl Lumber Co.

hoduct Sales Co.

Rmtohil. lnc.

Roddin Forest Products

Sctzer Forest hodtrls

SimFon Tlmber Co.

Sni&r Lumber Products Co.

Snkler lndustie

South Atlandc Forest

Producb

South Bay For6t hoducts

Sunol Forest Products

Terry [Xstrtbutor. lnc.. Waher

Timber Product Salcs Co.

fimber Realizatlon Co,

WEtm lntmdonal Forat Prodwts, lnc.

W6tem Tumings & Stair Co.

Willametre lndustrles. Inc.

Windmr Mill, Inc.

Winton Sales Co.

Wilco Piooe€f

Wholcsale Buildhg Materiab Management Co.

Let

us

REDWOOD

Wholesale . . so you can make a prof it

We have a large inventory of: Redwood Plywood o Large Timbers . 1" & 2" Finish o Bevel Siding

o Most 1" Patterns o Moulding

Thin Paneling . 1" & 2" Rough Dry Redwood and Cedar Lattice Panels 2"x8" and 4"x8" In Stock

'i 'l' ' lo ; 'ts:!- -' ':' ,".1;' ,-.i - -..,.."*, ti'l r* i.:,;;1, =-===

Publbher David Cutler

Editor Juanita Lowet

ConHbudng Edltors

Dwight Curran. Gage McKinney

Lori-Watkins

Art Dircctor Martha Emery

Strff Ar&t Lillian Kellv

Clirculrtion Kelly Kendziorski

Building Products Digest is published monthly at 45fl) Campus Dr., Suite 480, Newport Beach, C^. 92ffi, phone (714) 549-8393 by Cutler Publishing, lnc. Advertising rates upon request.

ADVERTISING OTTICES

FROM THE NORTHEAST: @ntact Grylc Essrry, 35-73A l59th St., Flushing, N.Y. ll35E. Cdl (212) 445-8063.

FROM ARXANSAS I3 OXI../\HOMA: contad Timothy J. Nelson, Markedng Communications, Inc., 5l15 S. Vandalia, suite E, Tulsa, Ok. 7413J. Cdl (918) 496-E777.

FROM TEXAS, U)tlSrANA, MtSSt$ SIPPI, YTRGINIA, TENNESSEE, N. CALIFORNIA AND OREGON: contact Devftl Cntlcr, 45fi) Campus Dr., suitc 4EO, t,l6r,port Bcach, €a. 92ffi. e-a|J (714) 549-8393.

FROM THE MIDWEST: contact IYrync Westhnd, ll09 Willow L:ne, Mt. Prospect, ll. 6m56. Call (312) 437-7t77.

FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: contact Crd Yrnn, 205 Occano Dr., los Angeles, Ca.9(D49. Call (213)4?2-31 l3 or (714) 549-8393.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

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Subscription Rrtes

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BTJILDING PRODUCTS DIGEST is an independently-ownd publication for the rctail, wholesle and distibution levels oJ the lumber ond building supply markets in l3 Southem gates.

EDITORIAL

How about Hayseed Junction?

EoR DECADES the major PoPulation

F movement in this country was the migration from rural to city living. Recently, however, the head counters have discovered a slight reversal: a trend to population gains in small towns. Suburban and non metropolitan areas have registered net migration gains of 5.0 and 1.3 millions respectively in the latest census tabulations. While presently small, the trend to increasing growth of small towns is unquestionable.

As a result, small town merchants now are beginning to face a classic situation. Growth means more business, but it also is attracting more competition which can be a serious problem. Yet the problem can be turned into an opportunity by those alert enough to turn events to their own advantage.

There is no intrinsic reason why the small town dealer shouldn't be as good as the big city operator. Yet, this has not always been the case. The lack of competition has brought complacen-

cy. And that lethargy is attracting the bigs from the city who see small town America as a profitable alternative or addition to the over stored and fiercely competitive city environment. There are many excellent stores in small towns and we've been pleased to feature them in our pages. Yet there are also too many that do not measure up to reasonable business standards. To those we say be aware. Remember what the first fast food franchise did to your local greasy spoon coffee shop? Look out over that filthy counter of yours, across the dusty shelves to the narrow, finger-smudged front door. Ask yourself, will most of my customers still prefer to shop here if they can go instead to a shiny new, state-of-the-art chain store? Good question. You better think about it now before subsequent events decide the question for you.

To the bigs we suggest a careful examination of the opportunities in selected small towns. As to who will eventually prevail, we have no favorites. Let the marketplace decide.

DAVID CUTLER publisher

Home remodeling seminars pay off

ETVERYONE is talking about Ehomeowners opting for remodeling instead of moving, with do-ityourselfers becoming more involved, but studies, forecasts, trends and figures mean nothing if you don't put them to work for you.

Improving living conditions, cutting home heating and cooling costs, and beautifying surroundings have high priority with homeowners, but many are ignorant of ways to achieve their goals, especially the availability of easy-to-install materials designed for do-ityourselfers. If you can enlighten them, you can capture a portion of the well over $50 billion estimated to be spent to improve homes this year.

A home improvement seminar is an excellent take-off point. Give those attending background information on the desirability of remodeling. Offer guidelines to help them evaluate the feasibility of remodeling. Invite a home loan officer to brief them on the financial side. Ask a realtor to discuss the resale profit potential. Have a con-

tractor explain how a professional does the job. Then, tell them how your store fits into the picture, working with either a contractor or a d-i-y homeowner.

Plan your presentation to utilize the recent home modernization study which showed a high proportion of remodeling centered around energy conservation, leisure activities, general upkeep, and beautification. Discuss methods and products available to achieve these aims.

Some ideas of topics to touch upon include ways to control rapidly rising fuel costs by adding insulation in attics, walls, and floors or replacing ill-fitting windows and doors. Another possible subject is the addition of space by converting an attic, basement, porch or carport rather than adding on a room since this type of conversion tends to be more economical because structural elements such as walls, floor and ceiling already exist.

Modernization of kitchens and bathrooms with new cabinets. fix-

tures, appliances, and flooring is another possible topic. Unusual features such as wet bars, saunas, and hot tubs which, although they don't appeal to all, are popular improvements which should be mentioned. Small, easy-to-do improvements to add impact or revitalize an older home such as shutters, rain gutters, exhaust fans, easy-care flooring, skylights, a wood-burning stove, flooring, and paint, also should be covered.

In addition to your model kitchen and bath, arrange displays of insulation products, replacement windows and doors, paneling, wallboard, light fixtures, flooring samples, and other materials used in remodeling. Have stacks of take-home literature such as How to Install Interior Jambs and Exterior Door Fromesby the Wood Moulding and Millwork Producers; step-by-step window installation booklets from Andersen Corp., Bayport, Mn. , Other Rooms, Kitchen and Bath Planning, both from the National Kitchen Cabinet Association.

I AST YEAR homeowners spent han estimated $51.9 billion on the upkeep and improvement of residential properties. About $33.7 billion of this amount was devoted to additions, alterations or major replacements, the remainder was spent to retrofit and repair tired, worn out houses.

Studies show that a large number of homeowners are doing their own work. The biggest motivation to doit-yourself is reported to be avoiding paying a contractor, but about half of the d-i-yers interviewed claim they can do the job better than a contractor. A surprising 49v/o say that they simply "enjoy doing jobs around the house," although they admit that saving dollars increases this enjoyment. While some homeowners move from project to project with enthusiasm, many are inspired only by the necessity of having to replace old equipment or fixtures.

Homes are considered a major financial asset today. In addition, people are staying put longer. These two factors contribute to the increasing expenditures for repairs and. maintenance. Demographics show that the biggest spenders are (1) those who live in homes 4O years or older; (2) those living in their present home for five years or less; (3) those with incomes over $50,000 and (4) those with households of three persons or more.

Home improvement: a billion $ market

full line of home improvement products is preferred by shoppers 3 to I over limited line stores selling more specialized products.

Just under half of the homeowners pinpointed manufacturer "how to" product instructions as extremely important, particularly among the 25 to 34 age group and white collar workers with higher education.

If friendly, trained, knowledgeable sales people who can answer customer's questions about home repairs, maintenance and improvements make business thrive, how can the home center operator produce these people?

The market is there, but what can you as a retailer do to attract customers to your home center and keep them coming back ? A, study conducted by Market Facts, Inc. and the Home Center Research Bureau revealed that more than 8090 of the homeowners think courteous salespeople are extremely or very important in choosing where they shop, making that quality the most important factor in selecting a home center.

Second (72s/o) in importance to consumers is the sales staff's knowledge of the products they are selling. It also is extremely or very important to 54v/o of those surveyed that salespeople be able to assist customers with specific project information.

Consumers want to know the store they shop in offers the highest quality of merchandise and will stand behind its products. The home center with its

Story at a Glance

Home repair, maintenance, improvement market expanding... consumers demand product, project knowledge . want high qualaty merchandise. guaranteed reliability.

In today's expanding home center market, according to Better Homes and Gardens, which recently published a product knowledge training course, this is not easy. Entry-level positions are usually filled by recent graduates with limited work experience. New employees often find themselves on the firing line with little or no practical knowledge of home improvement. They recommend their training manual, which they say is the only course for home center personnel that is self-taught, in conjunction with the Complete Guide to Home Repair, Maintenance & Improvement, also published by them.

Other ways to train salespeople to be able to guide and help customers include in-store training sessions taught by veteran staff members or manufacturer's reps; required reading of "how-to" bulletins and instructions provided by manufacturers; hands-on clinics to produce product displays for the store; and the reading of informational articles such as you will find in this issue of Building Products Digest.

Almost every store has one old timer who knows all the answers or has a second sense for finding them. Take advantage of him, designate this person as the official store expert. Give him a title and a special (l'leasa tunt to pugc 36)

Wood mouldings offer high profits

1983 IS a year retailers would be I wise to activelv merchandise wood mouldings.

Why? Because wood mouldings are one of the highest profit items in a store, or at least should be. And, because the do-it-yourself market is now the largest user of wood mouldings. So states Neal Heflin, director of marketing for the Wood Moulding and Millwork Producers (WMMP), the trade association that represents the domestic manufacturers of unfinished softwood moulding and millwork.

"For years," Heflin says, "the wood moulding industry, like most other forest products industries, promoted its product primarily to the building trade because the majority of its production was sold for use in new construction. However, all that has changed in recent years.

"Today,t' he continues, "more and more homeowners are realizing that decorating with wood moulding is one of the least expensive ways they can change the look of their homes. As a result, the d-i-y market is now the largest user of wood mouldings. And, this trend is likely to continue even after the return of the home building industry."

According to Heflin, WMMP is so convinced of this trend, it is now concentrating its industry-wide promotional efforts almost entirely on the consumer.

As part of its program, WMMP has developed a library of literature pieces aimed directly at the do-ityourselfer. Included in the library are a number of basic "how-to" pieces that deal specifically with the correct use and installation of wood mouldings. "These basic consumereducation pieces are excellent pointof-purchase aids that should be in every retail establishment that car-

ries wood

mouldings,"

Heflin

To help sell more wood moulding, WMMP has also developed several "idea" pieces that can guide consumers to projects they wouldn't ordinarily associate with wood

Story at a Glance

Wood mouldings oller high profits . . . big doit-yourcelf market . . . education ol consumer helps to sell morg . literature available.

TR|O ol how-to brochures educates consumers on the correcl use and installation of wood moulding.

states.

SAMPLING o{ the 500 do-it-yourself proiects found in 128-0. idea book from Wood Moulding and Millwork Producers.

mouldings. This literature ranges from a l6-page brochure on making picture frames to a 128-page book describing 500 different do-ityourself wood moulding projects. However, literature is not the only merchandising aid WMMP is producing to help boost moulding sales to the consumer. Heflin points out, for example, that the association is also offering a number of audio-visual programs, the most popular of which is titled "How to Work with Wood Mouldings." Geared to the do-it-yourselfer, this lO-minute presentation explains the basic types of mouldings, their uses, and their installation.

In addition to these aids is a doit-yourself kit for retailers which enables them to prepare their own professional looking wall chart illustrating only those wood moulding profiles they stock. The kit contains all the elements needed to prepare ready-for-camera artwork for a printer.

Heflin also notes that WMMP is currently test marketing a freestanding literature display rack filled with point-of-purchase material about moulding. The purpose of the test is to determine if these displays, properly placed and maintained, can help generate additional sales of wood mouldings, especially in retail outlets where sales help is limited.

"By providing literature, audiovisuals, wall chart kits, and, possibly, literature display racks, WMMP hopes to equip retailers with the tools necessary to do a better in-store job of merchandising unfinished wood mouldings both in the coming year and in many years to come," Heflin concludes.

Additional information on any of the moulding merchandising aids mentioned above may be obtained by writing to: Wood Moulding and Millwork Producers, P.O. Box 25278, Portland, Or. 97225.

