Family business built on broad inventory, seruice

USTOMER service, quality merchandise and hard work are the building blocks ofa successful business.

And where better to find building blocks than Cannon Building Materials in Wauchula, Fl.?

Cannon Building specializes in those important blocks, and even stocks blocks of a more concrete nature.

Founded by C. B. Cannon in 195 I , the family owned and operated store is now run by brothers Joe and Charles Cannon.

Their father, C.B., had accumulated over 25 years of experience in the building supply business before he decided to open his own store.

C.B. started out by selling rough lumber in Georgia, but moved his family to Florida in 1925 and went to work for the Townsend Lumber Co. in Avon Park.

He remained with Townsend Lumber until that day in l95l when he heard the Wauchula Lumber Co. had gone bankrupt.

Seeing an opportunity to strike out on his own, C.B. bought out Wauchula Lumber's inventory and established Cannon Building Materials at the same location.

C.B. had little doubt about the move from Avon Park to Wauchula. "The situation seemed perfect to him," said Charles Cannon.

"Daddy had always wanted to have his own business," Cannon continued. "He had always hoped Joe and I would get into the business with him, he wanted us together."

While the fledgling business built up a clientele in the community, Joe remained in the service and Charles kept his position as a special agent for the FBI.

By 1955 Cannon Building had grown to the point where it could support Joe and Charles also, and the three Cannons were finally joined in "the family business."

Although he liked his work with the FBI, Cannon explained that he had a developed a love for the lumber business.

"Joe and I grew up in that yard (Townsend Lumber)," noted Cannon. "In high school we worked there, and we always enjoyed the work.

"Joe and I are sold on what we are doing; it's a good little business. We hope someday someone in the family will come in and follow us afterall, we're getting older."

That "good little business" operates out of in 8,500 square foot main building and ovei 7,500 square feet of open and shed storage.

The main building had once been a

Story at a Glance Wauchula, Fl., bulldlng

matorials store stocks large In. ventory offers varlety of ser. vices . . . stresses customer rolations . . . family operated for over 30 years.

packing house and the vastness of its interior surprises people. "This place looks so small when you first walk in the door, but it will fool you," commented Cannon.

"We are a small outfit compared to others," he added, "but people are surprised when they see how much is here. We have managed to make the room needed for a very complete stock."

Cannon Building carries a general line of building materials and supplies and serves all facets of the com-

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Allan Manufacturing Co. has moved into a new $400,000, 25,000 sq. ft. plant for manufacturing security storm doors and window guards in Olive Branch, Ms. . . . Odyssey Partners is negotiating to acquire GAF's Building Materials Group this month .

Construction of a new warehouse for Armstrong Carpet Division's wholesaler service in Ringgold, Ca., will be completed next month; a 170,000 sq. ft. samPle manufacturing facilitY, new dYe decks and a new order section building have been added to operations in Dalton, Ga.; new highspeed tufting equipment has been installed at both the Dalton and Winchester, Tn., mills

North American PhiliPs is acquiring Corning Glass Work's plant in Danville, Ky. . Colemon Co. plans to move into new Fort Worth, Tx., warehouse facilities, manufacturing plant and corporate offices sometime nextmonth...

Lanham Lumber and Dry Kiln Co. is converting the Old Louisville Cooperage Co. plant in Louisville, Ky., into what they say will be the nation's largest custom kiln-drying operation with about $25 million in sales a year . Norfolk Southern Corp. has opened a new connection, the Altavista Gateway, in Hunt, Va., tying the South to the Midwest . .

Manville Corp. has sued the feds for reimbursement of more than $1 million in legal costs and awards paid out for asbestos claims, alleging the gov. knew workers in World War II shipyards were being exposed to hazardous levels of asbestos dust .

Bowater North America, a British manufacturing and trade corp. with offices in Old Greenwich, Ct., has formed a subsidiary, Bowater Home Centers Inc., in Plano, Tx., and plans to open several home centers in the Southwest in '84

Worth, Fl., by the end of '83

Lowe's is remodeling its Jackson, Ms., store at a reported cost of $100,000

HomeOwners Warehouse Inc., Coconut Creek, Fl., has been sold to Service Merchandise CorP., Nashville, Tn., for a rePorted $13.8 million. . McCoY's Build' ing Supply Center has oPened store No.43 in Huntsville, Tx. .

Danny Been is the new owner of Waldo Hardwore and Builders Supply, Magnolia, Ar.

Myers Lumber Co., Mayfield, Ky., is celebrating its 50th anniversary . . . M. and A. Jones Construction Co. Inc. and Jones Building and Supply Inc. have purchased the Hi- WaY Lumber Co. in Batesville, Ar. . . . Stone Lumber Co. is a new business in Berryville,Ar....

Jim Albert, lumberYard owner in Elk City and Altus, Ok., has purchased a site for a lumber Yard in Hobart, Ok. . Herbert Larson has acquired the Bull Shoals, Ar., Hardware and Building SUP' ply from Dwain Reed

Kuson,Irzc., Nashville, Tn., is seeking a buyer for its Nicholas' Kusan ceiling fan subsidiarY in Jacksonville, Tx. . GeorgiaPqcific has recorded the best profit quarter for building Products since 1978

All Woods/Schroeder Inc., Houston, Tx., plans an earlY Aug. opening of their new wholesale distribution warehouse in Fort Smith, Ar., to service a 200 mile radius ll'ood Mosaic Corp., Louisville, Ky., has closed its veneer operation

Home-Pro Warehouse, San Antonio, Tx., reported sales of more than $500,000 for its three day opening Zarsky Lumber Co. has opened a new location in McAllen. Tx. Hammersc hm id t L umbe r Co. and Farme rs Lurnber Co., both at Harrison, Ar., have been sold to Meek Bttilding Centers, Springfield, Mo....

