THtr S@UTHLANE

By WAYNE GARDNER executive vice president /

'l'HE Federal Energy Office issued r their allocation regulations on January 16, 1974 stating that they were effective January 15,1974 and cautioning all concerned with distribution to have the rules in effect by the end of the month.

Needless to sav. the rules were somewhat confusin!. The oil companies did their level best to interpret them correctly and impose them efficiently.

National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Assn. has asked that a survey be made of the members of the various federated associatisns to ascertaio the impact of the energy crunch.

At our recent board meeting members were surveyed and the results are as follows:

Dealers who have been buying gasoline from.retail gasoline dealers are experiencing some shortages. It appears that the full impact ot the nlel shortage may be felt more in the coming weeks than had been noticed prior to the taking of the survey.

Dealers who are buying retail have been getting 8O to 9Vo of their needs. Those buying bulk have been getting 80 to 100% of current requirements.

' Dealers have not hadtodelay any shipments due to gasoline shortage' ***

As a result of the shortage problem, dealers are making some aIteration of delivery practices - only tull loaclsbemg delrvered to builder customers.

Those using diesel fuel are experiencing some shortages in Southern California. One member who operates in Arizona indicated severe shoitages of diesel fuel in that state.***

Dealers usins proDane were not experiencingf any'diffi culties in obtaining fu"l.* * *

None of those surveyed were using or selling fuel oil for space heating. ***

Members who depended on the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power for electrical current had been asked to reduce useage as were those using Pacific Gas & Electric.***

In srder to rc&rce total energy useage, mo.i'd""t"r. store5 have reduced the interioi lighting and the outside signs. ' Business use of automobiles has been reduced uD to 20Vo.

Publicity given t<i the availability of gasoline at service stations in the San Diego area apparently had some affect on the turnout for the board and general membership meetins. Gasoline was hard to find and somiof the stories related were humorous but did indicate the situation was serious.

Dealers also noted that there was a substantial shortage of pvc pipe, nails and reinforcing bars.

1974 is going to be a challenging year with respect to fuel. Bill Johnson, allocation mgr., continental div., Union Oil Co., predicted that fuel for personal driving will be more difficult to obtain for the next few months than it is now. The lumber industry should not experience too much difficulty in getting the fuel it needs.

THtr ARIZONA

By FRNK DAVIS executive vice president

n NE of the most important facets of \.f 6snaging a building material center today is, employer-employee relations. One consulting firm describes it as "human resources management."

The system is based on five principles. They are : UNDERSTANDING,INVOLVEMENT, COMMIT. MENT. ACHIEVEMENT AND RECOGNITION OF GROWTH.

Good human resource$ management is becoming more important every day for a dealer to be successful and show a eood profit.

- tf the dealer will take time to sit down and comDare the competition he has today with that of a dedade ago he will soon see the importance of this. In the past decade wq have seen the department store add a building materials de- partment and the entry of the home center type of store into the market.

The Arizona association recognizes the importance of human resources management and has scheduled on our annual convention program (Friday afternoon, May 17) a panel discussion entitled "Employer, Employee Relations. "

In order to make this one of the top programs of our convention, Chuck Bivenour, senior v.p., Thoren Consulting Group Inc., will organize and moderate the panel discussion.

Panel members will include a dealer. labor counsel, personnel manager from a Phoenix-based large industry and a State department head.

Your association is planning the '74 convention to be the best ever. Mark on youf calendar the dates of May 16-18 and Plan Now to Attend.