Dodge Yeqr-end Wrqp Up

Contracting for new construction broke out of its recent slump in November, the latest data availalle, as the seasonally adjusted Dodge Inde:r of construction contract value gained 13 percent to 202.

According to F. W. Dodge, all three classes of construction-nonresidential buildings, residential buildingg and nonbuilding constructionwere ahead for the month.

"November's strength, as well as its weaknesses, were just a.bout where you'd expect to find themo" said George A. Christie, vp. and chief economist for F. W. Dodge.

Another advance registered in the steadily-improving housing market. The latest month's value was 17 percent ahead of last November's total. and, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, was an improvement of seven percent from October's rate of residential contracting.

Summing up the year's major developments in construction, Christie said "the 1970 recession and the attempts to stimulate recovery had a lot to do with shaping the past year's construction markets. When 1970 first began, housing was severly depressed, and most of the growth in construction was confined to the nonresidential area-particularly industrial and commercial building. ooToward the cloae of 1970, residential building had taken up most of the slack due to reduced business needs for construction, but in the end it was a standofi with 1970's total finishing almost exactly even with 1969 construction vafue."

"By mid-year the worsening economic environment had begun to reverse that pattern. Declining profits and excess capacity brought a sharp reduction in contracting for new industrial and commercial buildings during the spring and summer months. More or less concurrently, the shift to credit ease in order to limit the business slowdown soon got the mortgage-starved housing market headed upward," according to the Dodge economist.

Iasc Convention

(Continued l'om Page 11) counter salesmen,' during his talk on training salesmen to sell. He said the people at the bottom need the broadest information as they deal with the widest variety of customers.

The LASC correspondence course for countermen was explained by exec. vp. Wayne Gardner. Based on publications of the Northeast Retail Lumber Dealers Foundation, the 12 part home study course devotes two weeks to each subject, is graded by the association, which also gives progress reports, and can later {unc. tion as an effective reference man' ual. Since the convention. Gardner reports reaction to the course has been excellent.

The luncheon speech by three' time Freedoms Foundation Award winner Carl Terzian was widely hailed as one of the best the grouP has heard.

The new officers were introdueed to the group and a plaque honoring the efiorts of immediate past presi' dent Bob Sievers was presented bY George Clough.

Hew Firm.for lqminofed Beqms

A new firm markeing laminated beams and arches has been started by Don Philips, Jr., in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

A principal feature of Philips Lumber Sales is its ability to deliver from stock either an entire carload, or just one beam or arch. Selling through lumber and building materials dealers only, they specialize in jobsite delivery.

The firm also sells a wide variety of white woods.

Unusuol Fence Disploy

Ray Tucker, formerly with Build-nSave, has joined the sales force of Cowan Forest Products, Santa Monica, Calif.

Jack R. Mulholtand was apPointed asst. to S. S. GreeleY, Masonite cory.

Yerlon McKinney recently visited Los Angeles on a business trip for Pacific Hardwood Sales Co.

Leo Seidner, Summit Lumber Co., recently returned from a Liberian business trip.

Eric Hexberg and wife, Jane, returned from Australia where they toured the lumber yanils.

Bob Hoover, vp. Pacific Lumber Co., and his family, spent a Christmas and New Year vacation in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Loryell F. Joseph joined the Salem, Ore., branch of Palmer G. Levris Co as an outside salesmanr reports John Paust, branch mgr.

John F. Bilben was appointed adv. and merclnndising mgr. for Noblecraft Industries announced George Perkins, dir. of marketing.

Joseph McDonald is a dir. of newly incorporated McDonald Lumber Sales and Dry Kilns, Shasta County, Calif.

Larry Owen, snark of the universet and his wife, Fern, visitcd Ernie 'Wales, Wales Lumber Co., 'Spokane, Wash.

Al Harper, Spokane IIoo-Hoo vicegerent Snark, recently visited San Francisco.

Eugene G. Cummins was appointed capital projects purchasing agent for Kaiser Cement & Gypsum Corp. said Conley R. Grimme' dir. of purchases.

Jean lfartsock, K-Y Lumber Co., Fresno, Calif., was enterbainment chairman for Hoo-Hoo Club 31's annual valley frolics.

Mars Rolfson, Rolfson Co., Polson, Montana, sufrered a back injury irr a recent auto accident.

Ilarry Yan Sichle is representing Valspar Corp. in the Montana area.

LeRoy Schoonover, Schoonover Building Supply, Rona,n, Mont., recently joined the Montana Building Material Dealers Assn.

Dick Fleeman, So. Cal.-Commereial Steel, Los Angeles, has returned with his family from spending two weeks in Mexico.

Ernie and Ellen Ylales, Wales Lumber, Spokane, Wash., recently visited their son, John, in San Francisco. Wales Lbr. was 50 years old January 1, 1971.

Erneet L. Kolbe was narned dir. of the Western Forestry Center, Portla,rd.