Special Order Timbers

Light, Measure & Sharpen tance along uith extrente flexiblity' to withstand cold. hcat. rain and field animals.

L ighted bl.tde pou er lltpes fronl lrwin now f'eature a built-in pencil sharncne r.

.,,\n on/off switch is also built into the thuntb slidc blaclc lock of thc l " Lock'n Light taPcs. Wlten locked. a soft L.E.D. light is activated for casl' rcading of measurements closest t0 the case.

The reusable covers are available in several grades of thickness front 3 ply to 7 plyt in black. u'hite or clear color combinations. boxshaped or rounded. and in standard individual and group pallet sizes. Custom sizes and closures such as drawstrings. elastic. velcro flaps or gronrmets arc also availablc.

Thc tapc has u chip-rcsistant. l ellorl -coated steel blacle. insidc merrsurentcnt nrarkings u Iticl.t aulonraticall-"" adcl in case length. decinral ecluivalent to 64ths. circunlference/dianteter scale. and a ncarll' inclcstructible clrrome-ltllrted tape ca sc.

'['l.re tlpes arc poucrecl bl one r c a d i I y' a c c e s s i b I e , I o n g - I a s t i n g lithium batter).

Protecting Palletized Products

Covers I'or storing Iuntber. drums and other palletized products outside safell' and rvilh conlplete wcather protection arc available liom Griffblr-n.

Maclc of n1'lon tire-cord meslr layered between polyethl lene fi lnr. the high densitl'. lightweight cover offers high puncturc and tear resis- ffpe felrrcjrg sPecialisfs @

And now Britt Lumb-er products are available in cedar, too.

New To Trim

A new consumer class linetimmer equipped with a l6 cc twocycle engine, flex-shaft, bump-feed twin line trimming head and "D" handle is from Sachs-Dolmar.lt is designed for homeowners with moderate trimming jobs.

The LT-250 linerrimmer now includes a "D" handle and the BC250 brushcutter now comes with a "C" handle.

Rubbish On Wheels

A 34-gallon wheeled refuse container which permits rolling trash to the street for pick-up without bending over is new from Rubbermaid.

Features include molded-in handles on two sides, heavy duty 6" wheels with cold weather impact resistance, secure snap-on lid and reinforced l/2" axle for extra strength.

Holding up to 75 lbs. and sized to fit 39-gallon or larger lawn bags, it will reportedly stand up under subzero temperatures and will not rust or dent.

Sealed With A Touch

A silicone sealant packaged in an innovative dispenser unit for application by a finer control device to regulate sealant flow rate and bead width more precisely is new from General Electric.

Silicone II One Touch Bathroom

Tub & Tile Sealant utilizes a simple lever to apply sealant through a high-precision, non-clog polyethylene valve. Once the job is done, an easy turn ofthe flow valve closes off the container and preserves the remaining sealant. The product is said to be ideal for sealing around the tub, sink and shower as well as for securing and moisture-protecting plumbing hardware, fixtures and accessories. It adheres to ceramics, glass, porcelain, marble and wood as well as many plastics and metals.

A Little Flood

A new 75-watt mercury miniflood fixture has been designed for landscape lighting applications by Stonco Lighting.

The square mini-flood is compact and lightweight, with its mercury lamp producing bluish white light for perfect accenting to rich green color found in landscapes. Its die-cast aluminum construction and Duraplex II finish resists harsh weather.

Spray & Stay ble to be thinset directly over it. The kit is water and chemical resistant.

A spray adhesive specifically for wallcoverings has been introduced by Custom Building Products.

For more information on New Products write The Merchant Mogazine,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!

Used to cover switchplates, outlet covers and A/C vents, it is as easy as spraying the object, adhering the wallcovering directly to it, and trimming off the excess.

Crack Operation

A suppression kit to stop or reduce cracked floor tiles is new from Laticrete International. Consisting of a liquid rubber and a reinforcing fabric, it is applied over visible cracks in the slab floor at room temperature. Unlike sheet membranes which are costly, thick and must be applied to the entire floor, the system is applied onlY to cracks. The treatment cures to a thin 20 mil membrane with 30% elongation, permitting tile and mar-

Kiddie Time

A new juvenile clock line including three alarm and three wall clocks has been introduced by Spartus Corp.

smaller retail package from Shakertown. Featuring a full-color label with applications pictured, the 48-piece pack comes with complete installation instructions and has an "easv carry" handle for the customei. The pack will cover 12-l/2 sq. ft. at 7-l/2" exposure for exierior applications and 16-l /2 sq. ft at 10" exposure for interior applications.

Paste Up Kits

Two complete wallcovering tool kitsone for wallpaper, the other for vinylare now available from Allway Tools.

The line features primary colors and whimsical shapes while empha- sizing education and decorative themes raiher than faddish licensed names.

Models include a wall clock that helps children tell time, recognize colors, spell and read, and the Happy Face, a round analog quartz bedside alarm.

