Building Products Digest - December 1989

When you want the handsome, long-lasting quality of redwood lumbe; come to Georgia-Pacific. We offer everything from garden grades, rustic sidings and trim to architecturalgrades of Bee, Clear and Clear all-heart. Our dedication to a Dry Program means more choices for you!

Our Common Program is both S-Dry (190/o or less) and green. We do it naturally on our ocean bluffs with cool breezes off the blue Pacific. And as afinalassuranceof quality, G-P is a member of the California Redwood Asso-

ciation and the Redwood lnspection Service. So look for the grade stamp on our lumber Get the powerful advantages that only the finest in redwood lumber can provide. Rely on Georgia-Pacific to deliver the Redwood or Douglas Fir you need. Both are available through our Fort Bragg mill-or; through our extensive distribution network. To find out more, simply call the Fort Bragg mill at7O71964-0281.

Serving the lumber markets in

& home center

13 Southern states

6,."jr$*i{Ki ?aF ,r

6*ffi:f;'

6"::g#:NK

6.:3.fi-:Kri

Coming in January o o

Our annual Southern Pine SPecial lssue. We'll be talking about its uses, characteristics, marketing, grading, current market conditions, and how retailers and wholesalers can Pro' fitably buy and sell Southern Pine.

ADVERTISERS: act today to be sure your ad' vertisement is included in this important special issue. Cet your message before our 1 2,750 readers in 13 Southern states. Deadline for the January Southern Pine Special Issue is December 15. For information, write the ad' dress below or call (collect) (714) 852-1990.

DECETBER I 989

YOtUnE I, No. lO

BUSINESS FORECAST SPECIAT ISSUE

Merlo: lots of changes ahead in new decade

Bingham: problems to solve and conquer in '90

Hart: pressure will continue on timber supply

Peterson: industry has to commit to quality

Lindberg: southern pine is set to prosper

Robison: future is bright for structural panels

Stebbins: environmentalists are biggest threat

Doran: 1.45 million housing starts for 1990

Weyerhaeuser sells panel div. to new Va. corp.

Serving l3 Southern slates

lldllor-Publlsher l)avid (lutlcr

Senlor trldllor Juanitu Lovrci

Assochle l)dllor l)uvid Koenig

Conlrlbutlnj Ddllors l)wight ('urran, (iuge McKinncy, Ken Thim

Art Dlreclor Manha limcry

Slrfl Aralst (iinger Johnson

Clrculrilon l.ynnctte A. Perkins

lluilding Products l)igest is published monthly at 4500 Campus Dr.. Suite 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660, phone (714) 852-190, by (lutler Publishing, Inc.

ADVERTISING OFFICES

Advertising rales uPon request. lrrom all stutes east of the Rocky Mountains: ('ontact Jean Waggoner (;ogerty. national sales munater. lrrom Arizona, Nevada and California: fontact l)avid ('utler. Roth may be reached ai (714) 852-1990 or by writing 4500 Campus t)r.. Suite 480, Newlnrt Beach, Ca 92660.

lrrom Washington Slate, Oregon, Idaho' wvominc. Montana, Utah, (olorado' Northern Caliiornia and Canada: ('ontact Carole Ifolm at (206) 774-3'173 or 21819 77th Place West. lidmonds, Wa. 98020.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Change of Address-Send subscription ordcs and address changes to Circulation Dept., Building Products Digcst, 4500 Campus Dr.. suite 480. Newport Bcach, Ca. 9660. Include address label from recent issue ifpossible, plus new address and zip code.

Subscriptton Rates: U.S.: $25-one year; $41-two years; $55-three years; Foreign: one year payable in advance in U.S. funds- Canada or Mexico: air-$42: surface-$37: South America: air-$60; surface-$39; Asia: air-$70; surface-$39; Europe: air-$90; surface-$39. Single copies $3; back copies $4.50 plus shipping & handling.

BUTLDING PRODUCTS DIGEST is an iruleperulently<wed publication ftr the remil' nhtilesale and distihurion levels otthe lumber arul hone <'enter nta*ets in 13 &tuthem sntes.

Copyrighto 1989, Cutler Publishing, Inc. Cover and entire contenls arefully protected and must not Ue rlpr-oduceC in any manner without written permission. All Rights Reserved. Building Products Digest assumes no liability for materials [urnished to it.

Servlng the lumber\llZ& home center markets In 13 Southern 8tatc6

Wolmanized Lumber Adopts Bar Goding

Wolmanized@ wood products will be first in the pressure treated wood industry to have universal product codes (UPC) on lumber of all sizes.

Pursuit of UPC labeling was prompted by The Home Depot, the first major retailer requiring it. Hickson Corporation worked with The Home Depot to overcome the practical and technical obstacles.

Michael Modansky, wood products merchandiser at The Home Depot, said, "The use of bar coding allows us to be more efl'icient in pricing, consumer service and inventory control. We're demanding it of our suppliers. The producers of Wolmanized wood have shown leadership in the pressure treating industry by recognizing our desires and cooperating with us on the first such system among treated wood suppliers."

lifetime warranty labels similar to those now being stapled to Wolmanized wood products. In-cylinder testing determined a label material and ink that can be scanned satisfactorily after subjection to the pressure treatment process.

A "zero suppression" number has been granted to Hickson Corp. by the Uniform Code Council for use by producers of Wolmanized@ pressure treated lumber. The zero suppression number is an abbreviated coding which enables bar codes to fit on the narrow end labels used with l" boards and 5/4" decking without eliminating any of the current consumer information which appears there.

Coding will cover a wide array of products. When all sizes are considered (2x4-8', 2x4-10'. 2x4-12', 2x6-8', etc.), along with products kiln dried after treatment, those treated with water repellent and specialty products, there are approximately | 100 SKU's of wood pressure treated with Wolman@ preservatives. Each now has its own bar code designation.

The bar codes will be printed on

Treater Story In January

The joint wood preserving industry associations' annual meeting in New Orleans, Nov. 8-10, including the Southern Pressure Treaters Association, National Timber Piling Council, Society of American Wood Preservers, Inc., American Wood Preservers Bureau and American Wood Preservers Institute will be part of Building Products Digest's January Southern Pine Special Issue.

EDITORIAL

DAVID CUTI,]]R publisher

It's Literc and Meters Tlme Again

r S WE enter the final decade of this A millenium, forecasts abound on expected changes in supply, products, merchandising and marketing. We think they're overlooking a development likely to have a major impact on how you conduct your business: measurement.

Metric measurement is far closer to widespread use in the United States than many believe. By the turn of the century we think it will be more often the standard, than the exception, as it is now. It could be commonplace lar sooner.

Why all of a sudden is a movement to metric upon us? Generally, it's government responding to changing markets. In an effort to make America more competitive overseas, Congress last year passed a Fair Trade bill requiring metric measurement for all products leaving the country. The U.S. Department of Defense will require metric measurement from all its suppliers as of January l, 1990. It is the same date that the

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European Community has established requiring all products sold in the l2 countries that comprise the EC to be in metric measurement.

In 1992 Europe will begin removing virtually all trade barriers between its members, a move expected to produce a business revolution and a boom of sizable proportions. Whether 1992 proves to be all currently claimed for it or not, it will inevitably pressure the United States into greater conformance to metrics,

As the astounding political changes in Eastern Europe and Russia evolve, increased world trade seems a likely by-product. Coupled with the Pacific Rim growth, these factors inevitably mean that further isolation of U.S. business will be shortlived.

Every business of every size in America will feel the impact of these changes. Whether we like it or notand most don'twe'll have to adapt. There is no other viable option.

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Envirormental Awards For Two

Joe Elder, Jr., president of Elder Wood Preserving, Mansura, La., has been cited by the wood preserving industry for his exceptional contribution to environmental education.

Voted Consumer Awareness Program Speaker of the Year, Elder received a handcarved award for addressing more than 400 managers and sales representatives handling pressure treated wood products. The award was presented at the annual joint meeting of the American Wood Preservers Institute, Society of American Wood Preservers. Inc.. American Wood Preservers Bureau. National Timber Piling Council and the Southern Pressure Treaters Association, Nov. 7 through l0 in New Orleans.

Due to a schedule conflict, Ron Higgins, Lowe's Companies, area 605, was unable to accept the award to Lowe's for their outstanding efforts in assisting the wood preserving industry to disseminate information about the benefits, proper use, handling and disposal of treated wood products to consumers. Elder accepted the award on Higgins's behalf.

Engineered Wood Groups Unite

Plans for an organization of trade associations and companies in the engineered wood products industry will be formulated on Dec. l5 in Atlanta, Ga., for presentation to the Engineered Wood Products Group in Jacksonville. Fl.. Feb. l.

John LeFors, Willamette Industries; Michel DeChamplain, Mitek; Charlie Harnden, Alpine; Kay Kahus, Weyerhaeuser; Rip Rogers, Trussway, and Sherm Nelson, Trus Joist, are members of the organizational committee chaired by JeffVan Cott, American Laminators.

Shorter Home Center Show

The March 1990 National Home Center Show will be a half-day shorter, dropping the usual exhibition-ending Wednesday due to a new categorization of exhibitors that allows visitors to see who they want to see more quickly.

Lots of changes ahead

lly Harry A. Merlo Chairman and President Louisiana-Pacific Corporation

Wilffi't'"'ii.'i :i"l"$ffI":l

Pacific to what changes our industry might expect by the Year 2000' It's

can Plywood Association figured that we can increase demand by more than a billion feet by persuading another four percent of U.S. households to purchase panels at least once a year.

More homes in the Year 2000 will be built, at least partially, in a factory. While predictions along these lines have been made before, there's a new wrinkle . . factory manufacturing will be applied to upscale homes.

at an increasing disadvantage compared to products, like L-P InnerSeal@ which are made from 'Junk wood" species. Wide dimension lumber for floor and ceiling joists will be replaced almost totally by engineered trussesanother big market for our Inner-Seal panels.

Story at a Glance

enter middle age. But, there will be increasing opportunities to those who concentrate on the move-uP buyers with a desire for quality and an eye out for affordable ways to achieve that quality. We're already seeing the start of this trend. It's a healthy move toward building homes "better than theY have to be," spurred in part bY a renewed emphasis on quality and partly by an increased threat of litigation if things go wrong. The American Plywood Association has formalized the trend with its new "Code Plus" program.

Repair, remodeling and the do-ityourself markets will take on even more importance. In the structural panel area, for example, the Ameri-

There will be mandatory recycling in many areas by the Year 2000. We expect that necessary trend to provide us with a stable source of aluminum for our window and door products and waste paper for the fiber gypsum wallboard we're currently developing in Nova Scotia. The largest remaining forest that has absolutely no environmental problems, spotted owl or otherwise, is wastepaper.

On the resource side, all signs point toward a sharp decrease in the amount of available timber and a sharp increase in the political constraints on harvesting, even on our own timberlands. Even more of our national forests will be off limits to timber harvesting as preservationists take increasing advantage of the forum provided by the courts. Products that rely on old growth will be

More factory built homes, mandatory recycling willaid suPPlY, fewer timber resources, more engineered products, exPanded world trade.

Finally, there will be fewer trade restrictions by 2000, especially with Pacific Rim partners, and more world trade generally. That's both an opportunity and a challenge, since, we'll att be up against some stiff worldwide competition. L-P is gearing up now with more overseas marketing, more new Product development and manufacturing expansion into Canada and Mexico. We're looking forward to some exciting years for our industry as we approach the new century.

!I iff: l;,,8 Hl:

and the so-called

jor differences in the way we'll all century.

For example, there will be fewer new homes built as population growth slows "baby boomers"

f i|n". inr'"T,[:

Problems to conquer

By Charles W. Bingham Executive Vice President Weyerhaeuser Company

I\EMAND for wood products in V the 1990s is expected to grow modestly, similar to what we've seen in the latter part of the 1980s. Although overall housing start trends are expected to remain near 1.4-1.5 million units, demographic factors favor a somewhat higher percentage of single family starts.

Strength in repair and remodel and growth in export product markets will be positive factors.

However, this outlook for continued strength in product demand is dependent upon improvement in the federal budget deficit and our trade deficit. The large deficit, coupled with low personal savings, has led to an ever increasing flow of foreign investments into the U.S. These now account for 250h of net credit raised.

The implications are sobering. As more of our GNP goes to service our foreign debt, less money is available to spend on housing construction or on remodeling our homes. U.S. interest rates will be increasingly affected by world rates, and we, as a country, will have less control over our economic future. It's quite evident that responsible fiscal and monetary policies are vital not only to the health of our economy, but to the future of our industry.

Story at a Glance

Economic, supply and production implications complicate the future, but the repair and remodel market is a positive factor.

environment and natural resources. Growing numbers of people are responding with calls to restrict, even deny, industry access to forest lands, both public and private. We have not done an adequate job of providing the public with factual information about modern forest management techniques, that, in fact, timber harvesting represents responsible stewardship of a renewable resource.

Our industry should be viewed as leading the environmental movement, not at odds with it. Weyerhaeuser Co., for example, owns and manages nearly six million acres of forest land in the U.S. The company has planted over two billion trees over the past 20 years (five trees planted for each one harvested), developed the first industrial tree farm in North America nearly 50 years ago, invested over $65 million during the past 10 years on hightechnology forest research.

Basic forest management efforts are, in every sense, good environmentalism. The forest products industry needs public understanding and support to maintain and achieve public policies that are essential to an adequate supply of raw material to meet the projected demand.

