Hardwood manufacturers go west

Lumber

(Continued.liom page I 7) westem softwood lumber that has existed in years, the cold hard fact is that substantially less of it will be available.

One bright spot in all thisand there is oneis lumber's inflation factor. For the period running from October, 1979, through December, 1991, the overall rate of inflation was 87.6%.If lumber's inflation rate had matched that, the price per thousand board feet last December would have been$615 perthousandboard feet (Douglas fir, wholesale FOB mill) instead of the $296 it actually was. Under the circumstances, that's a good thing tobe able to point to. And, at the moment, that's about all we can point to with pleasure.

There are reasons for this. One of the most important has been the plentiful and continuous flow of raw material coming from our forests up to now, helping to keep supply and demand in balance, stabilizing costs, and playing a big part in making Americans the best-housed population on the planet.

But things are changing. Believe me, we wish even more than you do that it were different. Our industry has never

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I)epoolt, NY f3754 faced anything like this or even approaching this. But our mills continue to close, injunctions continue to be fi led, timber sales continue to be halted. It all eventually leads to moving affordable housing further out of reach for more and more people. And, amazingly, through it all, and lying in the face of all logic and reason, the people who brought all of this about continue to be cheered. As the beer commercial says, "Why ask why?"

So that's the situation as we see it now.

A New Kind Of Weight Watcher

Weigh customers when they walk into the store and as they leave. That's the way an Australian department store checks on shoplifters. If his walkout weight is more than his walk-in weight, a customer has some explaining to do.

Treated Deck Stars On TV Show

Pressure treated southern pine will star on the Nashville Network's "Remodeling and Decorating Today" tv show June27 and 30. James Bailey and Walter Mullenhagen plan to renovate an older deck, doubling its size and adding railings. Approximately 30 million people will view the project cosporsored by the Southem Pine Marketing Council.

Potlatch To Replace Mill

Potlatch Corp. will build a $27 million replacement softwood sawmill in Warren, Ar.

NATIONAL Home lmprovement Month sponsored by the National Association. of the Hemodeling Industry otfers retailers an opponunity for special sales and events emphasizing the economy and rewards of remodeling. Kitchens and baths remain the most popular projects to update a home and increase its value.

Construction will begin later this year with completion expected in the first half of 1994. Higher quality levels and substantially lower costs are projected for the new facility. Shippable lumber volume is expected to increase from the current level of 74 MMBF to 103 MMBF after the new mill is fully operational. A4O% reduction inpersonnel anda40% increase in lumber output with only a 5% increase in raw material consumption is anticipated.