KITCHEN KOMPACT CABINETS

OnBattling Absenteeism

An effective weapon in the battle against absenteeism is an explanation of ways in which it hurts the company and affects wages. This information, plus rules with penalties, can bring results.

For example, one manufacturer of industrial equipment announced to its employees that the absentee rate had climbed from6Vo to lTVo in recent years with dangerous side effects of orders being cancelled because of late deliveries, customers looking for more reliable suppliers, and workers being replaced. Employee attendance showed an improvement after this information appeared in the company newsletter.

Basic Forms End Paper Chase

Paperwork for salespeople can be cut by establishing four basic forms that provide the controls and information needed by management.

(1.) Sales-information sheet: records purchasing procedure, sales potential, key people and basic information for customer. Field sales managers file these with call reports. They provide data needed for a sales review as well as a briefins for a substitute salesman.

(2.) Call repdrt: objective of call written out prior to the visit with results and follow-up plans recorded immediately afterward. This pocket-size card should be filed with those showing poor results, improper followup, or failure to meet objective reviewed.

(3.) Itinerary: details time, place, and objective of every sales call. Submitted weekly or biweekly, it is a check on the sales force as it is justification for sales call.

(4.) Expense accountsi with as few categories as allowable by accounting and IRS and ample space for computation and explanation. Submitted weekly to keep expenses current.

Roofing Choice lmportant

Quality roofing is a wise investment which increases the selling appeal and price of a home, in addition to providing long lasting protection.

When homeowners consider putting on a new roof, it is no longer a matter of simply selecting the most durable material at an affordable price. The wide variety of colors, styles and textures available today adds a new dimension to roofing. The concept of blending a roof with the surrounding terrain often can bring architectural sophistication to a home.

In keeping with this concept, asphalt shingles are said to come in more colors, designs, textures and weights than other roofing materials. Used as a waterproofing agent for more than 5,000 years, asphalt offers proven durability, industry spokesmen claim, pointing out walls built with asphalt binder in ancient Babylon are still standing today.

As inflation causes homeowners to seek maximum beauty and value when selecting a new roof, asphalt shingles are reportedly a popular choice because of the wide range of colors, styles and textures available.

WCLIB Membership Broadens

The West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau is now offering associate memberships to wholesalers, dealerships, users of West Coast Lumber products and other interested firms not engaged in the processing of wood or wood products in the westem states.

The West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau is a nonprofit lumber grading agency representing approximately 200 sawmills west of the Cascades in Oregon and Washington, and all of California. The Bureau supervises or grades 4t/z to 5 billion feet of lumber per year, the bulk of the production within their area. WCLIB also maintains a technical staff working in wood research and with municipal code and insurance rating groups. For more information, contact Ray Todd, WCLIB, P.O. Box 23145, Portland, Oregon 97233.

Disputed Bill Tactics

Checks to a supplier whose bill is in dispute should be identified with an invoice number or notation of delivery date of the goods the payment covers.

This will prevent the supplier from crediting the pavment to the disputed transaction.

SPECIALIZING IN PINE AND FIR PRODUCTS FOR THE INDUSTRIAL AND RETAIL MARKETS.

Gonstruction Contracts Up 60/o

A modest gain in construction contracting in December reversed a five-month series of declines. reports the F.W. Dodge Div. of McGraw-Hill Information Systems Co.

In the final monrh of 1979, the value of newly started construction projects was $10.5 billion, a gain of 6oh over the year-ago month. December's new projects broughl the 1979 total to a record $166.4 bilf ion, up 4ol, from the 1978 value.

Commenting on the December gain, Dodge chief economist George A. Christie pointed out that "Like many other closely-watched barometers of the economy's condition, the Dodge Index of construction contracting showed unexpected strength in December when a surge of nonresidential building projects more than offset the prevailing softness in homebuilding.

The seasonally-adjusted Dodge

Index (19'12:100) jumped 7701, in December to 183, signaling the highest rate of activity in several months. "Unseasonably mild weather was undoubtedly an enabling factor in December's inrprovement," Christie observed, "but the gain was nevertheless a sign that the underlying denrand for construction remains strong."

Contracting for nonresidential building reached a new seasonallyadjusted high in Decenrber, revealing broad support in both private and public demand.

The final month's $3.6 billion of nonresidential building contracls was an I 8801, gain over the year-ago month. Commercial and industrial projects were up l6(Xr, while institutional building gained 2l percent.

"Nonresidential building was the most aclive construction market all through 1979, by far. The year's contract value of $49.7 billion was l0ol, larger than the 1978 total." said Christie.

A modest rebound in the seasonally-adjusted rate of housing starts, following Novenrber's sharp break. left Decenrber's $4.3 billion of residential building 9(l' below the previous December value.

"lt is highly unlikely that December's 'technical rebound' of home building can be sustained in the months inrmediately ahead," the Dodge economist said. "When interest rates come down, the housing market will make a strong recovery-but that's six or nrore months off."

For the full year 1979, the value of new residential building was $74.7 billion. unchanged fronr I 978 total. "At 1979 prices, however, this amount bought I l{1, few honres and apartnrents than it did in 1978," he pointed out.

Nonbuilding construction (public works and utilities) advanced l9()l' in Decenrber. as $2.7 billion of (Please turn to page 98)

Wholesalb Lumber Only

4il101{GSI TllE TllR0t{cS ll I were Harrv Anthony, pres., J.E. Higgins Lumber (left) and Ralph Heath, California Cascade Industries, one of the organizers of the annual luncheon. (21 Jerry Evans, Bob Bonner, Jerry Edwards. l3l Gary Hartmann, Jim Fraser, Jack Davies, Bill Carter. [4f Bob Plunkett, El Louise Waldron, Pat Hunter. [51 Hank Feenstra, Rick Rosa, Lowell Wall. [61 Ron DeWitt, Roy Gilmore, Gary Simmen. [7] Bob Eldredge, Bob Glatt. [8] Betty Foster, Ron Lewman, Ben Cassinerio, Claire Myler. l9l Bob Brass, Danny Jenkins, Charlie Sch- weitzer. ll0l Jim Brown, Wally Bragdon, Joe Lausmann. ll ll Betty Bryson, Jim Murray, Mitzie Finch. ll2l Claude Scott, Merle Tanner, Myrtle Harwood, Jerry Ensworth. ll3l Jack Lawrentz, Gerry Bendix, Dick Cameron. ll 4l Bob Davenport, John Speight, C.B. Belforte, Dick Johnson. llSl Bob Mickey, Doug Westlake, Bud Perkins. {l6l Chad Bulord, Duane Bauch. llTl Kay Burton, Brian Eggiman. llSl Glen Emmerton, Elmer Lewis. Il9l Al Dodrill, Dennis Adkins, Mike Steinbach.