The combination of continuing demand for wood products versus the changing character and availability of raw material supply will accelerate the need for and development of new technologies and new products. Current examples include laminated beams, which are increasingly being used as alternatives to solid sawn timbers. Kiln-dried, rather than green products, offer more stability in some applications. Composites and laminates will substitute for some traditional solid wood products.

Our company is committed to technological advancements in all aspects of our forest products business, from tree planting and genetics to the engineering and design ofnew products and new product applications. We believe this will pay off in the '90s in our ability to continue to serve our customers' needs.

Trcmendous trcated wood potential

By Eric Yeadon President American Wood Preservers Bureau

APPROXIMATELY 70% of all

A copper chrome arsenare (CCA) treated lumber in the United States is monitored by the American Wood Preservers Bureau (AWPB), under LP-2 and LP-22 quality control procedures. In 1988, the industry reported an all-time high of some 3.4 billion board feet.

However, lumber and timber treatments declined significantly in 1989, approaching 20% less than last year, and AWPB anticipates the reported volume in 1989 to be about 2.82 billion board feet.

Treating plants in Georgia and Virginia, which generally supply the northeastern markets, appear to be showing the most significant reduction. West coast treaters have enjoyed a good year, generally considered to be due to the less mature but still expanding market in their service areas, and remain cautiously optimistic for 1990.

While Southern treaters appear to be concerned for the winter treating program and do not expect dealers to commit to their normal commitments, the AWPB expects to see some recovery in 1990 to a volume around 3 billion board feet, still some l0o/o short of 1988 levels.

A significant issue facing our industry in the '90s will be the growing public concern for the desire to protect the environment. Unfortunately, the forest products industry seems to be cast in a role opposite those who are concerned about the

The challenges of the '90s are significant as we learn to manage the problems created by the federal budget deficit and increasing environmental restrictions. Our industry, however, should remain relatively strong given present demand projections. The ongoing application of technology to better serve customers in view of changing expectations and raw material availability issues offers a variety of exciting opportunities.

Many factors have contributed to this year's decline, including a healthy inventory position at the beginning of the year and an unusually wet spring. But most treaters and retailers, acknowledging the tremendous market potential for treated wood, are gearing up for next season, taking advantage of opportunities that were missed in 1989.

Story at a Glance

Treating industry faces lower market potential, though opportunities exist to recover the volume lost in'89.

Increasing timber supply pressure

lly l,awrence C. Harl President l;ibreboard ('orp.

HE F'OREST industry is facing a continuing challenge as we stand on the threshold ofthe 1990s We must deal with the complexities of maintaining an adequate timber supply brought on by pressures to decrease available timber under the guise of increased environmental concerns. Industry leaders need to take a creative look at the full use of products from existing resources and the needs that are present in the market place to maximize their efliciency.

The forest products industry, more than most other manufacturers, will continue to feel increasing pressure from special interest groups as resource management and -mu-ltiple use concerns remain in the forefront. We must communicate with the approachable environmental organizations indicating that we also have sensitivity for our forest resources. We must stress that resources are capable of serving many uses and needs simultaneously. The search for a meaningful dialogue with our critics must continue as the basis for a beneficial working relationship during the 1990s. This cannot be done by a single entity, but will take the united eflorts of industry leaders. Sadly, until that time, we will in allprobability see the closure of more sawmills.

Market trends indicate that new construction of single family homes is on the decline while multifamily units are increasing. We have reached the crest of the building boom now that most "baby boomers" have settled into their new homes. We can look for the 1.0 million single family housing starts of the past few years to continue. This effect on demand will be tempered by the "trading up" to larger homes. Remodeling and repair will play a more major role in the use of wood products. Inevitably lumber prices will rise as a result of the basic

laws ol'supply and demand. In order to meet the needs of these market trends, lumber manufacturers will concentrate more on supplying valueadded products designed for the do-ityourselI and remodeling markets.

l:ibreboard is responding to these trends by modernizing its plants to gain greater efficiency by using smaller logs and permitting virtually no part of the tree to go to waste. The mills that have cogeneration plants on site not only provide a cost eflective way to supply energy to run the plant, but enable us to supply surplus energy to local power companies as well. Our newest product, Arrowood (composite structural lumber), will use smaller under-utilized species of logs in the manufacturing of longer, stronger, composite boards up to 36 feet in length. We continue to search

lbr ncw and innovative uses ol'available resources to meet the needs of the market place in the 1990s.

Story at a Glance

Slngle famlly starts contlnuo at the 1 mllllon level, more repair and remodellng... wood demand Indlcates hlgher lumber prlces. .. tlmber supply ls lhe No. 1 problem.

We would be kidding ourselves if we said there is only smooth sailing ahead, but we can successfully meet these challenges if we continue to be responsive to the consumer's needs and continue to provide quality products to fill those needs.

Housing starts slide in the '90s

tly Nicholas R. Kent []xecutive Vice President North American Wholesale Lumber Assn.

ACH YEAR we examine the issues and forces that direct the business outlook for the lumber industry. This year we have the normal lorces of economic activity, interest rates and balance of trade, serving as signs along the roadway to the '90s. However, additional elements must be factored into our forecast. specifically, the effects of Hurricane Hugo, the Northern California earthquake and the timber supply crisis in the Pacific Northwest. We believe these elements are intertwined and must be addressed to achieve a reasonable degree of accuracy as we look into the future.

Story at a Glance

Housing stafts should reach 1.46 million in 1990. mortgage rates will remain below 1Oo/". higher lumber prices in the years ahead... continued decline of housing stads in the'90s.

The United States has enjoyed continued economic growth in recent years. Civen our slow but stable rate of economic growth and favorable balance of trade, pressure will continue to lower the nrime interest rate during the first part of 1990. This will have a lavorable impact on mortgage rates. We believe they will decline through the first and second quarters before bottoming out at approximately 9.70h. They will turn upward in the third quarter, ending the year at approximately 9.859,{r, but staying below lO(),'ir throughout the year. Potential home buyers who have been fence sitting while watching mortgage interest rates should move into the market in early 1990, boosting construction activity.

Hurricane Hugo, the California earthquake and the timber supply crisis blur our outlook. Natural disasters dramatically increase consumption of building materials such as plywood resulting in increased sales. However, upward pressure on price goes hand in hand and may drive the price of new homes even higher, thereby hurting the supply of affordable housing.

We are concerned about the timber supply situation as it applies to lumber prices. We are seeing Pacific Northwest stumpage prices higher than in 1979 when the market was driven up by speculators and the federal gcivernment was compelled to intervene with a controversial buyout program. We do not see a mood in Congress at this time to

support a similar buyout initiative. The bottom line is higher stumpage prices will translate into higher lumber prices in the years ahead.

Despite a projected economic growth rate of 2.40h, modest but continued improvement in the balance of trade, improvement in mortgage interest rates, natural disasters on both coasts and timber supply problems that do not go away, we still see a relatively favorable number of housing starts for 1990. We predict 1.46 million starts comprised of 1.05 million single family starts and 4 I 0,000 multi-family units.

In the decade of the '90s, we see a continued decline in total housing starts. Some pessimistic economists claim an average year by the mid 90s will post approximately 1.2 million starts with a good year showing 1.4 million and a slow year around I million. This is considerably below the current comfort level of 1.5 million starts used as a benchmark indicator.

Commitment to quality in '90

By Roger E. Peterson President Ace Hardware Corp.

lA OMMITMENT to Quality is a V phrase Ace has used to describe its goals over the past few years. Those words will be used more and more by everyone in the hardware, building materials industry as they identify and attempt to meet the challenges which lie ahead.

Those challenges relate to consumers who are becoming more and more aware and demanding of quality, value and service. If they do not find those ingredients in one retail store, they'll simply go down the street as competition continues to intensify. The "good old days" of across the board high margins, low-cost operations and a somewhat indifferent attitude toward the consumer are gone forever. They have been replaced by lower margins, higher costs of operation and intense competition for the do-it-yourself consumer.

To complicate matters, business

has another concern as mergers, restructuring and reorganizations continue. These put pressure on the small and medium-sized wholesale firms. We have seen more aggressive retailing in all areas of the country.

However, our industry is in excellent shape as we look ahead to the '90s. The demographics for growth are favorable. Manufacturing is strong and quality conscious. Distribution is efficient and retailers are more innovative and aware of what is necessary to be more successful.

Wholesalers-distributors, in general, are healthier financially, growing stronger and more responsive to the needs of those they serve. They've increased their buying power and have more clout. They're making more effective use of their staffs with centralized computer fiunctions and reduced operating costs.

Successful retailers will have stronger support from wholesalersdistributors in operating their businesses. Their consumer base will grow as they adapt to the needs in their market. Through their attitudes, policies, and image they will make the shopping experience better for consumers. Improved use of signage, display and layout will offer convenience. Quality products and competitive prices will appeal to the astute shopper. Most importantly, retailers will listen to consumers and respond.

Story at a Glance

Attention to quality and service will help retailers, wholesalerdistributors meet expectataons and demands of customers in the'90s.

Consumers of the '90s will be opting for a simpler life as they balance work, family obligations and leisure. The key for many of them is a quality home life. They are building their homes as refuges away from the pressures of modern life with home improvements, more interest in home entertainment products and upgrading of housing and home durables. This trend is reflected in a growing do-it-yourself market, which is expected to grow at an average annual rate ofbetter than 9% for the next 5 years.

Consumers are looking for quality products that are easy to use and durable. They want to know manufacturers stand behind everything they make with "a satisfaction guaranteed." That goes for retailers, as well, with their returns policy.

More wood window, door demand

By Robert A. Carlson President National Wood Window & Door Association

THE 1990 demand for wood winI dows and doors is expected to rise due to significant technological advancements coupled with declinlng mortgagerates and increases in home remodeling and repalrs.

The NWWDA predicts an increase of 8o/o for interior doors, an increase of 60/o for exterior doors and windows, and a 5% rise in patio door demand.

But what kinds of changes can consumers expect to see in the extraordinary amount of wood windows and doors to be had? We're looking at major technological changes in energy and efficiency. Windows will increase in glass "intelligence," as technology is developed to produce windows with R-values of 6 to 8. Scientists are also creating the means by which a window's surface will change from clear to reflective to curb solar heat gain. The ability of a window to accomplish these tasks will increase its efficiency considerably.

Wood doors will also undergo some alterations. For example, advancements in weatherstripping will play a major role in the energy efficiency of a door.

We've seen a 200/o increase in total wood window and door sales. Next year will prove to be even more successful, especially in the South Atlantic region, where wood windows and doors will account for more than two-thirds of the total unit increase.

Story at a Glance

Technological advancements, de clining mongage rates, remodeling & repair will bring more than 2(P/o increase in door and window demand.

SP market outlook

lly Karl W. l,lndberg President Southern ljorest Products Association

Aff$,,

November.

completing a seventh year of expansion in the U.S. economy is an eighth consecutive

working on year as it heads into the new decade of the '90s. How long can we have one sunny day after the other before it ' eventually rains? Not forever, of course. But 7 oerhaos lonc,er \ itran manv ot--us suspect. "The only invincible thing in this world is the American consumer," notes a financial analyst.

Yet consumers still buy raincoats and umbrellas. And despite the essential optimism of the southern pine lumber industry, we too are prepared for some rainy days in the I 990s.

Several years ago, our industry saw the demographic handwriting on the wall of homebuilding, and factored into our plans the prospect of a declining housing market in the years ahead. We rely less and less on supplying framing lumber for the housing sector, and more and more on diversified markets such as engineered wood systems, exports and treated products.

What that has meant in the latter part of the '80s is not only the stimulation of new demand, but a buffer against a sudden braking of the economy and a related crash of the homebuilding market.

Slory at a Glane

Southern pine market targets engineered & framing, treated residential, exports, industrial and repair & remodeling markets, beefs up promotions with goal of 13.5 billion bf by 1995.

For the '90s, the southern pine lumber industry has extended this strategy by launching another five year marketing program. This $7.5 million program, called Marketing

Marathon ll. aims to boost southern pine lumber demand by an additional 900 million board feet during the first five years of the new decade just ahead. Marketing Marathon I, 1985 - 1989, hiked southern pine lumber production form 10,5 to 12.6 billion board feet.

Expecting some rainy days in the years ahead, Marketing Marathon ll has set a lower goal - looking to ratchet up production to 13.5 billion board feet by the beginning of 1995. lf the gods keep letting the sunshine in, we may do even better than that.

Marketing Marathon ll targets five segments: engineered & framing; treated residentiall exports; industrial (non-building), and repair & remodeling (whitewoods). The marketing program will use aggressive advertising and public relations, combined with focused promotions to target audiences on the advantages of using southern pine lumber.

"The aim of marketing is to make selling superfluous," says management guru Peter Drucker. To which we might add that a second aim of our diversified program is to spread the risk so we can shift to another marketplace if raindrops start falling in a particular sector.

So we look forward to more sunshine, but we're ready for rain, just in case.

Housing's mixed bag

By Alan M. Gayle Vice President & Chief Economist Crestar Bank

HE economic expansion continued through 1989 amid increasing signs that momentum was fading. The outlook for 1990 is little different, although good news may be harder to come by. Nevertheless, the housing industry should be affected by special factors that may help avert a severe retrenchment.

