Back to the ol'classroom

During the balance of the day each seminar group observed and learned the mill's capabilities and product grades such as underlayment, Ampine industrial and Ampine high density. Because all three grades are manufactured, it was easy to demonstrate the products' different physical properties and characteristics.

In the quality control lab, Rich Muller, quality control supervisor, demonstrated the procedures for testing the internal bond of particleboard as part of the "hot test" series. Other quality control tests demonstrated included density, modulus of rupture, moisture content and screw holding.

After lunch, the seminar group gathered in the finishing department for further information on particleboard manufacture. Here they observed the plant's Kimwood belt sander which can process stock up to 61" x 193" long at rates up to 300 lineal feet per minute and to thickness tolerances of +.005" thickness.

As the seminar followed the natural flow of materials through the plant, they came to the grading process and grading rules along with the quality control inspection which checks panels for sanding defects, squareness, and also for thickness and size tolerance. All these steps are considered part of the manufacturing process to assure sales representatives and customers that they are selling and buying the highest quality particleboard possible.

But before particleboard can be shipped it has to be accumulated in the warehouse, grade stamped, color coded, and sorted to apply to the many individual orders on file. The banded units are then loaded for shipment - either on trucks or into rail cars. Rail car shipments are all carefully diagrammed prior to loading to insure a level load and thus, damage free transportation to market. Those in attendance were able to witness actual in-plant demonstrations of all these procedures.

Story at a Glance

Series of in-plant seminars teaches AFPC sales reps what's what about the company's particleboard included is manufacturing, plant capabilities, product characteristics and end uses.

Dinner followed the long and informative day. Dinner speakers, AFPC's Gene Tower, particleboard plant manager and Fred Farr, manager particleboard sales, outlined the company's plans for the future in plant expansion, new products and future marketing strategy for new products.

On the second day, moderator Don Mitchell, assistant manager for particleboard sales, pointed out that one of the primary reasons for holding the seminar was to present to each sales representative in attendance the sales manual and teach them its proper use. The manual covers in detail all subjects dealt with during the course of the seminar and is up-dated regularly.

GOOD LAUGH occupies execs. of National Building Centers, Inc. (parent company o'f Ward & Harrington, Sun Lumber and Coopers) at opening of their deluxe new offices at El Segundo, Ca. In (1), l-r, Chuck Caple, regronal operations mgr.; Miles Davidson, Western regional v.p.: Tom Supple, regional services mgr.; Frank Higgins, regional contractor sales mgr.; Mike Hynes, regional retail sales mgr., all titles are N.B.C.