Literature Helps Sales

Consumers find d-i-y literature helpful and an incentive for purchasing materials, according to a recent survey conducted by the Wood Moulding & Millwork Producers, Portland, Or.

For a six month period questionnaires on pre-addressed, pre-paid post cards were included in most of the materials sent out to the 5000 plus requests WMMP receives each month for literature. According to Bernard J. Tomasko, executive v.p., the random sampling covered all states in the continental United States.

Responses to the questions proved conclusively, he feels, that the literature developed by the association helps sell more wood mouldings. They also received constructive comments which will be taken into consideration when reprinting or developing new brochures.

(l) Have you ever purchased wood mouldings before? Yes: 740/o

(2) Have you personally worked with wood mouldings before?

Yes:72o/o No: 2890

(3) What is your intent in purchasing this literature?

6890 To get help for a do-ityourself job.

29v/o To get ideas for a professionally done project.

l49o For both a do-it-yourself and professional project. 3s/o For reference material.

(4) Are you going to purchase mouldings as a result of your brochure purchase?

Yes:9090 No:590 No Answer: 590

(5) Where have you or where will you purchase your mouldings?

(6) How many feet of mouldings will or did you purchase?

(7) How many profiles will or did you purchase?

69Vo A minimum of one profile to a maximum of eight with two to four the most common.

3l9o Not decided on an amount.

(8) Did you find the literature which you ordered to be helpful?

Yes:9690 No:290

No Answer: 290

lN-STORE displays of moulding need nol take u0 a lot of floor space. A total of 75 profiles are presented on this wall-type display.

A look at the future of vinyl windows

I lot of the industry expects poly- Ivinyl chloride to be a popular window framing material in the coming decade, according to a "U.S.

Market Report for Vinyl Windows" by Conoco Chemicals. Thetotal U.S. market forwindows is large. Prime and replacement win-

Replacement Trend G rows

dows account for 6590 of the total market. In 1978 nearly two thirds of all prime/replacement windows used in residential markets were in new construction. Replacement held to 3490 . By I 98 I , due to distressed new housing markets and continued growth of the replacement trend, market shares were almost reversed. (See Charr l).

In l98l wood and aluminum were almost equal in the market. (See Chart 2) Within the overall wood window category, vinyl clad wood windows were nearly 4090 , reflecting the demand for ease of maintenance, an important trend.

Units

In residential new construction, the most commonly installed window is a single-glazed aluminum window bectuse of its low cost. confirmation to FHA/VA and local building code standards, easy installation and good delivery. Residential replacement is characterized by custom manufacture, smaller volume per purchase, but large total volume sales, which are growing at l2olo per year.

CHART I

Story at a Glance

Residential remodeling, commercial rehab jobs beel up market new manufacturers and designs. products gain in acceptance.

Energy savings, high quality, longlasting maintenance- free properties, attractive appearance and ease of installation are important in the window remodeling market. Professional remodeling accounts for about 67slo and do-it-yourself, 3390. Higher priced prime and replacement windows are common. Because they are lower in cost than prime windows and easy to install, storm windows have a large portion of the market, 23.6 million in 1981.

Residential replacement windows are sold about equally through building supply distributors or wholesalers, lumber dealers or home

(Please turn to page 1 7)

Hardboard looking good for the'80s

By Pete Smart Marketing Mgr. Temple-Eastex, Inc. Diboll, Tx.

lltITH UNSTABLE interest

UU rates, unsteady employment rates and more Americans living in older homes (about 7090) the residential repair and remodeling market should be looking forward to a more positive note in the near future. Of course, a lot depends on the overall economic recovery; however, many experts are predicting a substantial growth for the already multi-billion dollar industry.

As the remodeling and housing repair market grows so will the siding industry. Siding represents a big part

Story at a Glance

Hardboard popular in remod. eling market . . . saves labor available in wide variety of architectural styles . . easy maintenance a sales feature. of residential remodeling. It is virtually a part of every room addition and new garage and is used in various other applications including soffits and exterior ceilings.

Although there are several different kinds of materials used to produce siding, some people have recently discovered the benefits and unique qualities of hardboard. I believe builders, remodeling contractors, architects and home buyers are beginning to recognize the durability, versatility and beauty hardboard offers.

Through the use of modern processes, real wood fibers are fused under heat and pressure to produce a product that handles better than actual wood. Hardboard does not split, crack or warp and resists hammer

marks. It can be worked with ordinary carpentry tools which not only makes application easier it makes it quicker. We have had remodeling contractors tell us that the qualities of hardboard speed-up installation, but that the newest designs have really made the difference.

Several firms now offer siding in large 12" x 16' panels. However, some firms manufacture a panel that combines three labor-saving narrow laps to allow application in a single course. Also some hardboard designs offer alignment guides to help the applicator achieve quick, consistent overlapping. These designs offer the traditional beauty of lap siding with the fast application that cuts remodeling costs.

Home buyers like hardboard because of the natural look and the wide variety of patterns and styles available. If the desired look is weathered cedar, stucco or smooth surfaces, it can be found. Most every kind of architectural style, from Colonial to Old English, is available.

Consumers and remodeling contractors are also discovering that hardboard does not require as much maintenance as once thought. Although hardboard does require painting or staining, it has excellent paint retention qualities and requires little maintenance. It usually comes factory primed and ready to accept any color paint. It can usually be kept fresh and clean by an occasional hosing off.

Hardboard is available in a variety of pre-finished colors or can be painted a color of the home owners choice. It has a wood grain finish without knots and without grain raise, checks or other defects. In short, hardboard cuts the original painting costs as well as repainting costs.

During the 1960s and 1970s lap width tended to be wide. With the re-

cent interest in the Victorian home styles, the trend has been toward the more narrow lap look and lighter, natural colors. The average lap width today is from six to eight inches which provides a design quality to capture the distinctive traditional look.

Another trend is using different combinations of several varieties of hardboard on the same home. For example, stucco used with a rustic look wood grain hardboard.

As the remodeling and repair market grows, so will thqinterest in hardboard. It seems as if the more people find out about this product and what it can do, the more people want to try it on their next job.

HARDBOARD siding adapts to various styles of architecture. The product, which comes in a variety of finishes, slyles and colors, is a oositive addition to a dealer's oroduct line.

Home improvement makes dollars for dealer

IJOME IMPROVEMENT is big

I Ibusinessat Fitch LumberCo. in Carrboro, N.C. Located near the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and the Research Triangle of Raleigh-Durham, they cater to an exceptionally large consumer market where typical projects include room additions, decks, porch enclosures and even second homes. With a consumer/contractor mix of 55/45o/o, they find Spring the high volume time as the weather clears and

people become interested in home fix-up. Purchases for home maintenance rank right along with those for improvement and remodeling.

Fitch Lumber is more than a supplier of wood although they sell plenty of it including large quantities of pressure treated lumber. In addition to lumber, they have hardware, electrical and plumbing departments. A large showroom displays floor and wall coverings as well as shades, blinds and a wide selection of

decorator items. The store provides installation service for these items and maintains a list of odd job contractors for customers needing help on other projects.

To encourage do-it-yourself projects, the store holds clinics regularly, building attendance with discounts and door prizes. Some clinics are staged by store personnel while others are put on by outside reps. Lots of literature is available for the d-i-yers as well as personal advice and

Fitch

problems. The store has a large parking area and offers cut-lo-size as well as custom work in the adiacent planer mill. Signs,

displays and wide aisles help the custorner to serve himself il he desires.

help from knowledgeable employees. Personal service is a No. I priority. Other customer helps are cut-tosize service and custom work done at the on site planer mill. Delivery is available for a fee. Store hours are the traditional 8 to 5 weekdays and 8 to 12 on Saturday.

Story at a Glance

Gonsumer business now outranks contnctor store emphasazes personal service . . . third generation in management . . . hardware stores are main competition.

Fitch Lumber Co., founded in 1908 in nearby Mebane, opened the Carrboro branch in 1923. When the Mebane building burned, all opera-

tions shifted to Carrboro. Management has passed through three generations with "Mac" Fitch as president today and R.B. Fitch in charge of Fitch Creations, a related home building business.

The business is housed in a contemporary 12,500 sq. ft. structure with cedar siding and a cedar shake mansard roof. The showroom has wide aisles and carts to encourage self service although help is readily available. Thirty employees are kept busy with sales which reached $4 million last year. The store has been affiliated with Builder Marts of America since 1965. Operations have been on computer for the past four years.

The main competition in Carrboro comes from numerous hardware stores. The nearest building supply store is in Chapel Hill.

In looking ahead, "Mac" Fitch says that they will continue to focus on the do-it-vourself market. He

feels that this consumer concentration, which has been helpful during the building slump, will continue to grow and be profitable.

Profile of a home improvement shopper

EDARALLELING the national

F- home improvement supply buying figures are Florida statistics gathered by the Suncoast Opinion Surveys in Pinellas County.

Their purpose was to profile hardware and building supply store shoppers and to probe their home improvement supply purchases.

Fully 9l9o of those surveyed reported that they or someone in their household had shopped at one or more of the hardware and building supply stores in the area. The compilation revealed that home center shoppers in that region are younger, more affluent, better educated and more likely to be employed than nonshoppers. They also were morelikely to be women, 550/0 to 45s/0.

The median age was 55 years with 67s/o having lived in the county for over five years. Median length of residence was 9.7 years. Household

Home

income for the shoppers was higher than the county median at $19,000. Over four in five (or 8490) owned their home. Nearly half of the shoppers had some college with 219o having been graduated.

When queried about buying habits, 82qo said they had made purchases in the home improvement supply category which included lumber, plumbing supplies, paint, tools, gardening supplies, hardware items and ceiling fans. Hardware was purchased by 54Vo; gardening supplies by 5390; paintby529o; tools by429o; plumbing supplies by 37u/o; lumber by 3090; ceiling fans by 3090.

When asked their choice of home improvement supply stores, l49o said that they had limited their shopping to one of the area's l0 major hardware and building supply stores in the past year. The others had shopped at two or more of the stores.

"MAC'' FITCH

Georgia-Paci.fic plans to double the capacity of its Dudley, N.C., oriented strandboard facility

Rubbermaid has agreed to sell Applied Producis and move its Con-Tact manufacturing to the Statesville. N.C. site now occupied by that operation . Rqdiant King Inc. is affiliating with Val-Test, a buying group, for nationwide distribution . .

Colu m b ia P ly w ood Co rp. is adding a 2nd shift at its new hardwood plywood plant in OId Fort, N.C. .theAlumni Forest Prod,/c/s remanufacturing facilities at Vicksburg, Ms., have been acquired by ldaho Timber Corp.

Kapman, Inc. is a new co. in Valdese, N.C., manufacturing saw blades I l6-year-old Woodward, Wight & Co., Ltd., New Orleans, La., has declared bankruptcy and has liquidated its $2.4 million inventory .

Manutnark, Inc., Chatsworth, Ga., is expanding its solar support program for wholesalers

Porter-Coble, Memphis, Tn., has established factory service branches in five additional markets

Leslie-Lock has relocated its Hq. from Akron, Oh., to a new 144,0N sq. ft. facility in Atlanta, Ga. . .

Giles & Kendoll, 1rc., Huntsville, Al., is launching a co-op advertising program for dealers

Therma-Trar plans a $2 million expansion at its corporate Hq. and mfg. facility DG Shelter Products Mouldinp and Millwork Div., Marion, Va., has added Sunbelt Marketing as a manufacturer's representative

Guardiun Purchasing Corp., Houston, Tx., has moved into new office and warehouse space . . . Prudential Buildins Material

Corp. has opened an additional facilitf in Orlando, Fl. . . Coletrrrtrt .\letul Prodrrc'ts has broken ground tor a shonroom,/ plant in Ft. Worth, Tx. .

Home Shops, ^fnc., Jacksonville, Fl., newly reorganized as Honte Shops of Virginia, Honte Shops of Florida and Home Shops of Maryland, plans to open six new units a year in each market as well as move into other Southeasternareas...

The Hotneo v,ners W'areho use, a new Coconut Creek, Fl., home improvement store, expects to open a second store in Broward County this summer with a third projected for Southeast Fl. Hottte Deporis planning to open a sixth store in North Miami Beach. Fl., this year

Scotty's has opened a replacement store in Deland, Fl., with additional units under construction in Tampa and Margate Scotty's, St. Petersburg, will move into the old Woolco site at the Gateway mall Berry Builders Supply has purchased the former Scotty's warehouse in Auburndale, Fl., for its door hangingshop...

East Texas Lurnber Sa/es has moved into a new location in Longview Chapman Lumber Co., Pauls Valley, Ok., is adding carpet and wallpaper depts. at its new location l4thit Davis Lutnber Co., Jacksonville, Ar., has completed an additional 1,650 sq. ft. sales area

Horry's Ace Hardware, New Orleans, La., has opened store No.6 in Metairie. La. Cordele Sash, Door ond Luntber Co. is building a new facility behind its present 85-year-old store in Cordele, Ga. T.J. Moss Lumber Co., Inc., Rogersville, Al., is

building a new'all-rvood, nvo level officecomplex of 2,200 sq. ft....