Most major sectors of the economy experienced some form of downward pressure in 1989. Consumer spending was trimmed by slower growth in jobs and income, but generous

financial incentives kept buyers in the stores and auto showrooms. This strategy can work lor awhile, but by the end of the year, the novelty had worn off and the consumer had cut back. The business sector witnessed the drop in new orders for goods and promptly cut back on production and in many cases instituted layoffs.

Story at a Glance

Less good news In 1990. speclal lactors should helP houslng avold a severe retrenchment. .lower mortgage rates next year.

The good news here was that business seemed to react quickly to the weakness, and cut production before burdensome inventories accumulated. On the trade front, the good news from 1988 on surging exports was not repeated. Growth in exports continued, but the momentum that was created by the falling dollar drifted away, making progress on the trade deficit diflicult. All of these events helped to reduce growth in the economy, and all of them are still key concerns for the new year.

The news on the inflation front was both good and bad, but the bad news came first and left, allowing prices to stabilize toward the end of the year. A spike in oil prices and lefitover pressure from the 1988 drought hit the major indexes early but worked their way out of the system by the fall. Slower demand helped apply some pressure as well, and many businesses contained costs in order to maintain profit margins. In short, doing business in 1989 seemed to be a little tougher.

The forces in place affecting 1990 offer little encouragement over the near term, but there is hope for the second half of the year. The consumer does not appear to be in a strong spending mood, and business confidence and expectations are deteriorating. With growth in exports getting harder to maintain, the prospects are slim for an economic rebound anytime soon.

However, all of this negative commentary does not mean that there are not opportunities for the housing industry, and several forces will help create demand in the new year. First, the slower growth should allow the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates further, holding out the prospect of a 9% conventional mortgage rate by spring. Second, the

natural disasters that have hit both coasts will (sadly enough) also increase the demand for repair and renovation work. Finally, the softer housing areas around the country appear to have received the worst of the bad news, and some bottoming out is likely during this time.

The outlook for housing in 1990 should be firm, despite what will otherwise be a soft economy. Interest rates should trend lower, and the weaker housing markets should respond favorably. However, selective market targeting will be a critical element of a successful vear.

Bright futurc for structural wood panels

By William T. Robison President American Plywood Association

T HE U.S. structural wood panel

I industry will likely finish 1989 slightly behind the 27.2 billion square feet 1988 record. But the long-term forecast looks bright.

A new fiveyear forecast targets more than 3l billion square feet of demand by 1994.

It is an ambitious goal, to be sure some five billion square feet of new demand, with steady and substantial increases in each of the industry's major markets. To be achieved, it will require overcoming major challenges. Chief among these is the unprecedented spate of legal entanglements and other well-funded tactics calculated by preservationist groups to shut down our industry's raw material supply.

I believe there are signs that legislative and public viewpoints on this critical issue may be slowly changing in our favor. There is no doubt that we are in for a long battle with those who threaten economic devastation to.our industry and rising consumer pnces.

While that battle continues on a united industry front, APA is pursuing long-standing but recently reaffirmed objectives. The5el include

building greater market demand for structural wood panel products, maintaining consistently high product quality standards, and expanding APA cooperative activities with other wood industry organizations.

Story at a Glane

Structural wood panel industry will overcome threat to supply by preservationists. promotions will help expand our markets.

A key element of APA's marketing strategy is continued development of the industry's major nonhousing markets: remodeling, industrial, nonresidential construction, do-it-yourself sales, and the international market.

Residential construction still offers attractive opportunities, however, and remains the industry's single largest market.

We are enthusiastic about the residential remodeling market. A growing inventory of older residences, increasing costs of new construction, the mobility of the U.S. labor force, and the increasing proficiency of do-it-yourself remodelers combine to make this a major area of opportunity.

Significant volume increases are likewise targeted in the nonresidential construction market, where demand for office and commercial space in many areas of the country is finally catching up with the overbuilt inventory produced earlier in the decade.

Tremendous room for growth remains in the industrial market. Our "Big Bin" demountable container design and the life-cycle costing benefits of structural wood panel pallets are yielding a growing share of the competitive materials handling sector.

Perhaps the greatest promise of growth exists in the international arena, where U.S. structural wood panel products are finding increasing favor as a construction and industrial material. A decade of aggressive promotion activities in cooperation with the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has paid significant dividends in markets around the globe. U.S. industry last year shipped more than one billion square feet (3/8inch basis) of structural wood panels for the first time ever. APA has set a goal of almost doubling that volume to a total of 2.5 billion square feet by 1994.

Resource availability, economic uncertainties, competitive products and responding to ever-greater marketplace demand are among the many challenges facing the structural wood panel industry in the 1990s. Yet, with the commitment and promotional ingenuity demonstrated by the industry in the past, we continue to affirm our strong belief in the rich untapped potential of the marketplace and the excellent prospects for industry growth.

Moulding business will change

By Tom MacDonald President Wood Moulding & Millwork Producers Association

T HE 1990s should be a decade of I challenge, change and new opportunities for moulding and millwork producers. Although interest rates and general economic conditions will continue to have the major impact on our industry's level of profitable activity, other factors may have an lncreasrng lnfluence on our business climate. Resource constraints, environmental issues, advanced technology, more sophisticated markets, world trade and changing demographics may all change the way we do business over the next l0 years.

Story at a Glance

Resource availability, technological advances, smaller workforce, more demanding consumer, export emphasis will change moulding & millwork.

The pressure environmentalists have recently put on resource availability is expected to increase in 1990 (Continued on next page)

Changee In Mouldlng

(Continued from page I 3) and beyond. Reduced supply ol some species will encourage the use of alternatives available both in the U.S. and abroad. Product engineering will focus on the balance between efTicient use o[available resources and traditional constructions. The increased use of second growth timber should lead to more sophisticated products with engineered constructions using veneers. coatings and overlays. Material costs will be an increasing percentage of total product costs.

Technological advances will focus on helping producers cope with rising labor and material costs. "lntelligent" machines that use computers to assist with decision making will become the norm at both large and small manufacturing companies. Value based optimizing technology will help increase total dollar yield from the available raw materials.

The consumers of moulding and millwork products will become more quality, performance and service oriented. Shorter lead times, more stringent product performance requirements and special services are alI expected to characterize the markets of the 1990s. The increasing demand for d-i-y products will increase the demand for services such as special packaging and bar coding. The high cost of housing will tend to make the typical home buyer or remodeler a more demanding consumer.

Exports should become a major factor in expanding the market for moulding and millwork products.

Demographic studies tell us that fewer people will enter the workfiorce in the '90s and to expect a decrease in the number of first time home buyers. These factors are predicted to result in fewer housing starts in the mid 1990s and beyond. To cope with the effects of these demographic changes, companies will be required to take a fresh approach to both their marketing and manufacturing methods. Marketing plans will focus on balancing domestic and international sales in products that fit both new home construction and the remodeling markets. Manufacturing managers may be required to address many diverse issues in the workplace from child care to the training of people in the use of high technology equipment.

Next year may mark the beginning of this century's most challenging decade. New markets will open up both at home and abroad but with an increasing demand for quality and service.

Steady course ahead

lly Al l,eltschuh, ('Al: l:xccutive Vicc l)rcsidcnt National lluilding Matcrial I )istributors Association

A S TllE building products indusA try enters the 1990s, that magic benchmark associated with a new

still play a very important part (and will be successful) in the overall building products market.

try has been rid-

ing, increased competition, mergers and acquisitions, an unpredictable economy and an increased need for educated employees have created a new set of "norms" throughout all levels of the building products industry. Will the 1990s bring the same? Probably, but most NBMDA members do not predict the ride reaching as many peaks and valleys. The course will be a steady one.

A quick survey of NBMDA members indicates that economic growth will continue to level off in the U.S. Housing starts will be up moderately, due in part to diverse interest rates. The repair & remodeling side will continue steady growth.

U.S. distributors are confident that significant recessions will be avoided on a national level, but will continue to exist on a regional level as a "rolling recession," one that actually travels from region to region, while other segments of the country are experiencing modest to good economic activity.

Story at a Glance

Economic growth leveling, no significant recession... more mergers and acquisitions. increased technological advancements. .. improved opportunities for distributors.

Mergers and acquisitions wlll continue to impact our industry with a trend toward national distribution networks, but most predict the role of the niche-oriented distributor will

I)istributor members tell us that 1990 and beyond will bring more emphasis on operation elTiciencies. Technological advancement like bar coding, E.l).1., and other computer applications will enhance the role a distributor plays in the market channel. Many tell us opportunities for distributors have never been better as many retailers and manuflacturers pull out of the distribution functions. will 1990 bring great changes for the building products industrY? Probably not. lt will continue a dynamic. yet steady course.

Enviros threat to industry

By Ernest J. Stebbins Executive Manager National l{ardwood Lumber Assn.

I REMAIN relatively optimistic

I about the prospects for the general economy and for hardwood lumber in 1990. but it's difficult to characterize prospects for NHLA's members over the next year, because so many of them operate in different segments of the industry.

When you focus on the details, you find

that an individual businessman is not concerned with the volume that he is selling but his margin. net income expressed as a percentage of his investment. Margin has quite a bit to do with the species that a firm handles, varying from region to region in North America, and whether or not the firm is manufacturing green lumber, drying its own stock, Purchasing, drying and re-selling, buying and re-selling only, exporting, and a number of other factors. While many of the members to whom I've spoken are reluctant to Predict an improved bottom line in 1990, most are confident in the economy and in

The single most important issue on the horizon is the threat that environmental preservationists pose to their businesses. A growing movement of activism has emerged in both the U.S. and Canada. This is similar to the "green party" political movement in the major western European countries.

These enviros put nature first and human beings second on their agenda, and see the world as an arena for conflict between man and his environment. In order to solve this conflict, they believe that man's activities should be excluded from natural areas, that is to say, any area that is green, that has water on it or trees growing on it, or a. striking geographic feature which we would con,sider beautiful. The, enviros believe that man's activitibs. other than to occasionally walk and observe, should be excluded from these areas.

Story at a Glance

Environmentalists are the biggest threat for the industry we must tell our side of the story if we expect to survive.

As ridiculous as this point of view seems to all of us who believe in the wise and multiple use of our natural resources, our national media believes it, our government believes it, and our courts believe it. Why? Because they hear only one side of the storythe enviro side. We as individuals and as an industry have been silent on the issue, believing there's enough wood and water to go around, that "they'll never shut me down." Well, they've shut down over 100 mills in Oregon and Washington during the past year, and they've taken away thousands of acres of hardwood forests from planned harvests in the Lake states. in the Midwest and the Appalachian areas, and it's just the tip of the iceberg. The enviros care about what they believe in and they're not afraid to do something about itattend a hearing, write a letter to the editor, call a congressmanand do it again and again.

The biggest threat is that we haven't taken them seriously until now. The NHLA has committed money, time and people to this forest resource issue. It will be a high priority for us in 1990 and, I'm afraid, in the years ahead.

1.45 million 1990 housing starts

By Robert C. Doran Director, Marketing Research & Planning Gold Bond Building Products

T HE GENERAL economy has

I been slowing down since early 1989. The predicted "soft landing" may have already arrived with the result that housing starts declined in 1989 and shouldremain low throughout the .first half of 1990 ibeford, improting in the secodd ihalf of the:vear.

'i This "soft landing" sug-; gests there will be some reduction in market interest rates into 1990. Fixed rate liome mortgages should drift down to about l0% by early 1990. Housing starts will probably total just above 1.4 million in 1989, and 1990 should be about 1.45 million starts with the strength not coming until the second half of the year.

Single family starts appear to have plateaued at approximately one million units and will probably remain at that level through 1990. However, multifamily still remains depressed due to the effects of tax reform and overbuilding in some areas of the country, but rental vacancy rates began declining in 1989. It is diflicult to see multifamily starts much above 375,000 units in 1990.

Regionally, 1990 may be much the same as 1989. One of the weaker areas of the country is the Northeast, where very high home prices, coupled with a slowdown in the financial services, computer and defense high technology sectors of their economy, have created affordability problems. On the other hand, the Midwest and Southeast regions may remain relatively strong in 1990. The West should also hold strong, although continued "environmental" and "no-growth" issues in this section of the country may become a concern. The South Central area, the oil patch states, may have finally bottomed out, but any recovery is expected to be quite gradual.

The size of new homes continues to increase as well as both the amenities and the price. The median square footage for single family homes has risen steadilv since 1982

and in 1988 reached an all time high of 1,810 square feet. In 1988, the median square footage of multifamily units was 940.

Story at a Glance

Housing starts will reach 1.45 million with second half strong j{.. si(gle family stats 1 million, ;fdrSer tmcire exPensive homes'

iiiln 19S8, the median single family riew home price increased'1 .7o/o over 1'987 to $112,500 and continues to incrgpse in 1989. On a square foot basi$., the Nottheast continues to be the tiighest prised region for residential construction, while the South is the lowest.

Also in 1988, 420/o of the homes completed had2-l/2 baths compared to only 280/o in 1984. More than 250/o of new homes are being built with four or more bedrooms.

Wood products were selected as the exterior wall cladding material in 420/o of the homes in 1988. Brick, which had a reported 320lo market share as late as 1982, was used on only l7o/o of the homes in 1988 with vinyl siding taking much of the share away from brick.

