Modern plant design

Treated-pole structures are, Fir & Pine Lumber Company's design solution for achieving maximum work-flow efficiency at its newly comPleted local headquarters.

"Plant operation at the new facility," notes company president Robert Gaylord, "has been upgraded so impressively it now makes any other work system appear virtually obsolete in comparison."

The 5-acre, Santa Fe Springs, Ca., establishment, sited at the hub of the wholesale lumber company's major service area and provided with its own railroad spur, marks the pioneer firm's initial plant re-location in more than a quarter of a century. It previously was headquartered in Burbank, Ca.

The new facility, a turn-key project by Treated Pole Builders, Inc., Ontario, Ca., the nation's largest company specializing exclusively in treated pole

Story at a Glance

Treated pole design of new lumber facility was chosen for maximum work-flow efficiency . S-acre plant is one of the most technologically advanced for its size in the West.

design, has a storage capacity of more than three million board feet of lumber.

Because of rapid business expansion, the plant, one of the most technologically advanced for its size on the Pacific Coast, has been master-planned for a l5% annual growth rate, according to Gaylord.

Key structures are of two basic design types: post-and-beam, and postand-truss, both of which Permit extraordinary latitude in unimpeded use o f forklifts, trucks and other handling equipment.

Poles pressure treated using the "Cellon" process, developed by Koppers Company, Inc., were used throughout the project. In the Cellon process, poles are impregnated with chemicals providing enduring protection against decay and insect attack.

Because superstructures of Pole type buildings can be relatively light, and also because floor loads are supported independently by the ground instead of the frame of the structure, it was possible to achieve major con-

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'UMBREItA' DESIGN (top) Center row of treated poles, supporting roof, permits unimpeded use of forklifts and other hand' ling equipment at both sides of newly completed structure.0n 5-acre site at Santa Fe Springs, Ca., it is master'planned lor 15% annual growth rate. Facility has own railroad spur. As many as six cars, each with capacity of up to 40,000 board feet, can be unloaded at one time. Each car is serviced by immediately adjacent storage area. Five-acre plant is oftreated pole design. Poles were pressure treated using "Cellon" process, developed by Koppers Company.