W'illiants Brot hers Luntber Co., has acquired Hill Suppl-t' Co., \\'atkinsville. Ga. . . . D.L. Re-v'nolds Lunrber Co., White Oak. Tx.. has moved into a nerv 10,000 sq. ft. facility' . . Rick Stroud, R and S Building Supply, N1ena, Ar., plans to erpand this )'ear

T.H. Rogers Luntber Co., McAlester, Ok., is turning the Little Dixie Prime Rib ballroom building into a home remodeling center u'ith a drive through lumber 1'ard East Coast Lutrtber Co., is nearing completion on a new Vero Beach, Fl., location . .

Still Lumber Co., Conl'ers, Ca., is marking its 36th 1'ear in business .Strirtg,erll'ltolesaleLttrrtberuncl Suppl_t' Co., \lcDonough, Ca., is celebrating itslOthbirthdal' .S&M Buildittg Suppl.t', Chattanooga, Tn., is obserr ing its 25th anniversar)' Hox'ard Lurnber and Sttppll' Co., Inc. has nou' been doing business in Nlinden, La., lor 30 )'ears .

Phil M. Grothues has purchased the L"/. Moore Lumber, Inc., Kerrville, Tx., renaming it Lumber Mart, Inc. . Smith Evctns LumberCo., Rome, Ga., is adding a hollow metal and finish hardwarediv. Keener Lumber Co., Clinton, N.C., is back in operation after a Dec. fire with lumber drying capacity increased by some 15,000 board feet

Building permits in March rncreased in the South although they dropped elsewhere, the seasonally adjusted annual rate was 1,434,000 units, 68.590 above Mar. '82 starts were 75.190 higher than the same mo. last year despite a dip of 9.290 from the Feb. figs., the seasonally adjusted annual rate u'as l,6l 1,000.

Soutltern Railv,ay Co. and Seaboard System RR have signed an agreement with the Illinois Central Culf Railroad Co. to buy its line between Maplesville and Montgomery, Al.

lefi n TaQ lD'.] '?rF = Q JJ\ Lq U\Y Q/ Lq,..L.-rL;L Q,

wtNDows

(Continued from page 12)

Commercial Remodeling Modernization Projects

By Specifier 1981

& Redw 0d

Total of 460,662 Projects

Source: Commercial Remodeler centers, direct from supplier-owned distributors and from specialty distributors. The professional remodeler decides on the product and brand name in 7490 of the cases.

Remodeling is expected to have a l29o growth per anum through 1990. The replacement of old, inefficient windows has been the No. I remodeling job since 1980, according to the Conoco report. In addition, a trend toward energy saving products for new homes is anticipated by the mid-1980s. Already in some areas double-glazed vinyl-clad windows are being installed in new homes. PVC windows are expected to gain acceptance for new residential installations by the mid to late 1980s.

The commercial replacement market may well be the sleeping giant. There are some four million existing commercial buildings in the U.S. and over 8090 ofthemareat least l0years old. Faced with the choice of tearing down or rehabilitating a building, owners usually consider that rehab takes a fourth of the time and is less costly.

New entrants into the pVC win_ dow market are emerging. A number of successful window designs are in use currently. More will develop as the industry grows. The outlook for PVC windows in the U.S. is considered favorable.

Tlmbers

We're redwood and cedar experts. Chances are we have what you want, in stock, ready for immediate delivery. Let us find your hard to fill requirements. And if you have a load originating in Southern California, use our modern, efficient facilities to add your special items. You can save yourself time and trouble by using our inventory and our expertise as direct mill specialists. Let's work together.

l]|0 Bl0PR0flI$!

FAMOWOOD

is the PR0FESSI0NA['S Att PURP0SE PIASTIC

Boat builders, furniture makers, cabinet makers, etc. have found it the one suie answer to correcting wood defects, filling wood cracks, gouges, covering countersunk nails and screws.

Can be used under Fiber Glass!

Ready to use right out of the can, Famowood applies like putty- strcks like glue; dries quickly; won't shrink; takes spirit stains, a'nd will not gum up sander. Waterproof and weatherproof when properly applied. 41

Ayaitable in 16 matching wood colors and rYhite.

BEVERLY MAN UFACTURING C(lIIPAT{Y

9118 S. Main Street' Los Angeles, Calif.90003, P.0. Box 73233

Manulacturars ol Famowood, [adoglaaa. FamoglY€nt 0lsttibutol and 0"1!r loq0iri's Invilld

Galifornie Wholesale

A Division of Coastal Lwnber Company presents

'tlllothing But Thc Bcsttr in

Appelachian,

Noruhernr end - -Southern Herdwoods

Bcd Oak Whicc Oak Ash Poplar

Sycamorc Balrulood

Tupclo GhcrrY

l{ackbcrry HickoqY

Gottonwood Hard 8Soft

MaPlc

Aso lmPorted Hardwoods

Gum and Oak veneers and Oak PtYWood cut-to-slze

Shiprnerns by Direct Carload, Direct frorn our own Hardruood Mills

Truck & rrlLr. from o.rr Los Arqdes Distritutim Yard

Our office is located at: 999 N. Segjveda Bvd., Suibe 314 B Segundo, Ca. 9O245 . [213J ilG2548

Russ Swlft

Mlkc Kclly

Donna Hammond Ed Cordova

MAY

American Institute of Kitchen DeelersMey 9'll, Kitchen Specialist Training School, Oklahoma City, Ok.

Mid-America Lumbermens AssociationMey lGl2' past presidents' retreat, Shangri-La Resort, Afton' Ok.

Sorittrern Pressure Treaters Associrtion - Mry ll'13' spring meeting, Kiawah Island Resort, Charleston' S.C-

S & T Industries, Inc.Msy 14-16, spring and summer market Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center, Louisville' Ky.

Ngtional Particlebogrd Associrtion - Mry l4-lt, semi-annual meeting, Innisbrook Hotel, Tarpon Springs, Fl.

National Foresl Products Associrtion - Mry lS-lt, annual spring meeting, L'Enfant Plaza Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Southern Foresl Products Associetion - Mry l&20, midyear meeting, Hyatt Regency, New Orleans, La.

Expo't3May2fi-22, forest products machinery&equipment exhibition, Superdome, New Orleans, La.

North American Wholesgle Lumber AssocietionMey 22-25. annual meeting, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Co.

Southeastern Building Materiel Dcelers AssocirtionMry 24, microcomputer software program, Waverly Hotel, Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, Ca.

JUNE

Alabama/Georgia Buildin g Material Metchrnls' AssocirtionJune 2-i, annual summer management conference, Savannah lnn and Country Club, Savannah' Ga.

Nstional Lumber & Building Mrterid Deelen AssocigtionJune ?-t, dealer services, budget and executive committee meetings, Chicago, Il.

Carolina Lumber & BuiHing Mrterid Dcelen AssocietionJune 9-12. summer conference, Crove Park Inn' Asheville, N.C.

Hardware Association of the CtrolinesJune 12-14' convention, Mariner's Inn, Hilton Head lsland, S.C.

Md-America Lumbermens AssocielionJune 12"16. Arkansas mill tour IV.

North American Wholesale Lumber Associetion -June 12-17, annuat wood marketing seminar, Oregon State University, Corvallis. Or.

National Oek Flooring Menufscturing AssocietionJune 14-15 meeting, Peabody Hotel, Memphis, Tn.

Florida Lumbcr & Building Materid l)celers AssocietionJune lGlt summer management conference, Sheraton Palm Coast Inn. Palm Coast, Fl.

Genuine Hardware C-o.4reen$orcJune 2$26' market, Greensboro, N.C.

JULY

Oklahoma Lumbermen's Associstion - July t-10, summer conference, Fountainhead Lodge, Eufaula, Ok.

Nationel Housewares Manufacturcrs AssocietionJuly I l'14, International Housewares Exposition, McCormick Place and McCormick Place West, Chicago, Il.

Keith Simmons Co., Inc. - July lGl7, market, Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, Tn.

National Reteil Herdware Associrtion - July 17-21, 84th annual Congress, Marriott Inn, New Orleans, La.

Carolina Lumber & Building Mrteriel Dedcrs AssocielionJuly 2&30, Young Carolinians idea exchange, Fairfield lnn, Sapphire Valley, N.C.

Zork Hardware Co. - July 30,'31, market, Airport Marriott Hotel, El Paso, Tx.

llt0 lillls cal|$ lTil||

Ways to cash in on the outdoor update

H 8#,:. "]r',i:' T:J'l"l' ni "j house. Exterior face Iifting, updating planting, patios, porches, and

step-by-step growing instructions with the seeds and plants. Put the handtools close by with identifications that show their special functions in the garden. Insecticides, garden hoses, wheelbarrows, any tool or product used in the garden should be located close by to encourage add-on sales.

Build enthusiasm by displaying live flowers and fresh vegetables, the kind your customer will grow for himself. Locate the cannine equipment on neighboring Bonl dolas to spark the idea of preserving the excess harvest.

Garden fencing, trellises, stepping stones and plant stakes make attractive displays. A storage shed to house the new tools and alleviate the crowded garage syndrome should be set up housing an array of tools, garden fertilizers, compost, potting equipment, and such to show what it can do. A greenhouse also can intrigue customers and stimulate purchases.

Adequate merchandising, attrac-

outdoor living quarters, is part of the package and should be merchandised as such.

With the present state of the economy and energy shortages, homeowners are spending ntore time at home. This, plus the awareness that because of inflation their home is one of their nrost imrrortant financiirl assets, nrakes them receptive lo investing in inrprovcntents.

llome improvement centers have been experiencing increased sales each year with retailers and wholesalers tallying as nruch as a 50(X, increase in the past year. A portion of this annual increase can come from the lawn and garden department if good merchandising is practiced.

The demand for Por,rer cquipment ranging from riding nrowers to string cutlers grows each year. Cupture your share by muintaining a good inventory well displayed. Mechanical tools have a built-in appeal for homeowners. Capitalize on the fun of gardening with them. Demonstrate the ease of operation, the economy, the tinte and energy saved in nranicuring lawns and garclens. Let the custonters try thent Ibr thenrselves with a hands-on session. But be very carelul that all saf'ety proceclures are strictly observed.

Display a planting calendar and

tive displays, timely specials and prominent advertising are invaluable in promoting lawn and garden department sales, but don't stop there. Help your customer to learn how to use the equipment and the products you want to sell him. Schedule seminars and classes. orovide informational signing. give away written instructions. offer expert advice through your sales people. Become your customer's partner and ally in improving his outdoor living.

Home Center Merchant

BILL FISHMAN

Bill Fishman & Affiliates

1'1650 lberia Place

San Diego, Ca.92128

lUSf as most retailers visit other relf rail ooerations in distant cities, as seminar diiector for the National Home Center Show I monitor as many convention learning sessions as my time allows.

One weekend I attended the National Retail Merchants Association convention in New York and the Northeastern Retail Lumbermens Association convention in Boston. My attention is usually divided between reviewing the room and platform facilities, the quality of the a/v presentation, the stage presence of the panelists, the contents of the speaker's subject matter, and the attention and reaction of the audience.

One interesting characteristic I've observed is that the more moture and sophisticated retailers in the audience are

also the most avid note takers. It appears that the more successful the retailer, the more ready he is to listen and evaluate the concepts and experiences of other retailers. I'm sure that most of these note takers have the insight to overlook the puff and gloss of the polished speaker, and the nervousness and delivery of the novice industry panelist. They cut through and extract ideas that should be considered for their operation.

Working with selected candidates for speakers at a national show, I know how much effort the retailer puts into the preparation of his talk. He fears that his audience will be measuring him against the better speaking professional and comes prepared to be less "entertaining" but rather more descriptive of the successes andlor failures of his retailing innovations. Many of our panelists labor for months over their short addresses.

In Boston I moderated a panel of four

WE DO A COMMON THING UNCOMMONLYWELL

n Specialists in framing and cuttings-all species.

Backed by company timberlands and sawmills, remanufacturing and custom milling.

Outside sales contracts exceed 300 MBF annually.

Technical expertise and financial ability to buy f rom all sources.

Size fosters flexibility and service. Time tested track record.

retailers, two of which were small, rural indepcndents. Steve Feinstein, who today owns a chain of retail building material outlets headquartered in St. Louis' was also on that panel. Feinstein is credited as being the greatest innovator in the home center industry, having guided such giants as Forest City and Grossmans and Moore's in the l%G1970 formative years of the home center industrY.

I watched him as he sat on the platform waiting for his turn at the microphone. He jotted three or four notes as he listened to the brief address of the firs speaker from a small New England town. Hethen opened his remarks by telling the audience that his exp€nses to the convention had easily been repaid by just one merchandising idea he recognized from the previous speech.