In both single and multifamily homes, gypsum board continues to dominate as the interior finish material with about 940lo of the total wall area finished with gypsum board. Gypsum board coated with a thin coat ofplaster accounted for about 350/o of the total wall area. In single family homes, 810/o of the gypsum board is 1/2" thick while in multifamily, 53% of the gypsum board is l/2" with the remaining 470/0 5/8" thick. Gypsum board used in new residential construction will account for about l0 billion square feet in 1990, slightly above 1989 due primarily to the small improvement forecasted in housing starts.

I {otttcQua rt ers Wu rt' lt o tt.st' opened a new storc in lloovcr, nl., with plans to open tw<l in eastern llirminghant ancl one in Montgorrtery next tall. a (iastonia, N.C., unit opcns irr thc spring ol' 1990

lloutt, /)r7xrl plarts to opcn ilt least onc new storc in lrort Worth, Tx., ncxt ycar. and is looking ftrr aclditional sites the contpany has u $300 Irrillion revolving credit agrcenlcnt trl finance construction ol'60 storcs over the next two to thrce years . .

Lowa's will opcn its largest N.C'. store (46,000 sq. t't.) in llcnclerson next ntrlnth (sec ;t. 24 lor story) a proposal to rclocate the Staunton, Va., Loyr<"s is being considered by the '*ututtott Plunnin,q, ('ortttttis.sittrt Lou'r'ls is opening a new st()re in Crossville. Tn. . . I-tttlt".t in Sarasota and F'ort Myers. 1"1., havebeenclosecl ....

Assets of IL E. Lconlrurdt Luntber ('o., Oklahoma City, Ok., including Big L llomc ('en/(,/'.r are being transf'erred to Leotthardt Actluisitirtrt ('o. under a Chapter ll bankruptcy plan... Mechanic's Lunrbcr (b., North Liltle Rock, Ar., has agreed to buy Arkrno Lunbcr & Suppl.v Co., North Little Rock. from National Medical Enterprises Irtc., Los Angeles, Ca.

The Hechinger Co. tool art collection usually displayed at Landover, Md., Hq. is on exhibit at the l\,{ational Building Museum, Washington. D.C.. through Jan, 15...

Ittttivcrsarias: llotnt l)aytt, Atlarttir. (ia.. llth. ,klunts lluikliil,q .\uppl.v, lrrc., llartwcll, (i1., lst. 7i'"vas lttraslry .,l.ssrtt'itttirtn. l)iboll, -l'x., 7.51h

I)tt va | .vlc.s lJuilditt,q .\u1t1tlv, l{ock llill. S.('., which lost 26 ttl' its 4J storagc shcrls in llurricunc I Iugo, causing lhcnr $2(X),(XX) in clantrrgc, is still ol)cn . 'lixll Lunrhcr ('rt., Itt<.. l{ock llill, has closccl

l|'astluli,a llunlvurc is closing its ljf<rricla div. ol' Lirtlslav llontt' ('rrrc stores acqurrcd in l9tl7... lJuildct'ttrtru. ('olurnbia, S.('., has becn closcd by ll/it'rtcr Drtarpriscs . . .,\4 Lutttltclclclscd stores in l-cesburg and l'anrpit, Iil., 'Iaylors, S.(.., Savarrnah, (iit.. Arlington ancl I)cnton. 'fx. . .

Salc ol' ('urttcrttrt 14"ltola.wlc. Waccr. 'Ix.. t0 ,4ll(' .Sttpply, lleloit. Wi.. is still in the works witlr llnal closing cxpectccl about I)ec. l. accorclittg to Ken Ilenclricks. All(l Supplv prcs.

Gcorgio Wlnlesola Ltttrtber has nrovecl its olfices to ('ovington. Ga., lionr Atlanta . L'k'l;'tt'en Luttrht'r (ir., l'ligh Point, N.C., and lntcrttaliortal Pupt'r have opened a joint purchasing of fuce in Tualatin, Or. .

Blue Cirt'lc, /nc., Atlanta, Ga., completed the sale of Willco Buildinc Materiql,s Distrihutors, Iuc., ta Maxey' Bttsshartlt Ltttnber Cir. which will operate it as Willco/Maxc.t, Bosshordt, Jinr Stansberry, former Williants Brothers Ltrmhcr v.p.. gen. nrgr.

,ll(uutitt.tlt)tt l'l'txxl l'hxtrs has :rct;uilcd twtt hirrdwood vcnccr rtrills lnrl rclatcrl tirttbcr opcriltiorts irt Alabantit .. . .\tut.sltitra llttttrrts, /rlr'., has tcrluirccl .\oluritrttt .\t.slt'ttt.s lttlt'rttrtlittttul

(ittit'rrnt, l.trtnb<'r ( ir.. ( )pclousas. 1.u.. lras itdclctl 35,0(X) sq. tl. to its wlrrchousc lilr a total of l(X),0(X) sq. li. lnd is now hantllirrg srrfcs l'<tr l'.,lco lttrcsl l'nxl' lrtls'wood trcating ltlirnt

.lltt.sttttitt,lr l lrurcl, Ms.. hurdboarcl plirnt will irtcrcitsc its citpacity bv ntorc thitn 60{1, with a $-50 rttillit,rt crllrrttsiott .

ll t't't'rltuctt.st'r' ('tt. llts lllaced its Varrrvillc. S.('., do<lr plitnt on tlrc nrurkct in un arcltitcctural clool tliv. rcrlrgaltizittion.

Nttrttultltt l.urrtbt'r ( ir.. l;ranklirr, N.('.. has opcnccl a wholcsale ancl rctail slrccialty pluntbing opcraticln ancl accluircd an existing huilrlirrg rttrrtcrials storc in Ilaycsvillc, N.('....

A joint inclustry rcsearch project to tcst rigicl insulation board using hyclroch Iorollltorocarbon substitutcs lirr chlorolluorocarbons is under way at Ouk llidgc Nutiortal Ithitrutrtrv, Oak Ridge. Trt....

.Sotttlt ('untlitta has special casualty loss trcatnrent and other tax relicl-bills fbr tintbe r growers in the Ilurricane llugo disaster area in the Senate and ilouse .

Contracting filr new construction was up 8([ to an annualized rate o[ $274.2 billion, a Dodge /irrl<rr high fbr the _vear

llousing starts lcbr;ttttded I 2a/' in Oct. (latest figs.) to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of I .42 ntillion units. the largest nronthly increase in nearly three years . single fanrily starts climbed 6.9%r; multilamily 29tilt . .. building permits were up 0.71ilt

Weyerhaeuser Sells Panel Div.

The Weyerhaeuser Co. paneling division has been sold to a new Virginia corporation, Chesapeake Hardwood Products, Inc.

An affiliate of Kalimanis Group, headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, the new corporation has acquired the 452,000 sq. ft. wall paneling facitity at Chesapeake, Va., and the hardwood plywood facility at Hancock, Vt. Weyerhaeuser retained the veneer mills at Jefferson and New Freedom, Pa.

Chesapeake Hardwood Products, Inc. will continue to manufacture and sell prefinished hardwood paneling, hardwood plywood and other complementary wall furnishing products. Its primary markets will include retail sales, manufactured housing, recreational vehicle and other industrial manufacturers.

suppliers coupled with our proven abilities in the areas of marketing, sales and promotion, will ensure a strong future for our business," he added. "lt will enhance our ability to strengthen long term business partnerships with our customers."

Chesapeake Hardwood Products, Inc. began operations and sales immediately. Weyerhaeuser Paneling Division products will continue to be available through normal distribution channels, a Chesapeake spokesman said.

"The commitment of the people of Chesapeake Hardwood Products, Inc. remains the same," Renfro said. "We are committed to supplying our customers with the best product, quality and service at competitive prices. "

lndustry Aids Hugo Victims

The forest products and building products industry has been generous in contributing to areas ravaged by Hurricane Hugo.

Weyerhaeuser Co. customer service centers in Charlotte, Greensboro and Asheville, N.C., and Atlan-

ta, Ga., each donated a truckload of building materials to be distributed to those with no insurance or great financial need. Employees of the Hot Springs, Ar., office donated supplies such as flashlights, lanterns and cooking utensils in a community drive.

Coastal Lumber Co., sent three truckloads of plywood and lumber from its Havana, Fl., manufacturing complex. Paty Co., Piney Flats, Tn., donated three truckloads of building supplies.

Lowe's Cos., Inc. coordinated distribution of three carloads of lumber and plywood donated by over 50 mills in the Northwest. Burlington Northern and CSX Transportation moved the material at no charge to Thomasville Forest Products, a Lowe's subsidiary, where Columbia & Cowlitz Railway, a Weyerhaeuser Co. subsidiary, took over, also donating services. Lowe's donated the services of Dedicated Fleet to transport the material to Charleston, S.C.

Robert T. Renfro continues as president and c.o.o., John C. Redding, vice president and general manager, Nelson T. Russell, national sales manager, David A. Walters, business manager, and Ruth Takacs, customer service manager.

"We are very pleased with the prospects under new ownership. For several years, hardwood plywood manufactured in Indonesia has been the principal raw material for products produced at Chesapeake and Hancock. This acquisition provides us with an invaluable strategic tie with our raw material suppliers," Renfro said.

"Closer ties with our raw material

Robert T. Renfro

Providing Total Intormation Management for the Forest Products Industry:

. OISTRIBUTION YAROS

.

PRODUCTION OPERATIONS

Sawmill, Remanufacturing Facilities, Kiln Ooerations, Treating Plants, Millwork Plants

. BROKERAGE OPERATIONS

CONTACT: Garv Mill€r

CALENDAR

DECEMBER

Bulldlng Mrterlal Merchants' AssocirtlonDec. l2' budgeting the bottom line seminar. llirmingham. Al.l Dec. 13, Atlanta, (ia.

Virglnia Building Material AssociatlonDec. 14, sales seminar, Richmond, Va.

Buildlns Materisl Merchants' AssociationDec. llt-20, basic training program, Austell, (ia.

JANUARY

Iluilding Material Merchants AssoclationJan. l0-ll' advanced millwork seminar' Austell, (ia.

l,umbermen'sClubof MemphisJan. tl, installation of officers luncheon, Racquet (ilub, Memphis, Tn.

l,umbermens Association of TexasJan. t t-12, basic estimating seminar, Waco, Tx.

Buildlng Material Merchants AssociationJan. l2-13' buying show, (ieorgia lnternational Trade Center, College Park, Ga.

Hsrdware Wholesalers, Inc.Jan. l2-13, winter building products market, Stouffers Hotel, Orlando, Fl.

International Housewares ExpositionJan' l4-17, McCormick Place, Chicago, Il.

Virginia Building Material AssociationJan. l5-17, residential framing estimating seminar; Jan. l8-19, speed estimating seminar, Charlottesville, Va.

Lumbermens Association of TexasJan. 18, electrical wiring workshop; Jan. 19, plumbing workshop, Waco, Tx.

National Association of Home BuildersJan. 19-22, annual convention, (ieorgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga.

CC DistributorsJan. 20-21, market, Wyndam Corpus Christi Hotel, Corpus Christi, Tx'

World of ConcreteJan. 20-23, annual expo, Astrodome/ Astrohall Complex, Houston,, Tx.

Kentucky Lumber & Building Material Dealers AssociationJan. 24-25, annual convention, Flyatt Regency, Louisville, Ky.

Central Builders Supplies Co.Jan. 25-26, annual trade show. Orlando, F-I.

Independent Builder's Supply AssociationJan. 26, spring show, Raleigh, N.C.

FEBRUARY

Building Component Manufacturers ConferenceFeb' 1-3' Osborne Convention Center, Jacksonville, Fl.

Lumbermens Association of TexasFeb. 1-3' board & committee meetings, Austin, Tx.

Constructa HannoverFeb. l-7, international building trade exhibition, Hannover, West Germany'

Virginia Building Material AssociationFeb. 6-8, management seminar, Charlottesville, Va.

American Architectural Manufacturers AssociationFeb' 8-10, trade show, Chicago O'Hare Exposition Center, Rosemont, ll.

Handy Hardware WholesaleFeb. 9-11, spring market, George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, Tx'

Distribution will hit golden age

By Hawk Furman President Furman Lumber, Inc

E OREST products distribution

I- will hit its golden age in the 1990s. The lumber industry was radically altered between November 1979 and October 1982 as a result of high interest rates, oversupply, transportation deregulation, transfer of inventory carry back from the retailer to the dis- tributor and m an u factu rer, and consolidation among manufacturers. distributors and retailers. These events led to a restructuring in our industry that places the stocking distributor in a very strategic role.

In the oversupplied global economy of the 1990s, the successful lumber and panel products distributor will be a low cost operator, provide quality products and unsurpassed service and work on a lesser gross margin than today. This will be made possible through size, buying clout, maximum utilization of information technology, transportation expertise, better internal communications, staying closer to the customer, training and leaner management teams more fully immersed in fine tuning every aspect of the distribution process.

During the 1990s the auction market in forest products will continue to fade as partnership arrangements between distributor and manufacturer and distributor and retailer provide more efl'iciency, lower costs and better returns for all in the distribution channel.

The old rules that worked for manufacturers in an undersupplied

market are changing dramatically in an oversupplied marketplace. More manufacturers like Weyerhaeuser will pull out of distribution and go back to their core businesses. Vertically integrated firms will find it harder and harder to compete against pure distribution companies. Egos will take a backseat to financial results.

