G'P Becomes #1 In Tleated Wood

Forest Products Giant Buys 3 Plants From Mellco, 1 From Tucker

Georgia-Pacific Corp., Atlanta, Ga., has acquired three pressure treating facilities from Mellco Inc., Perry, Ga., and a fourth from C.M. Tucker Lumber Corp., Pageland, S.C.

With a combined annual capacitY of 240 million M. ft., Mellco's plants-in Rock Hill, S.C.; Athens, Al., and Roanoke Rapids, N.C.-last year treated 125 million M. ft.

G-P offered positions to all existing production and sales personnel, although v.p.-sales Doug Walter has opted to join manufacturers reP Winward Sales, Graysonville, Md., to be closer to family.

Office staff will remain in Perry until September, when they will transfer to the former Southeast Wood Treating office in Montgomery, Al.

Tucker sold G-P its treating plant in Henderson, N.C., but retains its operations in Pageland, S.C., where it operates two treating cylinders, a sawmill and remanufacturing plant. Plans are to continue to grow the 79-year-old Pageland operations, including the addition of 18 acres ofcovered storage.

The Henderson plant treats 125 million bd. ft. of southern pine lumber each year.

G-P now sells, markets and distributes treated lumber from 13 treating plants with a combined annual capacity of more than I billion bd. ft., highest in the industry.

Ironically, until early last year' G-P operated only a single treating plant, in Sterling, Ga. It owns and operates 37 sawmills in 13 states, manufacturing more than 2.7 billion bd. ft. of lumber annually.

Then, in early 1998, G-P acquired the exclusive sales and distribution rights for lumber produced at Southeast Wood's seven treating plants. Technically, since G-Pdoes not own the Southeast Wood Plants, Universal Forest Products and Great Southern Wood Preserving Produce more treated wood than G-P-owned plants do.

Last year, C.M. Tucker heated more than 240 million bd. ft. of lumber as the nation's sixth largest treater, according to Building Products

Digest's annual ranking of the Top 25 Pressure Treaters (see April, p.9-12).

Mellco, the nation's fifteenth largest, was founded in October 1987 by Mel Tolleson Sr. with two treating plants split off from Tolleson Lumber Co., Perry.

Tolleson died two weeks before the G-P deal closed (see obituary, p.32).

Top 25 Correction

The more than 125 million bd. ft. of treated lumber produced last year by Culpeper Wood Preservers, Culpeper, Va., reported to Building Products Digest for its Top 25 Pressure Treaters list (April, p. ll) actually was the production of only one of the company's three plants. In actuality, the three facilities' six cylinders treated a combined 277,744,000 bd. ft., earning Culpeper the #6 spot on the list instead of #14, and meaning companywide production did not fall, but rather rose an impressive 207o.

Oklahoma Lumbermen's Association is holding a joint summer meeting with Lumberments Association of Texes June 4-6 at Lake Texoma, Ok.

Virginia Building Material Association installed Ray Hawthome, Peninsula Supply Co., Newport News, as its new president during its 73rd annual convention March 20-23 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He succeeds Jack Williams, Pleasants Hardware, Richmond.

New president-elect is James Van Landingham, Builders Supply Co., Petersburg; v.p.s David Cappellari, Capps Home Building Center, Moneta, and Bruce Edwards, Lamberth Building Materials, White Stone; associate v.p. Michael Lewis, Lumber Sales Corp., Richmond; treasurer Fred Siewers II, Siewers Lumber & Millwork Co., Richmond, and national director George W. Lester II, Lester Home Center, Martinsville.

Rod Sedwick, H.B. Sedwick Jr., Building Supply, Orange; Stephen Short,

Carolina Builders Corp., Richmond, and Joe Mullen, Valley Box & Building Materials, Harrisonburg, are new to the board of directors, and Ed Hunt, Morgan Distribution, Gainesville, is a new associate director.

Carolinas-Tennessee Building Material Association's summer membership conference is set for June 17-20 at The Homestead, Hot Springs, Va. The program includes installation of officers. a golf tournament at the Cascades Golf Course, Rick Miller, Michael E. Dunn & Associates, speaking on "Politics, Power & the Building Material Industry," and economist Dr. Edmond J. Seifried addressing "Economic Indicators for the Building Material Industry" and "What They Mean to Your Business."

International Wood Products Association announced it is changing is logo from IHPA to IWPA.

Also, during its 43rd annual convention March 17-19 in Tampa, Fl., the group honored William F. Monck, president of Interboard, for his long-time service to the organization.

Kentucky Lumber & Building Materlal Dealers Association will hold its Congleton Cup golf outing July 19 at the Players Club, Lexington, followed on July 20 by the summer board of directors meeting at the nearby Embassy Suites.

"This isn't Home Depot vs. Lowe's anymore. It's the two attacking the market together."

- Doug Gordon, NationsBanc Montgome ry Se c uritie s analy s t