Later. Feinstein told me that during that one 90 minute session he walked away with two merchandising concepts and one sales promotion theme that he will adopt for his chain. When we se€ these concepts and themes replayed by his chain, I expect that they will be a little more refined and a lot more productive.

Today, innovation is costly! ln spite of their larger overall expense budgets, the chain operators qlnnot afford the experimentation freedoms they exerciscd in the past. I look for creative changes to come from the independent retailer and the smaller chain. But, I can't help feel that the road to success in the 1980 s will be traveled not only by the early innovators but also bl' the early imitators.

Thol's How lt Goes!

"MyJirst three months in business, I sold quite a lot: my house, my furniture, my car."

Behind the Scene in Sales

There are building supply dealers whose employees sell lumber every day without knowing much about what is involved in getting that lumber to the store. This account of a few days in the travels of Russ Swift, West Coast mgr. for Coastal Lumber, gives some insight into the work of a wholesaler.

Swift was picked up at the RaleighDurham airport in Raleigh, N.C., by Coastal Lumber Co.'s corporate pilot, Dave Johnson, in one of the firm's corporate aircraft, a Mitsubishi MU2. After he had visited the home office in Weldon, N.C., Russ was driven by Lyman Shipley, v.p. of marketing and Art Willard, Southern hardwood product mgr., to the mill in Kinston, N.C. Jimmy Johnson, mill mgr., showed everyone around, pointing out that it is a hardwood single-band mill with a planer. They can dress most hardwood species with the exception of oak. Kinston has two package kilns and two track kilns with an annual kiln capacity of 2,400,000 maximum.

The next day, Johnson flew Swift, Shipley and Jerry Williams, v.p. of operations, to West Virginia where

they spent the day at three of Coastal's operations. The first stop was Buckhannon, W.V., a yard with seven package kilns and eight progressive kilns for a total annual kiln capacity of 7,000,000 maximum.

Mark Ellis, the plant mgr., gave a tour of the yard including the planer which dresses most hardwood species with the exception of oak. While there, they met with Barry Cook, regional mgr. of Appalachian operations, and Rolan Rhodes, div. mgr. of Appalachian operations. Next stop was Dailey, W.V. There the mill mgr., Raymond Adord, and Randy Foster, assistant mill mgr., showed them the operation. They were cutting hard maple in the sawmill. Dailey has a planer with the ability to dress oak. three track kilns and two package kilns with an annual kiln capacity of 3,800,000 maximum. This mill also can surface oak with a Strait-o-plane.

The last stop for the day was Elkins, W.V., where plant mgr. Don Megert showed them around. This is a yard with a planer that can dress most hardwoods with the exception of oak. They have seven track kilns and an annual capacity of 7,000,000 maximum.

Although Swift did not go to Thomasville, Al., and Denmark, S.C., he was brought up to date on the improvements at these two mills. Thomasville has installed a new gang saw and carriage and Denmark also has a new gang saw. Seller, S.C., has been converted to a strictly cypress mill. At this location they run various patterns, channel rustic,bevel siding, and ship these as well as kiln dried rough cypress.

Swift's visit concluded with a meeting with Paul Barringer, pres. of Coastal Lumber, and Steve Conger, executive v.p. of Coastal Lumber and pres. of Coastal International.

Home Depot Exec to Speak

Bernard Marcus, chairman of The Home Depot, Atlanta, Ga., will be the keynote speaker at the Hardware Industry Week Service Event/National Hardware Show to be sponsored by the American Hardware Manufacturers Association, Aug. l4-18, at McCormick Place and McCormick Place West, Chicago, Il.

ARKANSASA OKLAHOMA

BOB JOHN aecudve dce presfdcnt

loE xauPuAN, Kaufman Lumber lUCo., Little Rock, Ar., and president of the Mid-America Lumbermens Asociation, along with MLA first vice president John Collins, Collins Lumber Co., Ada, Ok., provided the following report and observations on this year's Conference with Congress held in Washington, D.C. on March 16 and 17.

The Conference opened with a meeting of the National Association's Board of Directors attended by Mid-America Lumbermens Association representatives Joe Kaufman, John Collins and Jon Davis, MLA past president from Hutchinson, Ks.

The meeting provided us with an update on NLBMDA activities which have occurred since the October 1982 meeting.

Bud Howe, NLBMDA president, stated that improved communication between the National and local Federated Associations and their members is his administration's key goal. Bud raised the following points at the meeting:

(1) The need for added seminars, for both first-time and experienced computer users.

(2) The continued development of software for lumber dealers.

(3) The investigation of transportation and delivery cost surveYs.

(4) The development of a national magazine to improve communication.

At Wednesday's luncheon the guest speaker was Congressman Barber Conable (R-New York), who discussed new tax legislation. The main point he stressed was that next year's revision of tax indexing should be kept. If it isn't, all of the advantages of the personal tax reductions seen over the last three years will be destroyed by 'bracket creep.'

At the afternoon issue briefing these major issues of concern to lumber dealers were summarized:

(1) The Mortgage RetirementAccount (MRA), an issue initiated by NLBMDA, which allows people to use their Individual Retirement Account (IRA) money as a downpayment on the purchase ofa home. The MRA would also allow a person to use either all or part of his yearly IRA distribution to prepay the mortgage on his home. This bill would cost the govern-

ment nothing and would allow savings and loans to make more mortgages available. Most importantly, the MRAs would encourage youngpeople to save money to purchase their hrst home.

(2) The reform of consumerbankruptcy laws to remove existing statutory incentives for debtors to declare bankruptcy. The adoption of threshold criteria based upon present assets, as well as future income, is a priority.

(3) Thepreservation of thetax-exempt mortgage revenue bond program.

(4) The dropping of the proposed countervailing duty on Canadian lumber.

On Thunday, we kicked off our Congressional visits with a breakfast in the Capitol Building attended by the entire Mid-America Lumbermens Association delegation and featuring Senator Dale Bumpers of Arkansas. Afterwards, we visited many of our Senators and Congressmen to discuss the four issues described above.

The members of the MLA delegation included Ben and EvaLena Mayo, Mayo Building Supply, Bentonville, Ar.; Charlie Gos, MLA Regional Manager, Searcy, Ar.; John and Nancy Garrett and son John Mark, Economy Lumber & Supply Co., Miami, Ok.; Joe and Mary Kaufman, Kaufman Lumber Co., Linle Rock, Ar.; John Collins, Collins Lumber Co., Ada, Ok.

The mood in Washington appears ro be upbeat at the moment and we felt our visit was of use.

KENTUCKY REPORT

THOMPSON

tFHE Reagan administration will proI pose legislation this month or next that will allow creation of a private sector financial instrument designed to pump more investment money into the mortgage market.

It will be known as the Trust For lnvestment Mortgages or TIMS which would actually be a pool of conventional mortgages that are sold as bonds. This will be competitive with governmentinsured FHA mortgages marketed this

r.r'ay. The White House bill u'ill contain mostly revisions in tax law. Several other barriers on TIMS have already been removed to regulatory action. The outlook is good. Approval likely. Once the measure is signed by Reagan, Labor Dept. will allou'pension funds to invest in TIMS. We will keep you posted.

We thought this was such a good bit of news for the money market and the housing fund that you should have it as soon as possible.

Compbell become ill on o vacation trip lo Florido ond v'os recaperoting at his home at press time<d.

executive vice president

ttlf'S A whole New Ballgame" will I be the theme of the 1983 Summer Conference, June 9-12, at Grove Park Inn. Asheville. N.C.

The conference will concentrate on the challenges facing the building material in-

dustry for the remainder of the 80s. Our industry has undergone marny changes since I 980. How it reacts to these changes will dictate our scale of success. Speakers and workshops will focus on helping retailers to cope with these changes.

The Young Carolinians ldea Exchange is scheduled for July 28-30 at Fairfield Inn, Sapphire Valley, N.C.

b! Don A. Campbell

TENNESSEE

STAN OWENS executlve vlce preeldent

?Hn 58TH annual convenrion of our I association will be held Oct. 3l-Nov. 2 at the Hyatt Continental in Acapulco, Mexico.

"Time for a Change" will be the

theme. Further details will be forthcoming soon.

Last November membership chairman Cap'n Frank Burger chose 55 people that he thought would make a good tearn to go on a hunt for new TBMA members. Of those original hunters, on-

P.O. Bor 5546, Aurtln, Tx. 78763 (512) 472-1194

TEXAS TOPICS

JOE BUTLER, executlve vlce presldent

C! tx BILLS pertaining to the Texas Cf Lien Laws have been introduced by Rep. Don Lee of Harlingen and referred to the Financial Institutions Committee for consideration.

Each of these bills, because they pertain to lien laws, is vital to the retail lumber dealer industry. Any of the bills that pass and become law will greatly improve the position of the retail lumber dealer. It is thbrefore most urgent that each and every dealer contact his Representative in Austin and urge that he not only vote for the bills when they come up, but actively support their passage through the legislative process.

It is apparent that the financial institutions, builders, contractors and some title companies will not be overjoyed to see these bills become laws. Therefore, to get them passed, we must have the assistance of every member of our industry. Even if you don't know your representative in Austin personally, take a minute and write him as he wants to know your feelings on legislative matters. If you do know him, call and talk to him.

The lumber dealer industry is a vital part of this state. The legislators in Austin listen to what you have to say. If they know that you support this legislation, they will no doubt vote for its passage. If they don't hear from you, they will be swayed by the people who will continue to benefit from the situationthat nowexists.

The L.A.T. attorney, Robert C. Bass, Jr., has done an excellent job in preparing these bills. Your L.A.T. legislative

committee has done its job by authorizing us to introduce them. Your board has done an excellent job by authorizing L.A.T.'s backing of them. Now it's up ro you.

If you want conditions improved in the state for material suppliers and subcontractors, this is your chance.

ly 13 returned home with a total of 17 carcasses brought in.

The champion hunters, who are now charter members of the exclusive Burger's Sharp-Shooters Rifle Club, are Paul Bishop, Jimmy Brown, Scooter Clippard, Jack Cooper, Frank Crosslin, Jr., Sam Henley, David McClain, Paul Moore, Charlie Rhyne, Bill Stewart, Ab Taylor, Carl Tindell and Reed Wright.

All of these hunters had a chance to win the grand prize of a Remington rifle. A drawing was held and the winning number announced on March l. The member of BSRC holding ticket f75875 had won the rifle. After almost a week, Scooter Clippard of A.J. Smith Co., Nashville, did some digging and came up with the winning ticket stub.

A special program honoring Emmett Maum, the only honorary member of the Lumbermen's Club of Memphis, for his contribution to the lumber industry was held in Memphis on March 17. His column, "A Look at Lumber," has appeared in the Commercial Appeal for 20 years.

Gov. Lamar Alexander has issued a special invitation for all members of the association to attend the Second Governor's Conference on Small Business on May 12 at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. Co-sponsored by the Governor's special task force on small business and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, the program includes speakers and workshop sessions.

Orlando, FI. 32854 (305) 644-0302

FLORIDA SCENE

JOHN D. GARTEN executlve dlrector

f HtS anicle penains to a legal issue

I being addressed by the Florida Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association. It was intended to be written in layman's terms, but since it does involve a legal matter, its comprehension may require several readings.

In recent years, litigation within the Small Claims/County Courts in Florida has posed a problem for retail dealers and suppliers alike. For example, if a claim is less than $1,500, a corporation may represent itself without the need for an attorney. Once the claim exceeds $1,500, a corporation must be represented in litigation by an attorney. Herein lies the problem.

At today's prices of lumber and

building materials, it does not require a substantial order to meet and exceed $1,5m. The $l,500limit was set in 1973.

To compound the problem, an increasing number of attorneys do not want to become involved in disputes of this nature.

Recognizing this difficulty, the Covernment Affairs Committee of FLBMDA, under the direction of Bob Allen of Gulfstream Lumber Co.. has requested the Summary Procedure Rules Committee of the Florida Bar to raise the current limit from $l,500 to $2,500. The Summary Procedure Rules Committee has agreed with this request and has voted (Please turn to page 26)

Tennessee Bullding Matertal Assoclatlon

P.O. Box 4O32t, Narhvllle, Tn. 37204 (615) t3it.7554

Lumbermen'e Assoclatlon of Texas

VIRGINIA NEWS

JACK ALLISON executlve director

A f THE annual meeting, the memFbership elected Ray N. Horn, Natural Bridge Lumber Co., Natural Bridge, to serve as president for the coming year.

Robert B. Taylor, Taylor Bros., tis'.}:ii:liiiiiiii'i'i'.,'i':

Lynchburg, was elevated to lst v.p. At the President's Banquet, outgoing president Jim White, Richlands, gave a twist to the traditional gavel passing by presenting Ray with a baseball in keeping with the "Whole New Ballgame" theme.