More retailers are realizing that buying direct in all cases may be good for the ego but not necessarily best for their bottom lines. Retail companies like Home Depot will continue to set up partnership arrangements with distributors and gain the benefits of freeing up inventory dollars, assuring themselves of no stock outs, lessening pilferage, saving on transportation, warehouse, and people costs while achieving a higher GM ROI.

The stocking distributor is playing a more stategic role in the distribution channel and his role will become more important in the 1990s. Manufacturers will be fighting for warehouse space in distribution yards while retailers will keep pushing the burden of purchasing and merchandising back on distributors. The stocking distributor of the 1990s will be providing more value added services at a lesser cost to both the manufacturers and retailers.

Story at a Glance

Stocking distributor in strategic role auction market will fade .. manufacturers will pull out of distribution... value added services will cost retailer less.

Soviets Tour Lowe's Operation

Questions asked by 25 Soviet management officials visiting the Lowe's Companies store and warehouse in North Wilkesboro. N.C.. could have come from any U.S. retailer.

What are the price differences between wholesale and retail goods? How do you attract customers? How do you handle employee miscon-

duct? How do you maintain quality? How do you keep enough items in stock?

Lee McConnell, store manager; Ron Perry, v.p. of distribution, and Clarissa Felts, manager of industrial research, provided answers to the group which is in the U.S. through a program at Wake Forest University's Babcock Graduate School of Management.

Home Center Merchant

BILL FISHMAN

Bill Fishman & Affiliales

1 1 650 lberia^Pla99. -- c,ories carried by home centers and San Diego' ca' 92128 Building material <lealers is a mixed bag

ll VERY successful mag,azine pub-

lisher once told me that the first lesson he was taught in the publishing business was "subscriptions are sold one-at-a-time!" I think of that often and frequently apply it to situations in the lumber and building material business.

This is a lesson that has even more meaning when trying to sell big users.

As a consultant I am challenged to increase the sales volume for a retail lumberyard. Typically, | first strive to expand the d-i-y business by:

(l) Selling more of the existing assortments

(2) Expanding the geographic pull

(3) Increasing the merchandise selection to enlarge the size of each ticket

Then I advise my client to solicit new business from the professionals!

The professional user of product cate-

including:

o Purchasing agents at large & small industrial companies

o Property managers a Contraclors

o Commercial offices

. Sign companies

o Architects

o E,tc.

The second best way to get a message to these prospective customers is by direct mail. In many markets mailing list houses can isolate these businesses by SIC codes.

The best way to make contact with these big users is by phone. When I moderate focus groups of professionals, I ask two questions that almost always get a "No" answer: "Did you ever get a phone call lrom any dealer asking you to allow him to be your lumber and building material supplier?" and "Would you object if you did get such a call?"

The sccond "No" is usually followed with a "l'd welcome it and all things being equal I would give them all the business I could."

Interestingly, thc current tlnited Airline tv commercial. "Our oldest customer just fired us," brings home the same point. A bit ol'pcrsonal attachment does much to bind a rclationship and make it less vulnerable to low price competition.

Ilxtra service keeps your customers your customers. Sometimes extra service takes unusual forms. West lluilding Material (lenters in Atlanta once boasted the longest lunch counter in town. A pot of grits was constantly warming on the stove and the large sign behind the counter read something like, "lf your company account is up-to-date, enjoy breaklast and lunch IrREE at West's!" (iuess where the contractor's trucks went when the drivers were sent to pick up some additional material lor a construction job.

If the price is right il you're just a little friendlier and show you care il you deliver a little extra value your customers will drive right past your competition to get to you. lf your competition's customers know about your price, and that you care about them, and about your "pot of grits" they too may drive on by the competition.

OPERATING OPPORTUNITIES

WALLY LYNCH Paid Associates PO. Box 741623 Dallas. Tx.75243

THE year isn't over. but it's fairly I easy to characterize its business atmosphere. Sales were sluggish and profits were marginal. Costs were up. Payroll taxes, insurance and interest rates all rose.

Amidst this, our economy continues to be over populated with retail outlets. Our industry is no exception. Going into the new year one has to conclude that individually there's not much anyone could have done to change these extraneous profit shrinkers.

Since the information was first collected, the average lumber and building rnaterial dealer has spent about 980 to make 20 in pre-tax profit. There are, however, lots of exceptions to this by people concentrating their efforts into areas where they can effect beneficial change to the bottom line.

There are dealers turning inventory 10 to 12 times annually. Some dealers average $2,000,000 per truck in delivered sales. At companies where the clocks are read consistently, forklifts are working more than 35 hours weekly. The difference is in asset and manpower use.

Ask yourself where your company fits? lfyou don't own a book on inventory control, buy one and use it. Then, with what's left of the year, ask your controller to give you ownership costs on every truck and forklift you have: maintenance, insurance, interest, license and taxes and depreciation.

Trucks will be somewhere between $8.000 and $10.000 each. Forklifts will be around $5,000.

Next determine your total delivered sales annually and divide by the number oftrucks you have. How does your average compare with $2,000,000?

Now try to determine the weekly use in hours of each of your forklifts. How does each compare with 35 hours weekly?

What you're looking for in each of these exercises is your position in relation to what's being done by your peers. Let's say that your trucks average $800,000 each. What if you were just 750h as effective in asset utilization and you got $1,500,000 per truck? Ifit were school, surely you could get a "C" in trucking.

The same lollows for forklifts. If you get 20 hours per week each, could you get 26 hours, or l50lt of what's being done by others?

The exercise, where we've done it for and with people, has most often resulted in a reduction in equipment and subsequently in payroll.

lf it results in one less truck and one less forklift, it will have this result. Nominally, ownership costs for a truck ($9,000) and for a forklift ($5,000) reduce equipment expense $14,000. If your pre-tax profit is 20/0, that savings is like $700,000 in sales. If you add $10,000 per operator to expense reduction, that additional $20,000 is like $1,000,000 in sales. Who couldn't use this any year?

Sales of $1,700,000 is a larger volume

than many dealers ever achieve. Even half of this is worth going after.

Look to yourself for a better year in 1990. Ifyou need help taking this one to the bankcall me at (214) 690-6600.

Tips on safe software buying

Outline specific functions and tasks that the software needs to perform to meet your needs. Allow for future growth and changes.

Talk to software dealers for information. Consult industry trade journals for evaluations and recom men dation s.

Have a dealer demo several packages. Be sure it does what you need. Use the package yourself, dealers make things look too easy. Easy is crucial for training. though, and saving money. Don't buy hastily. Try more than one at different dealers. Find a well known package, one that's widely understood. Literature and support will be abundant. Initial bugs will be corrected. Is the package compatible with your hardware. i.e., is your printer supported? Do you have enough memory? Does it require a hard drive? Will it work with a black & white monitor?

Once you have found what you want, shop around. Software prices vary considerably. Consider mail order. Some deliver next day.

If the package is to manage important data, back up your files regularly. Tape backup systems are inexpensive and pay for themselves. Computers are not lailsafe, nor are people.

SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION

M id-Amerlca l,umbermen's Association's Arkansas and Oklahonta ntcnlbcrs were anrong 50 dctlcrs participating in a rec'ent wesl colst nrill t<lur.

Mccting in Sclttlc. Wa.. thc group visitcd the l)opc & Talbot mills in l)ort (ianrble. Wa., Mill & Tinrbcr Prrxlucts. Ltd.. Surrcy. ll.('.. Wcldwood ol'('anada, l-td.. Port Moody. ll.('.. l.oth l-untbcr ('o.. (iold llar. Wn.. lnd thc Wcycrhacuscr Tcchnicill ('cntcr. Taconra. Wa. llctwccn mill visits. the group on thc mid-Scptember tour had tinrc to sec thc sights <lfScattlc, Vancouvcr and Victoria l|.('.. ls wcll as l]lakc lsland lnd Tillicunt Village Statc l)nrk in thc Scattlc itrca.

0EAIERS lrom 0klahoma: Leon White, 8ob Smith and Charlie and Edna White listen to tour guide at a lumber mill during the MLA mill tour.

l,umbermen's Assoclsllon of 'fexrs has approvccl ncw bylaws pcnding minor amcndnrcnts.

This action wns takcn during r meeting of dircctors, comnrittec members and insurance trustecs in Lubbock on Scpt. 14-16. The ncwly formcd safety conrnrittee nret undcr thc chairmnnship ol' l)ean l-cnman. ln conjunction with thc cclucation contnrittee. it will plan roundtable cliscussions lbr futurc mcetings.

Thc eclucltion conrnrittee approved scnrintrs to be conductcd tt the Tcxas Statc Tcchnical lnstitutc in Waco. including a basic estinrating senrinar. Jan. ll-12, clcctrical wiring workshop. Jan. | 8, and a plunrbing workshop, Jan. | 9. A licn law scnrinar is planncd for lreb. I in

conjunction with the l;ebruary board and committec meetings in Austin.

Nominations wcre approved for 1989-90 NLllMl)A dealer/directors

l)on Smith Sr. and A. George Natsis lll with alternates Walter l;oxworth and Jeff ('hapman. Ray Nunn was nominated lor a lwo year tcrnl on the NLllMl)A executive committee. Kcith Kirk was approved as director lor district 13, replacing l;rank llates.

LAT has a membership contest underway with prizcs offered for those bringing in ncw members. Prizes include free holcl accommodations and registration for the l99l convention, a trip for two to Lake Tahoe. ('a.. and a weekend condo vacati<ln on the Texas gull coast.

lluilding Material Merchants' Association ((ieorgia and Alabama) is sponsoring four seminars in l)ecember and January.

"lludgcting the Bottom Line" will be thc topic at Birmingham, Al., on l)ec. l2 with a repeat on l)ec. ll in Atlanta, Ga. Thc association's training center in Austell, (ia., will be the location for a basic training program Dec. l8-20 and an advanced millwork seminar Jan. l0 and I l.

The IIMMA annual buying show will be held in ('ollege Park, Ga., Jan. l2 and | .1.

Florida l,umber & lluilding Material Dealers Association has its lineup of guest speakers for the September 1990 annual convention: Indiana University coach llobby Knight, television personality Willard Scott, and attorney F. Lee Bailey.

Dates are Sept. 20-22 at Orlando World Center.

V irginia Building M aterial Association has mailed its 1989-90 directory to all dealer and associate members.

Seminars on "Professional SellingIncreasing Sales and Profit" will be held on [)ec. 7 and 14.

Kentucky Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association president Ken Lawson Jr. has called a special meeting of the long range planning committee for I)ec. l0 in the Bagpipe Room ofthe Execulive Inn West, Louisville.

Members of the board ol directors and others interested in long range planning are requested to attend. Reservations may be made at the KLBMDA office.

SFPA launches $7.5 million marketing program

11 $7.5 MILLION marketing pro-

A gram to stimulate demand for southern pine lumber by an added 900 million board feet by 1995 was unanimously approved by the Southern Forest Products Association.

The new five-year program, Marketing Marathon II, follows a similar, highly successful Marketing Marathon I that ran from 1985 to the end of 1989.

Five market segments are targeted: engineered & framing; treated residential; exportsl industrial (non-

building); and residential & remodeling (whitewoods). A select panel appointed by the Southern Pine Marketing Council (SPMC). which unites SFPA and the Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association (SLMA), developed the cooperative promotional effort to expand new markets.

Nearly 300 delegates attended the annual meeting in San Antonio, Tx. Delegates discussed market matters, government affairs and timber supply issues, and Expo '91 details.

At the general session, foreign

affairs analyst Dr. John G. Stoessinger examined the turmoil and changes in Russia, the East Bloc

(Please turn to page 24)

Story at a Glance

Nearly 300 at San Antonio, Tx., annual meeting Preview Marketing Marathon ll.. Eugene G. Parkernewchairman sPeak' ers blast preservationists. .

SFPA Alll{UA[ meeting: [ll Tom Jones, Robin Swilt lll, Joe Kusar. t2l M. L. Sandy, Ed Galt. [3] John Sebelius. l4l Nancy Jaenicke, Carl

Jessup. [5] Mary K, Shrelfler, Stan Elberg, Don Shreffler. [6] David Kellogg, Karen Landry, Lionel Landry. [7] Raul Samayoa, Don

Buck. [8] Pat Hamilton, Howard Powell. [91 Bob Kincaid, James Freckmann.

SFPA Annual Meetlng

(('oa11a,tr'4 Intm page 2.|)

nations and China, and what those upheavals mean. He also discussed Japan's emerging dominance as a global player, and its competition with the United States for world markets.

The current timber supply crisis in the U.S. was addressed by Dave Hancock. vice-chairman of the newly formed American Forest Resource Alliance, Hancock traced the problems posed by preservationists who want to lock up the forests, and explained how AFRA is taking the offensive in combating them. He noted that preservationist [orces have won the vocabulary war by capturing the word "environmentalist" - a label that could truly be applied to most people in the forest industry.

"Don't qualify our opponents as environmentalists," Hancock urged. "You are environmentalists."

The third speaker was Carl Darrow, president of the American Wood Council, who recapped the activities of AWC in promoting the use of wood as a building material, linking up to Hancock's concerns by noting that as preservationist groups tour demonstration homes, "we are presenting to them the tangible benefits ofwood."

l9ll9-90 lloard

Chairman: l:ugene C. Parker

lmmediate

Past Chairmsn: John Nichols

Vice Chairman: T. H. O'Melia Jr.

