The year the smiles returned

1f, FTER enduring the worst times rin the lumber business since the 1930s, Western lumbermen were again smiling as the industry observed an annual benchmark, the Western Wood Products Association spring meeting in San Francisco, Ca. Registration had approximately doubled, to nearly 800, while additional hundreds gathered in the lobby of the St. Francis Hotel to greet customers and friends and remark happily that a pronounced turnabout seemed to be occurring. It was a marked contrast. indeed. to the

Story at a Glance

Widespread optimism for gradual business improvement somber faces and grim predictions of last year.

A number of lumbermen observed that while their current business wasn't at as high a level as their optimism, they nevertheless were very positive regarding the balance of 1983.

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.. new marketing program un. veiled 1.4 million housing starts predicted... Whelan new president . . . fall meeting: Scottsdale, Az., Sept. 10.13.

Unveiled at the March 8-ll meeting was Impetrrs, a new marketing program created by the WWPA staff aimed at increasing demand for western lumber in a num-

(Continued on next page) ber of markets and to rebuilt market share lost-to other species, materials and products.

A long range program, Impetus seeks to develop 2.5 billion board feet in new demand above what is otherwise expected. The goal is to achieve that increase by the program's fifth year. Markets targeted for action are new residential, repair,/remodeling, non-residential, and industrial. A final vote of the membership at a later meeting is expected to ok implementation of the marketing program.

H.A. Roberts, executive v.p. of the Western Wood Products Association, told the group,"Too many recent reports of lumber recovery have been overstated. Any spurt in production, coming after a short holiday week or off a very low level, often has been interpreted as a return to normall'

"We do, however, expect a l6slo increase in Western lumber production to 14.59 billion board feet in 1983. That level will allow manufacturers to rebuild inventories and provide for an expected l29o increase in product demand this year," Roberts said.

"Our production increase should be interpreted in context, however. It is a rebound only from the 12.58 billion board feet manufactured last year and that was the lowest production total our industry has recorded since the end of World War [I," he said. In 1945, the Western lumber industry produced I1.42 billion board feet.

Total lumber consumption in the U.S. is expected to reach 33.06 billion

TR|O ol Pacilic Lumber Co. execs. includes (1) Bill Stevens, Bob Hoover, Gene Elam. (2) Tom McHugh, Will Riegel, Steve Little. (3) Bud Robey, Mark Kelley, Pauline Marquand, Pati & Bill Johnson. (4) Sam Witzel, Sue & Dennis Richardson. (5) Ron Lewman, Parks Miller, Steve Hagen. (6) Craig Larsen, Howard Holmann, John Schick. (7) Joe Bowman, Del Cole. (8) Bob Hunt, Wade Mosby, Randy Bailey. (9) Gary Bennett, Bill Herman. (10) Greg Butler, Tom Lapinski. (11) Ted Michon, Jerry Strand, Ted Fullmer, Chuck Harris. (12) Bill Freeland, Chet Dennis, Mike Parli. (13)Johnie Edgar, John Cole, Bob Shannon, Alan Gray. (14) Paul Krihak, Bill Wood, R.M. Tiflany. (15) Harley Hart, Larry Holguin, Rudy Gonzalez. (16) Myrna & Ted Pollard. (17) Dave Higi, Claudia Cowan, John Tallman, Bill Peterson.

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