C&E Lumber Company

by U.S. producers, who accuse Canada of selling its lumber in the U.S. at unfairly low prices.

Canada maintains its lumber is priced fairly, but to dodge a potentially expensive trade dispute, the two largest timber growing provinces, British Columbia and Quebec, agreed to alter their pricing policies. Other provinces are forecast to follow suit.

British Columbia is anticipated to impose an export levy on U.S.-bound lumber, while Quebec is expected to hike the fees it charges for wood cut on its huge government-owned forests.

If completed, the pact should place upward pressure on U.S. homebuilding costs. Canadian imports currently comprise approximately 36Vo of the U.S. softwood lumber market.

Canadian firms contend their U.S. market share has risen from 27Vo in 199 I due to tighter environmental restrictions causing reductions in the U.S. timber supply.

Machinery Show Planned

"Blazing New Trails" is the theme of the fifth annual Woodworking Industry Conference April 24-27 at the La Quinta Resort, La Quinta (Palm Springs), Ca.

Co-sponsored by the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America, Woodworking Machinery Distributors Association and Woodworking Machinery Importers Association, the event this year also welcomes the Association of Woodworking and Furnishing Suppliers as a participant.

Speakers Richard Titus, Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Associationl Albert Bibeau, Wood Products Manufacturers Association; Steven Lawser, National Dimension Manufacturers Association, and Craig Johnson, Architectural Wood Institute, will provide forecasts from the perspective of their industry segments.

Sponsor A Builder Seminar

Looking for a great way to build solid relationships with contractor customers? Try sponsoring a Builder/ Remodeler Seminar offered jointly by Western Wood Products Association, Southern Forest Products Association and APA-The Engineered Wood Association.

Seminar sponsorship provides an excellent, inexpensive way to help your customers, educating them on wood products and their appropriate applications. They also serve as great training for a retailer's own staff.

The seminars provide professional remodeling and building contractors with the basics on wood plus specific "how to" information necessary to deal successfully with building designers, suppliers and clients when specifying, purchasing and utilizing wood construction systems. The emphasis is on technical aspects, including details on code requirements.

Presented by qualified representatives of the three major wood product trade associations, seminars comprise a full day of audiovisual presentations, hands-on design examples, open discussions and questions and answers.

This year the seminar program has been updated, with the addition of an engineered product section, updates on resource and timber supply issues, and information on secondary wood products such as windows, doors, moulding and millwork.

Association representatives do not charge retailers to conduct the seminars, but sponsors are responsible for mailing WWPA-provided invitations, arranging for a meeting room, handling refreshments and covering the cost of the binders ($20 each) given each attendee.

In business since 1955, HooverTreatedWood Products, Inc., is the premier full-line pressure treater in North America. In addition, Hoover's fire retardant formulations arc licensed to a select group of licensee treating plants.

Hoover has had the same American ownership since 1983 and the same executive team for over 20 years. Stability and experience assurc the industry's most effective products and support.

A class action lawsuit claiming a hardboard siding previously made by Abitibi-Price Inc.'s U.S. subsidiary is defective has been filedin circuit court in Choctawa County, Al.

Defendants Abitibi-Price. its subsidiary and ABT Building Products Co., which acquired the U.S. unit in 1992, deny the allegations.

MSDS Exemption For Pallets

OSHA has ruled that wood pallets are :rmong wood products and articles exempt from the provisions of the Hazard Communication Standard for wood dust, freeing manufacturers from having to distribute Material

"According to U.S. Forest Service statistics, SOVo of all National Forest land is off-limits to any timber harvesting whatsoever."

- Congressman Charles Taylor, (R-N.C.)

Safety Data Sheets to customers, according to the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association. The HazCom program still requires