Treasurer: John Shealy

President: Karl W. Lindberg

Secretary: Lionel J. Landry

District directors: James C. Barnes, J. M. Tolleson Jr., Rod Black, Terry Twedt, I)uane Peterson Directors-at-large: John Albert, Steven Clark, John Hammack. Harold Maxwell, Ronald Paul, Mack Singleton Treaters rep.: William A. Jones Laminators rep.: Carlton Whittle

G.P Dlrtrlbutlon Changer

The distribution division of Georgia-Pacific will initiate a district management system for its more than 140 building products distribution centers and sales offices Jan. l.

"District management will allow for distribution centers with like customers, like products, and similar economic conditions to work together to better serve our customers," says (ieorge A, MacConnell, senior vice president of distribution and specialty operations for G-P.

Within each of the division's five regions, distribution centers will be grouped into districts. About six to nine distribution centers will comprise a district managed by a district manager, who will report to one of the five existing regional vice presidents. Ultimately there will be approximately three to four districts in each of the northeast, southeast, midwest. southwest. and western regions.

Distribution centers within a district will each service their own market as well as work together to service the multi-store home centers and the large independents, says MacConnell. "Our customers will enjoy the benefits of local service with increased product availability and marketing support programs."

Lowe's Bggest To Open In N.C.

. Lowe's will open its largest store in North Carolina in Henderson in January.

Built on 9 acres, it will have 46,000 square feet of sales space. A separate sales area, sales staff, park_ ing area and entrance will be established for contractors.

Sunday Openings Are A Flzzle

Sunday openings obtained in Virginia after a legal hassle are disappointing many retailers.

"Sunday is a transference from the previous Saturday and the following Monday," said Frank C. Doczi, Home Quarters president and ceo. "We see that in our sales figures. It's not as if it's entirely new business."

Hechinger Co., Home Quarters. parent company, was active in affecting repeal of the blue law.

Eugene C. Parker

may substantially increase your moulding profits while eliminating stocking and ordering nuisances. Please call collect for information without a pitch.

PERSONALS

Wes Webb has been named mgr. of Andrea L. Topper is now mktg. mgr. of Slaughter Bros.' Houston, Tx., dis- GAF Building Material Corp.'s resitribution center, according to parent dential roofing. co. Furman Lumber pres./c.o.o. Roger Burch, pres., Redwood Empire, Hawk Furman. Morgan Hill, Ca., has been elected

Randall W. Lundy has been promoted chairman of the board of the Califorto controller of Moore's. Roanoke. nia Redwood Association, Novato, Va. Ca. Jim Brown, gen. mgr., Arcata

Newell LaVoy has been named pres. Redwood Co., Arcata, Ca., is vice and c.o.o. of Western Lumber Co., chairman. Charlotte, N.C.

Richard R. Hiscox is now purchasing mgr. at AEG Power Tool Corp., reports gen. mgr./v.p. John S. Boyd.

George Poulos is the new pres. and c.o.o. of Diamond Lumber, Dallas, Tx. Bernard Kritzer is c.e.o. and chairman.

Harry Preston, Cumberland Lumber & Mfg. Co., McMinnville, Tn., is beginning his second year as pres. of the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers' Association, Memphis, Tn.

James E. Terrell, Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., has been promoted to controller, according to chairman and c.e.o. T. Marshall Hahn Jr.

Steve Cole has been named pres. of Robert Bowden, Inc., Marietta, Ga.

Barry A. Barr is now v.p., sales & mktg., at Adel Trading Co., Adel, Ga.

Jordan Short, Short & Paulk Supply, Tifton, Ga., has been appointed to the state minimum building code advisory committee.

Jay Foxworth is new to lumber sales at Midway Forest Products, Lake Charles, La.

Keith Allen Nordan, Lowe's, Hickory, N.C., married Tina Lynn Greene Oct. 29, 1989. Donald Keith Whitaker, Lowe's, Southern Pines, N.C., wed Ramona Lynn Garner Oct. 7, l 989.

Jeff Pike is now mgr. of 84 Lumber, Christianburg, Va. Other new mgrs.: Randy Meadows, Lorton, Va., Robert Anderson, Winchester, Ky., and Kevin Thompson, Florence, Ky. Comgrs.: E.J. Songer, Radcliff, Ky., and Matt Kimbrough, Humble, Tx.

James H. Lee, former pres., Hardwood Manulacturers Association, has joined Lumberman's Information Services, Natchez, Ms., as exec. v.p. and c.e.o.

Paul Klocko has left the Southern Forest Products Association, New Orleans, La., to join a forestry technology company.

Eugene B. Connolly is the new pres. and c.e.o. of USG Corp. Anthony J. Falvo is exec. v.p. and c.o.o., replacing Ralph C. Joynes, who is now vice chairman. Robert J. Day continues as chairman.

Sharon Stone has been promoted to seminar coordinator for the Architectural Woodwork Institute, Arlington, Va. Kimberly Kennedy is now in member services and seminar coordinator.

Jim Caldwell, David Hilley, Bill Monsarrat, Bill Tomford, Bill Decker and Jim Lee have been named to the nominating committees lor the Lumbermen's Club ol Memphis annual elections.

Jim Guest, Ky./Tn. area mgr., 84 Lumber, Lexington, Ky., attended 84's recent l0 Year Club annual reunion in Pa. along with Mike King, Lexington, and Chad Maggard, Winchester, Ky.

Reed Liggin and Preston Newton 4re new to sales at Gilman Building Products Co., St. Marys, Ga.

John Milliner will retire in Augqst, 1990, as Southern Lumber Manufacturers Association pres.

Charles Mullins has been promoted to mgr. of Lowe's, Gallatin, Tn. Thomas B. Wood III, managerqent trainee, 84 Lumber Co., Greenville, N.C., married Heather Lynn Jgnes Sept. 30, 1989.

Johnny Stanbrough is now co-mg;. of 84 Lumber, Plainview, Tx.

Mike Burtt is the new commercial & architectural mgr. of Benchmark Doors, Fredericksburg, Va.

Dan Epperson has rejoined the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau. covering Ga. Robby Brown is a new quality supervisor for northern Ms.

Russel Lux has been named Southeast reg. sales mgr. at J.M. Huber Corp., Charlotte, N.C. Gerald Baltz is midAtlantic sales mgr., and Mary McDermott, a new sales rep.

Jerry Gates is now lumber mktg. mgr. for ITT Rayonier, Baxley, Ga.

Craig Cameron is the new mgr. of cedar purchasing for Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., replacing Eddie Barnes, now national account sales mgr.

Herb Mc{laugherty has been elected chairman of the Hardwood Plywood Manufacturers Association. Diane Montoya is vice chairman.

John Spencer, Spencer Home Center, Lexington, Va., is recovering from recent back surgery.

Gary Morgan, Marietta, Ga., was honored with the Swan Corp.'s MVP Award as top regional sales mgr.

Donald A. Watson has been appointed mgr., safety & occupational health, at Hickson Corp., Atlanta, Ga.

Lori Paquette has joined the Virginia Building Material Association, Richmond, Va.

Bill Hermann, Hermann Wholesale Lumber, Valdosta, Ga., is closing his business and retiring by January.

Harold Walls has been named senior v.p., operations, for the Chamberlain Group, overseeing facilities in Hot Springs and Little Rock, Ar.

Dan Crow has joined Scotty's, Winter Haven, F-I., as senior v.p. of finance, according to Daryl Lansdale, pres.

Mike Ambrose has joined the marketing staffof Central Builders Supplies Co., handling Al., Ms., western Tn., Ar., La. and Ok., according to v.p. o[sales Steve Boone.

Norman Voss, Georgia-Pacific Corp., Atlanta, Ga., has been elected chairman of the Particleboard/Medium Density Fiberboard Institute. Vice chairman: Jack Beene, Temple-lnland Forest Products Corp.; treas. William Mc{redie, National Particleboard Association; sec. Rich Margosian, NPA. Directors: Jim Lambert, Industrial Finishes Inc.; Chuck Robertson, North American Products Corp.; Jack O'Leary, Union Camp Corp., and Eddie McMillian, Willamette I ndustries.

Lesia Lea Brown, Home Depot, Atlanta, Ga., married Emory Wayne Benson Oct. 28, 1989.

Janey Sowell has been re-elected pres. of the Texas Construction Industry Council. Alec Beck, Stripling Blake Lumber Co., Austin, returns as treas. Griffin Winn is v.p., and Barbara Douglas, Lumbermen's Association of Texas. Austin. sec.

Tom Collins. Jr. has left Collins-Caddell Lumber Co., Charlotte, N.C., and the industry.

Mike L. Angelo has joined the arts & crafts section at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

l{ot On Wheelr

Sunbeam Traveler lleated

Throw, an electric blanket featuring an adapter and l0-ft. cord which plugs into a cigarette lighter or l2-

NEW PR DUCTS

and selected soles oids

Mow To Mulch

A lawn mower attachment that shreds yard debris so it can be discarded or used as mulch, compost or ground cover is new firom Snapper. The device, composed of metal rings with a metal wire screen, fits on the underside of a 2l-in. Snapper mower. lt is said to shred matter into 25oh of its original volume and collect it in the rear bag.

Computerized Redecorator

An electric, handheld conversion computer from Seiko Instruments takes room measurements, calculates the area and volume and then determines the exact amount of materials needed to complete specific construction and decorating projects.

ters), wallpaper (in rolls), wall panels (in number of panels), floor and ceiling tiles (in number of standard tiles), and heating and air conditioning (in number of BTUH/HR units).

The 5 oz., 6" x2-l/4" device also serves as a full-function calculator with memory and operates on three lithium batteries.

More Accessible Accessories

A power tool accessory display designed to attract both men and women shoppers is new from Acu-[:dge Inc.

volt battery outlet, is new liom Northern Electric Co.

Featuring three temperature settings, the 50" x 60" throw is made of 100%r acrylic and is machine washable. lt comes in two colors in a soft plaid design.

D-l-Y Topiary Gardens

Plantable Pets, do-it-yourself kits for creating topiary garden figures, have been introduced by Barrels Unlimited.

Kits include a wire frame constructed from a steel rod, a bag of long fiber sphagnum moss for stuffing, 300 ft. of nylon wrapping line, approximately 100 greening pins and complete instructions.

Available are four 19" x 10" figures: a duck, an elephant, a rabbit and a teddy bear. Homeowners choose the type of plant which will eventually grow to cover the entire animal.

The Home Contractor's ultrasonic transducer uses sound waves to electronically measure distances and give digital readouts, reportedly with a better than 99% accuracy. A built-in calculator determines the total area or volume using the length, width and height measurements stored in its memory.

A built-in conversion computer and software program lists the amount of materials needed for eight different projects: paint (in gallons or liters), carpeting (in yards or me-

The Workbench Series merchandiser offers one-stop shopping for nine top-selling power and cordless tool accessories. New package designs include bold graphics, color coding and symbols.

The sets are also completely portable, eliminating the need to anchor the frame.

Adhesive Eraser

Liquid Nails all purpose adhesive cleaner designed to quickly and easily remove tough, long lasting adhesives is new from Macco.

Grrip screwdrivers feature Tungsten Carbide grit permanently bonded onto the tip of the blade to hold the blade in the screw slot as torque is applied.

The tool comes in six slotted, three Philips and various power bit sizes.

Humidifying Vent

Applied with its handy built-in brush, the cleaner reportedly needs to penetrate for one to five minutes before being wiped clean. Thicker, multi-layered or dried adhesives may require a second coating.

Wood Bonding

A new wood adhesive has been designed by 3M for a variety of applications that require strong bonding of wood materials.

The adhesive is a one-part adhesive/sealant that chemically cures to a tough, rubbery, waterproof solid. Made entirely from solids that help prevent shrinkage, the adhesive reportedly allows high creep resistance

A humidifying heat register that fits easily into an existing floor duct to reduce dust and static electricity is new from Northern Electric Co. The Aqua Vent uses a hidden water reservoir and a filter/wick sys-

Convenient Paint Remover

A new paint remover offering application without gloves, easy clean up and no harsh fumes is new from Klean-Strip.

EasyOff Paint Stripper comes in a wide-mouth pail, from which it can be directly brushed on to remove layers of paint, varnish and clear finishes with a single application.

Its slow-drying formula allows it to stay wet and effective for up to 30 hours.

Get A Grip

A backsaving auxiliary tool handle grip is new from Upper Hand Marketing.

and recovery after deflection load is removed.

When applied, it works its way into grooves to decrease the number ofnails and other fasteners, resulting in a non-rigid glue line. Weather resistant, it reportedly can bond to wet or frozen lumber.

No Slip, No Strip Screwdriver

A new screwdriver designed to prevent slipping and stripping is now available from RemGrit.

tem to moisten and clean furnace air before it comes into the room.

It is constructed of tough, high density plastic.

Security Doorbell

Exit alarms from Detex now feature doorbell capabilities which sound the alarm's horn for l/4 second when a button is pressed.

The 95-decibel, directional piezo horn is also triggered by magnetic switching to warn of unauthorized use of the door. Reportedly, it can

Attaching to the lower portion of any long handled tool (such as rakes, shovels and brooms), the grip allows the user to stand in a more upright position, while providing more power, control and leverage.

only be silenced using a control key or remote bypass switch.

