Hello Ladies!

FOR THE 21ST time,

Oak Flooring Supplies OK

The nation's home builders will find supplies of oak flooring this year adequate to meet all their pro- jected needs, according to a spokesman for the oak flooring industry.

Henry H. Willins, exec. v.p., National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Assn., says the situation has "tremendously improved since last summer, and home builders in 1974 will be able to get the oak flooring they need."

He explained that the decline in new residential construction during the last half of 1973 enabled flooring manufacturers to catch up and to begin the build-up of normal inventories.

While still somewhat below normal, inventories are continuing to rise, Willins said, and production in 1974 can be increased to meet any projected need.

Another reason is a substantial improvement in the overall availability of hardwood lumber.

Unfavorable weather for a lengthy period and flooding last year slowed logging operations in hardwood ateas. This reduced the amount of hardwood lumber available to oak flooring manufacturers, and flooring production was limited as a result. Also, strong demand last year from the furniture industry for the grades of oak lumber used in the production of flooring further reduced lumber supplies available to oak flooring manufacturers. Both of these factors are now altered, Willins said.