Shingle & Available

Fancy Cut Decorative Cedar Shingles are now available in a new

Made from 10006 clear western red cedar. straight grain and knotlree, the shingles are available in nine different patterns.

Each kit includes a paste brush, smoother, seam roller. break-a-wav blade knife, chalk, plumb bob, chalk line, and instruction booklet. The vinyl and wallpaper kits are identical except for the length of the bristles on the smoother.

Included are new types of brushes, made with crimped polypropylene bristles, attached bv a unique sonic-welding process to a structural foam handle.

The compact, shrink-wrapped boxes, designed to be pegboardhung or bin-stacked, are packed l0 to a carton.

Lasc Conference

(Corttinued from Page I6) tial to an effective credit Program and that dealers should work with their local district attorney on check prosecution programs. "You should be familiar with both the D.A.'s program and the workings of the small claims court so you can make the system work for you," he urged. With some larger jobs, he said, use of separate invoices keeps amounts low enough to qualify for small claims court.

Running concurrently was a wholesalers credit panel discussion manned by Frank Collard, Ganahl Lumber Co.; Andy Ersek, South BaY Forest Products, and Bill Deger, Pozzi-Fenati. They reviewed their various credit strategies and related methods that had worked successfully for them.

The annual awards luncheon was held next to honor the directors and the immediate past president, E. L. "Al" Newkirk. It was an astonished and very touched Newkirk who discovered later in the program that he was also the winner of the Lumberman of the Year award. The convention, held this year for the first time at the Marquis Hotel, began its formal program Thursday, Nov. 13, and concluded on Saturday.

That afternoon, Bank of America economist Dr. Duane Paul gave his forecast for the Southern California economy. He predicted that new housing starts this year would be off 5%-10%, but that the bulk of the decline would be in multiple unit construction. He said single family home starts would decline only 50/0. "With the population expanding at twice the national rate, we're bullish on the area's economy," he said. Dr. Paul foresees that Southern California will match New York as a financial center by the turn ofthe century.

"Look for a slow first quarter," he said, with the entire year "probably at a slow pace."

The next day Dan Nimer, a pricing consultant, presented a morning long session on pricing. He said an ideal pricing plan should provide the greatest perceived value in product and services brought to market, consistent with the growth and Profitability of the company.

Noting that a l% increase in price can equal a200/o increase on the bot-

(Please turn to page 50)

Lumber Barging Growing Fast

Shipping lumber by barge has long been considered cost efficient by lumber manufacturers. Now favorable pricing coupled with ease of handling and speed of deliverY has increased the popularity of moving lumber by water.

One of the most recent entries into the business is Latitudes Marine based in Eureka, Ca. With its roots in ocean salvage and towing, the company has introduced its service using modern tugs and barges to the lumber transportation market during the past three years.

The company recently acquired waterfront property and a loading dock in Eureka, giving it the capability of stocking lumber at the loading facility. This arrangement allows manufacturers to schedule trucking and delivery times as well as helping them to free up space at mill facilities.

Delivery time from Eureka to Los Angeles or San Diego ports in Southern California is from three to three and one-half days. From Oregon ports the trip takes an extra day, averaging four to four and onehalf days with a 2,000 to 5,000 horsepower tug doing the towing. Both open and covered barges are available to ship green lumber as well as dry lumber and plywood.

John LaPrade and Alexandra Gavora own and operate the comPanY. Jim DiMatteo is sales manager. Tours of the facility are available by contacting DiMatteo in Eureka.

Driver Testing

(Continued from page 15) before becoming probationary drivers.

DMV records for all drivers at Dixieline are checked annually for traffic violations. Violations, whether in their personal car or the company truck, are grounds for disqualification, according to Myers. All accidents are investigated by him. Disciplinary action including termination can result.

Even if a company is not large enough to have a corporate safetY director, someone must be given the responsibility for hiring and training drivers as well as keeping a handle on their safety records.

Help is available from the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association which publishes a Truck Driver's Manual, from the state police or highwaY patrol, the state department of motor vehicles and the US Department of Transportation (DOT) which covers driver qualifications in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation and Noise Emission Requirement handbook.

Phil Butterfield is the new president of the Lumber Association of Southern California. Vice presidents are Richard E. Hawthorne and Martyn Temple. George Swartz is treasurer.

Retail directors include Warren Lindsay, Donald W. Olson, Allen Quimby, Ross Callaway, Robert Slettedahl, Russell Fritchey, James Barr, Jim Rif-

((-orttinued JTorn prcvious page) tom line, Nimer stressed that cost has nothing to do with pricing. "Cost is used to test, not set prices," he said, adding that the marketplace will finally decide what the price of any given item will be. Pricing should be done from a customer orientation, he said.

Nimer told the LASC members that there are nine questions they should ask themselves regarding pricing. (1) What business am I really in? (2) Who is the customer?

(3) Why do they buy? (4) Why should they buy from me? (5) Wtro is the competition? (6) What are the critical factors for success? (7) How well have I met my markets?