Other features include an internal tamper switch, separate screw-on cam key lock cover, stand-by battery backup, infinite shunt capability, and closed loop circuit operation to engage the alarm any time the wires to the external sensor are cut.

Accessories include rim cylinders, magnetic door position switches, remote key control switches and access control products.

FREE READER SERVICE

For more information on New Products wfite Building Products Digest, 45OO Campus Dr., Suite 480, Newport Beach, Ca.92660. Please mention issue date and page number so we can process your request faster! Many thanks!

Swlng Set In Storage

A revolving swing-out shelf kit which instantly places items stored in the back ofa cabinet at one's fingertips is new from Encore.

The accessory kit includes strong, lightweight wire shelves and durable hardware.

Three For The Air

A new three-in-one home air compressor from Ingersoll-Rand can be used as a standard tank-mounted air compressor, hand-held compressor without the tank, or portable compressed-air storage tank without the compressor.

As a tank-mounted unit, it is ideal for spray painting, stapling, caulking and powering other air tool accessories. For light projects, it transforms into a hand-held tool for caulking, gluing, air brushing or air-gun cleantng-And filled with compressed air, the storage tank detaches to go anywhere to inflate tires, air mattresses, rafts or sporting equipment.

The air compressor requires no oil for lubrication, offers tool-free disconnection between it and air tank, and includes a l5-ft. air hose.

Mid-Size Movers

Two new Mid-Ranger trucks ideal for heavy load applications have been introduced by PACCAR Inc.

The 33,000-lb. cVWR tilt-cab trucks feature Rockwell 12,000-lb. front and 21,000-lb. rear axles, premium Cummins 6CT8.3 engine, Spicer l4-in. two-plate clutch and Fuller six-gear transmission.

The new Kenworth and Peterbilt models also offer power steering,

shelf price channel, on the side of a gondola or hanging from a wire rack. It shows off l2 packages of the rust touch-up product in less than I sq. ft. of selling space.

The Little Stripper

A wall stripper tool has been designed by Plasplugs to remove wallpaper or vinyl from plaster and plasterboard surfaces without damage to walls.

The v-shaped handle alleviates gouging, while a lubricated back roller helps glide the stripper along

Fasteners can be driven flush with the surface, countersunk or driven tightly against the surface without head penetration.

The nailer is built of rugged, precision die-cast aluminum, and the canister is angled to make it easier to reach into confined places.

Harsh Brush Hedger

tight turning circle, walk-through cab with space for three people and adjustable, cloth-upholstered driver s seat.

Pine's A Treat

High quality southern yellow pine for virtually any construction application is now available from TempleInland Forest Products Coro.

the wall. An extra-wide, 3" carbon steel, self-sharpening blade provides maximum coverage with each stroke.

Dial & Drive Nailer

Graded to Southern Pine Inspection Bureau standards, the lumber is kiln dried to 15% to ensure lower shrinkage and crook. All TempleInland bundles carry the Mill '17 identification of quality, as well as grade and length information and the company's trademark T-wheel.

Extremely durable and treatable, southern yellow pine is a natural choice for treaters, and ideal for patios, decks and other outdoor projects.

Rust Buster Clip Strip

A versatile new display for Rust Avenger rust converter has been devised by 3M.

A new coil-fed pneumatic nailer from Stanley-Bostitch features an exclusive Dial-A-Depth fastener control which permits the operator to accurately control nail penetration.

Powerful hedge trimmers featuring two fast-cutting reciprocating blades providing scissor-type cutting action in thick brush are new from AEG Power Tool Coro.

Available in long 20'and 26" cutter bar lengths, the trimmers are said to cleanly and quickly cut saplings up to 5/8" thick with their 2.8 amp motors at 3,200 strokes per minute.

The double insulated cutters operate on 120 volt AC power, weigh up to 7 lbs., and come with comfortdesigned handles, blade cover and extra long l2'cord.

Vlew Of The Vlrglns

A huge photo mural wallcovering from l:nvironmental Graphics provides a breathtaking,, room-expanding view of the Virgin lslands.

The white balustrade depicted in the loreground appears to transform one's home into a balcony overlooking turquoise Caribbean waters.

The washable, peelable mural comes in eight easy-toinstallpieces, with a finished size of 8'3" by l3'8". lt can also be trimmed to fit smaller walls.

Pre-Cut Decks

Modular decks with either patio stone or wood inserts are now available from Liberty Lumber Co.

The system includes a pre-cut base manufactured of Weyerhaeuser's Lifewood No. 2 ponderosa pine, pressure treated after the wood is cut.

Wooden inserts are also treated after they are cut and constructed with a v-groove to minimize shrinkage. A cross bar support on each insert inhibits warping. All wood used is guaranteed against rot and termites.

lilltl.UlllTS ol moulding are new from Georgia-Pacilic. Each G-PAC pallet contains 3,400 to 6,200 ft. ol one base or casing profile secured in bundles, wrapped in poly, then framed with 2x4s and banded.

FREE READER SERVICE

For more information on New Products write Building Products Digest, 4500 Campus Dr., Suite 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660. Please mention issue date and page number so we can process your request faster! Many thanks!

Flighty Construction

An attractive bird house and bird feeder kit is now available from The Bonham Co.

Wild Bird Magic includes build-it-yourself bird house and feeder of 10006 clear, dry ponderosa pine; genuine Audubon bird call, and 48-p. manual which includes

D-l-Y Lamp Post

A two-piece decorative lamp post retailing at reportedly half the price of similar cast aluminum posts is now available from Rotocast Liehting Products.

sity polyethylene exterior combined with structural polyurethane closed cell foam around a galvanized steel post.

Plug The Squeaks

The Squeakender, a hardware device said to eliminate floor squeaks, is new from E&E Engineering.

Fire Safety For Kids

A fire safety kit for nurseries and children's bedrooms has been introduced by Funtech, Inc.

The posts come complete with post base, column, light fitter, 17" tall acorn globe, four mounting bolts and installation template.

Posts are made of linear low den-

Power Tool Chest

The Power Box, a tool container big and strong enough to accommodate power tools, has been introduced by Plano Molding Co.

Designed for both old and new floors, it can be attached with a wrench to the underside of the floor to draw the floor back into contact with the joist.

non-flammable, water rinsable, solvent- and fume-free, and may be used indoors.

It reportedly can be used to remove any type of finish without harming wood, metal or masonry.

Rustworthy Paint

A one-coat rust inhibitor paint from Hunting Specialty Products uses heat-hardened glass and special resins to form a durable, rust-free barrier.

The kit includes a smoke detector shaped like a firetruck, puppy or kitten; coloring book; fire prevention team membership card, and reflective child-locator window sticker.

Detectors have an 85 decibel horn, low battery signal, 9-volt battery, and a twist-lock mounting bracket for easy battery replacement.

The 2l-5/16" x 72-l/2" x l2-3/4" tool box features a removable holder that can support a 7-l/4" circular saw, fold-away handle for easy carrying, and recessed side grips for twohand toting.

Strip Safely

A paint and varnish remover formulated with safety in mind is new from the Savogran Co.

StrypSafer is fully biodegradable,

Hammerite coating reportedly can be applied without extensive preparation, covers surface pits and scratches with a single coat, and dries in l5 minutes.

It is available in l5 colors.

YX

The locusts are coming!

T HROUGHOUT the South and I the East, they are everywhere. Extensive planting has filled regions with this pair of attractive, resilient woods. Still, they are rarely found in stock at the local lumberyard. Labeled problem woods, honey locust and black locust traditionally have generated low demand. As a result, the hardwoods have been too long overlooked as viable commercial products, being most often reserved for use as fence posts, Although the two hardwoods have many similar properties and are both under utilized, they are unrelated.

Honey locust (G/edrbia triacanthos), generally marketed in the

South simply as locust, features a heavy, coarse-grained heartwood, light orange-red in color. The narrow sapwood is a creamy white, presenting a nice contrast to the heartwood. But unlike the heartwood, the sapwood is not durable.

Although the hardwood is very hard, heavy, strong and stiff, with exceptional nail-holding ability, it has a tendency to split. Its most obvious problem, though, is immediately detectable its thorns. Long, stiff, needle sharp thorns cover the trees from the bottom of their trunks along the length of their branches. Some locusts have more thorns than others. but all will deliver their share of pain.

Yet honey locust is fairly inexpensive, resulting in its use in joinery, general construction, wall paneling, interior trim, upholstered furniture frames and other structural parts. lt is also commonly used for pallets, skids and containers.

Courbaril ( Hymenaea c'ourbari\ , also known as West lndian locust or simply as locust in the West Indies, is a darker, distant cousin, coming from the same Leguminosae family.

Black locust ( Robinia pseudoacac'ia) will usually be found farther north in the United States than honey locust. lt has also been planted in Europe, Asia, North Africa and New Zealand. Straight grained and coarse, the wood looks green when freshly cut but soon tans to a golden brown.

Its best qualities are extreme durability, easy gluing, medium strength in bending and crushing, and excellent steam bending properties.

Story at a Glance

Honey locust and black locust are always found in the woods but not often in the lumber yards . . these locusts are unrefated but both are under utilized due to physical shortcomings... commonly used for fencing.

Its flaws are more numerous: low resistance to shock loads and stiffness, difficulty in machining and nailing, some blunting of tools, slow drying often leading to distortion or bad warping, and occasional staining if it comes in contact with iron or steel following steaming. Although known for a durable heart, older trees may have rotten hearts and the sapwood is liable to attack by powder post beetles and common furniture beetles.

Since it is so often defective, black locust is often as hard to locate on the market as honey locust. But black locust is a tough, durable wood, especially when placed in the ground, and has been devoted to rougher, external uses, such as for wheels, barrows, wagon bottoms, stakes, gates, boat planking, and vehicle bodies. Selected material may be saved for joinery, cabinetry and sliced veneer.

Quick Quotes for 1990

A random sampling of ideas and opinions

"A growth recession is now clearly underway in the U.S. economy."

Resource Information Systems, Inc.

"Without question, the most pressing issue in business today deals with the age old question of ethics."

Alec Beck President

Stripling-Blake Lumber Co.

"Our economic forecast for a 'soft landing' in late 1989 and early 1990 is right on track."

David F. Seiders Chief Economist National Association of Home Builders

"Mortgage rates could fall to 9-1140/o by mid 1990."

Mortgage Bankers

Association

"Our success depends upon delivering superior customer service; therefore, there is no issue more critical to us than this."

John B. Kiss Vice President, Marketing The Paty

Co.

"The economy looks very soggy . . We are likely to get several months of very anemic economic indicators and we expect easing of interest rates by the Federal Reserve Board."

Richard Peach

Deputy Chief Economist Mortgage Bankers Association

"Oil patch (home) prices will continue a fledgling comeback."

John Tuccillo Economist National Association of Realtors

"single family starts will rise 100/o in 1990 to 1.08 million."

George Christie Chief Economist F.W. Dodge

"The economy, which is about to enter its eighth year of expansion, is likely to continue growing until at least 1991."

National Association of M anufacturers

"Our industry is gathering itself to introduce dramatically fuller application of computer based communication and control of a variety of functions as it must to provide competitive service in intensely demanding global markets."

Ed Weadock

Vice President, Sales & Marketing CooperTools

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NEWLITERATURE

Bloweru, Grcwerr & Tlfrmon

A 4-p. garden equipment catalog is free from RedMax, Box 1545, Norcross. Ca. 30091.

Get Wlred

A 24-p. electrical products catalog is lree from Vaco Products, 7200 McCormick Blvd., Chicago, ll. 60645.

Thlnk Slnks

A 20-p. kitchen sink system catalog is free from Franke, lnc., Box 428, Hatfield, Pa. 19440.

Show Your Metal

A 20-p. metal framing products brochure is free from Gold Bond Building Products, Box 667850, Charlotte, N.C. 28266.

Constructlon Connectlong

A 52-p. Kant-Sag construction hardware catalog is free from United Steel Products Co., by calling (800) 328-5934.

Doctor For The House

Reviving Old Houses: Over 500 LowCost Tips & Techniques, $16.95 in hardcover and $8.95 in paperback plus $2.50 for shipping from Storey/Garden Way Publishing, by calling (800) 441-5700.

Wide World of Hardware

The 132-p. 1990 Design House Products catalog of hardlines, bath and plumbing, electrical and decorative and building specialty products is free by calline (800) 333-9450.

Conservatively Speaking

A 6-p. water conservation products catalog is free from Chicago Faucet Co., 2100 S. Nuclear Dr., Des Plaines, ll. 600 l 8.

Sky's The Limit

A 12-p. skylight brochure of over a dozen styles of sky windows is free from Cadillac-Faulkner Plastics, by calling (800) 521-4004.

FOR PROMPT SERVICE

on all New Llterature stories wrlte dtrectly to the name and address shown ln each item. Please mentlon that you saw it in Bulldlng Products Dlgest, Many thanks!

Flreprooflng Folder

An 8-p. brochure on Calco BlazeShield and Deck-Shield fireproofing materials is free from lsolatek International, Box 478, Netcong, N.J. 07857.

Read On Radon

The 22-p. "Radon Assessment & Control" is $8 from the Alliance of American Insurers, l50l Woodfield Rd., Schaumburg, ll. 60173.

Better Water

A 4-p. home water filtration system booklet is free from Cuno, by calling (800) 222-7880.

Cedar Sunroom Planner

A sunroom plan book is $2 from Lindal Cedar Sunrooms, Box 24426, Seattle, Wa. 98124.

