EDITORIAL

Here's the bell for round 2

rFHE ongoing fight over the flood of Canadian I softwood lumber into the United States has moved beyond the opening round probings into some serious sparring. The battle over imports has all the makings of a bruising barroom brawl'

There is much at stake for both sides. The U.S. market is a rich one for the Canadians; a loss or major decrease in its size would have a major impact on their industry. On this side of the border, the Canadian competition is blamed for mill closures, lowered prices and profits and diminishing markets for U.S. wood. Many here see disaster if the situation is allowed to continue unchanged. The imports now account for one-third of the total U.S. market - some say more - and it is a rare part of the country that has not felt the effect of the massive Canadian shipments.

Our domestic timber industry fought a losing

DAVID CUTLER editor-publisher

battle in 1982-1983 as it sought countervailing duties on Canadian imports from the U.S' International Trade Commission. It was lost on legal issues, most agree. The present contest will be political.

A committee of major U.S. manufacturers has assembled a war chest, hired lawyers and is seeking a regulatory approach such as duties, antidumping measures or similar restraints such as those achieved by the beleaguered steel and auto industries in recent years.

In addition to industry actions on both sides of the border, each government has become involved. Recent talks sponsored by the Canadian government in their capital at Ottawa brought together representatives of both sides as a first step to finding a solution agreeable to all.

It is a complex and emotional fight. We do not look for either an easy or an early conclusion'

Redwood: quality sells

EDWOOD'S sales appeal can be summed un in one word: "quality." There is always a demand for quality. Redwood's reputation for quality is founded on decades of building experience. Redwood has performance characteristics not available in other woods-even woods treated with chemicals. No other wood provides the longJasting beauty of redwood. This includes resistance to shrinking, warping and checking. Redwood takes finishes better than most other woods. As a result, decks, fences and shelters made from redwood simply look better than projects made from other woods and they continue to look better 10, 15 and 20 years after construction.

Redwood is the perfect wood for outdoor use. Decks, trellising, planters, spa environments, benches and seats of redwood all add special ac- cents to outdoor living areas. In addition, they are easy to care for with little or no maintenance required year after year.

Fences, too, are more handsome and practical when constructed of

Story at a Glance

Ways to sell redwood's performance...build confidence in product. . .avoid customer callbacks.. .get top price for top quality.

redwood. Fence posts, fence rails and fence-boards make the job of fence construction easier for the do-it-yourselfer or professional. Again, durability comes with good looks. Redwood fences withstand weather extremes season after season.

You can recommend redwood to your quality conscious builders and do-it-yourselfers with the confidenee that there will be no customer callbacks because redwood lives up to its promises. And when you think about it, redwood doesn't cost much more than ordinary wood for you or your customers. Plus, you'll get top price because redwood won't warp, split or splinter in the yard like other woods. Your customer is purchasing a quality product. Quality has its own dividends. It looks better and keeps its good looks longer. Who says you can't buy happiness?

Wrapping up convenience, protection and profit all in one unit.

f n the lumber markets of today a I vitally significant contribution to profit can be made through inventory control and protection of valuable inventory investment from mill to retail yard or the ultimate job site. Sim-Pak unit packaging on redwood lumber has been developed by Simpson in response to these needs.

Convenience

Sim-Pak units are designed in size, shape, and weight to accommodate forklift handling in single or multi-unit combinations. Both loading and unloading of trucks and rail cars are easier and faster with compact, high integrity units assembled with precision pressure strapping equipment at the mill. Mixed units of Architectural Finish grades and patterns are readily combined in the same shipment.

Protection

Smaller, lighter, protectively wrapped units, each containing 1,200 or 2,400 b.f. of Architectural Finish grades in random lengths are easy to handle, reducing damage in yard handling and transit. All units are totally wrapped in a combination of heavy duty cardboard and durable 6 mil poly coated paper. Designed to facilitate unit selling, the packaging provides improved protection from mill to market.

Profit

With Sim-Pak random units you can order what you need when you need it and sell everything you order without throwing away profits in damaged stock. And since time is money, the savings in time in loading, unloading, handling and re-tallying plus the savings in actual shipping time all contribute very directly to your profits.

Ask about the Sim-Pak package deal for profit on your next redwood order. Simpson Timber Company, California Operations, P.O. Drawer V, Arcata, CA 95521.