Watch for these Exciting Issues in Coming IUIonths

October: Hardwood

November: Western Woods

December: Business Forecast

January: Southern Pine

February: Cedar

March: Redwood

April: Pressure Treated Wood

PdmaSource Fterlon On Trrck

A half-year after a $124 million merg,er created the nation's largest independent building materials distributor, PrimeSource, Inc., continues to g,row and modernize.

Grip- Rite products including nails have been incorporated into former Sequoia Supply locations while some Sequoia lines such as hardwood plywood are being added to certain Grip-Rite Group facilities,

The company has moved into new, bigger facilities in Seattle, Wa.l (ireensboro. N.C.; Houston, Tx., and Elk Grove (Chicago), ll. Negotiations are also underway to obtain a larger distribution center in [)allas, Tx., where PrimeSource continues to operate from separate Sequoia and Cirip-Rite facilities.

Additionally, a state-of-the-art computer system linking together all branches and providing customers with instant inventory commitment has been installed in 14 of the 40 PrimeSource locations. Other outlets are coming on line at a rate of two to three a month, said marketing manager Scott Klein.

Grcwing Panel Markets in 1990

Despite soft home building demand, panel suppliers can expect increases in nonhousing markets in 1990, predicts the American Plywood Association.

Domestic nonhousing markets are forecast to provide diversified opportunity, with nonresidential building bottoming out and heavy construction and industrial markets rising.

Exports should jump by one-sixth this year to 1.75 billion sq. ft., while overall domestic structural production is expected to climb 2%.

"The program provides a cost efFective solution to today's management challenges with a guarantee for long term growth opportunities."

"This new method of buying/ renting a system will greatly reduce the anxiety in selecting a system and provide a zeto risk opportunitY in getting fully computerized at known prices," Waters explained.

The company has nearly 20 years experience in providing management tools for building material dealers. Their systems feature the UNIX operating system and hardware from Unisys Corp., offering the flexibility to mix and match products that suit both the immediate and future needs of a business, Their turnkey approach offers hardware, software, training, installation, service and personalized support. Regional Solution Centers have been established to offer continuing guidance and education to users.

with the new rental proSram, Waters pointed out, a dealer can buy and install a Dataline 4000 System, knowing that when business is ready, it can move up to the Dataline 8000 System which is a completely automated process.

"Dataline's entire software rents for $5 per port per month. There is no minimum term, and it may be rented indefi nitely. Because off-theshelf components can be used interchangeably with Dataline software, the dealer avoids being locked into proprietary hardware and software," Waters said.

Lumber Demand 2OOO

Despite jolts to timber supply, demand for forest products is expected to be much more stable, with falling housing starts offset by rising repair, remodeling and industrial usage.

New Software Rental Plan

A new computer system concept is being introduced by Dataline Corp. Lumber and building material dealers will now be able to utilize the latest management tools with the latest computer technology on a rental basis.

"The Dataline 4000 System software rental program is a marketing breakthrough in the computer field," said C.J. "Dinny" Waters.

Resource Information Systems, Inc., atso foresees that Chile and New Zealand timbers will compete with North American wood in several major markets in the late 1990s due to U.S. environmental restraints.

After the year 2000, the private U.S. timber supply is forecast to expand as secondary stands mature in the West. Meantime, Southern lumber producers should see their U.S. market share grow from 25% to 300/0, then settle at280/o during 2001-2010, says RISL