Window Remodele/s Handhk

"A Guide to Better Windows," a window replacement booklet, is available for a stamped, self-addressed envelope lrom the Vinyl Window & Door Institute, 355 Lexington Ave., New York, N.Y. 10017.

Model Letter Program

LetterWorks, a book of 400 business letters and a computer disc containing all the letters ready for editing and printing out on any lBM-compatible or Macintosh computer, is $79.95 plus $4.95 shipping from Round Lake Publishing Co., 415 Main St., Ridgefield, Ct. 06877.

Wood Floor Malntenance

An 8-p. wood floor care booklet is free from Bruce Hardwood Floors, 16803 l)allas Pkwy., I)allas, Tx. 75248.

Tape

A touch control chrome faucet brochure is free from Moen by calling (800) 32 t -8809.

TPI Membershlp

Timber Products Inspection's 20th anniversary roster is lree from TPI, Box 919, Conyers, Ga. 30207.

Interchangeable Dralnage

An 8-p. modular drainage products brochure (Bulletin AC-l l8) is free from Ancon, 345 l"ullerton Pkwy., Chicago, il.60614.

Window Collection

A 92-p. catalog of Marvin Windows, doors and custom windows is available by calling (800) 552-l 167.

The Builder's Organlzer

The Construction Manager 1990, an updated appointment book/daily planner for construction professionals, is $32.50 lrom Prentice Hall, Rte. 59 at Brook Hill Dr., West Nyack, N.Y. 10995.

Pick A Plan

A 28-p. Handy Plans catalog of the more than 50 d-i-y projects available from the American Plywood Association is free from the APA. Box 11700. Tacoma, Wa. 98411.

Hazard Houses

A brochure on Haz-Stor hazardous Iiquid storage buildings is f,ree from Justrite Mlg. co., 2454 Dempster St., Des Plaines, Il. 60016.

Lift Parts Debate

"Remanufactured Parts vs. Rebuilt Parts," a 4-p. brochure for lift truck owners, is free from Hyster Co., by calline (800) 221-tl9l.

Twenty-five (25) words for $21. Each additional word 700. Phone number counts as one word. Address counts as six words. Headlines and centered copy ea. line; $6. Box numbers and special borders: $6 ea. Col. inch rate: $45 camera ready, $55 ifwe set the type. Names of advertisers using a box number cannot be released. Address replies to box number shown in ad in care of Building Products Digest, 4500 Campus Dr., Suite 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660. Make checks payable to Cutler Publishing, Inc. Mail copy to above address or call (714) 852-1990. Deadline for copy is the 15th of the month. PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY COPY unless you have established credit with us.

"Recruiti ng for the Forest Products Industry"

MAUGANS AND ASSOCIATES

P.O. Box 36802 Birmingham, AL 35236

LAOO-426-4172

205-Sa7-7542

CONFIDENTIAL INOUIRIES _ FEE PAID

ll rou bcliclc in lorrr lrrrsincss untl wrnt to truild it ,\Dvl,.Rl'lsl1.

INTERESTED IN WEST COAST CEDAR & REDWOOD ITEMS?

For sidings call Doug Willis. For spa and sauna items contact Phil Heim or Doug Willis. Call Product Sales Co. (714) 9988680. Please see our ad on page 4.

Distributors tune up

in Nashville

T HE NATIONAL Building MaI terial Distributors Association closed the 1980s by looking into the 1990s during its best attended convention in more than a decade.

About 975 NBMDA members and guests converged at the Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tn., to get "ln Tune with the Future," the theme of the 38th annual meeting.

The Oct. 28-31 convention featured 194 exhibit booths and the largest number of educational sessions NBMDA has ever offered. In "Getting Started with Bar Coding," consultant Richard Bushnell praised

coding, while identifying its biggest hindrance as a lack of uniformity among manufacturers.

Keynote speaker Tommy Lasorda, manager of the Los Angeles

Story at a Glance

National Building Material Distributors Association's 38th annual meeting lures record crowd to Nashville, Tn. Ellinwood elected new president.

Dodgers, drew parallels between coaching a sports team and a business team. "A leader is someone who stands out in lront of his men, but not so far that he can't hear their footsteps," he said.

"Our responsibility is to make these people happy, glad to come to work," Lasorda added.

Marilyn LeMoine, American Plywood Association, encouraged cultivating industrial customers. "Diversify and look at some of the nonhousing markets," she urged.

"Effective Selling to the Remodeling Market" was addressed by

S00ltLlZlllG: lll Tom Seymour. l2l Diane Montoya. l3l Dick Passaglia. l1l Paul Jennings, JoAnn Gillebaard. l5l Ed Hedbloom. 16l Dave Hickman, Gary Hardin, John Wallace. l7l Walt 0chenski, Jim Savoie. l8l Nelson Russell. l9l Don Mirts. ll0l Sheryl Grimm.

llll Andy Ellis. ll2l Brian 0glesby. ll3l Dave Hood, Roelif Loveland. ll{l Peter Hall, Jim Martin. llSl Simmie & Toddy Whittaker. ll6l Maxene Potter. llTl Steve Ellinwood, Bob Martin. llEl Curt Oxnam. ll9l Randy Konkel.

l20l Scott Klein, Kenny Fishbein. 12ll Gail Forman, Chuck Thompson, Scott Forman. l22l Mark Setzer. l23l Lance Garner. 121l John Ramsey. l25l Doug Brittingham, Ron Boucher. 126l Mit Scott, Jerry Taylor.

Peter Miller, Remodeling Magazine. He noted that the professional remodeler uses a warehouse home center only 5olo of the time, since "the perception is that they are not properly stocked to meet his needs."

Remodeling contractors base their buying decisions, in descending importance, on product quality, availability, service, appearance and price, said Miller.

Other seminars covered selling skills, hiring, drug abuse, arbitration contracts and government issues.

Steve Ellinwood, Building Material Distributors, Inc., Galt, Ca., was introduced as the association's new president, succeeding C. Keith Rust, Roland & Roland. Other officers for 1990: president-elect George Bryson, Aetna Plywood; vice president Gary McKillican, McKillican Hardwoods, Ltd., and treasurer A. Richard Kasper, Amerhart Ltd.

Rust, Thomas Seymour, John Ramsey, Jim Ben Edens, James Tainter, Ken Hendricks and Hugh Oliphant are new to the board of directors, joining James Daniels, William "Andy" Ellis, C. Dana Foster, Glenn Hart, Paul Hylbert and Joseph Theby, Jr. James Dunbar

and E. Jay Schrock have retired from the board.

The next NBMDA convention and exhibit will be November l0-13, 1990, at the Washington Hilton & Towers, Washington, D.C.

Duckback Expands Business

Construction for a 100,000 square foot, $3.2 million manufacturing and distribution facility for Duckback Products Company, Inc., Chico, Ca., is near completion.

Duckback manufactures and markets a line of high performance exterior stains originally developed for the portable spa market and sold to original equipment manufacturers in 55 gallon drums. (Stain is a small but highly visible part of a portable spa, less than $5 on an item retailing for $3,000 to $6,000.) Duckback credits product performance and service for their 800/o share of this quality oriented market.

Duckback stains are distributed nationally to pool and spa retailers as well as selected paint stores and lumber yards. Duckback is now establishing a national network of quality

lumber distributors. Recently appointed distributors include Capital Lumber, Denver, Co.; Wiegan Lumber, Washington D.C.; Ukiah Redwood Sales, Hi.; Selectwood, N.H., and Hudson Building Supply, Pa.

Duckback sales doubled last year and are expected to repeat that performance this year. Duckback attributes this explosive sales growth to increasing consumer demand for quality products. "Our goal is to increase market share by providing the finest quality products and service at competitive prices. We do what we say we're going to do," Fred Dannenfelser, v.p., sales and marketing, said.

Plastic Lumber?

A new line of "lumber" products manufactured from plastic materials is being offered by the Plastic Lumber Co.. Akron. Oh.

Materials in standard lumber sizes and wood-type products such as fence posts, decking, pallets, park benches, playground equipment, picnic tables and landscape materials are available.

Sacramento, Ca.

Ponderosa Pine, Sugar Pine White-Fir, Douglas Fir, Cedar. S-P-F

James A. Haas, gen. mgr.

Richard H. Mills

Sales Agents for:

Duramold Wood Products. El Paso, Tx.

W&W Moulding Co., Loomis, Ca.

P.O. Box 255546, Sacramento, Ca.95825

u.s. WATS (800)624-5319

cA. WATS (800)321-1278

(916)972-7282

FAX 916-972-7290

San Francisco, Ca.

O. Billings

Obttuarles

Wllllam W. "Blll" Logan Jr., retired chairman of Logan Lumber Co., Tampa, F'1., died Oct. 8, 1989, in Tampa after a short illness. lle was 75.

Born in Meridian, Ms., Mr. Logan worked his entire lumber career (from the early 1930s until his retirement in 1987) for the company his father founded.

He served on the board of direc-

Bar Code Guidellnes

The National F'orest Products Association (NFPA) has issued a series of recommended guidelines promoting the voluntary use of a Universal Product Code, or bar code, on wood products sold in building supply retail outlets.

"Our goal was to supply wood products manufacturers and distributors with detailed, industry-accepted guidelines so that they could answer the demands of home centers and single outlet retailers," says Dave Brewster, Georgia-Pacific Corp., who chaired the NFPA subcommittee which produced the report. "We have been hearing a growing demand lrom retailers for bar coded wood products and wanted to respond to that demand by early 1990. This document is a big first step."

NFPA's Electronic Information Standards subcommittee developed the voluntary guidelines as part of a year-long assessment project. They are in accordance with the UCC (Uniform Code Council) standards.

According to the report, the wood product industry's adoption of voluntary bar code standards will help manufacturers, distributors, and retailers share product-related information accurately and quickly, allowing producers to better meet consumer needs. From the retailer's perspective, the standards should help reduce inventory and recordkeeping costs, while improving product availability. As a result, the move to bar.coding should mean improvements in both cost control and customer service.

The report provides detailed format information and specifications in four major areas: piece code identifi-

tors for the North American Wholesale Lumber Association and other trade associations.

Mr. Logan is survived by his widow, Sara, two sons, and llve grandchildren.

0scar Odell Chappelle Jr., 72, former owner of Chappelle Lumber Co.. El Paso, Tx., died Oct. 22, 1989, in Mountain llome, Ar.

Mr Chappelle is survived by his widow, Cynthia, one son, and one daughter.

printer. They expect to be on line by Jan. I with one customer and be coding about 40th of the customer base within two years.

llilly tlurch, v.p. of sales & marketing. is coordinating the project with customers; lllake Austin, v.p., l'inance. internal development.

Snakeg Allvel

Four slithery trespassers were discovered at Bowater Inc.'s Catawba, S.C., safety and training olllce, having sought weekend refuge from Hurricane Hugo.

cation, shipping unit identification, physical labeling and electronic data interchange (EDl). Those recommendations include: the use of UPC Version A for marking individual pieces (a process which provides both manufacturer and product information)l the use of UCC-128 codes to identify shipping units (an approach which provides either a serial number, fixed content, or variable content reference) I and the ANSI X 12 format for electronic data interchange (an approach which provides broad conventions for transmission of purchase orders, invoices, advance shipping notices, and other key business documents).

The guidelines also provide an overview of bar coding, symbol location guidelines, quality criteria, printing options (on-site or off-site), and a "how to get started" checklist complete with recommended association and supplier contacts. NFPA has also prepared a list of companies offering bar code equipment, systems and services as a separate information sheet for individual companies that need specific answers concerning physical labeling issues in their manufacturing and/or distribution environments.

Copies of the guidelines are available from NFPA.

First Bar Coded Moulding

As forecast, bar coded building products are beginning to make an appearance in the trade.

In the south, Brown Moulding Co., Montevallo, Al., is in the development stage of applying a UPC bar code to moulding. They also will apply stickers with a hand held

On the Monday after the hurricane, a | 5-inch long, non-poisonous bull snake fell from the ceiling. The next day, other snakes were found in the hallway outside a restroom, in the personnel department and in a supply closet.

"Our best guess is these were victims of Hugo," said Bowater's David Harris. "The way one guy put it, 'Even snakes have the good sense to come in out of the rain."'

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DISTRIBUTORS:

Raiford Lumber

Asheville, North Carolina

(7O4) 253-5667

Wiegand Martin Lumber Washington, DC (202) 882-9600

D2N'T Covnnn, Dtscovnnlrt

PENOFINO TRANSPARENT WOOD FINISHES

flon t hide your beautiful wood with an opaque stain. Discover it with I-lPenofin@ transparent wood finishes. Instead of using inexpensive impenetrable clay pigments like most semi-transparent stains Penofin@ uses microscopically ground strategic metals that are so small you can see right through them. These microscopic metals also offer the best in UV protection because they don't absorb sunlight, they reflect it.

From Penofin'so color system to its Brazilian Rosewood Oil base, Penofin@ contains the finest ingredients available for wood protection. Brazilian Rosewood Oil penetrates deep into the wood fibers allowing them to breathe. It doesn't leave a film on the surface to crack, peel and chip. We could make it cheaper but it wouldn t be the finest wood finish in the world.

For in-formation on how you can discover the beauty of your wood

with Penofino call our toll free number for the nearest dealer in your area. In California, (800) 468-8812 outside California (800) 468-8820.