Scotty's has purchased 30 acres in Deerfield Beach, Fl., for a distribution center to service 75 stores in So. Florida . Home Depot plans to open two stores in Clearwater, Fl., and one in Lake

June hardwood lumber Pro' duction in the South was 990 higher than for May,23s/o higher than June 1982 with incoming orders up 22$/0, shipments 3090 more, unfilled orders l59o higher and gross mill inventories l39o less than a year ago . .

Housing starts in June (latest figs.) were 1.75 million at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, 2.990 lower than May . . . single family starts fell 7.190 to an adjusted l,103,000 while muhifantily units increased 5.2o/o to an adjusted 644,0m annual pace building permits rose 6.7q0 to an adjusted 1,745,000 million annual level, the third consecutive monthly rise

L-P Moves lnto Mississippi

Louisiana-Pacific Corp. is starting construction this month of a Waferboard plant and a sawmill in Grenada, Ms.

This will be the first L-P facility in the state, according to Ronald L. Paul, gen. mgr. of the Southern Division.

The sawmill, which is expected to be completed in the spring of 1984, will have an annual capacity of 30 million board feet with 40 workers.

The Waferboard plant will take a year to complete. Its annual capacity will be 120 million square feet. Abour 100 workers will be hired.

SFPA Annual Meeting Dates

Headline speakers at the Southern Forest Products Association's annual meeting, Oct. 22-26 at The Homestead, Hot Springs, Va. will include David Broder, Pulitzer Prize winning columnist of the Washington Post.

His update on what's happening in Washington at the afternoon general session on Oct. 25 will be his second appearance before the group.

John Crowell, assistant secretarv

of agriculture for natural resources and environment and a key figure in federal dealings with the forest industry, will be the Oct. 24 luncheon speaker. Dan Ruskin, who combines piano playing with political satire, will entertain after lunch on Oct.25.

Bean Brothers Buy Sawmill

Buddy Bean, Hatfield, Ar., and Curt Bean, Amity, Ar., are in negotiation to purchase a sawmill from Georgia-Pacific at Clenwood, Ar.

Control of the mill will be turned over to them on Aug. l, pending final resolution of the agreement. The new owners plan to produce l" and 2,, dimension and cut some timbers.

Theft Prevention Unit Forms

The Home Center Loss Prevention Council has been formed to deal with internal and external theft in home centers, lumber,/building material outlets and hardware stores.

Chairman is Dick Clark, Payless Cashways, Inc.; Ralph Huston, Sutherland Lumber Co., vice chairman. Others are B.G. Kelley, Builders Emporium; Bert Rogers, Cashway Building Materials; John Phillips, Wickes Cos.; Kenneth Quigley, Hechinger Co.; T.V. Wasson, The Home Depot; Jack Rice, National Retail Hardware Association, and Greg Hauca, Home Center Institute.

United Plywood Earns Award

Mark Burdett, pres. of United Plywood Corp., Birmingham, Al., and John Strubel, v.p., recently accepted an award for sales excellence from States Industries, Eugene, Or., based manufacturer of prefinished paneling and hardwood plywood.

Five of United's sales force traveled to Oregon with them for the presentation and three days of rafting and fishing.

The firm sold 22,000 plywood panels in a three month period.

NAILING down trends in the industrv, the Dickson Weatherproof Nail Co.'s distributor qd.vis.ory council met with company officers. (clockwise lrom lelt lront) Leonaid Moses. purchasing agent, William Cameron Wholesale Co., Waco, Tx.; Cvril Laan, Dres.. Richert & Laan, Inc., Neui 0rleans. L'a.: Ai Jordan, purchasing agent, Palmetto Wh0lesale Co., Columbia, S.C.: Biil Briiliant. v.p., sales, Dickson; Charles Dickson, pres., Dickson. The tirm has olants in Birmingham, Al., and Houston, Tx.

ing, service, and top quality allowed us to grow in a bad

= = A specialty forest products Our commitment to oer= company that provides the forming the best possible = very best in consistent pric- job for our customers has products with experi"nced, market. We plan more responsible people to growth. make it all work for you' Do yourserf a favor and do lf ..you appreciate working buslness with people who with pros, contact us for believe in exact taliies anO

Ponderosa pine clears and products from the finest commons, hardwood ply_ mills. you'll be glad you did. wooo and hardwood clears, syp clears, western red ceqar, feOWOOd. r cedar, redwood. tom mill can supply your architectural patterns and Hurst, rX 76053 other miling r'"qrirrrn.nir.

ROOF TRUSSES: Start with The KlincheP

The 1O-ton Klincher System, with Klincher Press, Adiustable Jig and Counterbalance is ideal. Assemble uP to 60 roof trusses a day with a 2-man crew. Total cost: under $4.300, or lease as low as $150 per month.