Also newly elected were Ranny Hodges, Hodges Lumber Co., Roanoke, v.p.; Richard Ferguson, James River

GEORGIA /ALABAMA VIEWS

ERVIN GOODROE

,ll N IMPROVING economy and llgood weather made for an excellent show during our expo in Atlanta. Buying was strong by the good turnout of dealer s who came to see new products and merchandising ideas. Estimates put sales at between $8 and $10 million.

Eddie Chambers, Chambers Lumber Co., Gainesville, Ga., was selected for the R. Pat Campbell Director of the Year Award. Bob Campbell made the presentation. Champion Building Products was selected as the Associate Member of the Year with Jim Smith receiving the award from retiring president Bill Bryan.

Ed Hathcock, Dothan, Al., was elected president with Jack Nunn, Ellijay, Ga., v.p.; Fred Thomas, Cordele, Ga., sec.treas.; Bill Bryan, Bainbridge, Ga., chairman of the board.

Directors include Joe Higdon, Anthony Deal, Sid Daniel, Chesley Walker, David Fox, Buddy Marshall, Wayne

Rodgers, Cerald Spence, Roy Adams, Richard Gaddy, Wright Bagby, Eddie Chambers, Bob Hill, David Swift, Dale Townsend, James Carroll, Ralph Stephens, Jr., Glen Jenkins, Matt Klem and Jim Smith.

Our summer management conference will be June 2-5 in Savannah. Ga.

Building Supply, Sandston, treasurer; Ashby Downer, Luray Builders Supplies, director, and Mike Harmon, MW Manufacturers, associate director.

The full list of officers and board members: Ray Horn, pres.; R.B. Taylor, lst v.p.; R. Burke Johnson, Randolph Hodges, v.p.s; James S. White, immediate past pres.; Richard Ferguson, treas.; William P. Ames, Jr., national director; Leonard Clay, Glenn W. Dixon, H.R. Diz, Ashby R. Downer, Robert E. Holsinger, Kenneth Lyerly, Sterling Montgomery, Ronald P. Rinaldi, S.M. Rosenberger, E. Douglas Spencer, Freeman Spencer, Jr. and K.L. White, directors; Michael Harmon, Daniel Stark, associate directors.

A "Whole New Ballgame" turned out to be a mo$ appropriate theme for the annual convention at The Homestead. The moderate crowd, up a few from last year, didn't set any numerical records but probably shattered all previous marks for optimism. Missing were the long faces of the past two or three years, replaced by smiles and stories of the unexpected level of winter building activily in mos parts of the state.

But there wzs also a general feeling of caution-don't do anything silly until we're sure this is for real. Overall, it was a truly successful convention with an excellent program of business, ladies' activities and socials aIl contributing.

Of course, it's the participants who make a meeting, so thanks to all of you who came up to The Homestead; to those who couldn't make it, you missed a goodun', but we'll see you all at the beach in August.

Loulslana Bulldtng Materlal Dealer Accocladon

P-O. 8or 155a7, E ro nqr, b. ?Cll (5Oa) 92?4317

LOUISIANA OUTLOOK

JAMES L. DUKE

erecuflve

vlce precldent

T'S TIME again for our fun-filled, exciting and eventful Summer Conference. This year it will be held July 7-10, at the Royal d'Iberville Hotel in Biloxi. Ms.

friends and meet new ones. make dinner plans and enjoy some free time.

Classified Rates

.60C per word

Minimum 25 words

$4 for blind box

Rate card upon request

We've put in our order for beautiful weather, so practice your swings and get your fishing gear ready.

On Thursday afternoon, there will be a business session with a top-notch speaker and general discussion. That evening we will have a brief reception to enjoy old

Friday morning, all committees will meet and be expected to give repons at the Board meeting that afternoon. There will be a ladies'luncheon on Friday also. That evening, after cocktails and a buffet dinner, you will enjoy dancing to a Western band.

Saturday will be a competitive day with fishing, golf and tennis tournaments. Trophies and awards will be presented ar the banquet that night.

A fun program has been planned for the children on Friday and Saturday.

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NAWLA Wood Market Seminar

The North American Wholesale Lumber Association Wood Marketing Seminar will be held June 12-17 at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Or.

Included are classroom instruction, class participation, problem solving and two field trips. Instruction is by OSU professors and active NAWLA wholesalers.

Freight Changes in Future

Jon Sig Gudmundsson, Northland Corp., LaGrange, Ky., was reelected president of the Southern Hardwood Traffic Association at its 62nd annual meeting in Memphis, Tn.

Others elected were Gerald Slavney, Thompson-Katz Lumber Co., Memphis, lst v.p.; Thomas J. Welsh, Welsh Forest Products Co., Memphis, treas.; Walter M. Fields, Jr., Walter M. Fields Lumber Co., Memphis, v.p., Memphis district; S.L. Ingram, Robbins, Inc., Cincinnati, Oh., v.p., Louisville district; Larry L. Brown, The Brown Co., Natchez, Ms., v.p., New Orleans district. Paul McQuiston was reappointed executive v.p.

R.P. "Rick" Phillips, manager corporate transportation, Coastal

Lumber Co., Weldon, N.C., moderated a meet-the-press type panel on "Freight Transportation's Future in the Changing Environment of the '80s." A.E. "Fon" Koot, Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co., City of Industry, Ca.; John A. Grygiel, Santa Fe Railway, Chicago, Il., and Bob Pitts, Tennessee Motor Transport Association, Nashville, Tn., were panelists.

Luncheon speaker for the meeting which drew nearly 200 members and guests was William J. Taylor, president and chief executive officer, Illinois Central Gulf Railroad.

New Louisiana Districts

Formation of two new districts, Central Louisiana and Bayou, was approved by the board of directors of the Louisiana Building Material Dealers Association at the January convention in New Orleans.

Trey LeBlanc, Baton Rouge Supply, Baton Rouge, was elected to head the executive committee as president with Ed Breedlove, B&F Lumber, Natchitoches, lst v.p.; Gary Lusby, Steele Lumber, West Monroe, 2nd v.p.; Bob Morrow, Morrow Lumber, New Orleans, treas.; Huburt Walker, A.B. Clark Lumber, New Orleans, national director.

Dennis Stine, Stine Lumber, Sulphur, is past pres.; Frank Burnside, Jr., Newellton Elevator, Newellton, pres. appointee, and Jim Duke, Baton Rouge, executive v.p. Ralph Norman, Slagel Johnson Lumber, Monroe, was the recipient of the Ned BallAward. Trey LeBlanc received the President's Award. Grand prize for the convention, air fare for two to Washington, D.C. and return, was won by St. Clair Bienvenu.

Coming dates for the association include the summer conference in Biloxi, July 7-10, and the February l-4, 1984, convention at the Royal Sonesta, New Orleans. The 1985 meeting is scheduled for Lafayette.

Carolina Dealers' Election

Carolina Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association, Inc., will be under the leadership of Ralph S. Hendricks. Hendricks Builders Center, Inc., Simpsonville, S.C., for the coming year.

Elected with him at the February convention and housing and building products show in Charlotte, N.C., were AI E. Witten, Witten Supply Co., Gastonia, N.C., lst v.p.; James Enter, Seacoast Building Centers, Conway, S.C., 2nd v.p.; Joe H. Hollinshed, Cape Fear Supply, Fayetteville, N.C., 3rd v.p., and C.E. "Pete" Hulsey, Matthews Building Supply, Matthews, N.C.

Directors from North Carolina are Hayes Armstrong, Mickey Boles, Charles Killebrew, Gordon Sanders, Harris D. Blake, F.A. "Andy" Sherrill, Hugh Thomas, Larry Dudley, and J.B. Surles.

South Carolina will be represented by Wilson Jenkins, John Miller, Carl Tucker, IIl, J.D. Genoble, Roy Barnette and Robert Swinnie. Sr. as directors.

NEWLY installed oresident of the Carolina Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association, Inc., Ralph Hendricks (left)with Diane Hill, Miss South Carolina lor 1983; Eddie Knox, mayor of Charlotte, N.C., and Hunter Dalton, CLBMDA's outgoing pres., at the Charlotte convention. (Below) Mr. and Mrs. Stanley King, winners 0f the 'Truckload Giveaway" of building malerials, received prize from Hendricks (right) at the Housing and Building Products Show held in conjunction with the convention.

Buying Show Breaks Record

A record breaking crowd of 2,5fi) dealers from 1,300 locations coastto-coast purchased a record $45 million in building materials and forest products from 155 suppliers at the Builder Marts of America annual Independent's Days Exposition in Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 22-24.

"A sense of optimism and excitement pervaded the show," according to C.C. Snyder, BMA's director of merchandising. "Inventory restocking was on everyone's mind with all totals rising above pre-recession levels, "

BMA dealer div. pres. Richard Ingram, saidthat "buyers, not lookers, were on the sales floor." Counseled by BMA sales personnel before the show "dealers knew what to expect and came to Atlanta with many orders already written. "

Special events included talks by Frank Borman, Eastern Air Lines chairman, and Ed Foreman, former U.S. Representative; insurance management and computer present ations; personal appearances by Frank Gifford and Fuzzy Zoeller, sports celebrities.

DECLARIiIG an end lo the recession and belief in economic recovery, BMA dealers purchased a record $45 million in building materials and forest products at the annual Independent's Days Show in Atlanta, Ga.

Florida Top Business State

Florida repeated its ranking as the state with the best overall manufacturing business climate among the 48 contiguous states in 1982 and helped establish the Southeast region as the best region in the United States for manufacturing.

After Florida, Texas was second, North Carolina, third, and South Carolina, fifth, in the top five. North Carolina and South Carolina replace

Colorado and Kansas while Florida and Texas were repeaters from the l98l rankings.

The Southeast region consists of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. South Central region including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana ranked No. 2.

The study was conducted by the Conference of State Manufacturers' Associations.

FLORIDA

(Continued from page 2-?)

to recommend that the limits be changed, and will present their recommendation to the Board of Governors of the Florida Bar. If approved, it must then be adopted by the Supreme Court of Florida.

All members of FLBMDA have been asked to contact the Board of Governors of the Florida Bar urging their support of the change in the Summary Procedure Rules Committee. If we are successful, and if the changes are adopted by the Florida Supreme Court, disputes in the Small Claims/County Courts will be handled much more expeditiously, and at lower costs.

Covers the market. Gets Results.

Building Products Digest takes your advertising message to retailers and wholesalers in the l3 Southernstates: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Ceorgia,Virginia, South Carolina. North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee.

PERS NALS

Frank Parrott is covering Ok. and Tx. rnarkets for Eastex Forest Products.

Ron Carlsson is now a v.p. at Craig Lumber Corp., Collierville, Tn.

Manco Snapp is the new gen. mgr. of International Paper's treated wood products div., Dallas, Tx.

Doug E. Kohlmeier has been named sales engineer at Willamette Industries medium density fiberboard plant in Malvern, Ar.

Charles F. "Rip" Rodgers is the new pres. of Barns Lumber & Manufacturing Co., Inc., Dallas, Tx.

George Banett, Coastal Lumber Co., Weldon, N.C., vacationed with his family on Barbados.

Ed Phillips has been appointed corporate controller for the Buford White Lumber Co., Inc., Shawnee, Ok.

Gene Whiddon, pres. Causeway Lumber Co., Fort Lauderdale, Fl., is active in a program to build a $33 million cultural center in that city.

Edward Stein has been appointed gen. mgr. of the wholesale distribution center div. of Edward Hines Lumber.

Michael A. Vidan has been appointed gen. mgr. of the Georgia-Pacific Corp. International Div., according to Harold L. Airington, v.p., wood products sales.

John B. Fery, Boise Cascade Corp., has been elected chairman of the American Forest Institute: Brenton S. Halsey, James River Corp. of Va., vice chairman, and Gilbert L. Oswald, Simpson Timber Co., sec.-treas. Charles E. Anderson, ITT Corp.; Alfred A. Baxter, J.H. Baxter & Co.; Albert F. Duval, Hammermill Paper Co.; James F. Kress, Green Bay Packaging Corp.; John A. Luke, Westvaco Corp.; Harry A. Merlo, Louisiana-Pacihc Corp.; Thomas C. Norris, P.H. Glatfelter Co. ; James M. Piette, Union Camp Corp.; Burnell R. Roberts, The Mead Corp.; Andrew C. Sigler, Champion International Corp.; and Bradford S. Wellman, Pingree Assoc., Inc., were elected to the board.

Ronnie Humphrey has been promoted to mgr. of Cassity Jones Lumber and Hardware in Tyler, Tx.; Jerry Jones has been named assistant mgr., inside contractor sales; Mike Campbell, outside contractor salesman:Bob Strandberg, retail sales mgr., and John Cabrera, decorating dept. mgr.

Elvin Mayes, store mgr., Doug Robertson and Tim Carpenter, mgr. trainees, at 84 Lumber Co., Palm Bay, Fl., received top honors in a recent company competition nationally.

Robert G. Byrd, credit mgr. at Highland Lumber Co., Fayetteville, N.C., has been elected to the board of directors; Rip Wilson has been elected v.p. Elam E. Henderson, assistant mgr. of the Huttig Sash & Door Co., operation in Orlando, Fl., has retired after 46 years in the lumber and building material industry.