(8) Based on my answers for questions l-8, what is my perceived value? (9) Based on questions l-8, are there any other businesses I should get in or leave?

The following discussion was the fenburgh, Robert Ransom, Tom Betts, Charles J. O'Donnell, Terry Wesseln, Jerry Higman and Ted Schafer, Jr.

Wholesale directors are Creighton W. Anfinson, Daryl Bond, Phil Butterfield, Jay Linderman, Mark Lofland, Jeff Lynn, Ted Pollard, Jack Secoy, Don Swartzendruber and Martyn Temole.

Hall of Fame Panel, composed of Stanley Brown, Chandler Lumber; Carl Poynor, Fremont Forest Products; Bob Sievers, Fisher Lumber; and George Clough, Anfinson Lumber. Together they represented 196 years in the lumber business.

Brown told the group that companies needed to evaluate what their assets really are and play to them. Profit not volume is the name of the game, he said, noting that the biggest firms in the area have not survived. He named as examples Sun Lumber Co., PattenBlinn, Hammond Lumber Co., E.K.Wood and Owens-Parks Lumber.

Fisher Lumber's Sievers said they sell value, not price, and that quality is the only real alternative to price. The most important asset their company has is its people, he said. Get involved with your association, it will pay off in many ways,

Sievers remarked.

Carl Poynor, in his inimitable manner, mixed a rich array of jokes in with his basic message that the business is in good hands due "to the fine young people" who are coming up in the business.

Elder statesman George Clough, who has worked in and around the lumber business since 1919, said that he had never met a lumberman he didn't like. Clough reviewed past association policies that had changed at government instigation and said that the changes have been good for the industry.

The final business session was a panel discussion on stress. Bill Sullivan, the president of Second Growth, an under-40 part of the LASC, was the chairman.

Leadoff panelist Rick Orlando, Barr Lumber Co., observed that some managers add to the stress of their employees by not providing adequate sales training. The stress of dealing with customers is always present in a retail business and employees should be urged to use exercise, hobbies or the like to help alleviate stressful job situations.

Scott Eilefson, Burns Lumber, counseled that industry problems must be faced, that they won't go away. He noted that stress affects each of us differently. Eilefson said that goal setting and the division of

(Please turn to page 57)

M|]{UIES BEF0BE he received Lumberman of the Year honors, Al Newkirk lll acceoted this past president's plaque from Milt Johnson. (21 Creighton Anfinson, Bill Evenson, Tom March. l3l Ed & Barbara Fountain, Mike Buford, Rick Ponce. l4l lvan & Dotty Schultz, Barbara Temple. l5l Wayne Gardner. 16l Carl Poynor, Bob Wilber. l7l Bob Sievers, Marty Temple. l8l Dr. Duane Paul, Phil Butterlield, Leon Lauderbach. [91 Robert Golding, Julie Tomlin, Terry Wesseln. ll0l Scott Schledorn, Jenni Mann, Nancy & Bill Sullivan. llll Jon Hesketh, Ande Swift, Eric Jorgensborg, Dinny Waters. ll2l Jeff Jahraus, Jerry Holdren. ll3l Kathy & Bob DiMeco. ll4l Jon Cencak, Kathy & Steve Thurgood. llSl Ted Schaler, Jackie & Steve Gwaltney. ll6l Cindy Mazanet, Shery & Frank Velez. (l7l Kevin & Patti Lindsay, John Mazanet. (l8l Dennis Heet. ll9l Gaye Greenberg, Pat & Lisa Hawthorne. l20l Pat & Roger Braniger, Judy & Don Watson. 12ll Ed Gavotto, Jane Golding.

T0AST|i{G the holiday season are [ll Scott Williams, Charles Kitchel, Ralph Heath. l2l Russ Britt, Eill Gittings. [3]Jorrn Diederich, Elmer Lewis, Pat Gould, Maury Walker. l4l Bob Haas, Bob Britland, Craio Triebwasser. Les LeGaux. l5l Nadine Bergman, Lee Rawlin. 16l Bob Riggs, Sid Johnson. l7l Dave Snodgrass, Chris Johnson. l8l Dan

Opichka, Betsy Mazzanti, Lew MacDonald. [9] Greg Hudson, Fred Holmes. ll0l Mike Bivins, Bill Blount. Illl Lee Turner, Dennis Nelson, Bill Elmore. ll2l Annette Chr.istensen, Jack Jenkins, Karen Powning. ll3l Jay & Mike Robbins, Len Richert. ll4l Mark Setzer, Tony Ksidakis, Dan Merrill. llSl Jim Hayes, Jim Ellsworth. ll6l Ctruck

Powles, Bill Dyer. Il7l Claudia Jennings, Doug Hanson. itgl Rick Richter. ttgl Ditk Johnson, Bob Reed. [20f Terry Kuehl, Max Corning. {21| Morrie Tisdall, Rick Shaw, Marty McGinnis. l22l Gene Gredwohl. (231 Steve Fudurich, John Parsons, Mark McDonald.