Moulding Manufacturer Helps Dealers Make Contact With Builders

Contact Lumber Co.. Portland, Or.. has unveiled a new "QuickShiP Inventory" program that helps builders interested in trying its wood-wrapped moulding and millwork products to order small quantities.

"We've found that once builders use our wrapped products they're usually convinced that wrapped mould- ings are the answer to many of the problems they have experienced with solid hardwood mouldings," explained Jim Snodgrass, Contact's sales manager in charge of distributor sales. "So we came up with a Program that would allow builders to try the mouldings without having to inventory large quantities of a product that had gone

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The problems with solid hardwoods cited by Snodgrass are solved by the fact that Contact's base and crown mouldings come in l4- and l6-ft. lengths, packaged and ready for easy installation with no pre-drilling. The dimensionally stable fingerjoint substrate is wrapped in defect-free real wood veneer with color uniformity the full length.

For the QSI program, Contact stocks quantities of standard profiles wrapped in maple, cherry or oak. The company promises to ship within three days of receiving orders. "We're marketing to builders because we want to pull through demand for the product, but we will not sell builders directly," Snodgrass said. Instead, if a builder calls about a product from an area where Contact has an existing distributor relationship, Contact will ship the product in small quantities down to a single carton (12to 36 pieces, depending on the profile ordered) through that distributor.

"The big advantage for distributors is they can get the product into their customer's hands in a very short time frame, and they don't have to buY large quantitics of the product in order to olace an order." he said.

lf Contact doesn't already have distribution in the area, the company runs the deal through the distributor or dealer normally used by the builder. As a result, Contact may also secure new distributors.

The program is currently limited to a few standard moulding profiles and door frame products.

Yard Expansion in JeoPardY

A planned expansion by Marson & Marson Lumber. Leavenworth, Wa., could be on a collision course with a proposed highway interchange.

Company president Ken Marson said that the proposed new highwaY would cut through much of the land where he was planning on building a new truss plant, lumberyard, and business park.

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The area's lack of rural commercial property and affordable price has left the lumber firm with few oPtions. Marson said if he could find comparably-priced land he'd consider building at another site. However, the only available land that would be useful is the Peshastin Mill, which is more expensive and is marketed for technol- ogy businesses.

The dealer, which has been in the area since 1955, was preparing the site for construction to begin next year.

Alaska Mill Under Discussion

A secondary manufacturer in Washington State is considering adding a sawmill in Southeast Alaska.

John Glenn, owner of Glenn Custom Milling, Shelton, Wa., has discussed with state and local officials building a sawmill in Petersburg, Ak., the city where he was raised and where his father managed the nowshuttered Mitkof Lumber.

The Shelton mill processes about 30 million bd. ft. annually, specializing in high-end products such as beveled siding and fascia. Although he calls the Alaska project "exploratory and preliminary," Glenn anticipates the Petersburg plant would mill up to 40 million bd. ft. a year.

While conditions currently are favorable for such a business. he sees problems if the White House again locks down the region's top timber source, the Tongass National Forest.

Mill Fire Gonsidered Arson

A fire at a mill near Kalispell, Mt., is being investigated as arson.

The Feb. 15 fire at the Montana Forest Products mill took 30 hours and 100,000 gallons of water to exringuish, and according to the sheriff's office, "conditions aren't right for spontaneous combustion." The area had snow and was cold and humid, which are unlikely conditions for which a fire to start.

"It was probably intentionally set," said Flathead County Sheriff's Office detective Pat Walsh.

The mill is part of the O'Neil family lumber business in Kalispell.

AARP Joins Home Depot

Home Depot is partnering with the American Association of Retired Persons in an effort to attract older employees with experience in various fields such as plumbing, landscape, and electrical.

The national hiring partnership is the first of its kind for the 50-and-over organization. "AARP has a broad national reach with the mature workforce, making it a powerful resource and an ideal organization for Home Depot to partner with for a national hiring initiative," said Depot c.e.o., chairman and president Bob Nardelli.

DOMESTIC SALES: Jerry Long, Michael Parrella, Bruce Keith, Janet Pimentel, Pete Ulloa, George Parden, Vince Galloway, Steve Batick.

INTERNATIONAL SALES: Nestor Pimentel, Oscar Portillo.