Joseph "Joe" Hymerling, branch mgr. at Nicholson Supply, Ft. Meade, Fl., has been elected pres. of the local Chamber of Commerce.

Kenneth L. Shiller has been named executive v.p. of General Aluminum Corp., Dallas, Tx., according to Charles S. McEvoy, v.p. of its parent co., Overhead Door Corp.

Charles White, Crescent Lumber Co., Crescent, Ok., has been elected a director of the Bank of Crescent.

J. Kermit Birchfield Jr. has been elected senior v.p. of legal and government affairs at Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga. Diane Durgin is succeeding Mary A. McCravey as v.p. and sec. McCravey who is retiring after 35 years with the company will continue in a consulting capacity, according to T. Marshall Hahn Jr., pres. and c.o.o.

Wilbur Green, v.p. of Caton Lumber Co., Enid, Ok., has retired after 44 years in the industry.

Dan Maffett, 17 year employee at Scotty's, Winter Haven, Fl., has been promoted to v.p. and general sales mgr.

Wayne Stringer has been promoted to plant superintendent at CeorgiaPacific's plywood plant, Taylorsville, Ms.

Bill Knight and Kerry Baker of E.C. Barton & Co., and Terry Anderson and Kenny Holder, Builders Material Co., have completed a basic estimating and salesmanship school at E.C, Barton & Co., Jonesboro, Ar.

Frances McMichael has joined the advertising,/public relations dept. at Scotty's, Winter Haven, Fl.

Jim Allen is now industrial sales mgr. for plywood at Union Camp Corp., based in Chapman, Al.

Richard W. Lowry is the new exec. v.p. and head of building products at Champion International Corp.

Bob Cantarella is now a truss technical rep. at Scotty's trus plant in Clearwater, Fl., with Jim Davis replacing him as mgr. Bob Gasperson has been named truss operation mgr. for the plants in Winter Haven, Clearwater and Sanford, with Monie Green promoted to facilities mgr. Vickie Mitchell, is now assistant mgr. for truss operation at Clearwater; David Sumner, millwork operations mgr., Lany Waits, millwork marketing mgr.

William P. Wallace, new national sales mgr., residential products div., Wasco Products, Inc., is now in charge of the Ennis, Tx., sales office, according to Robert C. Roeger, gen. sales mgr.

Albert P. Whitson. Whitson Lumber Co., Nashville, Tn., isthe newpres. of the Southern Hardwood Lumber Manufacturers Association; Robert L. Moore, Hammermill Hardwoods, Augusta, Ga., lst v.p.; Fred Netterville, Fred Netterville Lumber Co., Woodville, Ms., 2nd v.p. New directors are Lynn Lamb, C & S Lumber Co., Carthage, Ar.; Tom R. Curtner, Curtner Lumber Co., Newport, Ar.; Guy W. Daniels, Georgia-Pacific Corp., Atlanta, Ga.; James D. Harrison, Harrison Hardwood Manufacturing Co., Inc., Feniday, La.; M.D. Xitchens. Kitchens Brothers Manufacturing Co., Utica, Ms.; Don Overmyer, Jr., Linden Lumber Co., Linden Al.; Nat E. Smith, Palmetto Hardwood Corp., Pamplico, S.C.; John P. Price, J.P. Price LumberCo., Monticello, Ar.; Jerry Ostadal, E. Sondheimer Co., Sondheimer, La., and E.J. Spratlin, T & S Sawmill, Clarendon, Ar. R.W. Buchanan, Buchanan Hardwoods, Inc., Selma, Al., was elected an honorary director.

Robert Litchfield is the new pres. and gen. mgr. of Armstrong Lumber Co., Corpus Christi, Tx., succeeding Mac Armstrong.

David E. Hassle has been named mgr. of the House Works store in Harvey, La., with Gene Dreaux, Michael L. Faulk and Richard W. Frondorf, assistant mgrs.

Irvin Clack is now in sales at Mason's Plywood, Paneling & Lumber Co., Hattiesburg, Ms.

Chris Bonner is a new trader at Stringfellow Lumber Co., Birmingham, Al.

Jason Blann of Barton's, Stuttgart, Ar., recently completed the basic estimating and salesmanship school at E.C. Barton & Co., Jonesboro, Ar.

Mark Balkcom is now regional sales mgr. for Genuine Hardware, Jacksonville, Fl., in So. Fl. Don Miller is repping So. Central Fl.

H.M. VanDevender and Jack Brafford are new senior merchandise mgrs. at Belknap Inc., Louisville, Ky.

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NEW PR DUCTS

and selected soles oids

It's in the Drawer

Bedrawers, a new concept in space-saving under bed storage, consists of two spacious wood drawers supported by adjustable steel rails that attach to conventional angleiron bedframes or bunk bed siderails.

Marketed by Bedrawers, Inc., they are designed for storing shoes, blankets, toys, reading material and other personal items, affording a way to use wasted space in every home. They are available for every bed size, hold up to 25 lbs., and are recessed 3" behind the bedframe siderail to avoid toe-stubbing.

Two drawers and the hardware are nested in a carton for a compact "cash and carry" item, priced to encourage impulse sales.

Glass Storage Tricks

The Glass Trax by Glass Trax, Inc., provides undershelf and sidewall storage space for stemmed glassware and platformed cups.

Moulded of high impact plastic in brown, the device has five sets of

box, a tool for taping wall board joints, ceilings and corners.

Designed as an alternative to hand taping, the tool is constructed of stainless steel and Tufak, a nonbreakable and transparent material. A see through reservoir keeps the cement level visible.

After the tape is installed on a spindle, it is automatically fed through the tool and coated with cement. A blade spreads the cement and cuts the tape at the end of the seam.

FREE READER SERVICE

For more information on New Products write Euilding Products Drgest. 4500 Campus Dr.. Suite 480. Newport Beach. Ca.92660. Please mention issue date and page number so we can process your request fasterl Many thanks!

tracks to provide storage for l5 to 20 pieces, depending upon their size.

Two-sided adhesive foam tabs hold the storage unit to the mounting surface. Glass Trax will retail for under $4.

Mudder's Helper

A-l Drywall Tool & Equipment, Inc.. has introduced the LB 100 Mud-

Cold Defying Seal

Doorseal by Sealmaster works on the same principle as a refrigerator door to seal out the cold on warped drafty doors.

Installed with basic household tools, it reportedly qualifies for a l59o tax credit. The standard kit fits most doors with the material staying supple up to 30o below zero.

Have a Blast

United States Stove Co. has announced production plans for three warm air furnaces which can be used either with an existing central heating system or as an independent central heating furnace.

Marketed under the Hot Blast name, each unit will burn either wood or coal and will include blowers.

Animals in

the

Dark GTE is adding l5 colorfuldesigns to its line of Sylvania night lights.

Five of the new lights have Stewart Moskowitz characters. The remaining l0 include animal figures.

Each light is rated on % watt and has an average life of 25,(n0 hours, the equivalent ofnearly three years of round-the-clock service. Energy consumption has been figured at l5c per year.

WindowOptions

Velux wood roof windows are designed for use in new homes or remodeling to add extra ventilation and light in an overhead application.

A center hung unit opening at the top with a fingertip control bar has the accessory options of awnings, including a semitransparent model, roller blinds in a selection of colors, venetian blinds and insect screens. Available in 9 sizes, this model can be used in attic conversions or overhead applications.

A top hung window with rigid integrated screen and a fixed skylight also are available.

Remote controls for out of reach applications and blinds for light control are available. Sashes rotate l80o for cleaning within the room. Flashing provided by the manufacturer is said to make installation of all units easier.

Under Counter Stash

Acme National Sales is introducing a 24" undercounter refrigerator, the Refrigerunder.

The 6 cu. ft. unit has automatic reset defrost, reversible door swing, a full width across the top freezer and crispers. A static condenser with built-in ventilation is said to make it virtually maintenance-free.

In white only, it will accommodate interchangeable front panel inserts of almond, walnut and gold.

in 30 minutes, producing a water and alcohol resistant bar-top coating after three applications.

The product is available in half pint, pint, quart and gallon cans as well as aerosol containers.

Weight a Minute

A new electronically controlled, digital readout bathroom scale that reportedly provides 10090 repeatability will be available to consumers in June from Counselor Co.

WA single-piece, cast-aluminurn base provides accuracy even when placed on carpeted surfaces and is large enough to accommodate a size 14 shoe. The unit is scheduled to be priced under $70.

The Victorian Edge

Nose for Tight Spots

Parker Manufacturing has introduced a nickle-plated long nose locking plier with adjustable clamping pressure to allow maximum contact on square, hexagonal and round objects.

The 6Vz" pliers are designed to get into tight work spaces and hold small work on the non-slip grip tip. They are recommended for use as soldering clamps and wire shapers in tight spaces.

Amateur Class Finish

AroTron Clear Wood Finish from Creative Industries is recommended for amateur wood refinishers to use on a variety of interior wood surfaces including unfinished wood paneling, shutters, furniture, cabinets, doors and decorative items.

A clear lacquer type finish, it dries

Gossen has introduced Heritage Victorian to its line of Colonial and Ranch cellular vinyl mouldings. Designed to add English warmth and detail to contemporary interior decors, it can be used for wainscotting, shelf edging and window and door trimming by the do-it-Yourselfer. The simulated wood grain moulding requires no stain, paint or varnish and can be sawed, mitered, coped and nailed.

It comes in batten, stop, shoe, cap, crown, chair rail, casing, base, inside and outside corner profiles. "Imagine it Victorian',' a pamphlet suggesting uses of the moulding and an installation brochure are available for consumers.

Splitting Hairs

Two new folding knives have been added to the line of Fulcraft knives by Arthur Fulmer, Inc. These are the Frontier, the first multi-blade model in the Fulcraft collection, and the silver Sport, a pocket knife with a single locking drop-point blade. Both are handcrafted of 440 stainless steel. measure 56-57 on the Rockwell scale and are backed with a full lifetime warranty.

Nails Down Sales

Pre-packaging 36 individual boxes of aluminum nails for the do-ityourself market, a new countertop display from Phifer Wire Products, lnc., reportedly eliminates wasle, saves time and increases sales.

The red, white and blue display contains six boxes each of the six most popular types and sizes of aluminum nails and suggests uses for them. Handi-Pac boxes may be removed from the display box for display on shelves or counters.

Fire Guzzler

The new Rustic Alco-Heat fireplace, which uses an alcohol fuel that reportedly burns clean and requires no venting, is available in styles that can be placed against a wall, a corner or left free standing.

No major installation procedures are required for the fireplaces which reportedly just slide into place. They are constructed from Ponderosa pine with a fire box of l8-gauge steel. Suggested retail price ranges from $399 to $649.

Instant Magnetism

Graber Industries. Inc. has developed CraberSeal, a magnetic tape which seals window shades edges to save energy, stop drafts and reduce light gap.

The product which comes in kit form can be applied to all window shades including customized installations. It reportedly can reduce heat loss on new or existing shades by 5890.

An adhesive backed magnetic strip applied to the window frame seals with an adhesive backed metal tape applied to the shade. The seal provides an air and light edge. Kits are available for both inside and outside the frame mounting.

Thrilling Drilling

A hammer drive tool from Bostitch drives .300" head diameter fasteners from %" to 3" long into concrete, block and mild steel.

Drive pins and threaded studs are especially hardened for positive penetration. A flat surface on one side of the tool body allows positioning of fasteners close to walls and other obstructions.

Super DuperSquare

Super Square from Orem Research is a complete redesign of the traditional carpenter's framing and layout square.

A pivot point at the I ft. mark on the tongue provides for layout work for angles while a slot in the body serves as a protractor to calculate degrees and provide an instant inarking line for plumb cuts.

The square is made of noncorrosive, high tensile strength aluminum alloy with a non-glare surface lacquered to resist scratches.

Metal Fences

Deniston Co.now offers DuraCade prefabricated metal fences. Formed, I 8-gauge galvanized steel, they are available unpainted or with a white baked enamel finish. After the posts are planted, the rails snap in place with no welding or screws required.

Snappy Dressing

Split ceiling medallions for light fixtures and fans by Decorative Designs, Inc., enable the do-ityourselfer to snap together a decorative medallion without having to remove a fixture.

The medallions are said to be ready-made problem solvers for older fixture installations. They cover ceiling holes and gaps or paint rings resulting from old electrical canopies, and they hide holes from recessed light fixtures. The l6' ' rounds are paintable or stainable and available in styles to complement every decor.

The product is shrink-wrapped with a four-color label promoting typical applications.

On the Ropes

King Cotton is offering a free display rack with every order of eight specialty spools of manila, poly or nylon twisted rope. The free racks, offered during the spring selling season (while supply lasts), hold eight 10" spools.

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Please mention issue date and page number so we can process your reouest faster! Manv thanks!

