SoursERN Pwn INspncrroN Bunneu, INc.

Rules VritingAgency

Visual & MSR-MEL Grading Service

Treated Lumber Quality Control

Analytical Lab Senrices

Glued Lumber Quality Control

Grader Training

Sawmill Coaching & Training

Pole & Piling Inspections

Truss Fabrication Quality Control

Clairn Inspecdons (Domestic & Foreigrr)

In-Plant Salrty Control Programs

Certifi cate Inspections

Yield Surreys

Kiln Surveys

Mill Surveys

Planer Service

"Although we have nearly doubled our capacity with the new Fernley plant, our dealers remain on allocation," said president Robert Matheny. "After studying a number of options, we have concluded that the most efficient next step is to expand our two present locations. We also continue to evaluate locations for the construction of a third, large-scale manufacturing facility."

Loan Arrangers Ride At Depot

Hi'yo, Silver-and plenty of green, too! By autumn, Home Depot locations nationwide will be offering instore loans to d-i-yers, enabling patrons to immediately commence their home-improvement shopping.

Credit lines of $3,000 to $30,000 will be extended to qualifying customers, who can spend the money only at Home Depot stores and Expo Design Centers.

The Atlanta. Ga.-based firm is contemplating offering loans on its revamped Web site, expected to debut in Las Vegas, Nv., in late June or early July. Additional cities are planned to be added this year. The site reportedly will offer over 40,000 products.

Aljoma Out Of Universal Deal

Aljoma Lumber Inc., Medley, Fl., has broken off acquisition negotiations with Universal Forest Products.

"There were several business and operational issues that could not be overcome at this time," said Universal ceo William Currie. "We would hope to reanalyze the company at a later date."

Two months earlier, Universal, the nation's largest pressure treater, announced its intention to acquire Aljoma (see May, p.7).

Brazilian Export Rules Eased

The U.S. has been removed from the list of countries required to comply with Brazil's new regulations for imported solid wood packing material, designed to combat the threat of the Asian longhorned beetle.

The decision was made after Brazilian agricultural officials were assured that the bug has only limited U.S. distribution.

While the U.S. is no longer required to fumigate its Brazilianbound solid wood packaging material or furnish a phytosanitary certificate with the shipment, exported wood must be bark free and apparently free of live pests.

SFPA Meet Returns To Roots

Celebrating its 85th anniversary, the Southern Forest Products Association will return to the New Orleans, La., site of its first meeting in 1915 for its upcoming annual meeting.

Themed "Building on 85 Years: A Southern Pine Reunion," the meeting will be held Oct. 28-31 at the Fairmont Hotel, originally the Grunewald (and later the Roosevelt Hotel), site of the association's very first meeting back in 1915.

"For the first time in more than 20 yeius, our annual meeting will be held in New Orleans," says SFPA president Karl W. Lindberg. "At this meeting, we will be celebrating our rich history, as well as presenting the association's programs to begin the 2lst Century."

Building Products Digest welcomes Letters to the Editor. Please send to Editor, 4500 Campus Dr., Suite 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660; Fax 949852-0231, or by e-mail to dkoenig@ ioc.net.

An Open Letter To The Industry

The Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau would like to clarify a current misunderstanding. In March of this year, Dennis Clark approached the Cedar Bureau and asked for a personal letter of reference for a career change. The Cedar Bureau provided him with the letter he requested in order to accommodate the request of a long-term industry friend and member. He did not tell the Cedar Bureau what career chsnge he had in mind.

Mr. Clark's subsequent use and mass distribution of this letter on behalf of "American Roofing Materials" was unexpected, mis- leading and inappropriate. lVe regret that the Cedar Bureau's gesture of good faith has been used unfairly by an organization that is competing with our members.

