Vaagen Defends Restarting Midway Mill

Boundary Sawmill Inc. has hired Vaagen Brothers Lumber, Colville, Wa., to operate the Midway, 8.C., sawmill it is acquiring, but International Forest Products is charging that restarting the shuttered facility would jeopardize its mill in Grand Forks, B.C., which relies on the same log supply.

Vaagen reportedly is positioning the mill to not compete with Grand Forks, but instead targeting Midway's output to Australian markets. Vaagen said they already have orders they are unable to fill.

But Interfor's regional manager, Andrew Horahan. said the two facilities would be competing for the same limited fiber. "We are after exactly the same log supply," Horahan said. "To imply that we would not be competitors, I strongly disagree with."

Boundary is buying the mill from Fox Lumber Sales. For years, both Midway and Grand Forks were operated by Pope & Talbot. The mills, said Horahan, "did so unsuccessfully until they ran out of fiber and went bankrupt. There is not enough fiber for two sawmills in this area."

Vaagen anticipated running experimental lines in the spring, with actual production to begin by the fall.

Lowe's Trims at the Middle

Lowe's will lay off 1,700 middle managers and hire 8,000 to 10,000 part-time, weekend sales workers to boost customer service at peak sales times. The company will end up with more workers than before, but the new workers will probably be paid less and qualify for fewer benefits.

Spokesperson Chris Ahearn said that the company is trying to streamline by eliminating specialized managers that were added during recent expansions. The cuts will be spread fairly evenly throughout the chain's 1,725 stores, which will lose one manager and gain four to eight parttime, weekend sales associates. Laidoff managers are eligible to apply for the new part-time jobs, but won't automatically receive them.

The managers who keep their jobs could see pay cuts, said Ahern, as manager and assistant manager posi-

Montana Lumberyard Pays lt Forward

Some say it takes a village to school, plus building materials and raise a child, teaching valuable tools. Using the completed shed as skills to the next generation. a guide, students made measureWestern Lumber, a Do it Best ments and created detailed commember located in Chester, Mt., puter drawings. During construccertainly subscribes to this theory. tion, students received hands-on construction experience can build a "This was the first time that CJI quality product," says store manag- students followed the design and er Reynier Malan. "Contractors build process to complete a finusually construct the sheds we ished construction project," says have for sale, but we wanted to Malan. "I wish they had offered give local students a chance." this type of training when I was in hardware store is 50 miles away- Western was so pleased with or perhaps because it is-commu- the student-built shed that it donatnity involvement like this impress- ed a cordless tool set to the high es the locals and can only help school's CTE program. It also prebusiness. sented tools to the top two students

"We wanted to show that, with training in a wide variety of buildtraining, students with little or no ing skills.

And even thoush the nearest school."

To get the job done, Western on the project. contacted Gail Shatkus, who runs Now. Western would like to the career & technology program have students build a greenat Chester-Joplin-Inverness High house*just as soon as the weather School. "The community is rural cooperates and a model can be and agricultural," says Malan. completed. "We have pretty seri"The school draws from a wide ous winters here." savs Malan. area." "But we intend to continue workWestern got the ball rolling by ing with local students." delivering a completed shed to the tions are shuffled. Some could also see pay raises, she said, depending on how theirjob status changes.

Ace Plays Name That Store

The owners of two Ace Hardware stores outside Denver, Co., are holding a contest to name their third store, scheduled to open this spring in Colorado Springs.

Nick and Kirby Kuklenski, owners of Mile High Ace in Federal Heights and Uintah Gardens Ace Hardware in Colorado Springs, will present a $1,000 shopping spree to the winner of the naming contest.

Weyco Completes Rail Sale

Weyerhaeuser, Federal Way, Wa., has finalized its sales of six shortline railroads to Patriot Rail Corp.

In the West, the sale includes the Columbia & Cowlitz Railway, operating over 14 route miles in southwest Washington, and the Patriot Woods Railroad, with over 23 route miles in southwest Washington and direct connection to the Columbia & Cowlitz.

The other four lines cover more than 120 miles of track in Mississippi, Oklahoma and Arkansas, primarily serving Weyerhaeuser and International Paper Co. mills.

Toro Adds Outdoor Lighting

Toro Co. has acquired outdoor lighting manufacturer Unique Lighting Systems, Escondido, Ca., to merge into its Toro Inigation Systems division, based in Riverside, Ca.

Unique's owners, Nate Mullen and Randy Weisser, and a team of designers are among the 30 employees who will be retained, transferring to Riverside over the next 18 months.

Wood Chemicals Rebound

Rising performance and environmental issues are driving demand for greener and superior-value wood preservatives, according to a new report by Global Industry Analysts.

After plummeting in 2008 and 2009, U.S. demand for wood preservatives appeared to have bottomed out and began to show signs of recovery in 2010. The U.S. market for wood preservative chemicals is forecast to reach $567.4 million by 2015.

Landscape products are predicted to be the fastest-growing end-use segment through 2015, although industrial applications for creosote and pentachlorophenol should still dominate the U.S. market.

Gomposite Deck Products

Latitudes Captiva composite decking and railing feature co-extruded cap stock material for better stainand fade-resistance.

The ultra-low maintenance boards are offered in gray, cedar, and walnut, with a natural woodgrain pattern on one side. Available lengths of 12',16', and 2O'can be installed with Equator hidden fasteners.

I WWW.LATITUDESDECK.COM

(877\ 463-8379

Gellular PVG Decking

Solstice cellular PVC decking from Deceuninck uses Korelite technology for superior flatness, dimensional consistency, and strength.

The low-gloss, embossed woodgrain planks are available in four pastel (brookstone, cobblestone, sandstone, and clay) and four hardwood colors (mahogany, walnut, ipe, and ironwood), in 12',16', and 20' lengths. Fascia boards measure l2'.

I WWW.SOLSTICEDECKING.COM

(800) 432-9560

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PVG-Goated Gomposite Railing

Enduris' new Encore PVC-coated composite railing system complements its cellular PVC decking and is code-approved.

Three rail styles are offered in white, although additional colors are planned. Series 100 has a 2"x3.5" rectangular profile; Series 200 has a twopiece T-rail style with a flat cap, and Series 300 offers a small contour profile.

Included are balusters, hardware, and easy-to-follow instructions. Options are post caps and trim rings, as well as special brackets and hardware for stair applications.

I WWW,ENDURIS.COM

(888) 329-1428

Spot Lighting Decks

Decklighting Systems now offers three different lighting kits, which can be used independently or in unison on stairs. rails. and posts.

LED three-beam spotlights use 807o less energy than incandescent bulbs. create less heat. and are safer for children and pets. Photocell technology automatically turns lights on and off, as needed, to save even more energy.

A choice of white, black, or antique bronze blends with nearly any deck or patio.

I W-WW,DECKLIGHTINGSYSTEMS.COM

(88U 305-4232

A, *"", Lurnber Service, we supply domestic and foreign hardwoods.

Our products and services include:

Flardwood Lurnber & Pine r Hardwood Plywood &Veneers

. Melamine Plywood

Hardwood Moulding (alder, cherry, rnahogany, MDF, maple, red oak, paint grade, pecan hickory, white oak, walnut, beech)

Milling (moulding profiles, S2S, SLR1E, SLR2E, & resawn lumber)

Voodworking Accessories (appliques, ornaments, butcher blocks, corbels, etc.)

. Voodworking Supplies (deft finishes, color putty, adhesives, etc.)