Gourmet Blend

Westmont, the latest addition to the Excel Limited Edition series of kitchens, blends European and American design.

Cabinet frames are concealed behind fully flush doors with a traditional rectangular raised panel design. Fully finished interiors and a drawer suspension system are standard with a choice of desiener hard-

ware and the Insiders storage system available as add-ons.

Excel Wood Products, Inc.. offers the cabinets in a choice of light provincial oak or dark Cordoba oak.

An overview of African hardwoods

ItAHOGANY is the most widely lUlrecosnized hardwood from Africa, but "many imported forest products suppliers include other African hardwoods on their species lists. Obeche, afrormosia, iroko, mansonia are frequently used as teak and walnut substitutes.

African mahogany, Khaya spp., is produced by five species found throughout the continent. but commercial timber is mainly K.ivoren' sis and K.anthotheca shipped from West Africa. Related to Sx'ietenia botanically, the African wood was fint used at the end of the last ccntury to supplement the limited supplies of true mahogany from Mexico. Central, South Africa and southem Florida in the United States. Today it is almost universally accepted as mahogany.

Pale-pink to red-brown in color with a medium texture and interlocked grain with a stripe figure the wood is considered light in weight.

Rated as easy to dry and stable in use, African mahogany is recognized for good working and finishing properties. On the negative side. some timber from the center of large logs may be brittle and care is needed with quartercut surfaces. It is considered moderately resistant to fungi.

Although the demand for mahogany furniture has declined. the wood is still used in antique reproductions and office furniture. The veneer is very decorative. Other uses include drawer sides, and in joinery for doors and commercial interiors. Light and moderately durable, it also is a popular choice for boat building. An additional use is for general-purpose plywood.

One of Africa's leading export timbers, obeche, Triplochiton scleroxylon, is commonly found in the Ivorv Coast. Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon areas. The trEe grows very large with a long straight trunk.

Comparatively, it is one of the lightest hardwoods in use, generally weighing about the same as the lishtest softwoods, or twice the wEigtrt of balsa. It is considered very attractive with a pale straw-yellow color that has a silky sheen as a result of natural high luster. Decorativeness is enhanced by a pronounced stripe in the quafier6d settions from

the combination of medium texture and interlocked grain.

The wood can be dried rapidly with very little degradation. It is very stable in use although not strong because of the light weight. Its workability rates well although care must be taken in cutting end grain surfaces as they tend to crumble. Cutters must be kept sharp to produce a sood finish. The veneer is considered 6xcellent.

Sfory at a Glance

African hardwoods... good workabality. decorative figures... used in f urniture, Yeneer, boat building... lookalikes for mahogany, teak, walnut.

The wood is perishable and rapidly attacked by fungi in conditions favoring decay.

Because it is attractive and easy to work. obeche is desirable for uses where mechanical strength is not important. Cabinetwork framing. drawer sides. mouldings. interior joinery. and plywood are common uses.

Afrormosia. Pericopsis elata, is also known as kokrodua. It is native to the Ivory Coast. Ghana, Cameroon, the Congo and Zaire, with the principal logging done in the lvory Coast and Ghana areas. The tree is tall with a lons and often irreeular trunk.

It is a substitute Ior teak although it does not have the leathery smell and greasiness to touch. Like teak, it is yellow-brown to brown in about the same weight with a finer texture. The interlocked grain produces a striped figure. In moist conditions it is known to react with iron fixings and blacken in color.

It dries slowly with little degradation and is very stable when dried. A strong wood, it is rated better than teak in most strength properties. Durable and resistant to both funei and termites. it saws and works *e'il tak-

ing a fine finish. Quarter-sawn surfaces require careful handling because of the interlocked grain.

"Gening hard to get hold of," according to an industry executive. afrormosia has been marketed onlv since World War II. First used as i teak substitute. it is now accepted on its own merit for furnirure both in the solid and veneer. Its most important use in the United States is in the boat building industry.

Another teak substitute. iroko. Chlorophora Excelsa and Regia, is known as kambala when it comes from the Congo. Coarser textured, a little lighter in weight and less strong than teak. it also lacks the distinct odor and feel.

Yellow-brown to deep brown in color. it has light markings caused by the vessels. The texture is coarse and uniform with an interlocked grain. Weight is about 40 lbs. per cubic foot.

The wood saws and machines well. However, stony deposits of calcium carbonate can damage saw teeth and cuners.

Although iroko is not as enduring as teak. it is cheaper, according to an industry spokesman, which makes it suitable for many purposes even if it is not particularly decorative. Not utilized to any great extent in this country. it is suitable for boat building. joinery. counter and bench tops, and parquet flooring.

Mansonia. Mansonia altissima, is not readily available here. Produced in West Africa from a tree of modest size. it is a good walnut substitute.

Medium brown to dark brown. the wood often has a grey or purple tint and is sometimes faintly striped. With exposure it can lose ihe dirk color and eventually fade to a pale yellowish brown. Fine textured with a straight or interlocked grain, it falls between mahogany and walnut in weight.

The wood dries quickly with little degradation although it has a tendency to split. After drying it is moderately stable. It is a strong wood comparable to beech except for stiffness. Durable, it is resistant to fungi and termites.

Although it saws well and machines to a good finish, the wood dust irritates the skin, eyes. nose and throat. Because of this, it is not in wide commercial use.

NEWLITERATURE

Leaded Stained Glass

Hand-crafted stained glass with handcut or sand-etched center designs and frosted monograms is explained in a free brochure from Something Special, 1633 Yarnall Rd., Pottstown, Pa. 19464.

Aluminum on the Side

A new full color catalog on'aluminum siding is available free from Noranda Building Products Co.,1120 Krick Rd., Cleveland, Oh.44146.

Top of the House

Fiber glass roofing is described in a color brochure #RF-279 available free from Johns-Manville Service Center, l60l 23rd St., Denver, Co.80216.

Dollar Signs

The second audio-visual cartridge in the Personal Communication series, "The Dollar Power of Body Language," is $47 from National Building Material Distributors Assn., l70l Lake Ave., Suite 170. Glenview. ll. 60025.

Well Organized

Storage products and closet layouts are included in a free catalog available from Clairson International. 720 S.W. lTth St., Ocala, F1.32674.

Keep Your Cool

A new l2-p. catalog in full-color describing their complete line of ceiling fans is free from American Pride Ceiling Fans, Nichols-Kusan, P.O. ll9l, Jacksonville, Tx.75766.

Literature from A to Z

Miniature dollhouse planbooks, home planbooks, d-i-y books, calendars, blueprints and display catalogs are free from National Plan Service, Inc.,435 W. Fullerton Ave., Elmhurst, Il. 60126.

Roof Insulations

For a free copy of "Recommendations Regarding Use of Roof Insulations as a Substrate for Built-Up Roofing," write

the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association, 1800 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Suite 702, Washington, D.C., 2m36.

Feature Fireplaces

A 4-color catalog sheet on fireplaces is free from Readybuilt Products Co., P.O. Box ,1425, Baltimore, Md.21223.

Film Preview

A fact sheet on Impact 2000 prefinished vinyl film interior wood door jambs and mouldings is free from Contact Lumber Co., 275 Dunir,r'ay Ctr., 2525 S.W. First Ave., Portland, Or.97201 or by calling (800) 547-1038.

Maintenance Catalog

A free 32-p. catalog of more than 50 d-i-y roofing, flooring and general maintenance products is from Randustrial Corp., l33ll-NR Union Ave., Cleveland. Oh.,14120.

FOR PROMPT SERVICE

on all New Literature stori€s write directly to the name and address shown in each item. Please mention that you saw it in Building Producb Drgest. Many thanks!

Wood You Like to Know

For information on "How-To With Wood," a 260-p. working manual published by Reston Publishing Co., Inc., call Louisiana-Pacific Corp. at (503) 221-0800 or write 1300 S.W. 5th. Portland, Or.,97201.

Solar Use in Homes

A new book explaining passive solar use in multi-family design and construction is $15 from the Passive Solar Industries Council, 125 S. Royal St., Alexandria. Ya.22314.

Tired of Lilting?

Free specification sheets on AllisChalmers Corp. Q-series pneumatic tire lift trucks are available from the lndustrial Truck Division, 21800 S. Cicero Ave., Matteson, Il. 6O433.

You're Finished

A 32-p. booklet, "For a Better Finish," including tips on removing old paint from wood, brick and masonry surfaces and refinishing old furniture is 250 from The Savogran Co., P.O. Box 130, Norwood. Ma.02062.

Summer Sales

A free copy of "1983 Sales Aids for Successful Selling: Summer Edition" is available by calling Dismar Corp., Pennsauken, N.J., at toll free (8m) 257-7761.

Basic Selling Skills

"Helpful Hints for Salespeople" is free from DG Shelter Products, Moulding and Millwork Div., Marketing Scrvices, P.O. Box 160, Marion, Ya.Z.354.

Glass Roofs

A 4-p. technical bulletin (n28fi3) on inorganic glass-based roofing products is free from GAF Corp., Building Materials. 140 W. 5l St., New York, N.Y. 10020.

Pac-Man Lighls the Way

A 2-p., full-color Pac-Man night light features sheer is free from the Wiring Device Dept., General Electric Co.,225 Service Ave., Warwick, R.l. 02886.

Stops Speeding Bullets

A free-6-p. brochure describing a bullet-resisting security laminate is from Tony Dimascio, Commercial Plastics & Supply Corp., 1620 Woodhaven Dr., Cornwells Heights, Pa. 19020

Shed Some Light

A free brochure describing home security uses and the elctronic features of programmable light switches is from General Electric Co.,225 Service Ave., Warwick, R.I.02886.

Advertising

Large well-established home center in Virginia offers unique opportunity to highly qualified, motivated manager. Excellent benefits, salary and the opportunity to work with a progressive family-owned firm. Quality living area provides great atmosphere for raising family. An unequaled opportunity for a qualified individual. All inquiries confidential. Send resume and salary requirements to Box l8 c/o Building Products Digest.

600 a word, min. 25 words (25 words = $15). Phone number counts as one word. Address counts as six words. Headlines and centered copy ea. line: $4. Box numbers and special borders: $4 ea. Col. inch rate: $40. Names of advertisers using a box number cannot be released. Address all replies to box number shown in ad in care of Building Products Digest,451X) Campus Dr., Suite 4t0, Newport Bcach, Cr.9266t0. Make checks payable to Cutler Publishing, Inc, Mail copy to above address or call (714) 549-8393. Deadline for copyis the l5th of the month. PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY COPY.

WE DON'T pay much, but we'll pay cash for closeouts, odd lots, seconds, etc., of any kind of building materials, Call The Friendly Junkman in Jacksonville, Fl. (904) 384-9986.

Classified Rates .60C per

word

CTASSIFIED ADVERTISING Order Blank

Minimum 25 words $4 for blind box Rate card upon request. PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY COPY.

f) Asign a bor numbcr and mailmy rcplics deily.

TO RUN: -TIMES

MARION PRESSURE TREATING CO.

Creosoted fence posts, timbers, barn poles and piling. Truckloads only. Marion Pressure Treating Plant, P.O. Box 217, Marion, La. 71260. (3 l8) 292-45 II

FCDR SALE

A creosote pressure treating plant in Prentiss, South Central Mississippi ideally situated for delivery to all Gulf ports & domestic transport localed on a

2O acre site with:

a sawmill

o double end trimming/boring machine

o 1 Morbark post peeler

o 1 Morbark post/pole peeler

o 'l Nelson pole peeler, capable of peeling poles & piling up to 75' in length.

o 2 treating cylinders: 101'long, 5' in diameter, & 73' long, 7' in diameter, both fully equipped with all oressure & vacuum vessels.

o 1 Cleaver Brooks boiler

Domestic market for posls, poles, lumber, piling, and crossties. A rapidly expanding export market f or poles, lumber, and crossties. Sales in excess of one million dollars last year and currently showing encouragin g upward trend. On-site management conversant with operations, export market, and finance.

PLEASE SEND WRITTEN REPLIES TO: 1331 THIRD

When you want to say "welcofi're" with s$e, specify beauty to the last detail. Si mpson Intemational Doors offers many unique touches like the exquisite hand-carved scroll detailing of our Stratford Abbey design. For more details, write Simpson Timber Cornpany, 900 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, wA 98164.

International Doors

ARKANSAS legislalive recepli0n was atlended by (top pholo, left to right) Jrm Hayes, Bonsleel Lumber Co., Harris0n. Rep David N4atthews. Lowell, Carole Haves. Reo Graoy Arrington. Ste0hens {center) Al e^ Nixon, E C Barton & Co.. Jonesboro Reo Kel ey Webb Trumann Eo Wiseman E C Barton & Co M rs Kel eV Weoo Dov,e Qoac r Bu, ce's Vate'ra Co ,onesoor(

Arkansas Dealers & Solons

Grassroots, U.S.A. \\'as ne\er more in el'idence than as Arkansas lumber dealers gathered in North Little Rock for a legislative reception sponsored b1' the \{id-America Lumbermens Association, according to Charles R. Goss, MLA regional manager.