The Cedar Bureau felt it important to clarify this misunderstanding and inform you that his use of the letter in this matter was unauthorized. In particular we wauld like to inform our wholesaler. broker, retailer, distributor, and supplier members that the Cedar Bureau is not endorsing Mr. Clark's company, Americaa Roofing Materials. We value all our dues-paying members, and most certainly appreciate their support of Certi'label materials.

Darlene Jacuk Manager

Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau Box 1 178 Sumas, Wa.98295

BY: THOMAS E. LIPPINCOTT

"Hug a logger. You'll never go back to trees."

- Bumper sticker Lowe's High On Pro Market

Lowe's Cos. believes the professional contractor market will continue to expand, and that the chain is poised to capitalize on its growth, according to Larry Stone, the North Wilkesboro, N.C.-based chain's chief operating officer.

"Because of time pressures, d-i-y is clearly giving way to do-it-for-me for many of our shoppers, so we are increasing our focus on installed sales and commercial-business customers," said Stone. "We are also making more products than ever available through our special-order sales program."

Stone, who made his comments at an annual shareholders' meeting, said pro sales composed roughly 2OVo of the company's $15.9 billion in total sales in 1999 and should increase 35Vo this year.

Sales to Lowe's approved installers of flooring, cabinetry and appliances reached $330 million last year, up SOVo from 1998. A 507o increase in sales for this segment is expected in 2000.

Special orders totaled $930 million last year for the chain, up 34Vo from r998.

Lumber Demand To Decline

Lower economic growth and an expected decline in housing starts will end a three-year run of record lumber demand, according to the Western Wood Products Association.

The group forecasts lumber demand to be 52.55 billion bd. ft. this year, a 3Vo dip from 1999's 54.3 billion bd. ft. Residential construction lumber volume is predicted to decline 57o, attribtted partly to a 6.27o decrease in housing starts to 1.56 million units.

Chief

Financial Officer

Tom Whiddon said the chain's dismal performing share price, an important recruiting and retention tool, does not reflect Lowe's growth prospects or its strong financial performance. "We will focus on continuing our successful expansion, driving our comparable store sales. properly managing our assets and getting improved returns on those assets, and maintaining our leading position as a low-cost provider," he said.

Currently operating 576 stores, Lowe's plans to add 95 units this year and 125 in 2001.

Are You On O$HAls Hit List?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's 2(M) Hit List has been released, the first to include lumberyards.

The list, available online at www.osha.gdY, cottaln$ infosation ohained fram businesssq',*iiing OSI{A's annually required survey of injury incidents during 1998.

,Suryey recipients are chcsen at random by OSHA, according to

Regulatory Cousultants, Inc. The I"awence, K*,rb*sed firrn said tlrat businesses with incident levels of 8 per 100 empl,oyoes or greatef flia& the list, while those that reported l4 incidents per 100 employees most likely will be visited by OSHA before Feb. 1,2001.

RCI caid that firms not on the list could still be inspected by OSHA, particularly if their indusbry has a high incident rate.

After producing a record 16.8 billion bd. ft. in 1999, southern regional mills are forecast to prodttce 2.9Vo less volume this year. Overall, nationwide production is expected to total 35.3 billion bd. ft., a 3.8Vo decline since 1999.

Western mills will get hit worse than other regions this year, facing an anticipated 4.77o decrease in lumber production to 16.9 billion bd. ft.

While imports from non-Canadian areas and countries, such as Europe, New Zealand and Brazil, will be up slightly, Canadian imports will be down roughly 2Vo this year to 18.8 billion bd. ft.

American lumber exports, however. are forecast to increase 4.9Vo in 2000 to 1.5 billion bd. ft.

Wood Reuse ldeas Sought

The American Forest & Paper Association recently played host to the second meeting of the Wood Recovery Alliance, where discussions were held about the best ways to recover and reuse wood scraps.

The meeting addressed wood recovery, plastic transportation packaging and terminology issues. The alliance, an arm of the White House National Recycling Challenge, will meet aeain Oct. 6.