Over 60 Arkansas legislators and almost an equal number of Arkansas retail lumber dealers met Nlarch 3 to discuss legislative matters as the 74th General Assembl-v dre* to a close.

Among the legislators attending the reception were Representatives Peggy Hartness and Bill Porter, both retail lumber dealers. Thel rr ere both active in planning and encouraging other legislators to attend.

" Having a reception for legislators is not uncommon. However, most all associations have a reception in the early part of a session," commented Everett Greer, chairman of the association's Arkansas state affairs com-

lOwer C a'r 'rCrr"a" 5 lC'aCC Lu"rOer Co E Do'aco Kac{ Cree' Ra cn Rrtcn e ; sc^e- L -e & Ce-nent Co \lorth L ttle Rocr t'la':ra i xscr. Fr xson Lumber Sa es. Prne B u" ieO B ?g.tg' Q72rt !arC\\'00C -.-ce'Cc C a'rs'.'r e E,'e'e:: G'ee' Suc€' o' Ir-rce' Cc ! -lc'ac: 3 \|al'e c Re. ^: cs B-, ce'= S-r: , S-a:,:.e'

mittee. "This lear the commitlee decided to hare their reception to*ard the end of the session to sa) 'Thank 1'ou'for their help."

BILLION $ MARKET

(,triiintt.J tn/nt l.J.?a 9,

place to ans\*'er questions and conduct informal training sessions. Both your staff and your customers *'ill learn from him.

Emphasize to )'our nerr people that helping the customer takes more than pointing him in the direcrion of the merchandise and taking his monel Advice, information, helpful instruction along uith parient courres) and concern can give a neophltc. or experienced d-i-yer confidence. Remember. a confident customer is a customer willing to spend mone)' because he knows his project will succeed.

PERSONALS (Cotttintted /rom page 2 7 )

Kenny Peak, Earley Hardware, Port Saint Joe, Fl., Phil Earley, store owner, and Mike Adams, Woodford Plywood, Albany, Ga., were winners of all-expense paid cruises presented by Onduline, U.S.A., Fredericksburg, Va., according to John Adair, pres.

Fred Costello is heading a new dept. for Southern pine and seasonal products for Furman Lumber, Inc. Boston, Ma.

D.S. Blanchard, Atlanta, Ga.; L.A.Daniels, Dallas, Tx.; G.F. Bond, Houston, Tx.; D.H. Glowen, Little Rock, Ar., are new regional sales mgrs. for the Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific Railroads.

John Ertz, director of mfg. for Applied Products will become operations mgr. for Rubbermaid's Con-Tact operation at its new Statesville. N.C. facilities; Edwin C. Donaldson, exec. v.p., Con-Tact, will relocate in N.C. to head up marketing and sales. Rod Berry, v.p. of sales for the Western U.S., is moving to Dallas, Tx.

Alan Gray has been named assistant market mgr. for Phifer's Wholesale,/ Hardware div., Tuscaloosa, Al.

Henry Isaacs has been named Employee of the Year at Belknap, Inc., Louisville, Ky.

Mark Balkcom has been named regional sales mgr. for So. Fl. by Genuine Hardware Co., Jacksonville, Fl. Ed Garza is the new program directoradvertising and promotional activities.

Don Underwood is now a senior v.p. at House-Hasson Hardware Co.. Knoxville. Tn. Call

manufaeturer specializing ln westem specialty softwoods

REDWOOD . WESTERN RED CEDAR . DOUGLAS FtR FtNtSH

FINISH PATTERNS SIDINGS BOARDS DIMENSION TIMBERS DECKING

FINGER JOINT CUTSTOCK SPECIAL MOULDINGS SPRUCE & PINE PATTERNS

Rail.truck.Export

Distributed thru wholesalers only

M. Calhoun Colvin. ownerof Holly Hill Forest Industries, Inc., Holly Hill, S.C., died in Charleston, S.C., on March 27 ,1983. He was 56.

A past president of the National Forest Products Association and the Southern Forest Products Association, he had served as president and chief executive officer of the Holly Hill Lumber Co. before starting his own firm.

Mr. Colvin is survived by his widow, Mildred and four children.

William Thomas Albrecht, vice president of the Southern Lumber and Millwork Corp., Charleston, S.C., died Feb. l7 inthatcity. Hewas 42.

Mr. Albrecht is survived by his widow, Helen, his parents, three sons, a daughter, two brothers and a sister.

Forrest A. Phillips, founder and president of Phillips Building Supply Co., Charlottesville, Va., died inthat city on Feb.24. He was 78.

Mr. Phillips is survived by his widow, Clara, a son, a brother, a sister and a granddaughter.

Jrmes Leonides Cemp, Jr., 87, former president and chairman of the board of Union Carnp Corp., died in Franklin, Va., on Feb. Tl He is survived by his widow, Alma, a son, a sister and two grandsons.

W. Royce Kimbrell Sr., owner and operator of Kimbrell-Ruf fer Lumber Co., died March 22 in Meridian, Ms. He is survived by his widow, Glynn, a son, three sisters, a brother and two grandchildren.

Lyon P. Wilbur, veteran hardwood lumberman, died at his home in Memphis, Tn., on Feb. 9. He was 86.

FOR GOOD MEASURE

It was somewhat of a surprise to read your editorial, "When it's metric time up north," in the March, 1983, edition of Bu ild in g Product s Digest.

In the mid 1970s the disciples of conversion to the metric system pushed long and hard to have the U.S. government bureaucrats and fellow travelers force the metric system down the throats of the American public. Thank goodness their efforts failed miserably.

During a two month visit to Australia in 1974 I observed first hand the traumatic and costly effects of that country of 13 million people, being forced by an act oftheir parliament to convert frcm the English to the metric system. The architects, designers, general contractors, builders, manufacturers and building material dealers and suppliers with whom I talked, wished they had never heard of metric. The confusion, frustration and increased costs of goods and services brought about by this conversion, contributed to the sharply increased rate of inflation in that country, and the devaluation of the Australian dollar in the world money market.

You appear to make a big point in your editorial that Canada supplies between one quarter and one third of the U.S.'s lumber requirements and this is one more continuing pressure on us to make the change to metric. l, for one, do not agree or subscribe to that line of reasoning. In a free market situation, the buyer is king, not the supplier. If Canada tries to force the American people and business commuitv to metric. this will have an adverse

effect on our trade relations and purchases from our good neighbor to the North.

Let me cite a recent example of this in the U.S. market. The Shell Oil Co. tried to price their gasoline at the pump by the liter instead of the gallon in order to lower the unit selling price. All Shell stations in the U.S.A. were directed by the Shell Oil Co., a division of Royal Dutch Shell, which operates in many countries under a cartel system, to price gasoline by the liter. In many areas of the U.S., consumers sharply reduced their purchases from Shell stations and it didn't take too long for Shell Oil to get the message and change back to selling gasoline by the gallon.

Fortunately for the U.S.A. our Congress didn't buy the metric conversion effort and pressure from well financed lobbyists. The Congress did establish a committee to study the matter and later made funds available for tests to be run in several areas of the U. S. One of these tests included a grant to spend millions of dollars to put up highway signs in several states giving distances in metric. The citizens of these states raised strong objections and the signs were promptly removed by the highway departments. After the committee made numerous reports and spent millions of dollars of federal funds, Congress abolished the committee and metric study.

It appears that a reasonable solution to the question of English or metric systems has been developed by manufacturers and/or suppliers who trade internationally and use both the English and metric designations in labeling their products in order to make it easy for the customer to understand and properly evaluate the weights and measures of what they are buying.

In the business for more than 50 years, he had been a partner in the Frank A. Conkling Co. and was a past president of the Lumbermen's Club of Memphis.

Mr. Wilbur is survived by his widow, Blanche, two daughters, two sons, a sister, a brother and five grandchildren.

Thomas T. Tidwell City Lumber Co. Knoxville. Tn.

BuildinqProducts

Auditing Your Advertising Gan Save You Lots 0f Bottom Line Dollars and Produce More Gustomets

If you're satisfied with the look, and the results of your advertising if you're satisfied with the amount of time and method in which you produce your advertising then don't bother to read any further. But, ifyour ads appear tired and your traffic count is down, and the guy that prepares the ad is constantly complaining he doesn't get the right information from the guy who buys the merchandise, and the newspaper is sll/ making errors, and you don't have the right product illustration when you need it, and you never seem to collect all the co-op dollars that you've accrued then read on!

I love retail advertising. I've been involved in it throughout my business life. My early training along Madison Avenue was servicing major retailers. I was also the advertising director of Masters, Inc., the first giant discount store. As Executive Vice President of Group Promotions, Incorporated, I worked with 32 different retail clients. For 13 years I was the Director of Sales Promotion for Forest City in Cleveland and since 1973 l've been helping large and small Home Centers revamp their advertising procedures. So, I bring a lot of Home Center merchandising and advertising know-how with me when I visit with you and review your advertising. Together, here's what we'll audit:

o The compatibility of your advertising "look" with your showroom ttlook."

o The role of the merchandiser (buyer) and advertising.

o Advertising function as it relates to your long range plans.

a Communication-letting everyone prepare for the advertising results-(The sign maker, the store manager, the department manager, receiving, the sales personnel).

o Measuring the results of your advertising.

o Allocating the proper merchandise mix in your ads.

o Appealing to the casual do-ityourselfer, the dedicated DIY'er and the professional.

o The effectiveness of electronic and other media in your market.

o The sales potential for tabloids and booklets.

a How to make an advertising checklist work.

o Effective total saturation without overkill.

o Soliciting and administrating cooperative advertising funds.

a Public relations and publicity as a function of advertising.

o The advertising bookkeeping procedures.

o The inability of utilizing in-house ad making and/or signing equipment.

o The direct and collateral responsibilities of the advertising personnel.

o The advertising job description and skill requirements.

o Advertising production resources.

o Overlap of responsibilities.

o Advertising personnel in-store responsibilities.

a Provisions for last minute ad changes.

I Institutionalizing the copy.

o Making the product's value come through the newsprint.

o Selling "benefits" highlighting ''features, "

o Using color effectively.

o Attracting women shoppers. Does it seem like a lot to cover in a one day visit? Well it is. We'll both be exhausted by the end ofthe day. I know because I've been through it so many times before.

YourJob Will Just Begin

Within a week after my visit you'll get a copy of my notes. My job will be over . . . but maybe yours will just begin.

"Let me review your advertising"

Through my experiences, I'll be able to demonstrate how to make your advertising functions run more smoothly, be more cost effective, and more sales productive. But . . it's you who will have to implement the programs that we both agree are necessary. I guess I mean this as kind of a warning. Iour responsibility doesn't end when you call me to come visit your operation. lt really begins when I leave.

Home Center retailers are allocating approximately 290 of the gross sales for advertising. That's a lot of bucks that come off your bottom line. If they're not working hard for you, you're losing the most effective force you have to incre€Be your traffic and your penetration in the market. Find out now if you're really maximizing the benefits from your advertising.

Phone me today and let's set an appointment for your Advertising Audit. The fee is only $900 plus travel for the audit and report. You'll probably recover that amount in production economies and co-op rebates after the first month.

Call now -

BillFishmon

*$URE THIS ISATI|UGH BUSINESS.

- ltre'rst )ed' .\e .e had theTriad our nverlcr'\ nas oeen reouceo over '15oro. we ve increased a.3 eS a^.j O ,. Or6cq :..'t marg n is up 3o.'o. That s unheard of n the urnber business Qu te frank y l \ro2r :nn i arn eln i q tvq uvv Ar',^ ha a',nl '^ n nn,, ! IdVU UC CVCU VVC LUU U do t butwedd Wedd t wrth a Trrad in one of the worqt ve:.c tf.tp | ,-ntrr h-S .eSS las e\e' FdO 'we ^ai,o .1r t. nn,^.-.\r-sa e slal o^s d.to three off ce term na s Tr ad had us Lrp and r-nni^g wrth alrost a;o-'o-ls'oe ^\enlo", o^ the syste'n i' unoe' ',.e weeks A^o e,.e''. ooo, waq sr rnnorrive Tr io ho^l o\e' odC".\d.JS io .na(e su.e gygry thr-Q Aas do^e gtrt. f) r nonnlo nnt: tho lr: nrn- the nccelen'n he nrnrir Lniirro immedi:ie r,

''We ve become much more accJ'ate wit. the -'ad t's Qtve^ :S tota control over nventory plctng custo're' credtt p-'chast.l9 a^d lnnnr rnfinn The crrqtem e\en prodr rr:cq al, or r r)rrctr stir:kefS. Tnal a one nas redJced a of of tedious manhours We have more time to qnpnrl w th .r .stomprs and "'rofe uyv' ,v vv time to spend with our tam ies